Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / John 7:37-39

Transcript

John 7:37-39 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

• 0:00
  Please join us there as we turn our attention to the study of God's word.
• 0:03
  John chapter 7, verses 37 through 39.
• 0:10
  On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out,
• 0:15
  ! If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
• 0:19
  Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said,
• 0:22
  out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
• 0:25
  Now this he said about the Spirit,
• 0:27
  whom those who believed in him were yet to receive.
• 0:30
  For as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
• 0:36
  Our text this afternoon, you have to forgive me if I say this warning,
• 0:41
  records one of the many times that Jesus made invitations to any who would hear him.
• 0:47
  J.C. Ryle, in his introduction to a sermon on these verses, stated,
• 0:51
  quote,
• 1:21
  If we are to understand well the richness and fullness of the invitation of Jesus in this text,
• 1:32
  we are first going to need a bit of background.
• 1:36
  As we have been preaching a bit differently,
• 1:39
  we've taken a break from going verse by verse by verse through a book of the Bible,
• 1:43
  and we're kind of skipping through the text and encouraging you all to join us in reading the Bible plan.
• 1:50
  And one of the goals of that is to help you see how beautifully tied together the scripture is.
• 1:55
  And this is one of those texts that helps us with that,
• 1:58
  helps us to see how significant Jesus' words were in light of what the Old Testament had to say about him.
• 2:07
  So for us to really get that, there's a couple of things we need to know,
• 2:10
  some background information.
• 2:12
  His original hearers would have fully understood, and we need a little time to catch up.
• 2:17
  So first, concerning the timing of Jesus' invitation.
• 2:23
  The setting of John chapter 7, verse 37 through 39,
• 2:26
  is in Jerusalem at the time of the Feast of Booths, also called the Feast of Tabernacles.
• 2:33
  The Feast of Booths occurred in late September to early October,
• 2:37
  and was one of the three great feasts that all males, if they were able, were required to celebrate.
• 2:43
  You can see Deuteronomy 16, 16.
• 2:47
  Josephus, the Jewish historian, referred to the Feast of Booths as the holiest and the greatest of the feasts.
• 2:55
  J.C. Ryle adds that Jerusalem was the metropolis of Judaism
• 2:59
  and the strongholds of priests and scribes of Pharisees and Sadducees.
• 3:03
  So the religious elites are all gathered in Jerusalem for this feast.
• 3:10
  They would not have missed it.
• 3:12
  The Jewish historian, Alfred Eidersheim, writes that the Feast of Tabernacles
• 3:18
  was the most joyous of all festive seasons in Israel, was that of the Feast of Tabernacles.
• 3:25
  It fell on a time of year when the hearts of the people would naturally be full of thankfulness,
• 3:30
  gladness, and expectancy.
• 3:31
  All the crops had been long stored, and now all fruits were also gathered.
• 3:37
  The vintage passed, and the land only awaited the softening and refreshment of the latter rain
• 3:43
  to prepare it for a new crop.
• 3:46
  It was appropriate that, when the commencement of the harvest had been consecrated
• 3:50
  by offering the first ripe sheaf of barley,
• 3:53
  and the full ingathering of the corn by the two wave loaves,
• 3:57
  there should now be a harvest feast of thankfulness and of gladness unto the Lord."
• 4:03
  End quote.
• 4:04
  The observance of the Feast of Booths combined the ingathering of the labor of the field,
• 4:10
  the fruit of the earth, the ingathering of the threshing floor and wine press,
• 4:14
  and the dwelling in booths or tabernacles, think tents, temporary shelters,
• 4:20
  all of which was to be a joyful celebration for Israel.
• 4:26
  The booth in Scripture is not an image of privation and misery,
• 4:30
  but of protection, preservation, and shelter from heat and storm.
• 4:35
  The rejoicing community included family, servants, widows, orphans, Levites, and sojourners.
• 4:43
  To summarize, the Feast of Booths was a time of thanksgiving for the harvest.
• 4:48
  It was a happy time.
