Jack Jurgens's Ministry Library

Women in John’s gospel

[0:00] Now, it’s very nice to see the Hall so well-filled, and obviously the believers in Parsippany have canceled their meeting to be here. We appreciate that very, very much. Thank you for your kindness and consideration. Turn again, if you will, to the Gospel of John, back to chapter 2 for just a moment. John’s Gospel, chapter 2.

[0:29] And just reading the very end of the chapter, verse number 23.

[0:34] Now when he, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men, And he did not that any man should testify of him, for he knew what was in man. I’ve read that especially for the last expression, he knew what was in man. From this point on in the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus Christ will be dealing with individuals. Individuals. So he will be dealing in chapter 3 with Nicodemus, in chapter 4 with the woman at the well, the end of chapter 4 with the nobleman, chapter 5 the man by the pool of Bethesda, and on to chapter number six and his disciples and dealing with them and the feeding of the 5,000. Chapter nine and the man born blind and on and on we go. He’s interested in the gospel of John and individuals. He knew all men, knew what was in men. And as a result, he deals with individuals in their need. And I think if I’m correct, where we will be reading tonight in John chapter four and his one-on-one with the woman by the well is perhaps the longest dialogue he has with one person. So this may be the longest one-on-one interview the Lord Jesus Christ has in all the gospel accounts with any one person. So we’ll notice this and notice some things together as we consider this chapter. So John’s Gospel chapter four and verse number one.

[2:03] When, therefore, the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples, he left Judea, departed again into Galilee, and must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, or Shechem, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, therefore, being weary with his journey, sat thus on the well at about the sixth hour. Then cometh the woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. His disciples are gone away into the city to buy meat.

[2:40] Then said the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink. Thou wouldst have asked of him, he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with. The well is deep, from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself and his children and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband. Thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband, in that saidst thou truly. The woman said unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain,

[3:49] and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what. We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshiper shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is spirit. They that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah is cometh, which is called Christ. When he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee, am he. And upon this came his disciples and marveled that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said, what seekest thou? Why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her water pot and went her way into the city and saith to the men, come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city and came unto him. Now look down at verse number 34.

[4:45] The disciples offer him food and he doesn’t need it. he saith to them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. Down the chapter, he has the two days with the Samaritans. And then finally, verse number 42. And then say to the woman, now we believe not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves and know this is indeed the Christ, the savior of the world. And the chapter ends with the healing of the nobleman’s son in Cana of Galilee again. God will add blessing to the public reading of his word.

[5:18] We’ve been looking at the Lord Jesus Christ dealing with women and placing them into new relationships. Considered last evening, his dealing with his own mother and lifting her from a natural relationship of a parent to a child to a spiritual relationship far superior of a child of God bowing to her Lord. Now this evening, we’re looking again at another woman, the woman at the well, very familiar to us, used often in the gospel, filled with lovely gospel truth. But I want you to consider this especially. In what way did the Lord Jesus Christ change her relationship? She had five husbands. That didn’t satisfy her. She had a sixth man with whom she was living. That didn’t satisfy her. The Lord Jesus Christ offered her something that would satisfy her forever. So he changes her from a very immoral relationship to a satisfying relationship. Here’s where satisfaction is found in the person and the work of the Christ of God. So we’re looking then at a change in relationship, bringing her into a place of satisfaction. I want you to consider the context for just a moment.

[6:27] Not sure if you’re familiar with the term replacement theology. Well, this in John’s gospel is genuinely replacement theology. The Lord Jesus Christ replaces everything. Chapter one, we didn’t read it, but we read there that the word became flesh and tabernacled amongst us. So in chapter one, he replaces the tabernacle of Israel. Chapter two, you recall, he says, destroy this temple. He replaces the temple of Israel. Chapter three, he replaces the teacher, Nicodemus. Nicodemus has to own that before this teacher, he was very far inferior. And he’s going to replace all the types of Israel as well. But here in this chapter, we see him replacing everything. He’s greater than Jacob, greater than Abraham in chapter number 8. He is replacing everyone and everything. He’s also greater than Joseph. Here he comes to a parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Joseph’s bones, if you recall, from Joshua 24, Joseph’s bones that had been carried through the wilderness by the children of Israel were buried at Shechem. Lots of history linked with Shechem. Some of it we’ll mention in a few moments. The chapter is really going to introduce to us the water of life, the will of God, and the worship of God. Three great themes that permeate this chapter.

