RESPONDING TO CRITICISM – John 6:41-47

Bible sermons, criticism, discrimination, John 6, prejudice, sermons

INTRODUCTION:

The first American steamboat took 32 hours to go from New York to Albany. People laughed! The horse and buggy passed an early motor car as if it were standing still. People laughed! The first electric light bulb was so dim that people had to use a lamp in order to see it. People laughed! The first airplane came down fifty-nine seconds after it left the ground. People laughed! But those inventors were committed to their work. Rather than wasting a lot of time responding to the jokes and criticisms aimed at them, they devoted their time to perfecting their ideas, and we all know the results. They are written in the history books. Those inventors have been honored, their work has been carried on, and we are reaping the benefits of their labors.

The cause of Christ is also not without its critics. When baseball player-turned – evangelist, Billy Sunday, first started holding crusades, he was criticized for many things, including his “coarse” language, his use of slang terms, his “acrobatic preaching”, and his inclusive attitude toward Negroes. Cartoons were drawn of him and put in the newspapers. In spite of all this criticism, Billy Sunday continued to do what God called him to do. He won the hearts of the working-class population and God changed the hearts of many of his accusers. By 1920 he was considered to be the greatest evangelist in America at that time.

In the 1940’s another evangelist began to become visible to the American nation, and he started drawing criticism from fundamentalists because of his cooperation with the National Counsel of Churches, and from others because of his identification with the civil rights movement. Rather than become discouraged, he announced, “I intend to go anywhere, sponsored by anybody, to preach the gospel of Christ, if there are no strings attached to my message.” That evangelist is Billy Graham, and look how God has blessed his commitment to the Person and work of Jesus Christ!

In the passage of Scripture we are studying, John 6:41-47, we will find that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was not excluded from criticism. In fact, He was, and still is, one of the most criticized people of all time. Let’s take a look at the criticisms that were leveled at Him in these verses of Scripture, and observe how He responded to them, and to the critics who expressed them.

I. MUMBLING AND GRUMBLING (verse 41)

Verse 11 says, “The Jews therefore were grumbling about Him, because He said, ‘I am the bread that came down out of heaven’.” The Greek word (“ouranos”) is often used to describe the place where God dwells, so the crowd knows He is claiming to be God. This is the third time Jesus has used the phrase, “came down from heaven”, in His conversation with this crowd, and He is going to say that phrase three more times before the conversation is over. Jesus keeps saying it again and again!

When a person keeps saying something to you that you don’t believe and don’t want to hear, do you become angry inside? Do you feel your body tensing up? Are you thinking to yourself, “If he (or she) says it one more time, I’m going to explode”? Have you ever had one of those moments? Sure you have!

Try to visualize the thoughts in the minds of this crowd as the water in a large kettle that’s hanging over a fire. In verse 41 you can begin to see the steam rising from that kettle, and you can hear the water churning and the sound of bubbles coming to the surface and popping. That’s a picture that comes to my mind when I think of the words “murmuring” and “grumbling”. The words indicate discontent and anger. These Jews are acting just like their ancestors who “murmured” against Moses (Exodus 15:24; 17:3; Numbers 14:2).

II. THE REASON FOR THEIR GRUMBLING (verse 42)

The apostle John gives us the reason for their grumbling when he tells us the words they were mumbling to themselves and to one another. “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” John must have been next to Jesus, and both of them could overhear their words and the scoffing and sarcastic manner in which they were said. I’m sure they said worse things than that as they responded to each others’ words. The Greek word which is translated “grumbling” (or “murmuring“, or “muttering“, depending on your translation) is found eight times in the New Testament, and in every case it’s used in a negative sense. The Greek word is pronounced “gong-good’-zo”). Their grumbling sounded like a “a noisy gong“, but it was not “good“, but “bad” in each of those cases! I like the following definition: “smoldering discontent”. The embers keep burning and the smoke keeps rising, waiting for more wood to set it aflame!

Many psychological studies have been done on crowd behavior. This particular situation sounds a lot like the “emergent norm theory” of crowd behavior. I imagine that there were some of Jesus’ enemies in this crowd, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes. Because these groups were esteemed by the people, negative comments made by them would influence the others in the crowd to follow their example over the period of time they were around each other. Thus the behavior of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes became the new normative behavior of the rest of the crowd, which initially was just curious and desirous of this “bread of life”. We will see a similar effect occur in the crowd that is present at Jesus’ trial after His arrest.

Have you ever heard someone make fun of, or bad-mouth your parents? Did you get mad and say or do something about it? For many of us, negative remarks made about our parents can be more offensive and disturbing than similar statements made about ourselves. It’s as if God has given us a “protective instinct” when it comes to our families. As an old expression puts it: “Them’s fightin’ words!”

These Jews had come to the conclusion that Jesus was born in Nazareth and that Joseph was his real father. They were jumping to false conclusions without any evidence to prove them. Obviously, they had not done their homework! If they had done some investigation they would have, at least, found that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, where the Messiah was prophesied to be born, as recorded in Micah 5:2. “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.”

III. JESUS’ RESPONSE (verse 43)

We see, in verse 43, Jesus’ initial response to their grumbling. “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do not grumble among yourselves’.” That sounds like a very short and incomplete response to me. Does it seem that way to you also? Those few words certainly demonstrate Jesus’ patience and wisdom in this particular situation. Defending his parents and trying to explain His virgin-birth would only add fuel to their smoldering fire. And those few words, “Do not grumble among yourselves”, silenced the crowd so that He could continue His conversation where He left off. How can that be? As I’ve mentioned before, the Jewish leaders had a deep respect for Moses the Law-giver, almost a sense of worship of him. Many of the Jewish leaders were familiar with every word that Moses spoke. When Jesus said, “Do not grumble among yourselves”, those who knew the words of Moses were reminded of what Moses said to their ancestors when they grumbled against him. In Exodus 16, when the people grumbled against Moses because of the lack of food, Moses said, ” . . . in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, for He hears your grumblings against the Lord, and what are we that you grumble against us? . . . Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord.” (Exodus 16:7-8). Jesus is calling upon this crowd to reconsider their grumbling against Him because of who He claims to be. In Numbers 14, after hearing the report of the spies concerning the land of Canaan, the people grumbled against Moses again and threatened to kill him. As a consequence of those actions, God told the people of Israel that, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, everyone twenty years and over would not enter the promised land but would die in wilderness over a period of 40 years of wanderings. That’s a big price to pay for their grumblings. Jesus may be calling upon this crowd to also consider the possible consequences of their grumbling. The crowd quieted down and Jesus was able to continue His conversation. It’s as if Jesus had set out two warning flags before this crowd, and they heeded the warnings. They went from mumbling aloud to mulling it over in their minds: “Hmmm . . . maybe we should think this over for a while!”

