Episode 6 – The Living Water – John 4:1-42
The Context
Enough time has passed in the Judean countryside for two things to happen; for John the Baptist’s following to decrease as the number of those following Jesus increases, and for word to get back to the Pharisees in Jerusalem, and then back to Jesus, that powerful people are beginning to notice his rise in popularity. Jesus makes the decision that he and his disciples are going to venture north once again to Galilee, possibly in an effort to prevent any emerging tension that could damage or divide the ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist.
The shortest route from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north is to pass through the region of Samaria, where a race of people live who are as despised by Jews as the Jews despise them. In verse 4 John writes that Jesus had to go through Samaria, a detail that has led many to believe that because Jesus was obedient to the will of His Father, there must have been direction given to go through Samaria instead of taking the much longer way around.
Others reason that because of the considerable amount of extra time it would have taken to avoid Samaria on the way to Galilee, the journey required Jesus and his disciples to go through Samaria in order to save time. Whether the reason is the former or the latter we cannot know for sure, but this we do know, that Jesus crossed over major cultural and social barriers of his day to declare through His actions that he was sent by the Father to love the world.
The shortest route from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north is to pass through the region of Samaria, where a race of people live who are as despised by Jews as the Jews despise them. In verse 4 John writes that Jesus had to go through Samaria, a detail that has led many to believe that because Jesus was obedient to the will of His Father, there must have been direction given to go through Samaria instead of taking the much longer way around.
Others reason that because of the considerable amount of extra time it would have taken to avoid Samaria on the way to Galilee, the journey required Jesus and his disciples to go through Samaria in order to save time. Whether the reason is the former or the latter we cannot know for sure, but this we do know, that Jesus crossed over major cultural and social barriers of his day to declare through His actions that he was sent by the Father to love the world.
Time Alone
Along with this book, have your Bible and a pen ready. While this may have already begun to feel like another part of your weekly routine, take a minute to pray for God to help you come to these moments with a fresh mind and open heart to the new things God has brought with a new day.
Read John 4:1-42
The history between the Jews and Samaritans run deep, with hatred for one another escalating to the point of actual wars being fought for no other reason than to eliminate the existence of the other. Jews viewed the Samaritans as half-breeds, a race of people deriving from an ancestry of pureblooded Jews who intermarried with Gentiles (non-Jewish people), compromising their Jewish heritage and religious practices, and even building their own temple of worship in defiance of the temple in Jerusalem.
Without hesitation the Jewish people looked upon the Samaritans with disgust and condemnation. But God, “…did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 NIV
Have you ever wondered if God really means everyone? Perhaps it is no mere coincidence that following John 3:17 is the narrative in John 4 where Jesus reveals his identity as the Messiah to a Samaritan woman.
Is there a Samaritan in your life, someone you are repulsed by and in your heart feel no desire to share the hope of Christ with? What if Jesus were to place a conviction upon your heart to be the one who testifies of the living water to the Samaritan in your life?
There is something remarkable about this Samaritan woman that, even if you’ve read this story before and have heard it taught from the pulpit, you still may have not considered. In verse 12 she says that her ancestral father is Jacob, the man that God would name Israel in the Old Testament book of Genesis. The Samaritans adhered to the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) but rejected the rest of the Jewish scriptures. She reveals to Jesus in verse 20 a desire for worship, but Jesus says that her people worship what they do not know. And in verse 25 she exclaims that she and her people are waiting for the Messiah to bring truth and understanding.
Isn’t it remarkable that no matter how far from the truth of God’s Word someone’s religious beliefs might stray, like the Samaritan woman, we all share the same desire to find the truth to three basic questions: where do I come from (her father Jacob), what is the purpose for my life (worship on the mountain), and what hope do I have for tomorrow (awaited Messiah)?
If not for someone else to one day hear, then maybe you simply need to write down and read this from your own hand. What do you believe is the truth about where you come from, the purpose for your life, and the hope that you have for tomorrow?
