John chapter 4. Yep, how can it be? And how can
this be in this text? When a single in on a phrase
that I've heard many times, and I got to thinking, How can this
be? Because we often, when we gather
together, we talk about God being independent of all creatures.
He's under constraints by no one. Nothing. He's independently sovereign,
independently holy. He doesn't need our hands, He
doesn't need our help. He is God. He is Jehovah God. And yet, We'll see this passage
here and expand upon it. Verse 1 of John chapter 4, When
therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus
made and baptized more disciples than John, though Jesus Himself
baptized not, but His disciples, He left Judea and departed again
into Galilee. And He, that is Christ, Must
needs go through Samaria. Must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria,
which is called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob
gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus
therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the
well, and it was about the sixth hour. We'll stop there. Our text specifically states
that Jesus Christ, and this is written by inspiration of the
Holy Ghost, must, needs, go through Samaria. That is, He was of necessity to go through Samaria, or as
the word is, binding, it's a binding thing. It was a binding thing
for Him to go that way and not another. He was constrained. Now see, that's what... We know
God is, like I said, He's independently holy. No one has any strings
on Him or control over Him. He and Christ does as He does
for the Father's glory and that which was predestinated from
before the world was. But it says in our text, in verse
4, that Christ must need, He was constrained, He was bound
to go through Samaria and not go anywhere else at this particular
point. Why? Well, we could read the
latter part of the story and see that there was one of His
elect was there at the well. And in verses 7-30, we have the
lesson of her divine salvation full of purpose and intent. So that's the first thing. He
must need to go because there was an elect sinner there that
was going to hear the words, see that she was a sinner herself,
and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's number one. I've got eleven other things. that other needs be. What are other needs be's are
found in the Scriptures concerning our blessed Lord. What are some
other constraining doctrines, constraining thoughts, binding,
as we like to think of Him, that He's full and free, and He is.
That's true, and yet so is this. So, like the song said, how can
it be? How can God be just and yet justify the ungodly? Well,
God has His way. He has His way. Secondly, another
needs be was that Christ was to be born of a virgin. Only
the Lord Jesus Christ was born by a virgin. Nobody else was.
Not Mary, not Joseph, not anybody. He was born under the law and
yet without sin. Christ must needs be born as
the Scriptures foretold of His birth. We're going to be looking
at a lot of Scriptures. Turn with me to Isaiah 7 and Isaiah 9. Isaiah 7 and verse
14. Therefore the Lord Himself shall
give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive
and bear a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel." Christ
had to be born a virgin. And verse 6, the passage that
we're probably more familiar with, For unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is given. The government shall be upon
his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Christ, secondly, must needs
be born of a virgin. Thirdly, also, Christ must needs
fulfill all Old Testament types and pictures and shadows concerning
Himself in the ultimate salvation of every one of His Church, of
His Bride. Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2, starting in verse
25. Luke chapter 2, starting in verse 25. And behold,
there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And the
same man was just and about waiting for the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him
by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen
the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into
the temple, and when the parents brought up the child Jesus, for
to do him after the custom of the law, He took Jesus up in
his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now let us now thy
servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face
of all people. He quotes Old Testament, Isaiah
42, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marveled at these things which were spoken.
And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother, behold,
this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel
and for a sign which shall be greatly wondered or shall be
spoken against. First Peter chapter one. 1 Peter 1, verses 19 and 20. But the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, who was verily
foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest
in these last times for you. Christ must needs fulfill all
Old Testament types, all Old Testament pictures and shadows
concerning Himself and the ultimate salvation of His people. Revelations
chapter 13 and verse 8. All that dwell upon the earth
shall worship Him whose names are not written in the book of
life of the Lamb, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
This whole book. This whole book. concerning Christ. So he must needs fulfill all
these things. Again, fourthly, he must need
satisfy every ordinance for and against his chosen people in
order to satisfy justice and thusly glorify God the Father. Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 verses 2, 3,
and 4. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For
what the law could not do, and that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness
of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the
flesh but after the Spirit." Romans 3. Christ must need satisfy every
ordinance for or against us. Romans 3 verses 24, 25, and 26. We've all sinned and come short
of the glory of God, but being justified freely by Christ's
grace through the redemption, God's grace, but through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth
to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through
the forbearance of God to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness
that he might be just and a justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Fifthly, Similar to this previous
point, we must have not only our sin removed, but Christ's
perfections or his righteousness imputed. Therefore, he must needs
accomplish this for us as well. In Christ Jesus, we're made the
wisdom, sanctification, righteousness of God, 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians
1, verse 30-31. Turn to Jeremiah 23. Jeremiah
23, and verse 6. In His days, Judas shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell
safely. And this is the name whereby
he shall be called the Lord our righteousness. We not only must
have sin removed as far as the east is from the west, but we
must have Christ's righteousness. I said this year, you know, this
is how I phrase it. Not only we must have the absence
of the negative, but we must have the presence of the positive.
