How Israel's 4th Crisis is a Picture of Man's Spiritual Thirst

Exodus 17:1-7

L/W—We learned of Israel’s 3rd crisis they encountered on their way to the Mt. Sinai—hunger. In this, we saw how the depth of Israel’s “physical hunger,” is a reflection of the depth of man’s spiritual hunger. Amidst learning from Israel’s complaining and lack of obedience, we caught another glimpse of the, “single red thread,” the gospel intertwines in it’s pages: Just as God promised to save Israel from the depth of their hunger, in sending them manna, He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ—the Bread of Life--to save man from their spiritual hunger.

Today--Scripture leads us to Israel’s 4th crisis, where we see again, the crisis of having no water. While it’s true there’s repetativeness here (both in the trial and in Israel’s response), there’s ALWAYS something to be gleaned, learned, and applied from the truth of God’s Word

(READ EXODUS 17:1-7)

Think for a moment about what it feels like to be thirsty. Thirst is something every person experiences and is a part of everday life. Depending on a person’s activity level, the frequency of one’s thirst fluctuates. Thirst is a vital and necessary part of our physical lives; in fact, research estimates a person can only live without water b/t 2 days to a week. After a period of time, dehydration sets, the body begins become sick, shut down, and eventually die.

This is where we find Israel in our verses today; thirsty from their journey in the desert, and led to a place with no water. Underscored amidst the repetitiveness of Israel’s trial and response here, is a symbolism we must understand. Just as Israel’s physical hunger showed us a picture of man’s spiritual hunger—Israel’s physical thirst is a picture of man’s spiritual thirst.

Spiritual thirst is normal, not uncommon, and not absent any one person. However, spiritual thirst becomes abnormal when a person tries to quench their thirst with the things in the world

Again, as in spiritual hunger, in pride man seeks his/her own way to quench this thirst

Immorality/fornication…says, “the more we indulge, my thirst will be quenched)

Fleshly pleasures…says, “the more of the flesh we seek after, the more my thirst will be quenched

Power and self-centered fame…says the more people speak of my name..the more my thirst will be quenched

Materialism…says the more I have or accumulate, the more my thirst will be quenched

Recognition..says the more I make a name for myself, the more my thirst will be quenched

Wordlly friends…the more friends I have, regardless of what they do or how the influence me, the more my thirst will be quenched

Pornography..the more I entertain, the more my thirst will be quenched

Gluttony…the more I overeat, the more my thirst will be quenced

As in previous messages and throughout Scripture, we must remember that the thirst of our souls, can only be quenched by God and God alone. It’s the message Jesus told the Samarian woman at the well in John 4 and what He told the Jewish crowds in John 7:38.

Therefore, it’s imperative that we take a lesson from the Israelites and more importantly from God’s Word, that to have our thirst quenched, we must seek out God’s provision of “Living water.”

I. (v.1) 4th Crisis—No water to drink

Exodus 17:1 “Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.”

(CONTEXT)

Israel marched from the desert of Sin to the Rephidim (“Rephidim” means refreshments)

Scripture teaches, however, for Israel, it was hardly a place of refreshment it was a place

Unbelief (v.1-3)

Unfaithfulness to God (v.7)

Battle with Amalek (v.8-16)

Where Moses struck the rock to secure water (v.1-7; 19:2)

Where God delivered His people (Ps 81:7)

Scripture teaches that for days, maybe even weeks, Israel (some 2-3 million) had been wandering in the desert; naturally they were

Tired/weary

Totally exhausted, and

On edge, and

Thirsty—more than likely, Israel was rationing water

Scripture teaches, upon arriving at Rephidim, where they expected to find water, they found

“No water. The creeks are dry.”