IV. THE PROCESS OF COMING TO GOD (verses 44-47)

A. BEING DRAWN, AND COMING (verse 44)

Jesus resumes His conversation with the crowd in verse 44, saying, “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” The Jews believed that they were chosen by God when they were born. They concluded that, since each of them was of Jewish parents, they were automatically God’s people, with all the eternal benefits included. Jesus is now going to correct their misconceptions. He tells them that, without the help of God, no one is able to respond to His invitation and come to Him. God the Father “draws” a person to His Son, and that person comes to believe in the Lord Jesus as a result. Without the drawing power of God the Father, no one can come to Christ. The Greek word that John uses is “helkuo”. It is found eight times in the New Testament. The majority of those instances speak of drawing in, or dragging a net full of fish (Jn. 21:6), dragging a person (Acts 16:19), or drawing a sword from its sheath (Jn. 18:10). It is also used of being drawn by an inward power (Jn. 12:32). We find this same concept in the Old Testament scriptures. God says, in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

In my own conversion experience, God dragged me away from my former beliefs before He drew me to Himself, revealing the truth about Himself to me so that I believed. He changed the circumstances of my life to the point where I felt hopeless and helpless to save myself, and was gripped with a fear of death and the eternal suffering that would follow because of my sins. There was a “drawing away” and a “drawing to” in my case. That may be true in your case as well. The word “draw” indicates that there is some resistance, but the power and calling of God overcomes that resistance.

Once again Jesus says what He said to them in verse 39: “and I will raise them up on the last day.” I wonder whether those words brought to the minds of these Jews one of the most exciting promises in the Old Testament for the nation of Israel — the vision of the valley of the dry bones. God tells Ezekiel. “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves, My people. . . I will put My Spirit within you and you will come back to life . . . place you on your own land . . . ” (Ezekiel 37) By saying the words, “I will raise them up”, Jesus is once again claiming to be God, and the One who will raise and rule over the people of Israel. For the true believer in Jesus Christ, verses 39 and 44 are powerful verses on assurance of salvation.

B. TROUGH THE WORD OF GOD (verse 45)

In verse 45, Jesus tells us the means that the Father uses in the drawing process when He says, “It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” He’s quoting from Isaiah 54:13, letting the crowd know that the Father uses the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, to draw people to Himself. Jesus is telling them that, if they refuse to believe His words and come to Him as their Messiah, it is proof that the Father is not drawing them, at least not at this time.

Those who will believe are drawn by the Father through the Word as He empowers them to listen to it and learn from it. In this particular case, Jesus is the Teacher and His words are the Word of God to them. The drawing of the Father consists of hearing, learning, and believing. Those who listen and learn, come to Jesus. They are the ones whom the Father has chosen and drawn to His Son.

I found the following illustration to be helpful to me. You may find it helpful to you also.

The mere preaching of the gospel does not save an individual. The gospel message must be activated by the election and calling of God for an individual to be drawn to Him. It would be as if one had thrown a rope to a drowning man. The throwing of the rope could not save the man unless someone was at the other end of the rope, drawing him into shore.

This is what God has done. By His election, God draws to Himself the one who has heard the message. The person may have the rope, but he still needs the effective force of God drawing him in. Who, therefore, deserves the praise for salvation? Is it the man who tossed the rope? The man who grabbed the rope? No – the God who draws him in! Pastor and author, Warren Wiersbe, describes the process with these words: “It is through the teaching of the Word that God draws people to the Savior. The sinner hears, learns, and comes as the Father draws him. A mystery? Yes! A blessed reality? Yes!”

C. EVIDENCED BY BELIEF IN HIM (verses 46-47)

In verse 46, the Lord Jesus qualifies His previous statement so that the crowd would not misunderstand His words and come to a false conclusion that is contrary to the Old Testament scriptures. Therefore Jesus gives the following words of explanation: “Not that any man has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.” In Exodus 33:18-20, God said to Moses, “No one can see my face and live.” No man can see God in all his glory and live. By His words in verse 46. Jesus is claiming to be more than a man because He has seen the Father and has been sent by the Father. Once again Jesus is claiming to be the Son of God, the Messiah. Only He has the full knowledge of the nature, the character, and plans of God the Father.

Now that He has made that clear to them, the Lord Jesus tells them to listen carefully as He gives them the third ingredient in the salvation process. He says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”

A missionary to Africa experienced great difficulty while trying to translate the Gospel of John into a particular native dialect. The problem he faced was to find a word for “believe”, because faith was something that wasn’t shown at all by this particular tribe. He continued to do the best he could, but always had to leave a blank space when he came to the word “believe”. One day, however, a runner came panting into the camp, having traveled a great distance with a very important message. After blurting out his story, he fell completely exhausted into a nearby hammock, muttering a brief phrase as he did so. The missionary had never heard those words before, so he asked a native what the runner had said. “Good massa, he is only saying, ‘I’m at the end of myself. Therefore I’m resting all my weight here’.” Delighted, the missionary exclaimed, “Praise God, that is the very expression I need for ‘believe’!” And so he was able to complete his translation of John’s Gospel into their native language.

The Lord Jesus is giving an invitation in verse 46 when He says, “he who believes has eternal life”. It is similar to the invitation Jesus gives in Matthew 11:28, where He says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Let’s examine this verse in the context of the preceding verse, Matthew 11:27, which says, “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” A person can only come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. He will reveal the Father only to those who are “weary and heavy-laden”. They feel weak and helpless under the heavy burden of their sin and guilt. Only God can bring you under that conviction of sin. Only God can draw you to Himself. Only God can give you rest and inner peace as you entrust your life to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and rely completely on Him to hold you up and sustain you by His grace.

