John Lesson 12

Introduction

Very pleasant good day and welcome to Let the Bible Speak. We’re studying in John chapter 4, and we’re continuing from our last session where we were in the first twenty-six or seven verses of John chapter four. And we left off there where Jesus was talking to the woman at the well, the Samaritan woman who met him at Jacob’s well, and talking about worship. What is involved in true worship. There are many today who need to come to the statement and understand what Jesus said about what is involved in true worship. John 4 24, Jesus said, God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. It does matter to God what we do and how we do it. It is not enough just to simply come to a place, a building, a church building, and say we worship God.

In fact, Jesus said that the place is not what is so important, but rather that we worship him in spirit, and that means with a right attitude, that from the heart there is sincerity of purpose, and that we involve ourselves in worship as we pray, as we sing, even as we contribute unto him and to his cause, as we partake of the Lord’s Supper. All of these are involved in worshiping God, and they are the means by which we pay homage or obeisance unto God. But they must spring from the heart. It is also important what we do outwardly. Worship is more than just an inward feeling, although it must come from the heart. Jesus said worship must be in spirit and in truth. That simply means to worship God according to what he has said, in the way that he has said it.

It does matter whether or not we worship according to his commandments. In fact, in Matthew chapter 15, in verses 7 through 9, Jesus said, There are many who honor him with their lips. They talk of how they love him, and they draw nigh with their mouth. They say that they are God’s servants, but in vain do they worship me. Why, Lord? You read Matthew 15 and verse 9, you’ll see that he says, Some worship him in vain, because they teach for doctrines the commandments of men. It is not enough to worship God like we want to worship him, or what sounds good to us. But do we worship him according to thus saith the Lord? Can you find it in the Bible? What you do and why you do it?

It is important. But as Jesus continued talking to this woman at the well, he said to her in John 4 25, I know, or the woman said unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he has come, he will tell us all things. Now she knew that there was to be the Messiah, the anointed one, the anointed one of God, that he should come. Jesus very boldly said unto her in verse 26, I that speak unto thee am He. Was Jesus a liar, or was he telling the truth? He boldly claimed to be that Christ. And if we’re going to accept Jesus, then we will say that he is God in the flesh, that he is the Son of God, that He came from heaven.

He is more than just a good man. It’s interesting to note the reaction of this woman of Samaria. While she was not a Jew, yet she understood what Jesus boldly claimed. And if she did not accept what he claimed, she would have accused him of being an imposter or a liar. How did she react? Well, I hope you’ll have a Bible, and that you’ll open with me tonight to the reading in John chapter four, and we’re going to see the reaction of the woman and what she also told to others about this man Jesus with whom she was talking. We’re glad to have you studying with us. Let the Bible speak as a program that is brought to you free of charge. We do not ask for your contributions, but simply that you get an open Bible, and that you study with us verse by verse from the gospel of John.

1. The Woman’s Reaction: Is Not This the Christ?

In John chapter 4, in verse 27, the scripture says, Upon this came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with a woman. Yet no man said, What seekest thou? Or why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her water pot and went her way into the city and said to the men, Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city and came unto him. Now you may recall in our earlier study from John chapter 4, that even the woman back in verse 9 was surprised that Jesus talked to him. Because as she said, the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. You may remember that we observed that the Samaritans were a mixed race.

That goes back to the time when the northern ten tribes of Israel had been taken into captivity, and the Assyrian king had brought in Gentiles and settled them into the same area. And they had intermarried with a few Jews that were left behind, and consequently, over a period of some seven hundred years or so, there had been a mixed breed or a mixed race that had developed, known as the Samaritans. When those pure bred Jews returned from their captivity, Babylonian captivity, then they settled in the regions north of Samaria called Galilee and south of Samaria called Judea. But they had no dealings with the people of Samaria. But Jesus had stopped to talk with this woman, and she was surprised, and now the scripture says that even his disciples were surprised that Jesus was speaking to the woman.

But her reaction, what is that? Scripture said she went into the city. And she said, Indeed, is not this the Christ? Come see this man. Now she must have had a convincing story. She must have believed that he is the Messiah. For if we look over at verse 39, the scripture says, Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of a woman which testified, He told me all that ever I did. May remember Jesus had told her back in verses about 16 through 19, that she had been married to five husbands, and now the one that she’s living with was not her husband. To that she marveled. Indeed, he must be a prophet. And then later, when he claimed to be the Christ, the Messiah, she was convinced.

