Please take your Bible this morning and turn with me to John chapter 7. John chapter 7, we'll consider a larger portion today. Verses 37 through 52. John 7, verses 37 through 52. I'll not read the entire portion initially. I'll just read the first three verses. And then we'll come to the other verses as we get to them in the sermon today. John chapter 7, and please begin looking with me at verse 37 through 39. On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Let's pray together. Father, we come to Your Word because we know it's true, and because we know it's what we need to hear. We desire to hear it. We ask, Lord, by your Holy Spirit, that you would convict us of sin, that you'd further empty us of self, and fill us with your Spirit, and draw us close to Christ. And we ask that if there's those here this morning that don't know you, would you bring them to yourself in repentance and faith. And we'll give you all the praise and glory for it. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. When is the last time that you remember yourself being truly thirsty for a glass of water? Maybe it was the last time you were, I mean, really, really thirsty was you were at a sports practice, and you remember after running suicides that you needed a drink of water, and maybe the coach was nice enough to let you have one. Maybe it was the last time you went on a hike, and you had finally gotten to the top of the mountain or whatever, and finally you had a drink of water. And it just, oh, it felt good to drink. Maybe it was the last time you walked up a flight of stairs. I don't know. Whatever it was, you know that finally getting that glass of water, the cool glass of water, or if you're like me, ice cold glass of water, it satisfies something in you. You know that God has created our physical bodies with a desire to have thirst quenched. We call this the thirst of the body. He's created this thirst within us to point us to our need, our physical need, to have water in order to sustain life. But God has also created us with a spiritual thirst. And we might call that a thirst of the soul. A thirst for something ultimate. Ultimate peace, ultimate joy, ultimate satisfaction, ultimate love. Whatever it might be. Tragically, in our human condition, we seek to satisfy those spiritual thirsts with things that are temporary. Money. Sex. Drugs. Alcohol. relationships, children, family, jobs, school, and education. And you could list a number of other things that I can't think of off the top of my head right now. Those things are temporary. They were never intended and they cannot fulfill ultimately You know, Paul put it like this in Romans chapter 1, when he says that people exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator who's blessed forever. The Bible calls that idolatry. And the reason it's idolatry is that God has created this spiritual thirst within us to point us, point our souls to our need for Him. Because it's only Jesus that can fulfill, that can quench the thirst that are deep within our souls. You say, okay, I understand that, but then there's still the question that remains, is how do I get that kind of thirst filled? Okay, I understand that it won't be fulfilled in those temporary things, but how do I get What will? And, you know, it's interesting that the Jewish people had gone through something similar. They had been looking after other things to satisfy them, and God told them through the prophet that they've committed two evils. They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out for themselves broken cisterns that could hold no water. He refers to their idols. So how do we get water that does satisfy? Well, the answer is found in our text today, which we just partly read. Jesus is the one who satisfies them, and I want you to see that from the scripture today. As we come to the text, though, I think it'd be important to remind ourselves of some of the context of John's gospel so far, because my fear is that in breaking up passages into preachable chunks, that we miss the overarching themes of what are happening. And I don't want you to miss the drama of John's gospel as it unfolds to us. So let me remind you of some of that context. In the prologue, you don't have to write any of this down, just for your own benefit, John has expressed his purpose in writing the gospel in these words, John 20, 30, and 31, that Jesus did many other signs, many other things in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book, but these are written so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you might have life in his name. Then in chapter 1, John unfolds Jesus. He identifies him as the Word who became flesh to dwell among us. John bore witness about him, and he goes on to explain about John's witness of Christ. Crying out, this is he of whom I said, the one who comes after me ranks before me because he was before me. Jesus reveals the Father. He is equal as God because he is God in the flesh. He is God the Son. Chapter 2, Jesus turns water into wine at this wedding in Cana. displaying his glory. He then quickly goes into the temple, cleansing it of money changers and people who had made the house that should be used for prayer into a den of robbers. In chapter 3, there's an encounter with Nicodemus where Jesus explains to him that he needs to be born again. or he will never enter and never see the kingdom of God. John explains John the Baptist's response to Jesus in the latter part of chapter 3, where John expresses that he's glad that Jesus is increasing. In fact, he must increase and I must decrease, John 3 verse 30. Then in chapter 4 we meet a Samaritan woman who's a desperate woman, a woman who's been married five times and is now living with a man who's not her husband. She has gone to the well to draw water. At the middle of the day, the hottest point of the day, Jesus encounters