Lesson 30 - Elementary

Memory Verse

"Let him that is athirst come"  (Revelation 22:17).

Notes

The Well

Perhaps few of us have ever seen the wells they used to have before the pump with the handle came into use, or the faucet we turn on and off today. When we have plenty of water we do not stop to think how good it is to have it. But to the one who is in a country where it is hard to get good, clean water it is very important. We read that Abraham always built an altar and dug a well when he stayed in a place any length of time. Both were very important.

During the war the soldier boys often suffered very much from lack of water, especially if their planes fell where they could not get clean water to drink. Sometimes they wanted water more than they wanted food. Jesus knew how necessary water was.

In some countries they dig wells that sometimes are not very deep, perhaps only 20 or 30 feet deep. There they tie a bucket to the end of a rope and lower the bucket into the well by a handle on which the rope is wound. Then the handle is turned and turned until the rope is wound back on the handle and the bucket full of water is at the top of the well.

Jesus at the Well

One day Jesus was very tired from walking and from talking to people and teaching them. So He stopped to rest at a well. It is thought that this well was one that Jacob had dug many years before. It was about 100 feet deep. It can still be seen today.

While He sat there resting, a woman came with her water pot upon her head and perhaps with her rope to let her bucket or jar down into the water. Jesus asked her to give Him a drink. Then He told her that if He gave her a drink He would give her a drink of water that would keep her from ever being thirsty again. She could not understand what kind of water that could be. She told Him that the well was deep and He had nothing with which to draw the water -– no rope and no bucket. She wanted to know how He could give her water to drink. Then He told her about the water He had to give -– forgiveness for her sins and power to live right. He called it "living water.” He said that if she drank of that water she would never thirst again. Then she knew that He was Jesus. She went to her home and told many people about Him, and they came to see Him and hear Him tell the things they needed to hear.

No doubt, Jesus knew that that woman would come there to get water and He wanted to tell her some things she needed to know. Jesus is always looking for those who want to see Him and want Him to help them. We should thank Him and love Him with all our hearts that He does that. We believe that the woman at the well did love Him for all that He had told her and had done for her.

Questions

1. Why was Jesus sitting on the well? [JHN:4:6].

2. What were the first words Jesus said to the woman? [JHN:4:7].

3. Did the woman at first know who Jesus was? [JHN:4:10].

4. Of what kind of "water” was Jesus speaking? [ISA:12:3]; [REV:21:6].

5. What was the testimony of the Samaritan woman after she met Jesus? [JHN:4:39].