John 4:15-30 We cannot know God or understand the truth unless Jesus enlightens us through the spirit
John 4:15-30 We cannot know God or understand the truth unless Jesus enlightens us through the spirit
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband ’; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.
Background
Jesus ministered to the woman by divine knowledge that brought to light a series of failed relationships. With this, she humbled herself and came to acknowledge Jesus as a man sent from God. Unless Jesus comes to the woman in person and enlighten her, she cannot receive living water. Her doctrine and religious commitment cannot free her from her bondage. Jesus has shown us a fuller understanding concerning worship: Because God is spirit, He reveals Himself personally to those who seek the truth. Today’s devotion teaches: We cannot know God or understand the truth unless Jesus enlightens us through the spirit.
Observation
Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.
The woman’s response shows that she is ready to receive living water. However, she supposed the purpose of this living water is to quench her bodily thirst permanently. Nevertheless, Jesus proceeded to minister to her brokenness which needed restoration. By divine knowledge, Jesus brought to light a series of failed relationships in her life. By this, she came to acknowledge Jesus as a man sent by God: Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
The woman changed the subject to doctrinal matters which concern the place and form of worship. The woman thought that if she possesses the right doctrine (by worshipping God at the right place), she will be blessed. The Jews had claimed that Jerusalem was the only legitimate place of worship. But the Samaritans claimed otherwise. In response, Jesus said, “the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” Jesus pointed out that true worship does not concern doctrinal correctness, but the heart of the worshiper. God accepts the worship of those who seek to know Him personally (worship the Father in spirit) by walking in the truth.
I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.
The woman, having understood the essence of true worship, was ready to know God personally. At this point, Jesus revealed His identity, “I who speak to you am He.” When the disciples returned from buying food, the woman went into the city and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done.” The woman had noticed that Jesus was different from the Jews. She believed Jesus is truly the Christ for He spoke with grace and truth. The woman’s zeal and unashamed testimony of her past showed that she had truly entered into eternal life.
Truth
When we acknowledge our sins and helplessness, God exalts us with eternal life
Jesus knows all things, He sees our helplessness, and knows our darkest secrets. Yet He does not despise us. God sanctifies and exalts the one who humbles himself. Jesus said,
Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. – Matthew 23:12
When Jesus revealed to the woman her secrets, she did not try to cover them up but acknowledged what Jesus said is true: “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.” By acknowledging her sins, she was exalted. Her freedom from shame and her testimony to the city is proof of eternal life.
Many refuse to acknowledge their sins and failures for fear of being despised. To them, it is foolish to bare one’s weaknesses. Hence, they put up a righteous front only to pass up on eternal life. Jesus chose Peter as His disciple because he did not hesitate to acknowledge his sins. Jesus had instructed Peter to go into the deep water to let down his nets for a catch. When Peter saw the miraculous catch of fish, he fell down at Jesus’s feet and said,
“Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” – Luke 5:8
God restores and exalts one who is ever ready to acknowledge his sins. The reluctance to acknowledge our sins are signs that we are not yet ready to repent and turn to God.
We cannot know God or understand the truth unless Jesus enlightens us through the spirit.
We cannot know God or receive the truth through our minds, but only through our spirit when Jesus enlightens us. The woman attempted to worship and know God through her mind. She supposed if she worships in the right way, at the right place while possessing the right doctrine, she can know God and be known by Him. God is not an object or a concept that can be grasped with the mind. Because God is a person (God is Spirit), He can only be known by relating with Him spirit to spirit. He who supposed he can know God by understanding the bible with his mind is likened to a man who thinks he knows Beethoven just by listening to his music. He is like a man who studied the Eiffel Tower extensively and comes away thinking he has a personal relationship with Mr. Eiffel, the engineer.
Many churchgoers still cannot relate to Jesus at a personal level because they seek to impose upon God their perspective of Him. They supposed by studying the bible extensively; they may know God at a deep and personal level. They are like the Jews who prevented Jesus from healing on the Sabbath. How is it possible for the Jews who read the Law missed out on the truth? The fact is: We cannot derive the truth by studying the bible with our minds. Truth comes only when we commune with Jesus at a personal level. Truth comes not through man’s interpretation of the Law, but a personal connection with Jesus. John 1:17-18 says,
For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
In a fuller sense, truth is not knowledge per se. For truth comprises spiritual experiences when we commune with Jesus. For example, if we experience love, love becomes truth that resides in our spirits. But if we know love as how the dictionary defines it: an intense feeling of deep affection, love is merely a mental concept. Many in the church understand the bible as a concept but have yet to experience God and His truth. Unless Jesus reveals Himself and explains the bible to us, the text remains a historical record loaded with philosophy. Jesus explained the scriptures to the two men on the road to Emaus so that they may understand why He must come and die on the cross (see Luke 24:27). Without Jesus’s enlightenment, the men would not experience eternal life. Similarly, when Jesus enlightens our spirits with His truth, we may not be able to corroborate with the bible immediately. But as we continue to commune with Him, He opens our minds to the scriptures and enlightens us.
Application
Are you averse to being seen as weak? Because you are conditioned to think that winners must always be strong and righteous. James said,
“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
When we see ourselves as weak men and women, imperfect and in need of help, God reveals Himself and exalts us.
Do you suppose by your knowledge of the bible you know Him? We know Him by conversing with Him. In the process, He reveals to us:
- the truth concerning Himself,
- the truth concerning myself, my family, church and nations,
- the truth concerning my future direction,
- the things on His heart.
Dear Lord, let my worship be found pleasing to you. Reveal to me my sins and weaknesses so that I may be transformed into your likeness. Help me be gracious and loving in the things I say and do and take away my tendency to judge others by their appearance. As I worship you in sincerity and truth, reveal to me the truth that concerns myself and the world around me. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.