An Invitation That Divides (John 7:37-52)
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[SLIDE 1] Introduction
If you have your Bible, then please turn to John 7:37-52.
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
Illustration
Let me begin by asking you a question, “What are some of the best invitations you have ever received?”
Maybe it was a wedding invitation from a close friend or a family member.
Or perhaps it was something more personal—like an invitation to be someone’s best man, groomsmen, maid of honor, or bridemaid.
Maybe it was a VIP invitation to a special event, concert, or conference.
Whatever it was, the reason that invitation stood out was because of who it came from, what it was inviting you into, and how it made you feel valued and included.
It feels good to be invited.
Now, imagine receiving a personal invitation from God Himself.
What would that mean to you?
Biblical Theology
In the Bible, God invites people.
We can consider parables taught by Jesus whereby a man invited many to the great banquet OR a king invited people to the wedding feast.
However, God did not just invite people to an event; He invites people to Himself.
Jesus - God in flesh - invites sinners to come to Him.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Context
In our text this morning, we’re going to see another invitation that was given by our Lord.
[SLIDE 2] Here’s the main idea I want you to take away from this passage: You Must Receive Jesus’ Invitation, Even When The World Divides Over Him.
There are two main, overarching scenes in this message.
There’s a Great Invitation.
But, there is also a Great Division.
Exposition
[SLIDE 3] In verses 37-39, Jesus gives “A Great Invitation.” Let’s take a look at verse 37.
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
We have been looking at John 7 for several Sundays.
We recall again that Jesus was in Jerusalem because of the annual Jewish festival known as the Feast of Booths, which was a 7-day celebration.
We have seen the drama progressively unfolded from day 1 to the middle of the celebration between Jesus and the people in Jerusalem and also the religious leaders.
Now, we’re in the last day of the feast.
We’ll see that the hostility towards Jesus continues to escalate all the way to the end of John 8 on this last day.
Notice a small detail that John includes here...
“On the last day of the feast, THE GREAT DAY.”
Why is this “The Great Day?”
Now, you have been hearing me say that the Feast Of Booths was a 7-day celebration according to the Law.
So, for 7 days, the Jews have been living in tents and booths, which was to remind them of their ancestors’ wandering in the wilderness after God rescued them from Egyptian slavery.
Imagine what each day would have been like.
It would have been filled with rituals, such as offering sacrifices in the temple.
You hear people singing and rejoicing in Jerusalem, especially in the temple.
But, the celebration would have included an 8th day, which is like an encore in a music concert or a grand finale of a firework show.
All the festivity for the past 7 days were building up to this final moment on the 8th day, which was on the Sabbath Day.
Numbers 29 talks about the sacrifical offerings for the Feast of Booths.
So, it goes from day 1 to day 7, outlining all the kinds of sacrifices that were being offered.
[SLIDE 4] And then Numbers 29:35 tells us that on the last day of the Feast, the people of Israel were to hold a solemn assembly and not work.
So, you can imagine that even more people would flock in the temple court for this special occasion.
Not only that, every day during the Feast of Booths, the priests would walk in a solemn procession from the Pool of Siloam to the temple, carrying water to pour out at the base of the altar.
But, the final day of the feast was marked by a special water-pouring ceremony and a beautiful lighting celebration.
It was a climactic moment, full of symbolism and anticipation.
And Jesus seized the moment to show the Jewish people that both the water-drawing rite and the lamp-lighting rite ultimately pointed to Him.
He’s the living water.
He’s the light of the world.
So, Jesus stood up and cried out this message, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
This sounds familiar, right?
[SLIDE 5] Jesus said something similar to the Samaritan woman back in John 4:13-14.
13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Jesus was not speaking about physical thirst.
If He was —well—we can grab a cup of cold water, especially during this summer weather.
But, Jesus is speaking about spiritual thirst.
He’s talking about a kind of thirst that your soul desperately longs for.
It’s a thirst that nothing in this world can quench and satisfy, except for One Being.
[SLIDE 6] The Psalmist prayed this to our LORD, YHWH:
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Does this passage describe you?
Are you thirsty?
If you are genuinely thirsting spiritually, then Jesus invites you to “come to me and drink.”
Jesus offers you a completely different way than all other ways.
His offer is free of charge, which means you don’t have to go next door to buy your Bubble tea or Coffee to satisfy your soul
His offer is simple.
And the best part?
You don’t have to do anything to qualify for this offer.
Jesus invites you to come to Him.
