Pastor Dan Turpin
West Coast Church
John 4:3-7
Introduction: Years ago I preached a message from John. 4:3-7 which says, v3 Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee and … came to the Samaritan village of Sychar … v6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. v7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” From that encounter I saw three things: 1) God Has Needs 2) You have the ability to minister to the needs of God. 3) You were created to meet God’s Needs. Commandments reflect God’s needs, what He needs from us and the potential we have in Him.
John. 14:13-18, v13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. v14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. v15 If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. v17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. v18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. Commandments are a reflection of God’s nature, a window into His soul. They reveal His needs and what is required of those who desire to have relationship with Him.
#1. God's need for Intimacy (Ex. 20:8 remember the Sabbath)
A. Pastor Dan: In order for God to develop a relationship with you He needs time with you. It is just as impossible for God to develop a relationship with you without you spending time with Him as it is for me to develop a relationship with you without spending time with you. Sabbath is a time you and I set aside in our live where we show God that there is nothing more important to us than Him.
1. Nothing more Important (Ps. 27:4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the
LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.)
a. Rob Parsons: How we spend our time shows what we value. There are many demands on our time that we can’t do
much about, but so often the biggest time pressure is the unnecessary business that is created by us. Some of us work
long hours irrespective of any real need to do so and many of us pursue unnecessary goals (perhaps most obviously
greater wealth and a higher standard of living). Probably all of us spend time on things that are neither urgent nor
important, so called busy work. We can’t do everything. We have to choose.
b. Is. 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.
c. David Bevan: There is a Filipino description of westerners as “people with gods on the wrists.” Spending time with God
is important—indeed it’s of crucial importance to the way we live—but it never seems urgent. As a result we find it easy
to postpone, delaying indefinitely until it never happens
d. Matt. 6:33 Seek first the Kingdom of God and ….
e. William Booth: The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.
f. David Bevan: Given how incredibly wonderful God is, it is somewhat astonishing how little time many of us spend time
on deepening our relationship with Him. When a young man and woman are dating, only things over which they have no
control will keep them apart. If we let God captivate our heart with His love, then we too will desire to be with Him above
anything else.
g. Ps. 34:1; 42:1-4 I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? v3 My tears have been my food
day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God? v4 When I remember these things, I pour out my
soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and
praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
2. Draw Near (James 4:7 submit yourself to God)
a. Charles H. Spurgeon: Lettuces, radishes, and other garden crops take only a short time from the time they are planted
and consumed. But an oak tree requires long centuries to come to the fullness of its growth. The graces which are most
precious and durable will cost us longest to produce. Those good things which spring up hastily may have some transient
worth about them, but we cannot look for permanence and value in them.
b. Pastor Dan: The secret for receiving from God is giving to Him that which you have the ability to give Him, and believing
that He will give you that which he has the ability to give you. (Mat. 11:28; Lu. 6:38; Gal. 6:6-9; Ja. 4:7)
c. Matt. 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
d. Pastor Dan: Obedience to the commandments of God is a reflection of the purity or lack of purity in our hearts.
e. John. 14:13-15; 21,24
f. Pastor Dan: Simple obedience is better than anything else you can do for God. (1 Samuel 15:22)
Closing and Invitation: David Bevan: Relating to God is like any other relationship. If we relate to Him as a person then we will develop a personal relationship with Him. The primary focus of time we spend with God must be on God Himself—on our relationship with Him—rather than of either what we can do for Him or on what He can do for us. We should not be coming to Him primarily to be given orders to obey (as if we just worked for Him), or to ask Him to meet our needs (as if He worked for us), but to relate to Him deeply and profoundly as our closest friend, lover and father.
