Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 19 - The Desire of Ages - Ellen Gould

Transcript

19 - The Desire of Ages - Ellen Gould · Philosophy and Faith

0:00
At Jacob's well. On the way to Galilee, Jesus passed through Samaria.
0:05
It was noon when he reached the beautiful vale of Shechem. At the opening
0:08
of this valley was Jacob's well. Wearied with his journey, he set down
0:13
here to rest, while his disciples went to buy food. The Jews and
0:17
the Samaritans were bitter enemies, and as far as possible, avoided all dealing
0:21
with each other. To trade with the Samaritans in case of necessity was indeed
0:26
counted lawful by the rabbis, but all social intercourse with them was condemned.
0:31
A Jew would not borrow from a Samaritan, nor receive a kindness, not
0:35
even a morsel of bread or a cup of water. The disciples in buying
0:40
food were acting in harmony with the custom of their nation. But beyond this
0:44
they did not go to ask a favor of the Samaritans, or in any
0:49
way to seek to benefit them. Did not enter into the thought of even
0:53
Christ's disciples. As Jesus sat by the well side, he was faint from
0:58
hunger and thirst. The journey since morning had been long, and now the
1:02
sun of Noontide beat upon him. His thirst was increased by the thought of
1:06
the cool, refreshing water, so near, yet inaccessible to him, for
1:10
he had no rope nor water jar and the well was deep. The lot
1:15
of humanity was his, and he waited for some one to come to draw.
1:19
A woman of Samaria approached, and, seeming unconscious of his presence,
1:23
filled her pitcher with water. As she turned to go away, Jesus asked
1:27
her for a drink, Such a favor no Oriental would withhold. In the
1:33
East, water was called the gift of God. To offer a drink to
1:37
the thirsty traveler was held to be a duty so sacred that the Arabs of
1:42
the desert would go out of their way in order to perform it. The
1:46
hatred between Jews and Samaritans prevented the woman from offering a kindness to Jesus.
1:51
But the Savior was seeking to find the key to this heart, and with
1:56
the tact born of divine love, he asked. Not all offered a favor.
2:01
The offer of a kindness might have been rejected, but trust awakens trust.
2:07
The King of Heaven came to this outcast soul, asking a service at
2:10
her hands. He who made the ocean, who controls the waters, of
2:15
the Great Deep, who opened the springs and channels of the earth, wrested
2:20
from his weariness at Jacob's well, and was dependent upon a stranger's kindness for
2:24
even the gift of a drink of water. The woman saw that Jesus was
2:30
a Jew. In her surprise, she forgot to grant his request, but
2:34
tried to learn the reason for it. How is it? She said,
2:38
that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me? Which am a
2:42
woman of Samaria. Jesus answered, if thou knewest the gift of God,
2:46
and who it is that saith to THEE give me to drink, thou wouldst
2:51
have asked of him, and he would have given THEE living water. You
2:54
wonder that I should ask of you even so small a favor as a draft
2:59
of water from the well at our feet. Had you asked of me,
3:02
I would have given you to drink of the water of everlasting life. The
3:08
woman had not comprehended the words of Christ, but she felt their solemn import.
3:14
Her light bantering manner began to change. Supposing that Jesus spoke of the
3:17
well before them, she said, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with,
3:23
and the well is deep. From whence then hast thou that living water?
3:27
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well and
3:30
drank thereof himself. She saw before her only a thirsty traveler, way worn
3:36
and dusty. In her mind, she compared him with the honored Patriarch Jacob.
3:40
She cherished the feeling which is so natural that no other well could be
3:46
equal to that provided by their fathers. She was looking backward to the Fathers,
3:51
forward to the Messiah's coming, while the hope of the Fathers, the
3:54
Messiah himself, was beside her, and she knew him not how many thirsting
4:00
souls are to day close by the living fountain, yet looking far away for
4:04
the well springs of life. Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend
4:09
into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from above, Or who
4:13
shall descend into the deep, that is to bring up Christ again from the
4:16
dead. The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart.
4:21
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
4:27
in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
4:30
saved. Romans ten six to nine. Jesus did not immediately answer the question
4:36
in regard to himself, But with solemn earnestness, he said, whosoever drinketh
4:42
of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I
4:46
shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him
4:50
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. He
4:56
who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only
5:00
to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply
5:05
the need of the soul. Only one can meet that want, the need
5:10
of the world, the desire of all nations is Christ. The divine grace,
5:15
which he alone can impart is as living water, purifying, refreshing,
5:20
and invigorating the soul. Jesus did not convey the idea that merely one draft
5:27
of the water of life would suffice the receiver. He who tastes the love
5:30
of Christ will continually long for more. But he seeks for nothing else.
