Chapter 4, I want to talk about our Lord
going to Jacob's whale, Sikon, going down
to Sikon. 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 left his disciples. But his disciples he left Judea
and parted again into Galilee and must needs go through Samaria. And we look at these verses and
we're confronted again with the mystery of our Lord's incarnation. of His being man and God. It
says the Lord Jesus knew, He knew how the fire season heard. You know, our Lord Jesus Christ
never was a time, look over here in verse 17 and 18 with me. Our Lord knew everything about
anybody. It says here, you know that the
woman answered and said, I have no husband. When our Lord told
her, go call her husband. And he said unto her, the woman
answered, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, thou hast
well said, I have no husband. Now, how did he know this? He
said, you've had five of them. He'd been married five times.
Been married five times. And he whom thou now hast is
not thy husband. You told the truth. When you're
in Christ's presence, you're going to come home and you're
going to tell the truth. You're going to tell the truth.
So how did he know that? Well, he's God. He knows all
things. And then look here at his humanity.
We see that he's 100% man. In verse 6, now Jacob's well
was there, Jesus therefore being wearied, wearied, set thus on
the well. There's his humanity. God, he
knew everything about this woman. Everything that the Pharisees
thought, said, and done. Without having to ask anybody
anything. He didn't have to ask that person what you're thinking.
Didn't have to ask that woman, now tell me your history here.
Tell me how you come to be here. He didn't have to ask any of
those things. He knew all these things. He knew all these things. He also knew the hatred and the
rejection of the Jews over their Messiah. How they hated and rejected
our Lord Jesus Christ. Look over here in verse 9. And that's why the woman, she
said, oh listen, you Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. But oh, they hated him and rejected
him there and baptized more than disciples. But look what he said
here. He said, if you knew, Jesus said,
if you knew the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee,
thou would have asked of him. Thou would have asked of him.
They rejected the Messiah, but he had all the power and all
the authority. And even though Israel had been
highly, highly favored of God, God gave them a revelation of
himself that he gave no other people on the earth. He gave
them his word. He gave them his word. Sent them
Moses. Sent them Abraham. Sent them
Isaac. Sent them Jacob. Gave him his word. Gave him the
word. Sinned about that he had raised
up prophet after prophet after prophet to preach to the Jews. Instead of it humbling them and
then making them to fall on their face before God. You know what
it made them? Self-righteous. Self-righteous. They became so self-righteous
that they wasn't Samaritans. They weren't sinners. They kept
the law. They kept all their washings.
They kept all their ceremonies. They kept all their feasts. They
kept all their holy days. And they became so self-righteous
that one of them said, I thank you that I'm not as other men
are. I'm not as other men are. And that's what they said. And
I'll tell you one of the awfulest things that the human race has
ever done. And we are all guilty of it.
Self-righteousness is the awfulest sin that you can imagine it to
be. Here God sent his blessed son,
made him to be sin who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him. And Paul said, if righteousness
come by the law, then Christ died in vain. And to think that
your righteousness, that you had a righteousness that should
pit against the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, that
you would think yourself righteous enough and good enough and meritorious
enough, think so highly of yourself that God would have to look upon
you or anybody else because you have done something righteous
or good or acceptable to God without Christ. That would be
like a person standing in a sewer Standing in a septic tank with
his head just above it and said boy. Don't I smell good? Don't
I look good? Don't I? Don't I look wonderful? That's what you are and what
we are outside of Christ Roll around in something like
that and then jump up and say, boy, I tell you, God's going
to accept me. I smell so good. I've done so much. But I tell
you, that's what they, God gave these, this blessed word, gave
them a revelation of himself. Instead of making them fall down
and worshiping God. They became self-righteousness.
Self-righteous. And that's why, you know, that
rich young ruler came to Christ. He said, you know, what good
thing must I do to be saved? And our Lord said, well, keep
the commandments. Oh, I've done that. I've got
no problem with that. But yet thou lackest one thing.
