Jesus just entered Samaria, let’s recall who Samaritans were. They were the remnant of the northern Jewish kingdom who had intermarried with foreigners after the chiefs and nobles had been carried into exile in 729 BC. They had once built a separate worship place on their own Mount Gerizim and they rejected all of the Old Testament except their version of the first five books of Moses. The animosity toward Jews was centuries old. Jesus walks right into this hostility, sits down, and asks for a drink, “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Please give Me a drink.” (John 4:7) Then Jesus said, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” (John 4:10)
Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman revealed important information regarding the worshiping of God. Jesus said to her, “…the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH; for the FATHER IS SEEKING SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM.” (John 4:23)
Jesus concluded with this VERY IMPORTANT FACT about our worship, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.” (John 4:24) Worship may be defined as SPIRITUAL INTIMACY through our actions toward God that imply respect, reverence and devotion.
Jesus could have meant, “The instruction of the wise is like a LIFE–GIVING FOUNTAIN…” (Prov. 13:14) A little later on Jesus explained it more thoroughly, “Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER. But this He spoke CONCERNING THE SPIRIT, whom those believing in Him WOULD RECEIVE; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39)
“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and SAID TO THE MEN, (she probably knew many of them because of her former lifestyle) “Come, see a Man who TOLD ME ALL THINGS THAT I EVER DID. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and CAME TO HIM.” (John 4:28-30) One of the first evangelists…
-Bill Stockham