John 7:1-44
Key Verse: 7:38
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
In the previous chapter Jesus revealed that he was the Messiah who came into this world as the bread of life to give us spiritual food. So he invited people to come to him and promised that they would never go hungry spiritually. But many people did not understand Jesus’ teaching and they no longer followed him. Today, Jesus invites us to drink the living water he offers. This is Jesus’ fifth discourse with the Jews. The setting of today’s narrative is the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus declares that he is the streams of living water (38). Let’s think about what it means that “Jesus is the streams of living water.” I pray that God may quench our spiritual thirst through the indwelling Holy Spirit. May God bless us to accept Jesus’ invitation and believe him as our promised Messiah so that we may live for the glory of God.
PART I. MY TIME HAS NOT YET COME (1-9)
First, Jesus’ worldly brothers (1-5). After the event of healing a man who had been an invalid for 38 years, the opposition from the Jews intensified. They were trying to take Jesus’ life. Look at verse 2. “But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near…” The Feast of Tabernacles was one of the three great Feasts in the Jewish year, celebrating the completion of the harvest and commemorating God’s grace to the Israelites during the time of their lives in the desert (Lev 23:33-43). As the Feast of Tabernacles was near, most people were stirred up with the party mood. Jesus’ brothers were also excited by the party mood. What did they recommend Jesus to do? Look at verses 3 and 4. “Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world’” Jesus’ brothers pushed Jesus to show off his stuff and become a public figure. They wanted to cash in Jesus’ miracles for their advantage. When Jesus became popular, they would become very popular among people too. Lisa Marie Pressley became popular because her father Elvis Pressley was a king of rock and roll music. As Jesus’ brothers they imagined that a large crowd of people would wave their hands asking their signatures. They were hungry for men’s praise. They were thirsty for the worldly fame. M. Moses Chun was thirsty for human love when he was young. He seemed to have no problem to receive a lot of love from girls because he was a handsome boy. But to our surprise no one quenched his thirst for human love. But when he met Jesus, he received God’s everlasting love through Jesus. Now he is seeking God’s love not human love. He has a vision to be a man of prayer like Moses. As people from all the towns and villages were going up to Jerusalem to enjoy the festivities, Jesus still looked as if he had no intention of going up to Jerusalem. The author said in verse 5, “For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” They were Jesus’ own brothers, but they did not see the spiritual side of Jesus. The author commented that they were men of unbelief. Though they were near Jesus, they did not see Jesus as the Messiah of the world. They did not understand Jesus due to their human thinking. Sometimes people close to us do not understand what we are doing due to their unbelief. We should not seek men’s praise but God’s favor.
Second, the right time for me has not yet come. (6-9). What did Jesus say to them? Look at verse 6. “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.” “My time” or “my hour” is one of the themes of John’s gospel, aiming toward the time of climax through Jesus’ crucifixion. In the case of verse 6, “My time” refers to the best opportunity to do something for God. Therefore “the right time for me” (6) means seeking the opportunity to please God. Jesus was very sensitive about God’s time schedule. During the festive occasion, all the people of the country tried to please themselves or their wives, as we do at vacation time. But Jesus didn’t try to please himself or his brothers. Because of this, Jesus could not make his brothers happy. In John’s gospel 2 Jesus’ mother Mary said to Jesus, “They have no more wine.” But Jesus said, “My time has not yet come.” (John 2:3-4) Jesus waited for God’s time until the spiritual environment was prepared through the obedience of the servants. Then he performed the first miracle by changing the water into wine. He revealed the glory of God through this event. He disappointed Mary for a while in order to wait for the right time. By doing so he turned a crisis into an opportunity to reveal the glory of God. My time and God’s time are different. It is important to wait for God’s time. If we become impatient and act according to please our human desire, we may lose an opportunity to glorify God. M. Anna Glenn applied a visa to come to the United States many times but she was rejected. God’s time had not yet come to her. But when she accepted God’s plan to marry a man of faith Lawson who needed a suitable helper, it took only four months for her to get a visa. God blessed her because she waited for God’s time patiently. God turned her worst human condition into a great opportunity to reveal his glory. We have to wait for the right time to reveal God’s glory. How can we know God’s right time? That’s a good question. We know God’s time when we are awake spiritually and seek God’s will.
