A Noise In My Belly

I. Introduction

1. The Text: John 7:37-38

2. The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated with certain festival rituals.

3. One was a solemn procession each day from the temple to the Gihon Spring.

4. A priest filled a gold pitcher with water while the choir sang Isaiah 12:3. –Therefore with joy shall you draw water from the wells of salvation.

5. Then they returned to the altar and poured out the water.

6. This ritual reminded them of the water from the rock during the wilderness wanderings (Num. 20:8-11; Ps. 78:15-16).

7. It also spoke prophetically of the coming days of Messiah (cf. Zech. 14:8, 16-19).

8. The Feast’s seventh and last day was its greatest (cf. Lev. 23:36).

9. Jesus stood, in contrast with the Rabbis’ usual position of being seated while teaching.

10. Said in a loud voice that startled the listeners for this was an important revelation

11. 7:38. Streams of living water will flow from within one who believes in Jesus.

12. That is, he will have a continual source of satisfaction, which will provide life continually (cf. 4:14).

13. When Jesus added, As the Scripture has said, 7:39. John explained that the “living water” (v. 38) was the coming gift of the Holy Spirit.

1. The Spirit within a believer satisfies his need of God, and provides him with regeneration, guidance and empowerment. In the earliest Greek manuscripts, the words,

2. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, are simply, “for there was not yet Spirit”.

3. “The Spirit had not [yet] been given” to indwell believers permanently (cf. Ps. 51:11).

4. That happened after Jesus was glorified, that is after His death, resurrection and Ascension. “Glorified

14. It was a promise of the power of God within man to sustain him or her under any circumstances

B. The Mandate

1. Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

a. Here we witness the real attitude of a worshiper

b. In those days, people left their usual occupations and at the time of the great festivals turned their faces toward Zion.

c. The temple was a real community center

d. No one would dare miss the opportunity to worship and praise the Lord

2. Make a Joyful Noise:

a. Make –

i. create – bring it into existence - especially with the use of imagination

ii. produce – to cause it to happen

iii. develop --- to add details to a basic plan ; build up

b. Joyful – full of joy ; cheerful

c. Noise - - a collection of sounds, not being on the same time nor of the same language or background.

3. This means there are some situations in which it may be difficult to make a joyful noise.

4. We have this mandate to make sure that the noise is cheerful

5. What kind of noise are you making?

6. Anyone can make a noise, but is it a joyful of noise

7. Make a joyful noise in these trying times?

8. People have real problems

9. It begins with themselves

10. If you have a problem praising God, check yourself first

11. You may be making a noise, but is it a joyful noise?

12. I did not ask if you were happy, but is your noise happy about God

13. A joyful noise can only come when there is peace between the noise maker and God

14. These are pressured times

15. But there is an urgent need to praise God

16. The urgency is not that God needs it, but that

17. He knows you need it.

18. Praise is not an option,

19. It is required

20. God requires praise as an act of obedience for who He is

21. And to enrich your life for service

II. A Noise in My Belly

A. The Purpose of the Noise

1. The purpose of the praise is to develop the right attitude for service

2. Attitude precedes service

3. A noise is a sound, esp. one that is loud or unpleasant or that causes disturbance

4. It comes from an old French and original Latin phrase that means to make nauseous

5. It is has the purpose of getting your attention

6. You cannot ignore a noise

7. It provides a stimulus for action

a. Tornado warning

b. Police or fire siren

8. But in this Scripture it refers to the type of sound that prepares for that which intimidates the devil –the praises of the people of God

9. For the Lord inhabits the praises of His people

a. When praises go up the Blesser comes down

b. Where Jesus is there is liberty

10. That is why it is hard to keep still with a Noise in Your Belly