The Son Gives Living Water Welling up to Eternal Life: John 3-5

We continue our reading plan for Lent with John 3 through 5. As you read, did God grab your attention through any particular verses? What did you learn about who Jesus is in these chapters?

John 3 – The Son of Man Gives the Spirit

Chapter 3 begins with a nighttime visit from Nicodemus, a leader among the Pharisees. Nicodemus was a Believer (John 3:2) who would later defend Jesus to the officials (John 7:50-51) and provide the spices for Jesus’ burial (John 19:39).

Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man (John 3:13) and confused Nicodemus by telling him that he must be born not only of the flesh, but also of the Spirit. This rebirth defied everything Nicodemus had understood thus far about how God worked. Jesus revealed that it was only through belief in Him that Nicodemus (and all) might receive that Spirit and be saved.

John 3 also contains that beloved verse in which the entirety of the Gospel, and our every hope, is summarized: John 3:16.

The chapter concludes with John the Baptist reassuring his followers that Jesus’ work was not only essential but is the whole reason John existed. John’s job had been completed – to prepare the way for the Lord. Now that Jesus had come, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

When you believe in Jesus, you receive not only eternal life, but His Spirit living in you today. Like John, as we decrease, He increases in us. What area of your life needs to further submit to Jesus so that His Spirit might increase in you?

 

John 4 – The Messiah Offers Living Water

In beautiful contrast to his meeting with respected leader Nicodemus in chapter 3, John 4 begins with an interaction between Jesus and one of the “least of these” – a Samaritan woman whose life story was so socially unacceptable that she had to draw her water from the community well in the middle of the day, a time when no one else was normally there. The disciples’ shock on seeing Jesus talking to her underscores how unusual it was – Jews did not associate with Samaritans, and men did not speak with women except at home.

Not only does Jesus bless this woman with attention and conversation, He offers her “Living Water”, and it is to this outcast woman that He first reveals Himself as the Messiah, the promised Savior.

Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:26

The woman believes and runs to tell all who would hear that the Messiah had come. Many she told also believed (John 4:21). And when Jesus left Samaria and went to Galilee, he encountered another who believed – a royal official whose son was dying. Because of the official’s faith, Jesus heals his son from afar.

Do you ever feel unworthy of God’s attention? Like your past is an obstacle to Him loving you? You are precious in His sight – He offers you living water today!

John 5 – The Father’s Son Heals

Jesus continued to perform miraculous healings. The healing we read about in John 5:1-9 caused Him trouble with the Jewish authorities. Jesus had healed a lame man by the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, and this healing, as well as the direction to the man to pick up his bedding and walk, violated the Sabbath law to do no work.

In addition, Jesus was alarmingly referring to God as His Father, a blasphemous assertion to the Jews. They were so deeply outraged that they wanted to kill him (John 5:18). More than half of John 5 is Jesus’ response to these men, detailing the nature of His relationship with His Father (John 5:19-47). Despite appealing to their knowledge of their very own holy Scriptures (John 5:39-47), we know that Jesus continued to infuriate the leadership.

For those who believe, though, what joyous reassurance!

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

The Son brings healing! You and I pass from death to life in Him! Do you need healing today?

Join us as we read through Mark and John during the weeks of Lent! For daily discussion, head over to the DoNotDepart Facebook community!