John Lesson 11

Introduction

Very pleasant good day to you. Welcome to Let the Bible Speak. I hope you’ll get your New Testaments open and turn with me to the reading found in the Gospel of John, where we’ll be setting a day from the fourth chapter, John chapter four. We call this program Let the Bible Speak, because that’s exactly what we’re trying to do. If you’ve been studying together with us, you know that we are going verse by verse through the Gospel of John. And we believe that the best way to study the Bible is just that way, taking each verse within its context. Of course, there are times where we look at other passages throughout the Bible when they relate particularly to a verse that we’re studying. But we’re trying to keep verses in context.

And there are many people today who do not understand the Bible. In fact, some who call themselves teachers who misuse the Bible by hopping and skipping from one place to the other, and they really fail to take the scriptures in its proper setting or its proper context, and therefore they make confusion in their study. But if you’ll study along with this, you’ll recognize that as we handle the word of God correctly, taking each verse in its context, it is understandable. And as we understand it, we have a wealth of knowledge. We have uh the spirit being lifted up as God speaks to us through his inspired word. In John chapter 4, the scene is shortly after Jesus had had had his discussion with Nicodemus. If you were studying with us, you know in John chapter 3, there were two outstanding verses where the Lord talking to Nicodemus told him that it needed to be born again.

And when Nicodemus inquired how it is possible for a person to be born again, Jesus said in John chapter 3 and in verse 5, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. One must be born again, but it’s not a physical birth, it is a spiritual birth. And the time in which it takes place is when we’re born of water and spirit. I believe that refers to water baptism. Even as in Ephesians 5 and verse 26, the scripture speaks how that Christ will sanctify and cleanse the church with the washing of water by the word. As we obey that inspired word of God by faith, we will repent of our sins and confessing our faith that Jesus is the Christ, that God raised him from the dead, then we’ll be washed with water or baptized, that is, immersed in water.

That is the point in time when we’re immersed into the death of Jesus Christ. Have you been born again? You ought to be. In fact, you must be, according to the words of Jesus Christ. But another passage that is so outstanding in John 3 was verse 16, probably the most off memorized and most off quoted verse of the Bible, where it speaks of how that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The gift of salvation is from God. It is not by works that we may do, we cannot earn it. We do not merit it. It is by the grace of God that salvation is provided. And it’s provided through the gift of God’s only begotten Son.

When we consider how great God is. And we consider how great Christ is, we marvel at that gift that he has given. But the stipulation is that whosoever believeth in him should not perish. While God’s grace is bestowed upon all men, and he would have everyone to be saved. Not everyone will be saved. The dividing line or the difference between the saved and the lost is belief. But we studied also from the Gospel of John, how that this word belief means much more than just an intellectual acceptance of Christ. It isn’t just wanting to go to heaven. It isn’t just acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God in your own mind and doing nothing about it, for faith without obedience is a dead faith, James 2 24.

But the kind of faith that saves is the kind of faith that will confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and will obey him. He is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Hebrews chapter 5, verses 8 and 9, so declare. But after this discussion with Nicodemus, Jesus then left the region of Jerusalem, but stayed in the area of Judea. And verse 22 says that he baptized. There were several who were being baptized. And then the next verse describes John the Baptist, who likewise had been and was continuing to baptize. The scripture says he baptized in Eno near to Salem because there was much water there. And by inference, we understand, even from that passage, he’d want to go to a place where there was much water when we realize that the very word baptism means immersion, submersion.

Bible baptism is always descriptive of that which is an immersion in water. Never is it described as sprinkling or pouring. But John was baptizing in Enon near to Salem because there was much water there. And some of his own disciples began to inquire when they knew that Jesus was baptizing many. And they began to inquire, who is this Jesus? Who’s the greatest? And John very quickly testified, Jesus is the greatest. In fact, he said, I’m just a friend of the bridegroom. Jesus must increase and I must decrease. But now when we start our text in John chapter 4, the scripture says, when therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples, he left Judea and departed again into Galilee.

