Here are some observations from John 4. It's one of those places where Jesus is specifically talking about the thing we're looking for - worship. ( NIrV. )
Is it better to worship Him on the mountain with the newbies who do things differently or is it better to worship in Jerusalem where they've been doing it for centuries - a chosen people- with all their traditions?
Apparently the Jews know the God they worship in a way that the newly grafted don't. But Jesus acknowledges that both are worshipping Him.
God is looking for a people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. That was the requirement for both groups. That part is clear. God keeps looking for a people who will do this - just like we keep looking for something we can't find until we find it.
The Jews had a past with God. They were a people of tradition. "This is the way we've always done it. We worship Him the right way." Jesus spent most of His natural life reaching out to God's people, Israel.
The Samaritan woman was looking at the future. "When He comes He'll tell us everything we need to know. Someday we'll know Him but in the meantime we'll keep worshipping Him."
Jesus turned this Samaritan woman, worshipping God but not knowing Him, away from the future and into the present pointing to Himself. "I'm the one you're waiting for. I'm right here." We could say He spent His natural life trying to do the same thing with Israel turning their focus away from the past, to hear what He was saying face to face when He walked among them.
Later, He would hear the children cry, "Hosanna!" How did that happen amidst three years of all this adult ministry?
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