That's all it takes, just one thing. Yet thou lackest one thing. One thing. You lack Christ. If
you lack Him, It will be the awfulest day of
your life when you read this one. And I tell you, when we
look at the Scriptures and study the Scriptures, we have to look
at each passage as a whole. And then its relation to what
comes before it. What comes before when Jesus
therefore knew? When we come to John chapter
4, what came before and what comes after when we deal with
John chapter 4? Then we go into chapter 5. And
so we need to look at each passage as it relates to what precedes
it and what follows. And we'll learn an awful lot
about it. Let me show you what I'm talking about. The contrast
between John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ. In John
chapter 3, we see a series, a whole bunch of contrasts between Nicodemus
and this woman at the well. It says over there in verse 1
of John chapter 3, there was a man of the Pharisees named
Nicodemus. They gave him his name, a man
of the Pharisees. His name was Nicodemus. And here,
you have an unnamed woman, it says, just a certain Samaritan. There cometh a woman of Samaritan.
Don't tell us her name. Just says where she's from. And
he was a man of high rank and position. He called him, our
Lord says, you're a master of Israel. That's what he was. And
here's this woman at the well. She's nobody. She's living in
adultery. She's about as low down as you
can get. Huh? And she came to draw water. Nicodemus
ain't going to draw no water. But she came to draw water. One
was a highly, highly placed and favored Jew. The other a despised
Samaritan. Nicodemus come to seek out Christ. Our Lord Jesus come and seeks
out this woman. Nicodemus came to Christ by night
and every time he's mentioned after that it says he that came
to Jesus by night. He didn't want anybody to see
him. Didn't want anybody to know that he was going to talk to
the Christ. And Nicodemus comes to Christ
by night, and our Lord Jesus Christ comes to deal with this
woman right in the middle of the day. To this self-righteous Pharisee,
you know what he said? You must be born again. You know
what he said to this woman? This Gentile? This Samaritan?
He tells her, if you knew the gift of God. He talks about grace
and gifts. Talks about doing something for
her. So let's go down through these verses and see what the
Lord has to say to us this morning. When therefore the Lord knew,
knew how the Pharisees had heard. Our Lord's public ministry is
very, very early in it. He's just really starting in
his ministries. And the Pharisees were already
starting to oppose our Lord Jesus Christ. Now this is when they
knew how the Pharisees had heard. And I'll tell you what, the Pharisees
were starting to oppose him. And you know why? Because our
Lord's teaching and preaching exposed their hypocrisy. Exposed
how wicked they were and how deceitful they were and how hypocritical
they were and they were jealous They call this a movement. They
call this a movement John was baptizing people in John chapter
3 He was baptizing people And here our Lord Jesus comes along
and He said He had Jesus made and baptized more disciples than
John, though Jesus himself baptized not but His disciples. Jesus
our Lord never baptized anybody. But His disciples were baptized
and they were coming to Him by the droves. And they were jealous. They were jealous of this new
movement. He's just the son of a carpenter. He's from Nazareth. And how in the world could this
man, this nobody, from nowhere, have such a following as this
man has? That's what they're thinking.
Look over here in John 7, verse 52 with me. Look here in John
chapter 7, verse 52. Look what he says. Oh my, this
is what they say about our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what they
said. How could he have such a following? He's just the son of a carpenter.
And then look what they said about him here in John 7, 52. They answered and said unto him,
Thou also of Galilee, search and look. For out of Galilee,
that's where Christ was from, he went back to Galilee. As there
arises no prophet, he ain't nobody. You look, go through the scriptures
and see if you can find anybody, a prophet that ever come out
of Galilee. And oh, they were upset that they were having more
disciples than John was. And when therefore the Lord knew,
He left Judea. He left Judea. Who told Him that
the Pharisees said? And who told Him what they said?
