John — Chapter 4

The Christian is much more than a moral, good man because he has received goodness, and a final and full satisfaction. In this sermon on John 4: 13-14 titled “Rejoice in the Lord,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes a close look at the joy and satisfaction that the Holy Spirit gives to Christians. He begins by emphasizing that all non-Christian men continuously seek emotional satisfaction that philosophy fails to give them, however Christians experience this satisfaction because the Holy Spirit has given it to them. Thus, Christians exclaim, “rejoice in the lord always and again I say rejoice”. In this sermon on rejoicing in the Lord, Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives examples of Christians who have had this “joy unspeakable” and have shown this joy through their writing, preaching, and hymns. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also emphasizes that all Christian’s have experienced this unspeakable joy, but it has changed peoples life’s differently. Christian faith does not produce a universal type, although all Christians undergo the same universal process. Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by saying that the Christian response to the Holy Spirit’s workings should be to have joy, satisfaction, and to “rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice”(Philippians 4:4).

What makes Christians different from everybody else? The answer is found in the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who transforms believers and sets them apart from the world. This indwelling of the Holy Spirt ought to make believers more peaceful, joyful, and loving. This is seen in the early church as recorded in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirt comes upon the church at Pentecost and transforms them. They are given strength and boldness as the Holy Spirit grants them joy and peace in Christ. Sadly, many believers do not allow the Holy Spirit to work in them because they quench the work of the Spirit. In this sermon on John 4:13–14, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns against this quenching of the Spirit, but he also says that the Christian must not fall into excesses. They must look to God’s word to define who the Spirit is and how He works in the church and world. All Christians are commanded to live not in their own strength, but to rest wholly in the Spirit of Christ. It is in the work of the Spirit that Christians can experience joy, peace, and the love of God. All Christians should look to the Spirit of God who is given as the great comforter to all of God’s children.

Does the saved person comprehend Christianity? Have they also been changed by it? While good doctrine is necessary, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains in his sermon on John 4:13–14 titled “A New Quality of Life” that the Christian doesn’t merely follow a teaching but instead the Christian’s life is changed by the Holy Spirit. It is not about what they do but what is done to them. He describes that the Holy Spirit changes people in a moment and over time. Every Christian is changed instantly when they are regenerated and given new life. Moreover, every Christian undergoes some degree of change through sanctification, which means being changed progressively over the course of an entire lifetime. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that one of the best ways to perceive these changes is to look at the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of a changed life; a life that is impacted by the Spirit and given new life. Dr. Lloyd-Jones goes on to detail these fruits and categorize them. The Christian asks themselves: “Do you find that you have been changed by the Holy Spirit? Do you have a new heart with good desires and joy?” All are encouraged to listen and hear how to gain clarity on the state of the soul.

How can one know God? This is one of the most important questions to ask. Some say that people must look to themselves and others say that human reason will reveal God. But in this sermon from John 4:13–14 titled “True Christian Joy,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that these are wrong. The only sure way to know God is through revelation. God through His Holy Spirit not only reveals His words to His apostles and prophets, but He inspires their very writings of this revelation. This has immense significance for all Christians because by this they have assurance of who God is and what He has done. They are not left without a word from God. By looking to God’s word, one can know that they have been forgiven and made children of God. This ensures the true joy that comes from knowing Christ. All false religions tell to look to the self for happiness and peace, but it is only Christianity that shows that peace comes from outside the self. This should encourage all those suffering from depression and sorrow because it tells that God is the true source of peace and not the self; one must simply look to God.

Who is Jesus? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from John 4:25–26 that Jesus reveals His identity to a Samaritan woman as the long-awaited Messiah. Here Jesus tells that He is not just another prophet or religious teacher, but He is God’s appointed Messiah that has come to bring salvation. Furthermore, He is not simply the savior of the Jewish people, but of all who believe. This is the message of all of Scripture – who Jesus is and what He has come to do. He was born in a lowly place to normal people, but He was born as the Son of God. He lived and preached the kingdom of God as the very one who would inaugurate the new heavens and the new earth. He died so that all who believed in Him might be saved. Many people have had false ideas about who Jesus is but Scripture is clear about who He is – He is the Savior of humanity. This sermon calls all to ask the vital questions: “Who do you say Jesus is? Is He your only hope in this world?” Salvation comes only by believing in Jesus Christ and His work.

