Advent - Week Three

Wow! It's already the third Sunday of Advent. Today we continued our series Who Do You Say I Am? Jesus' answer for this week? The Gift of Living Water.

The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated two things. First, by living for a week in temporary shelters, the people of Israel participated with their ancestors in the wilderness experience. Second, it was a harvest celebration during which the people expressed their thanks to God for his provision and care, especially for the gift of rain that makes the harvest possible.

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Imagine this: It's the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The priest gets a pitcher of water from the Pool of Siloam, lifts it high and walks into Jerusalem through the Water Gate, and makes his way to the Temple Courts. Upon his arrival, the gathered people shout the words: With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). The priest pours his pitcher of water out on the ground.

Just about then, Jesus makes his presence at the Feast known by crying out in a loud voice: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him (John 7:37-38).

Living (running) water brings three benefits: 1) it refreshes, 2) brings peace, and 3) gives life. Forgive me for not developing all these thoughts fully, but I'm just going to skim the surface (so to speak).

1. Refreshment - Andrews Glacier and its beautiful lake (Andrews Tarn) sits at 11,000 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park. Park information warns against drinking the water, because of possible parasites, but Janelle and I couldn't resist (thankfully, we didn't suffer any negative consequences). After the climb from our campsite (10,000 feet), that cold water really hit the spot. Isaiah wrote about God providing water in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:20). God knows how to quench our thirst and provide real refreshment.


2. Peace - For ancient humanity the sea was a source of fear frought with dangers; it's churning was caused by the presence of monsters and evil powers. The psalmist writes: ...we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. [But] there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells (Psalm 46:2-4). This passage contrasts the terror of the raging seas with a peaceful stream that comes from God.


3. Life - The town of Sychar (where Jesus met with the Samaritan woman) wouldn't have been there except for Jacob's well. While not living (running) water, it provided for the townspeople's needs along with their herds and flocks. Jesus said he was the source of internal springs of water welling up within us to eternal life (John 4:14).

The prophet Jeremiah wrote: My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water (Jeremiah 2:13).

Why is it we've been offered springs of living water welling up within us to eternal life, yet we opt for doing things our way - digging our own wells and making do with whatever muddy water we happen upon?

The disciples had a similar choice. After a particularly difficult teaching (John 6), many of Jesus' followers left him. Do you want to leave, too? Jesus asked. Peter answered: Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Christ offers us the gift of living water.

1. Is life all good? Or are you worn out physically, spiritually and emotionally? When life taps your dry, God wants to refresh you in every way and give you the strength to go on.


2. If your life had a name, would it be peace or chaos? Maybe this year you're looking forward to singing Silent Night, but your world is anything but heavenly peace. Micah 5:5 reads: He will be their peace. He wants to be your peace, too.


3. This isn't just a matter of cold drinks and chillaxin'; this is a matter of life and death. When your very life hangs in the balance, God will be there to save you.

Have a fantastic week!

How is Christ living water to your life?