WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.179
 We're in John 4, verses 26 to 45. John 4. So if you've got a black church Bible, that's page 889.

00:00:10.980 --> 00:00:17.820
 While I was on holiday last week, I read a biography of an American minister from the last century called Jack Miller.

00:00:18.500 --> 00:00:23.460
 Jack Miller, some of you might know him. He actually preached here a number of times in the 80s and 90s.

00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:27.820
 He was related to someone in our presbytery. Jack Miller was a great character.

00:00:27.820 --> 00:00:36.079
 The title of the biography is Cheer Up. Cheer Up Jack Miller. It was one of the things that he used to say.

00:00:36.939 --> 00:00:42.880
 Cheer up, you're far worse than you think you are, but God's grace is greater than you realize.

00:00:43.700 --> 00:00:50.219
 And one of the things Jack Miller talks constantly about in that, well, they talk about him, is that he was the chief confessor.

00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:55.840
 That as the minister, as one of the elders, he was the chief repenter in the congregation.

00:00:55.840 --> 00:00:58.600
 And so I thought I'd try it this morning.

00:01:00.180 --> 00:01:02.620
 I am a grump.

00:01:05.300 --> 00:01:08.219
 You might not think that. You might think, well, he's got a very jovial personality.

00:01:08.980 --> 00:01:12.120
 But my default is grumpiness.

00:01:13.240 --> 00:01:18.980
 And that's why John 4 is just such a wonderful chapter, particularly for me, but I hope to you also.

00:01:18.980 --> 00:01:23.040
 Because it's one of the happiest chapters in all of the Bible.

00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:25.740
 It began as a detour.

00:01:26.060 --> 00:01:30.100
 Jesus and his disciples, they go through Samaria, but it finishes up with a mini revival.

00:01:31.140 --> 00:01:37.719
 These Samaritans, lots of them saying, Jesus is the savior of the world.

00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:43.319
 And it comes through the testimony of a dubious woman with a checkered past.

00:01:45.099 --> 00:01:49.019
 And verse 27 is the result of Jesus' interaction with her.

00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:57.500
 And what we find is that living water is now bubbling up in her life, and it overflows into the lives of many.

00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:03.379
 And so we follow the progress of the gospel amongst the Samaritans.

00:02:04.459 --> 00:02:10.639
 And at the center of this passage, Jesus opens up to the disciples what is going on.

00:02:11.060 --> 00:02:17.000
 And he says, look, see, behold.

00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:25.080
 And all the categories are categories of joy and satisfaction and gratification and nourishment.

00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:31.860
 It's a chapter that's about joy and happiness and overflow of eternal life.

00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:37.840
 It's about a new moment in history of sowing and harvesting and reaping.

00:02:38.099 --> 00:02:39.740
 And what is at the bottom of all this happiness?

00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:43.900
 Where does this spiritual enjoyment come from?

00:02:43.900 --> 00:02:50.460
 And that's really helpful if you are someone who is tempted by spiritual grumpiness.

00:02:52.219 --> 00:02:59.219
 There is a temptation, it's particular to Presbyterians, I think, of a creeping crankiness.

00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:03.659
 It happens, doesn't it, to Christians after a few years.

00:03:03.980 --> 00:03:12.360
 You've left all the spontaneous joy behind the rubbish you sing in youth camps, those 70s choruses.

00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:14.740
 But now we've grown up.

00:03:15.620 --> 00:03:20.600
 Now we've settled into the grim grind of discipleship.

00:03:22.140 --> 00:03:24.060
 And of course, none of you are tempted by that.

00:03:25.100 --> 00:03:30.080
 But I want to give you three refreshing spiritual realities that are found in this passage.

00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:32.800
 The first is gospel joy.

00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:34.720
 Gospel just means good news.

00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:37.319
 The second is gospel hunger.

00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:39.439
 And the third is gospel sight.

00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:40.560
 So let's take each three.

00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:41.419
 Gospel joy.

00:03:43.180 --> 00:03:44.020
 The tone.

00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:45.960
 It's important, I think, if you look at that.

00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:48.340
 The tone is one of happiness.

00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:51.079
 Overwhelming joy.

00:03:52.539 --> 00:03:55.039
 We can see it, can't we, in the excitement of the Samaritan woman.

00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:56.560
 Look at verses 27 to 30.

00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:01.960
 The disciples come back to Jesus.

00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:02.960
 They'd left him alone.

00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:05.680
 He was at the well.

00:04:05.780 --> 00:04:06.979
 He's tired and hungry.

00:04:07.180 --> 00:04:08.240
 He's on a long walk.

00:04:08.420 --> 00:04:11.420
 And they've gone off to town to get some refreshments.

00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:19.939
 And there's a Samaritan woman who's come out in midday, in the midday heat, to gather and get water.

00:04:20.139 --> 00:04:22.579
 Which is completely the wrong time to get water.

00:04:22.579 --> 00:04:28.159
 You don't need to do that if you were trying to avoid all contact with people.

00:04:29.620 --> 00:04:32.039
 And Jesus breaks all the customs of the day.

00:04:32.479 --> 00:04:33.859
 And he speaks with her.

00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:37.259
 And he simply asks her for a drink, doesn't he?

00:04:38.500 --> 00:04:44.199
 And from that point on in the conversation, it is the woman who takes the initiative.

00:04:45.979 --> 00:04:47.500
 Jesus is just answering.

00:04:48.779 --> 00:04:50.219
 And it's wonderful to watch it.

00:04:50.539 --> 00:04:51.979
 And you see the way it works.

00:04:51.980 --> 00:04:54.100
 Jesus asks a question.

00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:57.240
 And then Jesus answers her questions.

00:04:57.640 --> 00:04:58.360
 And they are stunning.

00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:02.259
 He moves her at a pace.

00:05:02.819 --> 00:05:07.360
 He takes her deeper each time until she reveals, doesn't he?

00:05:07.500 --> 00:05:08.220
 Can you see it?

00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:12.000
 She says he is the Christ.

00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:15.560
 She calls him the Christ.

00:05:18.100 --> 00:05:19.259
 What's the situation?

00:05:19.259 --> 00:05:21.539
 The disciples return to the well.

00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:23.379
 They find Jesus talking to the woman.

00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:24.599
 And they cannot believe it.

00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:26.439
 So verse 28.

00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:27.939
 The woman leaves her water jar.

00:05:28.259 --> 00:05:29.500
 She goes back into town.