In Jesus’s encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, the outworking of God’s great plan of salvation is seen. In this sermon on John 4:27–28 titled “The Only Way to God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones unfolds the words of Jesus Christ who boldly proclaims to the woman that He is the living water and the source of eternal life. He says that this is the Father’s mission and the very reason He came into the world. Jesus brought redemption to the whole world by the atoning work of the cross. It is this truth that is at the heart of true Christianity; the Son of God dying upon the cross for sinners. It is only because of this great and glorious work that anyone can approach God as children and heirs. It is only through partaking of Christ, the bread of life, that anyone can come to have true knowledge of God. To reject that Christ came as the Son of God and his deity is to reject the gospel. For only by the redemptive work of Christ on the cross is anyone saved. According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, one cannot ever forget that Christ willingly went to the cross in their stead because He knew it was the will of God his Father, and this desire to fulfill the will of God marked not only His death, but His whole life as the perfect Son of God.

What sets Christianity apart from all other religions in the world? What one characteristic marks the beginning of every great revival? What was the purpose of the Old Testament law, and what do these questions have to do with each other? The answer, as presented in this sermon on John 4:27–30 titled “The Need for Repentance,” is the conviction of sin. Using the woman at the well as an example, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that the beginning of Jesus’s message is to convict of sin and for all to agree with the woman who said, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.” Throughout the Bible, people who are brought into the presence of God are first convicted of their sin. Jacob feared and Isaiah confessed in their encounters with the most Holy God. This conviction is not hopeless, but is the mode in which the Christian is brought to the necessary hatred and repentance of sin. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that if one has not been brought to a place of repentance, then they are in a religion without Christ and one that ends in hellfire. For those who have repented, their conviction of sin is an assurance that they are God’s people.

What was the point of Jesus’s ministry? Many will see the life of Jesus and believe that He presented the life in which the Christian ought to live and, guided by His teachings, they can live a moral and upstanding life. The Christian should ask: “Do I believe that humanity is utterly depraved in their sinful nature and is unable to save themselves, or do I believe that people are just in need of a little help in order to live the good life?” In this sermon on John 4:27–30 titled “Under Conviction of Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones analyzes the interactions between Jesus and the woman at the well to show that the message of Christ is to bring humanity under the conviction of sin. Putting things in order, Dr. Lloyd-Jones places the conviction of sin as the first teaching in the New Testament, making this the building block in which the Christian life can begin. If the listener has taken up the religion of Christianity without becoming a true Christian, this sermon will help decipher between true belief and false belief. Listeners will then be challenged to analyze their lives and if they have ever truly been convicted of their sin and subsequently brought to repentance.

What does humanity demand from Jesus? In a world that is so violent and where injustices are prevalent, some of the demands from humanity seems wholesome. There is a desire to have peace, justice, and prosperity. These things are good, but are they the primacy of the Christian faith? In this sermon on John 4:27–30 titled “Facing Christ,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones examines the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman and her response to the demands of Jesus. Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows that when one truly encounters Christ, they are stripped of their demands and instead listen to Christ’s demands. These demands are not outwardly focused, but instead shed light upon one’s sins. They should be left with the same words as the woman at the well: “Come, see a man who has told me everything I have ever did. Could this be ‘the Christ?’” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones makes it clear that the nature of true Christian faith confronts one with their sins and that unless the whole position has been changed after encountering Jesus, then one does not have true faith. Often people look at the particular blessings of the Christian life such as peace, consolation or purpose, but they forget that all of these are only the byproduct of the true blessing ­– Christ Himself.

Listen to this sermon on John 4:27–30 titled “The Christian Life” as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the transformation of the Christian and takes a look at the story of the woman at the well. Learn of the instinct that humanity has for safety and how the Christian gospel responds to that instinct. Christianity is not just an addition to life. The Christian life ought to look essentially different. Christianity is not just a duty that one must force themselves to do as if it were an extra burden. The Christian should ask what kind of impression they give regarding Christianity. It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself that determines, controls, and dominates the Christian life in every respect. Looks at the lives of saints who were described as a “Christ-intoxicated” and a “bond-slaves for Christ.” Christians belong to Christ and have an entirely new way of thinking. The lust of the flesh, eyes, and world are not characteristic and dominating of the Christian. Learn that it is when eyes are set on things above and are no longer moved by the things that are constantly shifting and happening around them. Christianity provides a unique stability. The Christian is no longer conformed to this world, but transformed into a new creation.

What is the nature of a true biblical spiritual experience? Some people avoid all appearances of “religious ecstasy” while others are so overcome by a desire to experience God that they have an unhealthy spiritual life filled with subjectivity. In this sermon on John 4:27–30 titled “The Spiritual Experience,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the true nature of the spiritual life in Christ. He says that religious experiences are not something that can be made up on the spot or conjured up via human emotions. It is something that is brought about by God. One should also not discount the power of God to work in lives, for all throughout the Old and New Testaments God manifests Himself to His people. The Christian must always be receptive to what God has done and is doing in their lives. This sermon covers a topic that is important in the daily lives of Christians. It calls Christians to examine their spiritual lives to see if they are seeking to create ecstatic religious experiences rather than trusting God, or if they are suppressing what God is doing in their lives. Either way, this is a timeless message for all of God’s people.