Israel was led to Rephidim by the Lord Himself

God’s very own presence—the pillar of cloud—had led them from the desert of Sin to Rephidim

Israel was led to Rephidim, by the Lord, why? (The answer lies in the name of the Lord-REMEMBER--Yahweh/Jehovah means the God of revelation/deliverance, the God who is immediate and involved, who is EVER present with His people…note three things:

The Lord was to reveal Himself at Rephidim—to reveal He is the God of salvation and deliverance—He is who saves and delivers people through ANY and ALL trials of life

The Lord was to test His people at Rephidim—to test and strengthen their faith—to teach them to trust Him more and more—to trust that He would meet their needs and take care of them

The Lord was to glorify Himself at Rephidim—by provind that He is the only true God

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—You and Me)

We have talked before about understanding, that as believers, we are sure to encounter trials/tribulations; however, let’s drive a little bit deeper this morning and talk about the cause of them:

Often, the cause of so many of our trials and problems, is ourselves--we are our own worst enemy. Very plainly, James teaches us this truth— “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” (James 1:14)

So often we act foolishly, give into fear/worry, or our flesh

So often we abuse our bodies, break the law, misbehave

So often we mistreat others, act irresponsibily and selfishly

So often we fail to recoginze that it’s our own selfish desires/wants we give into, that lead us to trials/problems

So often we fail to look at situations/circumstances through a Biblical lens and approach life from the lens of ourselves and our wisdom

However, there are trials which arise in our lives that are out of our control—that we had absolutely nothing to do with. Often times these are caused, or allowed, by God. God will sometimes put us in situations to try and test us—even cause us serious problems.

Does this make God evil? Certainly not! Notice the previous verse in James 1.

James 1:13 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”

So why? What is it about God allowing testing/trials in our lives? Note two things:

That we might glorify the Lord

1 Peter 1:6–7 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

That our faith, believers might be refined, proven, and strengthened. In using trials God, through His Holy Spirit stirs us to

Cry out to Him for help

Trust Him more and more

Become stronger and stronger—enduring and standing fast (Galatians 5:1) in the Word

Bear a stronger and developing testimony and witness for Him

Draw us closer to Himself through prayer, trust, fellowship, and communion

Biblical example of this in two places

The account of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 .

Joseph early days—despised, almost murdered, then sold

Joseph’s days serving Poitphar—exalted, falsely accused, and jailed

Joseph’s days serving Pharoah—favored, exalted, given authority/position, respected

The account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in Daniel 3

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego story

Daniel 3:16–18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.””

Daniel 3:24–25 “Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.””

Daniel 3:27 “And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.”

II. (v.2-3) Israel’s Terrible Sin

Exodus 17:2–3 “Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?” And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?””

(CONTEXT) What was the response of Israel?

They looked to man—not to God

They demanded of Moses, “Give us water,” and failed to seek out the Lord to quench their thirst

They treated Moses as if he were some sort of magician—and failed to see/remember God’s hand in all that had been accomplished for them

They tested God—

How they tested?

Questioned God and

Demanded that God prove Himself, take care of them “right then and there” (v.2)

Why they tested & complained & argued?

They were not people of prayer—instead of seeking out the Lord, they sought out to charge and contend with Moses

They accused Moses of being an imposter—of misleading them—leading them to death (v.3)

Note the seriousness of the situation—v.4 indicates Israel was set to stone Moses; this indicates Israel had become

Violent—filled with uncontrolled anger, malice, and rage

Forgetful over God’s provisions in the past--to include the water He already provided for them

Forgetful over how God has used Moses in the past—to free them from Pharaoh and Egypt and lead them across the Red Sea.

How could Israel go so far? What drove them to such lengths as to wish to stone Moses?

Their fear of death—death from thirst and dehydration—was staring them in the face—and they were terrified

Their unbelief/distrust

Their minimal growth in God and their limited knowledge of Him caused them to immediately turn against Moses

They had learned little about trusting/believing in God

They had learned little about worshipping and honoring God

They had learned little about witnessing and bearing testimony for God

(BIBlICAL APPLICATION—YOU and ME):

In times of trials/temptations/testing:

We must learn from the Israelites and seek out the Lord

Psalm 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.”

Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

In times of trials/temptations/testing—

We must never “test” the Lord as Israel did

Deuteronomy 6:16 ““You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah.”

Note how significan the lesson is for us here: Jesus’ use of Deut 6:16 in being tempted in the desert, comes directly from this incident in Israel’s testing)

We must never “question” the Lord

Job 38:4 ““Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.”

