Gospel—R. Rule
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General Meetings, Montreal, October 1964 Gospel Meeting, Ralph Rule.
This morning, in a reading meeting, a reference was made.
To the Lord Jesus at the at a well and the living waters.
And.
It occurred to me that perhaps the Lord would have us look at that portion in the 4th of John together tonight.
John's Gospel chapter 4.
Before I.
Read the chapter or part of the chapter I would like to make.
An introductory comment or two.
Dear friends.
It's a happy and yet solemn.
Occasion that brings us together.
A happy occasion.
Because it's our privilege to.
Tell you.
The glad hidings of God's grace.
For the solemn occasion, because what we're speaking about has to do.
With your immortal soul.
I cannot think of anymore solemn subject.
Then one that concerns a soul.
Because, dear friend, your soul and mine is going to spend eternity somewhere. There are many in this room know where they're going to spend eternity. Many in this room have the assurance that it's to be with Christ in glory, with that blessed one they've been brought to know as their own precious Savior.
But there may be some in this room.
But if they were to die tonight, there may be some in this room that would spend eternity.
In the place of outer darkness.
And a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.
In a place of eternal woe.
Oh dear friend, I hope that won't be your portion.
And if your heart is open to receive?
The one we're going to seek to bring before you tonight, then I can assure you, it will not be your portion.
But if you've never felt the need of the Lord, Jesus is your savior.
Or if you felt that need but never taken advantage of the opportunity and the blessing that God offers you, May God give you to realize that now is the accepted time, that today is the day of salvation. There may be no tomorrow for you. Today is the day of salvation.
4th chapter of John's Gospel.
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, So Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples. He left Judea and departed again, and he must need to go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Saikar, near to the partial ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sets us on the well, and was about the 6th hour.
There cometh a woman is to marry, to draw water. Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink, for his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat.
Then say, if the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me, which I'm a woman of Samaria, For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is, but sayeth to thee, give me to drink thou which have asked of him, and he would have given thee living Water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our Father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself?
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And his children, and his cattle. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh with the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up onto everlasting life. The woman says unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hit her to draw.
Jesus saith unto her goal, Call thy husband. The woman answered, and said unto him, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou as well said, I have no husband. For he whom now hast is not thy husband. In that thou said that In that said thou truly. The woman said unto him, Sir, I perceive thou art a profit, our fathers worshipped in this mountain.
And ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father Ye worship ye know not why we know what we worship. For salvation is of the Jews.
But the hour cometh, and now is when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit.
And in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God is the Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh which is called Christ. When he has come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee, And he upon this team his disciples, and marvel that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said, Wat seeketh thou, or why talketh thou with her? The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city.
And sayeth to the men come.
And see a man which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ?
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples, 1 To another, Hath any man brought him, ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Verse 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him.
For the saying of a woman which testified, he told me all whatever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would carry with them, and he bowled there two days, and many more believed because of his own word, 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 Savior of the world.
Well dear friends.
And thank God for the last words that I just read.
This is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.
Thank God we can proclaim A savior to you tonight. There is a savior, a living, loving savior, one that died for you, one who now lives in the glory.
Have you ever opened your heart to receive that Blessed One? Is he your Savior?
Perhaps you've never realized that you had a need of a savior.
But you know, friends, we all needed a savior.
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In the 19th chapter of Luke's Gospel, we have the Lord Jesus.
Speaking to Zacchaeus.
And in that chapter the Lord tells him the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.
Now perhaps you haven't realized it.
That the Word of God tells us very plainly that.
All of us.
Have not only sinned against God.
But that we could never find our way back. And so God in His Word speaks of us now as being lost.
But the Son of man come to seek and to save that which is lost and dear friend.
I can tell you with all assurance.
That if you're still a lost soul, the Savior is seeking you.
Because he came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Now here in this chapter we find one who is lost.
And if we read the third chapter of John can't take the time to do it, But we find one there. His name was Nicodemus. He too was lost.
