#6 – Knowing God Better – John 4
Today’s study of John 4 needs a little bit of background.
Samaria was an area a little bit north of Jerusalem, currently in the West Bank.
The Pharisees, whom we studied in John 3, avoided Samaria. Pharisees wouldn’t even walk down the same side of the street with Samaritans. They literally would cross the street.
And if a Samaritan touched them, the Pharisees considered themselves ceremonially “unclean” until they washed. Nice guys, huh?
Following the lead of their religious leaders, most Jews avoided the Samaritans.
Jesus was a Jew.
On a trip, Jesus was passing through Samaria and stopped to rest by a well. We’ll start at verse 7. (I’m going to skip over a few verses, to keep this shorter.)
Q – Who initiated the conversation?
A –
7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Q – What did Jesus want to do for her?
A –
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?”
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
Now Jesus is going to get very personal with this woman.
16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband,18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
When you look at her reaction to this, she doesn’t seem to feel condemned by Jesus or ashamed. Instead, she’s impressed that he knew that.
So she figures, this is someone who can probably answer a question she’s always had.
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”
21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming, the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”
What do you suppose her reaction might be to this? Here’s a woman likely shunned by her community. I mean after five husbands, she finally gave up and decided to just live with the next guy. You can imagine how the town talked about her.
But here is what she did…
28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
The result?
39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.
42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Q – Look below at verses 10 & 14 again. What was Jesus’ desire for this Samaritan woman and the town?
A –
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.
14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
Q – Jesus influenced a whole village through the words of a woman they did not think highly of. Do you think Jesus could use you to tell others about him?
A –
I just bet he can!
Next study will be shorter. And a fun one.
Again, any questions, please email: www.everystudent.com/contact.php
Sincerely,
Marilyn Adamson
director of EveryStudent.com
and StartingwithGod.com