Title: If You Knew John 4:10

December 2025 Topic: Finding Jesus

Title: If You Knew

Text: John 4:10 (KJV & NIV)

“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

¹⁰ Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

---

INTRODUCTION

John 4 records a life-changing encounter between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Her greatest problem was not her past, her thirst, or her reputation, it was what she did not know.

Jesus says, “If thou knewest…” If you knew?
This statement reveals a powerful truth: ignorance can delay, distort, or deny divine blessings.

This is not a quiet text. This is a revealing text. This is a confronting text.

Today’s sermon is a call to spiritual directive for awareness—because what we know, or fail to know, shapes how we live, worship, and seek God.

Which means there are blessings we missed, prayers we delayed, and miracles we postponed—not because God was absent, but because we didn’t know who was standing in front of us!

Jesus said “If you knew?”

---

 

1. THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT KNOWING

Scripture

• Hosea 4:6 — “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…”
• John 4:10, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

The Samaritan woman was face-to-face with the Messiah, yet treated Him as just another Jewish man. Not knowing who Jesus was limited her expectation and response.

Ignorance in spiritual matters does not make us neutral—it makes us vulnerable.

Jesus did not say, “If you were more holy…”
He did not say, “If you were more educated…”
He simply said, “IF YOU KNEW!”

Ignorance doesn’t just limit you—it destroys you.

The woman was tired, thirsty, rejected, and broken—yet the Answer was sitting on the well, and she treated Him like a stranger.

Illustration

A person may sit in a hospital waiting room unaware that the best specialist in the world is available to treat them for free. Because they don’t know, they leave untreated.

Likewise, many believers live spiritually wounded while the Healer stands near, but they don’t recognize Him.

Some people are dying spiritually in church, because they don’t know who Jesus really is.

Somebody shout: “Lord, open my eyes!”

---

2. WE WOULD ASK DIFFERENT QUESTIONS IF WE KNEW HIM

Scripture

• John 4:11–15, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
• James 4:2 — “…ye have not, because ye ask not.”

She asked about buckets.
She asked about wells.
She asked about geography.

But Jesus was offering GLORY, SALVATION, and ETERNAL LIFE!

If we knew Him:

• We wouldn’t just ask for a blessing—we’d ask for transformation
• We wouldn’t just ask for money—we’d ask for power
• We wouldn’t just ask for peace—we’d ask for purpose
• We wouldn’t just ask for water—we’d ask for Living Water

Illustration

A child who doesn’t know the wealth of their parents may ask for pocket change instead of help with education or future investments.

Many prayers are small because our revelation of Christ is small.

Somebody tell me: “Ask bigger!”

---

3. WE WORSHIP WHAT WE DON’T UNDERSTAND

Scripture

• John 4:22 — “Ye worship ye know not what…”
• Acts 17:23, ²³ For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

The woman spoke confidently about worship locations, but Jesus revealed that her worship lacked understanding.

In Fact, Jesus said, “You worship what you don’t know.”

That means

You can clap without connection.
You can sing without surrender.
You can shout without substance.

You can pray without connection.

You can listen without understanding

 

True worship flows from revelation, not repetition.

True worship is not done in a building, it is done within the Spirit

When knowledge is shallow:

• Worship becomes ritual
• Praise becomes performance
• Faith becomes tradition

Illustration

Someone may wear a wedding ring but not understand the commitment it represents. The symbol remains, but the meaning is lost.

Many people attend church faithfully yet miss the heart of worship because they don’t truly know whom they worship.

Somebody say: “Lord, show me who You are!”

---

4. WE SEEK ETERNAL SOLUTIONS IN TEMPORAL PLACES

Scripture

• John 4:13 — “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.”
• Ecclesiastes 3:11, He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet^[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

The woman came daily to the well, but her real thirst was not physical. She was searching for fulfillment in relationships, routines, and repetition.

She kept coming back to the same well—day after day—because temporary water cannot fix eternal thirst.

Some of us keep running to:

• Repeated Cycle of Relationships
• Holding onto Positions
• Continue with Substance abuses
• Looking for Applause

But you can’t fill a God-shaped hole with human-sized solutions!

Who among us has a God Shape hole? The hole in our heart can only fill by God.

Human solutions cannot satisfy eternal hunger.

Illustration

A person keeps switching jobs, relationships, cities, or hobbies hoping the next one will bring peace—yet the emptiness remains.

That’s because eternal thirst cannot be quenched by temporary sources.

Tell your neighbor: “This well won’t work!”

---

5. WE CANNOT DRAW LIVING WATER FROM WORLDLY WELLS

Scripture

• Jeremiah 2:13, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
• John 4:14

Worldly wells promise satisfaction but deliver disappointment. Jesus alone offers water that becomes a spring within to eternity.

