Thirsty?

THIRSTY?

John 7:37-39

S: Life

Th: Living water

Pr: WE ARE DESIGNED TO BE SATISFIED.

?: How?

KW: Courses of action

TS: Since we are designed to be satisfied, we will find in our study of John 7:37-39 three courses of action we take to accomplish that state of contentedness.

The _____ course of action is to…

I. GRASP

II. GULP

III. GUSH

Version: ESV

RMBC 28 July 02 AM

INTRODUCTION:

ILL Notebook: Preparation (neckties)

A man is crawling through the Sahara desert when he is approached by another man riding on a camel. As the rider approaches, the crawling man whispers through his parched lips, ”Water. . .please. . .can you give. . .water…”

“I’m sorry,” replies the man on the camel, “I don’t have any water with me. But I’d be delighted to sell you a necktie.”

“Necktie?” whispers the man. “I need water!”

“They’re only four dollars a piece.”

“I need water.”

“Okay, okay, two for seven dollars.”

“Please! I need water!” the man exclaims.

“I don’t have any water, all I have are ties,” replies the salesman, as he heads off into the distance.

By now the man has lost all track of time, crawling through the desert seemingly for days. Finally, nearly dead, with clothes tattered and skin peeling under the relentless sun, he comes to an oasis with a restaurant. Summoning his last bit of strength he staggers to the door and confronts the headwaiter.

“Water. . .can I get. . .water,” the dying man pleads.

“I’m sorry, sir. Neckties required.”

Have you ever really been thirsty?

When you are thirsty, there is not much else you can think about, like appropriate clothing attire for fine dining.

When you are thirsty, you cannot get it out of your mind.

It is all you think about.

TRANSITION:

As we come to our text today, it is found in the context of thirst.

As you may remember from our previous studies, we are with Jesus in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Feast of Tabernacles was a time to remember when Israel lived in the wilderness before coming to the Promised Land.

One of the rituals was intended to remind them of the time that they were very thirsty.

Here is how the story goes as it reads in Exodus 17:

[1] All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. [2] Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” [3] But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” [4] So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” [5] And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. [6] Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. [7] And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

So…

1. During the feast, water is poured out to remember the wonderful supply God gave to the Jews in the wilderness (cf. Exodus 17:1-7).

Each morning at the time of sacrifice, the priests would draw water in a golden vessel from the Pool of Siloam and carry it to the temple to be poured out.

It was a very festive time each day, as people would wave palm branches, rejoicing and praising God.

This is the background, then, to which Jesus speaks, when He says:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

One thing that should catch our attention today, is that though…

2. Rejected and condemned, Jesus continues to offer Himself to those who will hear and receive Him (I Corinthians 10:4).

In our studies so far this year, we have seen Jesus condemned by the Jewish religious leaders in chapter 5.

In chapter 6, Jesus is abandoned by the multitude in Galilee.

Then in chapter 7, a warrant for His arrest is issued in Jerusalem.

But what we are to note here is that Jesus does not turn away from those that have turned on Him.