[7:41] I find it interesting as well that the Bible begins with a woman by a well who says, thou God seest me, right? Hagar, fleeing from her mistress when she was treated harshly. A woman by a well saying, thou God seest me. We have another woman at a well, conscious that God is seeing her. Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did is not this, the Christ. Here is someone who has an insight into her very heart and being. So we see something in the context. I want you to consider something of the contrast. Now, I know it’s dangerous to say one chapter is more important than another chapter. So I won’t say that. I will say, though, that Isaiah chapter 40 is one of the mountain peaks of truth, the majestic truth of the character of God in Isaiah chapter 40. In that lovely chapter, recall, it tells us that God holds the waters in the palm of his hand. He faints not, neither is weary. The inhabitants of the earth are counted as grasshoppers in his sight, and so on and so on. So just think with me for just a moment what the great contrast. Isaiah 40, speaking of the majesty of God, says, he faints not, neither is weary. Jesus being weary with his journey, sat thus on the well. Likewise, the one who holds the water in the hollow of his hand said, give me to drink.

[8:59] The one who sits on the circle of the earth, according to Isaiah 40, sat on the well.

[9:06] The one who in Isaiah chapter 40 views the inhabitants as grasshoppers, he cares for a Samaritan woman, marked by immorality, marked by grief, marked by tragedy in her life, cares for her, goes out of his way to find her. And certainly the other thing that is true in Isaiah chapter 40, you recall there, Jacob says, my way is hid from God.

[9:29] Thought God was unaware of his need, God was unaware of his condition. Here’s a woman and she finds that he knows all about me. He’s aware of everything about me. So the great contrast between the Jehovah of John chapter four and the Jehovah of Isaiah 40 could not be greater. In his humanity, in his willingness to accept incarnation, he endured weariness, thirst, hunger, fatigue, all of these things. He did not partake of any of our moral nature, but he took into himself the fullness of human nature apart from sin. So we see that here, the contrast with chapter 40. Of course, the chapter brings three encounters. We don’t have time to look at them all. There’s an encounter with a woman. Then there’s an encounter for two days with the men. And at the end of the chapter, there’s an encounter that probably only takes a few minutes. According to our reading, he encounters a nobleman and heals his son. So the Lord Jesus deals with different people in different ways, depending upon their need. Here is a woman to whom he makes great revelations, truth relative to himself, relative to the worship of God and the will of God. So we have that.

[10:37] Connection also between chapters two and chapter four, just hurriedly.

[10:43] In both chapters, we have women. Chapter two is Mary. Chapter four is the woman at the well. In both chapters, we have water. You recall, he told them to fill the water pots with water. Here again, there is water spoken of, water that is going to give satisfaction and life to this woman. In both chapters, there’s a miracle done at Cana. Chapter two, the miracle in Cana of Galilee. Chapter four ends with a miracle of the nobleman’s son in Cana. But more importantly, in chapter two, you recall, we didn’t read it, but at the close of that chapter, the Lord Jesus cleanses the temple. Chapter two, he regulates Jewish worship. Chapter four, he regulates Samaritan worship. He is the one who has come to regulate worship. Going to say it’s not linked with a place anymore. It’s linked with a person, linked with him. Worship is linked now from this moment on with Christ. Of course, obviously in chapter two, there was a wedding. In chapter four, there were five weddings.

[11:42] You’ll forgive me. I heard someone say that, I guess they were very, very much against divorce and remarriage, that this could not have been divorce. These men had to have died and remarried. And if that’s the case, and she’s still a young woman, young enough to live with a man and young enough to be out in the middle of the day, hauling water, I would suspect she has something to do with their deaths. But that’s, we’re not here as detectives. I would gather the Lord Jesus pointing to this is pointing to a life marked by serial monogamy and now open immorality. So the Lord Jesus is putting his finger upon her sin. In chapter two, he replaces the temple. As I mentioned here, he’s going to replace a mountain the Samaritans worshipped at. But that being said, I want to consider then the setting of this particular miracle and something of how the Lord Jesus Christ deals with this woman. Think with me of the territory. This is Shechem. Now, if you go back in the Old Testament, there was another defiled woman at Shechem.

