John 7:37-39 JESUS: THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER
Intro: According to verse 2, the Jews were celebrating the Feats of
Tabernacles. This was a feast that occurred during the first part of our month of October.
During this seven day feast, the Jews lived in booths made of tree branches to commemorate
their forefather's pilgrimage through the wilderness. On each of these seven days, the
High Priest would go to the Pool of Siloam and draw out water in a golden vessel. This
water would then be poured out on the altar where the parts of the sacrifice were
arranged. As the water was poured out, the people sang unto the Lord and shouted for joy.
It was a time of great celebration and worship for the people. This kind of celebrating
continued for 7 days. The eighth day was called the great day of the feast. On this day,
sacrifices were again offered, but there was no singing and no shouting, this was known as
a solemn day of repentance before the Lord. Another element was missing on this day as
well; there was no water poured out on the eighth day. It was against this backdrop of
silence and symbolism that Jesus stood up and proclaimed Himself to be the Fountain Of
Living Water. When He spoke, thousands would have been present to hear Him, and everyone
who heard him would have instantly understood what He meant.
I. V. 37-38 RECOGNIZING THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER
A. In these two verses, Jesus proclaims Himself to be the place where
the living water is found. Jesus isn't the living water, but He is the fountain where it
can be found!
(Ill. Throughout the New Testament, water for drinking is a symbol of
the Holy Spirit. You see, it is the Spirit of God that comes to the sinners and shows him
his need of salvation, John 16:8. It is the Holy Spirit that applies the Word of God in
conviction, John 6:44. It is the Spirit that baptizes the new believer into the body of
Christ, 1 Cor. 12:13. It is the Spirit that seals that believer, Eph. 4:30. It is the
Spirit of God that fills the believer and uses him for the glory of God, Eph. 5:18.
Salvation involves every member of the Holy Trinity, but the Spirit of God is the One who
abides in us and helps us day by day. He is the "water of life.")
B. If the Spirit is the Water of Life, then Jesus is the Fountain Of
Living Water. Before the Water of Life could be dispensed to a lost and dying world, the
Fountain of Living Water had to be opened.
(Ill. The opening of a well. It requires that the earth be torn open so
that life giving water can flow forth.)
This was accomplished when Jesus died on the cross. (Ill. The horrible
death He died for the sin of mankind.) He allowed Himself to be mocked, beaten, spit upon,
and crucified just so He could be opened up and so the water of the Spirit might be free
to flow to a needy humanity.
(Ill. Many feel that salvation would be more of a reality if Jesus were
here in person. Even His Disciples felt this way before His death. However, Jesus told
them that if He didn't go away, the Spirit could not come into the world, John 16:7. The
best thing that could have happened did. Jesus died on the cross, rose from the dead and
ascended back into Heaven. Then, He sent His Spirit into the world to function as Living
Water to all who come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.)
C. The primary thing you need to know today is that when Jesus went to
the cross and died there, He was doing it just for you. He wasn't dying because He was a
bad man and deserved to die. He was dying because He loved you and wanted to make a way
for you to miss Hell. He died because He loves sinners, Rom. 5:6-8; Rev. 1:5.
(Ill. Never think for a moment that Jesus didn't die for you. In fact,
if you had been the only sinner in the world, Jesus would have still gone to Calvary just
to pay for your sins. What a blessing! That is a reason to praise His name. He requires
nothing of us other than we be sinners before Him. Jesus did for sinners, therefore, Jesus
died for you! 1 Cor. 15:3)
Jesus Is The Fountain Of Living Water!
I. Recognizing The Fountain Of Living Water
II. V. 38 THE REWARDS OF THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER
A. Salvation - The primary benefit of coming to
Jesus by faith is that of being eternally saved by the grace of God. Saved from what?
Hell! The sinner is condemned and doomed before the Lord, John 3:36; Psa. 9:17. However,
when that same sinner comes to Jesus and receives Him by faith, that sinner is saved from
Hell, delivered from death and protected from the wrath of God, Rom. 5:9; John 5:24; John
10:28. The soul that has placed its faith in Jesus for salvation need never fear ever
being lost again. However, be sure that what you claim to possess is a reality, 2 Pet.
1:10; 2 Cor. 13:5. Can you honestly echo the words of the great Apostle Paul in 2 Tim.
1:12.
(Ill. If this were the only benefit of coming to Jesus, it would be
worth it! Because, salvation will change your life here and bring you into a place of
blessing and into the family of God, and it guarantees you that you will go to Heaven when
you leave this world. But, there's much more!)
B. Satisfaction - Notice that it is from the
belly that these "rivers of living waters" flow. The belly is that part of man
that is never satisfied. We feed it and soon thereafter, it cries out for more. Yet, Jesus
says that if we come to Him, He will give us satisfaction for our most pressing needs.
(Ill. This world, and those in it, seeks after many things that can
never truly satisfy. Ask the addict, ask the drunkard, ask the gambler, ask that person
addicted to sex. The pursuit of these things leaves one empty and always looking for more.
Jesus, on the other hand, abundantly satisfies the soul of man! No more does the Christian
try and scratch his religious itch by participating in empty rituals and dead religion.
But, He has tapped into a fountain of living water is never exhausted, but one that
abundantly satisfies! If you do not believe me, just come to Jesus and see whether or not
these things are true, Psa. 34:8; Psa. 107:9.)
(Ill. The commercials tell us to eat Snickers. Because, "it really
satisfies." Eat one and tomorrow you will be looking for another. However, one trip
to Jesus seems to eternally satisfy those who are truly saved by faith in Him.)
