The Living Waters of Eternal Life

Introduction

We are back in the Gospel of John.

And John is all about how Jesus brings us a new, eternal life.

A big emphasis in this section of John is on the necessity of the Spirit of God to have eternal life.

The unbeliever’s sin is such that they are trapped in darkness, deceived by it, and love it. They do not know but instead hate God and the things of God.

God the Spirit had to act in our lives to cleanse us and make us new creations on the inside. There was simply no other way to come to God

In John 4 we are going to shift the scene from Jerusalem and the areas around Jerusalem.

We are going to see Jesus, just as he did with Nicodemus, have an intentional conversation with a person and lead them to the Gospel.

This time though, it will be with someone most Jews would look down upon. Jesus will offer salvation to someone the Jews thought was not worthy of such an offer.

But in doing so, Jesus shows us that eternal life is not just for the Jews but everyone. That God does love the world.

This story in particular shows Jesus’ compassion and the joy that comes with salvation. We will cover only part of that story this morning.

What I want to emphasize this morning is how Jesus will describe eternal life as “living waters.” This is a rich biblical phrase that, among other things, refers to the source of our spiritual life and happiness.

And so this morning we will see how, whatever sin you are struggling with, whatever temptation you may face, wherever your faith is at: If you have the Spirit in you, you have eternal life, now. And if you have eternal life now, God has given you Himself to be your source of joy and happiness.

The more we understand this fact and grasp onto it with all our might, the closer we draw to Jesus, the more joy we will have. It is based on faith in who God is and what He has done for us.

And ultimately, our joy is based off the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence, as God is in us to will and work to for His good pleasure.

This mornig we will see what the living waters of eternal life is. and next week we will see how Jesus uses this concept to share the gospel with a sinner in need of salvation.

The Setting: Jesus Goes to Samaria (vv. 1–6)

MAP

John 3:14 LSB

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

In sum, it was part of the eternal decree/plan of God to have His Son pass through Samaria and bring the light of the Gospel to a people the Jews looked down upon.

On Samaria, note the hypocrisy of the Jews

Jesus walked all this way to have one conversation with this woman

The Woman’s First Question: Why is a Jew Talking to a Samaritan? (vv. 7–9)

Jesus’s First Response: Jesus has the Gift of God (v. 10)

John 14:26 LSB

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Acts 2:16 LSB

but this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

Acts 8:20 LSB

But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you supposed you could obtain the gift of God with money!

John 7:38–39 LSB

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Revelation 22:1–2 LSB

Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Jeremiah 2:13 LSB

“For My people have done two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.

Psalm 16:11 LSB

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 42:1 LSB

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.

Psalm 63:3–5 LSB

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will laud You. Thus I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul is satisfied as with fatness and richness, And my mouth offers praises with lips of joyful songs.

The Woman’s Second Question: Is Jesus Greater than Jacob? (vv. 11–12)

Jesus’ Second Response: Jesus has the Waters of Eternal Life (vv. 13–14)

Note the emphatic language

John 10:27–29 LSB

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—ever; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

John 6:63 LSB

“The Spirit is the One who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

John 17:3 LSB

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Conclusion

Joy and Knowing God.

We must believe what we have already been given!

Romans 6:11 LSB

Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 LSB

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is working out for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Hebrews 10:34 LSB

For you also showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted with joy the seizure of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession.