8/12/2019 NT.smith.john.7.37 39

1/4

IIIM Magazine Online, Volume 3, Number 42, October 15 to October 21, 2001

STREAMS OF LIVING WATERA Sermon on John 7:37-39

by Rev. Russell B. Smith

From the constant flow of attachments and forwards to my email account, heresthe latest. After church on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to hismother, Mom, Ive decided to become a minister when I grow up. Thats wonderful,son, but what made you decide that? Well, replied the boy, I have to go to church onSunday, and I figure it will be more fun to stand up and yell than sit and listen.

After the past few weeks, it feels good to laugh. Weve needed laughter afterwhat happened in our country. Laughter releases pent up energy; it refreshes the heart.John 7:37-39 talks about a more profound kind of refreshment the refreshingpresence of the Holy Spirit.

Remember that chapter 7 of Johns gospel takes place in Jerusalem during thefeast of Tabernacles. In the first part of chapter 7 (1-13), we saw number of peoplemisinterpret Jesus role the advisors, the despisers, and the admirers. Then in themiddle section (14-36), we saw that Jesus, as a truth teller, upset the authorities bychallenging them to stop looking at resumes and start questioning their assumptions

and expanding their horizons. In todays passage, we see all of these themesreiterated. We see the conflicting opinions of the crowds. We see the opposition of theleaders. We even see the return of Nicodemus Remember him from chapter 3? Hewas the member of the Sanhedrin who conversed privately with Jesus after he haddisrupted the temple. He was the man to whom Jesus said, Unless one is born ofwater and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Clearly, Jesus words havehad some impact on Nicodemus, because here he is again, defending Jesus againstunjust accusation.

Because there is so much repetition in this passage, we will focus our attentionon verses 37-39, where Jesus says, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flowfrom within him. Even this is repetitious To the woman at the well, Jesus says, .Whoever drinks of the water I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shallgive him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. If thisis indeed repetitious, what does this passage add to our understanding of Jesus?

First, note the context here has changed. When Jesus spoke to the woman atthe well, he was having a private conversation with a despised Gentile. Here we have

8/12/2019 NT.smith.john.7.37 39

2/4

Jesus speaking publicly in the temple on the most crowded day of the most popularfeast of Israel. Jesus has taken a very direct and public stand. He calls the assembledbody of Israel to come and follow him. There is no wishy-washiness here. Jesus usesno slick. Jesus is not being remotely seeker sensitive here. He issues the call, Are youthirsty? Come and drink! Do you desire satisfaction? Come and Drink! Are you

burdened by the bad things youve done? Come and Drink! Are you weighed down bythe struggles of life? Come and Drink! Jesus calls and leaves us to consider ourresponse. Jesus calls, and something stirs within us to say, Theres something rightabout that man, and not fully understanding, we follow. Jesus calls, and we follow,knowing that understanding will come.

What is this living water that Jesus talks about? The passage explains it for us the Holy Spirit. Verse 39 goes on to explain that the predicted New Covenantoverflow of Holy Spirit had not yet been given. We know the story of the coming of theHoly Spirit in Acts 2. Later on in chapters 14-16, Jesus talks extensively about the HolySpirit and what the Holy Spirit will do for us. But here, it is important to pause and

consider what this water imagery tells us about the Holy Spirit. We will also find that the

Holy Spirit gives us understanding, the

Holy Spirit gives us satisfaction, and the

Holy Spirit enables us to be a blessing to others.

To help us see these points, a history lesson is in order. Verse 37 tells us thatJesus makes this pronouncement on the last and greatest day of the feast. It isimportant to realize that a part of the celebration of this feast was a daily water ritual.

Each day of the feast, the Levites would proceed down to the pool of Siloam, onthe other side of the city. There they would fill a golden cup with water from the pool.The High Priest would then lead a processional through the city streets back to thetemple. As the group approached the Water Gate on the south side of the temple, aLevite on the walls would issue three loud blasts on the Shophar, the rams horntrumpet used in religious ceremonies.

Once inside the temple, the priests would bear the cup around the altar while thetemple choir sang the Hallel, Psalms 113-118. Probably all the observing crowd would

join in the singing. When the choir began to sing Psalm 118, all the males in the crowdshook a bundle of branches in one hand and in the other, raised a citrus fruit,

symbolizing the harvest. Everyone shouted, Give thanks to the Lord three times, andthen the water was offered to God along with the regular morning offering of wine.

