John 7:37
I believe you may all have heard the common saying Water is life? Why do we say that? Because of the crucial role water plays in life. Water, is indispensable. See, if I give us the choice of two things to choose to live without — electricity and water — for 1 week, what will you choose? I know this is difficult, to choose between light and water. However, at least, we can have some battery powered lights, but we can’t have a replacement for water. Water is truly life!
The most valuable and significant natural resource on earth is water. It keeps all life going. Without water, life cannot exist. Water is essential not only for humans but also for the ecosystem as a whole. Water covers about 71% of Earth’s surface. Sadly, freshwater accounts for only 3% of the available water – (United Nations SGDS (Sustainability development Goals website).
Now the context of the words we have read was spoken at a festival or feast. We know this because the verse tells us: “On the last day of the feast.…” The Jews had a number of feasts they celebrate in remembrance of God’s deliverance from Egypt. And this feast in particular is called The Feast of Booths or tabernacle (v.2). It celebrated God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and his provision for them during the period including God providing water for them. During their wilderness sojourning they dwelt in temporal shelter, and this festival commemorates that. This feast also commemorates God’s provision of water for the Israelites while sojourning in the wilderness. So there is a lot of water ritual during the seven days celebrations. Jesus therefore in this verse took opportunity of the significance of the celebrations and turned attention unto himself using the very thing they looked forward to to teach them a lesson.
Maybe year after year, they celebrate this festival without meaning. Maybe despite it’s celebration, they still haven’t found joy. Maybe, to many of them, it is just a ritual that leaves them empty afterwards. But here comes Jesus, using a component of the feast—water–to call sinners to himself. This morning, I want us to consider for a sermon title what I have called The Thirsty Soul. I will speak about three things this morning: State Of The Thirsty Soul, Summons To The Thirsty Soul, Satisfaction For The Thirsty Soul.
The State of The Thirsty The Soul
“If anyone thirsts…” (v.37)
Science tells us that, the human body comprises about 60% water. A study also goes further to give a breakdown of the composition of water in the organs in our body: the brain and heart 73% water, lungs 83%, skin 64%, kidney 79%, bones 31%. More specifically, according to this study, water plays a pivotal role in the human body: it forms saliva for digestion, it allows the body’s cells to grow, reproduce and survive, it flushes body waste, mainly in urine, it lubricates the joints, it regulates body temperature (sweating and respirations), it acts as a shock absorber for brain and spinal cord, it converts food to components needed for survival (digestion), it helps deliver oxygen all over the body.
Now everyone of us will have to drink water to keep going. And when there is no water in your body, it is said you are dehydrating—losing body fluid due to illness or lack of intake of enough water. And the first sign your body triggers that you need water, is that you get Thirsty! What is Thirst? “A Craving for something to drink, often associated with water.” I hope you have seen the importance of water in the human body. The first signal your body sends you when it has not got enough water, is thirst. And what is true in the natural world, is equally true in the spiritual world. The first signal your dehydrated soul sends you is thirst. Jesus says: “If anyone thirsts…” Dehydration therefore is The State of The Thirsty Soul
And dear friends, this dehydration is not of natural water, but of spiritual water: It is a dehydration of the soul — A craving to satisfy your soul. And this craving can manifest in many different ways. You feel there is more to life (a craving of your soul for more– false contentment or complacency). But then also it could be a dissatisfaction with life. You feel empty. Nothing satisfies you in life. Perhaps life has become a mere routine to you. Why am here on earth? That is a craving for purpose. Is this all there is to life. Perhaps you feel troubled with many issues of life staring at you. Your soul is indeed dehydrated. Hear Max Lucado, a Pastor and author in his book Come Thirst
Deprive your soul of spiritual water, and your soul will tell you. Dehydrated hearts send desperate messages. Snarling tempers. Waves of worry…You think God wants you to live with these? Hopelessness. Sleeplessness. Loneliness. Resentment. Irritability. Insecurity. These are warning
These are warnings! Dear friends, wake-up! If these things are present in your life, then the warning bells are ringing. And here are two reasons your soul is thirsty.
Sin
Sin is the main cause for all of our problems. At the root of all the issues of life is the problem of sin. Firstly, the problem of original sin. This simply means that all human beings are born sinners and inherit the consequences of Adam’s sin. Romans 5:12 tells us through one man, sin entered the world. And because of this we have all been affected by this sin (Romans 3:23). David lamenting over his sin in Psalm 51:5 says in sin he was conceived. Dear friends, our many problems; worry, dissatisfaction in life, anxiety, is first and foremost a result of our original sin problem.