5:35
The riches, honors, and pleasures of the world do not attract him.
5:40
The constant cry of the heart is more of thee, and he who reveals
5:45
to the soul. Its necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst.
5:49
Every human resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the
5:55
pools become dry. But our redeemer is an inexhaustible fountain. We may drink
6:00
and drink again, and ever find a fresh supply. He in whom Christ
6:05
dwells, has within himself the fountain of blessing, a well of water springing
6:12
up into everlasting life. From this source he may draw strength and grace sufficient
6:16
for all his needs. As Jesus spoke of the living water, the woman
6:21
looked upon him with wondering attention. He had aroused her interest and awakened a
6:27
desire for the gift of which he spoke. She perceived that it was not
6:30
the water of Jacob's well to which he referred. For of this she used,
6:33
continually drinking and thirsting again, Sir, she said, give me this
6:39
water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw. Jesus now abruptly turned
6:45
the conversation. Before this soul could receive the gift he longed to bestow.
6:49
She must be brought to recognize her sin and her savior. He saith unto
6:54
her, go call thy husband, and come hither. She answered, I
6:59
have no husband. Thus she hoped to prevent all questioning in that direction,
7:03
But the Savior continued, thou hast, well said I have no husband,
7:09
For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not
7:13
thy husband. In that saidst thou truly the listener trembled. A mysterious hand
7:19
was turning the pages of her life history, bringing to view that which she
7:24
had hoped to keep forever hidden. Who was he that could read the secrets
7:28
of her life? There came to her thoughts of eternity, of the future
7:32
judgment, when all that is now hidden shall be revealed in its light.
7:38
Conscience was awakened. She could deny nothing, but she tried to evade all
7:43
mention of a subject so unwelcome. With deep reverence, she said, Sir,
7:47
I perceive that thou art a profit. Then, hoping to silence conviction,
7:54
she turned to points of religious controversy. If this was a prophet,
7:58
surely he could give her instruction concerning these matters that had been so long disputed.
8:03
Patiently, Jesus permitted her to lead the conversation whither she would. Meanwhile,
8:07
he watched for the opportunity of again bringing the truth home to her heart.
8:13
Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, she said, And ye say that
8:16
in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Just in sight was
8:20
Mount Garism. Its temple was demolished, and only the altar remained. The
8:26
place of worship had been a subject of contention between the Jews and the Samaritans.
8:31
Some of the ancestors of the latter people had once belonged to Israel,
8:35
but because of their sins, the Lord suffered them to be overcome by an
8:39
idolatrous nation. For many generations they were intermingled with idolators whose religion gradually contaminated
8:46
their own. It is true that they held that their idols were only to
8:50
remind them of the Living God, the ruler of the universe. Nevertheless,
8:54
the people were led to reverence their graven images. When the Temple Jerusalem was
9:00
rebuilt in the days of Ezra, the Samaritans wished to join the Jews in
9:03
its erection. This privilege was refused them, and a bitter animosity sprang up
9:09
between the two peoples. The Samaritans built a rival temple on Mount Garrisom.
9:15
Here they worshiped in accordance with the Mosaic ritual, though they did not wholly
9:18
renounce idolatry. But disasters attended them. Their temple was destroyed by their enemies,
9:24
and they seemed to be under a curse. Yet they still clung to
9:28
their traditions and their forms of worship. They would not acknowledge the Temple at
9:33
Jerusalem as the house of God, nor admit that the religion of the Jews
9:37
was superior to their own. In answer to the woman, Jesus said,
9:41
believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor
9:46
yet at Jerusalem worship the Father ye worship, Ye know not what we know.
9:50
What we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. Jesus had shown
9:54
that he was free from Jewish prejudice against the Samaritans. Now he saw to
10:00
break down the prejudice of this Samaritan against the Jews. While referring to the
10:03
fact that the faith of the Samaritans was corrupted with idolatry, he declared that
10:09
the great truths of redemption had been committed to the Jews and that from among
10:13
them the Messiah was to appear. In the Sacred writings, they had a
10:16
clear presentation of the character of God and the principles of his government. Jesus
10:22
classed himself with the Jews as those to whom God had given a knowledge of
10:26
himself. He desired to lift the thoughts of his hearer above matters of form
10:31
and ceremony and questions of controversy. The hour cometh, he said, and
10:37
now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
10:41
For the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit,
10:46
and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Here
10:50
is declared the same truth that Jesus has revealed to Nicodemus when he said,
10:54
except a man be born from above, he could not see the Kingdom of
10:58
God John three three margin. Not by seeking a holy mountain or a sacred
11:03
temple are men brought into communion with Heaven. Religion is not to be confined
11:09
to external forms and ceremonies. The religion that comes from God is the only
11:15
religion that will lead to God. In order to serve him aright, we
11:18
must be born of the Divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew
11:22
the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It
11:28
will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship.