Job 38:12 ““Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place,”

Romans 9:20 “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?””

James 1:5–6 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”

To question in ways like these is to doubt God—and doubting God is not trusting God—in not trusting God we trust in ourselves—and in trusting ourselves we have sinned

We must NEVER think of Jesus Christ as an imposter:

Jesus Christ NEVER misleads us or misdirects us

Jesus Christ NEVER acts/thinks/operates outside of His nature or faithfulness

Jesus Christ ALWAYS acts out of His divine will to see people (1) saved and (2) sanctified.

In times of trials/testing, believers must guard themselves to keep their focus on God and the truth of His Word

We must grow in the doctrines of the Bible

Doctrine—simply means “teaching,” and is learning to know why we believe, what we believe

Rooted in Biblical truths not the theories of man

Based on the inerrancy of God’s Word

Never biased or according to one’s emotions/feelings

Doctrines are those BIBLICAL truths that we hold onto as believers, truths we hold onto so that we might trust/depend on God more and be ready in all seasons to defend our faith

Doctrine (example): The “doctrine” of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (this is what Christianity hinges on)

Witness explanation

1 Corinthians 15:6 “After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.”

Empty tomb explanation (Mary and the women at the tomb)

“...it is a powerful apologetic reminder of the historical accuracy of the resurrection accounts. If these were ‘cleverly devised myths’ (2 Pet. 1:16), women would never have been presented as the first eyewitnesses of the risen Christ.”

We must grow in our theology

Theology-simply means the study of God (accomplished through the study of God’s Word)

Theology doesn’t mean a college major is required; each and every time you open, read, and study God’s Word you are practicing theology.

What to think of doctrine and theology:

Are like a chain (use chain from outside)

Our study of God (theology) is what links our doctrines (teaching) together; theology links and supports the doctrines of the Bible

If you don’t study the word—you cannot trust in the doctrines of the Word

(D & T) Are what draws out or faith/dependency/trust in God

Are what helps us grow & develop our understanding

Are what helps us engage in our witness of Jesus Christ

How this plays out (4 ways): Conviction leads to theology (study of God), theology leads to belief, and this belief is in sound doctrine (teaching)

(FIRST) Conviction must exist—conviction here means the conviction, given by God, to do something

It’s the engagment of the Holy Spirit, to spur the believer into obedience

(SECOND) Conviction here, is the conviction that lends oneself to the delight of reading & studying of Scripture…to develop right theology (study of God)

Psalm 1:2–3 “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

(THIRDLY) In right theology (study of God) what follows is belief, in God’s Word, in God Himself, in His Son Jesus Christ, thus making us “wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15) and positioned for sanctification

(LASTLY) Belief then is rooted in sound doctrine (teaching)

What all of this means?

If there’s no conviction to read and study God’s Word, don’t expect to have right theology (knowledge of God)

If there exists no right theology (knowledge of God), your beliefs on God, Who He is, and what He’s done will be skewed, misunderstood, or just plaint missed

If there exists no right belief in, then you are not believing sound doctrine (teaching), but false doctrine (teaching)

If you are looking through the lens of false doctrine, when trials/tribulations come, your resulting reaction will be just as the Israelites: Exodus 17:2 “Therefore the people contended with Moses...”

Contended” (NKJV) or “Chided” (KJV)—is a contentious word and means what’s being said would be likely to start an arguement or confrontation;

Israel’s words to Moses were not endearing nor from a heart of grace/mercy, rather they were from hearts of bitterness/distrust & a lack of faith

Speaking contentiously speaks to a corrupt heart condition,

Jesus speaks to in Matthew 15:18:

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.”

His brother James says this—rather bluntly:

James 3:2–6 “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”

III. (v.4) Moses Intercession to the Lord

Exodus 17:4 “So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!””