Daniel chapter 9. Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24. Seventy weeks are determined
upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression,
and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity,
and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and
prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. And lastly, this needs
be in this fifth point, Romans 5. Romans 5 and verse 17. For if by one man's offense death
reign by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus
Christ. It's like that parable, you know,
when somebody goes into a house and he sweeps out and casts out
the devils, but that's all he does, and then when he leaves
the house, they come back and they're worse off. If it's just
sin, sin, sin, we have to have Christ's righteousness. Sixthly,
Christ must needs be a man, flesh of our flesh, One who can suffer
and will suffer as us, and yet be God. He must be really humankind. 1 John 4, verses 2 and 3, Hereby
know ye the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh, is of God. And every spirit that
confesses not that Jesus has come in the flesh is not of God.
This is the spirit of Antichrist. Where have you heard that it
should come and even now, already now, is in the world. Philippians
chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 verses
5 through 8. Let this mind Get Philippians 2, 5-8. Let this
mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, Christ
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of
a servant, flesh, and was made in the likeness of man. And being
found in the fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became
obedient unto death. Even the death of the cross.
Christ must needs. He was constrained. He was bound
up to be a man. To be a man. 1 Timothy chapter
1. 1 Timothy chapter 1. I'm sorry, 1 Timothy chapter 2. Verses 5-7, For there is one
God, one Mediator between God and men, the Man, the Man, the
Man, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified
in due time, whereunto I am ordained a preacher and apostle, I speak
the truth in Christ and lie not a teacher of the Gentiles in
the faith and verity. The Man. Didn't say the angel. Didn't say man like the man. Christ Jesus. Seventhly, Christ
must needs be one that we can lay all our hope and peace and
comfort and everlasting life upon. He must be reliable. We
must be able to lay everything upon Him. Everything. Psalms
chapter 9. Psalms 9, verse 18, Psalms 9,
verse 18, For the needy shall not always be forgotten, The expectation of the poor shall
not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. Let the heathen be judged at
Thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may
know themselves to be but men." Psalm 71 And verse 5, For thou art my
hope, O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth. We need someone who is absolutely
reliable. He must needs be this way. Because
if there's any variation in any of these, he is not a fit Redeemer. He's not a fit Savior. Psalms
119 and verse 81. Psalms 119, verse 81, My soul
fainteth for Thy salvation, but I hope in Thy Word. We faint oftentimes, because
we're flesh. We're flesh and blood. We faint
oftentimes, always. It doesn't take much. Oh, but
there's hope in His Word. There's hope in the Word of God,
and there's hope that He is the very Word. Well, let's just turn to Psalm
130, the whole chapters. It's about He being our hope
and our peace and our life, our comfort. Psalm 130, speaking
of the death and sufferings of Christ, Out of the depths have
I cried unto Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let thine
ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou,
Lord, should mark iniquity, who can stand? Who should stand?
