Alliance Church
Pastor David Welch
“Fountain of Life”
REVIEW
John is the Gospel of belief. John writes that we may come to see that Jesus is the Christ and come to believe in him and His teaching.
So far we have learned much about His person from this Gospel.
• He has eternal existed in perfect fellowship with God.
• He Himself is full deity.
• He is Lord of all creation, maker of the heavens and the earth.
• He is the light and life of men.
• He is Lord over all nature and victor over sickness and disease.
• He is the Lord of the temple.
• He is the Savior of the world.
• He is the water of life.
• He is the absolute and final authoritative spokesman for God.
• He is Lord of the human heart, as he knows what is in the heart of man.
• He is Messiah
• He is the promised Prophet.
• He is the Christ.
• He is the Son of God.
• He is the assigned judge of all men.
• He is the bread out of heaven that gives life to all men.
• He is Lord of the Sabbath.
• He is compassionate.
• He is courageous and authoritative.
• He is wisdom
• He is confident in the face of opposition.
• He is a master teacher.
• He is passionate about the purposes of God.
• He is committed to do the Father’s will no matter what.
We have been exposed to some of his vital teaching as well.
• Everyone must be born again of the Spirit to see or enter the kingdom of God.
• As Moses lifted the serpent on the pole in the wilderness so Jesus will be lifted up.
• Those who look to Jesus will have eternal life and not perish.
• There will be no judgment on those who believe.
• Jesus is the thirst quenching water for the thirsty soul.
• Jesus is the means to eternal life.
• Worship of God must be done in spirit and in truth.
• God seeks that kind of worshipper.
• Jesus is coequal with the Father.
• Jesus does whatever the Father wishes.
• Jesus gives life to whomever He wishes.
• Those who believe pass from death to life.
• All the Scriptures bear witness of Jesus.
• Those who refuse the Scriptures won’t believe the Savior.
• Jesus comes in the Father’s name.
• Jesus is the bread out of heaven.
• Those who come and believer will not hunger or thirst.
• Those who come will not be cast out but welcomed.
• Those who come will not be lost but raised up and completed on the last day.
• No one comes to the Father unless He draws and teaches him or her.
• Life can only be found in Christ.
• No life generates out of us.
• We experience the same life as the trinity.
• The Spirit gives life.
• The flesh gives NOTHING.
So far John has organized this truth in a section I am call the public ministry and teaching of Jesus. 2-12
I. Jesus teaches at the feast of booths in spite of personal risk 7:1-53
1. Desire for a low profile 7:1-9
And after these things Jesus was walking in Galilee; for He was unwilling to walk in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.
This gives us a reason why Jesus was not yet ready to go up and enter into a public ministry in Jerusalem at this time.
His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here, and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may behold Your works which You are doing.
Everyone by this time was anxious for Jesus to declare Himself King of kings and Lord of lords. They felt convinced that Jesus was the Christ to save them from the tyranny of Rome. They didn’t understand that they must first be saved from the tyranny of sin and death. They presented him with great logic.
"For no one does anything in secret, when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."
Yet even His half-brothers were not yet convinced that Jesus was the real deal.
For not even His brothers were believing in Him.
Jesus however did not operate on their time schedule but the Father’s purpose and time.
Jesus therefore said to them, "My time is not yet at hand, but your time is always opportune. "The world cannot hate you; but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. "Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come." And having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.
Jesus conducted His entire life and ministry on a specific timetable directed by the Father.
2. The people argue about his person 7:10-13
But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as it were, in secret. The Jews therefore were seeking Him at the feast, and were saying, "Where is He?" And there was much grumbling among the multitudes concerning Him; some were saying, "He is a good man"; others were saying, "No, on the contrary, He leads the multitude astray." Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
This passage appears a bit confusing. The first question is why Jesus didn’t go up to the feast when he said he wouldn’t.
3. Jesus teaches in the temple 7:14-39
Audience reaction #1 “Where did He get His education? The people recognized something different about the teaching of Jesus.
The Jews therefore were marveling, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated?"
• I speak for God
Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. John 7:16
• You would recognize the source of my teaching if you wanted to do God’s will.
"If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself. John 7:17
Nicodemus recognized the superior nature of Jesus deeds and words because he had a genuine heart after God. There are those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness and refuse to acknowledge God any longer.
• I don’t speak from a self-centered base but only in connection with the Father.
