John 7:37-39 (A Great Invitation)

 

During the course of a year each of us receives many invitations. Some of them are gladly received:

A)Wedding / Nice Dinner / Vacation / Ball game / A concert. Depending upon the event and who is inviting – We can get really excited.

 

B) Other invitations are not so exciting: Obligation – or little interest – Sales pitch Or someone is promoting something! – I get those all the time.

1) Be my special guest -  They don’t even know me all they want is my support

 

Pastors a larger Church – good exposure.

 

C) Well in our text today: We will see where Jesus gives a Great invitation { One that we don’t want to miss!

1) For accompanied with that invitation is a great Promise- to anyone and everyone who responds.

                                                                 RD V.37-39

 

D)Now there are 3 things I want us to focus on today as we consider this passage.  

#1 The Setting/ #2 The Invitation / #3 The Promise.

 

#1 The Setting

A)The events of Chapter 7 take place at the feast of Tabernacles which happens in October

B) Ch 6 events centered around Passover – April – which tells us that there is a six month gap between Chapter 6 and Chapter 7

 

C) During that six month period of time Jesus has been ministering exclusively in the area of Galilee.

1)But now it was time for the Feast of Tabernacles

 

The Feast of Tabernacles One of three major festivals celebrated in Jerusalem each year, Passover / Pentecost / Tabernacles

A)the Feast of Tabernacles was the happiest and most joyful of the three!

 

B) National camp out – people lived for a week in these little huts they– sort of like a pup tent –

1) It was a time for remembering the wanderings in the wilderness - parents would tell their children how God miraculously provided for their fathers for forty years in the wilderness.

 

C)They would tell of a pillar of fire by night, and a cloud by day; of bread from the sky, and water from a rock.

 

To commemorate the miraculous provision of water, each day a procession of priests would draw water from the pool of Siloam in a golden pitcher.

A)The Priest would then take the pitcher full of water and hike back up to the temple Mount where he would join the other priest around the altar.

B) It was there that the pitcher would be poured out on the base of the altar. And one of the Priest would read from – Isaiah 12:3  

“Therefore with joy you will draw water, from the wells of salvation.”

 

Then they would break forth into the Hallel songs of praise and the Levites would play thru  flutes

A)That was the procedure for 7 days – families camping – talking with their kids about  the things of the Lord –

 

B) Talking about the Lord’s faithful Provision in the Wilderness.

 

C) But on the last day of the feast it was different – Much more Solemn.

 

D)The Priest would still gather on the temple mt and there would still be a priest that would take the golden pitcher down to the pull of Siloam

1)But he wouldn’t fill it up – instead he would hike back up to the temple MT

 

E) The empty Pitcher was symbolic of the fact that Israel still thirsted- that they were waiting for the Messiah who would come and pour out his spirit on the nation

 

Interesting to note that the Pool of Siloam was also called the Pool of the sent one and the Kings Pool – { Pointing to Messiah

A)As the priest poured out the empty pitcher that day a Priest would read from Isaiah 44:3

 

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground;

I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;

 

B)We will see in our study on wed night that Jesus went up to the feast in Secret – because it wasn’t his time to be put to death.

 

1) So he is going to keep sort of a low profile a few teachings in the temple – accept on the last day of the feast he does something that surprises everyone.

 

C) See it was at that point in that Solemn  moment when everyone was quiet that Jesus Breaks the silence – by yelling out

 

 "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

 

D) Imagine how Startling that must have been to suddenly have the silence broken up in that way.

 

At this point let’s consider the Lord’s great invitation!

A)The first thing we want to note is that Jesus was clearly declaring Himself to be the Messiah –

 

B) He was in affect saying – I am the answer to Isaiah 44:3 !

 

The Second  thing Jesus does here is He hits on the Universal craving inside of every human being –

                      If anyone thirst

A)Thirst is the 2nd strongest drive in the Human body – 2nd only to the drive for air – the drive to breath.

 

B) The Drive for physical thirst is even stronger than the drive for Hunger.

1) You can go much longer without food than you can without liquid.

 

C) The people Jesus was talking to lived in a hot desert region – they understood very clearly the importance of water for:

1) Their own physical health - / as well as for the survival of  their crops.

 

But Jesus wasn’t talking about Physical thirst – He was speaking about a much greater thirst – Spiritual thirst.

