JOHN LESSON 11
We will begin this lesson in John 4:21.
We had verse 21 in the last lesson, but it bears repeating here.
To set the scene, Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman at the
well.
V-21, "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh,
when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship
the Father."
Notice that Jesus does not reprimand her for worshipping here
rather than in Jerusalem. God cannot be contained in a house.
V-22, "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship:
for salvation is of the Jews."
They worshipped the unknown God of the first five books of the
Bible. The books of Moses. Jesus reminds her here that the law came
through the Jews. He is actually telling her that through Him (a Jew)
salvation comes.
V-23, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeketh such to worship him."
Jesus is explaining to the woman here, that true worship takes
place in your heart. Worship (true) is not in all the ceremonial
things you do, but do you really love the Father in your heart and
desire to please Him? Spirit is not capitalized above because this is
speaking of man's spirit. The will of true Christians is to do what
God would have them do. They diligently search the Bible to find the
will of the Father, that they might live in it. Jesus is the truth.
They live the truth. Their spirit controls their flesh and lives to
please the Father. The Bible must be our textbook. Jesus must be
Lord of everything in our life. We cannot live a fleshly and a spirit
life. Let the spirit control the flesh and we will please God.
V-24, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth."
This is the image we are made in. We are a spirit dwelling in a
house (flesh), and we have a soul (will). The flesh will return to
dust. God is eternal. Our Spirit will live eternally. This spirit
will take on a new heavenly body for our stay in heaven. The Father,
Word, and Holy Ghost are one in Spirit. Only the spirit of man can
truly worship this God who is Spirit. If we submit our will to the
Father as Jesus did when He said, "Nevertheless not my will but
thine", we will be worshipping the way He would have us to.
V-25, "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh,
which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things."
She knows something about the Scriptures, because she knows
Messiah is promised. It even appears that she realizes more about Him
than many others do. She knows that He won't just tell them where to
worship, but will reveal to them the will of the Father, as well.
V-26, "Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he."
This is really the first time Jesus has come right out and said
who He was with nothing hidden. Jesus knew that He was not to reign
as King at this time. He had hidden from others just exactly who He
was, because He knew that was not to be His job this time on earth.
V-27, "And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he
talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why
talkest thou with her?"
The Rabbis' had taught that a man should not salute a woman in a
public place. These teachings, like so many other things taught, were
not really the wishes of God, but man. They marvelled because in
their eyes, He was too good to speak with a woman. One of the things
Jesus did was take away the curse on the women. He treated them
equally with the men. In fact, a great portion of His followers were
women. We found in Luke that they ministered to Him with their
substance. He lifted woman t o her true position by the side of man.
They were the last at the cross and the first at the sepulchre. They
received the baptism of the Spirit in Acts. In Christ there is no
male or female, Galatians 3:28. Jesus was interested in the spirit,
not the flesh. The spirit knows no gender.
V-28, "The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into
the city, and saith to the men,"
V-29, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did:
is not this the Christ?"
By this time she was so excited that she left this waterpot
behind. I am sure she ran to the city to tell everyone who would
listen. This word she carries is like a missionary in a hostile land.
She came to the men and told them, "Come see a man which told me all
about my life." Then she poses the question, "Is this not the
Christ?"
V-30, "Then they went out of the city, and came unto him."
Her excitement is what caused them to go and see.
V-31, "In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying,
Master, eat."
The disciples had gone to Sychar and gotten food and now they are
back and hungry. They say, "Master, eat".
V-32, "But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not
of."
Jesus is not as absorbed with pleasing the flesh as the disciples
are. Jesus fasts for many days at a time. He is more interested in
the salvation of this woman than He is in eating.
V-33, "Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man
brought him aught to eat."
They were thinking that perhaps this woman brought Him something
to eat. What they didn't realize is that He was not as absorbed with
caring for His body as they were.
V-34, "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him
that sent me, and to finish his work."
The thing which makes Jesus happy is not a big meal, but to know
He is doing the will of the Father. He realizes time is running out
and wants to get on with the job He was sent to do. I have said it
before, but it is very important that we become able to say, "Not my
will but thine, O Lord", just as Jesus did.
V-35, "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh
harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the
fields; for they are white already to harvest."
This is certainly a spiritual harvest spoken of here. Jesus is
telling these disciples, "What are you waiting for? The time to bring
people into the kingdom is now." Jesus speaks of the harvest of
people into the kingdom. Because Jesus has reveal ed Himself to this
woman of Samaria, now she is bringing with her the men of Samaria.
Today we can look at the signs of the times and know the fields are
white unto the harvest.
V-36, "And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit
unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may
rejoice together."
The sower would be the first one to bring the message of the Lord
Jesus. Then another minister or prophet will come by and water (add a
little more) the seed that was planted. Then comes harvest time,
another who did not plant the seed, nor water i t comes along and
brings in the harvest. All have laid up treasures in heaven for their
efforts in bringing these to the Lord. Jesus is the Lord of the
harvest. The angels in heaven rejoice when one comes into the
kingdom. The people who were a p art of bringing the person to the
knowledge of God rejoice greatly that they could be a part.
V-37, "And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another
reapeth."
V-38, "I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour:
other men laboured. And ye are entered into their labours."
The seed had been sown and re-sown ever since the first day Jesus
preached. Even now, every Scripture you mention to a lost soul is
like seed. The seed is the Word of God, whoever sows it. As we said
above, someone sows, and another comes and nurtures. Jesus is telling
His disciples, and even speaking to us now, to go out into the field
and harvest the souls for Him. Just as the roofer comes after the
house is built and puts a roof on so is the person who baptizes
someone who someone else has planted the Word in. The foundation, the
walls, and even the inner roof, has to be put up before the roofer
comes and puts the final roof on. Many a mother will witness and pray
for a son or daughter all of her life. Sometimes she even dies be
fore they come into the kingdom, but they will come in. She planted
the seed and someone else harvests, but God gets the crop.
Notes
JOHN 11 QUESTIONS
1. Jesus told the woman of Samaria that there would come a time when
she would not worship on ________________________ _____________
or in ______________________________.
2. Salvation is of the ________________________.
3. What did Jesus say she worshipped?
4. What was the only part of the Bible these Samaritans used?
5. The true worshippers worship the Father in what two ways?
6. True worship takes place where?
7. Why is spirit not capitalized in verse 23?
8. What does the Bible say is better than sacrifice?
9. Verse 24 tells us God is a ____________________________.
10. How are the Father, Word, Holy Ghost one?
11. Who did the woman say she knew was coming?
12. What is another name for Messiah?
13. What did this woman of Samaria say Messiah would tell them?
14. What did Jesus tell the woman in verse 26?
15. What did the disciples marvel at?
16. Who were the last at the cross and the first at the sepulchre?
17. Who did this woman go and tell in Sychar?
18. What did she tell them?
19. What reaction did they have?
20. What did the disciples try to get Jesus to do?
21. What surprising thing did Jesus tell them?
22. When Jesus refused to eat, what did they assume?
23. Jesus said, "My meat is to do the __________________________ of
him that sent me, and to finish his work."
24. In verse 35, Jesus told them not to say harvest was in four
months, but to do what?
25. What kind of harvest is this speaking of?
26. Who will rejoice over the harvest?
27. Give an example of one sowing and another reaping.
Notes
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