11:31
It is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit. By the
11:35
Spirit. Every sincere prayer is indited, and such prayer is acceptable to God.
11:41
Wherever a soul reaches out after God, there the Spirit's working is manifest,
11:46
and God will reveal himself to that soul. For such worshippers he is
11:50
seeking. He waits to receive them and to make them his sons and daughters.
11:54
As the woman talked with Jesus, she was impressed with his words.
11:58
Never had she heard such sentiments from the priest of her own people or from
12:03
the Jews. As the past of her life had been spread out before her,
12:07
she had been made sensible of her great want. She realized her soul
12:11
thirst, which the waters of the well of Psycher could never satisfy. Nothing
12:16
that had hitherto come in contact with her had so awakened her to a higher
12:20
need. Jesus had convinced her that he read the secrets of her life.
12:26
Yet she felt that he was her friend, pitying and loving her, while
12:30
the very purity of his presence condemned her sin. He had spoken no word
12:35
of denunciation, but had told her of his grace that could renew the soul.
12:39
She began to have some conviction of this character. The question arose in
12:43
her mind. Might not this be the long looked for Messiah. She said
12:48
to him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ. When
12:52
he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus answered, I
12:58
that speak unto thee am he. As the woman heard these words, faith
13:03
sprang up in her heart. She accepted the wonderful announcement from the lips of
13:07
the divine teacher. This woman was in an appreciative state of mind. She
13:11
was ready to receive the noblest revelation, for she was interested in the scriptures,
13:16
and the Holy Spirit had been preparing her mind to receive more light.
13:20
She had steadied the Old Testament promise, the Lord thy God will raise up
13:24
unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren, like un
13:28
to me, unto him, ye shall hearken Deuteronomy eighteen fifteen. She longed
13:35
to understand this prophecy light was already flashing into her mind. The water of
13:39
life, the spiritual life which Christ gives to every thirsty soul, had begun
13:45
to spring up in her heart. The spirit of the Lord was working with
13:48
her. The plain statement made by Christ to this woman could not have been
13:52
made to the self righteous Jews. Christ was far more reserved when he spoke
13:58
to them. That which had been with help from the Jews, and which
14:01
the Disciples were afterward enjoined to keep secret, was revealed to her. Jesus
14:05
saw that she would make use of her knowledge in bringing others to share his
14:09
grace. When the disciples returned from their errand, they were surprised to find
14:15
their Master speaking with the woman. He had not taken the refreshing draft that
14:20
he desired, and he did not stop to eat the food his disciples had
14:24
brought. When the woman had gone, the disciples entreated him to eat.
14:28
They saw him silent, absorbed as in rapt meditation. His face was beaming
14:33
with light, and they feared to interrupt his communion with Heaven. But they
14:37
knew that he was faint and weary, and thought it their duty to remind
14:41
him of his physical necessities. Jesus recognized their loving interest, and he said,
14:46
I have meat to eat. That ye know not of the disciples wondered
14:50
who could have brought him food, But he explained, my meat is to
14:54
do the will of Him that sent me, and to accomplish his work.
14:58
John four thirty four r V. As his words to the woman had aroused
15:03
her conscience, Jesus rejoiced. He saw her drinking of the water of life,
15:09
and his own hunger and thirst were satisfied the accomplishment of the mission which
15:13
he had left heaven to perform. Drink and the Savior for his labor,
15:18
and lifted him above the necessities of humanity. To minister to a soul hungering
15:22
and thirsting for the truth was more grateful to him than eating and drinking.