1. Jesus Himself Baptized Not, but His Disciples

And he must needs go through Samaria. 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. Now, two or three interesting points in this little narrative. First of all, Jesus knew that the Pharisees were aware that he was making more disciples than John the Baptist. And of course the Pharisees would be stirred up. They were stirred up with envy against Jesus. And as he began to have many coming to him, he then began to leave that region, and he went back into the area or was traveling toward Galilee. But you notice in verse 2 an interesting point where it says, Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples. It explains to us that though Jesus was teaching and was baptizing, the actual immersing of people in the water was not done by Jesus Himself.

He taught, but his disciples did the actual baptizing. Reminds me of a passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 where the Apostle Paul said much the same about himself. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, at the time when the church at Corinth was having some divisions, perhaps even jealousies over who was the greatest, had the greatest gift, and who had baptized them and who they were following. And in fact, he had said in verses 10 through 13 that the divisions among them was sinful, that Christ is not divided, and they shouldn’t be divided. And then after commenting about that, he said in verse 14, I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius, lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

And I baptized also the household of Stephanus. Besides, I know not whether I baptize any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Some have taken verse 17 and try to show that Paul didn’t consider baptism as important when he said, Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. But if you recognize the lessons that Paul preached, you know that he considered baptism important. In fact, he taught in Romans chapter 6, verses 3 and 4, that we’re baptized into the death of Christ. And in Galatians 3 27, it is at the point of baptism that we put on Christ. So what he’s saying here is not that baptism is unimportant.

Become a Christian. But Paul said, I’m glad that I didn’t baptize any, lest they should say, Paul baptized me, or Paul baptized in his own name. If we’re baptized scripturally, who does the baptizing is not as important as the fact that we’re baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, by the authority of heaven. So Paul did not do the actual baptizing, just as in John 4 and verse 2, it said that Jesus did not do the actual baptizing. But then it describes for us that he went on his way to Galilee through an area called Samaria. And he came to a city of Samaria called Sycar. Now it says that there was there a parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph, and Jacob’s well was there.

Back in Genesis chapter 33, in verses 18 through 20, we learn how that Jacob, when he came into this area, bought a parcel of ground near Shechem, or Sychar. And uh it is the same area that now in the New Testament days, it is the place where Jacob’s well was. Also, it’s it is significant that in Joshua chapter 24 and in verse 132, whenever the children of Israel came out of Egyptian bondage, that it was to the same area that the son of Jacob, Joseph, that his bones were brought there and were buried near this area called the area where Jacob’s well was. But then reading in verses six through nine, that now Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well, and it was about the sixth hour.

2. The Jews Have No Dealings with the Samaritans

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water, and Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat. Then said the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria. For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Now you notice the last verse. She was somewhat startled because that Jesus asked water of her, because as she said, the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Now that really goes back into some Old Testament history as to why the Jews did not have any dealings with the Samaritans.

That its capital, the city of Samaria itself, was overrun by the king of Assyria. And then at that period of time, the people of Israel, the ten northern tribes, were taken away into Assyria into captivity. And at that time, the king of Assyria brought some people from Babylon and other Gentile countries and had them settle in this area. Now you may read that in 1 Kings chapter 7 or 2 Kings chapter 17 and in verse 24. Where as these Gentiles came into that area, they began to marry with the few Jews who were left behind. And now we have a mixed race. You have Gentiles marrying to the Hebrews or to the Israelites, to the Jews. And by the time of Jesus Christ, they’re looked upon as a mixed breed, as a mixed race.

And there’s animosity between Jews, the pure bred Jews, and the Samaritans who came out of that mixture of some uh seven hundred years earlier. Well, it really wasn’t even seven hundred years that it took them to have this animosity developed, because when you read in Ezra chapter 4 in the first six verses, even 200 years after that captivity, uh after it began, when the children of Israel began to come back and that Jerusalem began to lay the foundation for the temple, and the Samaritans, the mixed breed, came down and wanted to help them rebuild. And the pure Jews would not allow them to. And that stirred up animosity, and they tried to weaken the hands of the Jews who were rebuilding the temple. And so from that time even until the days of Christ, the Jews and the Samaritans had no dealings one with the other.

