If you would and you wanna follow
along, go ahead and turn with me to John chapter four. John chapter four. For now I'm gonna read one verse. Verse 10. John chapter four, verse 10. Jesus answered and said unto
her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith
to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and
he would have given thee living water. We're kind of close to the Christmas
season, so I guess this will be my Christmas message. When it comes to this time of
year, you might hear some people asking the question, what is
the reason for the season? I know some say the reason for
the season is Jesus. But what I see around me with
everything that goes on during this time of year, the reason
for the season is all about one thing, gifts or presents. You have Black Friday, Cyber
Monday, and others. Jesus Christ is not just for
a season. Jesus Christ is the way, the
truth, and the life. It's not necessarily wrong to
give gifts or get gifts. Don't misunderstand me. I do
like this time of year, because it usually means I get one or
two days off on the 24th and 25th, and then I get New Year's
Day and New Year's Eve off on the next week. So I'm all for
this time of year. But it's also a good time to
get together with family and friends, as well as we have all
this time that we get off. So I'm not against this time
of year. But the reason for the season for most people is not
Jesus Christ. I know this because for most,
just as it is for Easter, it's the only time of the year most
people even think about who they think God is. But the sad thing
is they want to relegate the Lord of Glory to a plastic doll
in a fake manger. They do not know the Lord of
Glory that is Jesus Christ the Lord because if they did, they
would say he is the reason for everything and not just a season. I mean, just think the matchless
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and they have this little doll
baby to represent him. He's not a little baby anymore.
He's a man with hands and feet, with nails in his hands, nails
in his feet, at the right hand of God. He lives and he is a
man. Jesus Christ is in the heavens and it is he that does whatsoever
he hath pleased. He is the almighty sovereign
God. But in this passage, Christ is
talking about a gift. and that's what I want to talk
about today, the gift and the gifts of God. What is God's gift? What are God's gifts? Man's gifts
and a sinner coming to know God's gift. So what then is the gift of God?
God gives many gifts, that is certain, but what gifts is it
that Christ was speaking of in our text? In short, the gift
is Jesus Christ himself, Christ in us, the hope of glory. But
in Romans 6 in verse 23 we read, the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We in and of ourselves as we are born in Adam do not even
know Christ, so we do not even ask him of living water. We're
not even seeking after God, the scripture says. He has to, just
as he did for this woman, reveal himself to us. This gift of himself
is life everlasting. What does scripture say? I was
found of them that sought me not. Without this gift, we will
continue to thirst. Nothing will ever satisfy us.
But notice he goes on to say that this gift will be a well
of water in him, that is, whosoever is given this gift, it will spring
up into everlasting life. But this gift will be in him
springing up. It is not a gift that men by
nature seek after. It is not a gift that men by
nature know. This gift is free to us, meaning
there is nothing we have to do to get this gift. In fact, if
we try or think we can to get this gift on our own, we will
never be satisfied. You are still drinking from the
wrong well. Turn with me, if you would, to Romans 5. Romans
5. Romans 5, and I want to read
verses 15 through 18. But not as the offense, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one, many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift
by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto
many. And not as it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment was by one to
condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man's offense death
reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus
Christ. Therefore, as by the offense
of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so
by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men
unto justification of life. So we read several things as
I see it here. I see us being given the gift
of justification. I see us here being given the
gift of righteousness. I see here us being given the
gift of life before God. Jesus Christ took our many offenses,
and he was nailed on that tree, dying in our stead, taking away
those offenses, giving us the gift of justification, righteousness,
and life in him. This free gift, it says in Romans,
is a gift of life. That life being justification
before God. This life is in Jesus Christ
our Lord. Jesus Christ, the scripture says,
is our life. He is not a way of life. He is
life itself. The only life there is. Scripture
also says that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
I've already mentioned that. And no man will come unto God
but by him. If God gives us this gift, then
we have it and we will never lose it. It is everlasting life
springing up in us. Romans 11 29 says, for the gifts
and calling of God are without repentance. God's not going to
change his mind about this. What he does is perfect and right.
He will not change his mind about it. The question is, do I have
it? Has God been pleased to give
it to me or to you? Matthew 7 and verse 11 reads
this way. If ye then, being evil, know
how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall
your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that
ask him? He is talking about the Holy
Spirit of God in this passage, which he sends to give you life.
I know this because the same account is in Luke, and he says
it this way. In Luke 11, verse 13. If ye then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
them that ask him? Until Christ reveals himself
to you, you will not ask him for this gift. In fact, he must
give you this gift first before you will ever begin to seek him.