And they regarded our Lord Jesus Christ with such contempt. Such
contempt. And yet He knew. How did he know? Well, he's the Lord. Colossians 2.9 says this, that
all the fullness, all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily. When you see the Lord Jesus Christ,
and they saw him, God in all of his fullness, the God that
the heaven of heavens can't contain him. the God of glory, the one
who inhabits eternity. He came down here and all that
God is, all of His attributes, all of His power, all of His
glory, all of His might, all of His grace, all of His love,
all of His salvation, everything that God is, dwelt in the body
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that is something. And yet
they held him in such high contempt. And you know how many people
still hold him in contempt? You know how many preachers and
things hold him in contempt? I'll tell you how to show you
hold him in contempt. And people hold him in contempt.
They say he loves everybody. And that he died to save everybody.
That's contemptible doctrine. Would our Lord Jesus Christ love
everybody and then still let them go to hell? Would He die
for somebody and let them go to hell? Would He shed His blood
for somebody that He would not save? That He would not go to
get them? That's contempt for Christ. All
such contempt for Christ. To belittle Him and bring Him
down to such a level. that He's left to the power and
choice of a man, whether that man will allow Him to do anything
for Him. I'll tell you, and I'll get to
it here in a minute, but our Lord Jesus Christ is Lord of... if God dwelt in Him, and He's
called Jesus our Savior, well then is He going to actually
save somebody? Or is He just making a valiant
effort at us? He just opened a door and then
you walk through the door if you want to or if you not want
to? And I tell you, beloved, and look
what it said here. I've got to get on with this
one there in verse 1. He made and baptized more disciples
than John. And I'm going to show you something
here. He made and then baptized. Disciples are made. Who makes
disciples? Christ makes disciples. A disciple
is a follower. A disciple is a learner. Disciples
are made. Christ makes disciples. He saves
his people. And then he baptizes them. They're
baptized. You see, beloved, it wasn't the
baptizing that made them disciples. They were made disciples and
then they were baptized. And when you're made a disciple
and you're made a believer in Christ, then you're baptized.
Baptism is not going to do a thing in the world but get you wet.
without Christ. But if you know Christ and He's
made you one of His, then you ought to come up and say, listen,
I want to be identified with Him in water baptism. I want
to be identified with Him in His death, in His burial, in
His resurrection, and walk in universal life for the glory
of God. And that's what happens. He makes them and then they're
baptized. They're not baptized and then
made disciples. That's getting the cart before
the horse. They always believe and then
they're baptized. Then He left you, it said here
in verse 2 and 3, He left you dead and departed again into
Galilee. Let me tell you something, to
be jealous of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be envious of Him,
like these people were, or to be jealous in any congregation
to have rivalry to have rivalry is to drive the Lord Jesus Christ
away look over here in Luke chapter 9 with me let me show you what
I'm talking about you know our Lord Jesus Christ you find times
when he departed they ask him to depart but here in Luke chapter
Chapter 9 verse 5 look what our Lord said if men reject the testimony
of the Lord Jesus Christ He'll leave them and go someplace else
Our Lord will not cast his pearls before swine. He won't do it
He was so good And there's no sense in us casting our pearls
before swine. I I don't know how many times
that I've talked to people and they've talked to them and they
know who I am and what I believe in that. And I've had folks,
you know, I've had people tell me that I've known for years,
said, well, you know, if I go to hell, I'll have plenty of
company. And I say, no, you won't. You won't have no company at
all. You'll be there by yourself. You'll be there suffering, he
said. And then, you know, they'll say, preacher, what do you got
to say about it? I don't say anything. I'm not going to cast
my pearls for swine. I'm not going to cast my pearls
for swine. But oh my, look what he said here in Luke chapter
9 and verse 5. And whosoever will not receive
you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust
from your feet for a testimony against them. I'm going to tell
you all a true story that happened Not long after I come down here.