Whatever you are going through, you can come with your emptiness, brokenness and thirst.
[SLIDE 7] When Jesus invites you to come to Him and drink, He’s speaking about believing in Him.
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
Our brother, Josiah, hinted last Sunday that Jesus didn’t give a direct quote from the Old Testament.
His statement might have reflected or summarized multiple passages in the Old Testament.
Jesus is the ultimate source or foundtain of living water.
And Jesus is saying whoever comes to Him and trusts in Him then not only will his thirst be satisfied by Christ, but out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
Meaning, that the water supply that this individual receives is so abundant that it also overflows to others.
Now, John comments in verse 39 that the living water is a reference to the Holy Spirit.
39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
He is the 3rd person of the Trinity.
He is God the Spirit.
After the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended upon our Lord Jesus.
The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus to do the work of ministry.
The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus, which signifies that He is the Christ, the Messiah.
John explains that those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ would receive the Holy Spirit.
However, John explains that at this point in the gospel - at this point in redemptive history - that the Holy Spirit had not been given yet because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Now, don’t misunderstand this.
John was not saying that the Holy Spirit was not present in the past.
The Holy Spirit was active in the Creation account.
He was active at various times in the Old Testament.
He empowered people, such as Samson and David.
John was also not saying that the Holy Spirit is not present when He saved sinners.
[SLIDE 8] So, it would be helpful to consider Jesus’ words when He talks about the Holy Spirit in John 14:17:
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit is abiding or dwelling in the Apostles at this present time in the story.
However, not only that, but the Holy Spirit WILL be with them in the future in a sense of empowering them for the work of ministry in world mission and evangelism.
When would that be?
It’ll be the time after Jesus is glorified.
It speaks of His death, resurrection, and ascension.
Jesus ascended back to heaven and seated at the right hand of God.
We know Christ poured out the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
So, from that point on, the Apostle became channels of living water as they proclaimed the gospel to lost sinners by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And the Spirit of God accomplished a powerful work in regenerating the spiritually dead sinners and making them become spiritually alive.
Since Jesus proclaimed that message in verses 37-38 in the temple, there would have been thousands upon thousands of Jews listening to that message.
How would they respond to Jesus’ words and invitation?
[SLIDE 9] In verses 40-52, Jesus’ Great Invitation leads to a “A Great Division.”
In the 2nd scene, A Great Division, we’ll also see two distinct groups of people in this passage.
You have the Religious Public.
And you have the Religious Powers.
[SLIDE 10] So, in verses 40-44, we see that Jesus Divides The Religious Public. (vv. 40-44)
Under this sub-heading, if you will, we see that Some Commended Him (v.40-41a)
The first commendation was that some people said this:
40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.”
Who was the Prophet?
Some of you may have a concept that a prophet is like someone who foretells the future.
But, a prophet is more than that.
A prophet was like the Press Secretary in America who speaks to the reporters on behalf of the President.
He’s like the middleman or the mediator between God and His people.
[SLIDE 11] In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses prophesied that there will be a prophet whom God will raise up.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
So, this was a Messianic prophecy.
The Prophet was in some sense connecting and fulfilling the role of the King.
[SLIDE 12] Hence, we remember what happened in John 6:14-15
14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
[SLIDE 13] While some praised Jesus for being the Prophet, others proclaimed him as the Christ in verse 41a.
41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”
These people are so close to know the true identity of Jesus
He is truly the Christ.
The long-awaited Messiah who came to rescue His people.
The One who was prophesied in the Old Testament, and hence Jesus came to fulfill Messianic prophecies.
Jesus is not just the Messiah for the Jews, but for all nations, so that by faith in Him, we would receive the gift of eternal life.
[SLIDE 14] However, while some commended Him, we see that Some Challenged Him (vv.41b-44)
41b But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
There will also be some contrarians to Jesus in this crowd.
Some questioned, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee?”
These were probably the same people who scorned our Lord.
They’re scornful because they know that Jesus came from Galilee.
Galilee is like the less developed region in Israel unlike the Judea.
It wasn’t where scholars or religious elites came from.
It was blue-collar and backcountry.
Verse 42 continues with more questions.
First, they questioned, “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David?
And second, “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
Scripture prophesied that the Messiah would come from the descendant and line of David.
If you’re not familiar with David, He was the King of Israel.
Although he was not perfect, he was still a man after God’s own heart.
King David lived around 1000 years before the time of Jesus.
Some of you may have your own family tree, so you can keep track of who your great great grandparents were.
