THE LIVING WATER

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isaiah 55:1).

 

“If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” (John 7:37).

 

I had been reading through the Gospel of John recently, and was struck with the Apostle’s abundant use of water as a theme in recounting the details of Jesus’ early ministry.  John’s gospel is unique compared to the other gospels.  He relates stories and teachings in his gospel that are not mentioned in any of the others.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s accounts of Jesus’ ministry are known as the Synoptic Gospels because, according to Wikipedia’s definition, they give "an account of the events from the same point of view or under the same general aspect."  John, on the other hand, seems to use a different lens altogether to view the Lord’s ministry.  His gospel feels more intimate in many ways, and it should not surprise us since it was he who scripture tells us leaned on Jesus’ breast at the last supper and described himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” (See John 13:23-25; 21:20).  

 

Water is essential to our lives in many ways.  It is, first and foremost, necessary to sustain life.  Every living thing requires water for its survival.  We can only live three days without it.  We must also have clean water for our personal hygiene: to wash our bodies and our clothing.  Water was used by the Jews for all sorts of ritual cleansings and purification.  It was also used in the New Testament to baptize repentant sinners as a sign of their purification from sin.  The uses of water under the old covenant stood as types and shadows of something deeper, something more spiritual.  For example, Exodus 17:6 and Numbers 20:8 tell of God sending water out of a rock in the desert when the Israelites were desperately thirsty.  In writing to the Corinthian Church, the Apostle Paul says that those same Israelites “…did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:4).  He then tells us that “…all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11).  The Prophet Jeremiah rebuked the Jews of his day for digging cisterns for themselves that were broken and leaking instead of relying on the Lord Who is the Fountain of Living Water (Jeremiah 2:13).  It is clear that water can only sustain our natural man, but Living Water is necessary for our spiritual man to live.    

 

Let’s take a look at the first seven chapters of St. John to glean the lessons they reveal about Jesus, the Fountain of Living Water.

 

JOHN 1: HE WHO BAPTIZES WITH THE HOLY GHOST

John the Baptist was sent to announce the coming of the promised Messiah to Israel.  He was clear about his mission and what it did and did not entail.  He was a voice crying in the wilderness, telling God’s people to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Lord by repenting of their sins and being baptized in water as a sign of their spiritual purification.  The idea of baptizing in water was not entirely unique to John.  The Jews were well acquainted with all sorts of ritual cleansing and purifying in water under the Mosaic Law.  The priests who served in the Temple at Jerusalem were required to wash their bodies in water before they went about their duties in God’s House. 

 

As aware as John was about his calling and purpose, he was also keenly aware of what he was not.  This is what he had to say to the Jews who questioned his ministry: “When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias…I baptize with water: but there standeth One among you, Whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, Whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” (John 1:19-27).  John’s testimony to the Jews was simple enough.  He said, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him [Jesus].  And I knew Him not [prior to this, John was not aware that Jesus was the chosen Messiah]: but He [God] that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”  (John 1:32-34).

 

Jesus’ identity as the Messiah must have been kept closely guarded by His family because John uses the phrases “One among you, Whom ye know not,” and “I knew Him not.”  A reasonable explanation for this would be that after the angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s attempt to have the child Jesus destroyed, and the family returned to Israel after Herod’s death, they were careful from that time onward about speaking of Who Jesus was.  Scripture tells us that there were many things that Mary kept hidden in her heart regarding Jesus, and didn’t share openly.

 

God had given John the Baptist a sign that would reveal to him who the Messiah was.  That sign was that John would see the Spirit descend upon the Chosen One and remain with Him.  John must have baptized thousands during his ministry; but when Jesus came to be baptized by John, the Spirit came down upon Him in the form of a dove and remained with Him.  This is when John knew that his own first cousin was the Anointed – the Christ.  This was the One Who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire just as John had prophesied.