Look at verse 7. “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.” In order to please God, Jesus was hated, rejected, and persecuted by the world. When sinful people heard his message, their sins were revealed and their pride was hurt. Because of this, the people of the world hated Jesus unconditionally. So we should not be surprised if we are hated because of the name of Jesus. After saying this, Jesus sent his brothers ahead of him to the Feast, but he stayed all alone in Galilee (9).
PART II. JESUS TESTIFIES THAT HE CAME FROM GOD (10-36)
First, Jesus’ teaching is from God (10-17). After his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret (10). Even if Jesus went there in secret, there was widespread whispering about Jesus. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people” (12,13). They needed to know who Jesus really was. Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach (14). How did they respond? Look at verse 15. “The Jews were amazed and asked, ‘How did this man get such learning without having studied?’” Behind their amazement was the Jews’ agony. When they spoke in the synagogue with pomp and eloquence using rare selective words, people were bored and began to doze off with snoring sounds. But when Jesus spoke, the people were moved by his words (Mk 1:27) and were filled with joy and excitement. They said, “Amen! Praise God. Hallelujah!” They knew that Jesus’ teaching was from God because Jesus’ word was so powerful enough to change people’s lives. Even the evil spirit came out of a man when Jesus commanded, “Come out.” (Mk. 1:25-26) Jesus proved his awesome power through his word. Jesus was like the new wine and the teachers of the law the old wine. Look at verse 17. “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” Here Jesus tells us that choice reveals one’s inner motive. For example, by faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. In other words, he “chose” to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time” (Heb 11:24,25). This choice led him to grow up to be a shepherd for 600,000 Israelites. Because of his choice he did not become one of the mummies in the Egyptian pyramid but he became a great spiritual leader who appeared to Jesus with Elijah at the mountain summit. (Mk 9:4) Jim Elliot is regarded as a pioneer of South American gospel mission. As a graduate of Wheaton College he could become a powerful evangelist like Billy Graham in the States but he chose to be a missionary for Ecuador. His choice reflected his inner motive. Though he was martyred in his early mission, he opened the door for Latin American mission. He paid the cost of being a follower of Jesus.
Jesus chose to do God’s will. It was the thorny path to the cross. It was the path to a sacrificial life. It was the path to endless sufferings. But Jesus chose to obey God’s will because he loved God. God’s will for him was to die on the cross for the sins of the world. Still Jesus chose to do the will of God. As a result of choosing to do God’s will he was crucified on the cross. Jesus was willing to pay the price in his choice. When we choose to do the will of God, we will know that Jesus is the Son of God from heaven. Look at verse 18. “He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” We know how people struggle so hard for their own future security, especially for their own honor. One of the greatest preachers recently wrote in his book, “I worked until now for my own success, but from now on I must work for the glory of God.” He really surprised us. But Jesus worked from the beginning for the glory of God. This is the best testimony that Jesus is the Son of God from heaven.
Look at verses 21-24. Here Jesus rebuked the hypocrisy of the Jews. They violated the law of the Sabbath to circumcise their kids but they condemned Jesus when he healed a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. They did not apply the Sabbath law to themselves but applied only to Jesus. They judged Jesus by mere human appearances. They were men of contradictions. They were wrong. Because of his healing one pathetic person, Jesus was in danger of being killed. But Jesus did not mind. Jesus’ shepherd heart was God’s compassion toward sinners. Jesus was different from the hired shepherds who run away when they saw the danger of their life. Jesus laid down his life for the sheep. Jesus’ shepherd heart testifies that he is the Christ.
Second, Jesus testifies that he is the Christ (25-36). At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ?” (25,26) Some people wondered if the people in authority had really concluded that Jesus is the Christ. In their deep hearts they hoped that he was not the Christ, but a country evangelist from Galilee. On hearing their controversies Jesus testified about himself that he is the Christ. Why is he the Christ? It is because Jesus was sent by God to do the will of God; Jesus knows God because he came from God. Read verses 28 and 29. “Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, ‘Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.’”