• 4:49
  Devout Jews lived outdoors in booths made of tree branches for seven days
• 4:53
  as a reminder of God's provision in the desert during the wilderness wanderings.
• 4:58
  Now, there were two practices that were not mentioned in Scripture,
• 5:01
  but were included in the oral tradition passed on from Moses.
• 5:06
  This is historians inform us of this.
• 5:09
  One was the special commandment of the willow,
• 5:13
  in which branches were cut and brought to the temple
• 5:15
  and laid around and over the altar to make a sort of booth for the altar.
• 5:20
  Again, think of their sojourning in the wilderness and the tabernacle.
• 5:26
  The other was the water libation.
• 5:29
  Each morning there was a solemn procession from the temple mount
• 5:33
  to the pool of Siloam for a pitcher of water.
• 5:36
  A priest would fill a gold pitcher with water
• 5:39
  as the people sang together Isaiah 12 and verse 3.
• 5:43
  So picture the people going into the temple,
• 5:46
  laying these branches around,
• 5:47
  and then going out, gathering this water from the pool of Siloam,
• 5:51
  and they would sing Isaiah 12, 3, which says this,
• 5:55
  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
• 6:01
  And they would go each of these seven days through this process in the morning.
• 6:07
  The procession would return to the temple mount with trumpets blasting and great fanfare.
• 6:12
  There the priest would pour the water into a silver basin by the altar of burnt offering
• 6:16
  each day for the first six days.
• 6:19
  On the seventh day, this is the, mentioned in verse 37,
• 6:24
  the last day of the feast called the great day,
• 6:28
  which is referenced in our text,
• 6:30
  the water would be poured and the people would march around the altar seven times.
• 6:36
  They would move as a crowd around the altar seven times.
• 6:39
  Why?
• 6:40
  To remember the end of Israel's sojourning in the wilderness,
• 6:44
  which was concluded with the battle at Jericho.
• 6:48
  That marked the ending, their first conquest in the new land, right?
• 6:55
  So all of this is aimed at helping them both to remember and to look forward,
• 7:02
  this entire feast.
• 7:03
  So there's three directions the participants should have been pondering
• 7:07
  when they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles.
• 7:10
  Those directions were first backwards.
• 7:14
  The feast looked back and reminded the people of God,
• 7:16
  how God had provided water from the rock during their wilderness wanderings.
• 7:21
  Exodus 17, 6, numbers 20, verse 8 and on.
• 7:26
  They were to look down.
• 7:28
  The feast looked at the present and praised God for the provision of the harvest
• 7:32
  and most likely acted as a prayer for the coming year.
• 7:37
  See Psalm 118 and verse 25, part of the halal.
• 7:42
  These were songs that were sung at the Feast of Booths.
• 7:47
  It was also meant to look forward.
• 7:49
  The feast also looked toward the future and spoke prophetically of the coming days of the Messiah
• 7:54
  when God's blessing would be poured out on the nation.
• 7:59
  And we'll mention a little bit more about that here in just a bit, right?
• 8:03
  So extremely significant what's happening in Jerusalem where Jesus is when he makes this invitation.
• 8:11
  Try not to forget some of those details that I've mentioned.
• 8:15
  The second bit of background information concerns Jesus' reference material for his invitation, right?
• 8:22
  Again, remember, Jesus will say things in the New Testament that don't always strike a chord with us
• 8:27
  because we're less familiar with the Old Testament than we really ought to be.
• 8:32
  But there's a significant knowledge background for his original audience that we need to catch up to.
• 8:39
  His invitation is a direct reference to the book of Isaiah, chapter 55.
• 8:44
  He gathers some other bits of scripture together as well.
• 8:47
  We'll see soon.
• 8:48
  But specifically, Isaiah, chapter 55.
• 8:52
  But before I show you the reference, let's consider together the book of Isaiah
• 8:56
  to grasp the significance of that reference.
• 9:00
  The first 39 chapters of Isaiah are primarily about judgment due to the wickedness of the nations, right?
• 9:08
  God's judgment is coming.
• 9:09
  It's coming because of wickedness to this nation, to this nation, to this nation, to this nation.
