CTG 0035

Continued from previous blogpost (CTG 0034) 

THE CONVERSATION AT SYCHAR CONTINUES 

When the woman, at the well outside Sychar, was aware that Jesus prophetically knew how she and the men in her life had lived, she didn’t deny it. But she tried to sidestep the subject by pointing out the religious differences between her and his people, between Samaritans and Jews. 

She said to him: "Our fathers worshipped on this mountain (i.e. Mount Gerizim), but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship (John 4:20 ESV)." 

He said to her: "... believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father ... the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him (John 4:21-24 ESV)." 

The suffering that Jesus was going to bear for the sins of the world, together with his resurrection and his ascension, resulted in the availability of God's Holy Spirit like never before in human history. 

What Jesus was about to accomplish was going global. It would not be restricted to a shrine, temple or a single geographic location. Nor would salvation be the sole possession of one people group. The message that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)," and that access to God his Father is only possible through him, needs to be heard by everyone, everywhere. 

The Holy Spirit enables us to believe the truth of the gospel, giving us eternal life. And Jesus wants to saturate us with the Spirit so that we are able to worship God from the depths of our being. 

The conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well came to a head when she said to him: "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things (John 4:25 ESV)." And Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he (verse 26)." 

Believe the good news. Call upon the Lord. And he will save you and help you to follow him. 

And if you already believe, rejoice in God and the greatness of his salvation.

FOR FURTHER READING: 

John 4:1-54; 14:1-10 

Acts 4:1-13; 6:8-8:4 

Romans 10: 9-13 

Ephesians 2:11-22 

Colossians 2:16-19 

1 Timothy 2:1-6 

Hebrews 10:1-25 

1 Peter 2:1-10 

Revelation 21:22