Last time we learned that religion cannot save you. To enter God’s eternal kingdom you need the new the birth of the Holy Spirit.
John 4:1-30 – The Samaritan Woman
Since Jesus was becoming well known, the Jewish leaders were becoming jealous. He knew there would soon be confrontation and the time wasn’t right so He left for Galilee. The most direct route from Jerusalem was through Samaria. Most Jews didn’t go this way because Jews and Samaritans were enemies. Since this was a much shorter route, that’s the way He and the disciple went. It was about noon when Jesus passed Jacob’s well so He sat down to rest while the disciples went into town to buy food. (John 4:1-6)
The Jews and the Samaritans shared the same ancestors, but had a long history of hate dating back to 2 Kings 17:24-41. The King of Assyria brought pagan people to Samaria where the Jews had lived before they were taken captive. Many Jews had remained there and married these Samaritans who worshipped false gods. When the captive Jews were freed, they returned. They didn’t want to share in rebuilding the temple with the Samaritans, because of the Samaritan’s worship practices. The Samaritans rejected most of the Old Testament and worshiped pagan gods. So hatred developed.
John said Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” – John 4:4. Jesus didn’t share this hatred for Samaritans. He knew they needed to know how to be saved, too. Jesus loves and cares for all people no matter who they are or what they’ve done. He meets each of us exactly where we are. Jesus went out of His way to seek this Samaritan woman.
Jesus was tired and needed a drink so He sat down by the well to rest. This shows us Jesus’ humanity. He got hungry, thirsty, sleepy and tired. In John 19:28 He said He was thirsty. He is 100% God and 100% human.
A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. “Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’” – John 4:7. The woman said He was a Jew and asked why He asked her for a drink. He answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” – John 4:10. She told Him He had nothing to draw the water with and the well was deep and where could He get this living water? (John 4:7-12)
This encounter is different than the one with Nicodemus. The obvious is he was a man; she was a woman. He is named; she is not. He was a Jew; she was a Samaritan. He was a Pharisee and known for being righteous and devout. She was living with a man who wasn’t her husband. He was honored; she was an outcast. He was educated; she was not. He approached Jesus first, but Jesus approached the woman. He approached Jesus at night. The woman come during the day time. She doesn’t ask to be spiritually born, but asks for the living water. Nicodemus didn’t go tell others, but the woman ran to tell others about Jesus. In both encounters Jesus spoke of eternal life.
The well was the place where women gathered to talk as they drew the needed water, but women probably didn’t want to socialize with this woman because they had no respect for her. She had been married many times and was living with a man who wasn’t her husband. Jesus talked to her which was unusual, because Jews didn’t talk to Samaritans and they didn’t talk to strange women in public. Jesus and the woman had something each of them needed. His body needed water to stay alive and she needed the Holy Spirit to stay alive.
Jesus explained the difference between physical water and this living water He was offering. “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” – John 4:13-14. Our bodies get thirsty, but physical water is only temporary. The water Jesus offers gives permanent satisfaction. It’s a gift from God. It is the free salvation available to all who believe. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Rom. 6:23. It’s tied to the identity of Jesus. It’s available to all who ask and Jesus gives it gladly.
With physical water, you become thirsty again. This living water is permanent satisfaction. It’s God’s Holy Spirit. We need water to stay alive, but our spirits need the Holy Spirit to say alive, too. The Holy Spirit supplies us with everything we need to live as Christians every day. People today thirst for things that don’t satisfy. They thirst for power, success, money, popularity, and material things. Only Jesus can give what satisfies on the deepest level. What do you thirst for in your life?
She asked Jesus, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” – John 4:15. Jesus told her to call her husband and come back. She told Him she had no husband. Jesus told her she was right and that she had had 5 husbands and the man she lives with was not her husband. (John 4:15-18)
The woman didn’t want to have to come and draw water every day. She wanted life to be easier. We all want an easier life, but Jesus doesn’t offer us an easy life. He offers us a changed heart and helps us overcome our difficulties. Being a Christian is not easy.
She then thought He was a prophet since He knew her past. Then she changed the subject and talked about the correct place to worship God. Jesus told her it didn’t matter where she worshiped, but that it was the attitude that mattered. Jesus knew the woman was sinful and confused. She didn’t understand, but had the desire to know the truth. The only religion she knew was a mixture of Judaism and paganism. He said, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” – John 4:24. She said she knew the Messiah is coming. Jesus said, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:19-26)
God wants worshipers who be living sacrifices. Romans 12:1 “… to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” We can worship God this way by living every minute of every day as an offering and service to the Lord. It’s being willing and available to obey God in whatever He asks of us. It’s not being conformed to this world.
God doesn’t want us to worship on the outside for others to see. God knows our minds and hearts. He knows if we are worshiping Him in the right way. Some worship God for selfish reasons wanting Him to do something for them. Some worship because they think it’s their duty. Some are present during a worship service, but are not worshiping. They could be daydreaming or even sleeping during the message or during prayer. Some look at church as a social place. Our worship should be offered to please God. He wants us to worship Him because of who He is.
How do you worship?
The disciples returned and were amazed to see Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman, but they didn’t question him. They probably sensed it was the right thing to do. This encounter with the woman tells us a lot about Jesus’ character. He was not judgmental. He was patient, caring, and loving no matter who she was. He wants all to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
She was so excited that she left her water jar and returned to her village. Her heart was filled with joy and her guilt was taken away so she had to tell others her story. There she witnessed to the people. “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” – John 4:29. Then people went to the well to see for themselves. (John 4:27-30)
Who do you need to tell about Jesus?
Jesus revealed a deeper truth in this story of the woman at the well. It’s a story rich in love, truth, redemption, and acceptance. Jesus accepted the woman and He accepts us, too. He wants us all in His kingdom.
We all have a thirst that can’t be satisfied with anything other than Jesus Christ. Our greatest need is to know Him. He comes to us as He did to the Samaritan woman. We are sinful and dissatisfied, but Jesus offers forgiveness and the living water of eternal life.
Principle: Jesus is the Savior who can give living water to all thirsty sinners.
Next week we will study the rest of John 4. Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site. – I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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