• 9:14
  Though there are many glimpses of hope in these first chapters,
• 9:18
  the book takes a very hopeful and significant turn in chapter 40.
• 9:23
  The final 26 chapters are full of promises of salvation, which are centered on someone called the servant.
• 9:33
  In chapter 52 of Isaiah, we found out that the servant is God.
• 9:40
  He's described as, quote, raised and lifted up, Isaiah 52 and verse 13.
• 9:46
  And this is the very same phrase in Hebrew that Isaiah uses to describe God in chapter 6 and verse 1.
• 9:55
  In chapter 53, we find out that the servant will bring salvation by hanging on a tree,
• 10:01
  suffering and dying in the place of sinners.
• 10:05
  In chapter 54, we find out that the death and resurrection of the servant
• 10:09
  allows God to offer us an eternal covenant of peace,
• 10:13
  and we can live free from fear of judgment.
• 10:17
  With all of this in mind, when you come to chapter 55 of Isaiah,
• 10:22
  it should be understood that God will send his servant, who is God,
• 10:27
  to save his people from the judgment of God.
• 10:31
  We are saved by God, from God.
• 10:35
  Isaiah 55 and verse 1, the beginning part of it.
• 10:41
  Isaiah 55 and verse 1 says, this is Jesus' reference.
• 10:45
  Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
• 10:51
  This would have rang out for all of Jesus' hearers, right,
• 10:56
  in this presence at the Feast of Tabernacles, right?
• 11:00
  It's a feast that's about celebrating this water, this provision,
• 11:05
  and looking forward to the coming Messiah.
• 11:09
  Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
• 11:13
  In our text, Jesus says,
• 11:16
  if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
• 11:23
  Now, remember all that I've said about the Feast of Booths.
• 11:26
  Jesus makes this invitation on the last day of the Feast, the great day,
• 11:32
  and he cried out this invitation.
• 11:36
  The Greek word here translated cried means yelled.
• 11:40
  This is loud.
• 11:42
  This is forceful speech, right?
• 11:45
  He wants anyone who can hear him to hear him.
• 11:48
  This is not meek speech.
• 11:50
  This is loud, proclaiming this invitation.
• 11:54
  And if you continue to read on in chapter 7,
• 11:58
  you will find this invitation causes controversy amongst the people.
• 12:04
  I would like to suggest to you something a bit beyond our text, right?
• 12:08
  So this is a little theological imagination for you.
• 12:11
  But that Jesus cried out this invitation in the temple,
• 12:15
  perhaps as the crowd was silent,
• 12:18
  as the priest was pouring the water into a silver basin by the altar of burnt offering.
• 12:25
  That it happened in this moment, right?
• 12:27
  They're getting ready to march seven times around the altar,
• 12:32
  and there's a silence that comes over this crowd.
• 12:36
  And it's during this that he yells out this invitation, right?
• 12:41
  This is extremely striking.
• 12:45
  Now, this is not the first time that Jesus has used water to speak of having life in him.
• 12:51
  In John chapter 4, as Jesus meets at the well with the Samaritan woman,
• 12:55
  he speaks of living water.
• 12:57
  And he later says in John 4, verse 13 and 14,
• 13:00
  And in John chapter 6, verse 35,
• 13:19
  Jesus says,
• 13:19
  So this is not the first time that Jesus used water to speak of having life in him,
• 13:33
  but it certainly seems to be the most striking,
• 13:38
  the most dramatic use of this type of language.
• 13:42
  I hope that you will see the beauty of this invitation that he makes this afternoon.
• 13:48
  The cry of Jesus is an invitation to the thirsty to come to him and to drink.
• 13:56
  I would like to make just two observations about this invitation for our consideration this afternoon.
• 14:03
  Number one, our soul's thirst.
• 14:08
  Our soul's thirst.
• 14:10
  Thirst is a craving, and it is a conscious craving.
• 14:15
  I don't know how often we really thirst in an age where you could turn on a tap and get limitless, purified water.
• 14:24
  But consider the thirst of people who lived in a place where water was a scarce commodity.