her and tells her that he can give her living water. It's interesting that he does the same thing here. He is the fountain of living. water. Jesus then heals a royal official's son at the end of chapter 4. In chapter 5, Jesus heals a man who was born a paralytic at the pool of Bethesda. And really, chapters 5 through 10 are what we would call the festival cycle, because John records four different Jewish feasts that are going on in these chapters. The unnamed feast in chapter 5, which I just mentioned was when Judas healed the paralytic. There is the Passover in chapter 6. There is the feast of booths or tabernacles that we're talking about in chapter 7 and chapter 8. And then there is the feast of dedication in chapter 9. So all of this is going on in the context of John's Gospel at this point. And all of these events that are happening are only continuing to reveal the rising hostility against Jesus, that even as He is performing miracles and signs, and is teaching, and there are people who are genuinely believing and coming to Him, There are many who oppose him, who reject him, and this occasion that we're reading in chapter 7 is no different. You remember that at the Feast of Tabernacles, Feast of Booze, Jesus has come up to the temple, not publicly, but privately. He has come up in the middle of the feast to begin teaching in the temple. People are listening to him. They notice that there's something about Jesus that's Very attractive his teaching is very authoritative. It's very different from the other teachers there are other rabbis of the day The religious leaders don't like this because it turns the attention away from them, but Jesus continues to teach There's been debate that we've seen about who Jesus is and the offers Officers send people to arrest or I'm sorry the Pharisees sent officers to arrest Jesus, but it can't be done yet This is the last day of the feast. So look at verse 37 again where it says, on the last day of the feast, the great day. What does that mean? What is the great day? Well, verses 37 and 38 are the last words we read from Jesus in this chapter. Because after this, there is continuing debate about his words, so we need to consider his words. But I think before we can even understand his words, we need to understand further context of why his words would hold such significance. The great day, the last day of the feast, is an important one. I want to give you some more context about the Feast of Boos, and I have stuff on the screen that I hope will help you to pay attention and stay with me, because I think it's really, really important. First thing I want you to notice here is that the Feast of Tabernacles, or Boos, is one of the three major feasts. I mentioned that there's four in the section that John's writing, but three of them would be would be called major feasts because they would require every Jewish male to attend. They would require them to go up to Jerusalem and make that pilgrimage each year. Tabernacles or booths is the Hebrew word, sucketh. It was particularly a joyful occasion. Many say that this was the favorite feast out of all the ones that they were required to attend. This one would be the favorite. And as I've told you before, this feast celebrated God's faithfulness, not so much just deliverance from slavery in Egypt, but a care in the wilderness. God was providing, He was watching over His people, He was faithful to them in the wilderness. The details of how this feast was to be celebrated can be found in the Old Testament in Leviticus chapter 23. And I'd like you to hold your place here and go to Leviticus 23 and see a couple of these verses with me that gave some of the requirements for the feast. You'll see the significance as we continue to go on, but you need to follow and track along with me to get it all, I think. Leviticus chapter 23, verses 32 through 36. So here he has been giving the requirements in Leviticus so far. If you don't know what's happening in the book, he's been giving the requirements for each of the feasts that Israel was to observe. And you can see that if you scan the context of chapter 23. He gets to the Feast of Booths and the Feast of Tabernacles in these verses here. And then actually, for the sake of time, just look at verse 34. This is what we read. Verse 34 of Leviticus 23. And the Lord spoke to Moses. Why is the Lord speaking to Moses here? Well, because Moses is the leader of God's people, Israel, at this particular time. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, and for seven days is the feast of booths to the Lord. On the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. So which day of the seventh month is this to start? The 15th day, right? The 15th day of the seventh month, so that would be October for us. Passover was in April, March, April, May, somewhere in there in the spring, and this would be in October, six or seven months. And you can remember that from the context of where we were in John 6. Verse 36 tells us, for seven days you shall present food offerings to the Lord. On the eighth day, you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work." So, what this is telling us is that the Feast of Tabernacles or Booze starts on a Sabbath day. You shall not do any ordinary work. It then is to conclude on a Sabbath day, you shall not do any ordinary work. So this is an eight-day feast. Seven days is what often people considered, but the eighth day was the great day, the last day of the feast. And what would happen is, I told you this before, that the priest would lead this march, this assembly of the people of Israel. He would have a water pitcher in his hand, and he would march the people down to the pool of Siloam, and he would scoop water from that pool, that water. And he would march the people, and the people were singing and dancing and making all kinds of noise. They're loud and all of