Then secondly follows our own sinful choices and decisions. Many of our problems can be traced to our sinful choices and decisions in life. Our disobedience of God’s law. Our sinful choices. If we will be honest to ourselves, we are our number 1 enemies. Unfortunately, often we try to blame others, rather than ourselves. Look into the mirror dear friends, the person you see is the greatest enemy of your life.
Seeking Satisfaction in the wrong places
Unfortunately, when our soul is thirsty, our first instinct is satisfaction in wrong places. And there are many things people will do to numb their dissatisfaction in life: sinful pleasures: illicit sex, some may be caught in the chains of pornography to dull their aching souls. Some will do illicit drugs; some will turn to alcohol and other vices.
Summons to The Thirsty Soul
“Let him come to me and drink…”
Let me take a pause and ask. I trust there is none of us here caught up in any of these. If you are, then cry out to God to help you. Turn to Christ for help. He throws an invitation to the thirsty soul. He issues a Summons To The Thirsty Soul: “Let him come to me and drink…” “Let him…” It is personal. It is individual. Jesus is speaking to the crowd, yet he is calling out individuals. If you were in the crowd? What will be your response?
See, this is one of many invitations Jesus threw to sinners inviting them to come to him. And it is instructive the mode of the call: He didn’t whisper. It was not casual. He cried! That is a shout! That is screaming. That was a passionate plea! That was an urgent call.
Now in similar language, John 6:39, Jesus spoke of himself as the bread of life: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and who ever believes in me shall never thirst.” Here is an invitation to the hungry and thirsty soul. It is an invitation for spiritual nourishment. One of the profound places in the Bible is Jesus’ call to the weary soul and burdened soul. Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” It is the pattern of Scripture and if you like the nature of God that he calls or invites sinners, the weary, the broken hearted constantly to himself. And he calls us to come freely. Come freely. You don’t’ have to pay anything. You just have to believe. You just have to put your in Christ. That’s the point of the call: “come and drink” To drink is to make Jesus your joy. To drink is to make Jesus your satisfaction. To drink is to set your gaze and pleasures on Christ. To drink is to Look to Jesus and Live
Look and live,” my brother, live.
Look to Jesus now and live.
’Tis recorded in His Word, Hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”
In our first Scripture reading, we read Isaiah 55:1-3 where God through the prophet makes a call to come
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
Satisfaction For The Thirsty Soul
Is your soul thirsty? Is your soul famished? Is there dissatisfaction in your life? Are you burdened by the guilt of sin? Bring them all to Jesus.
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
All to Jesus I surrender
Only at Your feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Fill me with Your love and power
Come, dear friends, let us together drink from the rivers of living water. It is only in Jesus there is Satisfaction For The Thirsty Soul (v.38). This is Joy for sadness. Gladness for mourning. Beauty for Ashes. Dancing for sorrow. Pardon for sins. Acquittal of the guilty. This is eternal life. Speaking to the woman at the well, Jesus said
But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14).
This is a picture of spiritual nourishment. Jesus offers himself as the only one to satisfy our longing souls. He is our redeemer and friend. He is the one who died to save us from sin that we may be reconciled to the father.
Now you and I can expect this satisfaction, because it is a biblical promise. It is God’s word. Jesus offers what Scripture offers. Look at the 2nd part of v.38: “as the Scripture has said” So here is a reference to a promise God has already made in the Scriptures and Jesus offers it to the audience gathered. My Bible cross-references Isaiah 12:3: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” The satisfaction that is promised here in the text is not a temporal satisfaction. It’s not a fleeting satisfaction. It’s indeed God’s gift of his Spirit which he gives to us (v.39). Therefore, it is not a satisfaction that can be taken from you. It is God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts
Jesus in these verses we have just looked at offers spiritual nourishment for the thirsty soul. Maybe you have not really experienced the joy that there is in Jesus Christ. Maybe you struggle with a besetting sin which always steals your joy. Dear friends, bring everything to Christ through faith. Maybe for you, you haven’t believed yet in what Christ has accomplished. Let me remind you that Jesus’ death on the cross was to bring salvation to sinners. And sinners must believe in his work to be saved.
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