JESUS TEACHES ABOUT LIVING WATER
Jesus teaches about living water • Sermon • Submitted
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JESUS TEACHES ABOUT LIVING WATER
JESUS TEACHES ABOUT LIVING WATER
Jesus offered the Samaritan woman living water —the Holy Spirit — that would satisfy her forever and produce true worship in her life.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman that a day was coming when worshipers would not focus on the physical location of their worship but would worship God in Spirit and Truth.
Because we are completely satisfied in Christ, we demonstrate genuine worship in our lives that draws others to want to know Him as well.
And He had to pass through Samaria.
So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;
Historical events that have taken place here:
This was the first place Abram came to when entering Canaan and he built an altar there (Gen 12:6-8) and God had given that land to his descendants.
Gen 33:18-20 tells us Jacob moved here after returning from Paddan-Aram (marries Rachel & Leah, lives 20 years there, wrestles with God, Meets Esau then settles in Shechem, buys some land from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father and erects an altar. It is assumed he built a well here at this time.
Dinah, the daughter of Leah was raped here by Shechem, the son of Hamor. Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi deceived and killed all the men of Shechem. As a result, Jacob prophesied in Gen 49:7
“Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel.
I will disperse them in Jacob,
And scatter them in Israel.
Simeon would be incorporated into Judah as one of the tribes and Levi would not possess any land (tribe of Levi were priests)
Joseph’s bones were buried here at Shechem (Joshua 24:32)
Sychar was also at the foothills of Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal the place where Israel proclaimed the curses and blessings after crossing into the promise land per Moses’ instructions.
Joshua built an altar on Mt Ebal, near Shechem (Joshua 8:30)
Joshua gathered all elders of Israel at Shechem before his death and encourage them to fear the Lord. (Gen 24:1-28) “As for me and my house , we will serve the Lord” (Josh 24:15)
“Jerubbaal (Gideon), whose home was at Ophrah, visited Shechem, and his concubine who lived there was mother of his son Abimelech (Judges 8:31). ...After Gideon's death, Abimelech was made king (Judges 9:1–45). Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, made an allegorical speech on Mount Gerizim in which he warned the people of Shechem about Abimelech's future tyranny (Judges 9:7–20). “ (Wiki)
Modern day Nablus
THE SAMARITANS
The Samaritans came to prominence after the Babylonian captivity. They believed they were the true descendants of Israel and keepers of the Torah and that the temple in Jerusalem was illegitimate
From the captives perspective the Samaritans were the Jews left behind and when they inter-married with Gentiles and became ‘polluted’ Jews. They also do not accept Jerusalem as being the place to worship
From the Samaritans perspective, they hold to Mt Gerizim as being the original “holy place” after Israel entered the promise land with Joshua. The main issue was the location of where to worship - at Mt Gerizim or Mt Moriah (Jerusalem). The Samaritans believed they were sticking to the traditions of the Torah with the Babylonian Jews a more liberal, compromising Torah. Shechem was also the place of Abram’s promise from God, Jacob’s Well and Josephs tomb, among other historic events.
An example of the Jews view toward the Samaritans at this time is found in
When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem;
and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him.
But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem.
When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;
for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
The gift of God - relates to John 3:16 and
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Living Water - as apposed to water that stagnates, it is springing or running water, refreshing water. It is also a type of the Holy Spirit
She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?
Jacobs well was about 35 yards or about 105 feet deep.
Though she may not have realized it, the Samarian woman was needy for a solution to her sin; as with all people today, apart fro m Christ, we are all enemies of God. Jesus highlighted her need for a permanent solution to her deepest thirst, telling her that she should be begging Him for a drink of the water He was able to offer - “living water”
Notice the similarities to Nicodemus and his response to being ‘born again’ and the Samaritan woman’s response to Jesus by having nothing to draw with. Both were looking at the natural!
Jesus made an effort to reach the Samaritan woman, an enemy of the Jews, He “had to pass through Samaria” (John 4:4). We must make every effort to reach our enemies as well.
“In the days of the American Revolution there lived at Epharata, Pennsylvania, a Baptist pastor by the name of Peter Miller, who enjoyed the friendship of General George Washington. Also residing in that town was Michael Wittman, and evil-minded sort who did all in his power to abuse and oppose the pastor
“One day Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to death. Pastor Miller, traveling many miles on foot, walked to Philadelphia to plead for Wittman’s life. When admitted into Washington’s presence Pastor Miller at once begged for the life of the traitor.