It's very interesting how often in the scriptures we find the Lord Jesus.
Occupied devoting his time to the needs of a single soul, we're living in a day where often we read or hear of great revival meetings, and where the meetings themselves aren't nearly heard by 1 or 2000 or so in the audience, but perhaps carried by radio.
Over hundreds of stations.
And those who have gifts seem to have to occupy themselves, trying to speak to the multitude. But you know, the Lord Jesus founded a joy.
To spend time and seek to be a help to individual souls.
You know, I thought in connection with the fourth verse of this chapter, he must needs go through Samaria.
Why must he needs go through Samaria?
While I've enjoyed this thought, there was one there who needed him. This poor woman that he met at Sikers. Well, he knew about her need.
Yes, and dear friend, if you're not saved tonight, he knows all about your needs.
And he knew about that soul, that woman that we find coming to Psych as well in the heat of the day. He knew all about her.
And in spite of her life which was?
One that might cause a feeling of shame because in spite of her life, he loved her. Now, friend, I don't know anything about the lives of many of you here tonight. I've met many in the room, but there are many here that I haven't met. But I can tell you with all assurance, if you don't know Christ as your savior, you have a need. A real need.
Your case may not be like this woman here. She was living in open sin.
Perhaps you might be more like the one we read about in the third chapter, Nicodemus.
Nicodemus was a very respectable individual. He was a ruler in Israel, ruler of the Jews.
He was one that was religious. He was a Pharisee.
He was one that no doubt had the esteem of his fellow man.
Probably a man of good moral one that was looked up to.
He came to Jesus by night.
And here again we find the Lord Jesus alone with the soul, a single soul.
The reason that the Lord was that He came by night, I believe, was because Jesus of Nazareth, as He was called.
If Nicodemus had been seen conversing freely with him.
He would have lost some of his respectability in the eyes of his fellow man.
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I believe he was ashamed to be seen with the Lord in daylight.
So he came at night, but thank God he came.
Our friend, is there something hindering you from coming to the Savior? Don't let it hinder you.
You're not saved. You need him and don't let anything hinder you from coming to him, Nicodemus might thought, Well, I won't race very well. I won't rate as well in the future without my fellow men if I'm seen with Jesus of Nazareth, but he didn't let that hinder him. It says that he came to Jesus by night. And I would encourage you to come to Jesus tonight, dear friend.
Well, he not only came to Jesus, but he came in a in a way that showed respect for him. He called him at that teacher come from God.
Yes, he showed respect, a measure of reverence. One come from God.
And you might think, in view of all those facts that I've said about Nicodemus and the attitude in which he came, you might think that the Lord would just open up to him and.
Offer him blessings, but he didn't.
What he said to Nicodemus was.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
He as much as said the Nicodemus Nicodemus.
There's nothing about you that I can use. I've got to start all over. You've got to start all over again. You must be born again. He knocked the props right out from under him, as it were. He didn't give him one bit of encouragement. Why?
Well, dear friends, this book tells me that it was sinners that Jesus Christ came to save.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And you are a Sinner. I am a Sinner too. We're all sinners. But there's one important distinction of the sinners that are in this room. Some are saved sinners on their way to glory, and everyone who's not a saved Sinner on the way to glory is a lost Sinner on the way to hell. Which class are you in?
Well, Nicodemus.
He didn't come to the Lord as a Sinner. He didn't feel his need. And the Lord has to knock the props out from under him, as it were, and say, Nicodemus, I've got to start all over again, except a man be born again. You need a new life altogether, except a man be born again. He cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Oh, you know, friend. One who comes in any base and any measure, feeling a measure of satisfaction with themselves and the fact that they're living a reasonably respectable life, perhaps even more respectable than their neighbors.
The first thing the Lord has to do is to take away, as there were, all of those robes of self righteousness.
The beginning of blessing for every soul is to realize that they need a savior.
That they're lost and undone.
