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We are in the middle of a most powerful passage, as we come to John Chapter 7 and verses 25 following. There is question and answer, involving Jesus Christ and those who were opposing Him.

We have also been seeing some of the reasons why so many people keep their distance from Jesus. They will not openly come out for Him. They will not publicly decide that they are going to follow Jesus Christ. That is one of the lessons emerging from these conversations. This is one lesson we learn here which is so relevant and apposite to what we frequently meet today.

Never be afraid, or ashamed, nor embarrassed, regarding coming out openly for Jesus Christ.

Yes, it costs you to serve and obey Jesus Christ, but it costs immeasurably more not to serve and obey Jesus Christ.

We are only one third of the way through this book which bears the name of John and already we are coming across words like arrest and plot and kill, being used with regard to Jesus. There is a waning popularity and a gathering storm.

Later on, the disciples of Jesus Christ were soon to discover that there were not very far into their ministries – anointed ministries – anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit, before words like silence, remove, arrest, imprison, destroy, and kill, were being used by those who opposed this mighty move of Almighty God.

There are seasons when God breaks in, and moves and works and speaks and disrupts and disturbs, and precipitates a crisis that demands a response. It can happen with an individual, with an area, with a nation.

Jesus is only 33. He knows He has only six months or so to live, so what does He think of? Jesus is looking beyond His death – verse 33 – I will only be with you for a little longer. Then I will return to my Father Who sent me.

Jesus is so certain. Jesus is so sure.

Uncertainty and lack of assurance do not come from Jesus Christ, and John, writing these words, has the same assurance and confidence in Christ. Jesus wants us to have that assurance and certainty and confidence too.

So many are only interested in the things of this world. Be sure of where you are going once this brief life is over.

How terrible it must be to hear Jesus Christ speaks these words which we have in verse 34. Be sure you can go where Jesus goes.

v.35 – The Jews were asking, where will He go? Will He go and speak to Jews living in Gentile lands? Will He go and teach those who are not Jews?

Later, Jesus would do all this through people like Peter and John and Paul, and you and me.

v.36 – They went on – but what is He meaning? “You will look for me and NOT find Me. Where I am, there you cannot come.” Jesus was going beyond the reach on His enemies, and into the hands of His Friends. No enemies can touch Jesus Christ now.

Enemies of the Gospel can touch us, and in one very real sense that is touching Jesus, and does touch Jesus, and in yet another sense, we can touch Jesus in our need and He can touch us in our need, and does touch us.

Now, let’s remember all this in John Chapter 7, is going on during the Feast of Tabernacles, when over a million Jews would be in Jerusalem for an eight day festival and celebration to remember the forty years in the wilderness.

There was a ceremony, when the High Priest would leave the Temple, carrying a container, a chalice, and he would walk to the Pool of Siloam, and fill the two pint container with water and return to the Temple, where he would pour out the water, remembering the days when in the wilderness the people had no water, and Moses struck the rock out of which water came forth.

They also prayed for water for the crops, and they were also looking for the day when the Messiah would come and refresh them.

On the eighth and final day of the feast, with this ceremonial going down to the Pool of Siloam for water in mind, Jesus stood and cried out in a loud voice, “If any man is thirsty let him come to me and drink”. He that believes – streams of living water will flow from within.

Jesus is still thinking of the future. Jesus is looking forward, to that day when He would pour out the Living Water upon people – the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit. Drink from Me. Prime your pump, and rivers will flow from you.

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

Wisdom