2. Put First Things First: Do the Will of the Father

That’s her reaction. She did not accuse him of being a liar. She did not react that he was an imposter, but she was convinced he must be of God. In fact, he must be the Christ. And she went and got the men of Sychar, this city of the region of Samaria, and they also came and believed. But before we carry on with the story about the reaction of the men of Samaria, there’s a little story told us here about verses 31 through 38 of Jesus talking to his disciples. In the meanwhile, his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, hath any man brought him aught to eat?

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. Now when we were first introduced to this occasion where Jesus was talking with a woman at the well, he was by himself because the disciples had gone into the city to get something to eat. And even now, as they come back and they find Jesus talking with this woman, they’re a bit surprised, but but as she leaves to go into the city, now they say, Well, Master, eat. Here’s something. We brought you something to eat. And Jesus replies to them in a way that they don’t understand. He said, I have meat to eat that you don’t know. They were thinking in terms of literal physical food.

Jesus was speaking about the spiritual. He’d seized upon the occasion to teach them a spiritual lesson. What Jesus really has left us an example of is the fact that there are some things that are more important than the physical. He’s teaching us a lesson. Put first things first. The work of the Christ was to do the will of the Father. That’s verse 34. To do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. And there is nothing more important than that. Oh, I wish disciples today could learn the lesson Jesus is here teaching his disciples of the first century. He said in Matthew 6 and verse 33, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, but all these things shall be added unto you.

But how often are there people today who say they love the Lord and believe in him, but they find all kind of excuses to put off doing the Lord’s work? They never find the right occasion to come to worship. And in fact, when there are disciples assembling for worship, many, it seems, find excuses not to come. They seem to be so busy with things here and now.

3. Fields White Already to Harvest: Sowing and Reaping

And many forsake the assembling of saints. Jesus said, Put the first things first. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. Is your meat or is is your goal and purpose in life to put God first? It should be. But now he also taught them a lesson about sowing and reaping. Verse thirty thirty-five through thirty nine through thirty-eight. Jesus said, Say not, ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest. Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, one soweth and another reapeth.

I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor, other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors. Now, as far as a point in time of their year, Jesus could say, Four months from now there will be harvest. Now looking at the physical harvest, he said there are some of you who would say yet four months and will be able to reap. But seizing upon the physical, Jesus teaches a lesson about the spiritual sowing and reaping. In fact, he says, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields. They are already white on the harvest. Now is the time to do the work of the Lord. It’s not four months off. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t put off and say, Yeah, later on we’re we’re going to do the work of the Lord.

Later on, four months from now, we’ll be busy about the Lord’s work. Now is the time to do the Lord’s work. Indeed, Matthew chapter nine, verses thirty seven and thirty-eight. Jesus said, The harvest is plenteous, and the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. Oh, how needed it is that men today have the word of the Lord burning in their hearts, and they will tell others about it. Not saying, Well, now next week or later on at some other time more convenient, then I’ll start trying to teach men about the gospel. But today, the fields are white. Today the harvest is plenteous. There’s an urgency about telling of the Christ. That’s what Jesus is teaching his disciples.

And then, furthermore, he’s saying, There are some that sow and there are some that reap. But both rejoice together. It’s not all that important who it is that does the baptizing or who it is that actually does the final converting. There is a sowing and a reaping. And Jesus said, Some of you disciples are you’re going to reap where others have sown. I’m reminded of the passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, where the apostle Paul said in verses 5 through about verse 9, while one saith, who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man. I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are laborers together with God. Yeah God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. Doesn’t matter how many people a man may have baptized or how many people you may have taught. The important thing is that souls are saved. And whether one does the harvest of the reaping and another does the harvesting, the important thing is that both can rejoice together in the teaching of the gospel. Paul said, I planted. Apollos watered, but who really gave the increase? It was God. So Jesus taught them a lesson from the physical about the spiritual. And we need to learn the same lessons even today. But now the story goes back to the Samaritans in verse 39.

4. Indeed the Christ, the Savior of the World

The woman has gone into the city of Sychar, and she’s told them about the Messiah. She said, the scripture says, many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman which testified, he told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would carry with them, and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his word, and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Such a short statement about a marvelous occasion. I’m really curious sometimes to want to know what more may have occurred or what more Jesus may have said.