[12:41] Jacob had stopped there. God had told him to return to Bethel. Jacob came short, stopped at Shechem, built a house. His daughter, Dinah, went out to see the daughters of the land. She’s taken by the son of the prince there, and she’s defiled. And you know this sad story. Jacob is failing again in his leadership, in his headship in the family. And his two brothers, her two brothers, Dinah’s two brothers, Simeon and Levi, concoct a plot, complete with deceitfulness and lying and bitterness and cruelty and slaughter the men of the city. And Jacob has to leave saying, you’ve made my name to stink among the inhabitants of the land. We’re at Shechem again, have a defiled woman. The Lord Jesus doesn’t have his name stink. The Lord Jesus leaves with his name as the savior of the world amongst these people. Also, I want you to think with me for just a moment.

[13:38] We read here about Joseph. If you go back to the book of Genesis, when Joseph was exalted, Joseph received a name, Zathnathpenea. Now, depending on your margin, depending on translators, the name Zathnathpenea has two possible interpretations. Number one, revealer of secrets. Number two, savior of the world. Now, both were true of Joseph, right? He revealed secrets, interpreted dreams. As well, he was the savior of the world. He saved the world from famine. So two names were given to Joseph, savior of the world and revealer of secrets. How does the Lord Jesus Christ appear in John chapter 4?

[14:18] The revealer of secrets. Come see a man that told me everything that ever I did. He knows all my secrets. What else? The men of the city say, this is indeed the Christ, the savior of the world. So the Lord Jesus Christ here contrasts with what occurred at Shechem long ago and also contrasts with Joseph in his names and in his titles that he receives here. Now there’s some differences of opinion about when the sixth hour was. Some think it’s Roman time and she came out at six in the evening. Others think it’s six in the afternoon. I don’t think it’s too germane that we argue about that right now. But nevertheless, she came at a time when likely she would avoid the other women of the city. And I think it’s so touching to see the Lord Jesus Christ. He sends his disciples away. He uses his weariness. This is what is so amazing about the Christ. He used his weariness, not as an opportunity for self-indulgence. I need some me time. I need some, I need time to rest. Don’t have anybody bother me. He used his weariness to be alone so this woman could come and he could meet her and bring her everlasting life.

[15:21] So different from how you and I act. He actually used his weariness, sent the disciples away, you go get the food, I’m gonna sit here and rest. But he had in mind that Samaritan woman coming that he might meet her and be with her and reveal all he has done here in this chapter to her. The tiredness of the savior, the triumph of grace. Often pointed out, all the Lord Jesus Christ overcame in a sense. He overcame ethnic prejudice, overcame religious bigotry, overcame gender feelings. Everything was set aside. He speaks to a woman of Samaria. That’s what she says. How be thou being a Jew speaks, I’m a Samaritan, you’re a man, I’m a woman. This is highly unusual. Such was his grace, such was his goodness, such was his kindness. Then how sensitive he is in dealing with her in all that he does, marked by wisdom, gentleness, and so forth. But then we need to look at the symbolism for just a moment. He’s going to give this woman something that will satisfy, not just for a day, a moment, a year, but for all eternity, springing up onto eternal, everlasting life. Now, the water in John’s gospel can be looked at in two ways.

[16:31] Water that is found in a basin or still is usually the word of God. Water that is running is the spirit of God. Here is water that is springing up onto everlasting life, water that will satisfy thirst, living water, water that is going to be marked by its availability, to everyone. It’s abundance, not just to Jacob and his family and cattle, but to everyone. It’s ageless, it’s eternal. Here he is promising something that will satisfy and satisfy eternally.