00:05:30.019 --> 00:05:31.360
 And she says to the people.

00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:35.879
 She says, come and see a man who told me everything I ever did.

00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:38.480
 Can this be the Christ?

00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:39.480
 The Lord's anointed one.

00:05:39.539 --> 00:05:40.740
 The Messiah we've been expecting.

00:05:40.740 --> 00:05:44.240
 And the people, they go out of the town.

00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.579
 And they come longingly to him.

00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:52.180
 There's something disarmingly honest and natural about this woman.

00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:56.720
 She goes in the heat of the day to get water.

00:05:56.819 --> 00:05:57.819
 She leaves the water bottle.

00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:02.980
 Because she has discovered, doesn't she, something infinitely more wonderful.

00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:06.000
 And she races back to tell everyone what's happened.

00:06:07.500 --> 00:06:09.800
 She came out with a jug to draw water.

00:06:10.300 --> 00:06:17.000
 But she returns to the town with the water of eternal life welling up and overflowing in her heart.

00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:26.699
 As soon as she gets an inkling that this Jesus of Nazareth is God's Messiah, she drinks the living water.

00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:32.279
 And as soon as she begins to drink the living water, she becomes a fountain of living water.

00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:34.500
 For other people as well.

00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:36.319
 She doesn't even think about it.

00:06:36.339 --> 00:06:37.620
 It just overflows from her.

00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:41.720
 One of the best commentators on John says this.

00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:47.480
 It is the nature of faith that we want to bring others to share eternal life with us.

00:06:48.700 --> 00:06:56.240
 When we become partakers of it, the knowledge of God cannot lie buried and inactive in our hearts and not be made known.

00:06:58.380 --> 00:07:04.020
 And so this woman, she's got amazing eagerness and enthusiasm to go to the town.

00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:06.940
 And she wants the people to go out and meet Jesus.

00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:15.600
 She doesn't stop for a moment to think this is an enormous, massive, uphill battle that my witness is going to face.

00:07:18.019 --> 00:07:24.060
 I mean, if she stopped for a moment, she'd realize there's going to be a terrible reception, isn't there, to her witness.

00:07:26.279 --> 00:07:27.360
 She says, hey everyone.

00:07:28.680 --> 00:07:30.680
 I met a man at the well.

00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:34.360
 And they are going to say, not again.

00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:40.980
 And she says, he told me everything I ever did.

00:07:41.100 --> 00:07:43.759
 And they say, everyone knows what you've done.

00:07:45.400 --> 00:07:47.120
 And she says, no, no, no.

00:07:47.379 --> 00:07:49.139
 He might be the Messiah.

00:07:50.460 --> 00:07:51.980
 And they say, yeah, yeah, yeah, right.

00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:53.480
 The Messiah appears to you.

00:07:53.480 --> 00:08:01.400
 But in verse 30, it tells us that what she said worked.

00:08:02.860 --> 00:08:05.520
 And the people continually scream out to Jesus.

00:08:06.680 --> 00:08:07.720
 Now, how does she do it?

00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:13.480
 What is the key that makes her message so successful?

00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:17.879
 I mean, if you look at her message, you will not find it in any training manual.

00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:19.319
 It is all a bit mixed up.

00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:23.120
 It begins with a massive exaggeration.

00:08:23.219 --> 00:08:27.019
 It says, come see a man who told me everything I ever did.

00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:30.079
 It's not right.

00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.059
 Could this be the Messiah?

00:08:35.779 --> 00:08:39.019
 Literally, it's maybe, maybe not.

00:08:39.019 --> 00:08:43.879
 This woman needs, doesn't she, to do a term in adult Sunday school.

00:08:44.659 --> 00:08:46.980
 She needs to go on evangelism training with Rico Tice.

00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:50.620
 She knows her reputation.

00:08:54.199 --> 00:08:57.939
 But what I want you to see, what is incredible to me, and I hope to you,

00:08:58.019 --> 00:09:02.519
 is that instead of hiding her reputation, she leads with that.

00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:11.360
 She'd been so ashamed that she wanted to go to the well at a time when no one else was there.

00:09:13.179 --> 00:09:17.340
 She was so ashamed of her reputation, but now she leads with that.

00:09:19.699 --> 00:09:22.960
 She doesn't care anymore about her reputation.

00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:29.579
 So long as people go out to Jesus, she's been gripped by the grace and the kindness of the Lord Jesus.

00:09:29.580 --> 00:09:40.480
 And at the same time, Jesus knows the very depths of what she's done and how she's lived and how she's deceived.

00:09:42.520 --> 00:09:44.040
 And he keeps talking with her.

00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:48.460
 And he offers to her this life.

00:09:50.580 --> 00:09:52.520
 He doesn't say, you're too far gone.

00:09:53.940 --> 00:09:56.759
 He doesn't say, this isn't for your type of person.

00:09:56.759 --> 00:10:00.419
 He accepts her.

00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:01.860
 He honors her.

00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:03.159
 He welcomes her.

00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:06.919
 And those things grab her heart and change her.

00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:14.080
 And that grip of grace gives her this lovely, joyful freedom.

00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:21.539
 And the only possible explanation is that she is no longer gripped by the fear of exposure.

00:10:23.059 --> 00:10:23.840
 Are you gripped by that?

00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:23.840


00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:28.980
 All her past mistakes with men.

00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:31.960
 All her fear.

00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:38.279
 All her drinking from the wrong places that's been kept hidden in the dark.

00:10:38.340 --> 00:10:39.539
 It doesn't enslave her anymore.

00:10:39.539 --> 00:10:44.419
 Because she's now drunk from the well of living water.

00:10:44.699 --> 00:10:46.299
 And it starts to spill over.

00:10:49.819 --> 00:10:52.679
 It's something you see, isn't it, when someone becomes a Christian.

00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:59.019
 It's something I wish I would see more often in my own life.

00:11:01.379 --> 00:11:06.519
 There's something really beautiful, something liberating about this change.

00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:16.399
 And so, in this moment, she moves from living a lie and trying to conceal her sin and her foolishness.

00:11:17.019 --> 00:11:21.600
 And keeping it in the dark to being perfectly free and open.

00:11:23.079 --> 00:11:24.360
 And living in the daylight.

00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:30.519
 She's playing a very different game, isn't it, than the one she came to the well with.

00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:36.220
 And suddenly she says, everyone in town needs to hear this.

