The Tupelo journal., 1905-02-03
Jesus at
Jacobs Well
Sunday School Lesson for Feb. S. 1905
Prepared by the Highway and
ByWay" Preacher.

LESSON TEXT.-John 4:5-14; Memory
verses, 49, IA. Read verses Lac.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Whosoeve WILL let
him take the water of life freely" Rev.
PHI
TIAIE.-Probably December, A. d. q, as
may be inferred from verse 35. This was
over six months after the events Of last
lesson.
PLACE-Jacob's well, near Sychar. in
Samaria.
A REMINDER-Let us begin again by
repeating our key verse. John 2o:Sl. and
may 1t help US to unlock the blessed truths
contained in this lesson.
The Lesson Outline.
THEME.-The Water Of Life
I-Jacob's Well of Water, vs.. SO.
"a A Thirsty Traveller. VS.. o. 6.
90 A Needy Soul, V. T.
80 A Simple Request, V. 7.
"a An Awakened Interest v. 8.
I.-Jesus Well of Living Water. VS.. 1O-1S.
ID An Unknown Friend, V. 10.
% A Waiting GAIT. v. TO-
go Unsatisfying Water, V. B
"a Satisfying Water. V. IA.
Comparing Scripture with Scripture.
/. Jacobs Well of Water. % A
Thirsty Traveller, VS.. 5, 6.-Here we have
the humanity of Christ emphasized
"Wearied with His journey, and thirsty,
and yet not too weary or thirsty oyearn
for the soul of the woman who came
to draw water. His own personal
needs were forgotten in the supreme
longing to do the will Of Him that
sent Him. (V 34). Whether at midnight
with Nicodemus, or in the heat Of the
day, weary with travel, Jesus was
eager to work for souls. What an ex-
ample for Christian workers.-Gal. 60;
Tim. Az. We have here also won
derfully suggestive lesson in tact in
soul winning. Jesus began with the
natural and led up to the spiritual. He
asks a little favor that he may bestow
greater one He avoided all the con-
troversial points and held the woman
to the main point of her own personal
condition and needs. At the beginning
she did not appear at all hopeful as an
inquirer or possible convert, but Jesus
love and patience won. And what an
enthusiastic convert she became. The
verses following our lesson tell the
prominent part this transformed wom-
an of the town played in that two days
revival at Sychar.
(2) A Needy Soul, V. From the
verses following our lesson we learn that
this woman was great sinner, bad
character in the town, but Jesus came
to save just such.-Matt. 9:13. This
woman came filled with thoughts of her
human needs, and was unconscious OF
a higher need. Her need was SO great
that she knew no need save that OF
this life. She came with earthen
pitcher to draw natural water, to sup
ply a temporal need. And the world
is full of such to-day.
90 A Simple Request, V. but it
proved the easy stepping stone to the
supreme question of the souls need. By
the asking of this favor Jesus was break
ing down the barriers which for cen
turtles had separated the Jews and
Samaritans and prevented the one from
having intercourse with the other. The
request was so unexpected and unusu-
al that it amazed the woman, as is evil
denced by her question in verse 8. One
reason why so many earnest Christians
fail when seeking to speak Gods mes
sage to needy souls that they talk
from a distance. They try to talk over
the barriers, instead of first breaking
down the varriers to the heart by low
ing contact Love always finds way.
(4 An Awkward Interest, V. 9.-Ihe
soul is half won whose interest Is
aroused and who is drawn out to ask
questions 1t was Jesus opportunity to
speak His message. To have spoken
sooner would have found unresponsive
soil and a wasted message.
III. Jesus Well of Living Water %
An Unknown Friend, V. 11.-Jesus a
stranger to her, and yet she not a
stranger to Him. Multitudes to-day
who know not Jesus, but He knows each
individual soul. How sad to realize that
the Saviour of the world is unknown to
The world
(2) A Waiting Gift. V. 10.-"The Gift
of God" Not something to be bought.
Not something to be earned. But a
gift. a free gift.-Isa. SOL. A gift to be
received. But, oh. how many are re-
jecting it. This gift, the living water,
is the Holy Spirit. See John 1879;
Luke lib; John 6: o3.
60 Unsatisfying Water, V. 13.-Ja-
cob's we'll could only satisfy tempo
rarily. So with all temporal things.
They can never satisfy. This world has
never yet supplied the souls thirst. To
realize how unsatisfying the water the
world gives, one has but to look on
every hand at the discomfort, the mad
rush after pleasure, the eager grasp
Ing for more, the longing for something
which is not possessed-lsa. 55:2.
"a Satisfying Water. " 14.-God
alone, by His indwelling Spirit, can sat
isfy the needs and longings Of the soul.
lisa. So: IL; Ps. 1876; 1879. Not only
is the thirst of the soul satisfied by
The Holy Spirit, but He is "Well of
water springing up into everlasting
life" and overlooking to the blessing
of those about. May we say as did
the woman: Sir, give me this water
that thirst not"