Happy, Happy, Happy Tuesday! It’s almost Christmas and we’re here to study John 4. I can’t think of a better way to prepare for Christmas than study. So welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.
Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, thank you for this time to study these words. I ask you to give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we can know You, for these words are You and about You and we want to know You, please Lord. All for your glory. Amen.
Open your Bible (I use the NIV) or go here in a new tab or window, we’re about to read. It’d also be good to have something to write with (maybe even a highlighter) and paper to write on as there could be things you want to make note of in this.
Read John 4:1-3
Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
Ah, it wasn’t Jesus who was baptizing after all, it was his disciples. Why did Jesus leave Judea? Where was he going back to?
Why do you suppose the Pharisees didn’t so much care about how many disciples John was getting but Jesus getting more was something that made Jesus think He should leave?
Read John 4:4-6
A little geography and history lesson in these few verses. How cool is that? Samaria stood between Judea and Galilee and to stay in Israel there were weren’t many ways to avoid it. Plus, there’s the will of God to think about and there was a reason for Jesus to go through Sychar. Where did he sit? What time of day was it?
Read John 4:7-9
What did Jesus ask the woman?
How did she respond?
Why?
Did you see the footnote? By not associating with Samaritans it also means “Or do not use dishes Samaritans have used” Kind of zooms in on what it was really like, the not associating anyway, don’t you think? Thinking about this, hadn’t his disciples gone to fetch food? Where could they have gone if it wasn’t in Samaria?
Read John 4:10
“If you knew… you would have asked him and he would have given you ________________________” Here Jesus is saying he is what?
Read John 4:11-14
The water. How do you understand the “never thirst”? Could Jesus be describing a feature of the Spirit? As in with the Holy Spirit we could have everything because He’s the Spirit allowing fullness of God in us? And the relationship we must have to reach eternal life?
Read John 4:15-18
Not a thing is hidden to Jesus. He knows every thing. You never need hide. He loves you. He is kind. There is nothing to fear.
Read John 4:19-24
She said “I can see that you are a ______________” and continues with a comment on Worship.
Jesus says the kind of worshipers the Father seeks are those that worship ____________________________________. He explains the reason being that God is spirit.
In Spirit and in truth. Think on that for a while. We know what He means by Spirit and He is truth, so how do you understand in Spirit and truth?
Read John 4:25-26
I love how Jesus was so explicit to her. First He says “I’m the gift of God. I can give you living water, eternal life.” And now he said “I am the Messiah, the Christ.”
Jesus knows this woman will understand if he speaks so definitively. Whereas He doesn’t do that among his own people. We are so blessed to have these words we can read over and over and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is who He said He is.
“I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” Praise be God for this amazing and wonderful gift; the gift of Jesus.
Read John 4:27
The Disciples Rejoin Jesus
Just then… thank goodness they didn’t speak the words on their minds. Can you imagine the fear of them all could have intimidated or scared her?
Read John 4:28-30
She left without her jar. The joy inside of her at meeting the messiah must have been overflowing and she had to run to share the news. “Come, see… Could this be?” How did the people of the town respond to her?
Read John 4:31-34
Can you imagine that doing God’s will would be so wonderful as to do so without food? Do let me tell you it is something I have experienced. There are times when I write these posts early in the day and He is so with me as I do that food is the furthest thing from my thoughts, at least while I’m writing with Him it is anyway. Complete satisfaction is found in Him.
How did Jesus put it? “My food,” said Jesus, “____”
Read John 4:35-38
Jesus says “Open your eyes and ___________”
Read John 4:39-42
Many Samaritans Believe
“We have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
Have you seen that his chapter to this point is about seeing and hearing? Looking and listening? If you haven’t noticed that, I suggest you go back and start over, and underline, highlight or right down every word of Jesus in John 4 to verse 42.
Read John 4:43-45
Jesus Heals an Official’s Son
Do you hear disappointment in the parenthesis?
Read John 4:46-50
Do you think verse 45 has a specific bit of sorrow in it and that’s why Jesus says what he does in verse 48?
Perhaps it was an oversight on John’s part of recording this story or maybe not, but do you think the official thanked Jesus before he left?
Read John 4:46-54
Do you think maybe in verse 53 their belief brought about thanks? I only ask because it’s kind of a big deal. Gratefulness is. Even Jesus mentions it once in a story we haven’t covered yet but it’s the one about those healed of leprosy.
This was the second sign between Judea and Galilee. Do you see them? Do you know what those signs are?
Perhaps the first one was Jesus revealing to the woman who He is, and maybe verse 29’s declaration by her, maybe a lot of that story is sign one. The second sign: Healing by word from a distance.
What do these two signs point to? Or maybe it should say, Whom do they point to? Do you see Him? Do you hear Him?
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this book. You are everything You say You are. All You show You are as well. That we might see and hear and know You are our One and only Savior. Thank You, Lord.