JOHN 4:5-26 | JESUS IS ALWAYS RIGHT ON TIME
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Transcript
JOHN 4:5-26 | JESUS IS ALWAYS RIGHT ON TIME
JOHN 4:5-26 | JESUS IS ALWAYS RIGHT ON TIME
ILLUSTRATION: I hate running late.
I spent years in church services that started 5 or 10 minutes later than they were supposed to start.
Too often our Sunday school hour doesn’t start on time, and it’s usually my fault, and I hate it!
Sometimes if something happens too late or too soon, the results can be a problem.
It’s like saying surprise too soon at a surprise birthday.
Or wishing someone a happy belated birthday that no one really wants someone to wish them.
I remember as a kid, we would listen to the radio.
And often times they would have a giveaway that they would do, but you had to be the first caller when they played a special sound or a specific song.
I can remember my parents dialing as quickly as possible on our landline only to find out we had just missed whatever they were giving away.
Last week we were driving home from Great Falls with a trailer and about 6000 lbs of equipment.
We made it all the way back to our showroom and I unloaded the equipment and then we drove the rest of the way home.
When we made it to our house, I went around our trailer and saw the front tire on our dual axel trailer on the passenger side, was gone.
The next morning we found the tire about a half mile from our house.
If that tire had come off just a little sooner, a couple miles before, there’s no telling what could have happened to us, our vehicle or our trailer.
God kept that tire on just long enough for us to escape catastrophe.
EXPLANATION: Over these next few weeks we are going to weave our way through this incredible account in John.
It is one of conviction and hope.
But there is just so much we can walk through that today we are just going to focus on the beginning.
Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
The road from Judea to Galilee through Samaria was roughly 65-75 miles and would have taken around 3 days to walk.
Jesus and His disciples were making their way back to Galilee where Jesus would continue His ministry.
They had traveled nearly half of their distance when they found themselves in Sychar.
It was around 12:00 noon, and the disciples had ventured into town to grab something for lunch.
And while they traveled into town, Jesus found a spot to sit, right by Jacob’s well.
Being that it was the middle of the day, the well would have been expected to be a vacant location.
Everyone coming to draw from the well would have come in the morning in the cool of the day to fill their buckets.
Undoubtedly groups of ladies would have been their just a few hours before ensuring they had plenty of water to last for the day.
This was a practice that had gone on for hundreds and even over a thousand years.
Everyday was the same process.
So on this day, it is only logical to think that the same events would transpire.
And while the disciples were away, getting their Chick-fil-a, Jesus would have just been resting and waiting by the well, all alone.
But that isn’t what happened.
No, Jesus had a divine plan in action.
There was a life changing moment that was about to take place.
At a place no one was supposed to be
At a time no one would have been expected
In the life of a person that no one wanted anything to do with.
It was an interaction this woman didn’t see coming… but Jesus did.
No Jesus didn’t arrive at that well early… and He certainly wasn’t late.
Jesus was right on time.
ILLUSTRATION: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were called to stand before king Nebuchadnezzar.
He had made his idol of gold and played the music so everyone could bow down to it.
But these three Hebrew boys had refused to bow.
Now, they had been brought before the most powerful man in the entire world.
While a little put off, king Nebuchadnezzar offered them another opportunity to bow down to his idol.
Maybe they hadn’t heard the sound of the music.
Maybe they were getting ready to but just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.
Whatever the reason he offers them another chance.
But rather than offer an apology for missing their first opportunity and then bowing down, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego instead respond to the king, Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Now the king is furious… he offered them a second chance and it was as if they spit in his face at his offer.
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
Now right as the strong soldiers of Nebuchadnezzar were binding up the three Hebrew boys, a fire fell from the sky and consumed the furnace that the King had built, thus showing that God’s judgment is far greater than the Kings.
No that wasn’t what happened.
Suddenly the king looked up into the sky and behold and angel stood before him and cried out, “Thou wicked king, your kingdom will be torn from your hands for your actions against my servants.”
No that wasn’t what happened.
No, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace.