Is communion and fellowship with the Lord possible? How does the Christian gain this experience? In this sermon on John 4:27-30 titled “Nearer My God to Thee,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones assures the believer that it is possible to encounter God and enjoy fellowship with him. Not only is it possible, it is his desire that the Christian should know him and draw near. The means to do this are given in Scripture: diligently seek the Lord in the Scriptures, partake in the Lord’s Supper to realize his spiritual presence, pray and ask God to reveal himself, and be obedient and responsive to his encouragements. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener that now, more than ever, Christians have the time and means to seek the Lord but they must create and fight for this time. They must not allow themselves to be overcome by other responsibilities as if drawing near to God is the lesser priority. Set aside everything else to commune with the Lord and experience his fellowship.

In this sermon from John 4:28–30 titled “Christianity or Religion?”, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the centrality of a relationship to Christ and how it should change every part of one’s life. Christianity is not just another helpful life teaching that can be added to a daily routine, but it is the message of salvation from God. It is the truth that all who believe in Christ are made children of God and forgiven from all sins. This means that now they view all of this life and the future in light of this hope. It means that the Christian tests themselves to see if they are truly in Christ. The Bible is clear that there are many who say they believe but are self-deceived. This is why the Bible exhorts all Christians to test themselves to see whether they are in the faith. This vital message for all to hear and obey is that Jesus died and saved those that believe.

What compels Christians to spread the gospel? In this sermon on John 4:28–30 titled “Spreading the Gospel,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on what true evangelistic zeal looks like in contrast to the false zeal of cults and other religions. He notes that cults and worldly originations always use mechanical ways of spreading their message, as if by a tape recorder. Why is this? Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains this as a sign that their message lacks any power to really transform people and motivate them to bring it to others. They must rely on lifeless and cookie-cutter means of teaching. This is in stark contrast to what is found in the gospel. He looks at the Samaritan woman whom Jesus meets at the well. Upon hearing the news of who Jesus is and believing in Him, she leaves behind her water jar, and goes into the city to tell everyone about her new faith. This is what true evangelism looks like: it is not the result of calculated methods and plans, but it is an outflow of an inward change. It is the power of the Holy Spirit made manifest in the lives of believers. It is the true knowledge of who God is and what He has done that compels Christians to share the gospel.

What does it look like to follow Christ? In this sermon titled “A Man of Authority,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the extraordinary encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well in John 4:28–30. The woman believes in Jesus and then goes into her village to tell them of the great man she encountered. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that this woman is an example of what it looks like to follow Christ because when she leaves behind her sin, she is not content to rest until she has told others of her Savior. This woman realizes that the most important question to answer is: “Who is Christ?” It is not debating about religion and politics, but the identity of this man, Jesus Christ, that is most important. What is found in Jesus that cannot found elsewhere? In Jesus is the glory of God made manifest and dwelling among His people. He alone has true authority over all. The coming of Jesus is the most important thing to ever happen to this world because He is the Savior of all who believe upon His name. There should not be concern with anything else until the Christian knows that they are believing and trusting in Him as Savior.

The Christian is bound to share the good news that has changed their life. In his sermon on John 4:28–30 titled “Bound to Share,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones paints a vivid picture of the Christian and their compassion for the souls of the lost. The Christian knows the feeling of being both freed and forgiven from enslaving sin. If they have been saved, they know that they were only a great sinner in need of a great Savior. Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates that conversion is like a sick person who is given a prescription that gives health and vitality again. When that person sees someone with that same ailment, they cannot help but speak of what made them well again with the hope that the other person will be healed. Similarly, someone who has been brought new life by the gospel cannot help but share it with others in need. Jesus does not only have compassion on His people and forgive them; He also gives them compassionate and forgiving hearts.

What is the peace that God gives His people in Christ? Humanity is always searching for something to put their trust in, something to hope in in the face of life’s many hardships. In this sermon on John 4:28–30 titled “Peace I Give to You,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the great doctrine of peace in the Christian life. When sinners repent and believe in Jesus Christ, they are made new and are given new desires and loves. They then love God rather than the world and their hope is in God, not the world. This is very different from the life of the unregenerate. They must always look for something in this world to place their hope. Many look to the philosophy of stoicism, which says that one cannot change their life, so hardships should just be accepted. This is wholly contrary to the message of Christ. Through the gospel Christians can know that they have a Savior who is wholly for them and not against them. This sermon calls all to forsake themselves and run to God as the only stronghold in this life.