Yes, it might be more righteous and more respectable in the average fellow citizen, as Nicodemus was. But the Lord says you must be born again. You need a new life altogether. What did any of us have to do with the natural life That we receive? Nothing. And you can have nothing to do with the spiritual life either. It must be a work of the Spirit of God in your soul. Applying this word to your heart, He must be born again. Well, that was the starting point. Nicodemus had to be brought to realize his need.
Now, I believe the reason that the Lord took an entirely different approach with the woman of Samaria. I believe the reason is because in her case.
She didn't come needing to have any self righteousness eliminated from the equation.
She realized that she was a Sinner. Have you ever realized that, dear friend?
Well, you'll notice in the verse four it says of our chapter he must needs go through Samaria. Oh, I believe, I like to think that the reason he must need to go through Samaria was because there was this whole there who needed him and he wanted to bless her.
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Because he loved her and friend, he loves you and he wants to bless you, but you must have the blessing on God's basis.
Well, he comes to the city of Samaria called Cyker, nearer to where Jacob's well was. Then he comes. It says yeah, verse 6. Jacob's well was there. Jesus being wearied with his journey. That's us on the well. It was about the 6th hour.
You know, there's a very interesting expression there, Jesus being weird with his journey.
You know, this blessed One that we're Speaking of is God manifest in the flesh.
And yet it says he was wearied with his journey. Why? Well, that shows me that even though he was God come down and grace the man, yet he was very man. Yes, he was. He came here and we find him down here, a man among men. He was worried with his journey. It was about the 6th hour. And this woman comes to him, the woman of Samaria.
If this refers to Jewish time, I can't say positively that the 6th hour in Jewish time would be high noon.
And.
At this particular spot in Palestine and not too far from the equator, I believe.
Anyway, close enough to it where it would be very hot and most countries I where you find where it's very hot at noon. Usually they take a siesta around this time. At least it isn't a time when they engage in a in the hot job of carrying water.
Because in those days they didn't have running water where they could turn the tap on like you and I can. No, she came with her water pot.
And.
If this was Jewish time and it was high noon, I wouldn't be a bit surprised that the the reason this woman came when she did was because.
She had found the very course of her life, which had been a shameful one. She had found she had reached the place where others didn't want her company.
And so she came at a time when most wouldn't be coming. But there was one one that wanted her company.
The one who came to seek and to save sinners.
And he does something very unusual.
He says to her. Give me to drink.
And the woman answers him. And I want to comment a little bit on her two questions, she said. How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask us drink of me, which I'm a woman of Samaria, for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans?
You know, in effect, what she said.
I think we might paraphrase it this way.
She in effect said, Well, I've never met such a gracious Jew before. The Jews don't speak to us, and hear the Lord in grace Stoops and ask that soul for a drink of water. Ask the favor of her. Why did he do that? Well, he wanted to get close to her heart.
Our friend the Lord desires to get close to your heart tonight. He wanted to reach your heart. He wanted to speak to her heart or you still without Christ. The Lord would love to touch your heart tonight and draw you to himself.
He took a very different approach than he took with Nicodemus. He asked the favor of her.
Oh, how gracious on his part. And she defects, as I never met such a gracious Jew before. Why?
The Jews, They have no dealings with the Samaritans. How little did she realize that he was more than the Jew? How little did she realize that she was speaking to the Messiah, as she learned later, the Lord Jesus Christ?
Well the Lord said unto her, It says, verse 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me to drink thou which have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Well, how precious that is if thou knowest the gift of God. Now, I know that most here have heard the gospel many times, but there may be some here that never have heard it, or at least have heard it only very infrequently. Fran, I want to tell you in particular tonight. God is a giving God. God is a giver God.
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If I could offer you $1,000,000 tonight, if you would come up here and take it, that would be quite a gift that was offered to you, wouldn't it?
Well dear friend, what we have to offer you tonight is worth far more than $1,000,000.
What did God give? What is God's gift? The Apostle Paul.
Says thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. What is that unspeakable gift?
Oh, it's the Lord Jesus Christ.
In John's epistle, the same author, but in his epistle he says.
