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"THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"
The Promise Of The Spirit (John 7:37-39)
INTRODUCTION
1. During the Feast Of Tabernacles, there was a daily ceremony involving
water
a. Each day, the priests and the people would joyfully make their way
to the pool of Siloam
b. Using a golden pitcher, water was drawn, taken back to the temple,
and poured on the altar of burnt offering
c. The words of Isa 12:3 were then sung: "Therefore with joy you
will draw water from the wells of salvation."
2. On such an occasion Jesus used the opportunity to extend a wonderful
promise...
a. Inviting those who thirst to come to Him and drink - Jn 7:37
b. Those who believe in Him will have "rivers of living water" flow
from their hearts - Jn 7:38
3. The apostle John explains that this promise concerns the Holy
Spirit - Jn 7:39
a. Whom those who believe would receive
b. Who had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified
[What else might we glean from the Scriptures concerning this promise of
the Spirit? Let's first take a closer look at...]
I. THE NATURE OF THE PROMISE
A. FROM THE TEXT
1. A promise foretold by the Scriptures - Jn 7:38; cf. Isa 58:11;
a. "The reference is not to any single passage, but to the
spirit of the Scripture, notably such passages as Isa 55:1; Isa 58:11;
Psa 36:8-9." - B. W. Johnson
b. "...referring not to any particular passage, but to such as
Isa 58:11; Joel 3:18; Zec 14:8; Ezek 47:1-12; in most of
which the idea is that of waters issuing from beneath the
temple, to which our Lord compares Himself and those who
believe in Him." - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
2. A promise that makes one a blessing to others - ibid.
a. "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water"
b. "When a man turns himself to the Lord, he shall be as a
fountain filled with living water, and his streams shall
flow to all the nations and tribes of men" - Kuinoel
c. "...those who are Christians shall diffuse large, and
liberal, and constant blessings on their fellowmen" - Barnes
3. A promise offered to believers - Jn 7:39
a. Not just to believers but to obedient believers
b. Note this observation by Robert Milligan:
1) "He manifestly refers in this passage to something which
had hitherto been enjoyed by no one, and which could be
enjoyed by none until after that he himself was
glorified." - Robert Milligan, Scheme of Redemption,
p.283
2) "This, it would seem, could not have reference to the
mediate agency of the Spirit, through the written word
and the ordinary workings of God's providence; for
through these media the Spirit had always operated on the
minds of both Jews and Patriarchs." - ibid.
3) "Christ is speaking here of what is peculiar to his own
personal reign and administration." - ibid.
4. A promise extended to all believers - Jn 7:39
a. Not just to select disciples with special tasks, such as
apostles and prophets
b. But to all Christians under the new dispensation; note also:
1) This promise of the Spirit had not yet been given
2) It was more than miraculous manifestations of the Spirit,
for these had been experienced prior to the glorification of Jesus -
e.g., Lk 1:41; Lk 1:67
5. A promise given after Jesus was "glorified" - Jn 7:39
a. I.e., after His resurrection and ascension to heaven
B. FROM OTHER TEXTS
1. We conclude that it refers to the Holy Spirit
a. Given to all who obey - cf. Acts 5:32
b. Imbibed by all who are baptized - cf. 1 Cor 12:13
c. Sent into our hearts because we are God's children - cf. Gal 4:6
2. We conclude that it refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
a. Who indwells all that belong to Christ - cf. Rom 8:9-10
b. Making their bodies a temple of the Spirit - cf. 1 Cor 6:19
[That this promise refers to the indwelling of the Spirit given to all
Christians becomes more apparent as we now focus our attention on...]
