Who is This Person?
A Sermon on John 4:13-14
Originally preached Dec. 18, 1966
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 Bible tells that when Jesus came down to earth, He came as both fully God and fully man. What proof is there that Jesus was both God and man? Listen to this sermon on John 4:13–14 titled “Who Is This Person?” as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this question through Jesus’s encounter with the woman at the well. First, He shows the woman that He is equal with God by telling her to believe in Him. This statement shows His authority and His claim of being equal with God. However, He goes on to speak of Himself as being a man by referring to Himself as being a Jew of the line of David. Here, He is transitioning to saying that He was also fully man. Many would argue that Jesus was not fully man, but only appeared to be man. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out how the Bible is very clear that Jesus did not just appear to be man, but came to this earth as fully man with a human soul. He goes on to state that because Jesus was fully man, He was made subject under the law. Therefore, the reason Jesus had to come as both fully God and fully man was because in order for Him to save all from the law, He also had to be under the law as a man. Because of His sacrifice in coming down to the world as God and man, all can find salvation in His work for humanity.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus makes exclusive and authoritative claims saying "believe me" and "I am he". He claims to have knowledge and authority that separates him from everyone else.
- Jesus also says "we" and refers to the Jews as "us". He claims to be one of them, a Jew among Jews. This seeming contradiction is puzzling.
- Jesus is God, as evidenced by his claims of exclusiveness and authority. But he is also man, as evidenced by his claims of being one of the Jews. This is the mystery of the incarnation.
- Jesus, though God, humbled himself by not using his divine powers and lived as a man, in dependence on God the Father and obedience to him. He lived a truly human life.
- Jesus had to become man to save us. As man, he could represent us. He had to take on human nature to bear the punishment for human sin and conquer human enemies like death.
- Jesus, as both God and man, is the only savior. He alone could accomplish what was needed for our salvation.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon on John 4: Questions and Answers
What is the essence of Christianity according to Lloyd-Jones in John 4?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the essence of Christianity is not merely believing a set of facts or statements, but "receiving life, a new life from God." He emphasizes Christ's words to the Samaritan woman in John 4:14: "But 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 life." Lloyd-Jones states, "This is what is offered us by the Christian gospel. This is the Christian message." He laments that many people, even professing Christians, don't realize this is the true message and know little of this fullness.
How does Lloyd-Jones explain the dual nature of Christ in his sermon?
Lloyd-Jones explains Christ's dual nature through the contrast between Jesus saying "believe me" (claiming divine authority) and "we worship" (identifying as a human Jew). He states: "He is God who takes on human nature, becomes man. The Word is made flesh and dwelt among us. He's God and He's man." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Jesus didn't cease being God but laid aside "the signs and externals of his eternal glory." He remained "truly God, truly man," with a real human soul while still being God the eternal Son. This is demonstrated by Jesus submitting to Jewish law, receiving instruction, being baptized, needing the Spirit, and praying.
Why was the incarnation necessary for our salvation according to this sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the incarnation was absolutely necessary because:
- We need a human representative before God: "Because we are men, our representative must be a man."
- God cannot simply forgive without justice: "God cannot say from heaven, 'I forgive you.' Why not? Because God is just, because God is holy, because God is righteous."
- Our representative must bear punishment: "He's got to bear the punishment of our sins, and that means death."
- Only a divine-human person could succeed: "If he's only man, he can't do it. He's not big enough, he's not great enough, he's not strong enough."
Lloyd-Jones concludes: "It was the only way whereby you and I or anybody else could ever be saved."
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by "salvation is of the Jews"?
When Lloyd-Jones discusses "salvation is of the Jews," he explains that Jesus is identifying himself as the Jewish Messiah who brings salvation. He states: "Salvation, he says, is of the Jews. Salvation is going to come out of the Jews. By which he's really saying, I am the one who's bringing the salvation, and I'm a Jew. I've come out of the Jews." Lloyd-Jones suggests that the entire Jewish nation was created, in a sense, to produce Christ. This statement connects to the broader biblical narrative where God worked through the Jewish people to bring about His plan of salvation that would ultimately benefit all humanity through Christ.
What are the unique claims of Jesus that Lloyd-Jones highlights from John's Gospel?
Lloyd-Jones highlights Jesus' unique and authoritative claims throughout John's Gospel, including:
- The "I am" statements: "I am the bread of life. I am the door. I am the light of the world."
- His authority in teaching: "You have heard that it has been said by them of old time. But I say unto you."
- His separation from everyone else: "All that came before me were thieves and robbers."
- His "totalitarian demand for submission" in commanding "Follow me."
- His claim to give eternal life: "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst."
- His claims of unity with God: "The Father and I are one" and "Before Abraham was, I am."
Lloyd-Jones states these claims demonstrate Jesus was "claiming to be God," which is why his enemies accused him of blasphemy.
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.