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
That's the Father's gift, the Lord Jesus Christ.
What have you done with this gift and everyone that receives Christ?
God's gift receives eternal life, receives an inheritance and eternal inheritance and glory.
Oh dear friend, the gift that is offered to you tonight is one that I'm not capable, so great and wonderful as the gift, but I couldn't begin to describe it in its fullness.
If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me to drink. Thou is the vast of him all, my dear friend, and I the gift of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave his only begotten Son for you, that you might have eternal life and eternal blessings.
What are you going to do with God's offer?
You know, a couple of weeks ago, one of the brothers in my home assembly at Toledo, OH had the Gospel on another portion. I forget where, but he told an interesting story.
Had to do with the Ohio State Penitentiary.
And the time, he said, was just a little bit before the turn of this century, a little before the year 1900.
There were about 1200 men in the Ohio State Penitentiary.
And a good many of them were convicted for crimes that meant they would have spent their whole life in the penitentiary.
On this particular occasion, the Governor of the state of Ohio.
This is the penitentiary.
And his mission was to grant a pardon.
To five individuals, 5 men.
Well, all of the prisoners were brought in and seated before the governor.
And after they were seated.
The one of his assistants got up and said the governor is here and he's going to pardon 5 men.
He said I'm not going to make a long speech because I'm sure that you're anxious to know who is going to receive, who. We're going to receive the pardons. And with that, he sat down and the governor got up and he had in his hand pardoned for five men and he read the first name.
Reuben Johnson.
Nothing happened.
One of the wardens looked around and.
He saw Ruben Johnson sitting in the audience.
But nothing happened and the governor said, again, I have a pardon here for Reuben Johnson.
But nothing happened.
Finally, the warden walked up to the end of the aisle.
And.
He said to this man, Ruben Johnson, the governor has a pardon for you.
And finally, it's so thin he couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe it. He'd been in for some years.
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But finally soaked in and registered and he came up and took his pardon, went back to his seat. Well, the governor read the five other names and the pardons were handed to five others.
And after this, there was a little talk, babe.
And after the talk, the governor said.
Not, pardon me, not the governor, but the chief warden had told the prisoners to go back to their cells. The meeting was over.
Reuben Johnson stood up along with the rest, got in line and started back to his cell.
And as he walked out, the warden grabbed him and said, Ruben Johnson, you've been pardoned.
Well, it was just very slow on his part of laying hold of it. Could hardly believe it.
Oh, dear friend, God has a pardon for you tonight. I sought to tell you that you're a Sinner and that you're a lost Sinner, but thank God he can righteously pardon you tonight.
Now the basis of God's pardon is this.
That the Lord Jesus Christ, God sent him down into this world to die for you. He died on Calvary's cross.
He suffered there at the hands of a holy God.
It was there that the Lord Jesus in those three hours of darkness.
Stood in the sinner's room instead, and God turned his back on him. He had to cry out. My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? I'll tell you why He was forsaken, friend, that you might not have to be forsaken. Your place will be to be shut out from God and from all of his light for all eternity, unless you receive a pardon that God has for you.
But the Lord Jesus was forsaken that you and I might never be forsaken, but that we might be his companions in glory forever.
Well, Ruben Johnson could hardly believe the fact. After being in prison for years, it just didn't penetrate that he was pardoned and he starts walking out with the other criminals.
Well, how many souls there are that are slow to realize? The gift that is offered to you, if I know, is the gift of God. Praying God's gift for you is a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one that died that you might live.
While this woman didn't know yet what the Lord was talking about, and she makes that answer.
And then?
The Lord says to her. He goes on to say, if you knew who it was to say, how did he give me the drink that was the best of him and He would have given me living waters. The Lord wasn't talking about the water in the well. He wasn't talking about H2O. He was talking about living waters, that which can meet the needs and make happy your eternal soul for eternity. Well, that draws another question from this woman.
He said, verse 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank the rob himself and his children and his cattle?