[16:58] Let me go back with you for just a moment. All the way back to the fall at the beginning of time. We lost many, many things in the Garden of Eden. Many things. Along with innocence, along with a relationship with the Lord. More germane to each of us is we lost, first of all, our sense of significance. Adam, you’re just dust. Dust you are, the dust you’ll return. Adam, you were once the one who wore a crown of glory and honor here, representing me in the garden. Now you’re just dust. Lost significance. He lost satisfaction. Adam, from now on, when you till the earth, as you labor, it’s going to just be thorns and thistles in the sweat of your brow. You’re going to be laboring and it’s going to be a constant struggle. No satisfaction, no significance. Adam, you just lost your security as well. So we lost our satisfaction, our significance, and our security when sin came into the world. Now, if you think of that, and don’t have to think too hard, everything we do is to try to regain those different things. Some of us do it by what we own, how much we have in the bank, the cars we drive, the homes we live in. Look at how significant I am. My IRA, my 401k, this is my security. And here’s my significance. Here’s my satisfaction. And I have all the toys we play with.

[18:25] We are trying desperately to recover a sense of significance a sense of security a sense of satisfaction. Now what the Lord Jesus Christ is showing in this chapter he gives all of that he gives all of that to us the water of life springing up unto everlasting life brings all of that. It gives us satisfaction gives us security gives us significance. Everything is given to us by virtue of Christ and his grace and his dealings with us. The ministry of the spirit of God is revealed in the gospel of John in the upper room mentioned yesterday in the division of the gospel of John chapters 13 to 17.

[19:04] Secrets disclosed in the upper room. One of the great secrets is the ministry of the spirit of God never before quite revealed in his fullness. Five mentions of the spirit in the upper room chapters 15, 13 and 15 rather 15 and 16. He’s companion for the way, counselor to teach us, confirming our testimony in chapter 15, the one who convicts the world, the one who communicates truth, all of that. So let me just come then, without going into all the detail then, the Lord Jesus Christ promises satisfaction here to this woman. Whosoever drinketh that this water shall never thirst again. Now, if we were all honest, I’m not preaching down to you. I’m on the same level playing field as you, a failure, okay? If we were honest, do we really find all of our satisfaction in this book and in the person it reveals to us? Do we? We all have our other toys, right?

[19:59] The Lord Jesus intended every one of us to find our satisfaction in him and in this book, to find our security in him and in this book, to discover our significance that we belong to God and he has given us the most precious gift, the spirit of God to indwell us. That is one of the most valuable fruits of Calvary, that he is able to place his spirit within us, to live within us and to be all that he can be to us. So remind us here then of the satisfaction that he gives. What makes life worth living for most people? I remember, this goes back a long time now, approaching 60 years, a man by the name of Mr. Lorne McBain spoke at our wedding, and he said, what makes life worth living is someone to love, something to live for.

[20:55] Something to learn, and something, I think I said something to love, something to learn, something to look forward to, something to live for, something to look forward to. Those four things. You get all of that in Christ, don’t you? Someone to love, someone to live for, something to look to, something to learn. All of that is in Christ. But yet we go elsewhere. We look elsewhere. We have our entertainment. We have everything that we need to keep ourselves content. Always remember, it was a very, very insightful comment. My brother was out visiting one day and going door to door with a gospel meeting, inviting people in. And the man said to him at the door, I don’t need heaven. I have my heaven right here on earth. I have everything I need. I’ve got my 56-inch wide screen. I’ve got my computers. I’ve got everything I need. What do I need heaven for? Then try to find satisfaction in all the toys of life. And sadly, we follow suit so often. Reminded here that the Lord Jesus was going to give everything to this woman that her heart could desire.

[22:04] Joseph-like, he is the savior of the world, the revealer of secrets. And he reveals himself to her as the Messiah. Now, a lovely line of truth that you could follow a theme in this chapter is notice her growth and her appreciation of Christ. He’s a Jew, he’s sir, then he’s a prophet, then he’s the Messiah, then he’s the savior of the world. So there’s an unfolding revelation of Christ in this chapter to deepen her appreciation, her satisfaction with Christ. But he’s teaching her as well that he is a sphere of worship. The hour cometh and now is when the Father seeketh worshipers. The true worshipers worship the Father in spirit and in truth. So a link with satisfaction is this concept of worship. Now, I’m not sure if I can convey this as I ought to.