• 14:30
  It was rare in a desert place, right?
• 14:33
  There were wells dug, but it was work to go and get water.
• 14:38
  And remember at this feast, they're remembering a time where they had no water,
• 14:42
  and God miraculously on a number of occasions provided water for them.
• 14:48
  This is such a fitting analogy for Jesus's original audience.
• 14:54
  Can you remember a time that you were particularly thirsty?
• 14:58
  Maybe on a very hot day or after some hard workout or work out in the yard.
• 15:05
  However, thirst is something that we know about.
• 15:09
  We're aware when we're thirsty.
• 15:12
  It's something we're fully aware of.
• 15:14
  It's very difficult to ignore.
• 15:17
  We feel it, and the more thirst increases, the more we seek out satisfaction for our thirst.
• 15:25
  Now, of course, Jesus is not talking about physical thirst.
• 15:30
  What is it that he's talking about?
• 15:32
  He's talking about a thirsty soul, right?
• 15:36
  Our inner being.
• 15:39
  We are embodied souls.
• 15:41
  So it's our very selves, right, crying out for something, right?
• 15:47
  We're longing for something beyond ourselves and beyond what this world has to offer.
• 15:53
  A longing for deliverance.
• 15:56
  A longing for hope.
• 15:58
  A longing for peace.
• 16:00
  A longing for forgiveness.
• 16:02
  For salvation.
• 16:03
  For liberation from the power of sin.
• 16:07
  If you are thirsting, anyone who is thirsting, anyone whose soul is parched,
• 16:15
  that's where it all starts.
• 16:17
  The salvation of our souls starts with this recognition, this craving for something else,
• 16:25
  something more.
• 16:28
  People come to Christ because their souls are thirsty, and they recognize that they are thirsty,
• 16:35
  and they hear the invitation,
• 16:37
  if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
• 16:44
  Are you thirsty this morning?
• 16:47
  Excuse me, there it was, this afternoon.
• 16:49
  Are you aware that you were made by God and for him,
• 16:54
  and that you will have no soul satisfaction apart from Christ?
• 16:59
  Go to him and drink.
• 17:04
  Charles Spurgeon wrote this of this text.
• 17:07
  Drink.
• 17:08
  That is not a difficult action.
• 17:11
  Any fool can drink.
• 17:12
  In fact, many are great fools because they drink too much of poisonous liquors.
• 17:17
  Drink.
• 17:18
  Thou can't surely do that.
• 17:20
  Thou hast only to be as a sponge that sucks up all that comes near it.
• 17:24
  Put thy mouth down and suck up that which flows to thee in the river of Christ's love.
• 17:30
  Open wide thy soul and drink in Christ.
• 17:33
  As the great northern whirlpool sucks in the sea,
• 17:37
  if any man thirsts, let him receive Christ.
• 17:41
  So there's this wonderful offer of the gospel,
• 17:44
  this invitation that Jesus cries out to this crowd,
• 17:48
  if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
• 17:54
  Second observation.
• 17:57
  Jesus himself satisfies the thirst of our souls,
• 18:00
  and he does so abundantly.
• 18:04
  He does so abundantly.
• 18:06
  Recall that Jesus is referencing Isaiah 55 and verse 1.
• 18:12
  Let's compare the invitation of Isaiah 55 1
• 18:15
  with Jesus' invitation in John 7 verse 37.
• 18:19
  Again, read this to you previously.
• 18:21
  Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
• 18:25
  Isaiah 55, the first part of verse 1.
• 18:30
  And then what does Jesus say as he references this?
• 18:33
  If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
• 18:38
  Jesus declares that he is the water of Isaiah 55 1,
• 18:42
  and that he will satisfy the thirsty soul.
• 18:46
  And the satisfaction that he is talking about is not a fleeting,
• 18:50
  not a temporary satisfaction,
• 18:52
  but rather a deep satisfaction,
• 18:55
  an abundant satisfaction.
• 18:58
  Jesus goes on in our text,
• 19:00
  whoever believes in me,
• 19:01
  as the scripture has said,
• 19:03
  out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
• 19:07
  First, let's understand that to drink of Christ
• 19:10
  is to believe in him.