00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:45.980
 And she goes into the town and she treats everyone as if they're exactly the same as she is.

00:11:45.980 --> 00:11:50.379
 There's no one above me, no one beneath me.

00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:52.960
 There's no class anymore, no social divide.

00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:54.779
 Everyone needs to hear this.

00:11:58.539 --> 00:12:02.680
 She thinks, she feels, I think, instinctively that there's a new center in her life.

00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:04.340
 There's a new resource that she has.

00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:07.180
 And she's speaking out of simple and profound joy.

00:12:09.180 --> 00:12:12.100
 And she is a wonderful example to us, I think.

00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:16.460
 She does what all of us should do.

00:12:19.860 --> 00:12:25.639
 And so, for many of us, isn't it, for many of us, we think we cannot bring our sin to the light.

00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:29.519
 We cannot bring it into the open.

00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:30.980
 And we keep it in.

00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:32.680
 It's like this with children, isn't it?

00:12:32.680 --> 00:12:33.500
 Let me speak to the children.

00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:34.440
 Look up for a minute, children.

00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:36.840
 And so, when you've done something.

00:12:38.580 --> 00:12:42.060
 And you are in a bad mood about it.

00:12:42.100 --> 00:12:43.659
 And you're in a grump about it.

00:12:45.500 --> 00:12:48.019
 And mum and dad say, you can tell us.

00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:49.500
 You can tell us about it.

00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:52.120
 And what do you think?

00:12:52.180 --> 00:12:52.920
 You think, don't you?

00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:53.759
 You think, I can't.

00:12:53.779 --> 00:12:54.300
 I can't do it.

00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:54.899
 I can't do it.

00:12:54.980 --> 00:12:55.779
 Does that make it better?

00:12:55.980 --> 00:12:56.620
 It doesn't, does it?

00:12:58.840 --> 00:13:01.759
 And when you bring it out into the light, what is there?

00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:03.500
 There is forgiveness, isn't there?

00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:07.600
 There's forgiveness from mum and dad.

00:13:08.860 --> 00:13:12.340
 And there's forgiveness from the Lord Jesus as we bring things into the light.

00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:13.720
 And then what happens?

00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:14.720
 There is liberation.

00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:15.899
 There is freedom.

00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:17.580
 And children, do you know what?

00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:18.840
 It's not just you.

00:13:19.139 --> 00:13:20.200
 Grown-ups are like this too.

00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:24.379
 We hide our sin and we want to control it.

00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:30.659
 And the answer is to know that Jesus knows it.

00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:34.419
 And to accept that and to bring it into the light.

00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:38.740
 Nothing has changed in this woman's outward circumstances.

00:13:38.740 --> 00:13:44.180
 She's still got this trail of guys.

00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:45.960
 She's shacked up with someone else.

00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:47.560
 Nothing has changed about that.

00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:50.240
 And yet she's an example to us.

00:13:50.259 --> 00:13:51.019
 She speaks.

00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:55.759
 She speaks about Jesus and what Jesus has done in her life.

00:13:57.740 --> 00:14:01.779
 And I think if there is a cure for spiritual crankiness and misery,

00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:09.539
 it is returning to the grace and being gripped by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:14:12.939 --> 00:14:16.879
 And so I can say to you this morning on the authority of the word of God,

00:14:17.220 --> 00:14:19.639
 Jesus knows you in your depths.

00:14:22.959 --> 00:14:24.220
 But he welcomes you.

00:14:25.899 --> 00:14:30.179
 And he loves you and he embraces you and he will share his life with you.

00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:32.339
 And he's not.

00:14:32.439 --> 00:14:35.299
 She doesn't stand on her own self-righteousness.

00:14:35.459 --> 00:14:36.480
 She does the opposite.

00:14:36.699 --> 00:14:38.559
 She stands on Christ's word.

00:14:41.419 --> 00:14:43.519
 And as we gather Sunday by Sunday,

00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:44.740
 as we speak to people about the gospel,

00:14:44.839 --> 00:14:47.279
 we're not testifying to our own self-righteousness.

00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:53.179
 There's nothing technique or self-conscious about this witness.

00:14:55.799 --> 00:14:57.579
 Christian witness is not telling people,

00:14:57.839 --> 00:14:59.500
 get your act together for goodness sake.

00:14:59.500 --> 00:15:03.200
 It is not pointing to your self-righteousness.

00:15:03.299 --> 00:15:05.940
 It is being freed from that and it is pointing to the Lord Jesus,

00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.740
 who is the source of living water.

00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:12.539
 And that's the source of gospel joy.

00:15:16.059 --> 00:15:17.539
 The second thing is gospel hunger.

00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:22.299
 The disciples are scandalized when they come back.

00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:24.620
 They're shocked Jesus is talking to a woman.

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:27.240
 The culture was a sexist culture.

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:29.679
 The culture was a racist culture.

00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:32.799
 Religiously divided.

00:15:34.860 --> 00:15:35.980
 But they very wisely,

00:15:36.060 --> 00:15:37.399
 it's one of the only times in the gospel,

00:15:37.539 --> 00:15:38.940
 the disciples hold their tongues.

00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:40.320
 They don't say anything.

00:15:40.419 --> 00:15:41.940
 It's a very wise course of action.

00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:46.240
 If you find something in Jesus you're scandalized by,

00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:49.820
 if you find something in the Bible that you don't agree with,

00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:52.240
 and we'll come to this in chapter 14, for example,

00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:53.320
 when Jesus says,

00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.139
 no one comes to God except through me,

00:15:56.440 --> 00:15:58.620
 there is no one who comes to God except through me,

00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:00.840
 he slices every religion out of the pie,

00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:05.060
 it's a very good idea to keep listening,

00:16:05.180 --> 00:16:06.159
 because when we listen,

00:16:06.259 --> 00:16:08.519
 it means that God is about to reveal something to us.

00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:11.620
 And that's what happened.

00:16:11.680 --> 00:16:13.539
 The disciples, the followers of Jesus here,

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.500
 they've got no time for this scarlet Samaritan woman.

00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:21.500
 They are totally focused on food.

00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:22.980
 Verse 31.

00:16:24.580 --> 00:16:25.820
 They badger him.

00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:26.940
 Come on, eat something.

00:16:29.340 --> 00:16:31.000
 We've gone to all this trouble

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:33.759
 to buy food for you.