Oh, dear friend, art thou greater than our father, Jacob? Was he? Was he?
He was the greatest, I believe this afternoon or this morning. In one of our readings, a brother referred to that verse in believe Isaiah 47.
Says I am the the. I'm afraid I'm not going to quote it right, so I'm going to turn to it and get it right.
Isaiah 57, verse 15. I'll just read it. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabits eternity.
Yes, he's the one that inhabiteth eternity. In fact, in this very gospel that we've turned to the very opening words of the gospel of these, In the beginning was the Word, and the Lord Jesus was that Word. In the beginning was the Word. He was the eternal one. He was in the beginning. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was God. God manifest in flesh, yes, but he was very God.
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The Eternal God.
And it goes on to say.
The thing was in the beginning with God, and the third verse says all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. He's the creator. Art thou greater than our father Jacob that gave us the well. Why he was Jacob's creator.
He was the one that made the earth in which the well was done. All how little she realized who she was talking to.
Friend, have you ever realized who that blessed One is? Yes, the eternal God. But the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst men, and we beheld his glory. The glory is the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Ah, yes, the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst men. The Eternal God now takes the form, and he became a man. And why?
He became a man in order he could die for you and me. That's why he became a man. The Father sent the Son that says to be the Savior of the world. And I say this reverently. God, there was no other way that God could have saved your precious soul and maintained His Holiness, his righteousness apart from his own blessed son going to Calvary's cross. And they're suffering in your room instead.
Oh, what a savior I found greater than our father, Jacob, she says. How little she realized she was talking to Jacob's creator, to her creator, to the creator, Not only this world, but the whole universe, the one, as we read in Hebrews, it says. The one who upholds all things by the word of his might.
Well, the Lord. And by the way, dear friend, he's the one that wants to be your savior tonight. He's the one that wants to save your precious soul. What are you going to do with him tonight?
Well, it says here.
Jesus answered and said under her, Whoso drinketh of this water shall thirst again, That's there's a lot in that sentence. Whoso drinketh of this water shall Hurst again the Lord was talking the water in the well.
But you know, dear friends, I think there's a principle here that we can apply much broader than that.
Anything that this world has to offer you will not satisfy you.
Anything you take to satisfy any thirst for any desire that you may have.
You'll thirst again.
Only Christ can satisfy.
The hymn writer puts it this way. Now none but Christ can satisfy none other name. For me there's love and life and lasting joy Lord Jesus found in thee. Oh yes, I know the world has its pleasures.
But it isn't lasting. There's love and life and lasting joy Lord Jesus found in me, friend, Have you found out yet that nothing can satisfy your poor heart? Nothing but Christ? Have you found out there's nothing here that can satisfy?
Perhaps, perhaps, because you're young, you haven't had enough opportunity to. Perhaps, perhaps you haven't seen enough of the world. Some of you. But you and I don't care what age you might be, whether it's 3040506070 or 80, you'll never find anything down here to really satisfy those inward longings of your heart and soul. Only Christ can satisfy who so drinketh of this water shall burst again.
Ah, but friend, we're seeking to bring before you tonight that which can satisfy for eternity.
This armor should say, As for me, I shall be satisfied when I awaken thy likeness, and that'll be for all eternity. For when we awaken His likeness, it will be to see His blessed face in glory, those of us who've come to know Him as our Savior. Oh, dear friend, you one of those that haven't come to him yet and seeking satisfaction down here, I say to you again, Whoso drinks this water?
Shall thirst again? Yes, only Christ can satisfy.
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Well.
By this time, the woman.
Well wait, first I'd like to read into the 14th verse. I I didn't didn't pre quote that verse 14 but whoso drinketh of the water then I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up.
Into everlasting life. Oh, you know, the one that's been born again. The one that has Christ as their savior.
And.
Has indwelled the Spirit of God. That one has a well within. He says, the the water, and I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life that's springing up, that is, who would take us to the source to God above well, dear friends?
If you receive the Lord Jesus as your savior, if you open your heart to him, if you claim him as your precious savior.
