http://youtu.be/slFSzUzI8c8


“but whosoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.” –John 4:14

As I read the Gospel of John this week, I learned the author used a great amount of imagery and symbolism to reveal Christ to the people. When you read the Gospel of John, I am quite sure you ran across the story of the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan and how he made an attempt to convince her to drink of this “water.”

While en route o Galilee, Jesus made a stop in Samaria in a small town called Sychar. The Bible spoke of how he grew weary and made a stop by a well, where a Samaritan woman walked up to draw water. He proceeded to tell the woman, “Give me drink.” At this point of Jesus commanding the water, the woman grew baffled that he was speaking to her being that she was a Samaritan and he was Jew. He proceeded to tell her of this “living water” he could give her that was far better than any water she could draw from even Jacob’s well. Jesus said “In fact, the water I will give him will become a spring of water in him. It will flow up into eternal life” (John 4: 13-14). The woman said she would like to have this “water” but she still did not fully understand. The woman was so caught up in Jesus’ words that she could not grasp the prophetic meaning he was attempting to convey. So what is this water Jesus spoke of?

During this time period, Jesus utilized objects that people could see to provide explanations of heavenly things they could not see with their own eyes. He spoke to the woman about living water. The Bible describes this water as a symbol for God’s Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). The women could not come to the realization that Jesus was speaking about spiritual things. The lady thought that Jesus was speaking of actual drinking water that flowed, like water from a stream. Jesus told the woman that this water would be fresher than the well water she was used to. She even asked him where he could get such water. Jesus’ focus remained on what was most important not giving regard to any doubt the woman may have had.

Maybe the “living water” Jesus spoke of is the gift of salvation so that this woman may believe in him. This water Jesus spoke of may have been Jesus’ invitation for this woman and her people to become followers of Christ. “When Christ asked of this unnamed woman a drink of water, he challenged the best from her. It is commonly the case that when we offer to assist someone who harbors a grudge against us, they will ruffle up and resist. Yet, if they are petitioned for assistance, they surprisingly respond. Jesus appealed to this lady’s kinder instincts, thus eroding the cultural wall between them. The woman, with perhaps a little edge to her voice, responded, “How is it that you, a Jew [which she could discern by his clothing and manner of speech], asks a drink of me, a Samaritan woman?” (4:9). She is taken aback, but intrigued. “Who is this stranger who is willing to address me?” https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/282-jesus-and-the-samaritan-woman 

http://youtu.be/zF7ma1yoLNk