There's an old man named Frank Sapp. He lived to be 101 years
old. Just a few days, a couple of
days, been 101. He was an old, old man and he'd
been a preacher. Claimed to be a preacher, but
anyway, I knew him and knew him pretty well. And he raised a
great big garden, raised 13 young'uns if I'm not mistaken. I don't
know how many kids. He had a bunch of kids, didn't he? Oh my. Him
and Lillian. But anyway, these Jehovah Witnesses
came one time to visit him. You know, they'll knock on your
door. They got a little Bible in their hands, you know, a little
New World translation of the scriptures. And they get to talking
and Frank told them, believe. I want you out of here. So they
just kept on and on and on. And he had a poker. He picked up that poker and he
said, if you don't leave here, he said, I'm going to take this
poker to you. And they got up and left and
they got outside and said, we're going to shake your dust off
our feet. Now you know, you're going to
hit their feet together. We're going to shake your dust
off our feet. I won't, but they'll all shake
the dust off my feet. Don't even get out of the car
at my house. But he left Judea again. And
I'm telling you, and he won't cast his pearls before swine,
shake off the dust. And then, you know why he left
Judea and went down to Galilee? Down to where his hometown was.
He left because his hour had not yet come. It wasn't time
for him to go to the cross. And they no doubt were planning
to stop his ministry some way, somehow. But now look here in
verse 4. Look at this must and he must needs go through Samaria. I ran somewhere that's six or
eight miles out of his way from where he's going. Heading to
Galilee, he took a detour. And he must needs is necessary. needs go through Samaria. You know how Samaria started?
There was a king named Jeroboam. You can read it yourself when
you get home in 1st Kings chapter 12. 25 to 33. He became king over Israel and the kingdom
was divided. And he said if people go back
up there, they'll kill me and they'll all go back to to King
Rehoboam. Well, Jeroboam decided, well,
I'll tell you what I'll do. So they won't go back up to Jerusalem
and worship up there. He said, I'm going to make two
calves, two golden calves. And I'm going to make some priests.
And he took priests of the lowest sort and sent them over these
calves. And then he told people, he said,
one of them calves in Bethel, one of them over here at Baal.
And he said, you all don't have to go up to Jerusalem anymore.
said you know listen you can stay right here and we got priests
and they weren't no sons of Levi and you can we got these these
idols here we got our own gods we got our own places to worship
and we got our own priests And the scripture says that they
did that and he says this is a religion and something that
he devised in his own heart. And that's how Samaria come into
existence. Through false idol worship. Through a king named Jeroboam.
And this became a snare under the children of Israel. And that's
how Samaria came into existence. That's why these Jews hated Samaria.
But he must go through Samaria. And I tell you what, beloved,
you know what his enemy said about our Lord Jesus Christ?
Let me show you. John 8, 48. Look what he said
over here about it. About our Lord Jesus. About Samaritan. It came into being through false
gods, false priests, heathen priests, golden calves and people
Quit going up to Jerusalem. That's why this woman said a
Jerusalem where men say they ought to go and this mountains
where somebody else says they ought to go Our Lord says you
don't know nothing about it at all But look what he said here
in John 8 48 Then answered the Jews and said
unto him say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and That's
one of the awfulest things you can accuse a man of being a Samaritan. And has the devil? Has the devil? Oh my. And thy Lord represented himself
as a certain Samaritan. You remember the story. When
there was a man that was beaten and left by the side of the road.
by robbers. A priest came by and he went
on the other side of the road, a Levite came by and he passed
him right on by. But a certain Samaritan came
along. And he bound up his wounds, took
him, put him in an inn, and gave him the money to take care of
him. And that's the way the Lord Jesus Christ is by us. He became
like that Samaritan. The Levites go by, the priesthood
goes by, the priests go by, but our Lord Jesus Christ, we're
wounded, we're dead, we've been beaten, we've been robbed, we've
been misused, we've been amused, and sin's done that, and our
Father Adam did that, but Christ came by, picked us up, brought
us to Himself and took the responsibility of paying everything that was
necessary to our care until He comes back again. And He said,
if you owe anything else, I'll take care of that too. You know what our Lord said about
Himself? Psalm 22. He said, I'm a worm and no man Then I look again over here in
John chapter 4, he must needs go through Samaria. Why must
he go through Samaria? Why is the must there? Why must
he needs go through? Because it was decreed from all
eternity, been foreordained, predestinated, call it anything
you want. But I, Lord Jesus Christ, said,
I know my sheep. I know my sheep. I lay down my life for the sheep.
