Rejoice in the Lord
A Sermon on John 4:13-14
Originally preached May 7, 1967
Scripture
13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14But whosoever drinketh of 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 into everlasting …
Sermon Description
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).
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus offers living water that satisfies fully and eternally.
- This living water represents the gospel which provides intellectual, emotional, and spiritual satisfaction.
- The gospel provides intellectual satisfaction by answering life's deepest questions.
- The gospel also provides emotional satisfaction, though we must avoid extremes of emotionalism and stoicism.
- Emotional satisfaction is taught throughout the Bible, from the Psalms to the New Testament. The early church and great Christian leaders like Luther, Calvin, and Wesley also emphasized it.
- This satisfaction is offered to all, though it is expressed in different ways based on factors like temperament.
- There are variations in how we experience and express this satisfaction, even within individuals. But we must not quench the Spirit.
- We access this living water through Scripture, where we find Christ, and through the Holy Spirit.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Living Water
What did Jesus mean when He spoke about "living water" to the woman at the well?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Jesus was offering the woman at the well a "final and a full satisfaction to all our needs." When Jesus said, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst," He was claiming that He alone could provide complete and permanent satisfaction. This living water represents the essence of Christianity - not just moral goodness, but a transformative fullness that satisfies both the intellect and the emotional aspects of our being.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the intellectual and emotional aspects of Christian faith?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that true Christianity satisfies both the intellect and emotions. He states, "There is nothing more marvelous about this teaching than its wholeness, its completeness, its balance. It has something for the mind, but also for the heart and also for the will. It deals with the complete and with the entire man." He emphasizes that Christianity is not merely about intellectual acceptance of truths but includes a genuine emotional response - "a true, deep emotion" rather than mere emotionalism or sentimentality.
What biblical evidence supports the emotional aspect of Christian experience?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites numerous biblical examples of emotional Christian experience, including Psalm 103 ("all that is within me, bless his holy name"), Jesus' promise of joy to His disciples, and the early church in Acts who "ate their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God." He quotes 1 Peter 1:8, which speaks of "joy unspeakable and full of glory," and points to the apostle Paul's frequent exhortations to "Rejoice in the Lord always." He emphasizes that this emotional aspect is the universal teaching of the whole New Testament.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones refute the idea that emotional Christian experiences were only for biblical times?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly opposes the notion that emotional Christian experiences were limited to biblical times. He calls this view "a travesty of the scriptures" and "entirely contrary to the teaching of the scriptures themselves." He points to historical evidence from the early martyrs whose joy in persecution led to the spread of Christianity, to figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin during the Reformation, and to the evangelical revival with figures like George Whitfield and John Wesley. He argues that this joy and assurance has been a consistent feature of genuine Christianity throughout history.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address different temperaments in relation to Christian joy?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones acknowledges that temperament plays a role in how Christian joy is expressed, but rejects the idea that some temperaments are incapable of experiencing it. He explains, "The christian faith, unlike the cults, never produces a uniform type. It gives a uniform universal experience, but it doesn't produce a standard pattern type." He teaches that while temperament remains after conversion, Christians are no longer slaves to their temperament but can govern it. He states, "Whereas the man who is not regenerate is governed by his temperament, the Christian can govern his temperament."
What is the difference between believing in forgiveness and knowing you are forgiven?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes a crucial distinction: "There is all the difference in the world between believing that God does forgive sins and knowing that God has forgiven my sin, my personal sin." He uses John Wesley's testimony of how his "heart was strangely warmed" to illustrate this difference. Before this experience, Wesley intellectually believed the doctrines but lacked personal assurance. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that true Christian experience includes this personal application and assurance that moves the heart to joy.
How does Christian joy express itself according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christian joy expresses itself in various ways depending on the person and circumstances. He states, "Emotion expresses itself in a great variety of ways, and it's a great error to standardize it." Sometimes joy might express itself in speechlessness because "the emotion is such, it's too deep for tears." Other times it might lead to eloquence, singing, or weeping. He warns against standardizing emotional expression or assuming there's only one way joy should manifest itself.
How does one obtain this "living water" and joy according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this living water comes primarily "through the scriptures." He states, "It is here you find him, and finding him, you begin to love him. You search for him, you look for him like the woman in the song of Solomon, and you find him and your heart is moved and raptured." He also mentions that there is another "great way" which he intends to discuss in his next sermon - the filling of the Holy Spirit, which complements the scriptural pathway to experiencing this living water.
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.