[22:48] Nothing gives you a sense of significance and satisfaction as much as actually being a worshiper of God. God did not institute worship so that he would get something. God needs nothing. God is not somehow flattered by my worship. God does not somehow feel better about himself because of my worship. God did not institute worship for his good. He instituted it for my good. Because when I am a worshiper in his presence, I am really reaching my highest usefulness for which I was created to be a worshiper of God. And I enter into the greatest satisfaction, the greatest significance, the greatest security when I am a worshiper of God. So the Lord Jesus Christ is linking together satisfaction and worship as well here in this chapter. These truths of worship, he really reveals to a woman, a Samaritan woman and a sinful Samaritan woman. We would have thought it belonged in chapter three, But of course, it belongs in chapter 4 because it is intimately linked with satisfaction. So I want to speak to you then again about this as well, and see if I can to interest young people, especially in the Word of God and in worshiping the Father.

[24:07] You will notice that the woman left her water pots. The Lord Jesus Christ left his food. She was satisfied with Christ. He was satisfied with her. Do you realize the joy you brought to Christ the night you got saved, the day, the morning, whatever it was, you brought him joy? Like the shepherd of Luke chapter 15, placing the sheep upon his shoulders, returning home, rejoicing. He finds joy in saving us. And now we find joy in worshiping him. He intends us to be satisfied with worship and with knowing him better. So let me just, if I can, take a few moments and talk to you about reading the Word of God, learning about Christ. Where do I find satisfaction?

[24:58] I was thinking today, I was driving along in places where I could see people sitting and people talking. Majority of people, when they have nothing to do, they’re on their cell phones. Walking, talking, whatever, they’re on their cell phones. And I find myself doing the same thing. In a boring moment, I turn to my cell phone. That’s become my little God. That’s what I’m occupied with, to my shame. When my mind has nothing else to do, it should really occupy itself with him, with him. Psalm 1, the man, the blessed man, he meditates in the law of the Lord day and night. His mind is occupied with the word of God.

[25:47] Mary, you recall, we heard of her last evening. She meditated on these. She kept all these things in her heart. She threw them back and forth, trying to understand more deeply what the word of God, what the message to her was all about. So I just want to speak to young believers about reading the word of God and actually reading it. You have to make it a priority. You’ll never find time to read the Bible. You’re too busy. You have to make time. You have to carve it out of your day. You have to say to yourself, this time is for the word of God alone. Whether it’s early in the morning, late at night, there are owls who love to stay up late, there are larks who love to get up early, and tragically, there’s a few people who fall in between and don’t do well at either end. But whatever the case is, make your time and give yourself to reading the word of God. Make a commitment to read and read it consistently, read it consecutively. When I say consecutively, what I mean by that is, don’t just say, I’m going to read in Genesis 3 today, Psalm 24 the next day, John chapter 3. No, take a book and read it beginning to end, back and forth, so you know it and you feel like you’re living in it, so God can begin to speak to you about that book. Read it carefully. Read it confidently. Do you realize that God actually wants to speak to you? You don’t have to struggle to find something in your Bible. God wants to speak to you. That’s how he communicates with us, is by the word of God.

[27:15] And he wants to communicate. Now, it doesn’t mean that every time you sit down with the Bible in front of you, you’ll get some great revelation, but it does mean if you consistently give yourself to the word of God, he will communicate with you and give his truth to you. Now, already I hear people saying, but wait a minute, I’ve tried that and I get nothing and I feel like, what’s the use? I feel like a failure.

[27:39] So I just put my Bible away, get it out Sunday morning and that’ll be fine. Well, one of the great pundits of baseball said, it’s amazing what you see when you look, okay? We won’t mention names here on the platform, but what are you looking for when you’re reading? What are you looking for? You’re waiting for something to pop out like a great revelation? Or are you reading the word of God with intelligent questions in your mind? Could I just suggest four questions you could ask yourself as you’re reading that are, I would almost say, guaranteed to give you something when you read the Word of God. Number one, if this were the only chapter I had in the Bible, if all I had was John chapter 3, John chapter 4, and I was marooned on a desert island, and this is all I had to read, what would I learn about God? What is God like?