No bucket from this world can pull out what only heaven can pour in.

Worldly wells are deceptive:
They promise refreshment but deliver addiction.
They promise joy but produce emptiness.

They promise Joy but deliver depression

They promise happiness but deliver misery

They promise security but cause chaos

They promise freedom but deliver oppression  

But Jesus said:

“The water I give shall be IN YOU!”

You don’t have to visit this well every day—the source moves inside of you!

Illustration

Drinking saltwater feels refreshing at first, but it eventually increases thirst and leads to harm.

Many worldly pleasures work the same way—temporary relief followed by deeper emptiness.

Let me hear you: “I need living water!”

---

6. WHERE CAN WE FIND JESUS THIS SEASON?

Scripture

• John 4:26 — “I that speak unto thee am he.”
• Matthew 28:20, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
• Isaiah 55:6, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Jesus is not hiding:

• He is found in unexpected places (a well at noon)
• He meets people in ordinary moments
• He reveals Himself to hungry hearts

This season, Jesus is found:

• In sincere prayer
• In truth-centered worship
• In moments of honesty and surrender
• Your prayer closet
• Your broken places
• Your honest questions

Illustration

Sometimes help arrives disguised as interruption—a broken plan, a delayed accomplishment, a difficult conversation, health news, our wilderness.

The woman came for water and encountered the Messiah. Don’t underestimate divine appointments in ordinary places.

This season, Jesus is about to reveal Himself to hungry hearts!

---

CONCLUSION

Jesus’ words still echo today:

“If you knew the gift…”

Tonight, today, right now—you can know Him!

If we knew:

• We would stop settling for less
• We would ask boldly
• We would worship deeply
• We would seek eternally

Closing Scripture

• Philippians 3:10 — “That I may know him…” ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

·       If you’re tired of empty wells…

·       If you’re thirsty for something real…

·       If you want living water…

Final Call

This is the season to move from knowing about Jesus to knowing Him.

The well is not your source.
The world is not your answer.
Jesus is.

Hange ha Tavake Taa Mafua

 

Hange ha Tavake Taa Mafua: ngaholo mai 'a fakafonua'amanu koe fangota pea 'ikai ola, pea 'oku siu leva e Tavake ki he Kaho* (Koe Tavake koe taha ia 'o e manu e kaho) pea faifai peane ‘ilo ha potanga ‘Otule. He ‘ikai leva kene lofa kiai, ka tene taa’i e mafua (koe fanga ki'i ika 'oku heke he ngalu pea puna he fisi'i peau) ke faka’ilonga ‘aki ‘a e potu ‘oku ‘iai e potanga ‘otule, kane foki ki he Takanga ‘a fulufulu tatau ‘o Fakafouna’amanu ‘a e taki e Takanga ki he Mafua kou taa’i.

Ma’u mei ai ‘a e taa’i ‘ehe taha kai fono ‘a hono fono pea toki muimui mai hono kainga ke hiki e fono.

Fakafonua’amanu

Takanga ‘a fulufulu tatau - mei he paloveape fkpaalangi: Great minds think alike: Proverbs 13:20 "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."

*Kaho: ko e lea fakasciensi: Scientific explanation it like this: “Atmospheric pressure is simply the weight of the air pushing down on you from above. As you increase in elevation, there is less air above you thus the pressure decreases. As the pressure decreases, air molecules spread out further (i.e. air expands), and the temperature decreases. If the humidity is at 100 percent (because it’s snowing or raining), the temperature decreases more slowly with height.” pea koe laine faka'etimosifia leva 'oku ne vahe'i e mafana (low pressure) moe momoko (high pressure) 'oku ui ia koe Kaho. 'Oku 'ilonga lelei 'eni 'i he feitu'u mo'unga'ia. 'Oku momoa ma'u pe 'a 'olunga kae ma'ui'ui 'a lalo. 

Mission

 Ministry Compass

The Mission of Jesus Christ According to Luke 4:18–19

Elfriede Janz de Verόn

Mission begins in the heart of God (Escobar). God sent his only beloved Son to this world. God and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to this world.

Jesus sent his disciples and us. Where? To this world. The Holy Spirit is the principal actor in fulfilling the mission.

The teaching ministry of Christian educational institutions ought to assist the church in accomplishing its ministry, purposes, and mission in society.

Jesus’ mission was to save that which was lost. This salvation and good news was and is directed toward every area of need, poverty, and problem of humanity. By nature, man lives separated from God. He lives with a great number of problems and misfortunes, urgently needing the good news of the love and the grace and the favor of Christ.

Jesus was convinced that he was able to fulfill his mission because God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit.

One passage that speaks to us of Jesus’ mission is found in Luke 4:18–19.

