John 4

The Lord, Maker of heaven and earth gives living water

1 Therefore when the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples,) 3 He left Judea and departed again into Galilee. 4 And it was necessary for him to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s fountain was there. And Jesus, being weary from his journey, sat there on the fountain: and it was about the sixth hour (noon). 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water: Jesus said to her, Give me a drink. 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to him, How is it that you being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is saying to you, Give me a drink; you would ask of him, and he would give you living water. 11 The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from where then do you have living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his children, and his livestock?

• Yes, He is greater than Jacob. He spoke water into being in Genesis 1.
  
• he gift of God is infinite and priceless.

• Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 9 For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

He quenches our eternal thirst with satisfaction that never ends

13  Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again: 14 But whoever drinks of the water that I give him will never thirst; but the water that I give him will be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water that I not thirst or come here to draw. 16 Jesus said to her, Go, call you husband, and come here. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You have said well, I have no husband: 18 For you have had five husbands; and he whom you have now is not your husband: this you have said truthfully.

• Jesus showed the woman who He was by what He said.
• We have to see our sin before we see our need of God. That’s’ why He gave us the law—so we could know His perfection and our lack of it.

• Galatians 3:24 Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

19 The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where it is right to worship. 21 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, an hour comes when you will worship the Father neither in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem. 22 You don’t know what you worship: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

• Jesus wasn’t being rude or cruel but honest when He said they didn’t know what they worshipped.
• Could this be said about us? Do we believe in Jesus and then neglect finding out about Him through His word and just make up in our minds what we want Him to be.

God is a spirit

23  But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and those that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman said to him, I know that Messiah comes, who is called Christ: when he comes, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus said to her, I that speak to you am he.

• God is the only one deserving of worship.

• Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

• John 17:17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.

It fed Jesus’ heart to do the Father’s will

27  At this point his disciples came and marveled that he was speaking with a woman: yet no man said, What do you seek? Or why are you talking with her? 28 The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 Come, see a man, who told me all things that I have done: is not this the Christ? 30 Then they went out of the city, and came to him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples asked him saying, Rabbi, eat. 32 But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, No one brought him anything to eat, did they? 34 Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Do not say, There are still four months, and then comes harvest? Behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are already white to harvest. 36 And he that reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit unto life eternal: so that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.

• As he spoke, people were pouring out of the city to see the man who told the woman all things she had done.
• How much more joy is there over a sinner saved from eternal hell than over a grape harvest?

• Matthew 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few…

37  For in this the word is true, One sows, and another reaps. 38 I sent you to reap that on which you bestowed no labor: other men labored, and you enter into their labors. 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the words of the woman, who testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans came to him and asked him to stay with them: and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word;

42 And said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your saying: for we have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. 43 Now after two days he left there and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

• We value the temporal over the eternal. We value the appearance of things rather than the heart or true value of things.

45  Then when he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went to the feast. 46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said Jesus him, Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.

• John 20:29 Jesus said to him, … blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

He heals from long distance

49 The nobleman said to him, Lord, come down before my child dies. 50 Jesus said to him, Go your way; your son lives. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Your son lives. 52 Then he asked them the hour when he became better. And they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, Your son lives: and he himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is the second miracle that Jesus did, when he came out of Judea into Galilee.

• Capernaum is 13 miles from Cana of Galilee.
• It didn’t matter if the son was a few miles away or at the other end of the universe. God is everywhere and can heal.
• Notice that the nobleman didn’t rush those 13 miles home to see if his son was recovered but went about other business. That’s faith. He didn’t check up on God, he just believed.

• Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

                                                    John 5

The Lord heals us

He knows our situation

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now at Jerusalem there was a pool by the sheep market that has five porches which is called Bethesda in the Hebrew language. 3 In these porches lay a great multitude of the sick, blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and stirred up the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made whole of whatever disease he was held by. 5 And a certain man was there who had been ill for 38 years. 6 Jesus, seeing this one lying there, knowing that he had been there that way a long time, he said to him, Do you want to be made whole? 7 The infirm man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is stirred, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me. 8 Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and that day was the sabbath. 10 Therefore the Jews said to him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.

• Jesus’ miracles were illustrations of His parables, demonstrating that He is greater than evil that blinds us and sin that cripples us.
• Lameness or inability to walk symbolizes our inability to walk with God.
• He has enabled us; we must learn to walk with Him by faith.

• Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

11  He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said to me, Take up your bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is it that said to you, Take up your bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed did not know who it was: for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, Behold, you are made whole: sin no more, so that no worse thing come to you.

• Jesus words show us plainly that some of our suffering is a result of our sin.
• Sometimes our suffering, is a result of testing, like Job.
• God said Job was the most righteous man on earth.
• Suffering is always for our good. When we live in continual fellowship with God, He protects us from evil but when we sin, we have moved from the place of protection.

• 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

15  The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus that had made him whole. 16 Therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

• Look at the thinking of these men. They want to kill a person who did an astoundingly good thing.
• Later, these men actually kill God who gave them life in order to protect their own turf, their own wrong belief system.

Jesus is equal with God

The eternal Father loves His eternal Son and shows Him what He does

He raises up the dead and makes alive

He has committed all judgment to the Son

17  But Jesus answered them, My Father works until now, and I work. 18 Because of this the Jews tried harder to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath but also said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, Truth, I tell you the truth, The Son can do nothing by himself, but what he sees the Father doing these things the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that he does: and he will show him greater works than these so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises up the dead and makes alive; so also the Son makes alive whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son: 23 That all men honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who has sent him.

• Jesus is the full likeness of the infinite, eternal Father in human flesh.

• Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express/exact image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high

• Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him all fullness would dwell…

He is going to raise all the dead

24  Truth, I tell you the truth, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me has everlasting life, and will not come into condemnation; but has passed from death to life. 25 Truth, I tell you the truth, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself; so he has given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And has also given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man.

• When judgments occur on earth to individuals or groups, they are from Jesus Christ and they are for good.

• Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.

28  Do not marvel at this: for the hour is coming when all that are in the graves will hear his voice, 29 and come out; those that have done good to the resurrection of life; and those that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can do nothing of myself: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me.

• The judgments of Jesus are the will of the Father.

31  If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that bears witness of me; and I know that the witness that he witnesses of me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he bare witness to the truth. 34 But I do not receive testimony from man: I say these things that you might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me that the Father has sent me.

• Jesus wasn’t timid about telling people who He was.
• No false god or human person can heal adults that were born blind and lame by just a word or a touch, or walk on water, or raise the dead.
• This is the Father’s witness about Jesus.

• John 21:25 And Jesus also did many other things, that if every one were written, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books…

The Father bears witness of the Son

Jesus exposes their unbelief

37  And the Father himself, who has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have not heard his voice at any time or seen his shape. 38 And you do not have his word abiding in you: for you do not believe the One He sent. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are that which testify of me. 40 And you will not come to me, that you might have life. 41 I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

• 1John 3:20 …God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

43  I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me: if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor one from another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47 If you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

• Luke 16:31 If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

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SUMMARY: John 4-5

• The Lord, Maker of heaven and earth gives living water
• He quenches our eternal thirst with satisfaction that never ends
• God is a spirit
• It fed Jesus’ heart to do the Father’s will
• He heals from long distance
• The Lord heals us
• He knows our situation
• Jesus is equal with God
• The eternal Father loves His eternal Son and shows Him what He does
• He raises up the dead and makes alive
• He has committed all judgment to the Son
• He is going to raise all the dead
• The Father bears witness of the Son
• Jesus exposes their unbelief