00:16:34.820 --> 00:16:36.399
 Now we finally got rid of her.

00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:37.259
 Sit down.

00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:38.039
 You're starving.

00:16:38.139 --> 00:16:38.659
 I'm starving.

00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:39.299
 Let's eat.

00:16:41.340 --> 00:16:43.240
 In verse 32, Jesus says,

00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.980
 I've got food you know nothing about.

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:48.980
 And in verse 33,

00:16:49.899 --> 00:16:51.080
 you've got to love the disciples.

00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:53.340
 Has he had a packed lunch?

00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.100
 What's he been doing?

00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:57.920
 They go, what are you on about?

00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:01.080
 And then in verse 34,

00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:01.879
 Jesus says this,

00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:05.360
 my food is to do the will of him

00:17:05.360 --> 00:17:06.599
 who sent me and to accomplish his work.

00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:11.420
 Now, think about this.

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.779
 Don't you find this amazing?

00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:17.000
 Think that Jesus refuses physical food

00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:18.859
 when he's so hungry.

00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:22.399
 I can't refuse food when I'm not hungry.

00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.920
 But this conversation,

00:17:25.399 --> 00:17:27.240
 it's so pressed on him.

00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.299
 He is so absorbed by this conversation

00:17:29.299 --> 00:17:31.259
 that he cannot even think about physical food.

00:17:31.259 --> 00:17:35.779
 Jesus finds what he's doing spiritually

00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:36.720
 so nourishing,

00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:37.480
 so strengthening,

00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:40.339
 it's more important to him than eating.

00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:44.019
 He's put so much energy and focus

00:17:44.019 --> 00:17:45.579
 into leading this woman to the water.

00:17:45.660 --> 00:17:46.960
 He doesn't really care about his own

00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:47.980
 physical thirst or hunger.

00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:49.859
 He's not anti-food at all.

00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.259
 He loves food.

00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:54.379
 We see that in the Gospels.

00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:57.740
 But he's saying there's something more important.

00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:58.900
 There's something more nourishing.

00:17:59.060 --> 00:18:01.260
 There's something more satisfying to him.

00:18:01.520 --> 00:18:03.200
 That man shall not live by bread alone,

00:18:03.300 --> 00:18:04.700
 but every word that proceeds

00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:05.540
 from the mouth of God.

00:18:07.560 --> 00:18:08.560
 And what is more nourishing

00:18:08.560 --> 00:18:09.600
 and more satisfying to him

00:18:09.600 --> 00:18:10.500
 is doing the work,

00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:11.820
 doing the will of the Father

00:18:11.820 --> 00:18:13.360
 and finishing the work.

00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:15.800
 Finishing his work,

00:18:15.900 --> 00:18:17.480
 which I think is a reference to the cross.

00:18:18.300 --> 00:18:19.520
 It's the same word

00:18:19.520 --> 00:18:21.420
 that he cries out on the cross,

00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:22.240
 it is finished.

00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:28.400
 The context is,

00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:29.740
 this woman has been brought,

00:18:29.819 --> 00:18:30.099
 as indeed,

00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:31.920
 to a saving knowledge of the truth.

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:34.539
 And in doing it,

00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:36.720
 Jesus is completely in line

00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:38.019
 with the will of God.

00:18:38.259 --> 00:18:39.420
 The God we saw last week

00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:42.099
 seeks those who worship him

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:43.359
 in spirit and in truth.

00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:47.400
 And nothing brings Jesus

00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:50.339
 more soul satisfaction than that.

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.880
 Nothing feeds his heart more than this.

00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:58.420
 We had a really encouraging prayer meeting

00:18:58.420 --> 00:18:59.500
 on Wednesday night.

00:18:59.620 --> 00:19:01.059
 And Ruben led the first little party.

00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:01.759
 He said one thing

00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:03.279
 which really has struck with me since then.

00:19:03.339 --> 00:19:03.640
 He says,

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.920
 Jesus loves to hear your voice.

00:19:06.180 --> 00:19:07.039
 It's beautiful, isn't it?

00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:12.400
 Nothing feeds Jesus' heart

00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.299
 more than this.

00:19:13.299 --> 00:19:17.919
 And I think the idea is here,

00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:18.980
 actually this woman,

00:19:20.399 --> 00:19:23.079
 whose life is total car crash,

00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:25.039
 has begun to enjoy this same food.

00:19:25.159 --> 00:19:26.700
 It's the heartbeat of all those

00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:29.139
 who are gripped by God's grace.

00:19:30.399 --> 00:19:32.579
 It is the source of sustenance

00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:34.159
 to do the will of God.

00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:36.519
 In the Old Testament,

00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:37.119
 David said,

00:19:37.259 --> 00:19:38.200
 your law, oh Lord,

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:39.419
 is sweeter than honey.

00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:42.640
 The psalmist says to you and I,

00:19:42.840 --> 00:19:45.240
 taste and see that the Lord is good.

00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:47.120
 The Lord is better than your Sunday lunch.

00:19:49.300 --> 00:19:51.019
 And Jesus takes us deeper, doesn't he?

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:52.580
 He's not just talking about the will of God,

00:19:52.620 --> 00:19:53.620
 he's talking about doing it.

00:19:53.800 --> 00:19:54.220
 And he says,

00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:55.160
 there's nothing like it.

00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:57.560
 I cannot live without it.

00:19:57.620 --> 00:19:59.100
 He is so concerned for people

00:19:59.100 --> 00:20:00.200
 to have living water.

00:20:00.580 --> 00:20:02.140
 It's his highest pleasure.

00:20:03.080 --> 00:20:04.039
 It's gospel hunger.

00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:07.859
 And thirdly, there's gospel sight.

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:12.039
 At the heart of this passage,

00:20:12.220 --> 00:20:13.099
 I'd missed this

00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:14.519
 until later on in the week,

00:20:15.159 --> 00:20:16.480
 there are three commands.

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.759
 I don't know whether you spotted them.

00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.180
 They all have to do with sight.

00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:20.839
 Look at verses 35 and 36.

00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:27.700
 Look what it says there.

00:20:30.339 --> 00:20:30.899
 It says,

00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:32.299
 look, I tell you.

00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:36.000
 Lift up your eyes and see.

00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:39.259
 Three commands.

00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:40.779
 Jesus says the same thing three times.

00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:45.419
 Look, lift up your eyes, see.

00:20:47.399 --> 00:20:49.879
 And Jesus wants to raise our expectations.

