“37 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, He cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38 and let the one who believes in Me drink. As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ 39 Now He said this about the Spirit, which believers in Him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40 When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ 41 Others said, 'This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, 'Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does He? 42 Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’ 43 So there was a division in the crowd because of Jesus. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on him.
45 Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not arrest him?’ 46 The police answered, ‘Never has anyone spoken like this!’ 47 Then the Pharisees replied, ‘Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? 48 Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.' 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, 51 ‘Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” 52 They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee’” John 7:37-52.
This is again another extraordinary exchange Jesus had with those in the crowd and with the religious leaders as well. Notice this occurred on the last of eight (8) days of the feast of Sukkot — or Booths — when the people’s week-long ceremonies and prayers for rain would hopefully be answered by God. What they had neither anticipated nor recognized was that standing in front of them was the Creator, the source, of all rain from heaven. They did not know that their prayers for rain were being heard directly by the Messiah, the Son of Man, who stood just a few feet from them! Jesus’ response is:
“If anyone thirsts, let them come to Me;
and let them drink who believes in Me;
As the Scripture says,
‘From within Him there shall flow
rivers of Living Water.’”
A sacred connection is called for here: Just as Moses struck the rock in the desert to produce miraculous water during Israel’s sojourn in the desert (see Exodus 17:6), now Jesus, who is the Rock of the New Israel, gives Living Water (see 1 Corinthians 10:4)! And the Living Water to which Jesus refers is clearly the Holy Spirit that is given in the waters of Baptism after Jesus returned to His father from the Cross. This Living Water was spoken of at the Cross: “34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out” John 19:34, and at one of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances: “22 When Jesus had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” John 20:22.
Because Jesus is the new Moses, bringing His people from slavery-to-sin to a promised new land in heaven for eternity, some who were present saw Jesus as “really the prophet” like Moses (Verse 40), while others thought “This is the Messiah” (Verse 41). And when objections were raised about Jesus’ Galilean origins, John is quiet here as if to say that many present knew Jesus was from Bethlehem. But it is the Pharisee’s reply that intrigues me the most when they suggest that no educated person would believe Jesus is the Messiah: “Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? 48 Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.” (Verses 47- 49). Even the cautious and highly educated Nicodemus, who is well known and respected, challenges the Pharisees regarding their so-called knowledge and wisdom when his plea for some kind of justice for Jesus is met with ridicule and anger.
But it is Jesus' invitation to “Come to Me” all “who believe in Me” is surely the invitation that we all must all hear every day. Such an invitation must be heard, accepted, and lived each day of our lives. I invite you, then, in the name of Jesus Christ, to stop and pray today so that you may hear Jesus’ invitation to you to “come to Me” and to “believe in me.” These two invitations are the heads and tails of a single coin. They are two links in a chain. They belong together. We can only come to Jesus if we believe in Him, just as “proof” of our belief in Jesus shows up in our following Jesus.
Oh dear Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner. I want to follow you completely and to believe in You fully. May your sufficient grace grant this humble request to this sinner, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen.
From the Bible:
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” 1 Peter 2:21.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” Matthew 16:24.
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12.
“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” 1 John 2:3-4.
“You are my friends if you do what I command you” John 15:14.
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