Pointing To Christ

Pointing to Christ

John 4:19-26, NLT

“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” 21Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!”

Setting the Scene

By saying that Jesus “must be a prophet,” the woman was admitting he had been correct in his statements about her personal life. Instead of continuing along this line of conversation, however, she shifted the discussion away from herself to religion in general. Jesus let it go, keeping the woman’s interest by letting her direct the discussion.

To both Jews and Samaritans the correct way to worship God depended on geography, a physical place. But Jesus pointed to a new worship approach—not at Mount Gerizim or in Jerusalem, but in the Spirit of God. Jesus explained that the Samaritans’ system of worship was incomplete and flawed because it had no clear object. The Jews, however, did know whom they worshiped because they had the full revelation in the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus presented the gospel not as a criticism of the desire and need to worship but to reveal the nature of true worship. For both Samaritans and Jews, the message was: “It’s great to desire to worship, but your worship is misdirected. The perfect Object to be worshiped has come.”

Talk of a new kind of worship must have reminded the Samaritan woman about the coming of the Messiah. Having already expressed that Jesus must be a prophet, she expressed her wish for the coming Prophet who would explain everything. Then Jesus clearly stated, “I AM the Messiah!” Although Jesus avoided telling the Jews directly that he was the Christ, he revealed his identity to this Samaritan woman.

Getting Personal

Why does talking about God seem easier than submitting to him?

When do forms of worship sometimes get in the way of the central focus of your worship, Jesus himself?

Jesus cares for us, and he offers us living water—himself. But he expects us to be open with him—and that can be threatening. We can more easily discuss churches, doctrines, and worship styles. Too often we miss Jesus in our hairsplitting theological discussions and religious analyses. We do need answers to questions about church and worship, but more than anything we need Jesus.

Talking to God

Don’t hold back from full disclosure with God, who knows you better than you know yourself. Thank him for the living water—himself!—that will ultimately satisfy.