Are you feeling weak and helpless under the weight of your own sin and guilt? Do you feel like you’re drowning spiritually? Is there a fear of death and of reaping the consequences of your thoughts, words, and actions? Is there an emptiness inside that nothing in this life has been able to fill; a lack of meaning and purpose to your life? The author of Hebrews, when describing Moses, says, ” . . . choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin“ (Hebrews 11:27). Since there is pleasure in sin, the guilt and weight of conviction must be from God. He is drawing you to Himself. The choice is up to you to respond to the Scriptures and the leading of the Holy Spirit by putting your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, repenting of your sins and asking Jesus Christ to take control of your life and change your life. He will keep His promises to you if you sincerely believe.

If Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives, one lesson we can learn from this passage is how Jesus responded to criticism, and how we can follow His example. The Lord Jesus Christ was a man of conviction. He didn’t follow the crowds; the crowds followed Him! He would not compromise His Father’s will or the teachings of the Scriptures, and yet, at the same time, was compassionate toward people. Billy Graham beautifully described Jesus’ character and convictions when he said these words:

“His own inner conviction was so strong, so firm, so unswerving
that He could afford to mingle with any group secure in the knowledge
that He would not be contaminated. It is fear that makes us unwilling to
listen to another’s point of view, fear that our own ideas may be attacked.
Jesus had no such fear, no such pettiness of viewpoint, no need to
fence Himself off for His own protection. He knew the difference between
graciousness and compromise and we would do well to learn from Him.
He set for us the most magnificent and glowing example of truth combined with
mercy of all time. and in departing He said: “Go ye and do likewise.” (Lk. 10:37)

This lesson is exemplified in a phenomenon of nature. Sailors in the northern oceans have frequently observed icebergs traveling in one direction in spite of strong winds blowing in the opposite direction. How can this be? The explanation is that the icebergs, with eight-ninths of their bulk under the water’s surface, were caught in the grip of strong currents that moved them in a certain direction, no matter which way the winds blew and no matter how fiercely they raged. In the Christian life, no matter how strongly the winds of passing opinion blow in opposition, the believer who has a close relationship to God, and a depth of living in the currents of God’s grace will be moved in the direction of following Jesus’ example. The criticism that’s bound to come won’t blow us away.

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THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR UNBELIEF – John 5:41-47

Bible sermons, faith, God, Gospel of John, hypocrisy, John 5, John 5:41-47, love for God, motives, New Testament sermon, Sermon on John's Gospel, sermons

INTRODUCTION:

The Queen Mary was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a World War, she served until she was retired and anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California. During the conversion process, her three massive stacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But on the dock they crumbled. Nothing was left of the 3/4 inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed. All that remained were more than thirty coats of paint that had been applied over the years.

After healing the invalid at the pool of Bethesda, the Lord Jesus went into great detail to substantiate His claim to be the Messiah, the Son of God. He described five witnesses that couldn’t be refuted; and there were hundreds, even thousands who could attest to the truth of what they saw and heard. He had built a structure that was strong and lasting, incapable of being torn down and destroyed. Now, in verses 41-47, the Lord Jesus directs His attention toward His accusers, who are standing around him in their elegant robes and with their pious countenances, and He starts chipping away at their paint!

I. EMPTY OF LOVE (verse 41-42)

Jesus has been appealing to their minds by giving them proof of his deity. Then He appealed to their wills, exposing their stubborn refusal to believe Him. Now He’s going to get to the heart of the problem. In verse 41, Jesus gives them a brief description of His own attitude as a basis for comparison to theirs. He says, “I do not receive glory from men.” He is not seeking the applause of men. Rather, His motivation is that of doing the will of the Father out of love for the Father. He is filled and controlled by His love for His Father. (John 5:19-20, 30).

By contrast, he says to them, “but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.” Can you feel the sharpness of His rebuke? “But I know you”, He says. They are not going to pull the wool over His eyes! He sees underneath the paint! Now He’s going to be chipping away at it, and revealing to them what He sees!

The first thing he reveals to them, in verse 42, is that they have no love for God. In their hearts they don’t really love God. It’s just “external paint” that they have applied to themselves so that others might see it and admire them. I think Jesus is also saying, “You don’t really believe in God, and you are unwilling to believe in Me, because you don’t love God. I can envision the anger on their faces and can almost hear the murmuring and threats they are making. I think Jesus had to raise His voice in order to be heard above their murmuring and complaining.

II. FILLED WITH PRIDE (verses 43-44)

In order to affirm what He has just told them, and give them the underlying reason for His statement in verse 42, Jesus reiterates what He told them earlier. In verse 43, Jesus begins by saying, “I have come in My Father’s name, and you did not receive Me”. What He means by those words is, “I’ve already proven to you that I’ve been sent by God and have His authority, yet you refuse to accept Me for Who I am and obey Me. You refuse to show me the honor and worship that I deserve.”

I believe that the words that follow are used by Jesus to point out the irony in what they have been doing. He says, “if another should come in his own name, you will receive him.” Jesus is making a true statement about what the leaders of the Jews have done many times in the past. During the time of Jesus there were two schools of thought based upon the teachings of two rabbis: Shammai and Hillel. The scribes and Pharisees spent much time debating with each other regarding which one of them was right on various issues and doctrines, rather than studying the Scriptures themselves. Later on, Jesus tells them, in Mark 13 and Matthew 24, that many other false Messiahs will come on their own authority and draw many astray.

Jesus didn’t fit their own description of the Messiah. Jesus was too humble, poor, and plain. They were looking for a Messiah whom they considered to be worthy of being followed – a Messiah who would come in royal robes; a stately figure with awesome physical and political power who would crush the power of the Roman Empire. They wanted a Messiah who would recognize their devotion to God and their leadership abilities, and Who would put them in positions of authority in His kingdom on earth. Jesus was the total opposite of what they had in mind.

In verse 44, Jesus rebukes them again by asking them a pointed question: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another. and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” He faced them with the true cause of their unbelief – their own personal pride and conceit. The word “glory” is a translation of the Greek word “Doxan”, which comes from the verb “dokeo”, which means “to think”. The scribes and Pharisees had a very high “opinion” of themselves; so high that they even argued among themselves as to who was the most famous. You might say that there was even a battle going on to form a “pecking order” among the proud, and nobody wanted to give in to the others. They were so busy glorifying themselves that they had no interest in seeking the glory of God that could be found reflected in Jesus Christ.