"He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. John 7:18
• You don’t even keep the Law of Moses who you claim to accept.
"Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law?
Audience Reaction #2 “He has a demon!”
• You reject my teaching and Me because you don’t understand.
Why do you seek to kill Me?" The multitude answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?" Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel. John 7:20-21
• You reject me because of healing on the Sabbath even though it is Biblical.
"On this account Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. "If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? John 7:22-23
The fact that they were hung up on days and weeks, and festivals and timing indicated they had no real understanding of spiritual matters.
• Discern things according to Biblical principles.
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." John 7:24
Audience Reaction #3 “Is this the Christ or just a man?”
Therefore some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? "And look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they? "However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from." John 7:25-27
• You think you know where I am from but you don’t.
Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. "I know Him; because I am from Him, and He sent Me." John 7:28-29
Audience Reaction #4 “The Hostile and the hopeful”
They were seeking therefore to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. But many of the multitude believed in Him; and they were saying, "When the Christ shall come, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?" The Pharisees heard the multitude muttering these things about Him; and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. John 7:30-32
• I am not going to be around much longer and it will be too late for you.
Jesus therefore said, "For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. "You shall seek Me, and shall not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come." The Jews therefore said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? "What is this statement that He said, 'You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come'?" John 7:33-36
Audience Reaction #5 “Huh! What is he talking about?”
• Those who come to Me will not only have their own thirst quenched but will be a source of refreshment to others.
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.' " But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39
Every day of this feast a pitcher of water was drawn from the Pool of Siloam and ceremonially poured out in remembrance of the water provided in the wilderness. Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells us that that rock that followed them in the desert was Christ. Jesus pick up the picture and applies it to Himself.
Audience Reaction #6 The hopeful and the hostile
Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, "This certainly is the Prophet." Others were saying, "This is the Christ." Still others were saying, "Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? "Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So there arose a division in the multitude because of Him. And some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, "Why did you not bring Him?" The officers answered, "Never did a man speak the way this man speaks." The Pharisees therefore answered them, "You have not also been led astray, have you? "No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? "But this multitude which does not know the Law is accursed." Nicodemus said to them (he who came to Him before, being one of them), "Our Law does not judge a man, unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?" They answered and said to him, "You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee." [And everyone went to his home. John 7:40-53
Fountain of Life
Jesus instructs the spiritually thirsty. If any individual experiences thirst…Let that individual continually “Come” toward (pros) Me. And let that individual continually “drink”.
The individual trusting (coming and drinking) will experience a wonderful phenomenon. From the inner being will continually flow rivers (plural) swiftly flowing water. From chapter 4 we learned about Jesus as a fountain of water springing up in the believer to eternal life. Here this fountain springs up and flows out to others.
Just what is the fountain? The next verse further describes and defines what He means. Jesus references the promised Holy Spirit that would permanently indwell individuals. Jesus speaks of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We will talk more about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the New Testament Christian when we get to chapters 14 and 16 of John.
To them the promise was future; to us today it is a reality. Paul talks about the fact the love has been spread out in the believer’s life by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. It is this love that God intended to overflow to others. God designed us as reservoirs built to water one another. The only way the water in our reservoir keeps healthy is by a continual inflow and outflow. If we refuse to flow to others, we limit the flow coming in.
Peter talks about this principle in his first letter.
To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9
Spiritual community (Larry Crabb)
In a spiritual community, people reach deep places in each other’s hearts that are not often or easily reached. They discover places beneath the awkwardness of wanting to embrace and cry and share opinions. They openly express love and reveal rear, even though they feel so unaccustomed to that level of intimacy.
When members of a spiritual community reach a sacred place of vulnerability and authenticity, something is released. Something good begins to happen. An appetite for holy things is stirred. For just a moment, the longing to know God becomes intense, stronger than all other passions, worth whatever price must be paid for it. Spiritual togetherness creates movement: Togetherness in Christ encourages movement toward Christ.
