Passage To Study:

John 7:37-44

[37] On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. [38] “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” [39] But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 
[40] Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” [41] Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? [42] “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” [43] So there was a division among the people because of Him. [44] Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

What are the facts of the passage?:

  • (Verse 37-38) - Jesus preaches the Gospel of God as sufficient for the ongoing thirst of man.

  • (Verse 39) - We are told that this sufficiency will be met by the Holy Spirit, Who would be given to all who will believe after Christ's glorification.

  • (Verse 40-42) - Some of His listeners discuss if He is the promised Prophet, or even the Messiah, and others deny it because He supposedly didn't  fulfill prophecy.

  • (Verse 43-44) - Consequently, there was division among the people with some wanting to take Him, but no one did.

What do those facts mean?:

(Verse 37-39) - These are two of the most beautiful and profound verses in all of the Scripture. The thirst that Jesus addresses is the general spiritual thirst that is seen in many men. We can look at this in one of two ways.

It might be seen as a kind of invitation. Namely. ''If anyone...and anyone can" would be one sense that we could understood this phrase. We would, as honest people, be forced to admit that this passage doesn't say that just anyone can. of course, we must also acknowledge that it doesn't say that anyone can't come either! It doesn't specifically address the issue of who can or cannot come at all.

Secondly, many see this a definitive statement that should not be seen as an invitation at all, but as a statement of promise. It says nothing about who does or does not thirst. Rather, we should concentrate on the central point: that is that anyone who does believe will have a source of provision within him in the person of the Holy Spirit.

The point here is similar to the point made to the Samaritan woman in Chapter 4. The religious mechanisms that all human religions have put in place are temporary and insufficient to meet the need of man & the requirement of God. The are no more than a short-term solution at best. More is required; more that man is incapable of providing for himself. This need must be met by the supernatural provision of the One, true and living God.

How do those facts apply to my life?:

The sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ to satisfy the true need of man's heart is to be the center post of all ministry. Men must come to see that they and their man-made mechanisms of human righteousness are useless in regard to true spirituality.

What should I do in response?:

I need to be sure that this point is the focus of all that I preach and all that I communicate to others.

 

Day
34

 

 
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