15:28
It was a comfort, a refreshment to him. Benevolence was the life of
15:33
his soul, our redeemer. Thirst for recognition. He hungers for the sympathy
15:37
and love of those whom he has purchased with his own blood. He longs
15:41
with inexpressible desire that they should come to him and have life. As the
15:46
mother watches for the smile of recognition from her little child, which tells the
15:52
dawning of intelligence. So does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love,
15:56
which shows that spiritual life is begun in the soul. The woman had been
16:00
filled with joy as she listened to Christ's words. The wonderful revelation was almost
16:06
overpowering. Leaving her water pot, she returned to the city to carry the
16:11
message to others. Jesus knew why she had gone, leaving her water pot,
16:15
spoke unmistakably as to the effect of his words. It was the earnest
16:19
desire of her soul to obtain the living water, and she forgot her errand
16:23
to the well. She forgot the saviour's thirst, which she had purposed to
16:27
supply. With heart overflowing with gladness, she hastened on her way to impart
16:33
to others the precious lights she had received. Come see a man which told
16:37
me all the things that ever I did, She said to the men of
16:41
the city, is not this the Christ? Her words touched their hearts.
16:47
There was a new expression on her face, a change in her whole appearance.
16:51
They were interested to see Jesus. Then they went out of the city
16:55
and came unto him. As Jesus sat still at the well side. He
16:59
looked over the fields of grain that were spread out before him, their tender
17:03
green touched by the golden sunlight. Pointing his disciples to the scene, he
17:07
employed it as a symbol. Say not, ye, there are yet four
17:11
months, and then cometh harvest. Behold, I say unto you. Lift
17:17
up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white, all
17:21
ready to harvest. And as he spoke, he looked on the groups that
17:25
were coming to the well. It was four months to the time for harvesting
17:29
the grain, but here was a harvest ready for the reaper. He that
17:33
reapeth, he said, receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that
17:38
both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is
17:44
that saying true, one soweth and another reapeth. Here Christ points out the
17:48
sacred service owed to God by those who receive the Gospel. There to be
17:52
his living agencies. He requires their individual service. And whether we sow are
17:57
reap we are working for God. One scatters the seed, another gathers the
18:03
harvest, and both the sower and the reaper receive wages. They rejoiced together
18:08
and they reward their labor. Jesus said to the disciples, I sent you
18:14
to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor. Other men labored, and year
18:18
entered into their labors. The Savior was here, looking forward to the great
18:22
ingathering on the day of Pentecost. The disciples were not to regard this as
18:26
a result of their own efforts. They were entering into other men's labors.
18:33
Ever since the fall of Adam, Christ had been committing the seed of the
18:36
Word to his chosen servants to be sown in human hearts, and an unseen
18:41
agency, even an omnipotent power, had worked silently but effectually to produce the
18:47
harvest. The dew and rain and sunshine of God's grace had been given to
18:51
refresh and nourish the seed of truth. Christ was about to water the seed
18:56
with his own blood. His disciples were privileged to be labor together with God.
19:00
They were co workers with Christ and with the Holy men of old.
19:04
By the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, thousands were to be converted
19:08
in a day. This was the result of Christ's sowing the harvest of his
19:14
work. In the words spoken to the woman at the well good seed had
19:18
been sown, and how quickly the harvest was received. The Saveritans came and
19:22
heard Jesus and believed on him. Crowding about him at the well, they
19:26
plied him with questions and eagerly received his explanations of many things that had been
19:32
obscure to them. As they listened, their perplexity began to clear away.
19:37
They were like a people in great darkness, tracing up a sudden ray of
19:41
light till they had found the day. But they were not satisfied with this
19:45
short conference. They were anxious to hear more and to have their friends also
19:49
listened to this wonderful teacher. They invited him to their city and begged him
19:53
to remain with them for two days. He tarried in Samaria, and many
19:59
more believed on him. The Pharisees despised the simplicity of Jesus. They ignored
20:04
his miracles and demanded a sign that he was the son of God. But
20:08
the Samaritans asked no sign, and Jesus performed no miracles among them, save
20:14
in revealing the secrets of her life to the woman at the well. Yet
20:17
many received him in their new joy. They said to the woman now we
20:22
believe not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves and know
20:26
that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. The Samaritans
20:32
believed that the Messiah was to come as the redeemer, not only of the
20:34
Jews, but of the world. The Holy Spirit through Moses, had foretold
20:40
him as a prophet set from God through Jacob, it had been declared that
20:44
unto him should the gathering of the people be, and through Abraham that in
20:48
him all the nations of the earth should be blessed. On these scriptures,
20:52
the people of Samaria based their faith in the Messiah. The fact that the
20:56
Jews had misinterpreted the later prophets attributing to the First Advent the glory of Christ's
21:00
second coming had led the Samaritans to discard all the sacred writings except those given
21:07
through Moses. But as the Savior swept away these false interpretations, many accepted
21:11
the later prophecies and the words of the Christ himself. In regard to the
21:15
Kingdom of God, Jesus had begun to break down the partition wall between Jew
21:21
and Gentile and to preach salvation to the world. Though he was a Jew,
21:26
he mingled freely with the Samaritans, setting it not the Pirsaic custom of
21:30
his nation. In face of their prejudice, he accepted the hospitality of this
21:34
despised people. He slept under their roofs ate with them at their tables,
21:40
partaking of the food prepared and served by their hands, taught in their streets,
21:45
and treated them with the utmost kindness and courtesy. In the Temple at
21:49
Jerusalem, a low wall separated the outer court from all other portions of the
21:53
sacred building. Upon this wall were inscriptions in different languages stating that none but
22:00
Jews were allowed to pass this boundary. Had a gentile presumed to enter the
22:03
inner enclosure, he would have desecrated the temple and would have paid the penalty
22:08
with his life. But Jesus, the originator of the temple, in its
22:12
service, drew the Gentiles to him by the tie of human sympathy, while
22:17
his divine grace brought to them the salvation which the Jews rejected. The stay
22:22
of Jesus in Samaria was designed to be a blessing to his disciples, who
22:26
were still under the influence of Jewish bigotry. They felt that loyalty to their
22:30
own nation required them to cherish enmity towards the Samaritans. They wondered at the
22:36
conduct of Jesus. They could not refuse to follow his example, and during
22:41
the two days in Samaria, fidelity to him kept their prejudices under control.
