Jesus had a divine appointment in Samaria. Most Jewish people avoided going into Samaria because the Samaritans mixed the truth of God’s Word with false idols. At noon, Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well. She was hiding from her fellow townspeople because she came to the well at the hottest time of the day.

Jesus He asked the woman for a drink of water. But then Jesus said He wanted to give her living water. She mistakenly thought He was talking about a physical water. But living water is eternal life and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Then Jesus revealed her sin with kindness, grace, and truth. He did not condemn her. Now the woman looked for understanding about what was happening. She wanted to know the truth about worship. Jesus said all earthly worship points to heavenly, eternal worship. Jesus explained that true worshipers worship God in spirit and truth – God is everywhere (spirit), and we must worship the true God (truth).

The woman said that the coming Messiah will explain everything. Then Jesus revealed that He was the Messiah.

After her conversation with Jesus, the Samaritan woman left her water jug and ran to town, telling others about Jesus. She came for physical water, but she left with her spiritual thirst quenched for all eternity. Because of her testimony, the people went to meet Jesus for themselves.

Things to Think About

  • Which barriers and prejudices do you need to overcome when it comes to sharing the Gospel?
  • Are you sharing the Gospel in your home? To the people across the street? To anyone God brings into your life?
  • How much time do you spend seeking the things that temporarily satisfy you? Are you seeking God more than the things that temporarily satisfy you? Will you allow Jesus to satisfy your deepest longings?
  • Jesus valued the woman enough to sit with her, to tell her what needed to be changed in her life, and to share with her the only One who could change her life.
  • Jesus is not partial to social status, political clout, or financial portfolios. He is willing to meet us where we are. This is grace.
This Week’s Memory Verse
But whomever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:14 NIV

BSF 2016-2017: John 4:1-30