But, do you know who your ancestors were a 1000 years ago?
Let alone 2000 years ago?
I would guess all of us may not even know.
If you do, then I would love to hear your story.
The amazing thing about the Bible is that the Jews kept track of their ancestry.
That’s why the Bible is filled with genealogies, such as Genesis, Chronicles, and even in the beginning of Matthew’s gospel,
...which some of you may find boring or irrelevant.
However, genealogy is foundational because it demonstrates that the Bible is not rooted in fantasy or fairy tale - which a lot of ignorant people assume.
Genealogy tracks human history meticulously from Jesus’ time all way to our first human parents, Adam and Eve.
It’s quite significant that the Christ would a descendant of David.
It’s because the Old Testament prophesied that one of David’s descendants would sit on the Davidic throne forever according to 2 Samuel 7.
And that the Christ would fulfill Old Testament, Messianic prophecies concerning the Davidic king.
Additionally, the Jews knew that David was born in Bethlehem and grew up there.
Some of them knew that the Christ would come from Bethlehem according to the prophecy in Micah 5:2.
However, because they assume that Jesus grew up in Galilee, He couldn’t be the Christ.
However, if they did their research carefully, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
And He came from the royal line of David.
Even Matthew’s gospel, the first book of the New Testament, begins with these words:
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
But, scoffers are often smug in their unbelief, and so they don’t bother investigating the truth.
Therefore, because there’re mixed opinions and responses over the identity of Jesus, there was a division among the people in the temple according to verse 43.
43 So there was a division among the people over him.
We remember that this division has already happened earlier in John 7.
With such division among the people, verse 44 tells us that some of the people wanted to arrest Jesus, but no one laid hands on him
People failed to arrest Jesus at this moment in time because His hour has not yet come.
God has sovereignly appointed a time when Jesus would be arrested and tried and eventually be crucified on the cross.
[SLIDE 15] We saw how Jesus divides the religious public in verses 40-44. Now, we’ll see how Jesus Divides The Religious Powers in vv. 45-52.
We’re talking about those who have certain level of religious authorities.
[SLIDE 16] The first group John tells us are the officers. We see that The Officers Were Captivated (vv.45-46)
45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”
Together, the chief priests and the Pharisees were the moral compass of the Jewish people.
They shaped their spiritual direction, except they were a broken compass.
They were as polished like a pot of gold on the outside, but really they are full of rust on the inside.
So, back in John 7:32, they sent the officers in an attempt to arrest Jesus who was teaching in the temple during the mid-week of the Jewish festival.
But, on the last day of the Feast, the officers came back to the religious leaders empty handed: No Jesus. No Arrest.
Hence, these Pharisees asked, “Why did you not bring him?”
That is actually a great question.
What have the officers been doing for the past couple of days?
Were they sleeping in their job?
Were they procrastinating?
Or, were they simply too afraid to act?
I think the best answer is that these officers were listening to Jesus’ teaching.
And they were amazed and in awe.
They responded, “No one [has] ever spoke like this man!”
Like WOW! Have you never heard this guy teach and preach?
Who speaks like him anyways?”
[SLIDE 17] But, the Pharisees weren’t happy at their response. We see that “The Pharisees Were Condemning” in verses 47-49 & 52
47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
The Pharisees respond to the officers with astonishment.
They question them, “Have you also been deceived or led astray.”
Their question to the officers was scornful.
They cannot believe that they’re convinced of Jesus.
You imagine them facepalming themselves.
Are you also being led astray by this Jesus & His teachings?
Afterward, the religious leaders compared themselves with the officers and others in verse 48.
48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
Their reaction is one of pride and conceit.
They think they’re better than the officers because they haven’t believed in Jesus.
They think that they have a high moral standing above them.
To make them more puffed up, they give a condescending statement in verse 49.
49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
They’re convinced that since the crowd doesn’t know the law of Moses or even the Jewish Talmud (oral tradition), the religious leaders were condemning the crowd.
They say that they’re accursed, meaning that they’re put under divine condemnation from God.
They puffed themselves up in their understanding of Scripture, but they fail to see Scripture clearly because Scripture pointed to Jesus Christ.
They truly do not know Scripture.
They’re considered the teacher of the law and high above the crowd.
However, they are spiritually blind.
All of them were condemning, except for one religious leader who stood up for Jesus, which was Nicodemus.
[SLIDE 18] In verses 50-51, we see that “Nicodemus Was Cautious.” (vv.50-51)
50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”
We remember that Nicodemus spoke to Jesus back in John 3.