(CONTEXT)

Moses was experiencing what Paul would centuries later—“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” (2 Corinthians 12:15 )

Moses felt a great distance b/t himself and Israel:

Note how he referrred to them, “this people (these people in NIV) instead of “my people”

Moses did the only thing he could do:

Got alone with God in prayer

Cried out to God for prayer

(BIBLICAL APPLICATON—YOU and ME)

We must remember to be people of prayer

In times of trial/temptation,

In times where we feel alone, helpless, and hopeless

In times where things seem desperate

In times when standing in and for the truth of God alienates us and threatens us

Prayer is, the divinely given gift, in which a believer can access and engage in at ANY point, at ANY time, for ANY reason

Prayer may not always change your situation—but prayer—from a heart surrendered and diligently seeking God, will always

Grant you God’s peace

Comfort you

Encourage you

Strengthen you

Draw out your faith in God, His Word, and His promises

Psalm 34:6 “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.”

Deuteronomy 4:29 “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Jeremiah 29:13 “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

IV. (v.5-6) God’s Provision

Exodus 17:5–6 “And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”

(CONTEXT)—What needs to be seen here is the patience, forebearance, and longsuffering of God; His willingness to work a long time with us, longing/desiring that we might repent and trust Him

Recall that in our discussion last week it had only been 1 month since Israel left Egypt and less than a month since the Red Sea, the waters at Marah, the hunger at the desert of Sin

God told Moses to walk ahead of the people & to take some elders with him and his rod/staff (v.5)

Why elders?

So there would be eye-witnesses of the miracle

Why the rod?

Just as it was used so many times (plagues, Red Sea)—to call forth the power of God

God promised to stand before His servant by the rock in Horeb (v.6)

God told Moses to strike the rock and promised water would flow from it (v.6)

“Rock of Horeb”—Scripture teaches us time and time again, “the rock” (here and other places) is a symbol/picture of Jesus Christ

Scripture teaches us Israel is to have drunk of the spiritual rock, the Rock of Christ

Paul teaches us in 1 Cor 10:1-4 the food Israel ate (manna) was spiritual food and the water the drank was the “spirutal drink,” that from “spiritual Rock, that was Christ”

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”

Scripture teaches us that Moses struck the rock and water flowed out of it, thus bringing life to the Israelites

Isaiah teaches us Isaiah 53:4-5 about the Messiah

“Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

Scripture teaches us the “Rock” is a help in time of distress (as it was here for Israel)

Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Scripture teaches us Israel remembered God as their rock

Psalm 78:35 “Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.”

Moses obeyed

Note how it is written that the Lord Himself would stand upon the rock as Moses struck it (v.6); another parallel to Christ being stricken for us, how His blood was poured out for us—to save us from our sin(s)

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—CONNECTION TO CHRIST)

Christ as living water

Israel’s wilderness left them dry, parched, and in desperate need of moisture; this is a picture of man being spiritually dry, parched, and empty:

In man’s dry spirit—God seems far away and distant

In man’s dry soul—The relationship and devotion to Christ is lacking

In man’s dry friendships—Superficial/surface/even immoral relationships are the norm

In man’s dry hearing—God’s Word is faintly, if at all heard

In man’s dry family life—Communication, commitment, fulfillment, and love are little if not lacking

In man’s dry heart—Gentleness/tenderness/compassion is dried up and shriveled

In man’s dry love—Self-centeredness shatteres any hope of sacrificial living

In man’s dry mind—Worldly/fleshly/carnal distractions consume every thought

In man’s dry outlook—Little to no hope exists for an abundant, content, and satisfied life

Jesus Christ provides “living water”—water the provides abundant and eternal life

John 4:13–14“Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.””

“This water”—in context was Jacob’s well—but is a picture of the water of the world (flesh/sin)

“…the water that I shall give him will never thirst...” is a picture of salvation, which quenches man’s spiritual thirst once and for all

Christ as the living rock (cornerstone)—In Peter’s 2nd epistle, he refers to Christ as the “living stone.” (2 Peter 2:4-8 for reference)

(FIRST) In these verses, we learn that not only is Christ the Living Stone, He is

The first stone laid (“Chief Cornerstone”)—the “preeminent stone”

He’s the “captain” of salvation

Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

He’s the “author” and “finisher” of our faith

Hebrews 12:2 “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...”

He’s the beginning and the end

Revelation 1:8 ““I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.””

