INTERNET BIBLE STUDIES

John – Lesson 7 - John Chapter 4:28-54

 

Introduction:

In the first part of Chapter 4, we saw Jesus coming to the woman of Samaria at Jacob’s Well. The Lord explains how that He could give her living water that would satisfy her spiritual thirst forever. She responds with a bit of confusion, but I believe she accepted Christ as her Savior as we see her going back to the city and bringing others to the Lord. Each of us who have been saved should so respond when we receive wonderful blessings from God. And there is no greater gift than the gift of salvation.

 

I. Response of Samaritan Woman

John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

John 4:30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

It is a wonderful when the Holy Spirit comes and indwells the person at the time of salvation. When we are filled by the Spirit, it makes us want to tell others about what Jesus has done for us.

The bible teaches that we should speak out and tell others when we accept Jesus as our Savior.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

These other men come out to see the One that the woman proclaims to be the Christ. While she had made many mistakes in her life, she made no mistake about Jesus. Like this woman, our desire should be to tell others about what Jesus has done for us. Our gratitude should so drive us that we will do great works for the Lord. Not in order to be saved, but because of what Jesus did to save us.

John 4:31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

John 4:33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Our tendency is to be concerned for our body. Survival drives us to be concerned about our physical needs, and the disciples were human just like you and I. They were concerned for Jesus that he had food to eat. When He says "I have meat to eat that ye know not of." , they think he spoke of physical meat. But Jesus was more concerned about the Father’s Will than his human needs. John Calvin said that Jesus was most concerned about doing the Father’s Will and in fulfilling the commission he had been given. "Everyone should think about his own vocation, so that he does not think that God has ordered him to carry out his own rash activities which he thought up himself. Christ’s office is well known. It was to advance God’s kingdom, to restore lost souls to life, to spread the light of the Gospel, and in summary, to bring salvation to the world.. The importance of these things made him, when tired and hungry, forget about eating and drinking."

 John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

John 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

John 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

John 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Every year in the spring, I like to drive back out in the country where I grew up west of Seymour, Texas, and look on the wheat fields as the grain ripens. Every time I see the wind blow across those beautiful fields of gold, this verse comes to my mind. If you ever made a living farming, or worked in the harvest of the grain, you know the importance of getting the harvest cut and into the barn. (or grain elevator when selling the harvest.) I worked two years on a harvest crew, and I can remember working many long, long days (long into the night) as we tried to finish cutting a field before a storm would come in. If you hurried, and things went right, you got the grain harvested before the hail storms came that many times destroyed everything left in their path. If we would put such urgency on getting a crop in, how much more serious should we be about reaching all of the lost souls in the world. Their souls literally hang a heart beat away from an eternity in the flames of hell. It is great to rejoice in the love of God and be around fellow Christians, but oh how serious we need to be about reaching the lost. When I visit a lost person and witness about Christ, I try to reverse the situation and pretend that it was me on the other side of the table. When you view things in that light, you sure gain a lot more compassion and patience. And as verse 37 says, one sows and another reaps. What you and I may say may not turn a hardened heart to the Savior, but the seed we plant may begin a process. Another may come and water that seed, and someone else may reap the harvest. But if we are never sowing or watering, you can be sure we will not reap.

John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

John 4:40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

John 4:41 And many more believed because of his own word;

John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

We see that many of the Samaritans came from the city and believed on Christ at the witness of the woman. They were glad Jesus was among them, and asked that he would tarry there with them. If Jesus came to your home today, would you be glad and ask Him to stay, or would you be glad to see Him depart. If Jesus was with us, we might not watch that football game or do some activity that we had planned. If we wouldn’t do it in His presence, I think we need to stop and think whether it is in our best interests to continue in those pursuits. Am I saying activities or watching football is wrong? No, not normally. But if those things take away all our time and we have no time to read the Word or visit the sick, then we may need to assess our priorities. I believe that Jesus did His very best to reach lost souls with the Gospel everyday. Did you witness to anyone today? How about this past week? God help us to not be silent about the most important thing of all.

 

  1. Prophet has no Honour in his own Country

John 4:44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

John 4:45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

We see that the Galilaeans received Jesus not because He was from Galilee, but because they had seen the great miracles he had performed in Jerusalem. When the disciples came and told Thomas that they had seen Jesus after he arose from the grave, he said that he would not believe unless he could put his fingers in the holes in his hands and thrust his hand into Jesus’s side.

John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

We need to not doubt God, but we must believe with all the heart. You and I will never have the opportunity to see Jesus perform a miracle in this life. The next time we will see Jesus is when he comes in the clouds at the sound of the trumpet when He comes to take us out of this world at the rapture of the saved.

 

III. The Nobleman’s Son is Healed

John 4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

John 4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

John 4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

We see Jesus returns to where he had performed his first miracle of turning the water into wine at the wedding feast. We see this certain nobleman from Capernaum comes to Jesus. You know, whether a man is rich or poor, things befall us that only God can remedy in this life. If you have ever had a child sick, there is no greater agony to the parent. You would give anything to take the sickness away, and suffer for the child. But in those hours, just like this man faced, there is no way we can do that. But thank God, we can come to Jesus in that hour in prayer. And He hears our prayers, and understands.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without

Jesus tells them that unless they see miracles they would not believe. But this nobleman is at the end of the road. He pleads with the Lord to come and to save his son. Jesus told him to go his way, and the child would be healed. And the bible says he did believe. That is what God wants us to do. Trust Him with childlike faith, nothing wavering.

John 4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

John 4:52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

John 4:53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

John 4:54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

The man starts home, and his servants tell him that his son has not died, but had suddenly recovered. And when he asks the time, it is the exact hour in which Jesus told him "Thy son liveth." This was a great miracle, and because of it, the nobleman believed in Christ as did his whole household. What an honour to have witnessed the great miracles of healing that Jesus bestowed upon the people during His earthly ministry.

.

Internet Bible Studies are prepared and distributed free of charge. The lessons may not be sold without consent. If you have questions or wish to discuss the lessons, or possibly need help in finding Jesus Christ as your Personal Lord and Savior, contact David Parham at 940-322-4343.

Prov 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Practice Random Acts of Kindness. Each act spreads, and many will be blessed.

 Home Page:  www.internetbible.net

email:   davidparham@internetbible.net