In the Gospel of John, by inspiration, he simply outlines the detail here that Jesus went to Samaria. They wanted him to stay longer. He stayed two days there, and he taught them things. At first they were persuaded by the very the woman’s testimony. But now they said, We’ve heard for ourselves. Remember, the Samaritans have no dealings with Jews. The Jews look down on them. But the Samaritans here at the city of Sikar are willing to listen to this Jew, and now they are persuaded he must be the Messiah. They believe for themselves. There’s enough evidence Jesus gives to them that they willingly accept.

How sad it is that some people have closed minds and closed ears and hearts. Sometimes, when the truth is so readily available for us, when it is easy to at hand, when it’s easy to learn, as it is really in this country, there are many who take for granted their opportunities. And they postpone it or they close their minds. They will not accept what is near to them to receive, and easy for them to accept. Really, the Jews themselves rejected the Christ when they had every opportunity to know him to be the Christ. But the Samaritans, they remind me of the city that described in Acts 17, verse 11, about the Bereans being more noble than those of Thessalonica, and that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and search the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

5. Except Ye See Signs and Wonders: The Purpose for Miracles

What is your reaction to the teaching of Christ? Are you willing to accept him? Don’t let it be too commonplace, the Bible. And don’t just take for granted the precious privileges that you and I share today. Hunger and thirst after righteousness, and receive the word with a readiness of mind, and search for yourselves. What saith the Scripture? The Samaritans believed. And notice verse 42, what they said. They know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. He is the Savior of the world. Is that how you’ve received him? Now in verses 43 through the end of the chapter, is recorded the second miracle that Jesus did in Galilee. I’ve heard some say this was the second miracle Jesus ever did, but that isn’t true.

The last verse of chapter 4 says this is again the second miracle that Jesus did when he was come out of Judea into Galilee. But you remember back in John chapter 2 and in verses 1 through 11, we had the first miracle Jesus did. That was when he turned the water to wine. But then after that, the scripture says in verse 23 that Jesus went to Jerusalem at Passover, and many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. So he did many miracles. Between the time of working the turning the water to wine and of healing the nobleman’s son. There were other miracles Jesus worked. But all the other ones were worked in Judea. This one is the second one in Galilee.

The first one when he turned the water to wine. And now this one told for us in John chapter 4, verses 43 through 54. It’s also interesting to note, as we’ve said this earlier in our study of John, that by inspiration, the apostle has selected only seven different miracles. It’s a book that has selected miracles. And when we look at the different ones he selected, there’s a different feature about each one. They’re not duplications of the power of Christ. We’re not told all the signs Jesus did, but we’re told different ones. He turned the water to wine and he made the very best wine. He had power over quality. In this miracle, there is power over distance, for he’s healing the man who is a whole day’s journey away from him.

That makes us think of the statement in John chapter 20, and we’ve we’ve said earlier, this is the key to understanding the gospel of John. Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. He was not limited to one kind of miracle, but rather he did many different kinds of miracles. And they all serve accumulative to prove that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. That’s the effect of this one. Look at the statement that’s made. Beginning in verse 46. Well, let’s read verse 43, I believe I haven’t read them yet.

So in verse 43 through 45, it says now after two days, he departed thence and went into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet hath no honor in his own country. Perhaps went right on past Nazareth because they weren’t going to accept him as readily as the people of Cana. In fact, these Galileans had not only seen the miracle of turning water to wine, they went to Jerusalem at the Passover, and verse 45 said, Then when he was coming to Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast. For they also went unto the feast. So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, verse 46, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.

When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him and besought him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. Now, verse 46 describes the man as a nobleman. We don’t know his name. We simply know his position. He was probably an officer in the service of Herod Antipas, the king of the Jews. And the scripture says that he was from Capernaum, that his son was sick even to the point of death. In Capernaum. Now Capernaum from Cana of Galilee was about twenty miles. To us, that may not seem very far, but without modern automobiles and highways, as in the days of Jesus, they didn’t have these things.

A twenty mile distance was about a day’s journey. And so the nobleman asked Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son. Jesus’ response to that request is this, verse forty eight. Except ye see signs and wonders, you will not believe. Now that may seem like a rather hard statement of Jesus. What’s he really saying to the man? It seems that he’s really telling the man the purpose for miracles. Now the man’s asking to come heal his son. There are those who today seem to think that miracles are for a purpose of just physical healing. There’s a great deal of talk today about miracles being worked and a lot of excitement when there’s some physical reaction seen. But Jesus is more than just a super doctor.

