We are the Woman at the Well…part 3

 Toward the end of the conversation, the Samaritan woman turns to the subject of worship and the differences between the Jews and the Samaritans. Jesus breaks down the barriers by redefining worship from a physical exterior location and ritual to an interior heart-felt worship of the Father in Spirit and truth, our spirit connecting with His Spirit, agreeing with Him. In verse 24 Jesus says, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. 

    The Greek word for spirit is pneuma (wind, breathe, invisible, powerful. It also means that by which a person perceives, reflects, feels and desires.) Truth, the Greek word is Aletheia, as the truth of the Gospel, God’s promises exhibited in Christ the embodiment of the truth, the Word of God.* Jesus declares this truth to her, that he is the Messiah they have been waiting for.. 

    I find it amazing that she leaves her water jug and runs to tell her neighbors, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did.” I would’ve wondered if I were one of her neighbors, “Is that a good thing?” But then she follows up with, “Could this be the Messiah, the Christ?” Her focus is not on her but on the Lord Jesus Christ, and on sharing the good news with her neighbors. In verse 39-42 it says, “many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony…” then when they met with Jesus they said, “now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

  My prayer is that we will hear for ourselves and really know the Savior of the world.

Scripture: 

New Living Translation of the Holy Bible

*Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

image & text copyright Valerie Sjodin 2011