In Spirit and In Truth – 13 January 2022, Anno Domini

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HE woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 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. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 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. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 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. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. (John 4:15-25)

 

The true Church on earth is One with the Lord Jesus Christ and with God the Father. That unity in One leaves no room for political contention or power struggle. When we are One with Christ, we will be One with one another.  The love that God sheds abroad in our hearts will overrule any feelings of jealousy or hate. As the Lord taught us in His prayer at Gethsemane:  17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:17-23)

 

            This is a powerful truth and testimony of our Lord who, in His last Will and Testament, has left all things wonderful for our benefit in Him.

 

            Jesus had traveled the long way to Galilee by going through Samaria. He had an appointment to keep that had been made before Eden. It was with a woman whom He knew had often come to Jacob’s Well at the less busy noon-day hour to draw water out of sight of the gossipers of the city of Sychar. Jesus, being the Master of all Teachers, approached the woman in a subtle and kindly manner. Give me to drink! He asked of the woman. She was puzzled that a Jew would ask a lowly Samaritan for anything. But Jesus informed her: If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Our preaching must arouse curiosity in the hearer if we will have a good response. The woman is now curious to know of this Water of Life the Lord offers. Jesus tells her: 13 Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. She asks the Lord to give her of this Water of Life. If we love the Word, we will serve it in very attractive vessels just as the Lord has done here. 

 

            Our Lord next demonstrates His intimate knowledge of the heart of the sinner. Go and call thy husband. He knows the woman has no husband, but this is the artful manner of Christ in reminding the woman of her depravity and need of a Savior. If we, as ministers, fail to point out the depravity of the sinner, we can in no wise awaken them to the need of a Savior. The woman now recognizes the divine power behind His words.  

 

            Our Lord say something to the woman that is very relevant to our own time (and all times): 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. We have very many jaded and judgmental churches that condemn the sinner without the Spirit of Love. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; the wrath.  (Romans 4:15) On the obverse side, we have churches that seem full of the spirit, but lack the truth. This is likewise unacceptable to God for the Spirit of God is always Truth! Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13) There is no such church as one which magnifies the Holy Spirit to the exclusion of Christ for the Spirit is come to point us always to Christ. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  (John 14:26)  If we love the truth, we will have the Spirit!

 

          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. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. When we commune with the Lord, we will surely come to know Him for who He is.