Following the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, the disciples urge their teacher to eat from the food that they had gone out to purchase. Jesus answers that his food, what sustains him, is doing the will of the Father. And then, speaking strong words that might feel rather unexpected, Jesus says, “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:35 NIV
From the beginning of this chapter in verse 2 we gather that Jesus’ disciples were already baptizing new believers, so we would believe the disciples understood the kind of work that Jesus had called them to. Instead, it could be that the disciples were failing to see that even in the fields of Samaria, Jesus was planting seeds of faith. What they thought was a rest stop on their way north to Galilee was more than just a chance to gather food and get a drink. Jesus was building his kingdom, sowing in soil that no Jew would think faith could grow. But it did, and Jesus tells his disciples to open their eyes and see the people of Samaria as a people loved by God, thirsting for the living water. Labor even for them.
When you walk through a store, or down your street, or sit in a restaurant, do you ever look around at the people and wonder if they are dying of thirst for the living water that comes only from Jesus? Have you ever asked yourself, “God, are these the people I am called to make disciples from?”
Take some time to write out a prayer on these blank lines, asking God to help you open your eyes so that you won’t miss the opportunities all around you to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, to guide people in their next steps of faith, and to show them the true love of God.
Read John 4:1-42
The history between the Jews and Samaritans run deep, with hatred for one another escalating to the point of actual wars being fought for no other reason than to eliminate the existence of the other. Jews viewed the Samaritans as half-breeds, a race of people deriving from an ancestry of pureblooded Jews who intermarried with Gentiles (non-Jewish people), compromising their Jewish heritage and religious practices, and even building their own temple of worship in defiance of the temple in Jerusalem.
Without hesitation the Jewish people looked upon the Samaritans with disgust and condemnation. But God, “…did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 NIV
Have you ever wondered if God really means everyone? Perhaps it is no mere coincidence that following John 3:17 is the narrative in John 4 where Jesus reveals his identity as the Messiah to a Samaritan woman.
Is there a Samaritan in your life, someone you are repulsed by and in your heart feel no desire to share the hope of Christ with? What if Jesus were to place a conviction upon your heart to be the one who testifies of the living water to the Samaritan in your life?
There is something remarkable about this Samaritan woman that, even if you’ve read this story before and have heard it taught from the pulpit, you still may have not considered. In verse 12 she says that her ancestral father is Jacob, the man that God would name Israel in the Old Testament book of Genesis. The Samaritans adhered to the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) but rejected the rest of the Jewish scriptures. She reveals to Jesus in verse 20 a desire for worship, but Jesus says that her people worship what they do not know. And in verse 25 she exclaims that she and her people are waiting for the Messiah to bring truth and understanding.
Isn’t it remarkable that no matter how far from the truth of God’s Word someone’s religious beliefs might stray, like the Samaritan woman, we all share the same desire to find the truth to three basic questions: where do I come from (her father Jacob), what is the purpose for my life (worship on the mountain), and what hope do I have for tomorrow (awaited Messiah)?
If not for someone else to one day hear, then maybe you simply need to write down and read this from your own hand. What do you believe is the truth about where you come from, the purpose for your life, and the hope that you have for tomorrow?
Following the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, the disciples urge their teacher to eat from the food that they had gone out to purchase. Jesus answers that his food, what sustains him, is doing the will of the Father. And then, speaking strong words that might feel rather unexpected, Jesus says, “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:35 NIV
From the beginning of this chapter in verse 2 we gather that Jesus’ disciples were already baptizing new believers, so we would believe the disciples understood the kind of work that Jesus had called them to. Instead, it could be that the disciples were failing to see that even in the fields of Samaria, Jesus was planting seeds of faith. What they thought was a rest stop on their way north to Galilee was more than just a chance to gather food and get a drink. Jesus was building his kingdom, sowing in soil that no Jew would think faith could grow. But it did, and Jesus tells his disciples to open their eyes and see the people of Samaria as a people loved by God, thirsting for the living water. Labor even for them.