 

The lesson in this story is that Jesus Christ has come to transcend all traditions, rituals, and laws.  Purification by mere water was a type of something much grander that God had in store for those who would believe in His Son.  Those purification rituals were part of the old covenant and had to be set aside so that the new covenant could take effect.  Remember that John himself was operating under the old covenant.  His ministry bridged the old and the new.  Jesus said, “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” (Luke 16:16).  Jesus came to announce the new covenant to the House of Israel, and to establish it to all tribes and generations.  Instead of water that only cleansed the outward man, the baptism of the Holy Spirit would change the heart and purge the inner man.  This did not negate the need for water baptism as an act of obedience and faith for believers, but it did change the emphasis.  Jesus set the example for us when He insisted that John baptize Him in water so that He could “…fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15).  Jesus’ heavenly Father then rewarded His only begotten Son by sending the Holy Ghost to abide with Him, and by announcing that “This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:15).  Please read our message entitled The Doctrine of Baptisms (November, 2021 edition of City On A Hill Messages Newsletter) for a full description of Christian baptism and its purpose. 

 

As we shall see, God wanted to emphasize the importance of learning to live our lives in the Spirit day by day, and not rely on worldly rituals and dogmas to define our spirituality.  Jesus came to show us the path to God.  As it turns out, it is rivers of Living Water.

 

JOHN 2: TURNING WATER INTO WINE

In the second chapter of John, the Apostle tells us about Jesus’ first miracle.  It took place in the town of Cana in Galilee where there was a marriage feast taking place.  Jesus’ mother, Mary, was present and seemed to have some formal role in the festivities.  According to the station of the family, these celebrations could last up to a week.  It was expected that the bridegroom would provide food and drink for all of the invited guests.  Jesus and His disciples were also invited to this event. 

 

At some point in the festivities, the wine ran out.  To run out of wine before the feast was over would be a great embarrassment to the family, so Mary turned to Jesus.  She told the servants to do whatever He instructed them to do.  We’re told that there were six stone water pots standing nearby that were normally used to hold the water that the family used for ritual cleansings.  The vessels held between 20 and 30 gallons each, or 120-180 gallons altogether.  Jesus, therefore, told the servants to fill the pots with water, and they filled them to the brim.  Next, Jesus instructed the servants to draw from the vessels and deliver the contents to the master of the feast.  When the master of the feast tasted it, it had become wine, and he declared, “Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” (John 2:10). 

 

John tells us that this was Jesus’ first miracle, and it was literally dripping with symbolism.  At first glance you might think that, as a miracle, it seemed kind of frivolous.  As always, though, there is something deeper and more meaningful in everything that God does.  Once again, there is an allusion to the Jewish purification rites involving water.  It was no coincidence that the pots Jesus chose were normally used for that purpose.  Jesus had come to bring, not just the water of the word, but the wine of the Spirit to gladden the hearts of man!  The fact that at most weddings they served the best wine first, and then the cheaper wine is very significant as well.  God has reserved the best wine to be poured out in the fullness of time after mankind has drunk his fill of the inferior wine of the law and of fleshly traditions.  The law was a schoolmaster that was only meant to bring us to the realization that we need a Savior because we can’t keep the law in our own strength and will power.  The fact that the water pots were made of stone may also allude to the fact that Jesus is the Rock of our salvation.  His ministry was better than that of Moses because Moses only brought water from the rock, but Jesus brought forth the New Wine!

 

When Jesus blesses, He always blesses in abundance.  The volume of wine that He produced in those stone pots was equivalent to between 600 and 900 standard-sized bottles of wine today!  Later on in His ministry, Jesus multiplies five barley loaves of bread and two fishes into a feast that fed thousands until they were all full, and still had 12 baskets of food left over!  Truly, Jesus delights in exceeding all of our expectations.  “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20, 21).

 

JOHN 3: BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT

Chapter three of John introduces us to a man by the name of Nicodemus.  He was a member of the Pharisee sect and described as a “ruler of the Jews.”  In Jesus day, the Sanhedrin was the ruling council of the Jews.  The Pharisees (the majority party or sect) dominated the council over the Sadducees (the minority party or sect) at that time.  Nicodemus was in a difficult position, however.  Most of the Sanhedrin was opposed to Jesus and thought He was a Sabbath breaker, blasphemer, and all-around rabble rouser.  Nicodemus, however, was sympathetic to Jesus’ message and wanted to know more.  This is why he chose to visit Jesus by the cover of night and not approach Him openly in broad daylight. 