• 19:13
  He's using these phrases synonymously.
• 19:16
  Let me show you this from John 6 35,
• 19:18
  which I read to you previously.
• 19:20
  Jesus said to them,
• 19:22
  I am the bread of life.
• 19:23
  Whoever comes to me shall not hunger,
• 19:25
  and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
• 19:29
  He's using this language interchangeably.
• 19:33
  So we drink of Christ by believing in Christ,
• 19:38
  believing in his person,
• 19:40
  and believing in his work.
• 19:42
  Believing that he is the servant of Isaiah,
• 19:46
  sent by God who is God,
• 19:48
  to save his people from the judgment of God.
• 19:53
  Jesus says that if we believe in him,
• 19:56
  as the scripture has said,
• 19:58
  out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water.
• 20:03
  Now know that Jesus' citation of the scripture here
• 20:06
  is a composite statement from texts in Isaiah,
• 20:09
  but also from Zechariah chapter 14,
• 20:13
  and Ezekiel 47.
• 20:15
  And both were texts that were read
• 20:17
  on the last day of the Feast of Booths.
• 20:20
  Maybe it had already been read
• 20:22
  before Jesus stood and made this declarative invitation.
• 20:27
  They were read out at this time.
• 20:30
  And the Israelites believed
• 20:31
  that at one of these times,
• 20:33
  that it would happen on this last day of this feast,
• 20:37
  when the Messiah had come,
• 20:39
  that the foundation of the temple would split open
• 20:41
  and water would come pouring forth from it.
• 20:44
  They believed that this would literally happen
• 20:47
  from a reading of Zechariah 14 and Ezekiel 47.
• 20:51
  So let's read those.
• 20:53
  This context is extremely important.
• 20:57
  So you can turn there if you'd like.
• 20:58
  Otherwise, you can just follow along as I read.
• 21:01
  Ezekiel chapter 47.
• 21:02
  This is verses one through six.
• 21:07
  Remember here, the idea is that we come to Christ
• 21:10
  when we thirst,
• 21:12
  and he abundantly satisfies our souls.
• 21:15
  Abundantly satisfies us.
• 21:17
  Beginning of verse one, Ezekiel 47.
• 21:20
  Then he brought me back to the door of the temple,
• 21:23
  and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold
• 21:26
  of the temple toward the east,
• 21:29
  for the temple faced east.
• 21:31
  The water was flowing down from below the south end
• 21:34
  of the threshold of the temple south of the altar.
• 21:36
  Then he brought me out by way of the north gate
• 21:38
  and led me around on the outside to the outer gate
• 21:41
  that faces toward the east.
• 21:42
  And behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.
• 21:46
  Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand,
• 21:50
  the man measured a thousand cubits
• 21:51
  and then led me through the water,
• 21:53
  and it was ankle deep.
• 21:55
  Again, he measured a thousand
• 21:56
  and led me through the water,
• 21:58
  and it was knee deep.
• 22:00
  Again, he measured a thousand
• 22:01
  and led me through the water,
• 22:02
  and it was waist deep.
• 22:05
  Again, he measured a thousand,
• 22:06
  and it was a river that I could not pass through
• 22:08
  for the water had risen.
• 22:10
  It was deep enough to swim in,
• 22:12
  a river that could not be passed through.
• 22:15
  And he said to me,
• 22:16
  Son of man, have you seen this?
• 22:19
  Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
• 22:21
  And if you go on,
• 22:22
  you see that this river flows,
• 22:23
  and it nourishes,
• 22:24
  and trees come up,
• 22:25
  and it makes salt water into fresh water,
• 22:28
  and then fish at its side.
• 22:29
  It provides,
• 22:31
  and it provides abundantly for the land.
• 22:35
  So that's the passage from Ezekiel.
• 22:36
  One verse in Zechariah,
• 22:39
  chapter 14 and verse 8.
• 22:41
  On that day,
• 22:43
  living water shall flow out of Jerusalem,
• 22:46
  half of them to the eastern sea,
• 22:48
  and half of them to the western sea.
