John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that said to you, Give me to drink… These words open UP to you three of the features of the Lord Jesus. 1. It shows you His care of individual souls. 2. Christ loves to save the worst. 3. Christ bears with stupidity. This woman was very stupid in Divine things; the words of Christ seemed to make no impression. Let us attend closely to these words, and let us consider — I. THAT CHRIST IS THE GIFT OF GOD. "If thou knewest the gift of God," etc. This is one of the sweetest names Christ bears — "the gift of God." "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift"; "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son"; "The gift of God is eternal life." Whose gift is He? The gift of God. Some seem to think that no good thing can come from God. When they hear that God has kindled eternal fire for the wicked, they say, can any good thing come from Him? But, ah! there is this and this good thing. Observe what the gift is — "The gift of God." He did not give a creature. He did not give angel or seraph. He gave His Son. Why did He give this gift? "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," etc: Ah! here is the guilt of unbelief, that you do not take up what God has laid down. II. CHRIST IS NEAR TO SINNERS. "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it was that said unto thee, give Me to drink," etc. 1. He is nigh thee on account of His two natures (John 1:18). 2. Christ has promised to be near in His ordinances — "I will come near and bless you." In secret prayer He records His name. In the broken bread and in the poured out wine He records His name. There are some of you who are awakened by the Spirit; now it is to such that Christ is near. Christ is as near to you as He was to the woman of Samaria. If Christ is so near, you ought to improve Him. You know that the farmers know how to improve the seasons. You know, brethren, that merchants do not let seasons pass. III. IT IS IGNORANCE THAT KEEPS SINNERS FROM APPLYING TO CHRIST. "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink," etc. It was ignorance that made the Jews crucify Christ. It was ignorance that made Paul persecute the Church. It was ignorance that made the woman answer Christ so rashly at the well. You are sailing over the sea of life, and you do not know that there are pearls below you. There is a thought comes over me, and it is this — that some of you will know when it is too late. IV. WHAT IT IS THAT CHRIST IS WILLING TO GIVE SINNERS, even the chief, "If thou knewest the gift of God," etc. The living water here spoken of is the Holy Spirit. Christ offered her here the very thing that she needed. It was an impure heart; now, Christ here says, I will give thee water to make thy heart clean. Again, this woman's heart was full of sin. She had a constant craving for sin. But Christ says, I will here give thee water that will make thee thirst no more. Again, this woman's heart was con- stantly boiling up with sin. Christ says to her, I wilt here give thee a well of water springing up — not a pond that may dry up — but a well of living water springing up into everlasting life. Again, this woman's heart would have ended in the second death. Christ says, I will here give thee water — a well of water that will spring up to everlasting life. (R. M. McCheyne.) Parallel Verses KJV: Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. |
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