It seems to me, everything about the ministry of the Holy Spirit is outward focused from the command to be wait in Jerusalem for power to be effective witness to the command to be continually directed and energized by humble surrender to Him. Even the whole subject of spiritual gifting boils down to ministry to people. Jesus promises the ministry of the Holy Spirit as a multitude of swiftly flowing rivers within every believer who ever lives in us that we may not only personally drink and be satisfied but be refreshment to others as well. We are in such a self-centered culture that even the ministry of Holy Spirit is sought as a self-satisfying thing. How does He make me feel? How are my longings being fulfilled? What is in it for me? The ministry of the Holy Spirit is for the building and encouragement of the body. He is the flow that energizes the rest of the body that it may properly and effectively function. So how do we flow out to others? Many passages allude to the ministry of the Spirit and our refreshment of others. I focus this morning on four of many swiftly flowing rivers out of our innermost being as the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Words
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Life and death are in the power of the tongue. When we live by the power of the indwelling Spirit, the fountain of life, our words energize (give grace to continue) those who hear.
Paul instructs us to allow coming out of our mouth only words that give grace (energy) to those who hear. How often do our words give grief to those who hear? Negative? Cutting? Angry? Challenging? Competitive? Unappreciative? At that moment we de-energize others. At that moment we are living of the flesh.
Paul’s description of the deeds of the flesh reveals grief-producing words.
Enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions
These are all words that describe a deadening exchange of death words. Do your words lighten eyes and lift spirits to move closer to God or cause others to quit. Paul follows up his admonition to use only grace producing words with an admonition not to grieve the Holy Spirit by our death words who wants us to speak only words that energize.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Eph. 4:29-5:2
It is the demonstration of love by our very words that builds the body of Christ. It takes repeated doses of life-words to inflate our soul balloon, only one death word to pop it. So often our words communicate rejection, ridicule, resentment, regret, condescension, self-centeredness. It is not just our words either. There is always an underlying power behind words. There are words generated out of the power of the old flesh sometimes demonically intensified or words generated out of the power of the regenerated spirit always divinely intensified. Paul warned the Corinthians that he would expose the power behind the words of those disrupting the body.
But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power. 1 Cor. 4:19-20
On the other hand he revealed the divine nature underlying his words.
And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 1 Cor. 2:4-5
Words motivated by one walking in the Spirit and pursuing the desires of the spirit have the power to provide energy and refreshment from the Spirit to others. Paul identifies the results of being directed and energized by the Spirit in Ephesians 5:18 as speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. The Colossian parallel passage adds teaching and admonishing one another. A good portion of the spiritual gifts of the Spirit focuses on the ministry of building up the body by speaking truth in love.
Deeds
Words are powerful but Scripture talks about another river of the Holy Spirit that freely flows out of the yielded spirit of the believer.
But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 1 John 3:17-18
The other half of the Spiritual gifts deals with serving.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11
We energize one another and stimulate one another to love and good deeds not only by our words but also by our deeds for one another. You will never know the kind of energizing and encouragement that I experience as a result of not only your words of encouragement in cards but the fact that cards were sent and acts of kindness offered. It is acts of kindness that God uses to win a hearing with unbelievers. The world is not used to expressions of kindness without strings. Still another river of refreshment to others is the ministry of touch.
Touch
Jesus continually physically touched people. The New Testament spoke often of laying on of hands, a holy kiss. We never outgrow our need for touch. Babies die or suffer horrible emotional and mental disorders without physical touch. God made us to respond to touch, don’t despise it or fight it.
Prayer
A final life-giving river of the Spirit flowing freely from the innermost being is prayer. Paul talks about deliverance through the prayers of the churches. Paul instructs us to continually pray for one another.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, Ephes. 6:18
The early church grew because they devoted themselves to prayer. Paul practiced continual prayer for both churches and individuals. We are even told to pray for our enemies so that we will demonstrate that our life flows from a supernatural divine nature not a fleshly one.
"But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:44-45
CONCLUSION
If you are a genuine follower of Christ truly regenerated by the Holy Spirit then these rivers are yours. The problem is that we have too many dams built in our life.
A self-centered focus - Unforgiveness and Anger - A fleshly focus - A critical spirit – Pride - Dissension – strife – disunity – competition.
All these grieve and quench the Holy Spirit in our life so that these rivers are unable to freely flow through our life. If we are to ever build genuine spiritual community it must start with a clear understanding of our role in the body of Christ as fountains of refreshment to one another not deserts of discouragement and disapproval. We must become more interested in releasing the beauty of Christ in one another than exposing the repulsiveness of the flesh. Gentle correction in love is often necessary but only in an effort to stimulate and release the longing of the reborn spirit for deep progress toward powerfully speaking the words and passionately working the works of Christ.