On the French Riviera, it is such an important status symbol to have a balcony on an apartment, that it is quite common to see balconies painted on the walls of apartment houses. People even painted wet laundry hanging on the clothesline, just to give it a touch of reality! In the same vein, there was no limit to what these Jewish leaders would do in order to give their own lives an imitation “touch of reality” that might cause others to “look up to them” and be impressed by what they saw.

III. THE CONSEQUENCES (verses 45-47)

The Lord Jesus has been chipping away at their exterior paint. Now He is going to hammer away at their foundation so that it crumbles like the stacks of the Queen Mary. He says, in verse 45, “Do you think that I will accuse you before the Father”? He’s saying, “Do you think that I am going to follow your example?” They have been accusing Him of doing miracles on the Sabbath in violation of the Law of Moses (John 5:10,16). The Lord wasn’t the One who would be gathering the information and pressing charges against them. He continues by saying, the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.” The men standing around Jesus claimed to be disciples of Moses. That statement of Jesus must have raised some eyebrows and evoked some angry responses. They’ve put their hope in the wrong person because Moses is not going be on their side!

In verse 46, Jesus gives the reason for His statement: “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote of Me.” Where did Moses write about Jesus? Moses does not use the name “Jesus”, but he refers to the Messiah in several places using a variety of names to describe Him. In Genesis 3:15, Moses wrote down the words that God said to the serpent in the hearing of Adam and Eve after their disobedience: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between her seed and your seed; He shall bruise (crush) you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heal.” The “seed of the woman” is the Messiah. He will be a descendant of her.

In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses refers to the Messiah as a prophet when he says, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.”

In Genesis 49, Jacob summoned all his sons to gather around him before his death and prophesied concerning each of his sons. In his prophecy concerning his son, Judah, Jacob says: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:10). This is the only place in the Bible where Shiloh refers to a person rather than a place. Shiloh is the Messiah, and He has already come to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ. So why does it say that the scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes? History gives the answer. In 70 A.D. the nation of Israel was conquered and its people scattered throughout the earth. The scepter was removed from Judah, but it is still retained. Jesus was the last Person from the line of David, on both His mother’s and his father’s side, who had the legal and spiritual right to assume the throne. He still retains that right and will be returning to bring that prophecy to fulfillment.

Jesus closes His rebuke with the words “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words.” Jesus was saying to them, and He says to us today also, that belief is not just a matter of the mind, but also of the will. They knew those Messianic texts, but they were unwilling to ascribe them to Him. They refused to obey Moses, and they refused to obey Christ. There was no valid excuse for their behavior. They loved themselves to the exclusion of a true love of God, and in their pride they chose to be their own gods, doing their own will instead of God’s.

The same is true today. There is no acceptable excuse for not believing and obeying God and His Son, Jesus Christ. There is no excuse for not searching after God and asking Him to reveal Himself to us. There is no excuse for not responding to the truth that we have, the truth God has given to each of us. The only thing that holds us back is our own foolish pride in ourselves, the original sin of Adam and Eve, the temptation that Satan wants us to give in to. Don’t let pride separate you eternally from the One who loves you sacrificially and wants you to experience the joy of submitting yourselves to Him as your Lord and King; a joy that will change your life forever, giving you a new purpose for living as you enjoy doing His will and experiencing His power and presence. Let’s “remove the paint” and “be real” in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Fellow Christians, let’s review each day and ask ourselves who is getting the glory in our lives. Even when we are serving the Lord and living in obedience to His Word, it’s always tempting to take the glory to ourselves rather than put the focus on the One who loves us, inspires us, empowers us, and has gifted us to serve Him and be witnesses for Him.

“I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear it and rejoice.
O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.”
Psalm 34:1-3

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May the Lord Jesus be the One who holds your life together, and gives you joy, peace, purpose, and meaning each day. May He also receive the glory that He alone deserves.

JESUS CHRIST: RESURRECTED, RESURRECTOR, AND JUDGE – John 5:26-29

Bible sermons, John 5:26-29, resurrection of Christ, sermons

INTRODUCTION:

There is much we can learn from little children. They are so eager to learn, and so straight-forward in their conversations with adults. Here is a case in point. It was Sunday morning and the church service was over. A little girl had been taught about the second coming of Christ and was quizzing her mother. “Mommy, do you believe Jesus will come back?” “Yes”. “Today?” “Yes.” “In a few minutes?” “Yes, dear.” “Mommy, would you comb my hair?”

That little girl thought her mother was paying close attention to what she was saying and was answering her clearly, so she wanted to look her best when she meets Jesus! How about you? Do you want to look your best when you meet Jesus? That topic of conversation is appropriate to the passage of Scripture we are now studying: John 5:26-29. Jesus mentions five resurrections in verses 24-29 and we examined the first two, which the Lord Jesus described in verses 24-25. The spiritual regeneration and resurrection of believers was described by Jesus in verse 24, and the physical resurrections from the dead by the words of Jesus are predicted in verse 25 and will be happening soon. There are three more resurrections described by the Lord Jesus in the order of their occurrence. Jesus is sharing that information as further proof to the Jews that He is the Son of God. Let’s take a look at those resurrections, one-at-a-time.

I. THE THIRD RESURRECTION: HIS OWN (verse 26)

In verse 26 we find these words spoken by Jesus: “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself.” You may wonder, “What does that verse have to do with the resurrection of Christ?” “The word ‘resurrection’ isn’t even mentioned in that verse!” That’s a good question! Let’s see if we can find a satisfactory answer. The Lord Jesus uses a similar expression in John 10:17-18. “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I have received from My Father.”

Putting these two passages of Scripture together, Jesus is saying that He always existed with the Father. No one gave Him life because He has always had it, from all eternity. Only God could say that truthfully. Therefore only Jesus could lay down His life and take it back up again. Warren Wiersbe puts it this way: “Our life was derived, but His life is original.” As John 1:4 says, “In Him was life”. That’s why Jesus could say, in John 2:19, when the Jews asked for a sign after Jesus cleansed the temple, “Destroy this temple (His body), and in three days I will raise it up.”