00:20:51.639 --> 00:20:54.279
 And he wants to raise our eyes,

00:20:54.419 --> 00:20:56.960
 not just to the urgent needs of friends and family,

00:20:57.059 --> 00:20:58.559
 but to the power of God's word.

00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:01.899
 And the immediacy of God's word,

00:21:02.119 --> 00:21:04.319
 that God can make a change in you and I

00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:05.460
 from darkness to light,

00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:06.799
 from thirst to living water,

00:21:06.859 --> 00:21:07.579
 in an instant.

00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:12.099
 And this is a unique insight

00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:13.339
 into the heart and mind of Jesus.

00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:14.240
 What he's saying,

00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:15.799
 he's saying,

00:21:15.919 --> 00:21:16.599
 look around you.

00:21:16.700 --> 00:21:18.059
 What is going on, disciples?

00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:22.700
 The Samaritans are pouring over the hill to him.

00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:24.399
 And the disciples say,

00:21:24.539 --> 00:21:25.579
 let's eat, let's eat, let's eat,

00:21:25.659 --> 00:21:26.279
 food, food, food.

00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:27.559
 And Jesus says,

00:21:27.619 --> 00:21:27.919
 no, no, no.

00:21:28.139 --> 00:21:29.419
 See the Samaritans.

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:32.799
 What you're seeing is fruit for eternal life.

00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:39.059
 He's saying that the sowing and the reaping

00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:41.279
 are coming together at the same time.

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:44.159
 In other words,

00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:46.000
 the time between sowing and reaping

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:47.399
 has been collapsed.

00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:50.259
 So the usual way is you sow in the spring

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:52.720
 and there's a gap from when you sow

00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.480
 to when you harvest.

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:58.279
 But as Jesus sees the Samaritans coming to him,

00:21:58.680 --> 00:21:59.159
 Jesus says,

00:21:59.160 --> 00:22:00.900
 the word of God is so powerful,

00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:04.620
 it doesn't need months for it to work immediately.

00:22:06.620 --> 00:22:08.060
 Now, why is this important?

00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:11.920
 This is important because if you go in your Bible,

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.840
 Amos chapter 9 for a moment,

00:22:14.140 --> 00:22:14.960
 you can go there if you want,

00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:15.960
 if you don't want to, I'll read it.

00:22:16.560 --> 00:22:19.259
 But it's a fairly unknown section in Amos chapter 9.

00:22:19.320 --> 00:22:21.140
 The prophet speaks the word of God there.

00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:23.779
 And he tells us about the day,

00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:25.519
 the time when the Messiah comes.

00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:28.120
 And in verse 13 of Amos chapter 9,

00:22:28.120 --> 00:22:28.500
 he says,

00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:30.079
 Behold, the days are coming,

00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:31.660
 declares the Lord,

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:34.279
 when the plowman will overtake the reaper

00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:38.259
 and the treader of grapes who sows the seed,

00:22:38.700 --> 00:22:40.759
 the mountains of the hill shall drip with sweet wine.

00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:43.480
 And all the hills will flow with it.

00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:46.700
 And I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel.

00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:48.519
 So here is the promise of God

00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:50.140
 that in the day of the Messiah,

00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:54.759
 sowing, harvesting, making the best wine

00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:55.740
 will all come together.

00:22:55.740 --> 00:23:01.380
 It's not that the normal processes have been sped up.

00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:04.380
 It's that there's something about the seed of God's word

00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:06.740
 that is so powerful

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:09.680
 that it all happens.

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:11.859
 And we don't control it.

00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:15.400
 So the sower takes the seed

00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:16.920
 and before he puts it in the ground,

00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:19.220
 there's a bottle of red wine in his hand.

00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:22.480
 Do you see the picture?

00:23:22.600 --> 00:23:25.120
 It's a picture again of overflowing life.

00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:27.640
 It's a picture of blessing.

00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:28.980
 It's a picture for you and I

00:23:28.980 --> 00:23:31.079
 of the gospel going out and exploding.

00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:34.779
 Do you see that?

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:36.319
 I mean, do you have that sight?

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:38.319
 The Samaritan woman herself

00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:39.759
 has just received her sight.

00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:41.940
 It's already flowered in her life.

00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:44.320
 And now she's planting seeds

00:23:44.320 --> 00:23:45.460
 and they're coming from everywhere.

00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:49.860
 And the response to her lovely,

00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:52.299
 honest witness

00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:54.779
 is the first group

00:23:54.779 --> 00:23:57.059
 in John's gospel to come to faith.

00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:01.180
 So far, all the rest

00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:02.779
 have been individuals.

00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:04.299
 Individuals.

00:24:04.299 --> 00:24:05.819
 But here it is a group.

00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:11.440
 Jesus says she's earning the wages.

00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:12.659
 She's receiving wages,

00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:13.579
 not just the harvest.

00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:17.180
 She's entering into the joy

00:24:17.180 --> 00:24:18.200
 which the Lord has given

00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:20.319
 in the overflowing living water

00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:22.240
 as she sees people move

00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:23.139
 towards the Lord Jesus.

00:24:25.419 --> 00:24:27.500
 And that's the way it works with God.

00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:31.519
 And so every word we speak,

00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:33.419
 every prayer we pray,

00:24:33.420 --> 00:24:34.600
 every attempt

00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:36.380
 to reach out

00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:37.480
 with the love of God

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.160
 to others

00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:39.519
 participates

00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:40.900
 in the joy of the Lord Jesus.

00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:45.060
 It's the picture of witness

00:24:45.060 --> 00:24:46.500
 in the New Testament.

00:24:49.740 --> 00:24:51.220
 To witness to the Lord Jesus

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:52.920
 is not forcing yourself

00:24:52.920 --> 00:24:54.160
 to impose yourself

00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:55.279
 and your views on others.

00:24:55.600 --> 00:24:56.680
 It is an overflow

00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:57.720
 of truth and grace.

00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:00.519
 It is being honest

00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:01.600
 about who you are.

00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:02.800
 It's being honest

00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:03.960
 about your needs

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.720
 and your failures.

00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:08.200
 So if you say

00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:09.119
 to somebody,

00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:11.039
 if you say to someone,

00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:11.680
 actually,

00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:13.419
 I struggle with forgiveness

00:25:13.419 --> 00:25:14.359
 as a Christian,

00:25:14.819 --> 00:25:16.419
 and you tell somebody

00:25:16.419 --> 00:25:17.159
 who is not a Christian,

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.259
 they will be very interested

00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:18.659
 in that.