 

Nicodemus opened the conversation by saying, “Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him.” (John 3:2).  Jesus wasted no time launching into the best description of the New Birth that can be found in the Bible.  He told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (verse 3).  Nicodemus was puzzled about how a person could be born twice and asked Jesus how this could be to which Jesus responded, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (verses 5, 6).  Here, Jesus uses the amniotic fluid that surrounds a baby prior to birth (the water) to describe natural childbirth.  This is the first time a person is born, and it is when they are born of water.  To see the kingdom of God, however, a person must be born a second time: this time “of the Spirit.”  The Lord then contrasted the two by saying, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  The first birth qualifies us to be a part of this carnal, fleshly world.  The new birth qualifies us to be citizens of a heavenly kingdom.  Again, what Jesus offers us far transcends the natural, earthly existence that we are familiar with.  We are transformed by the renewing of our minds and the regenerative power that is ours through faith in the Son of God.  We humans are too absorbed in the visible world which will someday pass away.  Instead, we need to glimpse the invisible world where God dwells, and where our heavenly home awaits those who have claimed Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The “new birth” was a different thought for this “ruler of the Jews.”  He was a spiritual leader of his people and yet he knew nothing about what Jesus was telling him.  He could quote the scripture and keep many of the laws, but he was not spiritually alive yet.  Many religious people today from all faiths (including some professing Christians) have reduced their relationship with God to a system of works.  They rely on what they know, do, and believe as their ticket to heaven.  They have no personal relationship with God because they have not been born again.  Jesus came that we might have life, and in abundance!  “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36). 

 

JOHN 4: JACOB’S WELL

In order to travel from Judea to Galilee, it was necessary to pass through Samaria.  This is where Jesus and His disciples found themselves in chapter four of John. 

 

Samaria was a region just north of Jerusalem which was originally held by the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh.  The Samaritans were partly Jews and partly Gentiles.  After the Assyrians captured the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 721 B.C., the Jews who were not carried away captive intermarried with the Assyrians.  They had their own unique copy of the first five books of Scripture as well as their own unique system of worship. They believed that Mt. Gerizim was the most holy place to worship God, and not Jerusalem.  For these reasons, the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans at all. 

 

Jesus and His disciples came to the city of Sychar in Samaria, and Jesus sat down on the well that was near the town while His disciples went to purchase provisions.  The well was one which the Jewish patriarch Jacob had dug many centuries before.  As Jesus sat there, a Samaritan woman came out of the city to draw water from the well.  Jesus engaged her by asking her to draw water so that He could drink.  The woman was surprised that Jesus (a Jew) would even speak to her let alone ask her to help Him.  Jesus said to her, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.” (John 4:10).

 

The woman asked whether Jesus was greater than the patriarch Jacob who dug the well and drank from it himself.  Jesus responded by saying, “Whosoever drinketh of this water [from the well] shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (verses 13, 14).  By saying this, Jesus was contrasting the culture and tradition that was behind Jacob’s well, along with its origin, to the Living Water of God’s Holy Spirit.  It seems as though this woman then begins to understand what Jesus is saying.  She tells Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” (verse 15).  She also says, “Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet.” (verse 19).

 

The Samaritan woman then touches on theology when she brings up the differences in how her people and the Jews had been taught about the proper worship of God.  She told the Lord, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” (verse 20).  Jesus seems to dismiss the whole doctrinal issue from both sides when He says, “Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (verses 21-24).  Dear Friends, it is not so important what church we go to as it is whether or not we are worshipping the Father in spirit and truth!  God wishes to sweep aside all of the things that separate His children, and unite them together in one Spirit and one Body.

 

JOHN 5: I HAVE NO MAN

In Jesus' day, there was a pool in Jerusalem which in Aramaic was called Bethesda, meaning "house of mercy."  Once in a while, an angel would enter the pool and stir the waters up so that they visibly moved.  It was discovered that anyone who could be the first to enter the pool after the water was stirred would be healed of whatever was afflicting them.  For this reason there was always a large number of people who were blind, sick, crippled, etc. waiting all around the pool for their chance to be healed. 

 

A story like this may seem strange to us today.  Many modern Christians and theologians would rather dismiss what they don't understand than to believe the witness of God's Word.  Even several of the more popular modern Bible translations have entirely removed the text of John 5:4 from their editions, choosing to skip verse four altogether and go directly to verse five from verse three!  I say, let God be true and every man a liar.  It appears that John accepted the story as fact because he says, “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water…,” and not that “it was reported” that this happened, or “some believed” that it happened.  God is a faithful and loving Father, and even at times when His people turn their backs on Him, He still moves in marvelous and unexpected ways in order to bless them, and remind them that He is God.  