“‘No, Peter,’ said Washington ‘I cannot grant you the life of your friend.’
“‘My friend!’ exclaimed the preacher. ‘He is the bitterest enemy I have.’
“‘What?’ cried Washington, ‘you have walked all these miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matte in a different light. I will grant the pardon.’
“And he did. Peter Miller took Michael Wittman from the very shadow of death and returned him — no longer an enemy, but a friend — to Ephrata.”
2. JESUS IS THE PROPHET WHO ENABLES TRUE WORSHIP (John 4:19-24)
The Jews and Samaritans were expecting the arrival of a prophet who would be like Moses and who would answer all their questions, especially about who was correct in their worship war. (Deut 18:15)
The Samaritan woman perceived Jesus was a prophet because he told her “all the things I had done” (John 4:29, 39b)
Apart from the revealed knowledge of God, it is impossible for us to worship Him. God chose to reveal Himself — His character and nature — to the world most fully through Christ, the Word made flesh (John 1:14, Heb 1:1-3). Through the Spirit-inspired Scriptures we have the person of Jesus revealed to us, and through the Spirit we are able to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ, he or she is then capable of seeing the kingdom of God and knowing God in truth. It is only through the new birth in the Spirit that we are taken from our broken state in sins and made new, able to see and know God through revelation given b His Spirit. Thus, it is only though Jesus that we are enabled to truly worship because we cannot worship what we do no know.
Worship cannot only be in Spirit, nor can it only be in truth. We cannot insist on material locations, ceremonies, or practices we prefer as the sum total of appropriate worship. Nor can we get so swept up in emotional experiences that we abandon the pursuit of truth. It is essential that our worship be a Spirit-empowered proclamation of truth, because otherwise we are not truly worshiping God. Part of entering into covenant relationship with Jesus is releasing our own preferences in favor of true worship.
Worship is not ment to be a style or an emotional experience. It is forming a deeper connection with the Creator by the leading of the Spirit and in the Truth of Jesus Christ. We worship by our actions, by our voices and by our lives.
Albert Barnes puts it this way “the offering of the soul rather than the formal offering of the body - the homage of the heart rather than that of the lips.”
True worship in Spirit and Truth will likely lead to conviction, confession, and repentance.
‘Spirit’ and ‘Truth’ are later joined in the expression of ‘Spirit of truth’ referring to the holy Spirit (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13, 1 John 4:6; 5:6). Though this may have been to advanced for the Samaritan woman, the present reference therefore seems to point Johns readers ultimately to worship in the Holy Spirit.
3. JESUS IS THE MESSIAH WHO BRINGS SALVATION FOR ALL (John 4:25-26, 28-29, 39)
Why didn’t Jesus reveal Himself as the Messiah to the Jews?
Probably because he wanted to avoid the political and military baggage many Jews had attached to their expectations for the Messiah.
The title “Messiah” in the Old Testament, as “Christ” in the New Testament was connected to the announcement of the “Anointed one”
Jesus didn’t declare himself as the Messiah to Nicodemus, yet he explained the plan of salvation to him. Jesus declares himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman then explains the importance of the Holy Spirit to her. Combining these two stories we see the importance of salvation and sanctification in the life of the Believer.
The woman also became evangelistic--
When we see a good movie or watch a good sports event, it is only natural that we tell others of what we saw. This is what is suppose to happen to us when we encounter Jesus. Why does it not? Is it that we don’t appreciate what Jesus had done for us? Do we not believe His Love and Grace? Are we afraid of what others think? Do we put more value on the game rather then on our deliverance? This did not effect the Samaritan Woman. It should not effect us! Her witness lead to the entire town to Salvation.
Jesus came to save the lost. That is all of us, from the bondage of sin and condemnation. His plan was to save all mankind. He loves all the world and wishes none to perish. Let us not forget what he did for us and let us be a witness to the world.
So we see in this story with the Samaritan woman that:
Jesus gives Living Water that satisfies completely
Jesus is the Prophet who enables true worship
Jesus is the Messiah who brings salvation for all