Then you will be one of those that will have the water. The well within the water that I should give him should be in him. A well of water springing up into everlasting light. Well, by this time now the woman desire has been created in her heart. She says, verse 15, Sir, give me of this water.
That I thirst not, neither come hit her to draw.
He didn't realize what he was talking about.
Otherwise she wouldn't have referred to coming hit her again to draw up the well.
But at least there was a desire created, and now we find the Lord saying something very unusual.
In verse 16, Jesus saith unto her, Go call thy husband, and come hit her.
Why would he say that?
That seems entirely foreign to the discussion that they've been having.
Well, you know, the Lord always has a reason for what He does.
Yes, it does seem foreign. It is entirely removed from anything that's been set up to now brings an entirely new aspect of things. I'll tell you why I believe the Lord said that.
As I said earlier.
He was speaking to her in grace. He asked a favor in grace in order to get close to her heart.
To winner, confidence.
But I must say something else, dear friend. The Lord desires while he desires.
To have you open your heart to him.
While he longs to bless you as he did this woman.
There can be no blessing for any soul apart from the conscience being reached.
Oh, those few words that he spoke was to speak to her conscience.
Go call my husband.
This woman was living in open skin.
The woman answered and said unto him, and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her. Now as well said, I have no husband.
But then he added something that showed that he knew all about it.
He said Dallas had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. And that thou said truly all he knew all about, that dear soul he knew all about.
Her.
And the fact that she was living in sin.
But he still loved her.
He still wanted to bless her.
But you know, the Lord can't bless the Sinner until he's brought to see himself.
And own his condition before God.
The Lord told her to go call my husband to speak to her conscience, to get at the root of the matter as far as her conscience was concerned.
Friend, let me ask you, I'm not suggesting that there is one in the audience living like this poor soul was.
No, she was at the bottom of man's social ladder.
I sometimes have spoken of this woman as a down and outer.
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One that we find in in New York City, living in some cities, they would say living on Skid Row. I don't know whether it's that New York, but anyway, she was a down and Outer Nicodemus was one at the top of the social ladder, as it were.
What was he? He was an up and outer, but they were both outers there. Whether an up and out or down and outer, they both needed a savior and friend. You need a savior. And I suppose most here in the room would come somewhere in between those two individuals, not way down at the bottom. Perhaps not as respectable as in as religious as Nicodemus. But they both needed a savior, and you need a savior and all. I hope you'll come to that savior tonight and trust him.
Well, the Lord said this to the woman.
In order to give her to realize that he knew all about her.
She said, Sir, I perceived our to profit. She realized she wasn't talking to any usual individual. She realized this was some unusual person, not a prophet, because the Lord had shown that he knew all about her. And Friendly knows all about you. He knows everything in your life. In fact, for that matter, he has a record of everything in your life, everything you've done, everything you've said, everything you've fought the very thoughts of your heart.
In Revelation, the 20th chapter, it reads of the set of books. God is the best bookkeeper there ever was. Man has his bookkeepers. In fact, I worked as a bookkeeper when I started in my after I got out of school. Yes, men have bookkeepers, but God is keeping accounting and he's more accurate on his records than anyone has ever been in this scene because his records are perfect. Friend, there isn't one thing that's happened in your life that God doesn't have a record in those books I read about in Revelation 20.
And, you know, it says there that when those books are open at the Great White Throne, it says whosoever's name was not found written in the book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.
Oh, I hope you don't wind up there. God has the record. Not one thing in your life that he doesn't have a record of.
But the important thing is, is your name in the Lamb's book of life. Everyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus gets their name in the Lamb's book of life, Friend, is your name there in that day. Everything is going to hinge on that one question. Whosoever's name was not found written in the Lamb's book of Life. You know, I believe this woman we're reading about, she got her name written as it were in the Lamb's book of life because she received the Lord Jesus she was brought to know and to trust in him.
Please ask yourself.
