Apr17-23: The Water of Life

Teaching Points

1. Read John 4:1-26 and consider the following questions. 

QUESTIONS:

• How did Jesus approach the woman?
• Did Jesus care about racial prejudices?
• What did Jesus ask?
• What did Jesus say about the woman which revealed that she was spiritually thirsty?
• What did Jesus offer this woman?
• Is there a spiritual thirst in the human heart that can only be satisfied by Christ’s living water? 

2.What do these verses reveal about humanity’s thirst for God? 

ANSWER:

• Psa. 42:1—As the deer pants for water so my soul pants for You.
• Psa. 63:1—My soul thirsts for You.
• Psa. 84:2—my soul longs, faints, and cries out for God.
• Psa. 143:6—my soul thirsts after You as a thirsty land. 

3. What did Israel do to satisfy their thirst?

ANSWER:

• Jer. 2:13—They turned from the living water (God) to find their own water (the ways of the world around them). 

4. What is God’s response to our thirst?

ANSWER:

• Isa. 55:1—Come to the waters.
• John 7:37—If anyone thirst let him come to Christ and drink.
• John 4:14—He who comes to Christ and drinks will never thirst.

OBSERVATION:

• Jesus asks for a drink which took the woman by surprise because of the racial prejudices between Jews and Samaritans; it also made her open for conversation.
• She came to the well for physical thirst but Jesus knew that deep inside she was spiritually thirsty.
• She had tried to satisfy her spiritual thirst by men in her life, but this left her more empty, hurt, and unsatisfied.
• The solution to her spiritual thirst was not earthly things but Jesus.
• So often we do the same as this woman. We still try to quench spiritual thirst by the world, but this will never satisfy.
• David recognized and aptly describes this thirst for God.
• The Israelites suffered captivity because they turn from God to satisfy their thirst to their own ways.
• God responds to our thirst by calling us to find our satisfaction in Him. 

5. What is thirst?

ANSWER:

• Webster’s 1828 dictionary: THIRST, v.i. thurst.
• 1. To experience a painful sensation of the throat or fauces for want of drink. The people thirsted there for water. Exodus 17:3.
• 2. To have a vehement desire for any thing. My soul thirsteth for the living God. Psalm 42:2. 

6. What evidence from the past reveals that God will supply our thirst physically and spiritually?

ANSWER:

• Psa. 107:5, 6—God helped them.
• Neh. 9:15—He supplied the Israelites bread from heaven and water from the rock.

7. What promises does God give us if we hunger and thirst after Him?

ANSWER:

• Mat. 5:6—Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.
• Isa. 44:3—He will pour water on us and floods on the dry ground.
• Isa 65:13—My servants will eat, drink, and rejoice.

OBSERVATION:

• To thirst is to have a painful sesation for want of water or a vehement longing for something.
• The stories of God’s past supplying of hunger and thirst, can encourage our faith that He will fulfill His promises today.
• If we are hungering and thirsting after God He will satisfy us—we will eat, drink, and rejoice in the Lord.                                                                                           

THOUGHT QUESTIONS:

• What choices are influencing your satisfaction in life?
• Who or what are you turning to for satisfaction?
• Is Jesus your fountain of living water?
• Are you hungering and thirsting after God so you can be filled?
• Are there any broken cisterns in your life currently or in the past? 

8.  What is Jesus’ invitation to you today?

ANSWER:

• Rev. 22:17—“Let Him that is athirst come”. 

OBSERVATION:

• Jesus through His Spirit invites you today to come to the living waters and drink.

SOP

• Jesus did not immediately answer the question in regard to Himself, but with solemn earnestness He said, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."  {DA 187.1}
• He who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, "The Desire of all nations," is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul.  {DA 187.2} 
• Jesus did not convey the idea that merely one draft of the water of life would suffice the receiver. He who tastes of the love of Christ will continually long for more; but he seeks for nothing else. The riches, honors, and pleasures of the world do not attract him. The constant cry of his heart is, More of Thee. And He who reveals to the soul its necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst. Every human resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the pools become dry; but our Redeemer is an inexhaustible fountain. We may drink, and drink again, and ever find a fresh supply. He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the fountain of blessing,--"a well of water springing up into everlasting life." From this source he may draw strength and grace sufficient for all his needs.  {DA 187.3} 
• The cry of Christ to the thirsty soul is still going forth, and it appeals to us with even greater power than to those who heard it in the temple on that last day of the feast. The fountain is open for all. The weary and exhausted ones are offered the refreshing draught of eternal life. Jesus is still crying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink." "Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Revelation 22:17; John 4:14.  {DA 454.3} 

 CONCLUSION:

• Humanity has a void which needs to be filled.
• Jesus is the only one who can fill that void or thirst.
• We have a choice to go to Jesus to fill us with living water or we can keep trying to quench our thirst at the fountains of the world.
• God’s dealings in the past can give us reassurance that He will fulfill His promises to satisfy our longing soul. 
• The invitation He still holds out to you. Are you thirsty? Come drink and be full! 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Are you thankful for the satisfaction that comes through a love relationship with Christ?
• Are turning from the broken cisterns of the world to the living fountain in Christ?
• Are you claiming the promise the you will be satisfied as you hunger and thirst after righteouness?
• Do you have a vehement longing or desire for more of Christ and His word?
• Are you responding the invitation Christ gives you to have true satisfaction?