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Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

(John 4:7,9-15,28-30,39,40)

Lesson 4 -- second quarter 1999
March 28, 1999

by Mark Roth
© Copyright 1999, Christian Light Publications

What a memory selection! One of the key words surely must be whosoever. Whoever in the whole wide world. Anybody. Anywhere. Everybody. Everywhere. No exceptions. No one excluded or otherwise left out.

Whosoever drinks of the water the Lord gives shall never thirst. No matter how depraved or how morally righteous, those who drink from this water shall be fully satisfied. The cup is extended to everyone, giving everyone hope. And everyone drinking deeply from that cup shall receive the full measure of that hope.

This whosoever even includes me. So what shall I do when dissatisfaction begins to nibble at me? Look for new liberties or new thrills? That is the inclination of many, alright. But the Christian should recognize that if he is lacking contentment and satisfaction, the reason may be as simple as not drinking fully from the water the Lord offers.

Whosoever drinks of the water the Lord gives shall have in him a well of water. No matter how wrong or self-righteous, those who drink from this water shall become conduits of that water.

This whosoever even includes the most vile sinner. Do you really, truly believe that? The implications here challenge the natural mind almost to breaking. Think about the character of the Samaritan woman. You wouldn't consider her a well of living water, would you? I mean, consider what she was! No, wrong perspective. Consider what she is! Consider the living water within her!

Perhaps you see yourself as that Samaritan. You have certainly complicated your life with your thoughts, decisions and actions. If anyone ever really managed to "mess up," you are the one. No question in your mind, anyway. So you feel...well, not necessarily unredeemable, because you can see that the Lord came for your type (which means my type!). You believe the Lord can and will satisfy you. But even so, you feel...useless. Maybe that's it. What can you contribute to the King and His church? What can you contribute to the needy world? You used to be a vessel proud and haughty, now you see how marred and useless you really were. Can it be you could ever be anything else?

Whosoever, my friend, includes you!

Whenever you begin to doubt the Lord's ability to work in you, whenever you begin to question the Lord's desire to use you, have a drink again of that living water. Because "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." If you can believe the first part, believe the second part. This is one of those "package deals"--if the second isn't true, neither is the first. If faith is difficult for you, look again to Jesus, the Author of faith.


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