John Chapter 4
Some people think they know who Jesus is because they see and believe in the wonderful things that He did for others. Jesus did some pretty incredible miracles of healing and even raising people from the dead! Some people think that they know Jesus just because they give credence to His existence. And some people think that they know Jesus just because they have worshipped Him in some manner in a church, a temple or on a mountain. But those that truly know Jesus are those that when faced with their own terrible sins, recognize Jesus to be their Savior and they need His cleansing and forgiveness. These are the ones who call out to Jesus to save them from their sins and their condemnation. These are the people who truly know Jesus, they have accepted His perfect and steadfast love for them. They desire to follow Jesus with their whole heart because they recognize their need for Him in their life.
Jesus said… “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:22-23
Let's Reflect
1. We learn in the first verse of this chapter that the baptizing work of Jesus brought into question by the religious leaders, in the previous chapter, was not actually Jesus performing water baptisms but who was?
2. It is of special note that scripture says that Jesus had to pass through Samaria. Pious Jews often avoided the shortest route to get from Jerusalem to Galilee because of their hatred for the Samaritans. After the Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, people began to marry non-Jewish people who migrated into the deserted land. This was true of the Samaritans. They intermarried non-Jews and adopted their religious culture along with observing the Law of Moses. This mixed religion of the Samaritans caused them to be called “half-breeds.” The Samaritans built their own temple on or near Mt. Gerizim, but the Jews burned it around 128 B.C. But Jesus needed to go through Samaria. Why?
3. The woman was surprised that Jesus would even speak to her let alone offer her water. What type of water did Jesus offer the woman?
4. When Jesus described the water as a spring of water that wells up like a fountain, He was trying to teach us that the source of His cleansing water never ceases. There is no sinful life to sinful that cannot be forgiven by Him. And the fountain of water has an eternal source. The more we thirst for Jesus and His truths in our life, the more there is for us to partake of. What is the end result of drinking from this well?
5. Before this woman could partake of the water Jesus offered, He needed to confront her about her sin. She needed to see that she needed His forgiveness. What did Jesus know about her sinful life?
6. She may have been uncomfortable about her sin problem being brought out in the open, people usually are, so she changed the subject. She talked about where the Samaritans worship versus where the Jews worshipped. Rather than taking sides about the correct place to worship, what did Jesus tell her?
7. Jesus had a special revelation for this woman who said she knew about the coming Messiah. What did He reveal to her?
8. Jesus’ timing is always perfect. He wanted his disciples to return at that very moment and see Him speaking to a Samaritan. What thoughts were going through their minds but not spoken out loud?
9. This woman instantly knew in her heart that she had met the Messiah, she went back to testify to her towns people. In her excitement what did she forget to take with her? Or maybe she knew she was coming back to that spot and bringing people with her to meet Jesus.
10. While she was gone, the disciples tried to get Jesus to eat some food. He told them He didn’t need to eat the food. What did His disciples think?
11. What happened to the people of the Samaritan town because of the testimony of the woman Jesus had spoken to? Note what they based their faith on. What was it based on according to verse 45?
12. In the miracle healing of a man’s son in verses 46-54, Jesus first tested the heart of this man, was he just seeking a sign, or did he have true faith in Jesus? We know that he became a true believer because the Bible tells us so. What did the man ask his household that pointed to the miracle that Jesus completed, and it demonstrated his belief that Jesus is God?
Devotionals