00:25:21.460 --> 00:25:22.240
 And I know

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.379
 that many of you here

00:25:23.379 --> 00:25:24.019
 have been Christians

00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:25.539
 for a while,

00:25:25.639 --> 00:25:26.680
 and you likely feel

00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:27.700
 pretty inadequate

00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:28.559
 about this area

00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:29.079
 of your life.

00:25:29.079 --> 00:25:29.659
 I know I do.

00:25:32.419 --> 00:25:33.519
 Some of us will feel

00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.559
 as we talk about this

00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.440
 that every time

00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:36.359
 I open my mouth

00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:37.240
 to speak to others

00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:37.700
 about Jesus,

00:25:37.819 --> 00:25:38.700
 I've put my foot in it.

00:25:40.639 --> 00:25:41.659
 I've gone too far,

00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:42.559
 I've gone too fast,

00:25:42.839 --> 00:25:43.819
 I've said too much,

00:25:43.899 --> 00:25:45.460
 or I've gone too slow,

00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:46.799
 and I didn't say enough.

00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:49.460
 And many of us feel

00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:50.179
 we ought to be taking

00:25:50.179 --> 00:25:51.740
 more initiative in this.

00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.740
 And when we've taken

00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.179
 the initiative,

00:25:53.379 --> 00:25:55.179
 we've been overbearing

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:55.860
 and impossible.

00:25:56.539 --> 00:25:57.240
 And there's lots

00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.000
 of failed attempts

00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:58.700
 in our lives.

00:26:01.820 --> 00:26:02.860
 And with the cultural

00:26:02.860 --> 00:26:04.460
 animosity towards Christians,

00:26:04.580 --> 00:26:05.380
 the temptation is,

00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:05.620
 isn't it,

00:26:05.620 --> 00:26:06.360
 to be silent,

00:26:06.620 --> 00:26:07.420
 to go underground.

00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:11.700
 I had a conversation

00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:12.560
 in Cafe Nero

00:26:12.560 --> 00:26:13.100
 the other week,

00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:14.460
 I was doing preparation

00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:14.880
 in there,

00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:16.720
 I was by the window,

00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.340
 and there was

00:26:17.340 --> 00:26:18.980
 a road rage incident,

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:20.140
 just quite often is,

00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:20.400
 isn't there,

00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:21.400
 just on Xbridge Road

00:26:21.400 --> 00:26:22.620
 opposite the bank.

00:26:24.180 --> 00:26:24.900
 And I looked at

00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:25.600
 the person opposite me

00:26:25.600 --> 00:26:26.140
 as we were both

00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:26.900
 gawping at it.

00:26:28.360 --> 00:26:31.580
 And I said,

00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:32.680
 kind of raised my eyebrows,

00:26:32.780 --> 00:26:33.200
 said it's terrible,

00:26:33.300 --> 00:26:33.580
 isn't it?

00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:34.740
 And then he started

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.519
 to lament

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:36.620
 all the violence

00:26:36.620 --> 00:26:37.980
 of our culture.

00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.560
 And he said this,

00:26:40.620 --> 00:26:41.019
 what are we going

00:26:41.019 --> 00:26:41.759
 to do about it?

00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.220
 And I said,

00:26:47.400 --> 00:26:47.720
 well,

00:26:48.080 --> 00:26:49.019
 I had a Bible open,

00:26:49.100 --> 00:26:49.360
 so I said,

00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:49.480
 well,

00:26:49.560 --> 00:26:50.360
 Jesus' view would be

00:26:50.360 --> 00:26:51.500
 that there's violence

00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:52.460
 inside of me

00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:53.740
 and inside of you.

00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:56.280
 And he happily

00:26:56.280 --> 00:26:56.920
 told me a story

00:26:56.920 --> 00:26:58.019
 about his own road rage.

00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:00.820
 He said he was cycling,

00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:01.380
 I don't know where

00:27:01.380 --> 00:27:01.920
 he was cycling,

00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:03.460
 and he got so angry

00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:04.940
 with a driver

00:27:04.940 --> 00:27:05.620
 who'd cut him up

00:27:05.620 --> 00:27:07.800
 that when they got

00:27:07.800 --> 00:27:08.420
 to a traffic light,

00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:09.600
 he pulled the driver

00:27:09.600 --> 00:27:10.259
 out of the car

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:11.580
 and beat him up

00:27:11.580 --> 00:27:12.259
 so they needed

00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:12.960
 hospital treatment.

00:27:15.360 --> 00:27:16.600
 I was pretty surprised,

00:27:16.640 --> 00:27:17.220
 I was just drinking

00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:17.880
 a flat white.

00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:22.580
 I said to him,

00:27:23.160 --> 00:27:24.900
 how do you deal

00:27:24.900 --> 00:27:25.640
 with your guilt

00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:26.860
 over that

00:27:26.860 --> 00:27:28.120
 stuttering away?

00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:30.080
 He said,

00:27:30.320 --> 00:27:31.540
 I'm a good person

00:27:31.540 --> 00:27:32.660
 and I've atoned for it.

00:27:36.120 --> 00:27:36.900
 When I started

00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:37.860
 to talk about Jesus,

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:38.500
 how Jesus

00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.740
 deals

00:27:39.740 --> 00:27:40.940
 with that

00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:41.480
 by dying

00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:42.240
 in our place,

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:42.900
 the guy was

00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:44.340
 completely disinterested

00:27:44.340 --> 00:27:45.000
 and bored.

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:46.980
 I was stuttering

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.680
 and not being

00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:48.480
 particularly coherent.

00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:49.700
 I lamely invited him

00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:50.160
 to church,

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:50.740
 I said I know

00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:51.480
 the preacher there.

00:27:54.259 --> 00:27:55.240
 He said,

00:27:55.940 --> 00:27:56.339
 too busy,

00:27:56.440 --> 00:27:56.960
 too many things

00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:57.359
 to do.

00:27:57.559 --> 00:27:59.140
 It was very friendly

00:27:59.140 --> 00:28:00.559
 but a total fiasco.

00:28:02.140 --> 00:28:03.259
 A total fiasco,

00:28:03.299 --> 00:28:04.220
 I completely blew it.

