A GIFT OF INCOMPARABLE VALUE

John 4:1-25, 28-30, 39-42

The story we read in this Bible passage is an example of the compassion and care of Jesus Christ to scarred and suffering humanity. There are three things at stake in this passage, three questions must have been in the mind of the woman. (i) Who is this man (Jesus)? (ii) What is the gift of God? (iii) What is living water? Have you found the Messiah? Have you tasted the Living water? We will explore this passage a little further and learn some life lessons.

Who Is This Man (Jesus)?

John 4:7-12; 6:35, 47-51; 8:12; 9:5; 8:56-58; Mat.12:42

The personality of Jesus puzzled this woman, as it still puzzles some today. Being the Master Communicator Jesus would lead the woman in our story out of her protective shell to the everlasting truth. She would abandon her empty religion and find Christ, the Messiah. She came to fetch perishable water but she would go away with inexhaustible, eternally satisfying Living Water. On that day her faint hope for a future Messiah became a present reality. The Messiah had come and had found her. But she didn’t know it. He offered her the Living Water but she did not understand. Are you greater than our father Jacob? Jesus did not rebuke her for asking such questions. He was willing to reveal who He was to this woman. (i) Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 47-51) – He is the Living Breath which came down from heaven, which if anyone eats, they will live forever. This Bread is His body which He gave for the life of the world. His blood was shed for the remission of the sins of the world. (ii) Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5) – Anyone who believes in, and follows Him shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. With His light they will discriminate between good and evil, right and wrong. His light shows the way of eternal life. (iii) Jesus is greater than Abraham and Solomon (John 8:56-8; Mat.12:42) – Abraham was the great Patriarch of not only the Jews, but also of Christians and Muslims also. To say that you are greater than Abraham would be a preposterous delusion if it is not true! Solomon is known to be the wisest man of all time. God promised Solomon that there would be no one wiser either before or after him. To be greater than Solomon means you are wiser. To be wiser than Solomon means you are not a mere man. Jesus was not a mere man. (iv) Jesus is the Good shepherd (John 10:11-18, 27-30) – He guides. He leads. He protects. He preserves. He provides for all who would follow him. (vi) Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) – to get to God, to enter into life eternal you must go through Him! This is the person offering the Samaritan woman the water of life. But she did not know Him, and she is not alone…

What Is The Gift Of God?

John 4:10-15; Rom.6:23; John 17:3

The next question that comes to mind is this. What is the “Gift of God”? Jesus said that this woman did not know the gift of God nor the Person seating before her and asking for water. If she had known she would have requested of Him living water – meaning running water from a spring as opposed stagnant water collected in a well. Christ is that Gift of God. Jesus is offering her the spiritual life as opposed to the life she was living. Many people today are like this lady. The Messiah has come but they do not know Him. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world has come but they do not know Him. He is offering to all the gift of eternal life, but they do not understand Him. Question. Do you know the gift of God? Have you received the gift of God? Have you received eternal life?

What Is Living Water?

John 7:37-39; Mat.11:28-30; John 3:16

In Hebrew, Living water literally means running water from a spring. This woman’s life was like the stagnant water of the Dead Sea. Her life was not worthy of emulation. Everything was flowing into it but it wasn’t getting cleaned up. Jesus came to clean up that life! He is the Great Gift of God. He is the fountain of Living Water. He will clean up your life today if you only ask Him. All the sinfulness, all the uncleanness, all the lies, all the deceptions, all the covering up, all the gossip, all the immorality will be cleaned out. All the inexhaustible blessings of salvation will be yours today freely. All you have to do is ask (Mat.7:7-9). There is no other name by which you may receive this salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Col.2:9-10). When you ask He will definitely condescend to answer you (Mat.11:28-30). He will never say no to you (John 6:37).

Trust in Him today and you have redemption, hope for the future, and hope of eternal life. It is hopelessness that leads men to commit suicide when they feel that life is no longer worth living. But when Christ gives you life, He gives it in abundance (John 10:10). He gives you hope for the future. He gives you the light of life in an age where many grope in darkness.

Are you ready to receive Him?