We have looked at Scripture passages which seem to point to the fact that Jesus raised Himself from the dead by His own power. But the question, “Who raised Jesus Christ from the dead”, hasn’t been completely answered yet. There are other passages of Scripture that seem to disagree with that conclusion. Let’s take a look at some of those other Scriptures and see if we can resolve the issue once we get a good look at it.

Acts 10:40 says, “God raised Him on the third day”. In Romans 6:4, the apostle Paul says, “Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father”. In Romans 8:11, Paul says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dwells in you . . . “. So who raised Jesus from the dead? Was it God, the Father, the Holy Spirit, or Christ Himself?

You may disagree with the next statement, but keep reading. God is not a Person. God is a title that is given to the divine nature or essence. So when the term “God” is used, it represents all three Persons in the divine essence: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That helps us understand Acts 10:40, which says that “God raised Him”, but what about the Scriptures that speak specifically of the Father and the Spirit raising Jesus from the dead? I’m convinced that it was a cooperative effort, and the apostle John wanted to make that clear.

This is not the first time that all three Persons in the Trinity are mentioned. I’ve found that each of the three members of the Trinity is mentioned in every “major event” in history (from God’s perspective). Creation was the first “major event”, and all three are mentioned as participating (Genesis 1:2; 1:26; John 1:3). The words spoken by God, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness“, tell us that God wants us to know, right from the beginning of the Scriptures, that He is a plurality. The Jews knew that; one of the Hebrew words for God in the Old Testament Scriptures is the word “Elohim” which is plural. The second “main event” was the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. Luke 1:35 says, “The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and the power of the Most-High will overshadow you.” Jesus was the “Seed of the Woman” Who was implanted in Mary’s womb (Genesis 3:17). I think that God wanted those particular words to be spoken to Mary so that she would know that this was the true and living God who was going to accomplish this miracle in her. The third “main event” was the baptism of Jesus, which marked the beginning of His public ministry. It’s recorded in all four gospels. Together with Jesus was the “voice of the Father, and the Holy Spirit descending as a Dove and resting upon Him.” Can you imagine what that scene must have looked like? The heavens opened up, causing everyone to look up into the sky. What they see is a dove descending out of heaven and they hear a booming voice say, “Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased” (Luke 3:21-22). The fourth “main event” is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, as we have already seen. His resurrection was so irrefutably true that the elders and the chief priests of the Jews gave a large sum of money to the guards and said, “you are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep’ ” (Matthew 28:11-15). In each of those major events in the Scriptures, God wanted it to be known that the God of heaven and earth is a Trinity composed of three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

II. THE FOURTH RESURRECTION: TO ETERNAL LIFE (verses 27-29a)

In verse 27, Jesus says of God the Father, “and He gave Him (Jesus) authority to exercise judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” He’s telling the Jews that He has been given the authority to judge all men, and it’s based on the claim that He is the “Son of Man”. Evangelist Billy Sunday said in one of his sermons, “There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ.” I’ll take his word for it! The Jews knew very well what Jesus was saying about Himself when He used the name “Son of Man”. The prophet Daniel used those words in Daniel 7:13-14 as he was describing visions He had.

“I kept looking at the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like the Son of Man was coming
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”

The Jews listening to Jesus’ words knew that He was again claiming to be the Messiah. If His claim was true, then He had the right and the authority to judge the world.

Having made that claim again, the Lord Jesus continues, in verses 28-29, to describe the events and judgments that are going to take place in the future by the voice of His mouth. In verse 28 He says, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice”. Notice that Jesus begins with a caution or a warning: “Do not marvel at this” as if it’s too amazing and far-fetched to be true. Think of all the amazing things God has done in the past. Jesus is speaking in the third-person, using the words “He” and “Him” instead of “I” and “Me”. He wants their focus to be on the word “Messiah” and what the prophets have declared about Him and His reign as King and Judge of all the earth.

Then Jesus does say something amazing: “all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice.” The dead can’t hear! They can when Jesus calls them! He’s going to be proving that claim very soon, only on a much smaller scale: one-at-a-time. But right now He’s talking about millions at one time. There are many today, and there have been many throughout the ages, who have chosen to believe that death is the end of one’s existence. You’ve probably heard the saying, “ALL DRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO”. That saying is sometimes found on tombstones. But the Lord Jesus tells us that death is not a dead-end street. Rather, it is a fork in the road. Jesus is going to tell us about the two roads that split-off and continue in opposite directions forever after the road of this mortal-life ends. So we do have “someplace to go” – every one of us!

I’m going to call the first road “The Narrow Road” because, sadly, there are so few who follow it. This road or path often has much more than a “one-percent grade”, but if you ask any hiker, it can be a joyful and exhilarating experience if you bring along the right equipment, wear the proper clothing, have some fellow-hikers with you, and follow the rules. You’ll even build up some “spiritual muscles” along the way! And don’t forget to enjoy the scenery along the way, and give praise and glory to the One who created it!

The first half of verse 29 gives us a brief description of where this trail leads for the devoted followers of Jesus Christ: “those who did the good deeds to the resurrection of life.” That phrase standing alone may seem to say that “good deeds” are what get us into heaven. From the context, Jesus is saying that genuine repentance and faith in Him is going to result in a changed life, and the “good deeds” are the observable evidence of that changed life. If a person is a genuine believer, it should be obvious to the world around him. This “resurrection of life” is the resurrection of Christians and saints of the Old Testament to eternal life with no more death (Revelation 21:4). I Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes the scene. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” That is a description of the next event on the prophetic calendar. It’s referred to as the Rapture and it could happen at any moment. All believers will stand before the Judgment seat of Christ, where each of our lives will be completely reviewed (2 Corinthians 5:10), and rewards will be given for faithful service. My understanding of the “judgment seat of Christ” is that it is going to be “play-back time” for each of us believers. We are each going to be watching a re-run of our lives, and you know how you hate to watch re-runs on TV! Every thought, word, action, and attitude, whether good or bad, will pass before our eyes or in our minds before any rewards are given. We’ll consider that in more detail at the conclusion of this message.