Now that’s significant when you think that our Lord stopped to speak to this Samaritan woman. He did not always preach to the multitudes. There are people who today would think, oh, if I could just preach to the multitudes, I would. Well, you’ll find many scenes where Jesus had time for the individual. And not only the individual as such, just the best kind of individual, the richest or most prominent, but here’s a scene where he spoke to a woman of a nation that was looked down upon by his own people. The Samaritans. The Jews don’t have dealings with such. But he had time to talk to this Samaritan woman. And reading verses 10 through 15, the scripture says that Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that said to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

3. Living Water Springing Up into Everlasting Life

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? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself and his children and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. 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. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. The woman was thinking only in terms of literal water. Jesus said, If you knew who it was that asked you for water, you would have asked of him.

For he could have given you living water, and you’d have never thirst again. She thought in terms of my what kind of water is that? I want that kind of water. But Jesus was not speaking about just actual literal water that we put to our lips. He was speaking about how that he could give everlasting life. And that’s what verse 14 indicates for us. Have you ever come to Jesus for everlasting life? Revelation 22 and verse 17 says, Whosoever will, let him come and take freely of the water of life. In our world today, there are many who are seeking after things. Things. Things, material things. We measure success by how much money a person has. Or measure success by what he’s able to accomplish in the material realm.

But there are many who have all that money can buy, and they yet have emptiness. There are people who do not really have that inner thirst quenched. And what they really need is Jesus Christ.

Whosoever will, let him come and take freely the water of life. Have you come to him? We’re going to pause for a moment and then we’ll come back and discuss further how Jesus explained to this woman how to come and take freely of that water of life. I hope you’ll say John chapter 4, where in verse 15 the woman said to Jesus, Give me this living water, the kind I can drink and never again thirst. Now she did not comprehend that Jesus was talking about spiritual water and that which would be uh springing up unto everlasting life. She was thinking only about literal water. But at this point in the conversation, it it took a turn that that perhaps surprised the woman because Jesus portrayed that he was no longer just a Jew saying some things that she didn’t comprehend, but now he begins to show that he understood who she was, and she perceives that he’s a prophet.

4. Thou Hast Had Five Husbands

For reading in verses 16 through 19, Jesus said unto her, Go call thy husband and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband, for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. In that set thou truly. The woman said unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. We’re not told about her five husbands, whether they had deceased or whether she had divorced them unscripturally, but we are told that the one she’s now living with is not her husband. And she perceived that Jesus knew things about her that nobody would have or could have told him at this point, and so therefore she knew he must be of God, and she said, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Jesus had spoken about a sinful condition in which she was now living. Unfortunately, there are many today who are living in a sinful condition, as though it can be concealed from God, and it is not. In fact, in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verses 9 and 10, the scripture says, Don’t you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolatrous, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves of mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. You’re living with a woman to whom you’re not married, or have no scriptural right to be married. You better put her away, because God knows, and you will stand in judgment for it.

The beautiful thing about the gospel is, though, no matter what sin we may be in, we can be forgiven. In fact, first Corinthians 9 chapter 6 and verse 11 says that such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you’re justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, you can be forgiven. But God knows in what condition you’re in. And do not be deceived, as though you can hide from God. The woman, understanding now that Jesus knew her condition, perceiving that he’s a prophet, she changed the subject. And that’s the way a lot of people are today. Whenever the light of the gospel begins to shine in their life, they may realize what it says, but then they want to change the subject.

5. Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth

In verse 20, she said, Our fathers worship in this mountain. And you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. There was contention between the Jews and the Samaritans as to the place of worship. Just as they were a divided people. Now the Samaritans had had built a place of worship in what was called Mount Gerizim. In Deuteronomy it was described as the Mount of Blessing. But God had never ordained that Mount Gerizim should be the place where his house or the temple should be built. In fact, in 1 Kings chapter 9, he had identified that even the temple that was built in Jerusalem was the place where his name would be. That is, God would be worshipped in the temple. And so the Jews worshiped in Jerusalem, and the Samaritans worshiped in Mount Gerizen.