A)See everyone experiences thirst – Most just don’t realize what it is they are really searching for.   For example

 

B) Some would say they are thirsting for Security: A survey was done a few yrs back where 1,000 millionaires living in the US – were asked the question

1) Are you Secure? – 90% said no – when asked how much money would it take to make you secure – the average was 5 million

 

C) That is the way life is – you thirst for a million and you get it – thirst still is not quenched – thirst for more – 2 million  - still not quenched

1) Reason it is not quenched is you aren’t searching for a million dollars – you are searching for something deeper –

 

D) Man is searching for a security that goes way beyond anything that money can bring.

 

We live in this consumer Society – where so much stuff is pushed in front of our faces to appeal to our thirst

A)Glance thru any magazine and find adds for everything under the sun – things that are supposed to quench the thirst.

 

B) People want to be emotionally secure – well liked – Madison Ave plays on that thirst -  Breath mint commercial –

1) Everyone is running from this guy – until he eats the breathe mint and the mist comes out of his mouth – everyone now wants to be his friend

 

C) If I just had those breath mints people would love me and accept me

 

Then there is the one where the guy – meets the girl and he thinks she is really cute – she seems to like him as well.

A)Then she see it – it’s the dandruff on his shoulder -  she is grossed out

 

B) But hey if he can get rid of the dandruff -

 

C)People will gorge themselves on these things – hoping to satisfy the thirst in side –   But in reality – nothing is like what it seems

 

Like ordering a Hamburger at a fast food place. You look at the picture and it looks amazing. –

 

A)Meat is nice and brown – cooked just right – lettuce is clean and crisp – the due still on it – Tomato is nice and red - / Cheese melted just right

1) Bun is all fluffy

 

B) But so often that is not what you get – from the drive up window – smashed thing – the meat is brownish grey – lettuce looks a week old

1) Tomato is a pinkish white and cheese is barely melted

 

C) You bought that because you saw the picture – but it wasn’t like that – and it leaves you disappointed

 

That is how life is – People in this nation will try and gorge themselves materialistically – Bigger house / nicer car / Higher wage

A)And when they get those things – not satisfied – still thirsty – still looking for something else – something more – something better.

 

B) Other people try to satisfy their thirst in relationships – Lord if you really loved me you would give me that man to be my husband

1)And then after a year it’s Lord – you really love me and you gave me this man to be my Husband?

 

C) Don’t get me wrong – marriage is wonderful- a great thing – I love my wife.

1) Marriage is a great instrument that the Lord uses to teach us to love like Christ and be more like Christ –

 

D) But marriage is not the end all – if you think it is – You are going to be disappointed when you discover – I am still thirsty.

E) You see you are searching for something deeper than all of those things – something way beyond the physical the emotional

1) It is spiritual – that is what Jesus is referring to here. That internal Gnawing – that cuts deep

 

This is where Psychology falters – Psychology deals with man as a duality – they are focused on the Physical and the mental or emotional plain

A)There focus is on the past and the present – but they can deal with that part of a man that the Bible promises a Future and a hope to

 

B) They can’t deal with that part of a man where the Bible declares that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen

 

C)Psychology doesn’t deal with that part of a man that is thirsty for those things

 

Much of the modern day Church fails in this area as well.

A)Too focused on the temporal – felt needs Happy home / family / marriage

 

B)To hear most Christians talk you would think that the sole purpose of Christ’s coming was to save them and to satisfy them.

 

C) That is one purpose, of course. But that the Christian life I find described in my Bible.

D)That kind of Christianity—when not balanced by the truth produces a shallow, experience-centered, introverted, and eventually selfish approach to life.

 

E)That is the calling card of the me generation that thinks purely in selfish terms of how they can get their needs met.

 

But there is more to this life than that. There is more to what Jesus has for us.   Which leads us to consider the Promise.

38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

 

A)Now what Jesus says here in some ways – should surprise us – We would expect him to say – He will be satisfied – his thirst quenched.

 

B) But Jesus wants us to see – He has something greater in mind.

 

C) Filled and Satisfied is definitely implied – because for a glass to be overflowing it first has to be filled.

 

D) But here is the point that Jesus wants them and us to see – Those who partake of Him – are not just satisfied { That is true { that happens – Secure

E) But they ALSO become the means thru which others are Satisfied.

 

The Christian is not a sponge – that soaks in the Lord – but He is to be a conduit that brings Jesus to the World.

A)Jesus is defining here that the mark of the Spirit filled believer is that he/she refreshes others.

 

B) I find it interesting the things that Jesus identifies as defining marks of his followers

1) John 13 – They will know that you are my disciples – by your Love!

