(John 4:7-10) ...Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Interesting to know why the time was mentioned. This happened at the sixth hour. For the Romans that meant it was 6 am, but for the Israelites that meant it was noon. It was highly unlikely they had been traveling through the night, so it was more likely noon. And all the other women probably got their water for the day earlier when it was cooler. It's very feasible that this particular Samaritan woman was collecting her water when there would be no one else around, because she was probably the talk of the town, a point of ridicule, and shunned by many. And Jesus knew she'd be there. NOT only was she a Samaritan, but she was a woman. In that culture, men did not speak to women in public. But Jesus was most definitely an advocate to the women and children, the sick and downtrodden, the sinners and outcasts of society...
(John 4:10) 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.”
Jesus just comes right out and says it, but perhaps this woman is stunned by the fact that a Jewish man is speaking to her in a loving way without any hidden agenda...
(John 4:11-15) She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? 12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”
Notice that Jesus offered this gift of eternal life without expecting her to change beforehand. God knows that we are sinners! That is why we need Him! And we are to go to Him as we are, because that is the only thing we can do, no matter what we have all done...
(John 4:16-26) He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
This disciples reaction when they saw Jesus speaking to the woman...
(John 4:27) At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?”
The woman's reaction to the gift of God...
(John 4:28-30) So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.
The people's reaction to the woman's testimony...
(John 4:39-42) From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”
We are to be a light to the world, and this light needs to point people to Christ - so that others can meet Jesus and get to know HIM on a personal level. He is the One who saves!!! Too often we fall into that trap where we think WE are responsible for making people become Christians. If we only can be perfect enough and say just the right things - WE can get them to believe. But witnessing to people should be exactly as this Samaritan woman did - telling others about Jesus and what He has done in our lives. God does the rest, and that includes the fruit of the Spirit and the good works that happen in our own lives...
(Matthew 5:14-16) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven..."
Notice the Samaritan woman was able to give a testimony immediately. She did not first go to Bible school or get special training. Christianity is not about do's and don't's... it is all about having a personal relationship with God. Because God loves us - we love God, AND because God loves us - we love people! What do we tend to do when we love someone? We talk to them!
(1 Tomothy 2:1-3) First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
In a close relationship, we love to get to know someone better. Therefore we should crave reading and hearing God's words which He has written to us...
(2 Timothy 3:14-17) You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is [h]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
As well, we should desire to be around our brothers and sisters in Christ who also love God...
(Hebrews 10:23-25) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
And when we love someone, we trust them! Therefore we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our every effort...
(Galatians 5:22-25) ...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
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