Problem: Poverty

Luke 4:18 (a): “to proclaim good news to the poor”

There is much spiritual and moral poverty. {294}

Economic poverty is also a very real problem, especially in a country like Paraguay, but in many other countries as well.

What did Jesus do for the poor?

• He had compassion on a poor widow and raised her only son from the dead, because this son was the source of support for the widow’s future.
• He healed the lepers, so they could return to their work.
• He condemned the rich who exploited the poor, especially the orphans and the widows.
• On the other hand, we see that he praised the action of a poor widow who placed all that she had in the offering plate.
• He did not prevent her from giving, nor does the Bible mention that he gave her any funds, now that she was without money.

The poor are not always poor. On the contrary, they are often rich in faith. “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5).

• I know several people with significant economic needs, yet they are rich in faith and progressing economically. They do not feel abandoned by God, but rather they feel very loved.
• From my point of view, a person who follows Jesus and trusts him is not poor. He or she may lack material things, as did both Jesus and Paul.
• The promise is that God will provide for their needs. Do we know and preach contentment?

Problem: Captivity

Luke 4:18(b): “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners”

In the Gospels we do not read of Jesus freeing anyone from prison. (In Acts we do read of some who were miraculously set free from jail). He did not even give freedom to John the Baptist when he was in prison, although he certainly would have had the power to do so.

So, what prisoners did he free?

Prisoners of the devil. Jesus liberated many people who were possessed by demons.

• Even today there are many people who are prisoners of the devil and his demons.
• In our country there are many who have turned to spiritism, witchcraft, and mind-reading and are bound in some way by evil spirits. Do we teach the students at our Christian institutions how these people can be set free from their captivity? {295}

Prisoners of sin and vice

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin’ ” (John 8:34).

• It wasn’t just the prostitutes, adulterers, and tax collectors who were sinners. The Jews thought they were free, but Jesus saw that they were totally enslaved to sin.
• Today, many think they are free, but we realize that they are imprisoned by such things as addiction, hate, violence, hypocrisy, envy, greed, and many other sins.

Prisoners of wealth

• Wealth prevented the rich young ruler from following Jesus, and money continues to be a great obstacle, hindering many people from faithfully following the Lord.
• Our mission is not only directed toward the poor, but also toward the rich. They need to be freed from the love of money.

Prisoners of tradition and legalism

• The religious in Jesus’ day were bound by their traditions and laws, such that they could not accept the grace of Jesus Christ.
• Today, many believe they can secure their salvation by observing religious traditions. Believing themselves to be free, they are slaves of tradition.

There are many captives, even in our Christian institutions. They need to be freed. Do we proclaim freedom in Christ to them? Do we proclaim freedom from the bondage of some traditions?

• “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
• As the hymn says, “Glorious freedom, wonderful freedom, no more in chains of sin I repine.”

Problem: Physical Suffering

Luke 4:18 (c): “recovery of sight for the blind.”

Jesus took an interest in people’s physical suffering. We are not the God who heals, but we believe in the God who can heal.

• The first Christian church cried out to God for miracles and healing, and God answered. How many of us cry out to God for healing?
• God is the same God, yesterday, today, and forever.
• Sometimes he heals instantly, sometimes it is a process, sometimes he uses medicine, sometimes he only removes the pain; but we can cry out to him and trust in him. {296}

Problem: Oppression

Luke 4:18 (d) “to set the oppressed free”

Many are oppressed, distressed, weighed down, and grieving.

Socially oppressed

• Jesus had compassion on the outcasts (lepers, for example).
• Do we have a mission to reach the outcasts of society?

Oppressed by sin and a destructive lifestyle

• Jesus restored the life of the Samaritan woman.
• The prodigal son returned to his father’s warm, loving home.

Oppressed by difficult life experiences

• Many live oppressed by pain and hurts of the past—childhood abuse, marital infidelity, and financial injury.
• Do we give hope and encouragement to their wounded and broken hearts?

Oppressed by fear and worry

• Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not worry” (Matt. 6:31). Fear and worry do not allow a person to live a happy, abundant life.
• Even so, many Christians live oppressed by this current evil—fear of what is to come, fear of what others will say, worry about the current economic state, worry about their children, etc.

Do we live and preach freedom in Christ?

• Do our neighbors, students, and brothers and sisters in Christ see us as free people?
• Jesus was completely free and only he can give true freedom.

Conclusion

Good News: Now is the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:19)

We believe that the time has come where God is manifesting his favor in a special way in Paraguay and South America.

The teaching ministry of Christian educational institutions should align with the mission of the church. Moreover, it ought to assist the church in accomplishing its ministry, purposes, and mission in society.

