Words of Jesus Part 50

John 4:1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

These people were also children of Abraham but of the northern kingdom of Israel. When Israel was split, 10 tribes became the northern tribes called Israel and the other two tribes became Judah from which the Jewish people came. Israel became a nation again in 1948 but it is mostly those from the tribes of Judah. There are some that believe the other tribes are mixed in as well. I'm not an expert on the genealogy of the Jewish people so I have no opinion on that score. At the time of Christ's ministry they had nothing to do with each other in so much as the tribes from the north established their own place of worship.

John 4:6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

Wouldn't it be an honor to give our Lord a drink of water? Jesus said at one time that if we give to the least of his brethren, it is the same as giving to Him.

John 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

They must have had different facial features that showed their nationality because this woman knew that Jesus was Jewish. She was surprised that He would even speak to her. It seems as if she was use to being shunned by Jewish people in the past. This surprised her that a Jew would ask her for a drink of water.

John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

We know that Jesus was not speaking of natural thirst. He was speaking of the living water given when one is born again by the spirit of God. This is spoken of in 3rd chapter of John when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus.

Jesus was bringing the message of salvation to the northern tribes of Israel, Notice also that the message of the gospel was given to women as well as men. I say that because of a few cults that believe a woman's salvation depends upon her husband. There is no chance of that being true though as we see all through the bible God used women. Like I've said many times, He used a woman to bring Christ into the world as a human.

John 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

My understanding of this conversation with the woman is that Jesus was willing to give her the living water but He had to take care of the sin in her life first. Repenting of sin is a necessary part of eternal salvation and should not be watered down. Actually the message of salvation should always include a message of repentance. Both Jesus and John the Baptist preached repentance.

Repentance is being willing to stop the way we are living and the path we are going on. Stop, turn around and trust in Christ. When we hear the word of God preached, God sends the Holy Spirit to draw us to Him. If we believe the word and respond to the leading of the Spirit of God we are born again and saved from sin. When we see so many have trouble with sin after they have come to Christ, it could be that we are holding something back and are not fully repenting of sin. The new birth saves from sin and brings a spiritual change. The living water is the washing of the word of God and cleansing by the spirit of God. A well of living water flows within us. We then have a new life and a new way. Old things are passed away. No one is saved unless the Spirit of God draws Him first. That is why it is not of works lest any person should boast. The Holy Spirit draws but we have to say yes. True faith is our willingness to hear and receive. It is never forced upon anyone.

John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

The Jewish people fought with the Samaritans over the place of worship. Jews taught that worship is to be only in Jerusalem.

John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
John 4:23 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.

After this Messiah or Christ came, we no longer have to worship from a certain place. We no longer have to look to Jerusalem or any other place. We no longer have to limit our worship to a building, a church, a temple or synagogue. We now can worship God in spirit and in truth. This opens the way of worship to anyone in any part of the world. Jesus brought in a whole new way to worship that was open to all. He made the way that all could now come to the Father in Heaven. The way of salvation that was once limited to the Jews, was open to all tongues, nations, tribes and people. Men, women and children could believe and receive the hope of eternal life.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

When we begin to seek God, He will show us the true worship and how to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

This woman knew also the prophecy of the coming Messiah.

John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

The disciples marveled because of the past history of Jews having nothing to do with Samaritans.

John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

Natural water was no longer the priority. She left her pot sitting to spread the word to her acquaintances.

John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Jesus always knew what His priorities were. Satisfying hunger was not it.

John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

So many yet needed to hear and receive the gospel. Even today that is still the case. We need to spread the true gospel to the entire world.

John 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

The disciples were to reap what was sowed by previous prophets including John the Baptist and Jesus. We today reap what our spiritual fathers sowed down through the centuries. Precious lives were lost to bring us the bible and the gospel.

John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Once someone comes to Christ and hears from Him, they should not depend on the ones who originally brought the word. They should now be able to trust in Christ themselves. Once we bring people to Christ, it is important that we step out of the way and let them see Jesus and not follow us. We may fail but Jesus will never fail. This doesn't mean that we don't teach the word and have public worship but it should be done in a way to get people's eyes on Jesus and not on any person, priest, rabbi, minister, evangelist, or teacher thereby creating a dependency on a person. The best way is to disciple them to seek God and study on their own. This is done gradually but should always be done. Then they can spread the gospel even further.

John 4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

Some do have to see to believe. That is unfortunate also because like I've said before many times. Miracles do not always occur. Every church goes through dry spells and times of testing. Every church needs to watch and pray so that their faith does not fail in the bad times and even in the good times when we may not think we need God as much. Actually that is when we need Him the most. Even though the miracles may not always be present, the word stays the same. We may feel happy spiritually one day and burdened the next day but the word stays the same. The word increases faith. Seeing miracles is good and the bible says, "Signs follow those that believe",but the word is necessary to produce faith. Faith comes by hearing the word. I'm not saying this to justify the lack of miracles. I firmly believe in them, but I'm saying this to emphazise the importance of the teaching ministry of teaching the word of God which actually brings us faith to believe in miracles.

John 4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

We still need to believe in miracles for they have not ceased but we are to continue in the word and prayer whether or not we see miracles. We also need discernment for Jesus warns that in the latter days will be false signs and wonders to deceive. That doesn't mean that all miracles are false or all those that do miracles in the name of Christ are false. Remember the devil imitates something real. He has no need to imitate a dead church or one that is not fruitful. But God gave us the bible. That is our source of reference and what we are to use to test whether something is true or false.

Beware of those that say they have Revelation above what is taught in the bible. If it is not in the word, be very careful to check it out. The greatest miracle of all though is seeing someone born again by the spirit of God for he or she has passed from death into life.

Words of Jesus Part 51

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