I Am He
A Sermon on John 4:25-26
Originally preached Dec. 25, 1966
Scripture
25The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Sermon Description
Who is Jesus? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from John 4:25–26 that Jesus reveals His identity to a Samaritan woman as the long-awaited Messiah. Here Jesus tells that He is not just another prophet or religious teacher, but He is God’s appointed Messiah that has come to bring salvation. Furthermore, He is not simply the savior of the Jewish people, but of all who believe. This is the message of all of Scripture – who Jesus is and what He has come to do. He was born in a lowly place to normal people, but He was born as the Son of God. He lived and preached the kingdom of God as the very one who would inaugurate the new heavens and the new earth. He died so that all who believed in Him might be saved. Many people have had false ideas about who Jesus is but Scripture is clear about who He is – He is the Savior of humanity. This sermon calls all to ask the vital questions: “Who do you say Jesus is? Is He your only hope in this world?” Salvation comes only by believing in Jesus Christ and His work.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by establishing that Jesus is the most important person in history who has changed everything.
- Jesus' birth is the most momentous event in history, even recognized by non-Christians in the calendar.
- However, many people do not realize the significance of Jesus and his birth. They pay lip service to Christmas but do not understand its meaning.
- The world was troubled when Jesus was born, much like today. People were selfish and did not care about Mary and Joseph's situation. This illustrates how the world still does not understand Jesus.
- The Jews and Samaritans were expecting the Messiah but did not recognize him when he came because they had false ideas about him. They expected a political and military leader, not someone born in a stable.
- The Jews and Samaritans should have known the prophecies about the Messiah's birth and recognized him, but they did not study and believe their Scriptures. This is still why people do not believe in Jesus today.
- Jesus can only be known through revelation as people are spiritually blind. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth about Jesus to those who become Christians.
- Jesus revealed to the Samaritan woman that he is the Messiah, the savior, the prophet, the priest, the king - the all in all. He is the fulfillment of God's promises and shows God's love.
- Jesus' birth proves that God keeps all his promises. His promises are sure and will not fail.
- Jesus willingly reveals himself to all people, even sinners, not just the religious and self-righteous. There is hope for everyone.
- All Jesus requires is honesty, a willingness to admit our need for him, and belief in what he says.
- The question for all is whether Jesus has revealed himself to them. Have they heard him say "I am he" - the one they need?
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on John 4:25-26
What is the significance of Jesus' statement "I that speak unto thee am he" in John 4:26?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this statement represents a crucial moment of divine self-revelation. Jesus directly revealed His identity as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman. This statement demonstrates how Christ must reveal Himself personally to individuals, as no one can truly recognize Him through mere human intellect or reasoning. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this self-revelation of Christ is the essential foundation of genuine faith.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe in celebrating Christmas despite his Protestant and Puritan leanings?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that despite being "a thoroughgoing Protestant and even Puritan," he believes in observing Christmas Day because it reminds believers that Christianity is based on historical facts, not just philosophy or teachings. He states, "We are ever so much in danger of forgetting that we are dealing with facts, dealing with history." He considers it beneficial to regularly remind ourselves that the Christian faith is "based solidly upon facts."
Why did the Jews fail to recognize Jesus as their Messiah despite looking forward to His coming?
The Jews failed to recognize Jesus because they had false ideas about the Messiah, explains Lloyd-Jones. Their concept was primarily political or military - they expected a great king born in a palace, not a carpenter's son born in a stable. They had a nationalistic outlook filled with pride that created expectations contrary to Jesus' actual ministry. More fundamentally, they hadn't properly studied or believed their own Scriptures, which provided specific details about the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem, His virgin birth, and His poverty.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the modern world's failure to recognize the significance of Christ?
Lloyd-Jones argues that the modern world makes the same error as the Jews of Jesus' time - taking Christian ideas and manipulating them according to their own concepts and philosophies. People claim to like "the Christian idea" or teaching about love, but reject the supernatural facts about Christ's virgin birth, miracles, resurrection, and ascension. He states that mankind is "spiritually blind" and cannot recognize Christ unless God reveals Him. The world rejects these facts because of "the blindness of sin."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the primary requirement for someone to come to Christ?
The primary requirement Lloyd-Jones identifies is honesty. When discussing the Samaritan woman, he notes that "all he requires of us is what he required of the woman of Samaria. What's that? Honesty." This means being willing to admit the truth about ourselves "however unpleasant it may be," listening to Christ, and believing what He says. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that salvation isn't primarily for the religious or moral elite, but for those who recognize their need and sinfulness.
How does Christ reveal Himself to people according to this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ reveals Himself in several ways: directly as He did to the Samaritan woman with the words "I am he"; through His teaching and claims like "I am the light of the world"; through symbolic actions as with the disciples on the road to Emmaus when He broke bread; and now primarily through the Holy Spirit who "opens our eyes, gives us understanding, shows us our own need and the fullness that is in him." This revelation is necessary because human intellect alone cannot recognize Christ.
What does the story of the Samaritan woman teach us about who Christ came to save?
The story teaches that Christ brings "hope for all," not just for intellectuals, great people, or the morally upright. Lloyd-Jones points out that Jesus revealed Himself to "a woman living in adultery" rather than to the religious elite, demonstrating that He "came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Lloyd-Jones concludes, "There is no one too bad to be saved and to be redeemed," and Christ only requires honesty about our condition and a willingness to believe in Him.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones consider the birth of Christ the most significant event in human history?
Lloyd-Jones calls Christ's birth "the most important and at the same time the most amazing event that has ever happened in the whole long pass of human history." He points out that even non-Christians acknowledge its significance by using the calendar based on His birth. Christ "changed the whole course of history" and "towers over the wrecks of time." Lloyd-Jones also notes that Christ changed how we observe the days of the week (from Sabbath to Sunday), demonstrating His profound impact on civilization.
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.