I'm the good shepherd. And now he had a sheep. It was
a lost sheep, but it was his sheep. It was a sinful sheep,
but it was his. Went as sheep, but as his. That
all my election was going to be made known to this soul. God's
electing grace. He chose her in Christ before
the world ever began. She was a chosen sinner. And
I tell you, Paul said, no, and beloved brethren, your election
of God. How do you know it? Our gospel
came to you. How did it come? Not just in
words, but God sent it in power. God sent it in the Holy Ghost.
And he brought much assurance that this is the Christ that
we believe. And I tell you what, she was
a chosen sinner. Left alone, she would have never,
ever chosen the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, t'was thy love that knew
us. Earth's foundation long before.
That same love to Jesus drew us by sweet constraining power. And will keep us safely now and
even more. That's what's going to happen.
And then it says here must needs be. It was given to Christ. It was put in the heart of Christ.
Put in the will of Christ. Our Lord Jesus is put in Him
by God Himself to save you. You may yet be in your sins. You may be fleeing from Christ. But in His time, He's going to
catch you. He's going to overtake you. You
may kick against the pricks. You may contend against Him.
But He will overtake you. And He will conquer you. And
He'll make you willing in the day of His power. And I'll tell you something,
He's on His way right now. He's on His way right now. And
when He gets you, you're going to be the happiest fellow there
ever was when He lays hold on you. Ain't that right? You're going to be so happy,
you'll never be so happy to be under somebody else's rule, under
somebody else's authority. You'll never be so thankful that
your sins are gone, that you've been washed in the blood of Christ,
that God, you find out that God loved you and chose you and then
come to apply the salvation that he determined before to be done.
That's why we don't have altercals. That's why we don't beg and plead
with people to come up here and accept Jesus. I can't do anything
for you. Coming to the front can't do
anything for you. Raising your hand can't do anything
for you. When Christmas needs go through,
you'll be so happy you'll be like this woman at the well.
She's throwing her water pot away. She said, come see a man. Then in verse 5 and 6, Then cometh
it to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the
parcel of ground that Jacob gave his son. Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being weary
with his journey, set thus on the well, and it's about the
sixth hour. Jacob's well, that well had been
in existence since Jacob, 1,500, 1,600 years before this, for our Lord
came. And look what it said, how the
humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. When he said he would in all
ways be made like unto his brethren, subject to the weakness of a
body. And then it says, Jesus being
wearied. Jesus being wearied. I know everybody
in this building know what it's like to be weary. Just to be
so weary. Just to want to sit down. Oh
my, I've got to sit down. I'm so tired, I'm so wearied,
I'm so... I'm just so... I'm just worn
out, I've got to sit down. And that's what it said. Jesus being wearied, being wearied
with his journey. He's on a journey. He's going to save this woman.
He's the gift of God. He's the living water. And yet,
being weary. Being weary. Set. Set down. This is the reality of our Lord's
humanity. Perfect man. Sinless man. Yet he ate. He drank. He labored. He slept, he prayed,
and this is one of the greatest mysteries to me is the times
that he wept. Our Lord Jesus Christ became
so heavy hearted at times that tears would fall down out of
his holy, that right down his holy cheeks. Cry. I can see me crying and I've
got lots of reason to weep. You have lots of reasons to weep. But for Him to weep. Oh. Oh my. And I tell you what, He
felt sorrow. He felt joy. But side by side
with His humanity, we see that He as God is omniscient. He knew
the history of this woman. Go call your husband. I don't have one. I don't have one. Oh, you told
the truth. You've had five. But the one you're with right
now, that's not your husband. You think this is something new,
something common for people to live together without being married?
