Living Waters
Introduction:
Western Cowboy Song: “Cool, Clear Water” by Bob Nolan (1936)
Cool, Clear Water
All day I’ve faced a barren waste
Without the taste of water, cool water
Old Dan and I with throats burnt dry
And souls that cry for water
Cool, clear, water.
How vital water was in the dry lands out
west. It meant life to those who found it.
Body:
I.
Old Testament Background – “Living Water”
A.
Jehovah describes Himself as “fountains of living waters.” (Jeremiah
2:13)
“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the
fountains of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns
that can hold no water.”
NKJV
He
is called “fountain of life.”
(Psalm
36:9)
“For with You is the fountain of Life; In Your light we see light.”
NKJV
B.
Prophet Isaiah several times describes God as the source of spiritual life –
salvation.
·
Isaiah 12:2-3 “Wells of salvation”
“ ‘Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For Yah, the
Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ Therefore
with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.”
NKJV
Note the
apostle John’s use of this concept in
Revelation 7:14-17.
“And
I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who
come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of
God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And he who sits on the
throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst
anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in
the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains
of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ”
NKJV
A pure river
of water of life flows from the throne of God. (Revelation
22:1)
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”
NKJV
·
Isaiah 44:3-4 “Spring up” – a revival for God’s
people.
“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your
offspring; They will spring up among the grass Like willows by the
watercourses.”
NKJV
1st
– There was a restoration of Jews to the promised land after the Babylonian
captivity. This would put them in the chosen place [Bethlehem] for the
coming of the Messiah. 2nd – This was a renewal for God’s
people under the New Covenant, in the spiritual body of Christ.
·
Isaiah 55:1-3
“Ho! Everyone
who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and
eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do
you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not
satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul
delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and
your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you – The
sure mercies of David.”
NKJV
The prior
chapter talked about enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ. This chapter
gives the invitation for all to come and receive the blessings. We
must “incline, hear, and come.” We must accept the invitation. (Revelation
22:17)
“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say,
‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the
water of life freely.”
NKJV
David’s descendent, Jesus, would sit and rule on the spiritual throne.
II.
New Testament Fulfillment
A.
John 4:5-14
“So He came to a
city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob
gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being
wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth
hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a
drink.’ For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then
the woman of Samaria said to Him. ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a
drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with
Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God,
and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a Drink,’ you would have asked Him,
and He would have given you living water.’ The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, You
have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that
living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well,
and drank from it himself as well as his sons and his livestock?’
13-14
Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst
again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never
thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain
of water springing up into everlasting life.’ ”
NKJV
John
4:13-14
“Never thirst” – Living water quenches thirst and longings of all who drink
at the fountain’s source, Jesus.
B.
John 6:35
“And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall
never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
NKJV
Jesus makes it
possible to have eternal life for the soul. He is the source of and means
of obtaining eternal life. (John
20:30-31)
“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples,
which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may
have life in His name.”
NKJV
Jesus’ words
to Martha when Lazarus died. (John
11:25-26)
“Never thirst”
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in
Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me
shall never die. Do you believe this?’ ”
NKJV
Jesus fully
satisfies the deepest needs of the soul. Spiritual void can’t be filled
with money, jobs, power, prestige, philosophies, . . . Only Christ can
fully supply what we need most – love, forgiveness, peace, hope.
C.
John 7:37-38
“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. He who believes in Me, as the
Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
NKJV
Comments on
John 7:37-38:
“Again John said Jesus “cried,” or cried out with a loud voice so that all
could hear. This occurrence was on “the last day, that great day of the
feast.”
Each day, during the feast a priest carried a golden pitcher to the pool (of
Siloam), filled it and returned to the court of the temple, accompanied by
throngs of people rejoicing greatly and poured it on the altar.
Immediately, the Hallel, consisting of
Psalms 113-118
was chanted by the Levites and the people repeated each line after the
priests. It was a ceremony of much joy and satisfaction. Ancient rabbis
are quoted as having said that he who had never witnessed this ceremony did
not really know what rejoicing meant. At the close of the singing of the
Hallel there was a pause in the activities and it was evidently at this
moment that the voice of the Lord rang out. . .”
Jesus contrasted the literal water from the pool with the living water or
spiritual blessings that He offered. This was similar to some Old Testament
passages.
(Isaiah
32:2)
“A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the
tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in
a weary land.”
NKJV
(Isaiah
55:1)
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without
price.”
NKJV
(Isaiah
58:11)
“The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And
strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring
of water; whose waters do not fail.”
NKJV
Thirst is one of the strongest of human desires, and is well-suited to
describe the longing of the soul for the Truth that sets us free. (Matthew
5:6)
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall
be filled.”
NKJV
(John
8:32)
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
NKJV
To come to Jesus and drink is to believe on Him and follow His teachings.
Those who believe that He is the Messiah will become a blessing to others.
The reference to “belly” is figurative meaning from the inner man or
spirit. “Rivers” indicates an abundance of blessings, and “Living water” is
contrasted with the stagnant pool.” Unknown
Invitation:
John 6:40
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and
believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the
last day.”
NKJV
This is an
obedient faith.
Bobby Stafford
June 3, 2018
