Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Vital Concepts & Truths to Know in John 4• Jesus knows all things!– “The Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard…”

(John 4:1).– “Go, call your husband…you have had five…you now

have…truly” (John 4:16-18).– “A Man who told me all things that I ever did” (John

4:29).

Vital Concepts & Truths to Know in John 4• The spiritual is more important and more satisfying than

the physical!– Easy to focus on physical & not the spiritual (4:11-12, 15, 33)!– Jesus contrasted physical water with living water (John 4:7-15).

• Living water is water that bestows life—satisfies forever and never fails!

– Jesus contrasted physical food & spiritual nourishment (31-34).• Heaven’s work (our spiritual, daily diet) transcends all things physical!

– It is possible to become so absorbed in the spiritual that the physical loses appeal!• “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work”

(4:34).

Vital Concepts & Truths to Know in John 4• Jesus taught us much about effective evangelism and our

personal responsibility!– Take ordinary conversations & turn spiritual (4:7-26, 31-38).– Jesus’ approach with the Samaritan woman is a good model :

• She needed to be convinced of her need for living water (4:10-15, 26)!• She needed to be convinced of her sin & her only hope was Jesus

(4:16)!• She needed to be convinced of the authority of Jesus (John 4:17-19)!

– We must go to every creature without partiality (4:9,27,39-42)!– Christ is not merely the Savior of some, He is “the Savior of the

world” (John 4:42)!

Vital Concepts & Truths to Know in John 4• Jesus taught us much about effective evangelism and our

personal responsibility!– “Come and see” is an approved and effective method of

evangelism (4:29; 1:39)!– Must open our eyes to the fields of souls all around us (4:35)!– Some souls are riper than others, will respond sooner (4:36)!

• Jesus “left Judea and departed again to Galilee” (John 4:3).• “But He needed to go through Samaria” (John 4:4).• Jesus “went to Galilee,” knowing no honor in Nazareth (John 4:43-45).

– Sowers and reapers are a team (work & rejoice together) (4:36-38; cf. 1 Cor. 3:6-8)!

– It is vital to lead a person to believe because of His word (not ours) (John 4:39-42)!

Vital Concepts & Truths to Know in John 4• Jesus taught about proper, acceptable & true worship!

– Possible to worship God in an unacceptable manner (4:22-23)!• The Samaritans rejected O.T. Scripture (except for Pentateuch).• They worshiped in their temple on Gerizim according to their tradition.• Jesus said, “You worship what you do not know” (John 4:22)! • The defining of “true worshipers” implies one can be a “false worshiper.”

– True worship that is acceptable to God (John 4:23-24):• Worships the Right Object: God (cf. Matt. 4:10; Rev. 22:9).• …with the Right Attitude: In Spirit (sincere & rational; cf. 1 Cor. 14:15).• …in the Right Manner: In Truth (as God’s Word directs; cf. John 17:17).

Vital Concepts & Truths to Know in John 4• Divine miracles unmistakably contrast with

today’s attempts with pseudo-miracles!– Although some 16 miles away, Jesus healed the boy

nigh unto death (John 4:46-47)!– Even without seeing or touching him, Jesus healed

the boy (John 4:50)!– Jesus’ power and miracles were not gradual but

immediate and complete (4:52-53)!

An Overview of John 4Theme of John 4: “Looking Beyond Self”

• Looking to the Outcast (John 4:1-26, 27-30)– Unlike most of the Jews, Jesus did not avoid the

Samaritans!– In fact, Jesus deliberately travelled through Samaria,

stopped there & taught there.– “He needed to go through Samaria” (John 4:4).– The ones most disregarded and rejected were the

women of Samaria. Jesus took the time to talk with one such woman, teach her and offer her eternal life.

An Overview of John 4Theme of John 4: “Looking Beyond Self”

• Looking to the Father (John 4:19-25)– The Father is the only acceptable object and regulator

of our worship (John 4:21-24)!– The Father is seeking true worshipers; true worshipers

must seek the Father!– It is the Father’s will which must be our life’s goal to

partake & to finish (John 4:34)!

An Overview of John 4Theme of John 4: “Looking Beyond Self”

• Looking to the Lost (John 4:34-42)– “Behold…lift up your eyes and look at the fields” (John

4:35)!– There is a human crop all around us—some need the

seed planted, some need to be watered, some are ready right now for harvest! We must open our eyes to them all!

– Even (or especially) the less honorable and less desirable must be reached!

An Overview of John 4Theme of John 4: “Looking Beyond Self”

• Looking to the Hurting (John 4:46-54)– Sometimes Jesus went to find the hurting; sometimes

the hurting came to find Him.– Jesus must have been touched by the nobleman’s

constant begging to heal his son.– Jesus didn’t wait another day (time for travel)! He

acted immediately to relieve him.

How Chapter 4 Helps to Fulfill the Overall Purpose of the Gospel of John

• Jesus & the Samaritan Woman (John 4:25-29)• Jesus & the Samaritans (John 4:39-42)• Jesus & the Galileans (John 4:43-48)• Jesus & the Nobleman (John 4:50-53)• John is counting. – “This again is the second sign Jesus did…[in] Galilee”

(John 4:54).