• 22:50
  It shall continue in summer as in winter.
• 22:54
  So a people who,
• 22:56
  you know, water was life.
• 22:58
  Water itself was life.
• 23:00
  It brought life.
• 23:00
  The ability to grow food
• 23:02
  and have their living
• 23:05
  came from water.
• 23:07
  And it's not an abundant source.
• 23:09
  And there's these Old Testament passages
• 23:10
  that talk about
• 23:11
  the abundance of water, right?
• 23:14
  Water that becomes so great flowing
• 23:16
  that you can't pass through it.
• 23:19
  What is Jesus communicating?
• 23:22
  What is it that he's trying
• 23:23
  to get across to them?
• 23:25
  He is the foundation
• 23:27
  of the temple of God,
• 23:28
  and he is the rivers
• 23:30
  that will flow from it.
• 23:33
  This is so striking a thing
• 23:35
  to be said at this time.
• 23:39
  He is the foundation
• 23:40
  of the temple of God,
• 23:40
  and he is the rivers
• 23:43
  that will flow from it.
• 23:45
  You recall,
• 23:46
  only in John's gospel
• 23:48
  is the record of Jesus
• 23:49
  being pierced in the side
• 23:51
  and flowing from his side
• 23:52
  is water.
• 23:54
  Now, this likely happened.
• 23:57
  There's some physiology
• 23:58
  that goes on with that,
• 23:59
  but it's not recorded
• 24:00
  in any of the other gospel accounts,
• 24:02
  but it is recorded
• 24:03
  in John's gospel.
• 24:06
  Why?
• 24:07
  As he records
• 24:08
  this invitation of Jesus,
• 24:09
  I think he means
• 24:10
  for us to see
• 24:11
  the foundation of the temple
• 24:13
  being split open
• 24:15
  and water pouring forth
• 24:18
  from it.
• 24:19
  In a dry place,
• 24:23
  rivers bring
• 24:24
  abundant water.
• 24:27
  The water does not have
• 24:28
  to be drawn up
• 24:29
  out of a well.
• 24:31
  Sunk down,
• 24:31
  find the ground water,
• 24:33
  drawn up out of a well
• 24:34
  with great labor.
• 24:36
  Rivers bring to you water,
• 24:39
  and all you have to do
• 24:40
  is drink.
• 24:42
  And Jesus is saying
• 24:44
  there will not be
• 24:45
  one river,
• 24:47
  but there will be rivers,
• 24:49
  right?
• 24:49
  Abundant water
• 24:51
  will flow.
• 24:53
  All of this
• 24:53
  speaking metaphorically
• 24:54
  of our spiritual lives
• 24:57
  in him.
• 24:58
  Jesus himself
• 24:59
  satisfies the thirst
• 25:01
  of our souls,
• 25:02
  and he does so
• 25:03
  abundantly.
• 25:05
  How is it that he
• 25:06
  accomplishes this?
• 25:09
  John tells us
• 25:10
  in verse 39,
• 25:11
  now this he said
• 25:13
  about the Spirit,
• 25:15
  whom those who
• 25:16
  believed in him
• 25:17
  were to receive.
• 25:18
  For as yet the Spirit
• 25:19
  had not been given,
• 25:20
  because Jesus
• 25:20
  was not yet glorified.
• 25:23
  He accomplishes this
• 25:25
  by the Spirit
• 25:27
  of Christ.
• 25:29
  We live beyond
• 25:30
  Jesus' earthly ministry.
• 25:32
  He has now
• 25:33
  been glorified,
• 25:34
  and Jesus gives to us
• 25:36
  his Spirit
• 25:37
  that we would have
• 25:38
  abundant life
• 25:39
  in him.
• 25:40
  He awakens
• 25:42
  our souls
• 25:42
  to our great need
• 25:44
  that we would go
• 25:46
  to Christ,
• 25:46
  that we would believe
• 25:47
  in Christ,
• 25:48
  and then he gives us
• 25:49
  himself
• 25:50
  that we would have
• 25:52
  abundant life
• 25:54
  in him.
