John 4:29

DISCOURSE: 1619
CONVICTION OF SIN, A PREPARATIVE FOR SALVATION

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

LITTLE do we know what a day or an hour may bring forth. It was probably owing to an unexpected temptation that this Samaritan woman fell into the sin which led to that vicious and abandoned course which she afterwards pursued. And to what the world in general would call a most accidental circumstance, she was indebted for the salvation of her soul. It happened, as we say, that the Lord Jesus Christ came to relieve his weariness and thirst at Jacob’s well, whither she also had come to draw water. There, contrary to what might have been expected, the Saviour entered into conversation with her, and brought conviction to her mind, and revealed himself to her as the promised Messiah; and made her, who had been an occasion of evil to many, to become to many the means of their salvation: for, on being interrupted in her conversation by his Disciples, who had gone into the adjacent city to purchase food, she herself went into the city, and said to all whom she met, “Come, and see a man who told me all things that ever I did! Is not this the Christ?”
In considering this address of hers to her fellow-citizens, I shall take occasion to shew,

I. The power of God’s word to produce conviction—

Our Lord had told her what were undoubtedly the most remarkable occurrences of her life, that “she had had five husbands, and that the man with whom she was now living was not her husband.” This brought all her former life so strongly to her recollection, that it seemed as if he had “told her all things that she had ever done.” And this is no uncommon effect of God’s word upon the mind and conscience; as St. Paul has told us: “If all in a Church prophesy, (that is, preach,) and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth [Note: 1 Corinthians 14:24.].” It then appeared, and frequently does also at this hour, that a preacher may be led to touch on some points so forcibly and circumstantially, as to seem as if he had been actually made acquainted with the secret history of one or other of his hearers, and were intentionally developing to his audience the history of that particular individual. Now, whence is this? I think it may be well accounted for, by considering what the Spirit of God effects, when he applies any single word with power to the soul.

1. He “opens the eyes of the understanding [Note: Luke 24:45.Ephesians 1:18.]”—

[A man that is blind cannot see any thing: but when his eyes are opened, he sees all the things that are before him, and within the reach of his visual organs. Thus it is when God is pleased to give us a spiritual discernment: we do not see this or that particular sin only, but our entire defection from God, and our whole life, as one continued course of rebellion against him.]

2. He discloses to us the inmost recesses of the soul—

[The soul of man may fitly be compared to the chambers of imagery in Ezekiel’s vision. All is transacting there in secret; and nothing is known but to God himself; till God directs his servant to a hole in the wall, by which a variety of things may be discerned. Now, thus it is that the Spirit of God opens sometimes a hole, and sometimes even a window or a door, by means of which the interior of the soul is made manifest, and the sinner is enabled to see things of which he had before a very indistinct idea. We may conceive a painted sepulchre, beautiful to behold by those who see only its exterior. But, when it is laid open, and all its foul contents are exposed to view, it is too lothesome an object to look upon without the utmost disgust and abhorrence. It would not be necessary to take an accurate survey of the offensive object in all its parts: a person would readily say, ‘I have seen it all.’ And so, when God gives to a man a sight of his chief corruptions, it appears as if every transaction of his life had been made to pass before him.]

3. He awakens conscience to a discharge of its proper office—

[Conscience, in an unawakened man, neglects its duty altogether. It ought to observe and weigh our every act, and to report to us its true character, even as it appears before God himself. But, when the Spirit of God awakens it by the word, it estimates aright our whole character, and without flattery makes us known to ourselves. It exerts itself then with authority: it makes the whole life pass before it in review: it sits in the throne of judgment: it speaks in the name of God himself: it passes sentence even on the most secret actions of our lives; it takes into its account all attendant circumstances of aggravation; and anticipates the judgment of the last day.
Thus we may account for the impression made on the mind of this Samaritan, and the report she gave on leaving the Saviour’s presence. Though every thing that she had ever done had not been distinctly told her, it appeared as if it had; and the effect upon her mind was the same as if it had.]
But, that the power of God’s word may yet more clearly appear, let us proceed to notice,

II.

The effect of conviction, when produced—

Mark the effect of it on her: you see in her,

1. A desire to receive instruction—

[Man in his natural state has no wish for instruction in the things that relate to God. He is satisfied with his own crude notions, and is averse to have them tried by the standard of Holy Writ. “He hates the light, and will not come to it, lest his deeds should be reproved.” But when the Spirit of God has fixed conviction on the mind, a man will be glad to know the truth: his very first inquiry will be, “What must I do to be saved?” Thus the woman, thinking that that was true which Jesus had said to her respecting his Messiahship, and that his perfect knowledge of her secret history was an evidence of it, was desirous that her fellow-citizens should give her their judgment concerning it: “Come, and see a man that told me all things that ever I did! Is not this the Christ?” She thought them competent to judge, and took for granted that they would give her their unbiassed opinion upon this momentous question: and though it was but too probable that the notoriety of her character would bring upon her some cutting reflections, she cared not for it, if only she might obtain satisfaction to her mind. It is particularly noticed, that “she left her water-pot behind her!” and this she did, not merely that she might not be detained; (for the detention could at the utmost have only been a few minutes;) but probably forgetting for the time her earthly business, through the ardour of her mind in the pursuit of heavenly knowledge. And thus it is that every awakened soul will act. It will desire knowledge: it will pursue it at the risk of all the obloquy which may attach to a desire after it: and it will postpone all earthly things, to the acquisition of it.]