(Ill. Don't you want to lay your head on your pillow in peace at night?
Jesus makes that possible! Don't you want to know for sure where your soul will spend
eternity? Jesus makes that possible! Don't you want to know true joy and contentment?
Jesus makes that possible! Don't you want to be free from the pull of the world? Jesus
makes that possible! All of these things, and many more, are available to all who will
come to Jesus. Because with Jesus we also receive of His Spirit and it is the Spirit of
God in our hearts that gives us unending joy and peace!)
C. Strength - The water never abates. It is
always there and it is constantly refreshing the life of the believer. This Living Water
is that which gives us power, gives us joy and gives us hope in this world.
(Ill. There are many who say that they could never live a Christian
life. This is a true statement! Nobody, in their natural state, can live the Christian
life. However, when the Spirit of God lives in you, John 14:16, and lives through you,
Gal. 5:16, He makes all things possible, Phil. 4:13. You see, the Spirit knows my needs
and He makes intercession for me before the throne of God, Rom. 8:26-27. It is the Spirit
of God that makes Christian living possible - Gal. 4:6. How does one get the Spirit?
Receive Jesus, He comes with the Christ, Rom. 8:9!)
D. Service - The Bible makes it clear that this
water of life that is placed within us forms a mighty river that flows out from us and
touches those around us. What the Lord is saying is that there we will be sufficiently
satisfied and that He will use us to reach others for His glory!
(Ill. The Rock in the desert, Exodus 17:6. When the Rock was opened up,
the water flowed forth into the desert and refreshed all who came into contact with it. So
it is with us. When we are saved and willing in the hand of God, He will allow us to pour
forth the Living Water into the dry desert of this world. Ill. Mark 1:17)
I. Recognizing The Fountain Of Living Water
II. The Rewards Of The Fountain Of Living Water
III. V. 37 RECEIVING THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER
(Ill. If this sounds like what you need in your life, there is a way to
get it. These verses tell us all about the benefits of coming to Jesus, but they also tell
us how to come. Notice how you can receive the Fountain Of Living Water.)
A. Appetite - Thirst - A conscious desire for
something not in one's possession. Before a person can be saved, he/she must sense their
need of salvation. This involves the conviction of the Holy Spirit, John 6:44. You see,
the sinner is dead in sins, Eph. 2:1. But, the Spirit of God comes by and quickens that
dead spirit and makes the sinner aware of his sins and of his lost condition. When this
awareness comes, the sinner can then turn to Jesus for salvation.
(Ill. As long as the sinner is satisfied in his sins and content with
his life and has no thought for God, salvation will not come to that life! However, when
the sinners sees himself as lost and Jesus as the need of his soul, he can come to Christ
and be saved by the grace of God.)
(Ill. Pro. 27:7 - If you are full of the world and sense no need of God,
you will not come to Him. But, when the soul is empty and the heart is hungry, even the
bitterness of conviction feels sweet and the path to Jesus seems a blessed thing. What a
difference a thirsty heart makes in the sinner's life.)
(Ill. Is your heart hungry today? Do you long for true peace of heart?
Have you been searching everywhere for things that simply do not and cannot satisfy the
soul? Why not come to Jesus today? He makes all the difference in life. He is what you
have been searching for!)
B. Approach - Come - Jesus invites all the
thirsty to come unto Him. Notice several aspects of Christ's cry that great day.
1. An Invitation - "Come" Isa. 55:1;
Rev. 22:17
2. Availability - "Any man" John 6:37;
1 John 5:1; Rom. 10:13
3. Access - The way is open to Jesus! His well
is never dry, if you will only come to Him, He will demonstrate His great saving power in
your life. He loves you more than you could ever know, Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38-39, and He
longs to save your eternal soul. All He requires is that you come to Him - Matt. 11:28.
C. Appropriation - Drink - (Ill. If I am
thirsty, I can satisfy that thirst with water, but water will work for my thirst, only if
I drink it. I can fix a glass, but it does me no good in the glass. It is only when I
place the glass to my lips, tilt that glass and allow the water to enter my body that I
can receive the benefits of the water.)
(Ill. Jesus is the same way! He is available to save you if you see the
need. He longs to help you and desires to redeem you from sin and Hell. And, He will if
you will only come to Him. I am afraid that many see the need and know about Jesus, but
they stop just short of inviting Him into their lives and allowing Him to save their
souls. Please, don't you be guilty of doing that same thing. No one is ever saved until
Jesus is received into that heart and life - Rev. 3:20; John 3:16; John 6:47; Rom.
10:9-10. Remember, to believe is not an attitude of the mind, but it is an exercise of the
heart.)
(Ill. Israel in Exodus 12 - The blood of the lamb could not save until
it was applied to the doorpost. Any family could have slain a lamb and eaten the flesh,
but only when the blood was applied was there safety to those abiding in the house - Ex.
12:13. So it is with salvation! Only the Blood of Jesus grants salvation to the human soul
- Heb. 9:22; 1 Pet. 1:18-19.)
(Ill. Are you under the blood today?)
Conc: Where do you stand in regard to salvation? You may
be a church member, may be faithful in attendance. You may be a visitor here today. You
may be someone who is considered by others to be wicked and beyond hope. Whatever you
situation today, rest assured that if you will leave your place and will come to Jesus
Christ today, He will save you by His power and give you everlasting life. All that is
required of you is that you came and that you believe on Him. Will you do just that today?