[28:32] Okay. You say, that’s really a question to ask? Your life is a life of learning what God is like. Because the more you learn God, the better you become as a worshiper, the better you become as an intercessor for praying. So number one, what can I learn about God from this portion of the word of God? What’s he like? Number two, looking for Christ. Is Christ in this portion in any way, Directly, indirectly, prophetically, in contrast with someone, is there anything here that reminds me of Christ? Thirdly, listening for the spirit of God to speak to me. Hopefully, as a young believer, there are things you’re praying about. Praying about education, praying about university, praying about career choices, praying about places, assembly fellowship, where to go, which to be in, a job offer, a spouse in life, and all those things.

[29:28] Well, answers don’t come in the mail. They come in the word of God. Guidance comes from the word of God. So listening for the spirit of God to speak to you through the word of God, it’s one of the great value of reading consecutively. It’s not just a matter of picking and choosing and hoping the verse is there. No, God can guide you as you’re reading. He may impress on you as you’re reading a particular section the need of patience and waiting, or he may be making clear he’s gonna open the door very soon, whatever it may be. He can communicate. He’s a master of communication, and he does it through his word. So learning about God, looking for Christ, listening for the Spirit. Fourthly, anything I should be living out from this section, anything I should really put into practice in my life? Is there something that I’m being told I should be doing, and I should do it? We mentioned last night Mary’s advice. Whatsoever he saith to you, do it. So whatever the Lord Jesus Christ reveals to you in his word as you’re reading, do it. You have everything you need for life in this book.

[30:31] Most of you would not remember the name of William Randolph Hearst. If you’ve ever been to California, there’s Hearst Castle that he built out there. He built a 200 and I forget how many, 165-room mansion with endless, and it cost back then in the early 20s and 30s, $37 million to build. He was an avid art collector, and he once commissioned one of his agents. He heard of a particular painting, very valuable, very impressive, and he commissioned one of his agents to go and find it and whatever it cost, buy it. Six months later, the agent came back and he asked him if he had found it. No, he hadn’t found it. Why not? Because you already own it.

[31:13] You already have everything you need to navigate life. Everything you need to learn more of God and to be the Christian that God wants you to be. So we’re reminded here then of the word of God and its fullness, its richness, all that we have. And all that is available to us. And we have promises from God. He satisfies the hungry soul and fills, he satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry with goodness. In Mary’s great magnificat, recall there, he fills the hungry with good things and the rich he sends empty away. Who satisfies a mouth with good things. Thy youth is renewed like the eagle. The myriad of promises in the word of God that God will satisfy us, fill us, and make life full and enjoyable for us as believers in Christ. So coming now again to what we have, the satisfaction that he brings through his word.

[32:06] Finding Christ in the word of God is what satisfies. Here’s a woman. She tried everything else in terms of marital relationships, immoral relationships. She didn’t find satisfaction. The Lord Jesus Christ is the one who gives satisfaction to his people. But also linked with that satisfaction that I want to speak to you for a few minutes about worship. Worship is spoken of as the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Now fruit doesn’t say a seed it’s fruit fruit develops from seeds don’t bring your seeds to the breaking of bread bring your fruit to the breaking of bread that means you’re going to be developing something reading the word of god you’re you’re seeing things about christ seeing things about his salvation learning something about his mercy his grace his goodness something of his glory. Some of the things we mentioned, for example, contrasting Isaiah 40 with John chapter four and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being rich became poor. And you begin to appreciate that and develop it in your mind. And you’re developing it in light of the Lord’s day. And you’re mentioning each day in your private worship to God. And by the coming of the Lord’s day comes, it’s developed. And you want to bring that fruit to God. It says in Hebrews chapter 13, from where I just quoted. To do good, communicate, forget not. I’m sorry, go back earlier.

[33:31] Not just getting the first beginning of that verse. Just give me a second and I will read it because I think it’s important to read.

