RIVERS OF LIVING WATER

TEXT

John 4:4-30 And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with [his] journey, sat thus on the well: [and] it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto 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. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 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. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 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. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am [he]. 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 woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

The surroundings and location where Jesus dealt with the Samaritan woman are given to us in detail, and that for a good reason. We are intended to consider the location and the various historical details given in the text when reading of this story of the woman at the well. The history as mentioned will shed light and pronounce the truths Jesus was revealing to her.

I. HISTORY OF SYCHAR

• Let us note that Sychar was the location.
• Sychar was previously named Shechem in the Old testament, where many historical events took place.
• It was forty miles north of Jerusalem and stood between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, the Mountains of blessing and Cursing. (Joshua 8:30-35).
• Jacob built his first altar at this location (Genesis 33:18).
• Jacob gave the parcel of land to Joseph, who was buried there after the Exodus Israelites entered the land.
• Here, Joshua renewed Israel’s covenant with God.

II. THE WELL OF LIVING WATER AND JACOB

• This was the very location where Jesus spoke to the woman about Rivers of Living Water.
• This is noteworthy.
• There is a link between Jacob’s story and Jesus words.

• Jacob was a deceiving man and cheated his own brother, Esau, out of the birthright.
• It was the time when Esau was hungry after a day’s hunt, and Jacob offered him some pottage only if Esau would give his birthright to Jacob in return.
• Esau agreed.
• Later, Isaac was dying and chose to pronounce his blessings on the two boys.
• Isaac being almost blind could only distinguish Esau from Jacob by feeling for Esau’s hairy arms.
• His mother told Jacob to pretend he was Esau by putting goat’s hair on his arms in order to receive the blessing.
• This Jacob did, and went away with the blessing.
• Esau came home to be blessed, and Isaac was horrified to think Jacob stole the blessing.
• Esau pitted himself against Jacob in vengeance from that day forward.
• Jacob fled home.

• Upon Jacob’s return after marrying Leah and Rachel, Jacob knew Esau would seek to kill him.
• In desperation Jacob happened to see an angel at night and wrestled with the angel to receive a blessing due to his soon-to-come confrontation with Esau.
• The angel touched his thigh, and Jacob limped the rest of his life.
• And his name was changed to Israel.
• After this event, Jacob built his first altar at Shechem (Sychar).
• And the altar’s name implies much.
• He named it El-elohe-Israel.
  • This means “God, the God of Israel.”
  • The meaning involved is that God was the God of Abraham and of Isaac.
  • But Jacob did not really get hold of God for himself until this point.
  • After being changed, Jacob never again was crooked.
  • He was Israel, a prince with God.
  • And upon that life-changing experience, Jacob declared to all the world, that God was now also the God of Israel!
  • Never would Jacob be the same man he was.
• And it was Here that Jesus spoke to the woman about the Rivers of living water.
• What he referred to by the rivers was elsewhere explained as the HOLY SPIRIT.

John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

• Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit only occurs when one has come to the end of the old life and truly and sincerely will never be the same again.

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

• One’s life must totally be dedicated to God.
• No more crooked lifestyle.
• You will never walk the same again.

III. THE WELL OF LIVING WATER AND JOSEPH AND JOSHUA

• Joseph believed God would bring Israel to Canaan again.
• Israel first entered Egypt under Joseph’s leadership, while famine occurred and Joseph held high rank in Egypt
• Before Joseph died, he commanded Israel to bury his bones in Canaan in the land where Jacob gave him some ground.
• Joseph knew Israel would go home one day.
• Long after Joseph died, Israel was made slaves of Egypt.
• And God sent the deliverer, Moses, to take them home.
• They carried Joseph’s bones away.
• The place where they would lay Joseph’s bones, at the land which Jacob gave to Joseph, represented the HOPE OF ISRAEL achieved.

• Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land after Moses departed.
• He took them through the battle of Jericho and Ai.
• The land was conquered.
• And here at Shechem (Sychar) he challenged the people to live for God and nothing else.
• He told them they could not serve God.
• They said they would. he said they must cast away all idols if they would serve God.
• And he took a great stone and said this stone would hear them and bear witness of their claim to wholly serve God.
• And they buried Joseph’s bones.
• As the time of Joseph’s burial signified the great hope of Israel being achieved, the location of Shechem, Sychar, the site where Jesus spoke of Spirit Baptism, implies that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is the GREAT HOPE.

• The Holy Ghost is the Spirit form of Jesus.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost,…

John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

• In order for Jesus to call the Holy Ghost the Comforter, and to say He would not leave them comfortless, but HE WOULD COME TO THEM, we realize that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit form of Jesus Christ.
• Hence…

Colo 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

• The Holy Spirit is nothing other than the SPIRIT OF CHRIST.
• And it is the PROMISE of the Father, our great HOPE!
• As much as burying Joseph’s body in Shechem represented the hope of Israel achieved, Jesus spoke of the Spirit at Shechem (Sychar), and Paul called the Spirit of Christ in you “the hope of glory”

• Throughout the New Testament Epistles, we are urged to have victory THROUGH CHRIST, and to be freed from sin and death THROUGH CHRIST. And Paul uses a synonym for Christ by saying …

Roma 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

• THROUGH CHRIST is equal to saying THROUGH THE SPIRIT, because the holy Spirit is CHRIST IN YOU.