In fact, he was not just trying to be a super doctor going about healing physical illnesses. He was not just some sort of magician who could do wonders that nobody else could do. There was a purpose behind the miracles. And if they failed to see the purpose for healing, then indeed they failed to understand who Jesus really is. The signs and the wonders were for the purpose that ye might believe. Wouldn’t they not believe without them? In Acts chapter 2 and verse 23, we’re told that the purpose for miracles. The scripture says that the Father bore witness for the miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him. They testify that Jesus is the Son of uh is the Son of God. And really, as we see through the book of John, the different miracles that John has selected, it proves that he is the Christ, the Son of God.

That’s the purpose for the miracles. Now, this Father, this nobleman, may have wanted him to come for healing purposes. Jesus healed the Son, but he did it for the purposes that men might believe that he is the Christ. The effect was belief. Today, the Bible kind of miracles are not being worked. Now, there are some today who may have indeed divine healing, and they may find in their lives that God is still working. But the Bible kind of miracles that such as we’re reading here, and as we’ve read in John chapter 2, are not being worked. Have you ever known someone to turn water into wine? It cannot be done by man today. Have you known someone to raise one from the dead? It is not done today.

Or as in Acts chapter 13, taking a man and causing him to be blinded. I’ve never heard of one to try to blind the blasphemy, but Paul did that to Elamus in Acts 13. Bible kind of miracles are not being worked today. And the reason is that the purpose for which they were originally worked has been fulfilled. We do not need miracles today to prove Jesus to be the Christ. We do not need the signs and the wonders. As John 20 and verse 30 said, These are written that ye might believe. We have the word of God given to us to testify he is the Christ, the Son of God. Do we need any more miracles to prove who Jesus is? Surely not. We have the record of that.

Furthermore, miracles were worked by the disciples of Jesus after the church was established for the purpose of revelation. There was a need to have this book revealed, and that was done by a miracle. The Bible is the miracle of God. But I tell you, any man today who comes along with a different message than what we already have written, he’s a false teacher. That’s what Paul said in Galatians 1, 6 through 8. There’s no need for a miracle of revelation today, is there? Anybody who says he’s been revealed something other than this book, you can write him off as being a false teacher. We must not add to it nor subtract from it. So there’s no need for a miracle of revelation today. Those miracles have ceased.

And there’s no need for a miracle of confirmation. Now there is also a need that the word be confirmed in the first century. How would you know if a man is really speaking truth, since you didn’t have the New Testament to turn and test him by, like we do today? You can test me and take your Bible and see whether I’m preaching truth or not. You read for yourself. That’s why we call the program, let the Bible speak. Test what I say. Test what every preacher says. But there was no need. There was no way to test the man in the first century except by the miracles he worked. They were God’s testimony that these were men of God. But look at first Corinthians 13, verses 8 through 10.

It says, Love or charity never faileth, but whether there be prophecies, that’s miracle of revelation, they shall fail. Whether there be tongues, that’s tongues, languages, not just gibberish, but languages, he says, They shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, that’s inspired knowledge, it shall vanish away. The gift of this kind of revelation shall be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When the Bible was fully revealed and fully confirmed, there was no longer a need for the Bible kind of miracles. Today there are the examples of divine healing. I pray to God, and I believe God heals today. But you know the great difference between the day kind of divine healing and the Bible kind of miracles?

6. Go Thy Way, Thy Son Liveth

We’ll see it right here in this text. It has to do with the time factor. In fact, the scripture here talks about this man. After Jesus said that to him in verse 49, the nobleman said unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy Son liveth, and himself believed, and his whole house.

This is again the second miracle that Jesus did when he was come out of Judea into Galilee. Now notice first of all, when was the Son healed? Instantaneously immediately when Jesus said it was so that kind of healing doesn’t take place today. Today by divine healing there is providence, but it’s through the laws of nature over a period of time. A man may be made well but the law of nature is obeyed. Secondly the kind of miracle the Bible was done so that no one can deny even the enemies in Acts chapter 4 and verse 16 said we cannot deny that indeed a notable miracle had been worked. You can question some of those that are claimed today. If there is indeed God working in our lives let it be like the first century kind of miracle.

Conclusion

They testify who Jesus is they testify that God was involved and it was done instantly and no one could deny it. What a wonderful text the Father believed the son was healed. It didn’t take the son’s faith but the father’s faith made him well do you believe Jesus to be the Christ will you accept him as God’s only begotten Son and obey him. We bid you study with us again as we continue next time in John chapter five until then we bid you a very pleasant good day