If You Only Knew
John 4:1-10
1 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John,
2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.
3 When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4 Now he had to go through Samaria.
5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"
8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
ONE DAY THE PHONE RANG in the home of a retired minister. His wife answered it and the voice of a young lady asked for the minister but he was out at the time. His wife said that he would be home later that day. Then the young lady said, ¡°Well, perhaps you can answer just one question for me. Does he still marry people?¡± The pastor¡¯s wife assured her that he was still active along that line. ¡°Oh, good,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll call him later in the day.¡±
That young lady felt she had found the answer to all her life¡¯s problems. She was happy and excited because she was planning her wedding. However, as happy as she was, she couldn¡¯t possibly know all the joys a long and happy married life would bring. She only knew that to her it seemed the happy way.
In a similar way, we cannot know all the blessings God has in store for His children, but we can know they will be greater than we can imagine. Real fulfillment in life comes not from circumstances around us or even significant events in our lives. Real fulfillment of the highest and best kind comes from God!
In verse 10 of the Scripture lesson, Jesus uttered a statement that is profound indeed: "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
¡°If you knew...¡± that is, if you understood, perceived, recognized WHO it is that is speaking to you and WHAT it is that He offers (Living Water).
In an effort to reveal Himself, God does the following
¡ï takes the initiative (contact, opportunity)
¡ï makes provision
¡ï makes the offer
¡°If we only knew...
¡õ How lost we really are without Him
¡õ The tragic consequences of sin
¡õ How great is God¡¯s concern for us
¡õ The length to which God went to rescue us
¡°If you only knew...¡± How often have I said this to myself as I have listened, and spoken to those who were struggling with spiritual issues¡ªto that person who is:
¡õ searching
¡õ insecure
¡õ lonely
¡õ bound
¡õ discouraged
¡õ indifferent
If only they really knew who He really was, perhaps...
¡ö Judas wouldn¡¯t have betrayed Him
¡ö Pharisees wouldn¡¯t have blasphemed Him and plotted against Him
¡ö Nazarenes wouldn¡¯t have cast Him out of their town
¡ö Pilate wouldn¡¯t have washed his hands of Him
¡ö Disciples wouldn¡¯t have been so worldly, fretful
If only they knew, the post resurrection appearances of Christ would have been different:
¡ö Mary Magdalene didn¡¯t recognize Him through her tears (John 20:10-18). Jesus comes to bind up the broken-hearted. He appeared first to her to reassure her that her deliverance from demons was real.
¡ö The Emmaeus Road disciples (Luke 24:31) were discouraged by the events of Calvary. They had no idea who it was that walked beside them¡ªthat they were in the presence of Almighty God! They were rebuked for their refusal to believe what the Old Testament prophesied about Him. ¡°If only they knew,¡± they could have been leaping with joy.
¡ö James (I Cor.15:7), the Lord¡¯s brother. ¡°If only he knew¡± who it was that sat at table with him, what a difference it would have made in his life.
¡ö Thomas (John 20:24-29). ¡°If he only knew¡± who it was that had been teaching him, he would have stopped his doubting.
¡ö Disciples, gathered in the Upper Room (John 20:19-21). If they only knew that Jesus was there in their midst, fear would have vanished much sooner.
Jesus told the woman at the well that God had a gift for her. He knew how she lived, yet the gift was ready for her when she asked. Isn¡¯t it marvelous that God knows all about us as well, and still He offers us His best?
An evangelist told of holding a revival in West Texas. The last night a well-built man almost seven feet tall came to him and said, ¡°As you can see, I am large. I surround myself with large things. I want this salvation you preached about because it sounds as though it¡¯s the biggest thing a man can possess!¡± He asked for a great gift and God gave him eternal life. We so often live on a small scale of happiness and joy because we fail to realize that God has much to give us.
We have not because we ask not! Why don¡¯t we ask God for His great gifts? May I suggest three reasons?
1. Ignorance. We don¡¯t know what it is that He has to offer us. Our eyes are blinded to the truth.
2. Unbelief. We have read about God¡¯s gifts, or we have heard about them but somehow we just can¡¯t bring ourselves to believe that He would offer them to us.
3. Sin. Sin stands in the way. We¡¯re ashamed to ask God for anything. Perhaps we haven¡¯t repented. Sin acts as a barrier. Or, perhaps we have repented but have trouble receiving the forgiveness of God. Remember, Jesus knew how this Samaritan woman lived, yet the gift of eternal life was hers for the taking. All she had to do was ask.
The story is told of a young missionary who was home on furlough. Her clothes were the best she could afford, but she looked mousey compared with many of the other ladies in the churches where she spoke. One Sunday evening after the service, a prosperous looking man called her aside. He mentioned the name of a very nice ladies¡¯ ready-to-wear shop in the town. He said to her, ¡°I want you to go there tomorrow and buy yourself a whole new outfit of nice clothes. Tell the manager to charge them to my account. God has blessed me with wealth and I want to use it for Him.¡± Very timidly the next morning she went to the shop. She was shocked at the high prices and was very conservative in her selections. When she went to speak at the same church that evening she felt very proud in all her new clothes. After the service the same man came to her and said, ¡°I called the store to see if you had been in and they said that you had, but why didn¡¯t you charge more? You represent the greatest cause in the world. I want you to have the best.¡± She answered, ¡°I was afraid I would spend too much.¡± ¡°Why, my dear lady,¡± said the wealthy man, ¡°I¡¯m a multi-millionaire. You could have bought the whole shop and It wouldn¡¯t have made even a dent in my finances.¡±
Sometimes we treat God like she treated this man. We¡¯re afraid He won¡¯t be able to supply all our needs.
In II Kings 7 we have the story of God¡¯s gift to a starving city of people. The prophet Elisha promised the king that on the next day people would be able to buy and sell all the food they wanted. The king said that even if the windows of heaven opened, that could not happen. People were so hungry that some had even resorted to eating their children. Yet Elisha knew that God was all powerful and he had asked for the blessing of food.
God often uses human instruments to carry our His plans. This time He used four leprous men, outcast from society. They felt led by hunger to go to the camp of their Syrian enemies. There they found the camp deserted. All the enemy had fled, leaving behind a great store of food. The lepers went and told the good news in the city.
Whatever your need is today, remember WHO it is that stands before you with His arms extended, inviting you to come to Him and receive the water of life. It flows freely from His heart. Receive it and be cleansed.
God¡¯s great love is so amazing,
And His providence so grand:
Let your heart be filled with praising
For the bounty of His hand.
If you only knew the blessing
Which the Father has for you,
And the love which He¡¯s expressing:
If you only, only knew.
Your amazement would be boundless
And your joy would overflow.
For your doubts would all prove groundless,
As His love you truly know.
