John Series Part 20 The Subject Of Messiah John 4:25-30 Series

Part 20 The Subject of Messiah, John 4:25–30

(4:25–30) Introduction: this is a dramatic picture of conversion and witnessing. The Messiah was discovered, and the discovery was excitedly shared.

1. There was the sense that Jesus was the Messiah (v.25).

2. There was the great claim of Jesus: He is the Messiah (v.26).

3. There was the spirit contrary to the Messiah: a spirit of evil thought and pride (v.27).

4. There was the proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah (vv.28–29).

5. There was the response of searching for the Messiah (v.30).

1 (4:25) Jesus Christ, Messiah—Gospel, Open to—Truth, Open to: there was the sense that Jesus was the Messiah. The woman’s heart was burning within her. There was an intense, flaming sense of God’s presence. The subject of her sin and of true worship was causing her heart to reach out for God. She sensed something very, very special about Jesus …

• that no man could speak as He had spoken unless He had a very special relationship with God

• that perhaps He was the Messiah Himself

She brought up the subject. Note the two things she believed.

a. That the Messiah was coming (erchetai). The idea is that the Messiah was coming soon. His coming was at hand, imminent. Her belief was based upon such Scriptures as Ge. 3:15; 49:10; Nu. 24:17; De. 18:15.

b. That the Messiah would be the Supreme Authority: “He will tell us all things.”

The point is this: the woman did not deny the Messiah; she believed in the coming and authority of the Messiah. Her belief was not a saving belief, not a belief of commitment . It was only a mental or an intellectual belief, a belief of knowledge; but the fact that she believed in the Messiah made her open to personal belief. She did not reject the witness of Jesus: she was not rude; she listened to Him. Therefore, God was able to give her a sense of His presence.

Thought 1. The person who constantly rejects Jesus Christ or claims to be agnostic or atheistic is seldom reached for Christ. However, a person who listens to the Scripture and believes intellectually, mentally accepting the facts of God’s promises, stands a much better chance of being reached by God. Mental or intellectual belief is more open; it is exposed to God’s Word. Thereby it is more likely to become a saving belief, the belief of commitment.

However, a warning does need to be issued. A person with only a mental belief can hear and reject so much that he becomes gospel-hardened, that is, so hardened against the gospel that he never trusts Jesus Christ as his Savior.

“And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk. 12:32–34).

“God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him” (Is. 28:26).

“Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein” (Ho. 14:9).

“The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident” (Pr. 14:15–16).

“The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge” (Pr. 18:15).

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Pr. 22:3).

2 (4:26) Jesus Christ, Messiah: there was the great claim of Jesus, that He was the Messiah. Note three phenomenal claims.

1. He claimed to be “the Messiah”

2. He claimed to be the great “I Am,” which is the basic name for God.

3. He claimed to be the Supreme One, the Supreme Authority who would tell her all things. He claimed …

• that what He told her about her sin was true

• that she must take care of her sin

• that the only way to take care of her sin was to worship God in spirit and in truth

3 (4:27) Prejudice—Evil Thoughts—Tongue: there was the spirit contrary to the Messiah, the spirit of evil thought and pride. Just as Jesus made His phenomenal claims, the disciples arrived. They marveled (ethaumazon): were astonished, amazed, bewildered because He was talking with the woman. There were two reasons for this.