John 4:15

 John 4:15 says, The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.  The woman asked Him for this living water, but she was still just thinking in earthly terms.  She wouldn't have to come draw water anymore.  Sometimes, that is all we want of Jesus, that our physical needs be met.  We need to claim what He really came to give us: everlasting life secure in His protection.  Verse sixteen adds, Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.  Then, Jesus told her to go get her husband,  Verse seventeen continues, The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: She said she had no husband.  Verse eighteen states, For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.  Jesus told her that she had told the truth, as far as it went that day.  Jesus was not trying to embarrass her.  He was leading her to understand that even though He knew her past, He was still inviting her to share in the everlasting life He offered.  Even though God knows our past, He still invites us to be His followers.  We simply need to confess our faults and accept His forgiveness and restoration.  Verse nineteen adds, The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.  The woman at the well told Jesus that she perceived He was a prophet.  How else could He know so much about her life.  Once more, if we see Jesus only as another prophet, then we miss the truth of Who He really is.  Verse twenty continues, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  She then raised the question of where people worshipped.  She said the Samaritans worshipped on this mountain and the Jews said people should worship in Jerusalem.  We today have different places to worship, and some feel that theirs is the only true place of worship.  When we gather as a local church or a denomination, we need to realize that we are not the only ones worshipping God. Verse twenty-one says, Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  Jesus told her to believe Him, that the time was coming when people would neither worship God on this mountain or in Jerusalem.   Verse twenty-two adds, Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews Then, He said the Samaritans did not know Who they worshipped. They did not understand Who God really is, and though the Jews didn't always understand everything about God, they did worship the true Heavenly Father. Salvation was to come through the Jews.  There are many devout people who gather faithfully each week to worship, but they do not know God.  Jesus did not mean that people would quit worshipping, only that the place of worship would not matter.  This does not mean that we should quit gathering together to worship, but that we can worship wherever we gather in His name.  Verse twenty-three continues, 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.  Jesus said the hour was coming, and was already there, when people would worship God in spirit and in truth, and those are the ones God sought. When we gather in God's name, we need to be worshipping Him not by the physical act of gathering together, but by the spiritual act of allowing our spirit to be attuned to His will. Verse twenty-four concludes, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  Jesus said that God is Spirit, and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth.