"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
Jesus asks her to give Him a drink and the Samaritan woman balks because Jews and Samaritans do not share things. Then Jesus says that if she knew Who was asking for water she would ask Him for Living Water. She is not clear as to what Living Water is and so she continues the discussion about water from Jacob's well.
Jesus is patient with her. He responds that everyone who drinks from the well water will be thirsty again but the Living Water He offers quenches thirst and leads to eternal life. She then realizes she does want this Living Water and asks for it. Jesus says first go get your husband. She tells Him she does not have a husband. She is not a loose, immoral woman yet out of six men she has married there is not one who has been committed and faithful.
Her present husband is an adulterer which has voided the marriage covenant-- Jesus' words confirm this for her when He says, "... the one you have now is not your husband." She is openly honest with Jesus and He is pleased by this. She's been faithful in her marriages and in her committed to God. Jesus recognizes her faithfulness and says she is to worship in spirit, not just words and actions. She says she worships with expectation, anticipating the Messiah's arrival and Jesus says, "I am He." (v. 26)
Her heart loves Him but she does not bat an eye, nor does she step back and kneel before Him. She's been expecting Him and here He is, telling her about her private personal life. Telling her before she tells Him! He is here, sitting at her ancestor's well! She's been expecting Him and wouldn't you know it? It's at that moment the men disciples return to Jesus and so she leaves her water jar behind and quickly returns to town.
She goes to important people and her closest friends and tells them of her conversation with Jesus. Demurely she asks each, "Could this be the Messiah?" She is sure it is He. They go to the well and talk with Jesus. They believe, saying that they believed at first because she believed. They believe her because she is a good hearted woman and is trusted. It is because of her the townspeople believe.
He is invited and agrees to stay a couple of days with them. She's going to learn how to worship in spirit and in truth. They believe. So do we. His words are Living Water. Salvation.
Here is the rest of the event from John chapter 4:
39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world." 43 When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee.
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