Note for 20241206 - The Gospel of Jesus Christ - Part 07 - John 4 - In Spirit and in Truth

 





The Gospel of Jesus Christ

According to John


Read Through The Bible

“As it Happened” Bible Reading Plan


Day 020

Genesis 25 and 26


Part 07 - John 4 - In Spirit and in Truth


The Audio Version of today’s note


John 4:1-54 KJV

[1] When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, [2] (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) [3] he left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee. [4] And he must needs go through Samaria.  [5] Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. [6] Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. [7] There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. [8] (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) [9] Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. [10] Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. [11] The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? [12] Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? [13] Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: [14] 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. [15] The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. [16] Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. [17] The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: [18] for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. [19] The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. [20] Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. [21] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. [22] Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. [23] But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. [24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. [25] The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. [26] Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. [27] And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? [28] The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, [29] Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? [30] Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. [31] In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. [32] But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. [33] Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? [34] Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. [35] Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. [36] And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. [37] And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. [38] I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. [39] And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. [40] So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. [41] And many more believed because of his own word; [42] and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. [43] Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. [44] For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. [45] Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilæans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. [46] So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. [47] When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. [48] Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. [49] The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. [50] Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. [51] And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. [52] Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. [53] So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. [54] This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee.


https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.4.1-54.KJV


Note for 20241206


John 4:21-24 KJV

[21] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. [22] Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. [23] But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. [24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 


https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.4.21-24.KJV


Actually, the most remarkable statement here is that GOD is a Spirit. Of course, we that have followed the Lord Jesus Christ a long time know, but do we share that knowledge with others? There is a Truth of GOD we need to understand and share with those we meet, and the other is that GOD is Love. Not the "love" the world holds onto, but the Agape Love of GOD. When the Holy Spirit takes residence with us, that Spirit of GOD that is in Love is part of us. We are separated from the hate of the world unto the Love of GOD that we know in Spirit and in Truth. We serve a GOD of Wonder and are often left standing in amazement, for by the Spirit we perceive that which the flesh ignores.


But, what is it to worship the LORD in Truth? Most who believe understand the Spirit side of our faith but what about the Truth? Here at the well, Christ reveals to the woman that He knew her truth, that she has been with other men and even the one she is with now is not her husband. That is her truth. That she is a sinner, so must we know our truth, that we are sinners. You see, if we dismiss that truth, we dismiss Him who saved us. The Truth is then that GOD took pity on sinners and saved them out of their state of sin. The glory of all good in my life is thus accounted to Christ, it is what He has done for me that saved me, not me being a great person. No, because I was not a great person when He found me. That is the Truth. And like this woman, I had things I was ashamed of when I came before the LORD.


These days, every second person that speaks on faith seems to project themselves as some kind of messiah. Follow me they say. How many times must I say, "Don't follow me, follow the Word of GOD." As fellow believers, even fellow sinners saved by grace, we can follow the Lord Jesus Christ together in a unified way. We can encourage/edify one another, but together we must follow the Word of GOD. This John knew, and that is possibly why he starts his testimony proclaiming that Christ is the Word of GOD made flesh. And here, by the red letter text proclaiming the words of Christ, He says, "GOD is a Spirit." Friends... Do you remember how Mary conceived our Lord Jesus Christ? You have the Truth, but can you accept it? Shall I take it one step further? What you do in private even, you do in the sight of GOD? Remember, "the Kingdom of GOD is in you."


For many, today will not be the day in which the Truth is revealed in them; but will it be revealed to you today. Is it not written that both the Father and the Son will come and make their abode in us? Is it not written that we are the Temple of GOD, and does the Holy Spirit not come to I dwell with us? Of course, there is more to understand, we are still in a fallen world. But GOD is near, is both the Father and the Son not revealed in us; who the believes is part of the church of Christ.


GOD knows our truth, there is no point to come to Him with false pleasantries. We cannot claim that we are victims, when the Lord knows we had pleasure in iniquity. He was there, He stood witness to it. He knows the state of our heart and mind, even when we are convinced by spirits to walk in a way contrary to Him. He knows it. But, He also knows when we resist those devils, when we ward them off with faith. So when we come to the Lord in prayer, we must come in truth and worship in spirit and truth. If you have sin, admit it and repent; you cannot ignore it, for then the Lord also knows that you chose to ignore it. Nothing is hidden from the Lord, He stands witness to your thoughts and emotions.


Serve the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.


Shalom

The House of Bread


Verse of The Day

From the YouVersion Bible App (expanded from verse 16)


1 John 4:14-17 KJV

[14] And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. [15] Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. [16] And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. [17] Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 


https://bible.com/bible/1/1jn.4.14-17.KJV

Note


Friends, if you have just read the note posted on John 4, then this should help you understand that the Word of GOD will confirm the Word of GOD. GOD is a Spirit, and GOD is Love. It is not I that claim that to be true, but it is a Truth in itself, that I proclaim.


The Wonder of GOD is seen by those who observe the things of GOD. Observe... And obey the Living GOD.


Shalom

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