christian-buehner-unsplas
So Jesus left the Judean countryside and went back to Galilee.
To get there, he had to pass through Samaria.
He came into Sychar, a Samaritan village that bordered the field Jacob had given his son Joseph.
Jacob’s well was still there. Jesus, worn out by the trip, sat down at the well. It was noon.
A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, “Would you give me a drink of water?”
(His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.)
The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, “How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (Jews in those days wouldn’t be caught dead talking to Samaritans.)
Jesus answered, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.”
The woman said, “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this ‘living water’?
Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?”
Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again.
Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst – not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”
The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t ever get thirsty, won’t ever have to come back to this well again!”
John 4: 3-15 The Message
This passage of scripture in the New Testament book of John reveals ___things about the reality of Jesus Christ, God’s son.
- The humanity of the Son of God
Verses three, four, and five tell the story of the Son of God walking from Judea to Galilee, about an 80-mile trek.
His journey to Sychar would have taken Jesus and his walking companions about four days. They arrived at the well known as Jacob’s well around noon. His disciples left him at the well while they went into the village to buy some food.
Verse six tells us that Jesus was “worn out by the trip.”
Have you ever thought about the Son of God being tired?
By this time in the journey, he had walked about 48 miles in full sunlight. He was sweaty, thirsty, and probably a little sore.
Why is this important to understand?
When you realize his humanity, a close personal relationship with God the Son is easier to wrap your head around. He was not better than his disciples. He did not have them carry him on the journey. He walked with them, and he talked with them.
- His compassion
Jesus knew where he was. He knew the approaching woman was a Samaritan woman and the friction between the Jews and Samaritans.
He also knew a conversation would stir up controversy. However, he reached out to the woman with a simple request, “Would you give me a drink of water?”
Why is this important to understand?
Compassion is a matter of the heart. It resides deep within the human psyche and is not threatened by outward deterrents—like hard feelings or family feuds.
Jesus pressed on because of compassion. He was probably thirsty, but thirst was not his motivation for talking with her.
- His willingness to engage humanity
I believe Jesus expected the woman to push back because of the racial tension.
If you will, the request for water was the icebreaker; he intended to probe deeper into her heart.
You should note that Jesus’ answer to the woman’s question had nothing to do with her question.
“If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.”
Pause for a moment and consider what is happening. Jesus is having an honest conversation with this woman. It is not superficial gibberish but a deep conversation between the Son of God and his creation.
This is what a close personal relationship is meant to look like. It takes time to reach this level because we do not see a physical manifestation of God, but it is obtainable.
Why is this important to understand?
God created humanity to interact with them—male and female. Sin broke the connection, and Jesus restored it.
This story exemplifies how you are to have a close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
- His understanding of human nature
Jesus knew the culture of his time. He knew that women drew water from the well in the morning to tend to household needs, and men drew it in the afternoon to give their livestock drink.
He knew this woman coming at noon was because of her position in the village—she was an outcast.
It did not stop him from talking with her. I believe it encouraged him to have a conversation.
Why is this important to understand?
I believe his encounter with the woman was a God appointment. Jesus and his disciples arrived at the right time, and the disciples departed into town at the right moment.
This story is also a story of God-led evangelism. It was natural and happened by being in the right place at the right time.
As a close personal relationship with God grows, these God-led opportunities will present themselves. It will be a natural progression to impart living water into a thirsty soul.
- His purpose for being here
The Bible tells us that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. We know the divine purpose of Christ’s life on earth was to restore lost humanity to a real and living relationship with the Godhead.
This story is a microcosm of that eternal plan. The story continues with Jesus spending two days in the village. His message converts the village because he speaks with an outcast woman.
Why is this important to understand?
The world we live in has turned away from God. Christianity in Western civilization is on the decline. While other religions are tolerated, Christianity faces stiff rebukes and unrelenting attacks.
Why is this?
It is because humanity has entered the end of time—as told in the Bible—and the god of this world is having his 15 minutes of fame.
However, do not be deceived; Jesus is alive and well. The reality of his presence is clearly seen in the Bible’s pages and his followers’ steadfastness.
There may be a temptation to succumb to the deceptive rhetoric of the day, but stand firm, hold your ground, and refuse to believe the lies.
Jesus is real and will return just as promised in the Bible.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is needed now more than ever.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. As I learn, I will pass it along so you, too, can learn. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn.
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