Salvation is of the Jews
A Sermon on John 4:13-14
Originally preached Dec. 4, 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
Salvation is an important and frequently discussed topic among Christians. It is also big part of the Bible and of what Jesus has done. Listen to this sermon on John 4:13–14 titled “Salvation Is of the Jews” where Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones talks about salvation in light of Jesus’s encounter with the woman at the well. He begins by stating that submission is essential for salvation. However, in order to submit to Him, one must know who He is. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then touches on the exclusiveness of the Christian message of salvation. Jesus is the only way to the Father and salvation comes through Him alone. Because of this, the gospel is not human-made and cannot be attained through humanity, but is solely dependent on Christ and the wonderful works He has done. All of these truths point to the uniqueness of the Christian faith and salvation. This exclusivity is seen even in the Old Testament that rings with the promises of what the coming Messiah would do to save humanity. Christians can rest in the uniqueness of salvation coming from what Jesus has done for His people, rather than what they have done.
Sermon Breakdown
- The exclusiveness and intolerance of the Christian message. Christianity claims absolute uniqueness and finality.
- Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. He is the only way to God and eternal life.
- The Christian message is based on the actions and works of God, not the ideas of man.
- The Christian faith depends entirely on the historical fact of Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, there is no Christianity.
- Jesus Christ is the dividing point of history. He ended one era and started a new one. All of history revolves around Him.
- The Old Testament was looking forward to the coming of Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and typology.
- We must have an exclusive commitment to Jesus Christ. He alone is the Savior. We cannot mix Christianity with other religions or philosophies.
- The modern church has denied the exclusiveness of Christianity by embracing tolerance and pluralism. This has turned people away from the truth.
- Christianity is about a person, Jesus Christ, not just teachings or ideas. We are saved by who He is and what He has done, not by man's wisdom or philosophies.
- The woman at the well is an example of coming to faith in Christ. Jesus led her from ignorance to revelation of who He is.
- The hour has come - the time of fulfillment when God sent His Son into the world. This is the focal point of history.
- Jesus Christ is not just a great teacher or philosopher. He is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions and Answers
What does Jesus mean when he says "whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Jesus is speaking about giving a spiritual satisfaction that is complete and permanent. In John 4:14, Jesus promises "a well of water springing up into everlasting life." This represents a fullness, an abundant life that brings total satisfaction to the soul. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains this is "the essence of the christian message" - that Christ came to give us this inner wellspring of spiritual life that completely satisfies our deepest needs in a way nothing else can.
What is the one absolute essential to receiving the fullness of life that Jesus offers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones states unequivocally that "the one absolute essential is submission to the Lord Jesus Christ." He emphasizes that "there is no hope of obtaining this fullness, this life, unless we believe in him, unless we listen to him." This submission requires understanding who Jesus truly is and accepting His unique authority. The sermon emphasizes that we cannot receive what Christ offers until we are clear about His identity and submit completely to Him.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the exclusive nature of Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Christianity makes an exclusive, unique, and even "intolerant" claim. He points to Jesus' words: "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews." Christianity is not merely one religion among many with partial truth. The sermon emphasizes that "Either this modern thought is correct or the Bible is correct. You can't have both of them because they're in blank contradiction to one another." Lloyd-Jones rejects the modern idea of religious tolerance that suggests all religions contain partial truths and are equally valid.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe Christianity must be exclusive?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christianity's exclusivity is based on the fact that it is about "God acting, God doing things" rather than human philosophy or religious ideas. While other religions represent "men's efforts and endeavors," Christianity proclaims what God has done in history. "We are not dealing with what man has done," he says. "The whole point of this is that God has done this." This divine action in history through Jesus Christ is what makes Christianity unique and exclusively true.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the historical nature of Christianity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly emphasizes that Christianity is based on historical facts, not just ideas or teachings. He states that the faith "depends entirely, completely, solely upon the historical fact of Jesus of Nazareth and the truth concerning him." He rejects the notion that Christianity is merely "a collection of beautiful thoughts" or moral teachings that would remain valid even if Jesus never existed. The sermon insists that Christianity centers on actual historical events - particularly Christ's incarnation, death, and resurrection.
How does Jesus serve as the dividing point of history according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus is "the dividing point of history" and "the dividing point of all time." The entire Old Testament looked forward to His coming, with all its prophecies, types, and shadows pointing to Him. Jesus marks the moment when "the hour cometh, and now is" - the transition from anticipation to fulfillment. This is why history is divided into BC and AD around His birth. As the sermon states, "He not only belongs to history, he divides history... The focal point of all history is in this one person."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as a major problem in the modern church?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies a major problem as the church's uncertainty and lack of confidence about Jesus' unique identity and authority. He says, "I believe that the church is as she is today because of the confusion which is so obvious at this very point, the uncertainty with regard to this person and his utter, absolute uniqueness." He criticizes churches for wanting to please people by presenting a watered-down message that's "yea and nay" (inconsistent and uncertain), which he believes drives people away rather than attracting them.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticize the idea of a "World Congress of Faiths"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes the idea of a "World Congress of Faiths" because it places Christianity on equal footing with human philosophies and religions. He states: "Why do you want to put your christian religion into a world congress of faiths? That's putting God onto the level of men." He considers this approach blasphemous because it fails to recognize Christianity's unique claim as God's direct revelation and action in history rather than just another human religious system.
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.