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… I. THE WOMAN'S IGNORANCE. Knowledge is acquired by few; ignorance is inherited by all. 1. She was ignorant of the Messiah with whom she was conversing. She saw the Jew, but not the Son of God; the weary man, but not the rest for weary souls; the thirsty, pilgrim, but not one who could quench the world's thirst; one who sent for provisions, not one whose meat and drink was His Father's will; a lonely person, but not one who had myriads of angels at His command. 2. She was ignorant of spiritual things. She mistook living water for running water. She asks for material and overlooks eternal things. Earth was all, and heaven nothing. 3. She was ignorant of the gift of God. She valued the well, but could only trace it to Jacob, not to God. God gives us all good gifts; some of them through our fathers, some through our own hands. All these must perish. One gift comes direct; that abides, even the Holy Spirit. II. CHRIST'S INSTRUCTIONS. They were — 1. Progressive. The first impression was that He was a Jew; next she wanted to compare Him with Jacob; next He is a prophet; lastly the Messiah. Such was Christ's gradual unfolding of Himself to her. 2. Effective. They had their desired effect in spite of her efforts to thwart them. He touched her conscience, awakened her thirst for God, and gave Himself for its satisfaction, after continuous evasions. 3. Practical. III. GOD'S BLESSING. 1. Christ was so blessed that He forgot His thirst. 2. The woman was so blessed that she forgot her pitcher. As heaven becomes clear we lose sight of earth. (W. Griffith.) 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. |
    |