III. THE FIFTH RESURRECTION: TO ETERNAL CONDEMNATION

The fifth and final resurrection will be the resurrection to condemnation. A father and his son were reading epitaphs on some of the gravestones in a cemetery. Every description seemed to indicate that the deceased person was in a state of bliss. After a while, the boy asked, “Daddy, where are all the wicked people buried?”

The child had a point. There are many who have lived their lives in a way that is evil in the sight of God and have refused to acknowledge their sins, and commit their lives to Jesus Christ by faith. Many enjoy their immorality and even boast of it, defying God. They live as if they don’t realize that there is an occupation many perform here on earth that is also practiced in heaven – accounting! At the end of verse 29, the Lord Jesus tells His listeners, “those who committed the evil deeds to the resurrection of judgment.”

You may be wondering: “Where are all the unbelieving dead residing until the resurrection of judgment”? Their souls are not in hell. II Peter 2:4 says, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment”. The word “hell” is the Greek word tartarus, and this is the only place it is found in the New Testament. II Peter 2:9 says, “ The Lord knows how to . . . keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.” In Luke 16:23, Jesus refers to this place as “hades”, and it is a place of torment. That’s where they are residing before the resurrection to judgment.

Billions of unrepentant, unregenerate sinners from all of mankind throughout human history will be standing before the Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be condemned to the lake of fire. You can find the description of the great white throne judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. Verse 15 says, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” You have never watched a horror movie that’s worse than the description given in those verses. Matthew 25:45 and II Thessalonians 1:8-9 tell us that it is an everlasting punishment. The prophet Amos gave the people of his day a warning when he said, “Prepare to meet your God” (Amos 4:12).

Are you prepared to meet God? Please don’t put aside or put off choosing to make the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of your life. Consider the risks you are taking. You could die at any moment and the Lord could come at any moment. In either case, it will be too late to change your mind. There are no second chances and no loopholes.

Warren Wiersbe tells about a frontier town where a horse bolted and ran away with a wagon carrying a little boy. Seeing the child in danger, a young man risked his life to catch the horse and stop the wagon. The child who was saved grew up to be a lawless man, and one day he stood before a judge to be sentenced for a serious crime. The prisoner recognized the judge as the man who had saved his life, so he pled for mercy on the basis of that experience. But the words from the bench silenced his plea: “Young man, then I was your savior; today I am your judge, and I must sentence you to be hanged.”

Today, Jesus Christ wants to be your Lord and Savior if you will repent of your sins and turn your life over to His control. He gave His life in order to make that possible. Don’t put it off until you stand before Him as Judge and hear the words, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire!”

If you would like to read a presentation of the Gospel message given in the Scriptures, please click the following link provided by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assoc.: https://peacewithgod.net/steps-to-peace-with-god.

Fellow Christians, in view of the coming judgment seat of Christ that awaits us, and the great white throne judgment that’s ahead for unbelievers, what should be our attitude and our focus?

I personally believe that the judgment seat of Christ should be a source of rejoicing and encouragement among believers. The Syriac expression, “maranatha” (“our Lord comes”) was used as a greeting in the early church. When believers gathered or parted, they didn’t say “hello” or “goodbye”, but “maranatha”. It was the Christian “aloha”. If we Christians had that same upward look and perspective today, it would add to our joy and anticipation in the midst of the struggles we face each day. Let’s use the coming rapture as a means of encouraging one another. The “day is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). The judgment seat of Christ is also a reminder that, as God’s children, we are stewards of our lives, and of all that God has entrusted to us. (I Thessalonians 4:1; I Peter 4:10-11; I John 2:28; 3:3).

Brethren in Christ, don’t forget to think about and reflect upon the great white throne judgment in Revelation 20. There is a sense in which it applies to us. God is a holy God. Therefore He hates sin and pours out His wrath on guilty sinners. Look through the Old Testament. You’ll see it everywhere because His people kept turning away from Him. God hasn’t changed. He is still a holy God. To satisfy His holiness, He poured out His wrath for sin on His Son. When we repented and turned to Christ as our Lord and Savior, the judgment of God was taken away and we were declared innocent. That “turning” on our part was probably in answer to the prayers and the witness of many people.

Do you have a clear, biblical understanding of the holiness of God, the wrath of God, the great white throne judgment, and eternal condemnation in the lake of fire? If you do, it should cause you to tremble and shutter when you think of those close to you and around you who are facing eternal condemnation. They need your sincere prayers and witness. In Romans 10:1 the apostle Paul said, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they might be saved.” In II Corinthians 5:20 he says, “We beg you (implore you, plead with you) on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”. May God increase our burden to pray for the lost, and may He empower our witness as we plead with them to be reconciled to God and escape His wrath through the shed blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. May we be ready and eager to see the Lord Jesus when He comes, and our work on this earth is over. Until then, there is much work to be done for the Kingdom of God.

CONSTRUCTION SITE: COMPLETED

Welcome to this completed construction site: John 5:26-29. Thanks for visiting. Maranatha!

WOMAN AT THE WELL, PART III – Guilt, Repentance, and Worship – John 4:16-26

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INTRODUCTION:

The conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well has progressed. Jesus began by asking her for a drink, putting Himself in a position of being indebted to her for her kindness. She responds by giving Him the drink and asking Him why He would make such a request of her. Jesus uses the setting of the well to tell her about “living water”, and in the course of the conversation, she decides that she really wants this water and trusts that He is telling her the truth. Now she is ready for the next step in understanding who He is and what is her present condition in the sight of God.

I. JESUS APPEALS TO HER CONSCIENCE (verse 16)

In verse 16, Jesus says to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here”.
Why would He say such a thing to her, especially when the conversation is going along so well? It sounds like a command, but it’s actually said in the form of a request. Jesus knows her past and her present condition because He is God, and the Father has revealed those things to Him. So He wants to find out how she will respond to those words. Will she be angry or will she feel ashamed and guilty about her sinful relationships.

II. THE WOMAN’S RESPONSE (verse 17a)

She feels ashamed and guilty alright! This is her shortest response in the entire conversation: “I have no husband”. Only four words in English, and only three words in Aramaic! She is basically saying, “Here’s my answer; end of the conversation on that subject!” I believe that she lowered her eyes away from His gaze as she quietly said those words (“I have no husband”), and may have hung her head in shame as she did so.

