The Green Forest tribune., 1917-02-09
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY II
JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SA.
 MARIA.
LESSON TExr-John 4:5-14, 24, 2s.

II LtsoSON IEAl-JOnn 4.0-14, A. 70.
 j GOLDEN TEXT-Christ Jesus came in- \ to the world to save sinners.-I Tim 1:15. K This is a lesson of one of the way side ministries of Jesus. It occurred I incidentally while he was on his way to his great preaching and teaching ex- perience at Galilee.. It was by-product of his very busy life, yet it is one of the most famous interviews and one of the best examples of how to do per sonal work that is found in the scrip lures. The larger part of the first year of Christ's ministry was spent in Ju- dea. Jesus did not baptize, but his disciples did, doubtless for the same reason, though in less degree, than why Paul refused to baptiZe converts | q Cor. :13-16). All but one of the disciples of Jesus were Galileans and 1 Jesus spent about year and nine months of his ministry in that place.
 |. Jesus Rested (vv. 4-6). To reach Galilee from Judea Jesus must needs go through Samaria," not that there were not other ways that he might i have travelled, but rather that it was worth while to go out of his way in order to bring the water of life to this needful woman. Jacobs well was at a parting of the roadway near to the l city of Sychar. Few places in the land save Jerusalem had so much Bible his tory connected with them (Gen. F 6; Joshua s :33; Acts :16; l Kings, 12:1, ete.). The we'll was originally about i 100 feet deep and 71a feet in diameter, but it has been filled up with accumu- 1 lations of rubbish so it is now only 1 about 75 feet deep. Christ was wearied in his work, but not of it, and "sat thus" (by) the well; literally, on the | low wall built around it. The sixth hour was probably about midday There is comfort in consideration of l the fact that as man Jesus was will ing to meet this woman of bad charac- | ter.
 II. Jesus Holds Conversation (vv. 7. 14). Notice the gentle way in which Jesus speaks, and that he began on the ground of their common need. He asks this needed favor that he might confer a greater one, ignoring the pre- judice which existed against the Sa- maritans. Water was the thing upper most in the woman's mind. She did not grant his simple request, and her reply indicated that racial differences were very real barrier. They hinder our work even yet. The surprise, perhaps pleasure, that a Jew should ask favor of her seems to have greatly impressed the woman, and aroused her curiosity. In verse 10 Jesus tells the woman that there are two things she must needs know: G1 the wondrous gift of God, that is the Holy Spirit Uuke II IS; Acts ? :23-38); (2) the wonderful man who had asked of her Give me to drink" Had she known these things she would have asked him for the liv- ing water. All that was needful was simply to ask. The Holy Spirit is the living water (John 6 :63). The woman does not seem to have comprehended what Jesus was trying to teach, yet he was patient, and won her as a convert. He told her that everyone who came to that well would thirst again (v. 13). The worlds fountains do not satisfy, fountains of wealth, fame, pleasure or carnal qualification, or even learning. He then tells her of the living water (v. 14)) of which the drinker should never thirst, that it would satisfy who- soever drinks, and was to be everlast- ing (John ' :37-39). The one who re- ceives the Holy Spirit within has a perennial, eternal spring of life, joy and satisfaction springing up within him. Before tie woman received the water of which he was speaking there had to come a conviction of sin (vv. 16-19); hence his remark, "Go call thy husband" This was a sharp thrust into her life and heart. She tried to parry the thrust with technical ques- tion, yet he comes back with a great revelation of the nature of God and the worship which God accepts, revealing his Messiahship (vv. 15-26). AS is indi- cated, she does not seem to have con- prehended the nature of the request which Jesus had made (v. 15) there fore he began this searching of her life in order to prepare her to receive the water of life which he wanted to be- stow. This knowledge of her secret life by a perfect stranger who had never even seen her before was an evi- dence to the woman of spiritual en- dowment: "Sir I perceive that thou art prophet" She then entered upon theological argument (v. 20) which Jesus answered very simply, saying that the worship of the Father is not to be restricted by time or place (v. 2D.
 At this point the disciples return and | the woman goes into the villege. Jesus, lifting up his eyes to the eiti- zens who were coming out at her invi- tation, exclaims, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest" thereby en- phasizing still further the personal evangelism" thought which is upper most Tn this lesson.
 She thirsted (v. IA, she received (vv. 25, 26), she became a spring (vv. 2S-29) which supplied others (v. 39).
 The water of life fully satisfies, and 1t is a spring (v. 10); 1T continually satisfies