For those who’ve been tracking with us you’ll remember Jesus was sitting on the coping of Jacob’s well up in Samaria. He was tired from walking. He was waiting for His disciples to return with supplies. A local woman came to the well and seeing Jesus sheepishly approached. She was surprised that a Jew would speak to her because they considered the Samarians to be half-breeds and ritually impure and that any contact with them would render them ritually contaminated so that they could not join in Jewish worship. Jesus was sent to the Jews, but His message of salvation was for all people who would hear and believe that He is God’s Son and the only suitable sacrifice which could be offered in our place before a righteous God.
1. The conversation continues
A. Jesus took every opportunity to tell people about what God was offering. In this case He opened the conversation by alluding to the Water of Life which is the Holy Ghost.
B. She wasn’t thinking about anything more than retrieving enough water to satisfy her needs for that day.
C. Coming to the well daily was drudgery to her so when Jesus spoke of Living Water her ears perked up.
2. The woman is intrigued
A. She looked at only the natural. She didn’t know she was speaking to the Son of God Himself as she points out His lack of a bucket.
B. She knew the history of Jacob’s well and had been benefiting from it all her life.
C. Jesus calmly posed the hypotheses that Spiritual Water is enjoyed for a lifetime, while well water only satisfies until ones throat gets dry again.
D. He went on to tell her that she would feel compelled to tell others about her spiritual blessings once she tasted the Water of Life; but she still wasn’t getting it.
3. Jesus reveals His omniscience
A. Jesus was not often one to confront people with their sinfulness directly. He knew that to do so could alienate them and put them on the defensive.
B. Her spiritual side was awakened as Jesus asked her to bring her husband to Him.
C.. God knows everything about us. We bury our emotions and numb out conscience because the pain of being aware of them is too great for us.
4. She tries to change the subject
A. When Jesus pointed out her adulterous life she started talking about things that had nothing to do with the issue. Many people try to bluff their way through confrontations that reveal their sins.
B. Her own words revealed her knowledge of the Scripture which promised that the Messiah would come to all people through the Jews.
C. Jesus revealed that it’s not about where we worship; it’s about our hearts in worship. No one can fool God. If your worship and prayer are not from your heart, why bother?
After all these things Jesus let the cat out of the bag. He gave her a short course revealing the kind of worship that gets God’s attention. Verses 23 and 24 say, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” She was convicted as Jesus revealed His identity. What about you? Are you convicted by who Jesus is and His ability to bring you back into a real relationship with God? He came to save the sinful and return them to fellowship with God. Do you need to ask Him into your life right now?