Christian institutions should speak the same language as the church. The church’s mission, and consequently our mission, since we form part of the church, is to take the good news of the grace of Jesus Christ to this world full of needs, problems, and misfortunes.

Like Jesus, we need the anointment with the Holy Spirit; otherwise our ministry will be limited to just human power and human efforts.

Jesus was sent by his Father “to proclaim good news to the poor . . . freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18–19). And {297} he says, speaking to his Father, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).

Embracing the Fire of Reproof to Forge God’s Purpose

“Embracing the Fire of Reproof to Forge God’s Purpose”

6/14/2025

Text: Proverbs 27:6 & 17

---

Introduction:

Today, we stand at the crossroads of destiny—a divine forge where relationships are not mere happen stances but strategic instruments crafted by God's own hand. Like blacksmiths shaping molten metal, God uses the heat of correction and the hammer of accountability to mold us into vessels for His glory. Our journey is not a smooth sailing but a turbulent voyage through the storms of reproof, which serve as the wind that drives us closer to our divine purpose.

In the grand cathedral of heaven, true friends are the chisels that carve away our rough edges. Their honest wounds—faithful wounds—are the sparks that ignite transformation. Yet, the question remains: Are we willing to embrace the flames of correction? Or do we shy away, hiding in the shadows of comfort, afraid of the refining fire?

---

Proverbs 27:6 & 17: The Anvil of Honest Friendships

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

Here, we see the power of relationships—they are the forge, the anvil, and the whetstone of our spiritual growth. Honest correction is not an act of hatred but an act of love, a fiery chisel carefully shaping us. Mutual sharpening is like two blades striking together—each strike removing imperfections, each collision strengthening their edge.

Are we willing to be the iron that is struck? Or do we resist the sparks that threaten to forge us anew? True friendship demands the courage to accept the fiery kiss of truth—even when it burns.

---

Ephesians 4:15: Maturity in the Furnace of Truth and Love

"Speaking the truth in love, may we grow up into Him, who is the Head—Christ."

Spiritual growth is the crucible in which the raw ore of our lives is purified. Embracing truth and love is like walking through the furnace—each moment of correction strips away the dross, revealing the shining gold beneath. This is the divine alchemy that transforms us into the image of Christ—the Perfect Blade forged by divine hands.

---

Galatians 6:1: Restoring with the Gentle Hammer

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

Restoration is not a reckless blow but a gentle tap—like a skilled blacksmith shaping fragile metal with patience. It requires humility to recognize our own imperfections and a gentle hand to guide others back onto the anvil of righteousness. Our reproof must be the soft strike of love—meek, patient, intentional—reflecting Christ’s tenderness.

---

Jeremiah 29:11: The Divine Blueprint amid the Sparks

"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord—thoughts of peace, not of evil—to give you an expected end."

God’s plan is a masterpiece, a masterpiece wrought through the fires of correction and the hammer of divine purpose. Sometimes, relationship clashes are like sparks that fly from striking hard metal—the fragments breaking away reveal clarity and focus. Sometimes, incompatible connections are the fiery trials that push us onto the path destined for us.

When your purpose is aligned with God’s eternal blueprint, all other noise—distractions, distractions—fade away. Like a perfect charger that fits seamlessly, you connect fully with His divine will.

---

Embracing Reproof: The Refining Fire

Our relationships are no accident—they are strategic, divine architecture. God uses friends, mentors, even challenging relationships—fire to burn away the impurities that would hinder our progress. We cannot force others into His plan; we must recognize when certain bonds become unwelcome flames that threaten to consume us.

Are you willing to accept the chastening smelts that come through these relationships? Do you see correction as a gift—a divine furnace designed to purify and prepare you for greatness?

Refining through Reproof requires:

• Humility to accept the fiery truth,
• Patience to endure the searing pain,
• Trust in God's sovereignty—the Master Blacksmith.

Is your relationship a sharpening iron, or just a dulling blade? Are you developing wings to soar or losing footing in the ashes?

---

Conclusion:

Open your heart to the master craftsman—the one who shapes with fire and molds with patience. Celebrate friends who are the sparks in your life—challenging, sharpening, and refining you into Christ’s likeness. Embrace the fiery reproof, knowing it is the flames of divine love transforming you into a vessel fit for His purpose.

Remember: every flame has a purpose. The fire of divine refinement purifies, consecrates, and pushes

 

Scriptures references:

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”

Proverbs 27:5 “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.”

Proverbs 12:1 “The person who loves correction loves knowledge, but anyone who hates a rebuke is stupid”.

Proverbs 17:10 “A sensible person accepts correction, but you can’t beat sense into a fool.”

Proverbs 12:15 “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.”

Proverbs 29:20 “Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”

Proverbs 18:2 “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.”