John 4:1-26 (adapted from King James Version, public domain)

In the early verses of this chapter, we see that the Pharisees continue to take a near-microscopic interest in what Jesus is doing. We aren't sure what it is exactly that they were looking for. But you can be sure that if something turned up, they'd know that was it.

So the rumors started flying. One of those rumors that got back to the Pharisees was that Jesus was baptizing more than John was. In truth, it was Jesus' disciples who were doing all this baptizing, not Jesus.

In response to this rumor mongering, Jesus thought he'd better head north back to Galilee. Galilee was about a 75 mile hike north to Galilee from Judea. (see these notes: http://sermons.messiahks.com/2008/02/07/crossroads-1-from-galilee-to-judea/) -- see verses 1-3

But before Jesus got back to Galilee, he first had to go through Samaria. The Jews didn't like going through the region of Samaria. In fact, according to a footnote I have in my Concordia Study Bible, page 1609, the Jews would often cross over the Jordan River for the journey north on the east side of the river. They would avoid going through Samaria by taking the east side.

But Jesus did not cross over the Jordan; instead his travels took him through a small hamlet called Sychar (verse 5), about ten miles west of the Jordan River. see map of the area at: http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/jordan-river.html
 
Jesus was tired from his travels by the time he got to Sychar. He was in a hurry because he wanted to get to Sychar by the sixth hour which is noon in Jewish time.

And Sychar is important to Jesus because this is the site where Jacob's well was. This well was on the ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. (see verses 5-6)

Jesus was sitting there beside the well, kind of resting and minding his own business. His disciples had gone into town to buy some food, according to verse 7. So here comes this woman on a mission to draw water from Jacob's well.

Jesus asked her if she'd give him a drink.

This request took the woman by surprise because she recognized that Jesus was a Jew. She was a Samaritan and the two didn't associate with each other. (verse 9)

And then Jesus said something even more puzzling to her. He told her that if she had any idea who she was talking to, she'd be the one asking for water because Jesus could give her living water. (verse 10)

Well, being the observant woman that she was, she reminded Jesus that it was a very deep well and he didn't have a thing to draw water with. After all, she wanted Jesus to know that this was Jacob's well and Jacob had given the well to her countrymen. In fact, Jacob himself had drunk from that very well. And his sons and daughters had also. (verses 11-12)

Then Jesus out-answered her when he said that everybody who drinks from Jacob's well gets thirst again, but Jesus could supply a living water and whoever drank that water would never get thirsty again. In fact, that special water would well up inside anyone who had a drink of it and bring eternal life. (verses 13-14)

So now she wants some of this water so that she wouldn't ever get thirsty again. Instead of giving her the living water, Jesus tells her to go get her husband. The woman tells Jesus that she doesn't have a husband.

Actually, he already knew that without her having told him. He told her that she'd already had five husbands and was living with someone right then who wasn't married to her. (verses 15-18)

Well, okay then. She figured out right away that this man had to be a prophet if he knew these secrets about her. Then they got into a conversation about where the Samaritans were supposed to worship. The woman said that the Jews were always telling them that they were supposed to worship in Jerusalem even though the Samaritans were worshiping on the mountain where they were standing. (verses 19-20)

Jesus reminded her that the time was coming when she'd be worshiping his Father, but it wouldn't be from some little mountain in Samaria and it wouldn't even be from Jerusalem. Jesus told her that salvation was coming from the Jews and the time was coming when everyone would worship his Father in spirit and truth, not  from a physical location. (verses 21-24)

Then the woman said she knew the Messiah was coming. And Jesus told her, in verse 26, that he was the person the woman was talking about.

John 3:22-36, from King James Version (public domain)

We have a change of scenes after Jesus and Nicodemus had their discussion about being born again.

Now we see Jesus out in the Judean countryside with his disciples. Jesus was baptizing people who came to him.

John was also baptizing in a river near Aenon near Salim. There was plenty of water available to him there. (verses 22-24)

We don't know who the man was who posed a question to John about purification but a discussion followed between him and John about this and baptizing and ceremonial cleansing.

This Jew told John, Hey, remember that man that you were with over there on the other side of the Jordan? He's the one that you told us about.Well, he's over there baptizing people too. And lots of people are going up to him asking to be baptized.

This did not pose any difficulty for John. In fact, he told the Jew that a person can't receive anything unless it's given to him.

He assured the Jew that he, John, was not the Christ. But Jesus was and because Jesus was sent by God, John's joy was now complete. (see verses 25-30)

John wanted it clearly understand that he was a mortal man and he talked in an earthly way. But this other man, the one who came from heaven brings a message from God, even though there were some people who didn't believe Jesus' message. No matter, John says, whoever does receive Jesus' message receives the seal of God and that seal is the profound belief that God is true. (verses 26-33)

Keep in mind that as you read this chapter, when you believe the message that God sends through his Word, God will then give you his Spirit without measure.

John then tells the Jew that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life and whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. In the final analysis, then, everlasting life could only be had by faith in Jesus Christ because Jesus' words were the word of God. (From Matthew Henry's commentary)

Discussion: Do you have difficulty taking in the Word of God, as if you were blocked from receiving such a joyful experience?

If you do, pray right now at this very moment that God our Heavenly Father will send his Holy Spirit to minister to you in your spiritual needs. Remember that our Heavenly Father has promised to give us the Holy Spirit without any limits.

I thank you all for your kind thoughts as you have touched me with your gentle spirits as I have mourned the loss of my dear sister in these past few months. I am comforted just in knowing that she joins our mother and so many other loved ones in heaven where they worship and praise God.