That isn’t the way I would have done things…
But then all of the sudden the king calls one of his counsellors to him.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
You see Jesus didn’t show up early, and He wasn’t late… He was right on time!
ILLUSTRATION: Elijah and Ahab were to meet for the rumble on mount carmel.
They had agreed that both would build and altar and then call upon their God to consume it with fire, and whichever God answered, that would be the true God.
The crowd had gathered to watch the event and 450 of Baals prophets showed up for the event.
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
And suddenly from the sky, the fire fell and consumed the 450 prophets of Baal and all those watching knew there was a God in Israel.
No… that wasn’t what happened.
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
Elijah repaired the altar of sacrifice to God that had been neglected by Israel for years.
Once the altar was repaired he had them fill four barrels of water to pour on the altar… and then had them do it a second time, and then a third time.
And then 1 Kings 18:36-39
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
God did show up and send the fire early… and He wasn’t late… He was right on time!
ILLUSTRATION: Jesus and his disciples were beyond Jordan when he received a message that Lazarus his friend was sick.
But the Bible says something interesting in John 11:6
When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
When Jesus and his disciples finally made there way to Bethany where Lazarus was, He was met by Martha, John 11:21
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Jesus made it a little further down the road when Mary the other sister met him with the same cry, John 11:32
Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
It was too late… Jesus was too late!
If He had come when they wanted… when they asked, maybe He could have done something, but now it was too late!
Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
Jesus didn’t arrive early… when they wanted Him to.
And He didn’t arrive late… what they thought He did.
Jesus was right on time.
EXPLANATION: Jesus could have passed through Samaria a couple of days before.
Jesus could have passed through a couple of days later.
He could have went around and not passed through at all.
But Jesus showed up… and the Bible says it was about the 6th hour… or 12:00…
When no one was supposed to be there… but Jesus knew there would be a little lady with a broken life who would be there.
Trying to escape the condemning eyes of everyone else.
And Jesus showed up… right on time.
ILLUSTRATION: I’ve shared the story before but I can’t help but share it again.
We had traveled in evangelism for 6 years, when suddenly God slammed the door shut.
I was trying to push open another opportunity and God just kept slamming them in my face.
Finally the door was opened to pastor… in Kalispell
We knew this was the one.
The week we were supposed to travel up there I got a phone call and they let me know there were 3 other guys in front of me and if they didn’t work out they’d give me a call
I had it out with God in the garage, but then God said, just wait, I’m not done yet.
It was only a couple of weeks later we found out that our pastor was leaving to take a different church in Kalispell.
And now here I am 6 and a half years later, and I still struggle with waiting on God.
But what I can say, is that He always works right on time…
Not my time… His!
APPLICATION: Friend, wherever you are in this life, I can tell you God is still working… you just might not see it yet!
It may not happen in your time… but it will happen perfectly in His if you trust Him!
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; For my expectation is from him.
Our soul waiteth for the Lord: He is our help and our shield.
I waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Friend, we have a God Who works in His perfect time!
Maybe you are going through something and you are ready to be on the other side… just keep waiting, because He is working!
Maybe you feel like all hope is last, God missed His chance to work… Just keep trusting and waiting, because He is working!
Maybe you’ve put off trusting in Him as your Savior… can I tell you, while there are so many things to wait on God for, that is one I can tell you He doesn’t want you to wait for!
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Friend if you’ve been waiting to trust Him as Savior, don’t wait any longer!
That is one area you don’t have to wait on God for… because as we will see next time, Jesus has shown up at the perfect time this morning… and maybe it is at the Jacob’s well of your life, and He is ready to forgive you and save you!
Trust Him this morning.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Today… Don’t forget, Jesus is never early… He’s never late… He’s always right on time.
Now what areas of your life have you gotten ahead of God?
I will go before thee, And make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, And cut in sunder the bars of iron:
So often we find ourselves in the crooked places of life because we didn’t wait on God.
What areas do you feel that God is too late?
Friend, God has a way of taking what we believe is just too broken and beyond repair, and turning it into something incredible for His glory.
He’s always right on time… so choose this morning to trust Him!