II. THE BLESSINGS OF THE PROMISE
A. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
1. Remember what Jesus said of those who receive the Spirit - Jn 7:38
a. "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water"
b. I.e., they will become a blessing to others; note again:
1) "When a man turns himself to the Lord, he shall be as a
fountain filled with living water, and his streams shall
flow to all the nations and tribes of men" - Kuinoel
2) "...those who are Christians shall diffuse large, and
liberal, and constant blessings on their fellowmen"
- Barnes
2. Especially when they bear the fruit of the Spirit in their
lives- Gal 5:22-23
a. Such as love, joy, peace
b. Such as longsuffering, kindness, goodness
c. Such as gentleness, faithfulness, self-control
-- Bearing such fruit of the Spirit, they bless the lives of
others! Conversely, a person filled with hate and anger, acting
without godliness or self-control is hardly a blessing to anyone!
B. THE AID OF THE SPIRIT
1. The fruit of the Spirit becomes possible with the aid of the
Spirit
a. Who helps us to put to death the deeds of the body - Rom 8:12-13;
cf. Col 3:5-8
b. Who enables us to be filled with joy and peace, abounding in
hope - Rom 15:13
2. For the Spirit is God's instrumental agent to strengthen the
Christian
a. Strengthening the inner man - Eph 3:16
b. With a power working in us - Eph 3:20
-- The Christian is able to be a blessing to others, with the aid of
the Spirit working within!
[Jesus therefore offers us the opportunity to be blessed by the Spirit's
indwelling, so we can be useful in blessing the lives of those around
us. But to ensure that we receive this blessing of the Spirit, let's be
careful to consider...]
III. THE RECEPTION OF THE PROMISE
A. GIVEN TO THOSE WHO OBEY
1. By believing in Jesus Christ
a. The need to believe is emphasized twice in our text - Jn 7:38-39
b. For faith is necessary to receive "life in His name" -
cf. Jn 20:31
2. By repenting of our sins
a. Those who repent will experience "times of refreshing" (what
could be more refreshing than "rivers of living water"?)
- cf. Acts 3:19
3. By being baptized for the remission of our sins
a. They are made to drink into one Spirit - cf. 1 Cor 12:13
-- As Peter put it, God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him - Acts 5:32
B. EXPERIENCED BY THOSE WHO GROW
1. By singing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs
a. We are to be filled with the Spirit - Eph 5:18
b. Which we can do by singing - Eph 5:19
2. By studying the Word of God
a. Which is the sword of the Spirit - Eph 6:17
b. The means by which the Spirit teaches and instructs the
Christian, for it contains the revelation of God given by
the Spirit to inspired men who wrote it for our benefit-
cf. 1 Cor 2:9-13; Eph 3:5-7
3. By praying, making requests regarding the Spirit
a. That God would fill one with all joy and peace in believing,
abounding in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Rom 15:13
b. That God would strengthen one with might through His Spirit
in the inner man - Eph 3:16
4. By turning away from sin
a. Lest they grieve the Spirit - cf. Eph 4:29-31
b. Lest they quench the Spirit - cf. 1 th 5:19
CONCLUSION
1. What a wonderful promise Jesus offers in our text
a. The Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him
b. A refreshing drink that can become rivers of living water
1) First refreshing our souls
2) Then refreshing the souls around us by His impact on our lives
Consider:
a. After the flood
Men worshipped the stars, the sun and the moon
b. The Patriarchal Age
Men learned to worship the One true and living God;
offering the blood of animals as sacrifice for sin
c. The Christian Dispensation
The Spirit of God now writes the Law in their hearts;
No longer do they rely on the blood of animals, for sacrifice
has been made for them. Now they worship God in spirit and truth
and the desire of God grows within and motivates them to do well.
- - This is indeed, a new and better way Jer 31:31-34
2. How sad if we quench the Spirit Who is intended to quench our
thirst
a. By failing to obey the Lord
b. By failing to grow in the Lord
May our attitude and heart's felt desire be similar to that of the
Samaritan woman, when Jesus spoke to her at Jacob's well
"Jesus answered and said to her, 'Whoever drinks of this water
will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall
give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him
will become in him a fountain of water springing up into
everlasting life.' The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give me this
water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.'" (Jn 4:13-15)
Are you willing to say to Jesus, "Sir, give me this water, that I may
not thirst"? Then come to Him in faithful obedience.
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