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Clip - Sinners, don't despair!

Jim Butler · 2021-12-30 · John 4:27–42 · 235 words · 2 min

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Summary

Expository

The Gospel of John was written so that sinners who have not yet believed might come to faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and receive life in His name.

Drawing from the account of the Samaritan woman and villagers in John 4, this clip addresses those who remain outside of saving grace with a direct and tender appeal: do not despair, but come to Christ. The Evangelist John wrote his Gospel precisely for this purpose — that readers might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing they might have life in His name.

Key quotes

If you're one of the others that are not, don't despair, don't sorrow, don't be distressed. Rather, come and see.
See the heart of Jesus, see His benevolence, see His beneficence, see that John 3:16 is a reality.
These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Applications

  1. If you are not yet saved, do not despair or give way to sorrow — come to Christ.
  2. Read the Gospel narratives and Luke 15 to see the heart and benevolence of Jesus toward sinners.
  3. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and receive life in His name.

Questions this sermon answers

What should a person who is not yet saved do?

They should not despair or be distressed, but rather come and see — read the Gospel narratives, learn of Jesus, and look to the Savior who receives sinners.

Why did John write his Gospel?

John wrote so that readers might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through that belief they might have life in His name.

Does God love sinners who have not yet believed?

Yes — the speaker points to John 3:16 as a present reality: God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

And for sinners today, listen to Jesus. Certainly listen to the woman of Samaria. Certainly listen to these Samaritan villagers who testify that He is the Christ and He is the Savior of the world. But be in the Word of God.

Read the gospel narratives. Learn of Jesus. Read Luke 15. If you're a sinner, and by sinner I mean all of us are sinner, but there are some saved by grace and others that are not.

And if you're one of the others that are not, don't despair, don't sorrow, don't be distressed. Rather, come and see. Listen to the Savior, read Luke 15, see the heart of Jesus, see His benevolence, see His beneficence, see that John 3, 16 is a reality. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This is John's goal for you today. He says in verses 30 and 31 in chapter 20, and truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written that you, Not me, I have by grace, but you is what he says in chapter 20 in verses 30 and 31. That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Scripture References

Study notes

Theological terms

  • Saving Grace