This elaborate water ritual reminded the Israelites of two things. First, it casttheir mind back to Gods provision of water in the desert. Since the feast of tabernaclescommemorated Israels wandering in the desert, this is an appropriate use of theimage. The other reminder this water ritual signified was Israels future. The river of lifeis a prophetic image. Zechariah 13:1 gives the picture of the fountain purifying from sin.

8/12/2019 NT.smith.john.7.37 39

3/4

Ezekiel 47:1-11, taking place in the extended picture of the end times glory of Israel,shows a river coming out of the temple, giving life to the whole land.

So when Jesus stands up in the middle of the festival and makes hispronouncement, he claims that he will make available not only the sustaining power of

the Holy Spirit, but also the power that provides for ultimate cleansing and satisfaction.Jesus says that the end times are beginning now, at this moment, where he stands.

Theres a lot of talk about the end times when will the end of time come?What will this look like? Are we living in the end times? Jesus, in this statement,announces the coming of the end times. Jesus in his life, death, resurrection andascension inaugurated the end times. The end times are the age of the Holy Spirit,where the Holy Spirit moves powerfully in all the faithful. This is the picture Joel sees inJoel 2:28 when he says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. This is whatJeremiah imagines in chapter 31 of his book when speaking for God, he states I willput my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be

my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor or a man his brother, saying, knowthe Lord because they all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declaresthe Lord.

So if we are living in the end times, the age of the Holy Spirit, what does thismean for us? First of all, it means that we have understanding. The Holy Spirit is, firstof all, a spirit of truth. You may say But pastor, there are so many things I dontunderstand. Why does God allow evil things to happen? Why are there so manydifferences in Christian belief? By understanding, I dont mean that we havecomprehensive answers to every question. There will be many questions that elude us.By understanding, I mean that we are equipped to perceive the moral and spiritual

framework of the universe. We are able to know God and who He is, and who we are,and that there is a vast difference that must be bridged by an intermediary. We are ableto know that there are moral absolutes that are founded upon Gods character. We areable to know that we live not for ourselves, but for the service that has been given to usby God. This understanding of the framework of the universe impacts everything elsewe do.

The Holy Spirit also gives us satisfaction. Not satisfaction by humanisticstandards, but the satisfaction of having a meaning and purpose of life. I know so manypeople out there who are bored to death. They churn through life halfheartedly, lookingfor the next distraction to divert their attention from the fact that their existence isdevoid of meaning. But when you have the Holy Spirit, you have no excuse to bebored. The Holy Spirit opens up the instruction manual for you so you can get busyabout the work to which you have been called. That doesnt mean that life will be easy,of course. There will even be times where youre overwhelmed and you distractyourself from the purpose that has been laid upon you. But the indwelling Holy Spirit isalways nudging us on to that greater purpose of being worshipers of the Almighty Godin all that we say and do.

8/12/2019 NT.smith.john.7.37 39

4/4

Finally, not only does the Holy Spirit give understanding and satisfaction, but

also the Holy Spirit enables us to be a blessing to others. As we understand themoral framework of the universe and our place within it, we start to live our lives aslives of love empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to bless other

people. The streams of living water flow out from us into other lives. The Ezekielpassage we quoted earlier gave the right image the stream ends up flowing down toa great sea that nourishes life. Its not anything we do, but the Holy Spirit overflowingthrough our lives into the lives of others. Do we bless others in order to win praise or inorder convince anyone that Christianity is true? No. We bless others because it is anatural outgrowth of whom Christ is making us to be.

With this Old Testament background of living water, we see the Holy Spiritworks within us to give understanding, satisfaction, and the capacity to be a blessing.The Holy Spirit does much more than that, but those roles are explained in other partsof Scripture that dont have this stream-like imagery. The way to access that water

springing up from within is through faith. If you want this abundance, this good life ofunderstanding, satisfaction, and blessing others, then I suggest you begin with prayer.Pray to Jesus, asking for faith in him. Place everything in his hands. Tell Jesus that youare going to live all for him and less for you. I know that most of you have prayed thatprayer long ago, but we all have to renew that commitment on a regular basis. I inviteyou to join me as I pray:

Jesus, we confess that you alone are Lord over all creation. Youcall us to come and partake of the abundant life you offer. Today,Lord, we renew our commitment to you. We want you to rule overevery aspect of our lives. Pour out your Holy Spirit anew, we pray.

Let your Holy Spirit fill us so that we may understand your truth,that we may be satisfied with your calling, and that we may beinstruments of your blessing. May your name be glorified in all thatwe do. Amen.