Untitled Sermon (7)

tRANS: Let’s look at JOHN 7:37-39. This passages showsJESUS OFFERS RIVERS OF LIVING WATERS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT!

John 7:37–38 ESVOn 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.’ ”

“ON THE LAST DAY OF THE FEAST” before we discuss Jesus offer of living water what is really incredible is how and when Jesus did it. So let’s talk about that...WE OFTEN MISS JUST HOW AMAZING AND PERFECT JESUS’ TIMING WAS IN WHAT HE DID...Q: WHAT FEAST IS WAS THIS THE LAST DAY OF? What was the feast for? A: The feast of Tabernacles or Booths. It was an 8 day feast which commemorated and celebrated THE memory of how God protected and provided for the Israelites in the wilderness on the way to the Promised land. Specifically there was an emphasis on God giving them manna and water from the rock! (Exodus 17:1-7) This is the incredible thing: “on the first day of the feast, a priest would read

Zechariah 14:8 , “On that day, living water will flow out of Jerusalem.”

(SLIDE) (pic of priest pouring pitcher…) “every day of the feast, except for the last day, a priest stood in front of the temple with a golden pitcher of water and poured it on a rock. This commemorated the water flowing out of the rock that gave the Israelites water to drink. While the water flowed out, the people standing by chanted, (SLIDE) (pic of water from a rock)

“With Joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:3”

SO NOW…AS OUR TEXT SAYS, “on the last and greatest day of the feast…when this was not done Jesus stands up as the fulfillment of those passages…notice...

John 7:37–38 ESVOn 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.’ ”

THIS MAKES SO MUCH MORE SENSE THAT JESUS SAYS, “AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS...” the scriptures that they had been hearing all week about living water...THAT IS SO AWESOME ISN’T IT. AGAIN GOD SET UP A PERFECT TIME WHEN JESUS COULD OFFER LIVING WATER TO THOSE WHO COME TO HIM! (JESUS THE ROCK WOULD BRING THE “LIVING WATER” THAT WOULD SAVE US!) Q: BUT GUESS WHAT? (THIS IS WHERE YOU SAY “WHAT?”) BUT GUESS WHAT? TRANS: BUT THIS IS NOT EVER THE MOST AMAZING THING ABOUT THE TEXT…MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT THIS TEXT IS WHAT THE NEXT VERSE SAYS… ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE PARENTHETICAL VERSES IN SCRIPTURE…(or Explanatory verses)

John 7:38–39 ESVWhoever 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.

WOW! Now that adds a whole new understanding of what “living water” is and what Jesus is offering. Consider what this implies in connection to what we have already said…our spiritual thirst being quenched and not having to turn to other things. Q: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN THE SPIRIT HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN BECAUSE JESUS HAD NOT BEEN GLORIFIED? A: Jesus being glorified through the gospel and ascending to the Father after which the New Covenant would be put in place and the salvation preached the gift of the Spirit would be given at baptism as we find in Acts 2:38. (Quote it with me…) As our text says, “the Spirit had not yet been given” to dwell in man permanently until after Christ sacrifice and resurrection. Now we who have been baptized into Christ have received the gift of God and the “living water” that “dwells in us” or “dwells in and flows out of our heart” so that everything we do is “in step with the Spirit.” This is why Jesus would tell His disciples that it was to their advantage that Jesus leave;

John 16:7 ESVNevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Jesus had already told them earlier that he would ask the Father to give them another helper…who would be with them forever…much better than just a lifetime supply...

John 14:16–17 ESVAnd I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 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.

He was with them but “will be in you.” For us the Holy Spirit, the “living water” dwells is within us always giving us what we need Spiritually from the inside. Now the Spirit dwells within us and is the one who helps us and quenches our Spiritual thirst and helps us live for Christ.

