In Jesus Holy Name May 28, 2023
Text: John 7:37-39 Pentecost Redeemer
“Spiritual Thirst, Quenched by Jesus ”
We rightly celebrate Easter as the day that changed history, the essential foundation of faith for two billion Christians is the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Walter Wink wrote: When the Pharisees decided to kill Jesus, they did not understand that their decision was like trying to destroy a dandelion seed-head by blowing on it.
Jesus proved by His miracles, by His resurrection from death that He was the visible presence of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3-4) Jesus walked the earth for more than three decades, ushering-in the Kingdom of God. He upended the norm, cured the sick, challenged the religious hierarchy, hung out with sinners, and did all sorts of things that both fulfilled prophecy and offended or shocked people.
After His resurrection Jesus spent 40 days visiting His disciples. He showed up in the most ordinary circumstances: a private dinner, two disciples walking along a road, a woman weeping in a garden, some fishermen working on a lake. He told them to remain in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit.
They saw Jesus ascend to Heaven where he received the glory He had with the Father before the world was created. (John 17:5) From His heavenly throne He passed the baton of ministry and His Holy Spirit, to His disciples. (Galatians 4:6)
Let’s review the timeframe:
John 7 Feast of Tabernacles October
John 10 Feast of the Dedication December
(In 4 months Jesus will celebrate the Passover and be arrested)
John 11-18 Passover, Arrest, Crucifixion
Acts 2 50 days after Passover is the Feast of Pentecost
On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit that dwelt in Jesus filled the disciples and every Christians since that day. In the apostle Paul’s words, “….. if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ, God's Son, put Himself between death and humanity in an action which had never been done before, which could never be done again. Jesus took upon Himself the condemnation and the destructive force of sin (II Corinthians 5:21) and died so the rest of humanity might be redeemed from the wrath of God against our broken commandments.
John 7 tells us that Jesus is in the temple in Jerusalem for the Jewish feast of Tabernacles. It took place in early October, at the time of the final harvest. (Sort of like our Thanksgiving.) It was a great celebration. For seven days the Jews lived in lean-to tents 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.
The wilderness days were long and hard, 40 years. A whole generation died while waiting to enter the Promised Land. Why create a feast to remember and celebrate that difficult period? Because every day, even in the wilderness, God provided manna and quail. They lived in the desert with the sand and heat and desolation. God never failed them.
In the wilderness God 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 hit the rock at Horeb. When he did, water gushed out. Clean, fresh, pure water, more than enough for all the people. God provided food and water in the wilderness. For 40 years their shoes never wore out. So, for seven days each year the Jews came to Jerusalem, made their lean-tos, and celebrated God’s goodness.
During the Feast of Tabernacles, every day for 7 days, 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 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 words of the common Lutheran table prayer at the end of a meal.)
When the eighth day came, things were different. This was the final feast day. It was truly the greatest day. On that day the priest did not go to the Pool of Siloam to draw water but it was the high point of their worship week.
On that day—the greatest day of the final feast—the day with no water— that is when Jesus stood up and spoke to the throngs of people crowding the Temple precincts. 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. For Jesus to say those words at that moment 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.” ( historical references “Israel My Glory”)
(read from the bible) In John chapter 10 Jesus returns to Jerusalem in December for the Feast of Dedication. The Jews asked Him: “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah tell us plainly.” Jesus replied. My miracles tell you who I am. I know my sheep. They listen to my voice and I give them eternal life. The Father and I are One.” Immediately they try to stone Him. Jesus said….”for which miracle are you stoning me? They said: We are not stoning you for the miracles, but because you a mere man claim to be God.” Four months later Jesus was dead.
In this, the 21st century, the culture has become pluralistic. Christian values and belief that Jesus is “the visible presence of the invisible God” is viewed as just one religious option among many and Jesus as only one Savior among others. Peter’s pronouncement that “Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given by which we can be saved” is rejected as arrogant, presumptuous, exclusive and intolerant. The Pharisees agreed and persecuted Jesus…we should not expect less.
On Pentecost, the crowd listening to Peter had already heard the rumors that Jesus had risen from the dead. It was like a wildfire sweeping through the city. You can hear the conversations at the outdoor markets. And on the street corners, in the temple. Were they true? What have you heard? Eyewitnesses kept coming forward saying, "I saw Jesus. I talked with Jesus. I ate with Jesus. I touched Jesus." There were other rumors as well. The High Priests and members of the Jewish Supreme Court had paid the guards to tell people that His disciples stole the body. (Matthew 28:12-15)
Peter finds himself a “street preacher”, saying: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, (is) a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst ...". You remember them well. He was popular. I’m sure some of you were in the crowd that cheered His arrival on Palm Sunday. You were part of the crowd that put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross… but God raised Him from the dead. Death could not hold Him.”
If you listen closely, you will notice that Peter didn't say, "Jesus was crucified by some bad leaders." He didn't let the people off the hook. They had been involved with the crucifixion. They were part of the crowd that called for the murder of an innocent Man and God's Divine Son. Now it was time for repentance.
That day Peter's first job wasn't to make them feel good about themselves. His job was to bring them to that point where they would say, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." Then, when they had acknowledged their guilt, as many of them did, Peter and the others could assure them that Jesus had suffered, died, and had risen from death and the grave, so that they might be forgiven and granted eternal life.
“When the people heard they were cut to the heart and asked: “What shall we do?” “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
The word work refers to Jesus' action which set aside the normal laws of nature which govern this world, He walked on water and commanded the wind and waves to be still. The term wonder is the reaction which should have been felt by anyone who saw any of the humanly impossible things which were quite possible for Jesus. (healing the blind, raising the dead) (Matthew 8:27)
Finally, Peter speaks of the sign. every miracle, every sign which Jesus had performed showed Him to be the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
Every disciple was proclaiming the same words but in the native language of all who had come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost. “God wants to redeem human beings from the grasp of Satan, so that we can fulfill the purposes for which He created us for: 1) to love God, 2) to be part of God’s family, 3) to imitate Jesus, 4) to serve Jesus and others, 5) to tell others that God’s love is displayed at the cross and empty grave of Jesus. 6) Forgiveness and eternal life is available by faith in Jesus.
The music group “We the Kingdom” has a great song titled “Holy Water”. Without the music I realize that you miss some of the power of the words…but you can listen on your own time.
Walking down these desert roads
Water for my thirsty soul
I need you Oh, I need you
Your forgiveness
Is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips
Like the sound of a symphony to my ears
Like Holy water on my skin
(I’m a) Dead man walking, slave to sin
I wanna know about being born again
I need you Oh, God, I need you “Quench my thirst.”
On Pentecost Peter and the other disciples were talking to “dead men walking in the wilderness of life looking for eternal hope and spiritual truth. Peter said: Your spiritual thirst could be quenched. Come to Jesus. Be baptized and receive His Holy Spirit.
The consequences of telling others about Jesus will last forever, the consequences of your job will not! As a student, mother, preschool teacher, salesman, or manager, or whatever you do, you should keep your eyes open for the people in whose heart God is at work . For He will place them in your path. Listen and you will hear their longing for something to quench their spiritual thirst.
Your forgiveness
Is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips
Like the sound of a symphony to my ears
Like Holy water on my skin