He’s the forerunner into the presence of God

Hebrews 6:19–20 “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Christ is also the “supporting” Stone (note that Peter refers to believers, also as living stones)

He is the head cornerstone, the only true foundation

1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

He, as Chief Cornerstone, is what living stones tightly fit together with

Ephesians 2:20–22 “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

He, as the living stone on which all other must place themselves if they desire abundant and eternal life

2 Peter 2:4–5“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;”

V. (v.7) The Location Remembered

Exodus 17:7 “So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?””

(CONTEXT)

Massah—means “test/testing”

Meribah—means “argument/contention/strife"

(BIBLICAL APPLICATION—YOU and ME; BRING OUT 3 CIRCLES BOARD)

The most important application we should draw from Scripture today is this: Israel’s physical thirst is a vivid picture of man’s spiritual thirst…a thirst which began when sin disrupted man’s unique, one-of-a-kind, a perfect relationship, which existed with God in the Garden of Eden.

Since the fall in Genesis 3, man has been trying and searching for ways to “quench” this thirst—seen even as Adam and Eve tried to “cover themselves,” and as early as the story of Cain and Abel.

The ways in which a person tries to “quench” this thirst are represented by the squiggly lines coming out of the brokenness circle: they may include: (this list is not exhaustive)

Immoral relationships and fornication

Worldly friendships

Drug/Alchol/Pornography addictions

Greed & Materialism

Fame & Recognition

Religiosity (the false belief that rules, works, morality can quench this thirst and bring about God’s acceptance)

It’s even so far as to say, “Jesus PLUS something” brings about the quenching of a person’s spiritual thirst

What does the Bible say about these “ways” man uses to quench this thirst?

When John writes about these ways of the world in 1 John 2:15, he’s referring to those things mentioned above and the sytems, wisdom, and offerings of the world. John is teaching us two very important truths here:

(FIRST) In “loving” these “ways of the world,” a person has fallen short in really experiencing the love of the Father in the first place (David Jeremiah)—if a person has truely experienced God’s love, it comes to the realization that compared to God’s love the world has nothing to offer

(SECOND) In “lov(ing) the world or the the things in the world,” we are holding on to “lust and pride,” and these things are “passing away.”

(THIRDLY) In a person’s love and pursuit of the world, a person is loving things that are not of God—not of the Father—that have no eternal value

1 John 2:15–16 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

Jesus Himself speaks to this, again in John 4. The woman here has tried to quench her spiritual thirst in one husband after then next, leaving her unfulfilled and still in want. It’s only when she encounters Jesus Christ, her thirst is quenched

John 4:13-14 “Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.””

John 4:28–30 “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.”

Jesus, again, says this concerning Himself

John 11:25–26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

What does all of this teach us?

In each and every way we, ourselves, try to quench our thirst (believer or not) we will only find ourselves

More thirsty and still broken

Striving in and stuck in sin

There’s a way and there’s a well—that will never run dry and its found at the cross, in the blood of Jesus Christ

He’s the Living Water, Who will give abundant and eternal life to a lost soul and refreshment to the believer’s soul,

He’s the Living Stone, the Chief Cornerstone, upon which any person can cast themselves and find a foundation, find support, and find solace

Where you this morning?

Are the person, apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ, who’s grown tired and weary of trying to quench your thirst with the things of this world? If so, might Scripture encourage you:

Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

John 1:45–46 “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.””

Are you the believer, who’s grown tired and weary from life’s battles & struggles, finding yourself slippting into self-reliance & self-dependency, grumbling and complaining? If so, might Scripture encourage you:

2 Corinthians 12:7–10“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

(DAVID JEREMIAH)— “The point is not the specific thorn but that it existed at all. The flesh is still corrupt and corrupting, even in an apostle who was given divine revelation and visions. But God is greater than Satan and greater than the flesh. Through human brokenness, as God’s servants are made humble, the power of Christ shines through their lives and ministries...”

“…God’s grace for personal trials is ever and always able to meet human need.”

(CLOSING SONG MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT-PLEASE TURN OFF LIVE FEED

This is not “typical closing song,” but it ties in wonderfully to our message today. If you know it or not, sing along or just read the words

I Am They—The Well