this. And really, they're singing the great halal, okay? And I want to show you this here. in the word. Let's skip ahead there to Nehemiah chapter 8. Nehemiah chapter 8 gives some good help in understanding what was happening as well. Nehemiah 8, 17 and 18, we read these words. And all the assembly of those who had returned from captivity made booze and lived in booze for from the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, to the day that the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he, that is Ezra, read the book of the law of God, they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth days there was a solemn assembly according to the rule. So in like manner, the priest on the eighth day would read the law of God, he would have the pitcher in his hand, and when they finally marched all the way back to the temple, he would pour that water out on the right side of the altar, and that was significant to them. On the right side of the altar, he would pour that water. And when all the water came out, the people who were quiet when the priest lifted up the pitcher would now be shouting and dancing and celebrating louder than even they were marching before. One author wrote that this was a celebration of past provision, specifically of water, a present expression of their faith and dependence on him for the crops that were to come in in the next year, but also a forward look of faith to the time when he would establish his eternal kingdom. So this was a time of expectation for them, a time of celebration that included prayer, not only remembering the past, but also praying to God for growth in their crops in the year to come. Let me read these helpful words from D.A. Carson. He said that there was a ceremony that was intended to acknowledge God's goodness in sending rain and to ensure a plentiful supply for the following season that was enacted at dawn on the first of the seven days of the festival. A procession led by the priests went down to the pool of Siloam where a golden pitcher was filled with water and returned to the temple as the morning sacrifice was being offered, what I've just described. Their singing would include several psalms, Psalm 113 to 118. Let's highlight a couple of those passages together. You see them there on the screen. Psalm 113 verses 3 and 4. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations and is glory above the heavens. Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water." So you remember that Moses had the rock, and he would talk to the rock, right? He would give instruction, and water would come out of the rock. Psalm 118, verse 29 would be the conclusion of the great halal. "'O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.'" So this feast is happening at a time of year where, weather-wise, it's a drier season, and many of them, you know, they don't have city water systems, they just turn on water. So they're anticipating a new growing season, and they are praying for the sending of rain. Another author notes that the water drawing served as a reminder of the water that came from the rock smitten by Moses, and that rock actually remained with the people throughout their wilderness journey. The Apostle Paul confirmed that this is true in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 4 when he spoke of that rock and said that the rock is Christ. Well, there's a lot more context that could be shared, but I think that you understand the point, that there is a lot going on at this festival, and it's kind of culminating on the last day of the feast. And so, with that, I bring us to two major points tonight, or this morning. One is, verses 37 to 39, a beautiful offer from Jesus. A beautiful offer from Jesus. What is happening in Jesus' offer here? He says, if anyone thirsts, come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. This is an important offer here. Jesus is being intentional with his timing. He could have offered this at any point during the week, but he waits until the last day when the biggest celebration would happen. And so you can picture that as the priest pours out the water on the right side of the altar and the people are shouting and screaming, eventually that would die down. But Jesus stands up right there. And he shouts this. He doesn't just say it, but he shouts it. He raises his voice, passionately calling out, yelling out and pleading with people to come to him for their provision. The irony in this, folks, is that the people have been dealing with water all week. The people had been celebrating God's providing of water specifically. And here, Jesus is offering himself as water. Even as they cry out for salvation, he is standing there in their midst. He's trying to tell them that the fulfillment of what they're celebrating is present in them. We should be amazed at the audacity of Jesus here. Because back in Jeremiah 2.13, God was the one who said that he was the fountain of living water. Do you remember what I had up there on the screen? They've forsaken me, the fountain of living water, God said. But here, Jesus is himself the living water. In Isaiah 55, verses 1 to 3, probably a familiar passage to several of you, I believe that's what's being echoed here. Jesus may be thinking these things and having these things run through his mind Isaiah 55 1 to 3 come Everyone who thirsts come to the waters and he who has no money Come by and eat come by wine and milk without money and without price Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear and come to me, here that your soul may live, and I will make you an everlasting covenant. My steadfast, sure love for David." Let's ask three questions about the offer that Jesus extends here. Letter A, first question. is for whom is the offer intended? For whom is the offer intended? We may not have an elaborate water-pouring ritual like the first century Jews, but