Jesus About His Father's Business

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John 4:29-30

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?…

It is peculiarly pleasing to observe the interest which God the Father takes in the work of salvation. In our childhood in grace we conceived God as an austere Judge made propitious by Christ. Since then we have learned the Father through the Son. This interest is three times hinted at in the text.

(1) Salvation work is called the Father's will. It is His will not only that we should not perish, but be redeemed.

(2) Jesus was sent of the Father.

(3) Salvation is called God's work. When this world was made God did not make it without reference to the Spirit, for the "Spirit moved on the face of the waters"; nor without the Son (John 1:3); yet it was the Father's work. So the Father does not save without the Spirit, for "the Spirit quickeneth." Nor without the Son, for it is through His death that we are forgiven; yet it is the Father's work. This work it was the meat of Christ to do and to finish. Notice —

I. HIS SOUL WAS IN ALL HE DID. The task was not irksome. There are men who work with such reserve and coldness that you perceive it is but the shell that acts, not the man's whole soul. But our Lord's whole Being was at work. His Father's service was His element.

II. HE WAS GLAD WHEN HE SAW HIS WORK SUCCEEDING. An infallible proof of His devotedness. You know when a man's heart is in his work by the joy he feels in it. True ministers call preaching pleasure, not duty. Let Him see a penitent and the Man of Sorrows wears a smile on His sorrowful face.

III. HE WAS ANGRY WHEN HIS WORK WAS OPPOSED. When good men see penitents discouraged or evil rampant they do well to be angry.

IV. HE WEPT WHEN HIS WORK WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. Never otherwise. He will weep over unpenitent Jerusalem, but not on the cross.

V. HE WAS NOT DISCOURAGED BY OPPOSITION. How often, when our motives are misconstrued and our efforts hampered, are we tempted to give up! But Christ went on His way apologizing for nothing, doing His work whatever men thought of it or acted against it.

VI. HE ALWAYS LABOURED; never resting: intruding on sleep for prayer and helpfulness. His three years seemed like three centuries.

VII. WHEN IN FULL LABOUR HE DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE FELT FATIGUE; as here, and when hungry forgot to eat bread. He seemed to get refreshed in His work, and instead of getting tired renewed His strength. This could not have happened unless His soul had been in it.

VIII. OUR LORD NEVER SWERVED FROM HIS ONE OBJECT, although tempted by the devil with the world and by the Galileans with a crown.

IX. HE WAS NOT DAUNTED BY THE THOUGHT OF DEATH. This thought was not before Him as a possible prospect of momentary heroism, but a certain prospect all His life through. And to this He hastened as the crowning point of His work. In conclusion —

1. Let the timid soul who thinks that Christ is unwilling to save be encouraged by all this.

2. Let the mind that was in Christ Jesus be in all Christian men.

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