2. A candour in our inquiries after it—

[Where the heart is unaffected, incredulity and scepticism usually take the lead; and a greater degree of evidence than the subject well admits of, is required. But, where a person feels his guilt as a sinner, and his utter incapacity to save himself, he will feel a predisposition to receive the truth. He will not with sceptical indifference say, “Is this the Christ?” but, with a wish that his pretensions to that character may be found true, “Is not this the Christ?” It may be said, that here was an undue bias. But I deny that it was an undue bias. In a matter which is itself indifferent, we may be indifferent: but in a matter which concerns the glory of God and the salvation of the whole world, indifference would be highly criminal. The misery of man is seen, felt, acknowledged. Here purports to be a revelation from heaven, and a Saviour sent us by Almighty God for the redemption of man. This is not to be a matter of speculative inquiry. It should be examined with a desire that it may be true. The precise state of mind which every person should experience, is that which was experienced by the man whose eyes the Lord Jesus Christ had opened. The Lord Jesus asked him, “Dost thou believe in the Son of God?” The man answered, not coolly and indifferently, “Who is he?” but, with becoming anxiety, “Who is he, that I may believe on him [Note: John 9:36.]?” Though credulity is not good, neither, on the other hand, is incredulity: there is a just medium between the two, a readiness to believe on sufficient evidence. The readiness of the other Disciples to believe in Jesus was commended, whilst the incredulity of Thomas was blamed. And this shews us the precise state of mind which deep conviction generates; a candour in our inquiries after truth, with an unfeigned desire to embrace it the very instant it is fairly laid before us with a weight of evidence sufficient to sustain it.]

3. A wish that others also may be partakers of it—

[It was not from a mere desire to ask their judgment that the Samaritan woman went into the city, but with a hope that her fellow-citizens might participate in the blessings which she had experienced in her soul. This is clear: for they themselves said, that they had believed because of her word: so that she had not been a mere inquirer, but a preacher also. And this is the invariable effect of deep conviction on the mind; it will stir up the person to make others acquainted with the same important truths as have been useful to his own soul. No truly enlightened person will keep his discoveries to himself. He will say to his friends and neighbours, “Come, and see.” This is declared by our Lord in various parables [Note: The Lost Sheep, the Lost Piece of Money, and the Prodigal Son: Luke 15.]: and, in confirmation of it, the Church, in most appropriate and expressive language, says, “Draw me; and we will run after thee.” Draw me, and I will never be content to come alone: I will draw all I can along with me.]

We have hitherto noticed only the acts of this woman. But we should not entirely overlook her person and character, which may well supply us with our concluding observations.

Observe, then,
1.

How unbounded is the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ—

[We have seen how his word wrought conviction on her soul; and eventually imparted salvation to her, and to others by her means. But we have not sufficiently considered either who she was, An alien and a hostile Samaritan; or what she was, Even such an abandoned wretch, that it was a shame even to be seen speaking to her. Yet to this woman did our Lord reveal himself more fully and plainly than he had done to any one of his Disciples [Note: ver. 26.]. How sweetly encouraging is this fact! Who that considers this, can despair? Or, rather, who does not here see an intimation of the grace that should afterwards be shewn to the Gentiles, and of the mercy that should be exercised towards the chief of sinners? Know, then, that no past iniquities shall be any bar to your acceptance with him, if only you will humble yourselves before him, and believe in him, as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.]

2. What encouragement we all have to exert ourselves for him—

[It was but little that she knew: and little could be expected from any testimony of hers. Yet, what she spoke sank down into the ears of all that heard it, and was rendered instrumental to the bringing of them to Christ. Let none then say, “I am ignorant: I am sinful: I, as a female, am unauthorized to speak.” Though every one is not authorized to preach, every one, in his own proper circle, is bound to declare what God has done for his soul: and if every one would exert himself as this woman did, especially in bringing others to the means of grace, that they may hear for themselves, we should see conversions far more numerous, and blessings far more widely diffused through the world. The lepers of Samaria, when they found plenty in the deserted camp of the Syrians, said, They did not well to keep the glad tidings to themselves. And can we, after having found salvation, do well in keeping it to ourselves? No: we should invite others to participate the blessings we enjoy; and, being converted ourselves, should do all in our power to strengthen and to save our brethren [Note: Luke 22:32.]