And she brought up a point of division between the two. Rather than facing her problem and her need, she brought up an issue about which there was some problem. But notice what Jesus said to her. Again, he perhaps said some things she was a bit surprised about, because in verses 21 through 22, she said, Jesus said unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what. We know what we worship. For salvation is of the Jews. What Jesus taught her here is that the place of worship is not what is important. True worship. It doesn’t matter whether it is at Gerizim or whether it is in Jerusalem. And the application even to our own day, there are people who have hallowed certain buildings and and and thinking as though they are the place, and if they go in those places that surely they they’re worshiping God, well, you you certainly may go into a place that has been set apart for the service of God or the worship of God.

But that of itself does not make true worship. Worship must be that which springs from the heart. In fact, Jesus here said that that pu that true worship is that which would be in spirit and in truth. Now he said to her that salvation is of the Jews, verse 22. And that simply means that that uh as there would be Jews who were the family out of which uh came the Messiah. Genesis chapter 12 and verse 3, the promise had made been made to Abraham. It doesn’t mean that every Jew is going to be saved, but rather that just as there is going to be true salvation, the Messiah coming from the family of the Jews, he then continued by saying, verse 23, 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. God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. God is spirit.

The heart, then worship is of no of no value. In fact, you remember the scripture when Jesus raised the question in Luke 6 46, why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say. You see, what pleases us isn’t necessarily what pleases God. But our worship must be in the right attitude, saying, Lord, whatever is of your will, that’s what I will do. In fact, in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, you may remember a scene where the church at Corinth was doing some outward things, but but the apostle said, What you’re doing is eating and drinking damnation to your souls. As you partake of the Lord’s Supper. He says that you’re not discerning the Lord’s body nor the Lord’s blood. And by their failure to remember his death and suffering, by their failure to be involved themselves.

He said, What you’re doing is really taking you away from heaven more than drawing you toward heaven. You’re weak and you’re sickly. You today, my beloved, if you’re going to worship God, must do so in the proper spirit. But also there must be worship in truth, in spirit and in truth. Some are heard to say, Well, it really doesn’t matter what you do, just just so your heart is right. Well, the fact is our heart must be right. But if our heart is right with God, we’re going to do what God says in God’s way. And therefore it will matter what we do. You see, God said in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. God’s ways are not man’s ways, and we may come in and say, Well, I like this, therefore God ought to like this. Or this seems good to us, therefore, or our church has done this for a long, long time. But that does not mean that God approves. If we’re going to worship God in spirit and in truth, we must be able to say, here’s what God wants in worship. You remember a passage in Matthew 15, verses 7 through 9? When Jesus spoke about the religious Jews of his day, he called them hypocrites. He said, You draw nigh with your mouth, you honor me with your lips, but your heart is far from me.

In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Traditions of churches today are not the authority to know how to worship God. Take the word of God. If you’re following commandments of men and trying to worship him rather than by book, chapter verse, what God’s word says, then your worship is in vain, just like those Jews of the days in which Jesus described. You see, Matthew 7 21, not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Or in Colossians 3 17, whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord. Let our worship be from the heart, and let our worship be according to the book, chapter, and verse.

6. I That Speak unto Thee Am He

Do you worship on the first day of the week? Do you pray? Do you sing? Do you partake of the Lord’s supper? Are you giving sacrificially? Do you worship God according to the scriptures? Let that be the true worshiper, as Christ so described. But now in verses 25 and 6, the woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus said unto her, I that speak unto thee, am He. How much clearer could be than this claim that Jesus is the Christ? He’s the anointed one. He is the Messiah. There are those who say Jesus never made that claim. Our Muslim friends say, Oh, Jesus never said that about himself, his disciples said it.

Conclusion

But here, the scripture says, Jesus said, I that speak unto thee, am He. Now the significant question is, was Jesus a liar? There are those who reject him as the Christ. They say he was a good man. A good man wouldn’t lie. Was he a liar? He certainly was not. So the real question is, have you accepted Jesus as the Christ? Until our next study, we bid that the grace and peace of our Lord be with you.