III. FACING THE FACTS (verses 17b-18)

The Lord Jesus doesn’t change the subject, as she was hoping He would, and hinting that He should. Instead, He congratulates her for her answer by saying, “You have well said ‘I have no husband’ “. That must have brought a shocked look to her face – “He’s paying me a compliment! How did He know?” There may also have been a quick sigh of relief: “At least He doesn’t know the whole truth.” But before she could respond, Jesus reveals information about her that no stranger could possibly have known, especially a Jewish stranger. He says to her in verse 18, “For you have had five husbands and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” I believe that Jesus said those words to her courteously and gently. The words themselves revealed that this was no ordinary man who was speaking to her. We will see that the words of the prophets must have come to her mind also.

Now the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fit together. It explains why she is coming to draw water in the heat of the day instead of the cool of the early morning or the evening. She was a social outcast because of her immoral lifestyle, and the other women probably belittled her and refused to let her be part of their conversations or use the well while they were there. She must have been a very lonely and discouraged woman, encumbered by the guilt of her sins.

IV. A DIVERSIONARY TACTIC? (verses 19-20)

I found myself laughing as I considered the woman’s frame of mind when Jesus has just complimented her on her honesty, and then, zing! He tells her all the private information she left out! How do you respond to a revelation like that? Verses 19 and 20 give us her reply. “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped at this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men are to worship.” Has she been paying close attention to the way in which Jesus is directing this conversation? The reason I ask is that she just paid Him a compliment, and then directs Him to an issue that has divided Jews and Samaritans for centuries. Touche! The tables are turned!

Seriously, I think she truly believes that Jesus is a prophet. Her concept of Him is getting closer to reality. She also wants to move this conversation away from herself and her personal issues. If He truly is a prophet, He will have a definitive answer to this issue. Notice that Jesus allowed her to change the topic of conversation. In spite of her motives, this discussion is moving in the exact direction that Jesus wants it to go.

So I don’t believe that her question was primarily meant to be a side-track. There is a genuine reason for her question, and it’s based upon the words that Jesus has just spoken to her. Jesus had exposed her sins, and I think there is a genuine conviction of sin and a repentant heart on her part as a result. She may be asking, “Where should I go to present a sin offering to God as an act of repentance and worship. What I’ve been taught disagrees with what you Jews believe.” Warren Wiersbe comments, “She didn’t know who to worship, where to worship, and how to worship.” There are some historical events and teachings that need an explanation before we can understand her quandary.

The history of Samaria and the Samaritan people is complex, so I’ll try to put the meaning behind the woman’s question into a nutshell. In my previous sermon, I shared how the captives who were left in Israel intermarried with captives from other nations that the Assyrians had conquered and placed in Israel, thus losing the purity of their Jewish race and religion. In an attempt to restore their legitimacy as God’s chosen people, the Samaritans changed some Scriptures in the Law of Moses and altered some historical events. They built a temple on Mount Gerizim and said that this was the place where God wanted them to worship, rather than at the temple in Jerusalem. So the woman wants to know where she should go to present her sin offering to God, Where is the proper place to worship, and how do I do this in the traditional way?

V. TRUE WORSHIP (verses 20-26)

Once again, the Lord Jesus doesn’t give this woman the answer she wants to hear. He gives her the answer she needs to hear. To her, worship is limited to a specific place and time, and is a ritual that is performed in a certain way. But now she has come to the point where she wants to worship God and seek forgiveness for her sins. She is now ready to learn the meaning of true worship.

1. JESUS’ PROPHETIC ANSWER (verse 21)

In verse 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father.” When Jesus told her, “believe Me”, He’s saying, “since you have come to the conclusion that I am a prophet, then put your faith and trust in what I am about to tell you because it is coming from God.” He then gives her a glimpse of the near future. Very soon the present system of worship is going to be replaced. What He doesn’t share at this time is that the Levitical priesthood and the sacrificial system will no longer be needed. He’s referring to His own sacrificial death on the cross. When Jesus says, “It is finished”, the penalty for sin will be paid for once-and-for-all. At that very moment, the curtain that separates the people from the presence of God will be torn from top to bottom. He’s telling her to get ready for a new way of worship that’s not dependent upon physical locations, nor limited by format or ritual.

2. JESUS CORRECTS HER MISUNDERSTANDINGS (verse 22)

Before going on to explain what this new way of worship is all about, the Lord Jesus first corrects her misunderstandings about the Jewish faith. In verse 22 He says to her, “You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews.” That may sound like a blunt statement but that’s the way truth is – it’s uncompromising. Salvation is from the Jews – the Old Testament Scriptures bear witness to that, but it is for everyone who believes. Notice that Jesus tells her that her misconception is based on ignorance, not defiance. She has already been demonstrating her desire to know the truth, so He tells her the truth, plainly and simply.

3. REAFFIRMATION AND EXPLANATION (verse 23-24)

Obviously, there was no outburst of anger on her part as a result of what Jesus said, and she didn’t walk away because the Lord Jesus continues where He left off, without a word spoken by her in response. Jesus continues by using the words again, “An hour is coming”. In verse 23 He says: “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” The phrase “is coming and now is” sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn’t it. I think Jesus is saying that what is about to come is already beginning to happen. His disciples and a few others are beginning to worship Him as their Messiah, and this is the preview of things to come. The focus of their worship is now based on a personal relationship with the Messiah rather than the Temple services. The words of Jesus are being added to the Scriptures, and a whole new relationship to God is being expressed by His words, Jesus, the God-man, is touching the hearts of people and drawing them to Himself and to the Father in worship that comes from the heart. This is the kind of worship, and these are the kinds of worshippers that the Father desires and seeks. Now the Lord Jesus concludes this discussion about worship by giving this woman the reason for His statement and the logical conclusion. “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” There is no other way to truly worship God.

The Italian poet Dante Alighieri, deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies turned to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante defended himself by saying, “If those who accuse me had had their eyes and minds on God, they too would have failed to notice events around them, and they most certainly would not have noticed what I was doing.” We can only hope that his accusers felt remorse over their own failure to truly worship God.

I heard a short definition of worship many years ago and have never forgotten it. “Worship is all that I am, responding to all that He is.” It’s my whole being (body, mind, emotions, will, and spirit) wholeheartedly responding to all that God has revealed about Himself in His Word and in His creation.

