Drink Deeply! Series

“DRINK DEEPLY!” John 7:37-39

FBCF – 3/26/23

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Did you know that there are 4 types of deserts on earth? Polar deserts, subtropical deserts, winter deserts, & cool coastal deserts. Most of us probably think of the sandy subtropical deserts like the Sahara when we hear the word “desert”. I don’t know many people who would want to live in a desert – hot (hottest place on face of earth is the Lut Desert in Iran – temps can reach 159 degrees!), dry, sand for miles & miles, desolate conditions, a wasteland. Just would not be a pleasant place to live.

But there are many people who seem to be content to live their lives in a spiritual desert. There’s a dryness to their spiritual lives, a barrenness, a desolate spiritual wasteland.

David wrote – “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry & parched land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1) David was seeking the Lord earnestly while he was in the literal desert of Judah where he wrote this. Spurgeon: “There was no desert in his heart, though there was desert around him.”

But so many people will just stay in the desert – a spiritual desert – dying of spiritual thirst, instead of coming to the one who can quench their thirst & take them out of the desert.

Today is 4th sermon in “Behold the Lamb of God!” series leading up to Easter.

- “This Jesus” – Eternal Word, Eternal Light, Eternal Son of God

- “Be an Andrew” – Follow his example & bring someone to Jesus – Have you done that this week? Brought someone to church, to Jesus?

- “My Life Verse” – John 3:30 – Mrs. Jo Richardson – Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge & strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble.” Has anyone else picked a life verse since last week?

Today, “Drink Deeply”, as we look at Jesus words in John 7:37-39.

EXPLANATION – John 7:37-39

First, a reminder of John’s purpose in writing this Gospel – John 20:31 – “…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.”

Context of Jesus’ words here in John 7:

- Jews celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths

- Time of great celebration when the Jewish people live in tents, booths, or lean-tos to remember the 40 yrs that their ancestors wandered in the wilderness.

- That was a long, hard time when an entire generation died while waiting to enter the Promised Land.

- So why celebrate? B/c God provided for them every step of the way – manna & quail to eat. He also gave them water.

- When the people would become thirsty & have no water, they’d start complaining against Moses – “You brought us out here into the desert to die of thirst!” (Ex. 17) God told Moses to strike the rock at Horeb. He did & clean, clear drinking water gushed out for the people. In spite of their grumbling & complaining, God, in His GRACE, provided for them.

- So, for 7 days during this feast each yr, the priest would fill a golden urn w/ water & bring it to the Temple. While he poured the water on the altar, a huge choir would sing & hundreds of instrumentalists would play. The people would cheer & sing Psalm 118 which ends w/, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” 7 days straight of pouring water, singing, cheering, celebrating, worshiping! What an experience!

- Then on last day – THE DAY W/ NO WATER – Jesus stood up – that in itself would’ve gotten their attention b/c rabbis normally sat while they taught. He cried out – “shouted” – “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me & drink.” HUGE impact w/ His words! The Jews immediately understood what He was saying: “I am the rock that brought forth the water that kept you alive in the wilderness. And now, if you’ll come to me & believe, you will live forever b/c I will give you living water from heaven!”

APPLICATION – Only Jesus can quench your spiritual thirst.

Come & drink deeply of Jesus, the Living Water, & here’s what will happen:

HE WILL QUENCH YOUR THIRST

Most of us have never been truly thirsty. We might go a couple of hours without drinking some water – working in the yard or garden, but never truly thirsty. And when do get a little thirst, water is always readily available. Turn faucet on, or grab a bottle out of fridge, or even grab the garden hose like we all did when we were kids.