There is a lot to John chapter four and for that reason I don’t want it to be rushed. So we will be on this chapter for the next 2-3 weeks. This way we have more time to dive into the scripture deeper.

            When the Lord knew that the Pharisees were now aware of the fact that Jesus’ disciples had baptized more people than John, the Lord had Him leave Judea to Galilee. The time was not yet so avoiding conflict was the reasoning for departing Judea. The Pharisees were keeping a close eye on Jesus and His ministry; Jesus of coarse knew this so He was mindful of His divine timing on this and where and when to go places.

            A note to see here was that Jesus didn’t do the baptizing, the disciples did. They were carrying what John had started, baptizing in water for repentance of sins. Jesus had his disciples follow this however Jesus didn’t do the baptizing Himself. There are different thoughts as to why; some believe its because Jesus was to baptize in the Holy Spirit so He let the disciples do the water baptism for repentance which would make sense, some believe it was because those who would have been water baptized by Him would be tempted to boast about it and lastly some believe that it was a defensive plan so the Pharisees couldn’t accuse Him of baptizing in water if it was His disciples doing it. All of these could be right and make sense with head knowledge, however scripture simply says that the disciples were the ones who did the water baptisms, not Jesus.

            So the Lord had Jesus go to Galilee but Jesus went through Samaria to get there. This was the fastest way however most Jews didn’t like traveling through Samaria because they believed the Samaritans were sinners and filthy because of it. The Jews had had a long rivalry with the Samaritans. Most Jews would travel other routes to get to Galilee even though it would take longer. Jesus, however, went through Samaria and when He arrived to a town called Sychar He stopped at a well for water. He was tired from His journey, He experienced physical limitations like men know, allowing Him to truly know and understand our needs. He arrived near the plot of ground that was the land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph, and it was his well, Jacobs well.

            When Jesus got to the well He saw a woman there and asked her for water. In this time, it wasn’t socially acceptable for a Jewish man, let alone a rabbi to speak to a women. He not only asked her for water which wasn’t socially done given He was a male, she was a female and He was a Jewish teacher and she was a Samaritan. Yet He not only asked her for water, but He than began to talk to her about spiritual teachings as well. This was another big deal because Jewish women weren’t even regularly taught spiritual teachings, back then it was for the men to be taught lessons on God. Not only did Jesus choose to speak with this woman who was a Samaritan, but its as if He seeked her out, like it was a divine appointment. This women was an adulteress, she had been married five times and was currently dating someone else too. Socially people would distance themselves from someone like this, yet Jesus didn’t. He spoke to her against all “customs”. Jesus didn’t go with what made man pleased, He went with what God would want. He wasn’t breaking laws by speaking to her, but it would have made people uncomfortable had there been a crowd watching. Fear of man can try to keep people from doing what God would want out of the fear of making man uncomfortable. Jesus had no fear, He knew this woman needed God and didn’t care what others would think of Him speaking to her. He didn’t let religion and social customs keep Him from doing the will of God.

            The woman asked why He, a Jew, would ask her for water. Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” She didn’t understand, she instead stated that He had nothing to use to drink the water with. She then asked if He was greater than Jacob who gave them the well. He then teaches her of the living water, He tells her that whoever drinks from that well will thirst again but whoever drink from Him will become in him a fountain of living water springing up into everlasting life. Whoever believes (commits to Him and chooses to follow and trust in Him) out of His heart will flow rivers of living water (John 7:37). Jesus chose to share this, with a Samaritan woman! True Christianity isn’t about religion or traditions, it about relationship with our God through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is active and always flowing in us. Though the flow speed may change in each season, the river never runs dry. When we choose Jesus and receive His Holy Spirit we are being rescued from sin, we are being given eternal life and nothing can separate us from His love and we have His word which is like water to our soul.