Journey Provisions

Journey Provisions

INTRODUCTION

ILL- leaving for vacation- spent all week packing the rv. - 25th wedding anniversary gift to each other.

READ/PRAY

John 7:37–52 ESV

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. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 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. When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Set-up

“last day of the feast”

Feast of Tabernacles

7 days of parading water from Pool of Siloam to the temple in a large golden pitcher, around the altar and to the water gate. once a day and on 7th day they did it 7 times. on the 8th day (Sabbath), they did not do the water parade, but they spent the day in contemplation in prayer about the previous 7 days.

Jesus stood up- Sabbath- Jewish men given opportunity to teach. So probably the 8th day.

4 Provisions for the Journey

I. Spiritual Nourishment (37b)

A. ILL- packing food for the journey

B. Thirst- spiritual thirst

1. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Woman at the Well- living water- never thirst again.

Matthew 5:6 ESV

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

C. The people around you need Jesus. There is something missing in their life and they try to fill it with everything except what satisfies.

II. Accessibility (37c)

A. ILL- having the right vehicle for the journey.

B. Jesus makes our journey to heaven possible because of his journey to the cross.

C. “Let him come to me.”

D. invitation.

E. John shows the universal invitation for people to come to Jesus.

F. 38a- "Believes"- Trust- to put their trust in, to put their faith in.

1. Surrender

2. Demons believe- this belief is different.

3. This has to do with surrendering to the consequences of the truth of who Jesus is.

4. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:12–13 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

5. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

6. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 5:24 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

7. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:40 ESV

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

8. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

John 11:25–26 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

9. but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:31 ESV

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

G. Christ died for all but only those who receive will have eternal life.

III. Power (38-39)

A. ILL- it takes energy for any journey (Gas or physical)

B. Through the Holy Spirit

1. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

Isaiah 44:3 ESV

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

2. God’s power is a changing power- causes us to be his hands and feet.

C. So his people can be a blessing to others.

D. Multiplication of the living water.

E. Great Commission power is the Holy Spirit.

1. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

F. We are to do nothing without the Holy Spirit.

IV. Decision (40-52)

A. ILL- where do you want to eat?

B. ILL- fork in the road- which way.

C. There are only 2 sides. Jesus’ side and everyone else's’.

D. 3 Areas That Divided

1. Qualifications (40-44)

a) John doesn’t give birth narrative but Matthew and Luke both covered it. John assumes those reading his Gospel know those.

b) It matters where Christ comes from.

c) But they didn’t have all the answers.

d) They used it as an excuse not to believe.

2. Teaching (45-48)

a) Guards heard his teaching- it stopped them in their tracks.

b) The Pharisees heard it and wanted to kill him.

c) Jesus’ teachings are divisive.

d) “All the smart people have rejected it” You should too.

e) First word of verse 50- Nicodemus- a respected Pharisee who believes in Jesus.

3. Authority (50-52)

a) God’s Word or man’s feelings?

b) They shut down Nicodemus as he quotes God’s Word.

c) They try to silence him by questioning his qualifications.

CONCLUSION

We are all on a journey whether we like it or not. The journey ends with judgment.

It is appointed unto man- once to die- then judgment

They journey ends with one of two destinations. Heaven or Hell.

If we try to do the journey on our own- hell.

If we trust in Jesus to provide for the journey- heaven.

Where will your journey end?