When you walk through a store, or down your street, or sit in a restaurant, do you ever look around at the people and wonder if they are dying of thirst for the living water that comes only from Jesus? Have you ever asked yourself, “God, are these the people I am called to make disciples from?”
Take some time to write out a prayer on these blank lines, asking God to help you open your eyes so that you won’t miss the opportunities all around you to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, to guide people in their next steps of faith, and to show them the true love of God.
Time Together
Whether you are a part of a small group or have decided to get together with a couple of friends to discuss Sunday’s teaching over coffee, this section of questions is provided to help guide a group discussion. Our hope is that these questions, along with sharing from moments during your personal study time, will lead to conversations that are both edifying and life changing.
Have someone read John 4:39-42
Jesus didn’t resolve centuries of resentment and hatred between the Jews and Samaritans during his two days in Samaria. Tensions would remain high long after the days of Jesus walking the earth as in human form. But, in John 4 Jesus radically redefined the way his disciples were to understand the scope of God’s Kingdom. The Gospel is for everyone.
Why is it that so many Christians, possibly even many or all of us in this group, find taking our faith outside of the church building and into our communities so intimidating?
We shouldn’t minimize the fact that Jesus used the testimony of one Samaritan woman to draw numerous Samaritans to himself, the well of living water. The fields were so ripe for harvest in Samaria that Jesus and his disciples stayed for two days.
But the impact of that day is believed to be seen in the days of the early church, when Philip goes into Samaria proclaiming about the Messiah.
Have someone read Acts 8:4-8
Was there ever a moment you can remember when seeing the power of God at work in someone else’s life created or magnified a longing to see God work in your own?
If you haven’t already done so within this group, take an appropriate amount of time to share testimonies. Not only do we share to edify and encourage one another through testifying about the goodness of God witnessed in our own lives, but let this group also consider how these testimonies may spark a desire in others to know more about Jesus.
Have someone read John 4:39-42
Jesus didn’t resolve centuries of resentment and hatred between the Jews and Samaritans during his two days in Samaria. Tensions would remain high long after the days of Jesus walking the earth as in human form. But, in John 4 Jesus radically redefined the way his disciples were to understand the scope of God’s Kingdom. The Gospel is for everyone.
Why is it that so many Christians, possibly even many or all of us in this group, find taking our faith outside of the church building and into our communities so intimidating?
We shouldn’t minimize the fact that Jesus used the testimony of one Samaritan woman to draw numerous Samaritans to himself, the well of living water. The fields were so ripe for harvest in Samaria that Jesus and his disciples stayed for two days.
But the impact of that day is believed to be seen in the days of the early church, when Philip goes into Samaria proclaiming about the Messiah.
Have someone read Acts 8:4-8
Was there ever a moment you can remember when seeing the power of God at work in someone else’s life created or magnified a longing to see God work in your own?
If you haven’t already done so within this group, take an appropriate amount of time to share testimonies. Not only do we share to edify and encourage one another through testifying about the goodness of God witnessed in our own lives, but let this group also consider how these testimonies may spark a desire in others to know more about Jesus.
Time for More
If you are looking to grow in your knowledge of the Bible and desire to have a plan for further reading, here is a list of Scriptures that cross reference to certain parts within this week’s text. A cross reference is two biblical texts that share similar meaning and reading these is an effective way to expand your understanding of the Bible as one book, divided into 66 little books, all centered on Jesus Christ.
John 4:10 < > Jeremiah 2:13
John 4:14 < > Ezekiel 47:1-12
John 4:22 < > 2 Kings 17:24-41
John 4:24 < > Philippians 3:3
John 4:34 < > Deuteronomy 8:3
John 4:35 < > Matthew 9:36-38
John 4:10 < > Jeremiah 2:13
John 4:14 < > Ezekiel 47:1-12
John 4:22 < > 2 Kings 17:24-41
John 4:24 < > Philippians 3:3
John 4:34 < > Deuteronomy 8:3
John 4:35 < > Matthew 9:36-38
Posted in For Second Chances