22:45
Yet in heart they were unreconciled. They were slow to learn that their contempt
22:51
and hatred must give place to pity and sympathy. But after the Lord's ascension,
22:56
his lessons came back to them with a new meaning. The outpouring of
23:00
the Holy Spirit. They recalled the Saviour's look, his words, the respect
23:04
and tenderness of his bearing towards these despised strangers. When Peter went to preach
23:10
in Samaria, he brought the same spirit into his own work. When John
23:15
was called to Ephesus and Smyrna, he remembered the experience of Shechem and was
23:19
filled with gratitude to the divine teacher, who, foreseeing the difficulties they must
23:23
meet, had given them help in his own example. The Savior, still
23:29
caring forward the same work as when he proffered the water of life to the
23:32
woman of Samaria. Those who call themselves his followers may despise and shun the
23:37
outcast ones. But no circumstance of birth or nationality, no condition of life,
23:42
can turn away his love from the children of men to every soul,
23:47
however sinful. Jesus says, if thou hadst asked of me, I would
23:51
have given thee living water. The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down
23:56
and presented only to a select few, who we suppose will do us honor
24:00
if they accept it. The message is to be given to all. Wherever
24:03
hearts are open to receive the truth. Christ is ready to instruct them.
24:07
He reveals to them the Father and the worship acceptable to him who reads the
24:12
heart. For such he uses no parables to them. As to the woman
24:17
at the well, he says, I that speak unto thee am he.
24:21
When Jesus set down to rest at Jacob's well, he had come from Judea,
24:26
where his ministry had produced little fruit. He had been rejected by the
24:29
priests and rabbis, and even the people who profess to be his disciples had
24:33
failed at perceiving his divine character. He was faint and weary, Yet he
24:37
did not neglect the opportunity of speaking to one woman, though she was a
24:41
stranger, an alien from Israel and living in open sin. The Savior did
24:48
not wait for congregations to assemble. Often he began his lesson with only a
24:52
few gathered about him, But one by one the passers by paused to listen
24:56
until a multitude heard with wonder and awe the words of God through the heaven
25:00
sent teacher. The worker for Christ should not feel that he cannot speak with
25:06
the same earnestness to a few hearers as to a larger company. There may
25:10
be only one to hear the message, but who can tell how far reaching
25:14
will be its influence. It seemed a small matter, even to his disciples
25:18
for the Savior to spend his time upon a woman of Samaria. But he
25:22
reasoned more earnestly and eloquently with her than with kings, counselors, or high
25:27
priests. The lessons he gave to that woman had been repeated to the earth's
25:32
remotest bounds. As soon as she had found the Savior, the Samaritan woman
25:37
brought others to him. She proved herself a more effective missionary than his own
25:41
disciples. The disciples saw nothing in Samaria to indicate that it was an encouraging
25:47
field. Their thoughts were fixed upon a great work to be done in the
25:51
future. They did not see that right around them was a harvest to be
25:55
gathered. But through the woman whom they despised, a whole cityful were ought
26:00
to hear the Savior. She carried the light at once to her countryman.
26:04
This woman represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple
26:10
is borne into the Kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of
26:14
the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver.
26:18
The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert,
26:22
welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager
26:27
to drink of the water of life. End of Chapter nineteen