What does this say, though, to them that ask him? Do you wonder
if God has given you this gift? Have you asked him? If you have
a problem with asking for God to give you this gift or any
gift, then you do not have this well in you springing up into
everlasting life. I cannot say you will never have
it, but it is evident that you don't have it if you are not
willing to beg God for this gift. Once this gift is given you,
you will not ever stop wanting this gift. You will not be able
to get the thoughts of Jesus Christ out of your head. even
if you try. If you're ever able to stop thinking
about it, stop thinking about God's people or anything of the
kingdom of God, then it may be you never had this gift to begin
with. Now turn with me to Hebrews chapter six, if you would. Hebrews
chapter six. In verses four through six. For it is impossible for those
who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the
good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they
shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance, seeing
they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him
to an open shame. Now this says that if you've
ever tasted of God's gift and you do fall away, that there
is no way you will ever be recovered. This is the same thing as striking
the rock twice. That is what it is saying in
Hebrews 6 verses four through six. Following after Jesus Christ
for the believer is the only thing they know to do. There
is no one else they follow because of this gift given to them. It
will not be a burden to follow Jesus Christ. That is not the
same thing as saying it will not be hard. You will want to
follow him, but your flesh will fight you every step of the way.
This world will fight you every step of the way. But every time
you hear the gospel of his dear son, it will be a refreshing
drink of water. He will always supply this. This
is why we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
We need to hear the gospel. It is how we are fed. It is how
we drink the blood of Jesus Christ. I know a lot of people have depression.
Even God's people can have this. And I'm not making fun of depression
because it is real. But if God ever took away the
gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified for me, I think I would
sink into the deepest, darkest depression that you could have. Hearing the faith of Jesus Christ
is what that new man who has been given faith lives on. It
is our life. But there are other gifts that
God gives his people. He knows our frame, and we know
as we have already read, how much more shall the Father which
is in heaven give good things to them that ask him. If you
are in Christ, he will give you whatever gifts you need. Not
more than you need, not less than you need. Whatever he gives
will be enough. We have previously talked about
some of the other gifts that God gives his people in some
of my other messages. But just quickly to go through
some of them. What are God's gifts? James 1.17 reads this
way. Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above. and cometh down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Again,
any gift he gives, it will be yours, and it will benefit you
to your good. If he has given it, then it is
given because it is needed. If he does not give it, then
you do not need it. We know he gives gifts to the
church. First Corinthians 12 and 28 reads,
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, government, diversities of tongues. We know
he gives those in the church his body for the edification
of the church. We need one another because God
said we need one another. We might not think so at times,
but if God has given them to the church, then we need them.
Not all have been given the same measure of God's gift, but God
knows what he's doing and will give the right measure. It will
be enough. He fits his body together just
as it ought to be. Ephesians 4 7 says but unto every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ Now if you would turn with me to one more passage first
Peter 4 first Peter 4 First Peter 4 and I want to read
verses 8 through 11 And above all things, have fervent
charity among yourselves. For charity shall cover the multitude
of sins. Use hospitality one to another
without grudging. As every man hath received the
gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards
of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak
as the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him
do it as of the ability which God giveth. That God in all things
may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and
dominion forever and ever. Amen. We are to look after one another. It is for our good, those gifts
that he gives to each and every one of his people. The gifts
given of God, as it says here in 1 Peter 4, is to the glory
of God through Jesus Christ. The gifts God gives are given
specifically so that we can praise God, so that we can worship God. It is all to his glory because
if he does not give the gifts, there would be no praise or worship. Man's gifts. Man does give gifts. We see it all around us. We even
give gifts one to another. But no matter how good of a gift
you give, if it is not energized by love, and I'm talking about
the love of God, that fruit of the spirit which is given us
as a gift of God, if we do anything without love, it is nothing. Even if we had faith enough to
remove mountains, it is nothing without love. First Corinthians
13 and two and three reads this way. And though I have the gift
of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains
and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and
have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. There is no profit
to anything I do if I do not love, if I do not have the love
of God in me. Not even if I give up everything
I have to make sure some people have something to eat. If I gave
my body to be burned for whatever reason, if it be to save someone
else, or if it be to, in so-called, in the name of Jesus so-called. If you do not have love, it is
nothing. It is of no value and it is not
of God. It goes on to say that what that
kind of love looks like, and that is the love of God I'm talking
about. I'm not talking about L-U-V. But it tells us what God's
love consists of. First Corinthians 13 verses four
through seven reads this way. Charity suffereth long and is
kind. Charity envieth not. Charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. The measure of this gift in me
seems to be so very small at times. But it is this, the flesh
is so opposed to God that it will fight against these things
all the time. This flesh or man, as he is born
in Adam, use their gifts, they use them to devise their own
ways, thinking they are somehow going to fool God. We see this
in how scribes and Pharisees transgress God's law by their
changing it to their own traditions, setting up what they do as gifts
to be accepted. Matthew 15 and five reads, and
this is Christ speaking here. He says, but ye say, whosoever
shall say to his father or his mother, it is a gift by whatsoever
thou mightest be profited of me. Here is man and his gifts. We
always, by nature, expect something in return for our gifts. We,
in some way, think we are going to sneak something past God and
get in. God knows all. Those who do this
are deceived, and they try to deceive others. Man thinks too
highly of his gifts. Thinking we should be commended
for them when it is just that God deserves to be bowed down
to and served. But their God is their belly.