we have a very clear idea of who Jesus is offering this to. He says, anyone, anybody, come to me and drink. If anyone is thirsty, come to me and drink. There is that thirst that is within us, an inward longing and aching for that which is ultimate, and Jesus is standing here saying, if you recognize your thirst, come to me. No one is excluded from this invitation. It is a free offer of the gospel. come to me and drink." Jesus doesn't say anything about performing well enough to a certain standard. The Jews were all about performance. They were all about obeying the rituals and the rules and the traditions and all of this. And Jesus says, that's not what you need in order to have your thirst quenched. That is not what gives you true freedom. What gives true freedom is me. And Jesus will go on to say in chapter 8, if you actually turn over there, verse 32, or verse 31, so Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. This is not just any truth. This is truth about him that will set you free. The Jews were enslaved to their religion and their rituals, and Jesus comes offering a relationship exclusively through him. The offer is extended to you today. Have you come to drink of Jesus? The offer is given to you to come. Second question is, what does Jesus invite people to do? It seems rather obvious, doesn't it? Come. Come to Him. As I said before, no one else can eat or drink for you. You must come to Him. You have a responsibility to believe the gospel for yourself. You must come to Him. Yes, I believe that God is sovereign over salvation, but I do believe that humans have the responsibility to repent and believe, to come to Him. The only way that your soul will truly be satisfied is by coming to Him. That's the invitation. That's Christianity. Come to Jesus. Believe in Jesus. Those who are thirsty for Jesus will drink of Him. They will believe in Him. Third question, letter C, what will be the outcome for those who do respond? What will be the outcome for those who do respond? Verse 38 and 39, whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Now this he said about the spirit whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the spirit had not been given because Jesus was not yet glorified. So whoever receives this invitation from Jesus, whoever comes to him and believes on him, Out of his heart, Jesus says, will flow rivers of living water. This is the same expression that Jesus used back in chapter 4 of John, verse 10, when speaking to the Samaritan woman. If you go back to chapter 4, verse 10, where he talks about if you only knew the gift of God, chapter 4, verse 10, Jesus answered her, because you remember the question, she says, Back up to verse 7, get a little more context. A woman from 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. The Samaritan woman said to him, how is it that you a Jew ask for a drink from me as a woman of Samaria? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. Living water. This is water that gives life. Eternal life. Jesus has been using these simple metaphors. I want to pause for a minute and make this clear. That sometimes, in my own sermons perhaps, I love looking at the details of things. I love seeing how pieces work together. But let's not look over the simple metaphors that Jesus uses for believing in Him. Everybody knows how to eat. Everybody knows how to drink. Everybody knows that if you don't eat and drink, you'll get thirsty and hungry. Those are very simple. And Jesus is saying, I am the one that you need in order to have your hunger satisfied and your soul's thirst satisfied. So believe in me. Come to me. In verse 39 of the text, living water is referring, according to John here, to the Holy Spirit. After Jesus died and resurrected, he promised his disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit who would actually live within his followers. Think about this, that when someone drinks of Jesus, believes on Jesus, Jesus doesn't just give them a sip, but he gives them a deluge of living water in the Holy Spirit that is working through them and in them. Jesus says that out of that person's heart will flow rivers of living water. There's not one specific text that Jesus is referring to. When it says, as the scripture says, there's not one text, but I think several texts. And I want to take you to a couple of them. Because I think they'll help us in seeing the bigger picture. Isaiah 41 is one of those passages, if you'll turn there. Isaiah 41, verses 17 through 20. Isaiah 41, verses 17 through 20. In this passage, it is the prophet Isaiah who speaks, speaks for the Lord. This is what we read. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I, the Lord, will answer them. Hang on a second. That is beautiful. Do you see how wonderful that is? People are seeking to be satisfied every day. And they're finding nothing to satisfy them. And here comes the Lord saying, I'll do it. I'll satisfy. I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. Those temporary pleasures, those temporary things, they may satisfy you for a moment, and then you'll be back where you started again. But I, the Lord, I'll keep satisfying. I won't forsake. Verse 18, I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plain, and the pine together, that they may see and know, may consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this. The Holy One of Israel has created it. The phrase living water is carrying a large significance to eternal satisfaction and eternal hope. These are a people whom Jesus is talking to who are thirsty people. Some of them realize it and many of them do not. But Jesus is saying, I'll satisfy you in a way that's unimaginable. It's a wonderful offer from Jesus. If you go back to John's Gospel and turn to chapter 14, John 14, when we're looking at this being the Holy Spirit, John chapter 14, verses 15 through 17. Jesus, remember, this