But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord. My soul
doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the
Lord more than they that watch for the morning. I say more than
they that watch for the morning. Let Israel, let the people of
God, his chosen, his remnant, his bride, hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption,
and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. This not
only as He must needs be our hope and our stay, but He is
steadfast and He is unmovable. Eighthly, He must needs be able
to tenderly and compassionately, without fail, assist us in our
daily pilgrimage. What good is a Savior who redeems
us and then sends us out and says, you're on your own? He's
not that way. He must needs do everything for us. Philippians
chapter 2, and I know we're familiar with this passage. Philippians
chapter 2, verses 1 through 3. If there be therefore any consolation
in Christ, any comfort of love, any fellowship of the Spirit,
any vows and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like mine
in having the same love, being of one accord, one mind, and
let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem other better than themselves, if there
be therefore any consolation in Christ." He must needs be
able to tenderly and compassionately, without fail, assist us in our
daily pilgrimage. He must needs be our sustenance. Whether it's food or clothes
or things that we physically need day to day. Basically, He
must be the sustainer of our life. We have needs, we have
jobs, we have to pay rent, we have to pay taxes to Caesar.
He must needs do all these things. Psalms 146. Sometimes we overlook this. Aren't
you glad food tastes good? Why? Because of the Father's
compassion. We have clothes. We were naked
once and He clothed. He clothed Adam and Eve. They
tried to clothe themselves, which is what religion is trying to
do today. But by grace you save through faith and gnatting out
of yourselves. Any clothing that we have is going to be ripped
off. He's clothed us with the person and work of Jesus Christ.
But He also sustains us. He also sustains us. Psalms 146,
verses 5, 6, and 7. Happy is he that hath God of
Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, which
made heavens and earth, the sea, and all therein is, which keepeth
truth forever, which executes judgment for the oppressed, which
giveth food to the hungry. The Lord loosens the prisoners. He gives food to the hungry. Don't... I know we fret about
where the next meal is going to come from. And often times
when we get hungry, we think about, I'd like to eat... He'll
take care of that. He takes care of all these things. He says in another place, He
says, But my God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Do
we need food? Do we need rent? Yeah, we need
these things. He shall provide them. So even the smallest detail,
He must needs do this for us. Tenthly, He must needs send His
people the Holy Spirit to show us the Father, to show us the
Son, the way of grace, the way of mercy, and the way of salvation.
John chapter 14. John chapter 14 and verse 26,
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in My name, says Christ, He shall teach you all things
and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have
sent unto you. How? And I know we've memorized
a lot of stuff. I've still got things in my head
from high school, college, I still got music. I like music. I can remember stanzas, lyrics,
but the Word is more difficult. But, He causes us to remember
these things. Why? Because He sent us. He must
need send us the Holy Spirit. He did. Divine illumination.
We cannot find Him. He must find us. And lastly, which there's more,
I'm sure there's more. He must need supply all, our
all in all. He must be our pearl of great
price. He must be our life and everything. You don't have to
turn to him, but 2 Corinthians 13, verse 5 says, Christ in us. Christ in us. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter
4. 2 Corinthians 4, verses 6 and 7. He must needs supply. Our all in all, He must needs
be the pearl of great price to us, our life, our everything. 2 Corinthians 4, verses 6 and
7. This is what it is to be a believer.
This is the supplies that we have. We didn't help with any
of these. He did it all. 2 Corinthians
4, verses 6 and 7. For God who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and
not of us." We have this treasure because Christ saw fit to be
bound up to make it so for us. And closing, turn to Galatians
chapter 2. Galatians chapter 2 and verse
20. The believer is crucified with
Christ. Nevertheless, we live, yet not
us, but Christ lives in us And the life which we now live in
the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God who loved us
and gave himself for us. And you could say he constrained
himself to do so. God was constrained to do these
and more for his people. All these decrees, all these
purposes, all these actions were needed to redeem and keep us
unto God. Sin, says Hebrew, Christ put
away sin. Sin indeed is a hard thing to
put away. But Christ did it. He became
it. And He must do it. I say to all
those who know beyond all shadow of a doubt, He had to do this.
Because John 15 verse 5 says, without Him, we can do nothing. So, He had to become all this
in order for one sinner to be saved. And as the love of Christ
constrains us to do what we do, you could say the love for His
people constrained Christ. It made Him must needs be. to
accomplish our salvation and glorify His beloved Father. Knowing
this, may we fall down and worship Him and render under Him all
praise and all glory to His name. Bruce, would you close us?