Before you ask yourself right now whether your name is written in the Lamb's book of life, For whosoever was not found written in the Lamb's book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Oh friend, we don't want that to be your portion. That's why we're having the gospel meeting here tonight. What an awful thing it would be to have some souls.
At that day, whose names were not written in the Lamb's book of Life? And I'll tell you something.
I believe if there's one here who rejects the the gift of God, who rejects the offer, this wonderful offer that's being given to you tonight, I believe if there's one here who ends in the lake of fire, I believe you'll remember.
This very occasion tonight and you'll remember it with great remorse.
Old friend, you need a savior.
Christ died for you. What are you going to do with him? Will you have Him? He loves you. He wants you. He's seeking you as he told that he is. The Son of Man has come to seek and to say that which is lost He's seeking for you tonight. What is your answer going to be? Will you have him?
Well, this woman said. Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Then she says, Our father, say that in this mountain our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and ye stayed within Jerusalem as the place where men ought to worship.
Well, she started talking about religion now because.
I think she realized that this that the Lord Jesus is 1 Come from God, a prophet. Sometimes when souls talk when you try to speak to them of the Lord they they change the subject from the person to religion and what church to go to and that sort of thing.
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Just to get off the subject, that speaks too personally to their conscience. I don't think that was the case with this woman.
I think that that's about all she knew to say at the moment. And she asked him that honestly the Lord said to her woman, believe me, the hour coming and we should meet when you shall neither in this mountain or yet at Jerusalem worship the Father he worshipped. He know not what we know what we worship. For salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh. Now is when true worshippers who worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father, seeketh such to worship him.
Well, the Lord is seeking here to enlighten her. Time doesn't permit me to go into great detail.
But she was a seeking soul at this juncture, and the Lord is explaining to her that it's no longer going to be a matter of ceremony and ritual, as it had been in Judaism even. But he says the hour cometh, and now is The Lords presence here was introducing a new thing, Christianity instead of Judaism. And he says they, the worship the Father, must worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
I wonder how many here even know the Father.
You know, those that trust in the Lord Jesus learn that they've made one of God's children and that he is their father. Do you know him in that way as your father?
And then true worshippers in spirit. It isn't in a matter of the robes that the priests wear and the ritual that he goes through or something like that. No, it's worship and spirit. And in truth, well, time doesn't permit to go into it in detail, but the woman was open to what the Lord was saying. And when he speaks in this way he says verse 25. I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he is come, he will tell us all things.
Well, he had been telling her all things about herself. He had been telling her that he knew all about her by the comment he made when she said, I have no husband. And and the Lords answer to her is very, very brief. Jesus saith under I that speak unto thee, And he yes, he was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the one that the Lord Jesus sent that God, pardon me, the one that God sent to be, as it says here in the 42nd verse.
This is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Oh, I believe her heart, in a measure entered into that.
Because the very next thing she did it, says the woman. Verse verse 28. The woman then left her water pot. Oh, that water pot meant a lot to her when she came. She was quite dependent on that water pot. But she had learned she had found something better. She left her water pot. That's one thing.
And notice what she said. And she went her way into the city, and saith unto the men.
Where did she go? She went to the place of her open shame. She went into the city and said come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? Oh yes, she believed on him. She had opened her heart to him and she goes out to tell others, come see a man that told me all things that ever I did. I believe she had some sense that she was forgiven, otherwise she wouldn't be talking about.
Those things that she had done, her life was one that didn't commend itself. Oh, but now she's found. Here's the Messiah, the Christ, the savior of the world. And she wants others to know him well. Dear friend, the reason for our meeting here tonight is that you might know him, that you might open your heart to receive him, that you might trust him and know him as your own precious Savior. The disciples, when they came, they marveled that he talked with the woman.
He had no man, said Wat, Seek us thou, or why talkest thou?
But later on in verse 31 when the disciples prayed him, saying, Master E, he said unto them, I have me to eat that she know not of.
