In Jesus Holy Name Easter VI 2020
Text: John 7:37-39 Redeemer
“I Am…. The God Who Quenches Thirst”
Each Sunday morning since Easter my messages have been shaped by the words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John. The question I asked myself: “What is John trying to tell his readers in the 1st century about Jesus? What does John want me to learn about Jesus?
John does not tell me about the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. No shepherds. No angel choirs. John are only records 7 miracles in his gospel? Why does John have a serious discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus, but missing in the other gospels? Why does only John record the Wedding at Cana?
Answer these questions and you and I will know what John wants us to know about Jesus. #1 John wants anyone who reads his gospel to know that Jesus is “The Intelligent Designer of the Universe.” #2 If He is… then Jesus is offering His perfect life as the replacement for the Old Testament guidelines on how people received forgiveness with a Holy God. He is the true “sin offering”. # 3 Jesus will replace the daily sacrifice at the temple for the forgiveness of sins.by His death on the crosss.
When Jesus called Himself the “Good Shepherd” He was asking the Jewish theologians like Nichodemus to remember the promise of the God Himself in Ezekiel 34… I will come and shepherd my people.
For a moment let’s follow this theme: “I Am The God who Quenches Thirst.
The gospel of John tells us that Nicodemus, a very powerful and influential Jewish theologian, a member of the ruling Jewish council, came to Jesus at night with a question. Nicodemus thought that he would automatically be granted entrance into heaven because his Jewish blood made him a descendant of Abraham. And in his mind that was enough. If the same conversation happened today it would be like saying: I’m going to heaven when I die because my grandmother, my grandfather were great Lutherans.
Jesus might as well have said to Nicodemus: “If you want to be secure in your
eternal destiny you will not find security in your family genetics. Jesus said. I am the resurrection and the life. Believe in me. This is John’s message for you and me. If you want to be secure in your eternal address… Jesus said: I am the resurrection and the life. He gives it freely to all who place their trust in Jesus.
Here’s the problem… Culture in the 1st century and the culture in which you and I live tell us to find security in our own ability. Our own fame, power, or money will provide the significance and happiness we long for. Jesus said if you want to be happy. If you want to find significance in your life… wash feet, love others the way you love yourself. Jesus is saying: “You will not find happiness in the things this world offers. Money, power, sex, nor fame based on the number of followers you have on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. These will never quench your thirst.
Inside all of us there is a thirst for life, for happiness. We all have a “God-shaped vacuum” in our heart that only God can fill. Some people think career advancement is the key to happiness, so they move from job to job. Husbands leave their wives for other women, and still they are not happy. Wives leave their husbands for other men, and they still aren’t happy. This is the story of the woman at the well in Samaria.
When Jesus visited the woman at the well in Samaria she was on her 6th husband. Jesus knew she was not happy. Something in her heart was missing that even the 6th husband could not fill. Jesus offers her water that would quench her thirsty life. The water of life, the water that refreshes the soul is a relationship with Jesus.
In our culture there are those who seek happiness by being adrenalin junkies. They are always on the move, looking for the next jolt of excitement, the next big adventure. How can you not forget all the extreme challenges that people try. New adventures never last very long. Life returns to the ordinary and we wonder, “What do we do now?” Some people thirst for power, others thirst for fame or wealth to fill the lonely void inside. Their search for happiness is elusive.
Jesus said: I am the bread of life. I am the gate to heaven. I am the way, the truth and the life. I am the good Shepherd. “If you are thirsty, come to me.” If you want eternal security when your life on this planet comes to a close…come to me. For "I am the resurrection and the life”. He who believes in me will be given eternal life. Don’t worry. Don’t let Satan hold your heart in the grip of the fear of death. Jesus rose from death and the grave. Satan has been defeated. Therefore….Get on with living your life. That is why Jesus said: Follow my example. Wash feet. Love one another as I have loved you.
In John chapter 7 the theme” “I am the God who quenches thirst” continues.
Jesus is in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. For seven days the Jews lived in lean-to tents or shanties or booths made of palm branches, leaves and tree limbs. This was their way of remembering the 40 years that their ancestors spent wandering in the wilderness.
