John 7 The Provider of the Water of Life | Amy Anthony

Amy Anthony

John 7

November 20, 2024

Timing is Everything 

• Before the Feast (John 1-9): 
  • “After these things…” 
  • Walking in Galilee 
  • The Feast of Booths was Near- 6 months from Passover 
  • 3 Applications:
     
    • Jesus’ brothers were quick to attribute wrong motives to His deeds, assuming He was seeking the limelight, wanting fame and notoriety for Himself. Bad things happen when you assume. Are you, am I, ever guilty of assuming I know someone’s motivation for saying or doing something instead of taking the time to just ask them? To find out more? To build a bridge toward understanding instead of burning the bridge with hurtful assumptions?
    • Jesus LIVED with these guys, and they still missed the fact that He was the real deal…at least for now in our story. They knew Him probably better than almost anyone, but needed more to believe. Maybe that’s you too. Maybe you grew up knowing Him but not believing Him. Let today be the day that you change that.
    • We do not belong to the world, and the world hates us because it hated Jesus first. This world should not feel comfortable to you, and if it does, you probably need to have a deep heart to heart with the Lord. But if you have been feeling like a stranger in a strange land lately, you can rejoice because this world may hate you, but Jesus loves you.

• The Feast of Booths 
  • Begins on the 15th day of the 7th month (Tishrei)
  • Is one week long, but ends with a Holy Convocation on the 8th day as well.
  • Is one of three feasts that all Jews are supposed to travel to Jerusalem for.
  • Celebrates the fall harvest (ingathering) and is a time for rejoicing
  • Requires all Jews to live in temporary housing (booths) to remind them of how the people of Israel lived in booths when God brought them out of Egypt.
  • Involves daily sacrifices at the temple, and the complete reading of the law every 7 years. 

• The Feast (John 10-36) 
  • We don’t even know what Jesus was teaching about, only the uproar His teaching caused
  • The most important lesson for them and for us came out of the crowd grappling with the question of who Jesus was.                                                Is He a good guy? A rabble rouser? A miracle worker? A law breaker? Or is He the Christ, the Messiah, sent by God? The Word of God? The Son of God? 
    • Application
       You need to know that you know that you know who He is because one day it will be too late.
•  The Last Day of the Feast (John 37-53) 
  • The water drawing ceremony symbolized God’s physical provision and spiritual salvation
  • “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink”. The offer was free and for everyone, but the cost was great and Jesus bore it alone.
  • Applications
     
    • I was blessed when I arrived at the gate and found out I had more time, but there will come a point for each non-believer when the time is up. Decide to satisfy that thirst and believe in Him now, before it’s too late. 
    • And if you are a believer it says those streams of living water should flow from us. Morgan says, “He was able to satisfy thirst, and, moreover, that those who received such satisfaction from Him should become channels through whom the overflowing rivers should pass.” Is your joy overflowing? Who are you sharing Jesus with?