• At Shechem, Joshua took a rock which witnessed to them of their vow to live for God.
• Jesus is the Rock from which came the rivers of water in the wilderness.
• Jesus was at this location talking to the woman about the Spirit, Rivers of living water.

• They had to change if they would serve God.
• At Shechem they made their choice to wholly change, like Jacob who totally changed and built his first altar at Shechem.

• As Jesus departed from a mountain, Moses departed atop Pisgah.
• And as Joshua led them after that to Shechem where the well of living water was spoken of by Jesus, the disciples went to Jerusalem after Jesus left and received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost – well of living water.

• Peter received the Spirit after being a cursing coward, and was able to point his finger at the Jews who had killed Jesus Christ, and told them God raised up that same Jesus to be Lord and Christ.
• Peter was changed.
• The Holy Ghost will change you forever.

IV. THE WOMAN AND THE WELL OF LIVING WATERS

• This woman heard Jesus tell her that she could believe on Him and receive waters by which she would never thirst again, making her think she could be free of coming to this well to drink.
• She was not serious enough about what Jesus was saying.
• So Jesus set out to shake her up. Knowing she was an adulterous woman, he asked her to bring her husband and return and talk. She confessed she had no husband. He then revealed His power by telling her she was correct, and that she had five previous men as husbands but lived with a man who was presently not her husband. This amazed her and she realized he was a prophet. But not shaken enough to seriousness, she commented on how Jesus and the Jews worshipped God at Jerusalem, while she and the Samaritans worshipped in this mountain. Jesus shook her by telling her the time comes when God will not accept anybody at this mountain nor at Jerusalem. God desires people to worship Him TRULY in spirit and in truth. When one comes to the issue of the Holy Ghost baptism, one must be thoroughly and inwardly holy, not just concerned about what location to worship at. It is the state of the heart that God is concerned with. Jacob’s heart was changed. Israel’s hearts were changed there.

• Then the woman cast away that issue by saying when the Messiah comes he will tell them what to do.
• And Jesus revealed Himself to this lady more so than He had to anybody up to that point.
• He said I AM THE MESSIAH.
• Fully shaken and now serious, the woman ran and got her friends and told them the Messiah had come!

• Spirit Baptism is a serious issue.
• Some will say you do not necessarily require it.
• But it was so important to Paul the Apostle that the first question he asked people who were believers was:

Acts 19:1-2 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

• Some think belief in Christ causes one to automatically receive the Spirit.
• But Paul distinctly said, “Have you received the Holy Ghost SINCE YOU BELIEVED.”
• Belief occurs BEFORE Spirit baptism.
• Belief is separate and distinct from the necessary Spirit Baptism.
• Even Jesus said true belief will be FOLLOWED by speaking in tongues, which is the initial evidence one has received the Spirit.

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

• You will speak in tongues when you receive the Holy Ghost.

Acts 10:45-46 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

V. THE GOAL OF GOD’S PEOPLE

• As Canaan was the goal of the Exodus Israelites, the Spirit Baptism should be the GOAL of every believer.
• Israel entered Canaan under Joshua and at Shechem, where Jesus spoke of the Holy Ghost, they laid claim to their God and the Land promised to them.
• Canaan was the land of Promise.
• The Holy Spirit is the PROMISE OF THE FATHER.

Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.

VI. LIVING WATER

• When Jesus died on the cross, water and blood came from His side.
• John 7:38-39 indicates the Spirit could not come until Jesus was glorified.
• Jesus was crucified to the end He might be glorified.
• So He was crucified before the living water could come.
• The blood and water flowing from His slain side indicates the River of living water.
• Blood is the LIFE of the flesh (Lev17:11).
• And water with blood in it is LIVING WATER.
• When Jesus cried it is finished, and died, the water and blood soon after flowed.
• When we come to SYCHAR, SHECHEM, where Jacob’s life was changed forever, where Israel changed, our old lives MUST BE FINISHED.
• IT IS FINISHED.
• We will never be the same again.
• We are BORN of the Spirit when we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
• And we must be born again of water and Spirit to enter the kingdom.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

• Peter preached BOTH water and Spirit rebirth.

Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.

• And Peter called the Spirit the PROMISE.
• The believer’s land of PROMISE is the Holy Ghost Baptism.
• As Israel entered the land of PROMISE to be in their KINGDOM and committed themselves to God at SHECHEM (SYCHAR), our true dedication to God as His children occurs at SPIRIT BAPTISM – the PROMISE of the “Father”.
• It is the promise of the FATHER because we are BORN into His family only at Spirit Baptism.

Roma 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father

Roma 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

• We simply are not God’s people without the Spirit baptism.
• Come to the well. All must finish here. This is the great PROMISE.