Conservative Friends Bible Study of The Gospel of John #9

John 4:14-45

Jesus teaches that our spiritual life requires inward baptism and transformation beyond outward forms of worship.

• Understanding scripture requires seeking the spiritual sense behind the physical language
• Jesus breaks social barriers by speaking with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well
• The woman recognizes Jesus as a prophet when he reveals knowledge of her complicated past
• True worship happens "in spirit and truth" rather than at specific physical locations
• Jesus plainly declares "I am he" when the woman mentions the coming Messiah
• The Samaritan woman becomes an evangelist, bringing her village to meet Jesus
• Believers ultimately testify: "We have heard for ourselves and know this is truly the Savior"
• Jesus teaches that his spiritual food is doing God's will
• The fields are already "ripe for harvesting" as people come to believe

The hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.