is part of the Upper Room Discourse. We'll get there in our study in John in a bit. John 14, verses 15 through 17. Jesus says here, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. You know, oftentimes we stop right there. But obedience to God's commands is dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Verse 16, and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. The Spirit in this passage is described as a helper. Jesus is promising, according to the text of John 7, that out of his heart will flow rivers of water, living water, because the Spirit is going to be in them and be their helper. Your ability to flow rivers of living water out at other people, what does that mean? It means that how you talk about the Lord. You're talking about living your life so that others would see the Lord in you. There are many examples of that, but When you are at work and at school, do people see you having Christ live through you? Is the way that you think about life from a biblical perspective, from a Christ-centered perspective? Or are you so filled with the world's perspective that that's all that they see? I'm concerned with so many Christians, and at times it's been myself. where politics is the thing that we're known by, whatever that looks like. Or maybe it's our other pursuits or hobbies or whatever. What people ought to know us by is the fruit of a life that's being kept by the spirit that's walking. in the Spirit. And Jesus is promising that the Holy Spirit lives, resides within the heart of the believer in order to help keep them from sin and walk in obedience to Him. One more passage, John 16, verses 4 and following. John 16, verses 4 and following. Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure. He is going to leave them. But he already said he's not going to leave them as orphans, he's going to send the Spirit. But he goes further and talks more about the Helper, the Holy Spirit he's going to send. John 16, beginning in verse 4, I did not say these things to you, to the disciples, from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asked me, where are you going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Notice, by the way, that Jesus has said several times, and we've looked at it, that Jesus has told the religious leaders, I'm going somewhere where you can't come. He doesn't say that to them here. They just can't go with Him right now. And their hearts are troubled and saddened. So Jesus is assuring them. He's encouraging them. He knows that sorrow has filled their heart. He says that. I have said these things to you, and sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. Jesus cares how they feel, but He still tells them the truth. we would do well as Christians to do the same. Care about how people feel and think, but still communicate the truth. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment, concerning sin, because they believe not in me, concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer, concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. So why does he say that here? Well, because he's going to send these disciples out on mission with the help of the Holy Spirit to tell the world about Christ. And the Holy Spirit that's living in them is also going to be the one to convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. Verse 12, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you." The spirit in this passage is doing amazing work. And Peter will be one of the ones who's especially affected by this work, as we'll see in time to come. So this is the offer of Jesus. It is an offer to come to Him and drink. It is a river of love, a river of joy, a river of peace, a river of patience and kindness, a river of goodness and faithfulness. And belief in Jesus is not merely intellect. It is deeper than that, and that is what Jesus is calling them to. And as a result, there's great division concerning Jesus. There's a beautiful offer from Jesus that there's also division, as there always is, about Jesus, verses 40 to 44, if you'll look at that with me. When they heard these words, which words? The words of the offer that Jesus has just extended. When they heard these words, some of the people said, this is really the prophet. Others said, this is the Christ. But some said, is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was? So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid their hands on them. There's a number of responses that we see unfolding in this section. First of all, in verse 40, we see that some people hear these words from Jesus and believe He is a prophet. Some believe He is a prophet. This isn't the first time that we've seen that title in the Gospel of John. Back in chapter 1, John the Baptist is asked, are you the prophet? He said no. Are you the Christ? He said no. And he refuted their claims to be those. He was just a voice, a mouthpiece for God to prepare the way for the Messiah. In chapter 6, You'll note that the people immediately connect the miracle of Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 to the prophet. And they say in verse 14 that this indeed is the prophet who has come into the world. So they try to take him by force and make him king. What is the prophet all about? Well, it goes back to Deuteronomy 18, verse 15. I've mentioned this many times before. I'll just note it for you. Deuteronomy 18, verse 15. Moses said that the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers. And it is to him you shall listen. So some of the people in the crowd are ecstatic. This is the prophet. This is the one that Moses prophesied about. This is the one that John talked about that we heard. Jesus had their attention. This must be the prophet. Secondly, letter B, we see that some believe that Jesus is the Christ. Some believe that Jesus is the Christ. They're willing to take it a step further than