Rivers of Living Water

I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      In John 7:37-39, Jesus made a powerful statement that divided the multitudes in their opinions of who He was.

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

B.      Let us consider the statement of Jesus and the meaning explained to us by the apostle John.

 

II.      THE CONTEXT OF JOHN CHAPTER 7

A.      Jesus made this statement on the last day of the annual Feast of Booths (John 7:2, 37).

                                                             1.      The Feast of Booths was given to Israel by God as a memorial of their wilderness wanderings (see Leviticus 23:33-44).

                                                             2.      During this feast, the Jews lived in tents (booths) for seven days in the likeness of Israel when they were led out of Egypt by God (Lev. 23:42-43).

                                                             3.      This feast was also called the Feast of the Ingathering because the people gave thanks for the harvest (Lev. 23:39).

B.      Understanding this setting helps us understand the significance of Jesus using the element of water in His statement.

                                                             1.      The feast was held annually during the hot and dry season in Palestine.  Water was scarce at this time.

                                                             2.      Also, by tradition, on each day of the feast a priest would fill a pitcher with water in the pool of Siloam and then pour the water on the altar of the temple.  This commemorated when God instructed Moses to bring forth water from the rock for the thirsty Israelites (Num. 20:1-11).

C.      It was in this setting that “Jesus stood and cried out” His great promise of living water.

 

III.   WHAT IS LIVING WATER?

A.      The events of John 7:37-39 are not the first time Jesus spoke of living water.

                                                             1.      In John 4, Jesus spoke of living water to the Samaritan woman.

                                                             2.      Similar to the setting of John 7, the element of water was significant because Jesus met the woman as she came to draw water from Jacob’s well.

                                                             3.      Consider John 4:10-14.

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?”  You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

B.      Consider what we learn about living water from John 4.

                                                             1.      Jesus explained that living water is that which satisfies for eternal life.

                                                             2.      One drink of this water becomes a well of water within the person who receives it.

                                                             3.      Jesus is the source of living water, meaning that He is the source of eternal life.

C.      In connection with these teachings, consider also what Jesus taught in John 6.

                                                             1.      Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35)

                                                             2.      “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” (John 6:47)

D.      Therefore, we understand that living water is a figure of spiritual language representing eternal life that comes from Jesus Christ.  Believing in Christ is the same as drinking the living water (“drink” in John 7:37 is equivalent to “believes” in John 7:38).

 

IV.    JESUS’ PROMISE

A.      Jesus attributed the promise that He gave in John 7:38 to the Scripture.

                                                             1.      The exact phrase, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water,” is not found in the Old Testament.

                                                             2.      However, the thought of this promise is contained in Isaiah 44:3; 55:1; 58:11.

B.      John gives us the meaning of the promise in John 7:39.

                                                             1.      Notice that Jesus did not mention the Holy Spirit by name, but John by inspiration reveals that Jesus was speaking of the Spirit.

                                                             2.      Specifically, Jesus was speaking of the time when the Holy Spirit would be given to believers.

                                                             3.      Notice a similar statement by Jehovah in Isaiah 44:3 where He associates the figure of water with His Spirit: “For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants.”

C.      Therefore, according to the meaning given by John, we know that the “rivers of living water” would flow:

                                                             1.      After Jesus was glorified, i.e., raised to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33; John 17:5);

                                                             2.      When the Holy Spirit was given;

                                                             3.      From within believers.

D.      How is this promise fulfilled?

                                                             1.      After Jesus was glorified (Acts 1:9-11), the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4; 14-21).

                                                             2.      The apostles then proclaimed Jesus unto the people (Acts 2:15-36).

                                                             3.      Those who believed the word of the apostles were being saved (Acts 2:37-47).

                                                             4.      Those who were being saved then spread the message of the Christ to others.

a.       In other words, they channeled the living water to others.  They became the rivers of living water.

b.       They did this by the Holy Spirit, who imparted the word to them.

                                                             5.      Consider these passages and notice the flow of living water as Christians went about spreading the gospel.

a.       And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)

b.       But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. (Acts 4:4)

c.        And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number. (Acts 5:14)

d.       Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number… (Acts 6:1)

e.        The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7)

f.        Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. (Acts 8:4)

g.        But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.  (Acts 8:12)

h.       So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. (Acts 9:31)

i.         So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily. (Acts 16:5)

 

V.      YOU ARE THE RIVER!

A.      Today, the rivers that channel the living waters from Jesus Christ to the world are Christians.

                                                             1.      Notice how the word of God is to flow from one Christian to another: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2Tim. 2:2).

                                                             2.      This living water is abundant and should flow without interruption from every Christian.

B.      The sad truth is that the world is dying of thirst for salvation.

                                                             1.      Lost souls everywhere are like the Samaritan woman of John 4, who desperately need the living water of Jesus Christ but do not acknowledge their thirst.

                                                             2.      The living water of Jesus Christ is for everyone, not just a select few persons (1John 2:2).  The world needs to know about Him.

C.      Therefore, let the rivers flow.  Give the world the living water of Jesus Christ.




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