Living Water

Note: I did read a few articles on the waters of the Middle East in Jesus' day. So this is a combination of different sources.

Title: Living Water

Theme: To show the need for more in a persons life and how to share our faith.

Text: John 4:1 - 26

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (1) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), (Joh 4:2)

Jesus was developing His ministry now. John the Baptist was fading and Jesus was coming to light.

As John said John 3:30 , “He must increase and I must decrease”

He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. (Joh 4:3)

Jesus would often travel between Judea and Galilee. Judea (Bethlehem) was where Jesus was born and Galilee (Nazareth) was where he lived.

But He needed to go through Samaria. (Joh 4:4)

This is an interesting statement. When you look at a map it is obivious. Jesus had to go through Smaria from Judea to get to Galilee. But I believe John is saying more here.

Note the words, "He must needs go through Samaria." The word must (edei) means necessity, compulsion, destiny. Jesus was driven to go through Samaria for the sake of His mission. Samaria needed the gospel as much as other areas. (The word "must" is so often used in connection with Jesus' mission that it makes an excellent word study. Cp. John 3:14; John 9:4; John 10:16; John 12:34; John 20:9.)

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - John.

So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. (Joh 4:5) Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

(Joh 4:6)

This was a very prominment and historical spot. Jacob the son of Isaac had dug this well. He had settled here for a short time.

In Jacob we see a life of searching. His own life is one who was raised in a home that followed God, brought up in the ways of God yet got out. He was deceptive and left home. Searching for significance. He had encounters with God such as at Bethel where he saw the angels ascending and descending. Or at Penial where he wrestles with God after many years of not truly following God.

This is also the place that Jesus meets someone who is searching.

The Harvest is there

John 4:34 - 38

Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. (Joh 4:34) Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! (Joh 4:35) And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. (Joh 4:36) For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' (Joh 4:37) I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

(Joh 4:38)

John 6:44: ' ... no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day'.

IOW when the work is done we can’t take credit because the father does the work.

Woman of Samaria

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."

(Joh 4:7) For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. (Joh 4:8)

This seemed like a simple request, but Jesus was wanting something more. He was connecting with her on deepest need.

Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

(Joh 4:9)

This brings us back to the point.

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."

(Joh 4:10)

This idea of living water had to get her attention.

The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?11) Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?" (Joh 4:12)

Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, (Joh 4:13) but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (Joh 4:14)