00:28:07.180 --> 00:28:08.099
 I've been reminded

00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:09.160
 as I've looked

00:28:09.160 --> 00:28:09.720
 at this passage

00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:10.299
 this week,

00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:11.460
 the importance

00:28:11.460 --> 00:28:12.480
 of responding.

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:13.859
 Can you see that?

00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:17.240
 of responding

00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:18.279
 to people's questions.

00:28:21.439 --> 00:28:21.879
 Jesus,

00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:22.759
 apart from opening

00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:23.079
 the door

00:28:23.079 --> 00:28:23.659
 by asking

00:28:23.659 --> 00:28:24.599
 for a drink of water,

00:28:24.699 --> 00:28:25.719
 the rest of the conversation

00:28:25.719 --> 00:28:26.439
 is driven

00:28:26.439 --> 00:28:27.159
 by the woman.

00:28:28.159 --> 00:28:29.619
 That is a big

00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:30.939
 weight off her shoulders,

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:31.339
 I think.

00:28:32.959 --> 00:28:33.799
 It is not the grim,

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:35.000
 grinding guilt

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:36.299
 of getting the gospel out.

00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:38.799
 It's the honest,

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:39.919
 joyful response

00:28:39.919 --> 00:28:40.699
 when people

00:28:40.699 --> 00:28:41.399
 criticize you

00:28:41.399 --> 00:28:42.019
 or they criticize

00:28:42.019 --> 00:28:42.459
 Christianity

00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:44.360
 or they ask you

00:28:44.360 --> 00:28:44.799
 a question,

00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:46.220
 the truth of your life

00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:46.779
 and my life,

00:28:46.840 --> 00:28:47.579
 it will come out

00:28:47.579 --> 00:28:48.360
 to our friends.

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.019
 It comes out

00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:51.500
 in the decisions

00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:52.120
 that you make,

00:28:52.180 --> 00:28:52.680
 in the attitudes

00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:53.440
 you have.

00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:56.579
 And then we've seen

00:28:56.579 --> 00:28:57.220
 how Jesus

00:28:57.220 --> 00:28:58.079
 so beautifully

00:28:58.079 --> 00:28:59.340
 answers those questions.

00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:00.380
 He takes it

00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:01.539
 deeper each time

00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:02.779
 until she receives

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:04.259
 the living water.

00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:07.440
 and the joy

00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:11.019
 that comes

00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:11.680
 from that

00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:14.180
 is so wonderful

00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:14.680
 that it will

00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:15.319
 overcome

00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:16.619
 and overwhelm

00:29:16.619 --> 00:29:17.099
 our fear.

00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:20.460
 It overwhelms

00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:21.079
 the temptation

00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:22.140
 that I feel

00:29:22.140 --> 00:29:23.240
 and you feel

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:24.619
 to stay silent.

00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:27.879
 And so,

00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:28.700
 two clear promises

00:29:28.700 --> 00:29:29.160
 of Jesus

00:29:29.160 --> 00:29:29.920
 as we finish.

00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:32.660
 as we refuse

00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:33.580
 to stay silent

00:29:33.580 --> 00:29:34.720
 and seek

00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:35.160
 to answer

00:29:35.160 --> 00:29:36.000
 people's questions.

00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:37.160
 Number one,

00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:37.920
 Jesus promises

00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:39.140
 there will be fruit,

00:29:39.259 --> 00:29:39.860
 verse 35.

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.660
 There will be

00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:45.539
 eternal abiding fruit

00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:47.820
 in the lives

00:29:47.820 --> 00:29:48.240
 of others.

00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:52.400
 Just think about

00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:53.039
 what's going on here

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:53.680
 for a minute with me.

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.560
 The Samaritan woman's

00:29:55.560 --> 00:29:56.100
 witness

00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:57.620
 is deeply flawed.

00:29:57.619 --> 00:30:00.879
 but it gave

00:30:00.879 --> 00:30:02.199
 Jesus great joy

00:30:02.199 --> 00:30:03.079
 and it bore fruit.

00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.059
 Didn't it?

00:30:06.739 --> 00:30:08.119
 And your imperfect

00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:09.199
 and feeble

00:30:09.199 --> 00:30:09.759
 attempts

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.879
 to witness

00:30:10.879 --> 00:30:11.739
 to Jesus Christ,

00:30:11.899 --> 00:30:12.779
 they are accepted

00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:13.979
 by God

00:30:13.979 --> 00:30:14.979
 through Jesus Christ.

00:30:17.339 --> 00:30:17.899
 And so,

00:30:18.039 --> 00:30:18.639
 let me tell you this,

00:30:18.739 --> 00:30:19.339
 you don't have

00:30:19.339 --> 00:30:19.959
 to get it right.

00:30:22.939 --> 00:30:23.559
 And there's

00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:24.379
 reward in it.

00:30:25.939 --> 00:30:26.619
 It's not that

00:30:26.619 --> 00:30:27.359
 you're cleverer

00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.039
 or braver

00:30:28.039 --> 00:30:28.859
 than anyone else.

00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:31.419
 It is because

00:30:31.419 --> 00:30:32.279
 of the spiritually

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:33.359
 satisfying joy

00:30:33.359 --> 00:30:34.099
 of being engaged

00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:34.519
 with God.

00:30:34.599 --> 00:30:34.699
 So,

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.139
 number one,

00:30:35.219 --> 00:30:35.819
 Jesus promises

00:30:35.819 --> 00:30:36.599
 that there will be fruit.

00:30:39.179 --> 00:30:40.000
 Jesus promises

00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:40.579
 us,

00:30:40.699 --> 00:30:41.019
 secondly,

00:30:41.199 --> 00:30:41.599
 that God

00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:42.219
 has actually

00:30:42.219 --> 00:30:43.259
 gone before us

00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:44.059
 and is working.

00:30:44.159 --> 00:30:45.259
 Look at verse 38.

00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:46.640
 God

00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:49.799
 I send you,

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:49.900
 I send you,

00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:53.079
 I send you,

00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:55.920
 to reap that

00:30:55.920 --> 00:30:56.440
 for which you

00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:57.099
 did not labor.

00:30:57.240 --> 00:30:58.079
 Others have labored

00:30:58.079 --> 00:30:59.039
 and you have entered

00:30:59.039 --> 00:30:59.440
 in that,

00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:00.140
 into their labor.