The unbelief of the Pharisees was astonishing. After hearing Jesus’ testimony about himself they became even more unbelieving and tried to arrest Jesus. But they could not, because God did not allow them to do so. Look at verse 30. “At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.” This passage gives us the impression that darkness prevails in the world. Satanic forces seem to control the world. But this is not the case. Throughout the ages many people have said many controversial things about Jesus. The people were divided because of Jesus. Still, in every age there are many who confess that Jesus is the Christ, in the midst of unbelieving people. Read verse 31. “Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, ‘When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?’” To their question, “Is Jesus the Christ?” Jesus gives a clear answer that he is the Christ. Why is he the Christ? Because Jesus came from God and because Jesus was sent by God to save men from their sins. “The one who sent him” or “he who sent me” or “he sent me” are repeated five times (16,18, 28,29,33). Jesus is the one who was promised to come as the Savior of the world. Let me ask you a question, “Why is he the Christ to you?” To me he is my Messiah, King, Shepherd, Master, Lord and Savior. Why? Jesus was willing to pay the cost of being my Messiah. He died for my dirty sins and gave me eternal life in his kingdom. He gave me meaning and purpose of my life. The Jewish opposition, worldly persecutions, his own brother’s human misunderstanding, vicious personal attacks, death threats, and split opinions did not deter Jesus’ willingness to fulfill God’s mission to become our Savior. Where can we find such a Messiah as Jesus? Who else can be our Messiah, King, Shepherd, and Savior other than Jesus Christ? May God open our spiritual eyes to see Jesus as our Christ. Let’s repent of our stubborn unbelief and accept Jesus as our Messiah.
PART III. JESUS THE STREAMS OF LIVING WATER (37-44)
Finally it was the last day and the greatest day of the Feast (37,38). Look at verses 37 and 38. “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’” This was the climax of the Feast. The highlight of the Feast was the water-pouring ceremony. All people at the Feast wanted to enjoy watching the water-pouring ceremony. It was like a cake-cutting ceremony at the end of the wedding ceremony. This reminded them of the time when water gushed from the rock and quenched the thirsty souls of their forefathers in the wilderness. Exodus 17:6b says, “Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” At this ceremony, they remembered God’s grace of quenching the thirst of their forefathers. And they rejoiced. In allegory, the “Rock” is compared to Jesus, and the water to the Holy Spirit. Jesus used the term living water in John 4:10 to indicate eternal life. Here he uses the term to refer to the Holy Spirit. The two go together: wherever the Holy Spirit is accepted, he brings eternal life. Jesus teaches more about the Holy Spirit in John 14-16. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus’ followers at Pentecost (Acts 2) and has since been available to all who believe in Jesus as Savior.
In chapter 6 Jesus offered himself as a real bread of life to sustain our spiritual life. In this passage Jesus offered himself as the streams of living water. As God quenched the thirst of Israel people in the desert, so Jesus can quench our thirsty souls with his living water. At this point, Jesus taught them what their real problem was. They were hungry and thirsty even though they drank and ate a lot during the time of festivities. Indeed, they were hungry and thirsty souls. Without streams of living water people are thirsty no matter what they do. Look at verse 39. “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” Here the streams of living water refer to the Holy Spirit that will be poured out like water to all who come to Jesus and believe him as the Messiah. The Holy Spirit will be given after his ascension. Let’s look at verse 38 again. “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Wow! What a wonderful promise it is! If we believe in Jesus, we will receive the power of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit was poured out to his disciples who were praying in the upper room. What happened to the disciples when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them? They were no longer thirsty though they did not drink a lot. They were happy and satisfied. The Holy Spirit empowered them to become witnesses of Jesus to the end of the world. The Holy Spirit solved their language problem. Acts 2:4 says, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Many people attended the Spanish class S. Belssi and Isabel offered. I was very tight in speaking Spanish and I need the Holy Spirit to loose my tongue. Acts 2:17 says, “In the last days, God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” When we receive the streams of living water, God will enable us to become men and women of vision. We can dream dreams. We will overcome our selfish desires and remember the word of God.
What was people’s response? On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet” (40). Others said, “He is the Christ” (41a). The same is true with us. When we believe that Jesus is the one who was sent by God we can believe that Jesus is the Christ. When we believe in Jesus the Holy Spirit comes upon us. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us we can experience that the streams of living water are flowing in our souls.
At this time we must ask ourselves, “Why am I thirsty even though I drink so much?” Thirsty souls are as pitiful as deer in the desert; they are panting for streams of living water. The streams of living water is Jesus Christ. There is true satisfaction to those who have Jesus, the streams of living water. Jesus is inviting us to him so that we may drink the living water. May God bless us to drink the living water Jesus offers! Let’s read the key verse 38.