Romans 8:9 ESVYou, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

1 Corinthians 3:16 ESVDo you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

THIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE THAT CONNECTION AND KNOW THAT CHRIST GIVES US THE SPIRIT AS “LIVING WATER.” Q: BEFORE I ANSWER; WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE THAT CONNECTION THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE LIVING WATER? A: HERE IS ONE HUGE REASON! BECAUSE THE BIBLE MAKES THAT CONNECTION! Have you ever considered just how much the scriptures and particularly the New Testament talks about the HOLY SPIRIT! (AND THAT MAKES SENSE CONSIDERING THAT HE IS GOD!)IT IS VITAL THAT WE MAKES THE CONNECTION KNOW (AS THE CORINTHIAN CHRISTIANS NEEDED TO) THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN US!One reason is the problem that we spoke of before; HOW IS IT THAT MANY HAVE THE WATER OF LIFE AND YET SOMETIMES ARE JUST AS THIRSTY AS THE WORLD? Maybe because the One who is the Living Water many barely recognize or acknowledge AS LIVING WITHIN US! (I do not ever remember being taught as a young person the connection between the “living water” as the “Spirit.” Or that the Spirit actually dwelt in you expect for what you could remember of scripture. SO SOMETHING THAT MADE MY CHRISTIAN WALK HARDER AND OFTEN THIRSTIER WAS THE FACT THAT I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR LOOK FOR OR LISTEN FOR OR RELY ON THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN MY LIFE! WHILE THAT WAS ME IT MAY CURRENTLY BE YOU! MAYBE YOU NEED TO OPEN YOUR EYES TO “LIVING WATER” THAT IS LIVING INSIDE OF YOU. BECAUSE can we submit to, or rely on the leading of One who we rarely talk about or think about as working in our lives and dwelling within us. Maybe that is one reason why are we often too reliant on our own power to get us through or establish joy and peace. Maybe we are still thirsty because we quench the Holy Spirit through our willfulness, sin, self reliance or even ignoring the fact that He is at work in our lives!THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE ONE WHO BRINGS “THE RIVERS OF LIVING WATER FROM WITHIN OUR HEART” BUT ARE WE ALLOWING HIM TO FILL US.BECAUSE while the Holy Spirit indwells in us it seems that we through our giving in to or submission to, reliance on and willingness can me more or less controlled by the Spirit. notice what Ephesians 5:18…and Galatians 5:16, 24, 25

Ephesians 5:18 ESVAnd do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Galatians 5:16 ESVBut I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:25 ESVIf we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

So if we need to be filled with the Spirit, we can also not be full of the Holy Spirit. (If we are not filled it may be that we are too full of other things that we do not have any room. We are constantly focused on the temporary…that our minds do not even have time to hear...) If we are commanded to walk by the Spirit that implies that we may not be walking by the Spirit but instead the flesh. If we are commanded to “keep in step with the Spirit” that implies what? That we can be out of step with the Spirit!

Romans 8:14 ESVFor all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

IF WE ARE TOLD TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT DOES THAT NOT MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOLLOWING AND SUBMIT TO HIM IN OUR ACTIONS AND DECISION AS HE BRINGS GOD’S WORD TO MIND AND CONVICTS US AND NUDGES US TO CARRY OUT GOD’S WILL THEN EMPOWERS US TO FOLLOW THROUGH. AS MUCH AS WE ARE TOLD DO BE AND DO IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE SPIRIT IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE PRETTY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE BUT LIVE BY, listen for and submit to THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WHAT HE PROVIDES FOR US! IF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE RIVER OF LIVING WATER FLOWING FROM OUR HEART AS HE DWELLS IN US LET’S JUMP IN AND LET THE RIVER OVERTAKE US AND DRINK CONSTANTLY FROM WHAT HE PROVIDES! Q: ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE WE CLOSE: HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT PROVIDE US WITH THE SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT IN OUR LIVES? IN OTHER WORDS HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WORK IN YOUR LIFE?

ILL: PERSONAL: Scripture says that the Holy Spirit is involved in our sanctification and so any good in me and any growth over the years is because of the Holy Spirit in me!

ANYTIME I TEACH OR PREACH OR STUDY WITH SOMEONE and they hear what God wanted them to and they are convicted…I see the work of the Holy Spirit when I try to counsel someone…and am amazed at how the Spirit works…

When I pray and allow the Holy Spirit to guide my words and heart I pray better than at any other time and in ways I had not thought of. (Has anyone else ever experienced that? Eph 6:18 calls that praying in the Holy Spirit.)

When I am tempted and just the right passage comes to mind. How many of you have ever experienced that? (That happened to Jesus as well and He over came. Coincidence? I better not think so!)

When I am battling mentally and the right truths come to my mind and my heart to keep me in the right place. (Allowing me to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” I know that the Holy Spirit dwells in me and work in my life because He fights my battles for me so often! I could go on but we do not have much time...

THINK ABOUT ALL THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IN OUR LIVES: HE EMPOWERS OUR PRAYERS AND PRAYS FOR US! Every time we pray He is connecting our spirits and heart with God and interceding for us. Romans 8.OUR HELPER WHO LEAD US TO TRUTH AND CONVICTS US OF SIN AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. (John 15, 16)HE GIVES US THE GIFTS WE HAVE IN THE CHURCH TO SERVE (1 COR. 12) AND EMPOWER ALL THE ACTIVITIES FROM THEM. He strengthens our souls and gives us hope according to Ephesians 3 and helps us understand God’s love. Overcome temptation…as we already said 1 Corinthians 10:12 Help us understand God’s word and make judgments about life - 1 Cor. 2:13-15The Holy Spirit is involved in our daily transformation and helps us to have the “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”SO ARE YOU EXPERIENCING THESE THINGS? LET US EACH SEEK TO