The Gift of Living Water

Lesson #66

In this lesson we will finish up our discussion on John 4:11 – 14. After Jesus said to the woman, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water”, she responds with, “You have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do you get this living water? Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob, are you? For he gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and his livestock.” Jesus makes a claim to his superiority and she challenges him with the question, “Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob, are you?”

The question before us is, “Do you think Jesus is greater than Jacob and if so why?” Consider what Jesus said in response to her question: ““Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:13 – 14 NASB). Jesus is greater than Jacob and the water he can supply is greater than the water from the well that Jacob dug. This water that Jesus gives becomes a well in that it never runs out and it satisfies ones thirst forever.

I will close this lesson and this section with a quote from the sermon by John Piper, titled “You Will Never Be Thirsty Again.” He lists five things Jesus says about the water that he gives and offers us today:

1. It's the gift of God (verse 10: "If you knew the gift of God").
2. It's living water (verse 10: "He would have given you living water").
3. If you drink it, you will never thirst again - that is, it's always there to satisfy you when your longing soul is thirsty (verse 14: "whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again").
4. This water becomes a spring - a well of water (verse 14: "The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water"). That's why you never get thirsty again - not because one drink is enough, but because one true drink produces a well for an eternity of drinks.
5. This water gives eternal life (verse 14: ". . . a spring of water welling up to eternal life.").

Have you received this gift of living water from Jesus that springs up to eternal life?

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the gift of living water you have given me. It is the promise of refreshment for an eternity with you. I think of those who will suffer for an eternity apart from you in hell where this refreshing, life giving water will not be available to quench the horrible thirst that will be experienced there. Lord, you have so much to offer. How can anyone not surrender to you to enjoy all you have to offer? Thank you for you gifts to me.