• 25:56
  Romans 8,
• 25:56
  which Gary read
• 25:57
  for us previously,
• 25:59
  tells us that
• 25:59
  the Spirit of Christ
• 26:00
  frees us from
• 26:01
  condemnation,
• 26:02
  grants us righteousness,
• 26:05
  gives us life
• 26:06
  and peace,
• 26:07
  and enables us
• 26:09
  to please God.
• 26:12
  So in summary,
• 26:14
  our souls
• 26:15
  thirst.
• 26:17
  Every soul
• 26:18
  is longing
• 26:20
  to be satisfied.
• 26:22
  And I hope
• 26:23
  that it's true
• 26:24
  of all of us
• 26:25
  this morning
• 26:25
  that we have
• 26:26
  found our
• 26:27
  satisfaction
• 26:27
  in Christ
• 26:28
  because he is
• 26:29
  the only thing
• 26:30
  that will satisfy
• 26:31
  this unquenchable
• 26:33
  thirst
• 26:34
  apart from him.
• 26:37
  Secondly,
• 26:37
  Jesus himself
• 26:38
  satisfies the thirst
• 26:39
  of our souls,
• 26:40
  and he does so
• 26:42
  abundantly.
• 26:44
  Now,
• 26:44
  if you have not
• 26:45
  found the
• 26:46
  satisfaction
• 26:47
  of your soul,
• 26:49
  you may be
• 26:49
  tempted to think,
• 26:50
  I cannot go to
• 26:51
  Jesus and drink
• 26:53
  because I am not
• 26:54
  worthy.
• 26:57
  Praise God
• 26:58
  that Jesus'
• 26:58
  invitation
• 26:59
  is not conditioned
• 27:00
  on your
• 27:01
  worthiness,
• 27:03
  but on his
• 27:04
  ability
• 27:04
  to satisfy
• 27:05
  your soul.
• 27:08
  Listen to the
• 27:09
  rest of Isaiah
• 27:09
  chapter 55
• 27:10
  and verse 1.
• 27:12
  We read the first
• 27:13
  part a couple
• 27:14
  of times.
• 27:15
  Come everyone
• 27:15
  who thirsts,
• 27:16
  come to the
• 27:18
  waters.
• 27:19
  We reread on
• 27:20
  in verse 1.
• 27:21
  And he who
• 27:21
  has no money,
• 27:22
  come,
• 27:23
  buy,
• 27:24
  and eat.
• 27:25
  Come,
• 27:25
  buy wine
• 27:26
  and milk
• 27:27
  without money
• 27:27
  and without
• 27:30
  price.
• 27:31
  When we come
• 27:32
  to Christ,
• 27:32
  we have nothing
• 27:33
  to offer him
• 27:34
  but our
• 27:36
  spiritual poverty,
• 27:37
  but our
• 27:38
  thirst.
• 27:39
  And he promises
• 27:40
  in verse
• 27:42
  37 and 38,
• 27:44
  if anyone
• 27:45
  thirsts,
• 27:47
  let him
• 27:47
  come to me
• 27:48
  and drink.
• 27:50
  Whoever
• 27:50
  believes in me
• 27:51
  as the
• 27:51
  scripture has
• 27:52
  said,
• 27:52
  out of his
• 27:53
  heart will
• 27:54
  flow rivers
• 27:54
  of living
• 27:56
  water.
• 27:58
  So I hope
• 27:59
  this is true
• 27:59
  of you.
• 28:00
  I hope that you
• 28:00
  will give some
• 28:00
  careful consideration
• 28:01
  to this striking
• 28:03
  invitation of
• 28:04
  Christ this
• 28:05
  afternoon.
• 28:06
  You'll take
• 28:06
  some time with
• 28:07
  those application
• 28:07
  questions to
• 28:08
  think about what
• 28:09
  this may mean
• 28:10
  for you today.
• 28:12
  But let's
• 28:13
  conclude with a
• 28:13
  prayer of
• 28:14
  application and
• 28:15
  a benediction.