The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-02-10
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY II
JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SA.
MARIA

LESSON TENT-Johu 4.5-l4 r. 8.
GOLDEN TENT-Clr.-t Jesus came in.
TO the world to save sluae.~.-. Tim. I. 10.
This is a lesson Of one of the way
side ministries of Jesus. II occurred
incidentally while he was ON his Way
to his great preaching and teaching ,x.
perieuCe at Galilee. II 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 10 do per-
sunal work that is found in the scrip
lures. The larger part of the first year
Of ChriSt's ministry was spent in Jul
dea. Jesus did not baptize, hut his
disciples did, doubtless for the same
reason, though in Il less degree than
4 why Paul refused 10 haptiZe converts
q Cor. / 1870. All but one of the
disciples Of Jesus We're GalilrauS and
Jesus spent about year and nine
months Of his ministry in that place.
|. Jesus Rested wv. 10. To reach
Galilce from Judea Jesus must needs
20 through Samaria," not that there
We're not other ways that he Nigh,
have travelled, but rather that it was
worth while to 20 out of his way IN
order To bring the water of life To this
ur"dful woman. Jacobs we'll was at
parting OF the roadway near 10 thu
city OF Sychur. Few places in the land
save Jerusalem had So much Bible his
tory connected with them (Grn. j. rs:
ctc.). The well was originally about
loo feet deep and ~ feet in diameter.
but it has been filled UP with accumu-
lutiou> Of rubbish 50 il is now only
about ~ feet deep. Christ was Wearird
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 i'll consideration Of
the fact that as man Jesus was will.
iug To meet this woman of bad charac.
ter.
II. Jesus Holds Conversation wv. ..
14. Notice the gentle way in which
Jesus speaks, and that he began on the
ground of their common need. lie
asks this needed favor that he might
confer greater one. ignoring the pre-
JUDGE 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 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: % the wOndrouS gift of God
that is the Holy Spirit duke II :13;
Acts 2:23-3S) (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 convert. I
He told her that everyone who came {
To that well would thirst again w. 49,.
The worlds fountains do not satisfy, I
of wealth, fame pleasure or I
carnal qualification, or even learning.
He then tells her of the living water
". 1D) of which the drinker should .
never thirst, that ii would satisfy who T
SOever drinks. and was to be everlast- Il
( u
reiveS the Holy Spirit within has a
eternal spring of life, joy r
ana satisfaction Springing up within
him. Before the woman received the u
water of which he was speaking there E
lad TO come conviction of sin wv. Il
IG-lO hence his remark, go call thy L
husband This was sharp thrust y
nto her life and heart. She tried 10 a
parry the thrust with a technical ques. r
lOn' yet he comes back with great Il
'evelation of the nature of God and the Il
Worship which God accepts revealing q
lis MeSsiahship wv. 1920. As is indi- i
'ated, she does not seem to have COM Il
pretended the nature of the request IL
which Jesus had made ". 80; there
ore he began this searching of her life
n order TO prepare her to receive the
water of life which he wanted to be- I
tow. This knowledge of her secret o
lie by perfect stranger who had l.
ever even seen her before was an evil
ence to the woman of spiritual en- !,
oWment: "Sir | perceive that thou a
ri n prophet She then entered upOn II
theological argument (v. POD which a
eSuS answered very simply. saying A
nat the worship of the Father is not
. he restricted by time Or place ". 2D.
AT this point the disciples return and
ne woman goes into the villege. Il
Jesus, lifting up his eyes TO the Gift h
ems who were coming out at her inyi-
alton, eXclaimS, Lift up your eyes
nj look on the fields, for they are
hlte already To harvest" thereby en- II
haSizing still further the personal Y
thought which is ur,ner-
lost In this lesson. T
She thirsted ". 14J, she received
w. %. 26), she became a spring wv. T
'-29) which supplied others (v. 39). T
The water of life fully satisfies. and W
is spring ". 10Y; Il continually p
itisfieS