 

While Jesus was in Jerusalem, He passed by the pool of Bethesda where He found a man who had been infirm for 38 years.  This man was waiting, along with all the other sick folks, for the waters of the pool to be troubled.  He wanted to be able to get in the pool first and be healed.  This must have seemed like a hopeless situation for this poor man.  Because of his infirmity, he was unable to move himself into the pool without someone else helping him.  Everyone else was occupied with the same goal, however - to be the first into the pool. 

 

Once again, we see man’s reliance on traditions and chance.  The troubling of the water sounds like it was a very random event – almost like depending on winning the lottery in order to survive.  The point of the story was not whether God could use an angel to facilitate healing on certain occasions, but that Jesus Christ is always available to meet man’s needs if he will only believe. 

 

On seeing the man's need, Jesus said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6 ESV). The man's answer was unexpected.  Instead of crying, "Yes, what do you think I'm here for?" he offered an excuse: "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled." (John 5:7).  Jesus simply said to him, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” (verse 8).  Immediately, the man was healed, and he packed up his bed and walked away.  We do not have to wait on angels, rely on man’s aid, or trust in healing waters for our help and deliverance.  Jesus, the Son of God, is ever standing before us asking, “Do you want to be healed?”  He is willing to respond to our needs as soon as we give up our excuses and our reliance on other things.  As the Psalmist wrote, "Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.  Through God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies." (Psalms 108:12, 13).

 

JOHN 6: IT IS I; BE NOT AFRAID

The sixth chapter of John deals mostly with the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus’ subsequent teaching about the Bread of Life.  Sandwiched in between these two things is another story involving water. 

 

Jesus had gone up into a mountain to pray after the crowd that was following Him had been fed and sent away.  While He was there, the disciples got in a ship and sailed toward Capernaum.  After they had launched, the wind picked up and caused the waves to arise on the sea.  The disciples tried to row the ship to their destination, but it was difficult.  That’s when they spotted Jesus “...walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship.” (John 6:19).  Initially, they were afraid of this miracle, but Jesus reassured them by saying, “It is I; be not afraid.” 

 

Jesus shows Himself to be truly the Master of the Sea in this story.  First of all, He was walking on the water!  The disciples had never seen such a thing!  Many of them were seasoned sailors, and were struggling to handle the ship against such winds and waves.  In contrast, here was Jesus - with nothing under Him but faith - having no trouble with the storm whatsoever.  Secondly, when they “...willingly received Him into the ship,” they immediately (and miraculously) arrived at their destination. (verses 21).

 

What this speaks to me is that we have a Captain of our Soul Who is able to pilot our ship through all of the storms of life.  While others may trust in boats and other means to navigate this vast and treacherous sea, we can trust in the One Who walks upon the waters!  He can bring us immediately to our destinations when we willingly receive Him.  Jesus wants us to follow His example and believe that we, too, can walk on the waves and do the impossible.

 

JOHN 7: IF ANY MAN THIRST

John ties together all of these stories he has written in the first six chapters of his Gospel with three verses in chapter seven.  He writes, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.  He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly [the innermost part of man] shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (John 7:37-39). 

 

The qualification necessary for anyone to receive these Livings Waters and feel them flowing out from their very heart and soul is to be thirsty.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6).  There are those who have no interest in changing the type of people they are for righteousness’ sake.  They are content just the way they are and see no need to be anything more.  They have eyes to see, but they are blind; and they have ears to hear, but they are deaf.  Such ones will never grow spiritually, and will finally forfeit their place in God’s kingdom.  On the other hand, there are those who desire to know God and to be like Him.  They are hungry and thirsty to know and to follow the will of God for their lives.  They will yield themselves to Christ and let His Holy Spirit change them from the inside out.  Scripture says, “The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” (Proverbs 27:7).  Those who do thirst come to Jesus to be filled.  Only He has the words of eternal life, and is the Fountain of Living Waters.  The Lord will baptize them in His Holy Spirit, and turn their water into wine. He will cause them to be born, not just of the water, but of the Spirit.  He will give them Living Water that they thirst no more, and heal them with the Word of His power.  He will cause them to walk across the waters of life, and make rivers of Living Waters flow from within them.  Bless His holy name!  Jesus truly is our all and all!

 

 “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem…” (Zechariah 14:8).