Lesson 118: From Whence Then Hast Thou That Living Waters

Kentucky Chaplain David Chaltas

There is a fountain flowing with living waters made of milk and honey. It is a spiritual flow that quenches the thirst of the soul. The Bible offers us many examples using water as a means of spiritual cleansing. One of my favorite examples is the woman at the well.

Now, When Jesus came to the city of Samaria (Sycar), ‘near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9Then 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. 10Jesus 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. 11The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14But 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. 15The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 16Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23But 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. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 27And upon this came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? 28The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.’

I have read this passage on many occasions and each time I find a new truth. By breaking each area down, I find several interesting messages pertaining to us all. And I am equally sure that you will find even more. That is what is so wondrous about the Word. Everlasting truths that are liken unto the little bunny that keeps going and going and going.

Lesson 1: Jesus was weary from his journey (verse 6). This demonstrated the human side of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lesson 2: When Jesus instructed the woman of Samara to draw His water, note her attitude. She was questioning the wisdom of Jesus and His violation of His laws and principles (verse 9) Lesson 3: Jesus tells her of the living water. He was showing her the gift that He is bringing to the world (verse 10) Lesson 4: She once again questions Jesus and the wisdom of this living water. She reminded me of my childhood when my mother would call me in from playing. I would question her as to the wisdom of coming in since I did not see the need to follow her rules. Everything was going fine. Why should I listen? Lesson 5: She still did not quite understand. ‘Give me this water’ showing she did not understand that she could not drink of the water at this juncture, for she did not have faith nor ask for forgiveness of her sins. So many of us wish to bathe in the living waters but don’t want to follow by faith and accept Christ as our Liberator. Lesson 6: ‘Go, call thy husband.’ This is very important. Christ is saying to her that He knows of her condition and she must confess her sins before receiving the water of life (verse 16). Lesson 7: Here comes the truth! Jesus knew before He asked her the question but it was up to her to say ‘I have no husband’. Then He told her that indeed she was not married to the man that she was living with and had 5 previous husbands in her life. He is omnipotent, all knowing, all seeing and all-powerful. What an awesome God is He! He is worthy of our praise! Lesson 8: The realization arrived. She now is aware that this man is a great ‘prophet’. Once again she to avoids the question by arguing doctrine and asking Christ which place is the one in which to worship. Note His answer, as even more is revealed to a gentile. Lesson 9: ‘I know the Messiah cometh…’ The woman from Samaria shows that she is a seeker of the Christ and in verse 26, the revelation comes when He says, ‘I that speak unto thee am HE.’ Jesus proclaims salvation for the gentile as well! He has revealed His purpose to a woman at the well! Lesson 10: Upon returning, the disciples see Jesus talking to what they perceive as a lowly woman and immediately, within their hearts, they question His wisdom in doing so and breaking the traditions, the law of the Jews. Do we ever wonder God’s purpose and His judgment? Do we ever judge others and wonder how Christ could possible love such a person or people. Lesson 11: The woman believed! She went away and told the men that she had met a man who told her everything that she had done. ‘Is this not the Christ?’ she stated. Upon hearing her words (for they knew her well) several of the men went to Jesus and believed. Is it not amazing what one converted heart can do? Each of us can become a living testimony, renewed by the spiritual spring of love.

The lessons that were offered in this story of Christ bring hope to the hopeless, and offer shelter in life’s storms. Christ came into this world for one purpose and that was to bring salvation to all that believed in Him. Christ came for all. Red or yellow, black or white, all are precious in His sight. Jew, gentile, woman, man, child; all have an equal opportunity to accept the living water of Christ as a free gift. Simply believe in your heart, acknowledge that you are a sinner, and earnestly ask for the forgiveness and Christ WILL open the gates of heaven as your mediator. Can you not hear Him calling? Draw hither to our Lord and He will draw neigh unto you my friend. His water is so refreshing and everlasting. I remain your obedient servant being cooled by the water from the well.

The Old General