4. AN ALTERNATE MEANING (verses 23-24 revisited)

There is a member of the Trinity that has been missing from my study of this passage of Scripture so far, and He deserves much more than just “honorable mention”. There is another interpretation of the words “spirit and truth” which, in my opinion, agrees with the rest of Scripture, fits the context of this conversation, and emphasizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Does that statement arouse your curiosity? It gets even better! Have you ever heard of a figure of speech called a hendiadys? The word literally means “one through two”. This figure of speech usually occurs when two words connected by the word “and” are capable of being restated so that the one word modifies or is subordinate to the other, and yet the resulting statement is still true and the words still have the same basic meaning. Have I lost you with that description? Let me give you a couple of examples. “This coffee is nice and hot” could be changed to “this is nice hot coffee” and still have the same meaning. In Mark 11:24 the literal Greek text says “whatever you pray and ask“, but in most English translations it reads: “whatever you ask in prayer“. Have those illustrations given you a clearer concept of what a hendiadys is? I hope so. Now let’s apply this figure of speech to the words “spirit and truth” in John 4:23-24. Jesus has told the woman that “an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth.” Let’s apply that figure of speech and see what happens. If we remove the conjunction “and”, we have “spirit truth”. That doesn’t make sense, does it? But if we insert the preposition “of” so that the second word modifies and is subordinate to the first word, we get the phrase “spirit of truth”. That is a phrase that the Lord Jesus often used when referring to the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16-17, after telling His disciples that He will answer their prayers so that the Father may be glorified, He says, “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth . . . He abides with you and will be in you.” The Lord Jesus says the same thing in John 14:26, and then adds “He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” We find the title again in 15:26 where He is again called “the Helper”. In John 16 Jesus says, “He will guide you into all truth . . . He will glorify Me.”

The Holy Spirit is the One who teaches us how to pray and provides assistance as we pray. “He intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). Praise is called “rejoicing in the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18f); confession of sins is “under the conviction of the Spirit” (John 16:8). The apostle Jude tells us to “pray in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). The Scriptures were given by the Holy Spirit, and our minds are illumined by the Holy Spirit as we study them. The list goes on. The Holy Spirit has everything to do with every aspect of worship and ministry. I encourage you to do a personal study on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.

So, whether you and I want to consider the expression “grace and truth” to be a hendiadys or not is really immaterial. The important thing to realize is that the change in worship that was about to come to pass would occur at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would indwell believers and would teach them and empower them to worship in spirit and in truth.

VI. THE WOMAN’S RESPONSE, AND WHAT PROMPTED IT (verse 25)

Returning to the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, I believe that when Jesus said, “the hour is coming” (verse 21), and then said “the hour is coming, and now is.” (verse 23), one of the most beloved passages of Scripture for both the Jews and the Samaritans came to her mind. Hardly a week would have gone by without thinking about and praying for the fulfillment of the prophesies spoken by Isaiah and written down in the Scriptures. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of peace. . . ” (Isaiah 9) In her joy and expectation, she couldn’t help but express her excitement about that coming day. John 4:25 says, “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.’ ” The Messiah would answer all her questions and correct any misunderstandings. Her response seems to indicate that she expected the Messiah to be coming soon. Little did she know how soon her words and her hopes would be fulfilled.

VII. THE REVELATION (verse 26)

Try to imagine her response when Jesus said these words: “I who speak to you am He.” You don’t get the full effect of His words until you understand what the Lord Jesus actually said to her. The literal translation of the Greek text reads: “I am is speaking to you.” He spoke to her in Aramaic, so the Lord Jesus was using the word Yahweh (Jehovah), God’s covenant name. There was no doubt that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. This was the first time that Jesus used that name in public; the first time that He publicly declared that He was the Messiah.

VIII. CONCLUSION AND APPLICATION

In the next passage of Scripture, we will be examining the woman’s response to this good news, as well as a lesson that Jesus teaches His disciples. There is an illustration that will help bring some lessons from John 4:16-26 home to us today. Have you ever been kite-flying? A boy was flying a kite one day, and the kite was so high in the air that it had disappeared into the clouds. A man came by and asked, “Why are you holding onto that string?” The boy said, “I’ve got a kite up there.” The man looked up and said, “I don’t see it.” The boy replied, “Well, I know it’s there because I can feel the tug.” Do you feel a “tug” in your life? Is the conviction of past sins, a lack of peace, purpose, and joy in life, and a fear of what happens after death tugging at your heart? It’s not your imagination nor your present state of mind that’s causing that feeling inside. The Holy Spirit wants you to worship God in spirit and in truth, and the first act of true worship is to repent of your sins, turn your life over to Jesus Christ as your only Lord and Savior, and let Him rule in your life. Then you will be a child of God. Your act of worship will be accepted in His sight and He will begin to remove those hindrances and bring new joy, peace, and purpose to your life. Then He will begin to transform you into His image as you spend time with Him in His Word and in prayer, worshiping Him with joy in your heart and serving Him wholeheartedly. Please go to my “About Page” if you would like to read how this happened in my life and the Scriptures God used to bring me to Himself.

If you are a Christian, do you feel a “tug”? The Holy Spirit wants you to know that He’s always there with you, even though you can’t see Him. He wants to keep taking you higher and higher in your fellowship with God and worship of Him. He’s calling you to come closer; to enjoy a deeper fellowship with Him. Maybe you’ve been allowing other things to occupy your time to the point where He’s being left out or limited to only certain times and places. He’s tugging because He misses that intimate fellowship with you. Don’t ignore His “tugs”. They are given in love.

As a practical application, you may want to consider going and flying a kite yourself. As you feel the kite tugging on your hand, be reminded of the One who is tugging on your heart. When you do, let out some more string and let the kite soar even higher! Then spend some time worshiping our unseen, but ever-present and all-powerful God!

May your life be filled with true worship of God. May it be the highest priority in your life. There will always be potential obstacles and hindrances along the way. May you recognize the obstacles that are presently in your way, and any further obstacles along the way. May you give up the struggle to try to remove the obstacles yourself, and your efforts to cover them up as if they don’t exist. Turn those obstacles over to the Divine Contractor for Professional removal and reconstruction.