 

C) I think that most people would not expect him to say that –{ Point to something else

1) Many Christians approach – their Christianity – you would think – Jesus would say

 

2) They will know you are my disciples by your great Knowledge of the Scriptures –

 

D) They are connoisseurs of Bible study and Bible teaching – Pick apart messages

1) They pursue Knowledge – They are students of the word – they love to argue points and doctrine

 

Paul in 1 Corinthians 14 said – Knowledge puffs up

A)Knowledge for knowledge sake – what it does it makes one prideful.{

B) But love edifies – Love builds up!

1)With some Christians there is a plethora of Knowledge but they are severely lacking in Love.

 

C)Others might have expected Jesus to say – They will know you are my disciples by the causes you champion –

1) The things that you stand against !

 

There are some believers who that is what they espouse – they are critical & Judgmental of so many things

A)Always campaigning against this and that.

 

B) But so often when that mentality is present there is a lack of love.

 

C) Well the same thing is true here – Jesus is describing what the person filled w/ the spirit looks like –

 

Not what we think- I think our tendency is to immediately think – Power & Boldness

A)Acts 2 – Day of Pentecost – When the believers were baptized in the Spirit –

 

B) I do believe that is what Jesus is referring to here

1) See the Disciples received the Spirit in Jn 20

 

C) After Rez – upper room – Breathed on them and said – Receive …… / That is when Born again.

But I ask you this question were they empowered? A)Were they like rivers of water? No. They were hiding in an upper room.

 

B)Yes, they were Christians. Yes, they were born again. 1) But they were still timid & unsure of what they should do.

 

C)Then, forty days later, After Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and to wait for the Spirit came upon them { Baptize – them.

1) They would be immersed in the Spirit – the HS getting all of them – purpose – Jesus said – was to empower you to be my witnesses

 

D) That took place on the Day of Pentecost,

1) It was at that moment they became like rivers of living water - and 3,000 were saved (Acts 2).

 

It was then that their lives began to have an impact upon the others –

A)But here is what I want you to see – For the disciples personally – it was evidenced in Power

 

B) There was a boldness to stand for Jesus that they lacked prior to this

 

C) For them personally it translated into boldness – but for those they came in contact with – it became a refreshment

 

D) Their lives had a refreshing affect upon those they came in contact with.

1) Like cool water on a Hot day!

 

E) Ultimate compliment – they could tell that they had been with Jesus

 

The HS coming upon their lives – had a contagious affect on those they encountered { lions Roman col.

A)I believe that is one of the main marks of the person who is filled with the spirit

 

B) Jesus said – to His disciples – My spirit shall come upon you and empower you to be my witnesses

1) Not go witnessing –

 

C) But to be my witnesses – Living testimonies / living lighthouses – of the grace and goodness of God

 

D) Your life is going to become a conduit for those around you to be refreshed by the Lord

 

I ask you is that a picture of Your life?

A)What would happen if each of us here were to get our focus off of ourselves – ask Jesus to fill us w/ HS

 

B) What would happen in NC ? Where you work!

1) How attractive would Jesus become to the world around us. { NC would never be the same

 

C) Jesus says – the one who comes & drinks of me continually

1) The ones who realize that they can’t get by without me –

 

D) I am going to Baptize them in my spirit – and their lives are going to be like rivers of refreshment to a thirsty dying world

 

The Longer I live on this planet – the more that I see of the hurt and pain in the world

A)The more aware I become of the need for the Spirit of God to flow from my life

 

B) The more I realize that Rob has to get out of the way. –

1) See I can be so prideful / so self absorbed / so critical and judgmental of others

 

C) But when I detect those things – I get so tired of that –

1) I realize I need more of Jesus – I need His spirit to have more of me

 

D) Lord I want to refresh those around me

 

E) Have you entered into this promise?

1)Are others experiencing abundance of blessing through you?

 

Spurgeon spoke of it back in the nineteenth century, comparing this idea to the incoming tides on the Thames that lifted the great river barges.

 

When the tide was out nothing could move those barges as they lay in the mud of the river’s bottom.

A team of men could not move them. Machinery could never get them moved out to the sea.

But then the tide would come, and soon they would be floating.

When the tide returned, even a child could move them by his hand.

 

Oh, for a floodtide of God’s grace!

 

The Criteria : Come and drink –

A)Not beg – not grovel – not simply come – Come = you recognize the need

 

B) Drink – It is in the continual sense – Keep on Drinking - Partake of Jesus – assimilated into your life.

 

Eph 5:18

 

Col 3:15