Why celebrate that difficult period? Because every day, even in the wilderness, God provided manna and quail. Though they lived in the desert with sand, heat, flies and desolation, God never failed them. God fed them in the wilderness for 40 years. So for seven days each year the Jews came to Jerusalem, made their lean-tos, and celebrated God’s goodness.
But it wasn’t just food that God gave them in the wilderness. He also gave them water. When the people became thirsty and had no water, they accused Moses of bringing them into the desert so they would die of thirst. The Lord told Moses to take the same staff he used to part the Red Sea and strike the rock at Horeb. When he did, water gushed out.
Clean. Fresh. Pure water. More than enough for all the people. So each day for seven days during the Feast of Tabernacles, the priest would lead a procession from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam. There he filled a golden urn with water and brought it back to the Temple. While he poured the water on the western side of the massive altar, the choir of 4,000 singers accompanied by 287 instrumentalists began to sing the Psalms. It was as if you experienced the Hallelujah Chorus.
The people cheered and sang Psalm 118, which ends with these words: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” The priest repeated that ritual every day for seven days—and the people cheered for joy each time.
When the eighth day came, things were different. This was the final feast day of the entire year. It was truly the greatest day. On that day there was quiet contemplation. The priest did not go to the Pool of Siloam to draw water.
On that day—the greatest day of the final feast—the day with no water…. all the people were quiet…In that moment of silence…..Jesus stood up and said:
‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’
The impact of his words on this particular day was enormous. On the one day when there was no water, Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” The Jews understood him immediately. They knew Jesus meant, “I am the rock that brought forth water in the wilderness. I am the true source of living water. Come to me, believe on me, and I will give you living water from heaven.” I Am the God of living water that satisfies your soul.
Then John reminds us: “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.(on the day of Pentecost after Jesus has ascended into heaven.) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified”. John want us to know that the Holy Spirit resided in Jesus but would one day dwell in each believer.
John knows that Matthew, Mark and Luke have been written and widely circulated. Those three gospels provide very little information about the work of the Holy Spirit. In chapters 14-17 of the Gospel of John, after the Passover meal, after the washing of the disciples feet, Jesus explains to his disciples the work and blessings of the Holy Spirit.
We know the Holy Spirit is real because Jesus promised His Spirit to all believers
We know that He is at work in the world today.
We know that He indwells every believer.
We know that He alone can give us the power that we need to live a happy life.
The Apostle Paul gives us the answer: Galatians 5:22 (read) This is what the Holy Spirit gives. It is our responsibility to keep in step with the Holy Spirit.
Martin Luther explains the work of the Holy Spirit this way. “I believe that I can
not by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ or even come to Him, but the Holy Spirit calls me by the Gospel. Luther went on to explain: In this Christian Church the Holy Spirit forgives me my sins. The Holy Spirit sanctifies. Makes us holy in God’s sight. And on the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and give to me eternal life. This is most certainly true.
Charles Swindoll, President of Dallas Theological Seminary reminds us that: The Holy Spirit is invisible. He is the third person of the Triune God. Ponder what it means to have the invisible, yet Third member of the Trinity living inside your being for He dwells within each believer. You might say: “I don’t understand how that works.” Let me explain:
John 16:8 Jesus said: “The Holy Spirit will convict the world, of guilt in regards to sin and (the) righteousness (of God) and judgment (against sin).” Are you a sinner? No, I don’t mean a big sinner. I mean just any kind of sinner. If you are a sinner, it would seem the righteousness and the judgment of God applies to you. It does unless you find a loophole.
That’s why when you break a commandment the job of the Holy Spirit is to convict your heart of guilt. Your conscience bothers you. You know you did something wrong. The Holy Spirit is reminding you that God is a God of justice and holiness. Then the same Holy Spirit (if you have faith in Jesus) reminds you that Jesus nailed all your broken commandments to the cross and left them there.
And thus by the work of the Holy Spirit you experience both conviction and grace.
In closing, let me share the words of the contemporary Christian song “Holy Water”…”Oh Lord I don’t want to abuse your grace. I need your forgiveness every day. Walking down this desert road (you are) Water for my thirsty soul. Your forgiveness is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips. Like holy water on my skin. (add youtube video .05-.44)
Prayer: Lord quench my thirsty soul. Amen.