This happened in the scripture. And here they was. And all being
weary, He sent us on this well. It was an earthly well. He was
the heavenly well. This well here gave water that would only quench your thirst
for a time. His water and His water that
He give would quench your thirst for all time. You'd never thirst
after any other salvation or any other person than the Lord
Jesus Christ. He quits your thirst about your
sin. You ain't got it anymore. Quits your thirst about seeking
righteousness. He's your righteousness. Quits your thirst about trying
to make peace with God. He is our peace. Oh, He quits
your thirst. And this water from Jacob's well
was gotten by human effort. People had to drop a bucket down
in there and pull it back up. But our Lord Jesus Christ as
the water of life, it was given and given freely. You didn't
have to no human effort to get it. Only his, only his. And it says now Jacob's well
was there. Jacob's well was there. This
well was purchased by Jacob. And the field and all that was
in it, he bought this field. He bought the field and the well
that was in it. That's why it's called the well of Sychar. That
word Sychar means purchased. Sychar means purchased, bought,
paid for. This well was afterward when
the Amalekites and Amorites tried to come and take the well. He
had to keep it with a sword and a bow. And this fortune purchased
by Jacob, look what it says now. And Jacob knew this parcel of
ground that Jacob gave to his son. Jacob bought it and paid
for it. It had a will on it. And he had
to take it with a sword and a bow. But it was given to Joseph. Ah, given to Joseph. Now I'll
tell you, this well, Jacob's well, and the land that it was
on became part of Joseph's birthright. And it said about Jacob, Joseph
said he had a portion above his brethren. This well and this
parcel of ground should have been given to his firstborn,
Reuben. But you know why Reuben didn't
give it? Because he fell into a grievous, grievous sin. It
was given to Joseph. And the thing about Joseph, the
Joseph says 72 types of our Lord Jesus Christ. No sin is ever
mentioned about Joseph in the scriptures. Is that not right?
No sin. And Edward, you know, he became
ruler over Egypt. He was the one who dispensed
the bread. He was the one everybody had
to go to. He was the one who controlled everything down there.
Well, our Joseph, our Lord Jesus Christ, we lost everything in
that first man, Adam. But our Lord Jesus, our Joseph,
He takes the inheritance, He takes the loss, and He gives
it back to us. Our Joseph gives us inheritance. And I tell you the inheritance
that we lost through our first father, Adam. Psalm 69 verse
4 says this, that he, Christ, restored that which he took not
away. What did our Christ, our Lord
Jesus take away? Sin? What else did he take away? Death? What else did he take away? Our
disobedience? Our rebellion? How did he do
it? He must needs go through Samaria. And I tell you what, He restored.
Righteousness, life, obedience, acceptance. He restored it. And this well was purchased. Christ purchased us. This well is possessed. Christ
sat on this well. And this well was enjoyed. Oh,
don't we enjoy our well? Don't we enjoy our Lord Jesus
Christ? Huh? He said, if you knew of the gift
of God, you would have asked of Him. Oh, I know it. I ask of Him. Don't you still
ask of Him? Oh, ask of Him. Who else are
we going to go to? We ask of Him. Lord, give, give,
give. If you do the gift of God, you
would ask of Him and He would give. He would give. He gives. That's all He does. He gives.
You know how much is in His hands to give? This world and all that's
in it belongs to Him. Give, give. He got such an open
hand. He got such, both hands is open.
Give, give, give. Our Father, in the precious blessed
name of your Son, our Lord Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, thank
you for your gospel. Thank you for your precious word.
Thank you for meeting with us today. Thank you for bringing
glory to yourself, and I pray you do. Oh, Lord, bring glory
to yourself. Bless this word to the heart,
the mind, the understanding. It's in your hands, and I know
you'll do with it what seemeth good in your sight. We're subject
to you. And Lord, we love it so. We love
it to be so. To be subject to you. Subject
to your will. Subject to your word. Subject
to your power. Oh God, we are so thankful for
what you've done. One day you must need to go where
we were. Blessed be your name. Amen, amen. Amazing grace, how
sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. Once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see Twas grace that taught my heart to
fear. And grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear. The hour I first Through many dangers, foes, and
snares I have already come. And grace will lead me home when
we've been there. Oh Lord, bless your name. Amen. Amen. See you tonight, six o'clock,
God willing.