The Living Water

Background:

After Jesus met with Nicodemus by night, Jesus traveled to the Judean countryside where he spent time with his disciples. During this time many people began to leave John the Baptist and began to follow Jesus. In fact, some of John’s disciples were upset by this. John the Baptist however, reaffirms that he is not the Messiah and points those listening to Christ. In John 3:27-36 John reaffirms the gospel message. Well John’s disciples weren’t the only ones hearing that Jesus influence was growing. The religious leaders also began to take notice that Jesus was becoming influential. This brings us to our text today in John 4. The Pharisees who enjoyed the prominence in religious society began to feel as if there influence was slipping. They were not about to allow this new guy named Jesus to steal away their influence and authority. The hostility grew toward Jesus. So Jesus “Left” Judea to travel to Galilee through Samaria. As many commentators suggest this was not just stating the Jesus went elsewhere, but rather Him leaving was a sign of divine judgement against them. Of course we will see over the course of this study that those is the prominent religious circles will allow their fear of losing influence eventually erupt into hatred and a plot to have Jesus killed.

Jesus makes a strange request - Give me a drink John 4:7

Jewish Men didn’t talk to women

The Jews viewed the Samaritans as half-breeds and impure

A proper Jewish man would never have used the same water vessel as a the Samaritan.

Jesus used the ordinary as a way to point the woman to the extraordinary John 4:10

Jesus uncovered her sin in order to create a spiritual thirst John 4:15-18

Unless one recognizes the guilt of their sin they feel no need for the living water.

This woman was no doubt heavily involved in a lifestyle of sin.

A question of worship John 4:19-24

Worship is not bound to a location

Both the Jews and the Samaritans were focused on the elements of the religious services that they lost sight of who they were worshipping.

The arguments of religious procedures became central to their understanding of worship.

True Worship is rooted in understanding who God is. John 4:22

They didn’t know the very God they claimed to worship

Salvation is from the Jews…literally comes from them. Meaning that Jesus came from Jewish lineage.

Two Parts to worship John 4:24

In spirit - the heart and mind

In truth - both knowledge of it and obedience to it.

Jesus used an unlikely people to illustrate the harvest.

sustenance for the work of the harvest is not just feeding on the word, but obedience to the Father. John 4:31-34

Obedience to the Father is what gives a believer continued strength not just a worship service

Jesus shows his disciples that gospel harvest would come from every tongue and nation.

Many people came to faith because of the testimony of the Samaritan women John 4:39-41