John 4:1-14

THE NEED OF THE IMMORAL –

LIFE’S SATISFYING

In the case of Nicodemus the first need of mankind is covered. According to spiritual experience, mankind's first need is regeneration. In God's economy man's first need is regeneration. God's economy is that man have His divine life and be one with Him in life and nature for the fulfillment and accomplishment of His eternal purpose. God's eternal purpose is to have a group of people who have been regenerated by His divine life and who are the same as He is in both life and nature, that they might become His corporate expression for eternity. This is God's eternal purpose and this is God's economy. In order to fulfill this purpose, we must be regenerated that we may have His divine life.

The kingdom of God is entered only by birth, never by works. For example, a bird is in the bird kingdom only by birth; a fish can never enter the bird kingdom by any kind of work. The only possible way for you to enter any kind of kingdom is by having a particular kind of birth. Therefore, the first aspect of the Lord becoming our life is that He gives us divine life by means of a divine birth, which is the only way to share the things of the kingdom of God.

What is man's second need? What is his need following regeneration? The second need is satisfaction. In chapter three the problem is that man is void of the divine life. Regardless of how good or superior you may be, it means nothing as far as God's eternal purpose is concerned. As long as you have not been regenerated, you are void of the divine life. You only have human life. The human life is simply a vessel to contain the divine life. If you do not have the divine life, you are void. You are just an empty vessel. Although your human life may be wonderful, you do not have the divine life. The divine life is God Himself. You need this divine life to fill you up as your content. Your human life is a container to contain this divine life. When this divine life is within you, it becomes your content. As your content, it will also be your satisfaction. Before we were saved, we all had the experience of being empty. Regardless of our success or attainments, there was a continual emptiness within, the sensation of having no satisfaction. Whether we were good or bad, we were empty. Although we had the container, the vessel, we did not have the content. We were empty. Young and old, rich and poor, high and low--all are empty. One day we received the Lord Jesus. We not only obtained God's salvation, but we also received the divine life, which immediately became our content. Now we have satisfaction. Therefore, following the case showing the need of regeneration, we have a case showing genuine satisfaction. Nothing can satisfy man except Christ Himself. As long as Christ is not the satisfaction of our human life, nothing can satisfy us. There is no satisfaction apart from Christ. As human beings, we always feel thirsty; only Christ can quench our thirst.

A THIRSTY SAVIOR AND A THIRSTY SINNER

In the case of the Samaritan woman there are many signs. The case itself is a sign, but within this sign, there are many signs. The case itself signifies that Christ is our satisfaction, but one of the signs within the case is the woman. According to the types and figures in the Scriptures, what does a woman signify? Firstly, a woman signifies that humanity needs to rely upon God. Man can never stand alone; he must rely upon God, who is both his Maker and Husband (Isa. 54:5). A woman signifies a person who cannot stand alone. This is both your position and mine. In figure, we are either males or females, but in reality we are all females. None of us can stand by himself. Man can never be independent. Nowadays people proclaim independence, but I must tell you that you can never be independent. You were created to be dependent upon God. Whenever anyone tries to be independent, he will be dissatisfied, because God created man inherently dependent.

A woman also signifies weakness (1 Pet. 3:7). We human beings must realize that we are weak. We are all weak because we are all human. Do not think that your wife is a weak vessel and that you are a strong one. Although this may be true figuratively, in fact both men and women are weak. In some cases, as far as spiritual things are concerned, the brothers are weaker than the sisters. When the Lord Jesus was about to be betrayed and put to death, the sisters in the New Testament were stronger than the brothers. The sisters were much stronger at the time of the Lord's death, resurrection, and ascension. Even in loving the Lord, Mary was the strongest. So, brothers, do not proudly think that you are the strongest. We are all human and we were all made weak and dependent so that we would have to rely upon the Lord.