Even believers who do love God and serve God, but it is by his
power and his gift. It is our duty to do. We are
yet but unprofitable servants. And it is our reasonable service
to do these things. Now, back to our passage here,
a sinner coming to know God's gift. The first thing we read
in this account is that Jesus did not just happen to go where
this woman was going to be. It wasn't, you know, just circumstance. It was not a chance meeting.
It says in verse four that he must needs go through Samaria. He, for one, had a woman he was
going to meet up with and talk to. but he also had others that
would come to him after this meeting with her. Our Lord engages
her first. As she said to our Lord, it was
not customary for the Jews to speak to Samaritans, but the
Lord knoweth them that are his and will make sure he engages
those who are his so that they hear his voice. He then begins
to tell her who he is. Christ will let those who are
his know it is that he that has the power to give life. He tells
her this in verse 10 in our text. Jesus answered and said unto
her, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith
to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and
he would have given thee living water. He lets her know that
what she does with her own hands will not satisfy anything. Man
cannot give himself spiritual drink. That must come from the
Lord, in verse 13. Jesus answered and said unto
her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. This
water that he gives, Christ says, is not that which we go and retrieve,
but it is that fountain placed in us, that which we will spring
up into everlasting life, spring up in us into everlasting life.
There is a thirst, and if you have this thirst, it is Jesus
Christ that both gives you that thirst and also the one that
quenches that thirst, verse 14. But whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that
I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing
up into everlasting life. But then there is one more thing
that when coming to know Jesus Christ, he will force you to
do. He forces us to admit what we are in verse 16. Jesus saith
unto her, go call thy husband, and come hither. Being confronted by Jesus Christ,
you will then willingly confess those things which you know are
crime against the sovereign holy God. This is what was said in
the previous chapter in John 3. Man as he is born in nature
will not come to Jesus Christ because he hates the light. Jesus
Christ is the light, but fallen man will not come to Christ because
he does not want to be exposed for what he really is. Those
who have been given the gift of God will come to the light
because they love the light and it manifests that their deeds
of doing truth are wrought in God. That is, it is God that
has worked out all their salvation. From purposing it, choosing it,
working it out on that tree, interceding for those that are
His, giving those for whom He died spiritual life when it pleases
Him, and sending them the gospel and giving them the increase
by the gospel. These are all the works and gift
of God. Once Jesus Christ does this,
we want to go tell everybody that we can. We will let everyone
know that He told me everything that I ever did. because he is
God and we cannot hide anything from him, in verse 29. Come, see a man which told me
all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? Jesus Christ will reveal himself
to you fully, verse 26. Jesus saith unto her, let me
read verse 25 first. The woman saith unto him, I know
that Messiah's cometh, which is called Christ. When he is
come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that
speak unto thee, am. He will tell you that it is he
that is the Messiah spoken of in scripture. This he did to
this woman personally, standing right there with her. For us
now, he does this by his spirit through the gospel. Once he does
this, we want to tell everybody about him. Why is it that we should be thankful
to God? Because it is he that has done
all things. Had God not done anything, there
would be no hope for you and I. We would have no standing
before God. We would be guilty before him
without any hope of recovering ourselves. But God is to be thanked. He purposed all things to show
mercy to some. If you need no mercy, then I'm
not talking to you. I'm talking to those who are
thirsty. I'm talking about that kind of thirst where your mouth
puckers up with dryness. It hurts to even swallow your
mouth is so dry, so to speak. This is that kind of thirst I'm
talking about spiritually. These who have that kind of thirst
have no problem wanting that everlasting living water from
God. They will drink it gladly and
with thanksgiving. It will make them want to cry
out like Paul in 2 Corinthians 9.15. Thanks be unto God for
his unspeakable gift. It is holy of God's gift and
gifts that we are able to love God, serve God, and believe God. Ephesians 2 and verse 8 says
for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves
It is the gift of God That is the grace the salvation the faith
are all the gift of God Help us to be thankful to God every
day for his gift and gifts Not just one or two times out of
the year Help us to be thankful for one another, and to help
one another, to pray for one another. God has put his body
together as it seemeth good in his sight, and given the gifts
needed to help us on our way. We have received the gift of
justification before God. That means through Christ and
in Christ, we are innocent. That is, we are right before
God. That's what we read in Romans
5. We have been given the gift of righteousness before God.
This means we are right in the sight of God. It is not that
we are found not guilty before God. We are right in God's eyes
through, by, and in Jesus Christ the Lord. It was by his blood
that we have been justified before God. His work secured that for
us. He then by giving us grace in
time let us know about it. God has always loved us and seen
us in Jesus Christ. But God in time places us in
Christ. Then we can know and commune
with God. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
gift. Mason, would you lead us in prayer,
please?