just, is he the prophet? But he must be the Christ. You'll notice then in verse 42, Verse 42, the people say, or verse 41, others said, this is the Christ, but some said, is the Christ to come from Galilee? So you have some people that think he is the Christ, and what's interesting, are those two different people? Well, the Jews seem to have thought that the prophet and Christ were two different figures, but Jesus is both the prophet that Moses was talking about, as well as the Christ sent from the Father. Others disagree and say, nope, he can't be the Christ. Some say he's the Christ, but I don't believe him. And the reason I don't believe him is because isn't the Christ to come from Galilee? Is the Christ to come from Galilee? I mean, hasn't the scripture said that Christ comes from the offspring of David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was from? Well, Jesus is from there. See, the people think they know Jesus, but Jesus continues to reveal to them that they don't actually know him as well as they think they do. This seems to be still the same confusion that was happening before, where people were not sure, they didn't know the scriptures, that Micah 5-2 tells us very clearly that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. Psalm 89 verse 4 says that I will establish your, talking about David's, seed forever and build up your throne to all generations. Some people are connecting all these dots. But not everybody. There are some who just want to arrest him. He's become a nuisance to them, and they desire to arrest him. But what's interesting in verse 44 is that no one laid a hand on him. No one was actually successful in arresting him. Why is that? Well, because his hour had not yet come. The time will come when Jesus will die. when he will be whipped and beaten and mocked and scorned and die on a cross, but that time is not yet. So no one laid a hand on him. The officers in verses 45 and 46 that were sent to arrest Jesus say, in verse 46, the Pharisees said to them, why did you not bring them? And they say, no one ever spoke like this man. There's nobody like him. There's another group, some that are just amazed, some that are amazed at this. No one has ever spoke like this man. We can't arrest Jesus because we can't refute the things that he says. There's something about the authority of this man that is just so compelling. We've never heard anything like it. This only leads to some being further angry. Some, the Pharisees specifically, are just angry. They respond in verse 47, the Pharisees answered them, have you also been deceived? This question shows us what the Pharisees thought about Jesus and the crowd. Have you also been deceived, they say? Why do they say that? Well, because they believe that Jesus is a deceiver. In verse 48 and 49, have any of the authorities of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed. Here's the reason why you shouldn't believe Jesus. We haven't. Oh, that's a good argument. The Pharisees, as the authorities, believe that these people are further deceived because they're believing in Jesus. What's interesting is that John highlights the hypocrisy of the Pharisees by bringing up Nicodemus in verses 50 and 51. Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does? Nicodemus is mentioned three times in the Gospel of John. Back in chapter 3 most significantly, here in chapter 7, and then again in chapter 19 at the burial of Jesus. Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does? What's the answer to that? No. It could be that he's referring to a number of passages in Deuteronomy that state that a person must be heard with evidence and witnesses before being charged as guilty. Nicodemus is just saying, we're the upholders of the law. We can't judge a man without giving him a trial. But the Pharisees are so bent on getting rid of Jesus. that they give a little slur in verse 52. Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee. They're mockingly asking him, what are you on his team? Are you his lawyer? I don't care about a trial. Get rid of him. You know, it's very possible for us to have any or all of those responses to Jesus. We can be equally amazed at Jesus and angry with his words. Some of us would desire to just not think about Him at all. What's interesting in our passage is that there's nobody left saying who can really truly say, I just don't care. Like, eh, if He is the Christ, great. If He's not, great, don't really care. It's either you're in or you're out. So how should we respond to this by way of application? It's very simple. The offer's clear. Come to Jesus. Believe in Him. The other very clear application is that in your evangelism, when you're talking to people about Jesus, don't be shocked by the number of different responses like this. They're just opposed. They have no interest in Jesus at all. I want to encourage you to still pursue that. Because Jesus still talked to these Pharisees. So what's amazing to me is the mercy of Jesus that would continue on in conversation with these people who hate him so badly. And the truth is that Jesus did that all the way to the cross. He despised the shame, he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, but he went to the cross first. He was lifted up on the cross to die. Let's pray together and meditate on that. Lord Jesus, we thank you that you went to a cross, that you were opposed and rejected by men and women, that you were mocked and beaten and scorned, and you did all that for us so that we might know you, that we might have a relationship with you, and you offered yourself freely to all who would come to you. Lord, thank you for your cross, and thank you for what you've done for us. I pray now that as we come to your table, that we would meditate on what you have done for us. Hallelujah, what a Savior. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.