The Lord in talking with this woman and seeking her blessings, he was doing the Father's will. The Father wanted that woman to be blessed. He wanted her to find in the Lord Jesus as Savior and so he had meat to eat. But the disciples knew not of doing the Father's will and acting in blessing in connection with her poor soul. Well dear friend, the Lord wants to act in blessing in your connection.
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In your case, and now our time is up and I'm just going to ask you.
I'm going to put you the question that was put to pilot.
The question what? The pilot was just this on one occasion. What shall I do with Jesus, which is called Christ?
Friend, what will you do with Jesus?
What will you do with Jesus tonight?
Are you going to hold them at a distance longer? It may be too late tomorrow night. There's nothing in this book to give us any assurance that will that you will be here tomorrow night. The Lord may come tonight, and then all his own will be taken home, and you'll be left for judgment. And even if the Lord doesn't come tonight, you have no assurance you'll be here tomorrow.
We read in newspapers every day of those that are killed in automobile accidents or those that are taken suddenly in some other way. You tomorrow, dear friend, may be too late. God says, behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. I ask you again, what will you do with Jesus, which is called Christ? Will you have him if you receive him as God's gift? You'll have.
Forgiveness of sins. You'll receive this eternal life that we're speaking about. For he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son shall not see life.
You know the rest of that verse?
Those who don't receive them, the rest of the verse tells their portion. He who hath the Son hath life, and he who has not. The Son hath that shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Oh, dear friend, I'm going to close with a story. It often comes to mind when I preach the gospel. And if you've heard it before from my lips, forgive me.
Some years ago, I think about 1937, I was down in Pocono Haven at a sanitarium.
For a much needed rest and.
I ran into a man from New Jersey and a young man about my age, and this young man told me that not long before this he had climbed up on the top of the highest building in Newark. I think at that time the highest building was only 13 stories high. Anyway, he I shouldn't say he climbed up. He went up the elevator and then walked up the steps.
Into the Cupolo on top and out on the roof. He knew the way there, and he said he went to that building planning to jump off.
He said he walked over to the edge of the building and he looked down.
Fully intending when he went up to jump off. But he said, you know, as I got to the edge of that building and looked down, I was afraid to jump off. He said no, I wasn't afraid to die, believe me, he said. I'll tell you why he's afraid to jump off. I was afraid of what followed this.
You know what the word of God says, dear friend? It is appointed unto man wants to die. Now, lots of people would say that's the end of everything. But God, who cannot lie, says it's appointed under Man wants to die, but after death. The judgment Ah, that young man was wise, but he didn't take that one last step. And I'm thankful I had the chance to tell him about my precious Savior. I'm not sure that he received him, but he seemed open, and I trust that I meet him in glory.
Our friend is appointed unto men once to die, but after death the judgment.
Are you ready now? Some of us. Some of us after death. Thank God It won't be judgment.
John 524 says, verily, I'm going to quote it in another translation fact. I think it's the do a version, if I'm not mistaken. Truly, truly I say unto you, he that hears my word and believes on him, that sent me half everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life. All there are many here that shall not come into judgment that pass from death unto life. They have a new life. They've been born again.
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They know that blessed Savior we've been reading about, friend, which is to be your portion. Is it after death, the judgment? Oh, I hope not. And if that's where you stand now, decide for Christ tonight. Take him tonight. Take him right now as your own precious Savior. And then you'll be among those of whom, it is said, shall not come into judgment, but are passed from death unto life.
#10 There is a savior on high in the glory.
A savior who suffered on Calvary St. A savior is willing to save now as ever.
His arm is almighty, his love great and free. That dear, loving Savior who lives in the glorious world once rejected and nailed on the tree, a robe of derision they circled around him. And all this he suffered for sinners like thee.
Those hours of darkness he suffered for sinners on Calvary's cross, all forsaken alone while making atonement and bearing the judgment are ended. And now he's on high on the throne.
Come now to Jesus, that dear loving Savior receive in this moment, and peace shall be thine because of the time shall we just sing the 1St and the last stanzas of #10.