It’s the passage where Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again if he wants to enter and see the kingdom of God.
We also remember that he’s one of the Pharisees, rulers of the Jews, and teachers of Israel.
As one of the religious leaders, Nicodemus distinguished himself from the rest of his colleagues.
Nicodemus spoke and made a point that partially favoured Jesus.
While I do not think he was intentionally defending Jesus at this point, he was doing what was right and just in accordance to the rabbinical law as the teacher of Israel.
Nicodemus doesn’t give us a specific Bible verse to defend his position in verse 51.
More likely, Nicodemus might have been citing a Jewish tradition.
We may not know Nicodemus’ relationship status with Jesus.
Most likely, he has yet to become a follower at this point, but this passage may show that Nicodemus did not entirely close himself off to Jesus’ claim.
He may still be trying to seek, question, and understand Jesus even more before he can make a final judgment (and perhaps that might be you this morning).
He’s pressing the Jewish leaders to give Jesus a fair trial and not assume the worse if they’re truly following the law.
This implies that they’re law-breakers if they’re not willing to give Jesus a fair hearing.
Without responding to Nicodemus’ question directly, they mocked and scorned Nicodemus with a question:
52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
This also implies that they’re scoffing at Jesus and His so-called Galilean roots.
They assert and tell Nicodemus, who is the teacher of the law, to search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.
Search the Scriptures!
Search the history of Galilee!
They’re also implying that since no prophet came from Galilee, how much less likely should the Messiah come from that region??
Now, is their assertion true and factual?
Is it true that no prophet has EVER arose from Galilee?
Well, here’s the answer: “It’s not true.”
[SLIDE 19] The prophet Jonah was from Galilee.
25 [Jeroboam II] restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher.
And Gath-hepher is located west of the Sea of Galilee.
So, the Pharisees not only demonstrated their ignorance of Jesus’ birthplace...
...but they also demonstrated their lack of knowledge that some prophets DID come from Galilee.
Sadly, they already made up their mind about Jesus without seeking the truth.
They do not want to listen to the other side of the story.
Nicodemus, however, chose to seek the truth.
In a sense, he chose to do God’s will.
[SLIDE 20] Jesus said this earlier in John 7:17
17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
Six months later after John 7, after Jesus was buried, Nicodemus visited the tomb and paid his homage in John 19.
Possibly, he might have received the invitation from Jesus to come to Him and drink.
Application
[SLIDE 21] As I slowly wrap up, let me remind you that “You Must Receive Jesus’ Invitation, Even When The World Divides Over Him.”
[SLIDE 22] Brothers and sisters, by way of application, ask yourself these questions: “How true is this statement in my own life: “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water?” Since I placed my trust in Christ as my Savior, am I truly and continually experiencing rivers of living water welling up within me and overflowing to others?”
Think of yourselves like the faucet or the pipes of the water system.
You’re not the source of the water.
You’re merely the channel by which the ultimate source of water flows through.
Therefore, it’s essential to continually be connected with your source of living water, which is Jesus...
...So that through your relationship with Jesus, you can pour out God’s blessing of living water to others.
You’re not just a cup that is full, but a cup that OVERFLOWS with living water.
Sometimes, other things may clog up the flow of living water in our lives such as the deceitfulness of sin in our hearts, busyness, distractions, or misplaced priorities.
Just as a faucet is useless and dry without a water supply, we can’t refresh others spiritually if we’re not continually drawing from Christ ourselves.
We won’t be effective in our Christian life if we’re spiritually dry.
So, the proper application is to stay near to Jesus by abiding in Him daily through His word and prayer.
Confess your sins before Him and turn away from them.
Ask the LORD to purify your heart and restore in you the joy of His salvation.
Renew your covenant relationship with Him this day and walk by the Spirit - and not by the flesh - so that you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
[SLIDE 23] Conclusion
And friends, if you haven’t taste the living water, Jesus invites you - right now - to come to Him and drink for the first time by believing in Him.
If you’re still divided or uncertain about who Jesus is, then I encourage you to take the next step and seek the truth.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
Jesus offers true, soul-satisfying refreshment to all who believe in Him.
So, my friends, why keep chasing after things that only disappoint?
Why would you go and drink from that puddle that would eventually dry out; thus, leaving you emptier than before?
Why would you keep going and drinking from broken cisterns that cannot hold water?
Go to Jesus, the ultimate source of living water that is limitless, abundant, and free!