[33:44] By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name, to do good and communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. So three things there that tells us God is well pleased with. Number one, the works that I do for him. Number two, the wealth that I share with others. Number three, the worship that I offer him. Now he calls all of those things sacrifices. With such sacrifices, God is well pleased. Now it’s twofold significance. Hebrews is pummeling us with the concept that there are no more sacrifices. No more sacrifices. One sacrifice forever. No more sacrifices for sins. The work is done. No more sacrifices. But then he comes to chapter 13 and says, yes, there are sacrifices we can make as believers. Our works, our wealth that we share, our worship that we offer. But you see, there are sacrifices. That means if you are going to be a worshiper, something has to go. You have to sacrifice.

[34:48] Time is probably the biggest thing we have to sacrifice. Time spent in the word of God, time spent looking at Christ, time spent feeding upon him, time spent drinking from the fountain of life. Something has to be sacrificed. Now you have to decide that for yourself. I can’t tell you what to sacrifice, whether it’s an extra hour of sleep, whether it’s time on the computer or social network and all the rest, or whether it’s Netflix, hopefully not. But whatever it is, I get the smiles, okay. Whatever it is, you may have to, you will have to sacrifice if you’re going to be a worshiper, if you’re going to find satisfaction in his book, if you’re going to find all your delight, all your satisfaction in Christ, you’re going to have to sacrifice, because it will not come naturally, it will not come easily. Reminded here then, what is my appetite how hungry am I really it comes down to how hungry am I really to know Christ better how hungry am I really to enjoy this book more, I’ll tell you a little secret. Maybe it’s not such a secret. When you get to be my age, you become very content, okay? Cruise control button is hit and you’ll just cruise home to heaven. I’ve studied enough. I’ve learned enough. No, no. God never. Peter ends his epistle. The old man, Peter, before his head is about, before he’s about to be crucified. He says, grow in grace and in the knowledge. Keep growing is really the tense there. Grow and keep growing in grace and in knowledge. Never give up. Never stop.

[36:18] Because when you land on that shore, I think you’ll begin with where you left on this shore. I think I’m building my capacity for appreciating Christ down here and it’s going to continue and grow up there. But where I leave off here is where I start there. So he wants us to keep growing. Never be content with where you are in your Christian life. Never, never put it on cruise control and feel I’m good enough. I’ve learned enough. I can get by enough. We all can get by on a Sunday morning, can’t we? I mean, the brethren would be honest. We can just drag out the old comments we’ve made, the old appreciation, and get by. Everyone thinks it sounds good, you know, okay. But to be fresh, to be able to bring fresh material to God about his son, greatest privilege we have. The word there is to do good and communicate, forget not. The word that is used really that Paul, the writer of Hebrews uses in chapter 13 is saying the same thing God says. What that means is when we’re worshiping, we’re saying the same thing about his son that God says about his son. Same thing. God appreciates when we appreciate what he has appreciated eternally about his son. So we come back then to the idea of worship and satisfaction. The satisfaction we find in the person of Christ through the word of God. What is my appetite like?

[37:48] Time and again in the Psalms, we are reminded they shall be abundantly satisfied, abundantly satisfied. God is able to satisfy every appetite with his word about his son.

[37:58] Here this woman is promised, a well of water springing up onto everlasting life. Now that doesn’t mean that every moment of every day you’re going to be enjoying some fresh thought of Christ, but it does mean that satisfaction will be found alone in him, found in him alone now and for all eternity. So we have that. So we are left then with a woman who is satisfied with the water of life, of a savior who is satisfied with the will of his father, of a city that became satisfied with the witness of Christ. Now we know indeed this is a Christ, the savior of the world. And at the end of the chapter, a courtier who is satisfied with just a word from Christ. I know it’s very abbreviated, I’m sorry, but I feel convicted by my own ministry. I fail to find everything in Christ. I fail to let go of the trinkets of life and be occupied alone with him. That’s the standard of the word of God. That’s the standard that has been set for us to find everything we need in Christ. All our satisfaction, all of our joy, all of our sense of significance, all of our sense of security, everything tied up in a person who has come as our redeemer to save us. So I trust God will challenge us, challenging me, challenge each of us and seek by his grace, if we can, to be all we ought to be. May God bless this word. Shall we pray?

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