The significance of a woman also includes an inner longing and thirst, which were created by God. Of course, a man has the need for a wife as a helpmate, but a woman needs a husband much more. A woman always has the longing and desire to have satisfaction. In the human nature of both man and woman, there is always the inner thirst for satisfaction. The Lord created that thirst so that we might seek Him. You always feel thirsty and you always feel an inner lack. These are the signs that you are a woman. Your need to rely on others and your sense of dependence, weakness, and thirst for satisfaction all indicate that you are a woman.

The Savior Came to the Sinner's Traditional Religious Inheritance--Jacob's Well

The point here is this: the Savior knows where the sinner is. He knows the sinner's true situation. The Lord Jesus went to the well, sent all of His disciples away, and sat by the well, waiting until the woman came. If you look back into your salvation, you will realize that, to some extent at least, the same principle was operating. You did not go to heaven--the Lord came to you. He came down to the very place where you were.

While the Lord Jesus was waiting for the sinner to come, He was thirsty. Thus, in this second of the cases, we see a thirsty Savior and a thirsty sinner. You may think that you are thirsty, but your thirst is a sign that the Savior is thirsty. The Savior is thirsty for us, for, to Him, we are the thirst-quenching water. Do you realize that you are the thirst-quenching water to the Savior? It seems that the Savior is saying, "Nothing can satisfy Me except you. I have millions of angels in the heavens, but none of them can satisfy Me. I have come to the earth to seek the thirst- quenching water. You are the water." You may be quite humble and say, "No, He is my living water. How can I be His thirst-quenching water?" Nevertheless, the Lord needs you, for without you He can never be satisfied.

At first, both the Savior and the sinner were thirsty, and the Savior was hungry. The sinner was thirsty and came to draw water in order to satisfy her thirst. The Savior was hungry and thirsty. He sent the disciples away to buy food that He might eat and He asked the sinner for a drink of water. Eventually, neither the Savior nor the sinner drank or ate anything, yet both were satisfied. This is wonderful! The sinner drank of the Savior, the Savior drank of the sinner, and both of them were satisfied. The disciples were surprised. When they returned with the food, they urged Him to eat, but He said, "I have food to eat of which you have no knowledge" (4:32). The sinner was satisfied with the Savior's living water, and the Savior was satisfied with God's will in satisfying the sinner. To do the will of God to satisfy the sinner is the Savior's food. Oh the Lord as the Savior was thirsty for you and me! One day He got us and was satisfied.

THE EMPTINESS OF RELIGION’S TRADITION

AND THE FULLNESS OF LIFE’S LIVING WATER

The divine life is God's gift, for Romans 6:23 says that the free gift of God is eternal life. This divine life shall become in us a spring of water welling up into eternal life (v. 14). This divine life is much better than Jacob's well. If you visit Jacob's well in Palestine today, you will find it under the control of an Armenian monk. When I visited there, everyone who wanted a cup of water from Jacob's well had to pay two dollars. However, all of that is tradition and means nothing. The water in that well is the same as any other.

To "ask" is more prevailing than religion's way. The living water of God quenches our thirst and becomes a spring of water welling up into eternal life. Death's thirst is quenched by life. In principle, this also is to change death into life.

The Lord Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again" (4:13). This statement is simple but its meaning is profound. The "water" here signifies the enjoyment of material things and the amusement of worldly entertainment. None of these can quench the thirst deep within man. However much he drinks of this material and worldly "water," he shall thirst again. The more he drinks of these "waters," the more his thirst is increased. For example, in education people like to have higher and higher degrees. After receiving a bachelor's degree, they want a master's, and after that, a doctorate. Others may desire to accumulate ten thousand dollars in a savings account, but after that, they want to have a hundred thousand, and after a hundred thousand, a million. The more you drink of the water of this earth, the more thirsty you become. Never try to quench your thirst with any kind of worldly water. There is only one "water" that satisfies people for eternity--Jesus Christ. Christ satisfies today, tomorrow, and for eternity. He is ever new, ever fresh. He always satisfies. So, the Lord could tell the Samaritan woman that whoever drinks of the water that He gives will not thirst, for that water will become in him a spring welling up into eternal life.

All excerpts are taken from the Book: “Life-Study of John” by Witness Lee

Life-Study of John

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