Nov 22
21
“Whence Hast Thou That Living Water?”
John 4:11
The Lord Jesus told this woman plainly that if she had known the gift of God and who he was, she would have asked of him, and he would have given her living water. I fully realize that she did not know the full implication of what he said; but she obviously understood that he was talking about something different from the waters which gathered in Jacob’s well. He was talking about water bubbling with life from a constantly renewed and renewing source, an artesian well of water. Therefore, she asked a very reasonable question. – She said, “Whence hast thou that living water?”
The Lord Jesus Christ has all grace, salvation, and eternal life in himself. He has it for sinners (He does not need it!) to give away freely. And he gives it to every sinner who ask him for it. Still the question to be answered is — “Whence hast thou that living water?” How is it that Christ alone has grace, salvation, and eternal life in himself to give to needy sinners, and no one else and nothing else does?
It is true, salvation is the work of the triune God. The Father chose us. The Son redeemed us. The Holy Spirit converts us. But God the Father will not and cannot give us this living water without Christ. And God the Spirit cannot give us this living water without Christ. How is it that Christ alone has this living water to give to poor, needy, thirsty sinners? “Whence then hast thou that living water?”
He has it because of who he is. He is the only fit person to have it. God could never come down to man. Man could never rise to God. If ever the two come together they must meet in a Mediator, a Daysman, who can lay hold of both God and man. That Daysman, that Mediator is the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ alone is the Mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5; Acts 4:12).
Did you ever notice how careful the writers of Holy Scripture were to refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, almost always, in the most reverent, worshipful terms. Seldom did any speak of him only by his earthly name, “Jesus.” He is often called by his title, “Christ,” and by the term, “the Lord.” But he is most commonly called, “the Lord Jesus Christ,” because all that he is is essential to our salvation by him.
He has all salvation in himself, because he is “the Lord.” Who should have it, but “the Lord”? “Salvation is the LORD’S!” Salvation is his to give, because he is “Jesus,” who came into this world to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). He has salvation in himself to give to sinners, because he is “Christ,” the Christ of God.
He is the Anointed One, sent from God to be our Savior! On the day of his immersion in the river Jordan to fulfil all righteousness, the Spirit of God descended upon him in the form of a dove, and abode on him. God gave the Spirit to him without measure. He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. This is exactly what he announced to the Jews in the temple when he began his public ministry (Lk. 4:16-21). He has this “living water” of salvation, grace, and eternal life to give to sinners, because he is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Don Fortner