00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:01.000
 Some people think

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:01.519
 that that could be

00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:02.059
 John the Baptist

00:31:02.059 --> 00:31:02.879
 or the Old Testament

00:31:02.879 --> 00:31:03.420
 prophets,

00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:04.240
 the others.

00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:05.700
 I think it's most likely

00:31:05.700 --> 00:31:06.720
 that the others

00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:08.039
 are God the Father

00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:08.900
 and God the Spirit

00:31:08.900 --> 00:31:12.180
 who moves ahead

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:12.540
 of us,

00:31:13.340 --> 00:31:15.580
 who is seeking

00:31:15.580 --> 00:31:16.340
 worshippers,

00:31:16.580 --> 00:31:17.600
 who seeks people,

00:31:18.019 --> 00:31:19.060
 who speaks to people,

00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:20.300
 who saves people.

00:31:22.259 --> 00:31:23.019
 It's not that we

00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:23.800
 are seeking people,

00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:24.920
 it is God the Father.

00:31:25.080 --> 00:31:25.780
 He is working

00:31:25.780 --> 00:31:26.660
 much harder

00:31:26.660 --> 00:31:27.460
 for your friends

00:31:27.460 --> 00:31:28.120
 or family

00:31:28.120 --> 00:31:28.800
 or the people

00:31:28.800 --> 00:31:29.759
 in your life

00:31:29.759 --> 00:31:30.240
 than you are.

00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:33.279
 And so if we

00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:34.099
 testify to what

00:31:34.099 --> 00:31:34.700
 God has done

00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:35.359
 and point to

00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:36.160
 Jesus Christ,

00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:38.400
 God has gone before

00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:38.920
 and we enter

00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:39.579
 into his work.

00:31:42.140 --> 00:31:43.019
 And you and I

00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:44.099
 need eyes to see that.

00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:47.099
 That is spiritual sight.

00:31:49.579 --> 00:31:50.400
 And so the passage

00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:50.759
 finishes

00:31:50.759 --> 00:31:51.680
 and the Samaritans

00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:52.940
 ask Jesus to stay

00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:54.140
 for two very fruitful days.

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:54.839
 Verse 42,

00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:57.019
 they say these

00:31:57.019 --> 00:31:57.759
 amazing words,

00:31:57.880 --> 00:31:58.640
 it is no longer

00:31:58.640 --> 00:31:59.779
 because of what you said

00:31:59.779 --> 00:32:00.539
 that we believe,

00:32:00.680 --> 00:32:01.839
 we've heard for ourselves

00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:02.740
 and we know

00:32:02.740 --> 00:32:03.519
 that this indeed

00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:04.480
 is the saviour

00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:06.200
 of the world.

00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:08.559
 It's great,

00:32:08.639 --> 00:32:08.879
 isn't it?

00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:11.379
 God works

00:32:11.379 --> 00:32:12.259
 through ordinary

00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:14.680
 flawed witnesses.

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.899
 He works

00:32:16.899 --> 00:32:17.299
 through the

00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:17.940
 ordinary

00:32:17.940 --> 00:32:18.879
 and flawed

00:32:18.879 --> 00:32:19.319
 woman

00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:21.619
 to bring people

00:32:21.619 --> 00:32:22.059
 to Christ.

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:24.460
 She doesn't

00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:25.019
 convert them.

00:32:26.539 --> 00:32:27.319
 What she does

00:32:27.319 --> 00:32:27.819
 is she points

00:32:27.819 --> 00:32:28.420
 people to Jesus.

00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.680
 And as they

00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:31.379
 come to Jesus

00:32:31.379 --> 00:32:32.039
 they know

00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:33.160
 living water

00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:34.200
 and forgiveness

00:32:34.200 --> 00:32:35.619
 and freedom

00:32:35.619 --> 00:32:36.660
 from their past

00:32:36.660 --> 00:32:39.019
 and eternal life

00:32:39.019 --> 00:32:41.059
 and salvation

00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:41.740
 for themselves

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:42.420
 and they begin

00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:43.220
 to experience

00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:44.139
 gospel joy

00:32:44.139 --> 00:32:45.240
 and gospel hunger

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:46.700
 and gospel sight

00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:48.279
 because they call

00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:49.440
 Jesus the saviour

00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:50.059
 of the world.

00:32:50.059 --> 00:32:52.899
 and they are amazed

00:32:52.899 --> 00:32:53.440
 that Jesus

00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:54.119
 has included

00:32:54.119 --> 00:32:54.500
 them

00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:55.220
 outsiders

00:32:55.220 --> 00:32:55.899
 in God's

00:32:55.899 --> 00:32:56.299
 salvation.

00:32:58.500 --> 00:32:59.200
 But they say

00:32:59.200 --> 00:32:59.940
 it's bigger than us.

00:33:00.960 --> 00:33:01.460
 It's got to go

00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:01.859
 to the ends

00:33:01.859 --> 00:33:02.339
 of the earth

00:33:02.339 --> 00:33:04.740
 that he is the saviour

00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.960
 not just of the Jews

00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:07.339
 or of the Samaritans

00:33:07.339 --> 00:33:09.240
 but the saviour

00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:09.839
 of the world

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:12.539
 and my saviour.

00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:14.859
 Can you see

00:33:14.859 --> 00:33:15.559
 John 4 holds

00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:16.240
 these two things?

00:33:16.359 --> 00:33:16.900
 It is both

00:33:16.900 --> 00:33:17.579
 personal

00:33:17.579 --> 00:33:18.880
 very personal

00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:21.019
 and global.

00:33:23.160 --> 00:33:23.660
 And when you

00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.140
 discover that

00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:24.579
 there's no joy

00:33:24.579 --> 00:33:24.960
 like it.

00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:27.319
 And I would

00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:27.819
 love you

00:33:27.819 --> 00:33:28.200
 to know

00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:28.700
 this joy.

00:33:30.579 --> 00:33:31.019
 That joy

00:33:31.019 --> 00:33:31.519
 would be great

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:31.839
 wouldn't it?

00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:34.480
 And we pray

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:34.859
 this joy

00:33:34.859 --> 00:33:35.339
 for healing

00:33:35.339 --> 00:33:36.400
 further afield.

00:33:37.620 --> 00:33:38.019
 Let's pray

00:33:38.019 --> 00:33:38.259
 that God

00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:38.700
 would do it here.

00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:39.099
 Let's pray.

00:33:39.099 --> 00:33:39.160
 Amen.

00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:39.160


00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:39.160


00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:39.160


00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:39.160