I was recently asked to preach from the text in John 7:37-39, to say something about the living water that is promised to believers. I am pleased to be asked to say something about the Holy Spirit. It has been an overlooked, ignored theme in my fellowship. It is a topic I have not preached on often enough in local ministry.
According to the text, this living water is within us, and flows out of us. Jesus said that thirsty people can come to him and drink. By extension, we observe that the living water in believers today is for a world hungering for the truth. He says that streams of living water flow from within. Literally, the living water springs up powerfully from within us. In saying this, he was referring to the Holy Spirit which would later be given to those who believe in him. He also says that the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified, that is, he had not yet died on the cross.
This force and power, the stream of living water in us, is for the world. This is reason for prayer—prayer for the evangelism and mission of the church into the entire world. The purpose of God, and our purpose, is to carry to the world this living water. We carry it to the world only after making sure it is in us. Then we can carry it to the world which is thirsting for the truth.
The Holy Spirit in John’s Gospel
Because of some recent requests I have received for teaching and preaching on the HS texts in John’s Gospel, and on the subject of the HS in John’s Gospel, I have been motivated to restudy and write.
The Holy Spirit in John’s Gospel is different than in the other gospels. The HS in John’s Gospel is less a miracle worker–more a presence. The Holy Spirit instructs and convicts. That conviction (convincing the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment as in John 16:8) is probably to be connected with the testimony of the Holy Spirit (15:26ff). Based on John’s Gospel, we can expect that the Holy Spirit will point to Jesus. The Holy Spirit empowers the testimony of believers. John foreshadows the promisory, guaranteeing work of the HS when he records Jesus’ promise that the HS will speak of things to come.
In fact, the HS passages in John are fairly limited. The HS is present at the baptism of Jesus, probably referred to in the encounter with Nicodemus, given as a presence without restriction or limitation (to Jesus? or to believers?). Less clear references occur in the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well (worship in spirit and in truth) and in John 6 (the spirit gives life, in contrast to the flesh).
The John 7 passage as Jesus teaches at the Feast of Tabernacles has troubled some because of the expectation of miraculous empowerment rather than comforting presence. John 7 must be read in the context of John’s Gospel first. Any other approach will result in a fuzzy view. The work of the HS in the world and in believers is frequently mentioned in the Upper Room discourse (John 14-16). With a good concordance, you can make your own complete list of occurrences and teachings.
Have you studied this topic? Have you looked at HS solely or primarily through the lens of John’s Gospel? What have you concluded? What are some of your favorite or best resources?
A Rewarding Experience
On a recent Sunday, I attended the Bible class for the deaf at the Park Plaza church in Tulsa. It was the first time I had ever attended a class where the teacher was signing and was being interpreted by a hearing person.
In reflecting on my experience, I realized that I had experienced something of what it means to be a stranger, a foreigner, an outsider. Yes, most of us who were present in the class shared a common faith, but I was nonetheless unable to communicate and to fit in with a majority of those in the class. I sought those like me (hearing). I made a fairly rapid departure to the adjoining Spanish assembly where I was scheduled to preach.
Some days, I find communicating and preaching in Spanish a challenge, because my tongue and lips don’t coordinate with my mind. But on this day, I was happy to flee to the comfort of my Spanish brothers and sisters.
A unique experience! When have you been an outsider? What can we learn about welcoming those who come among us as visitors?
Ask the one who knows the way!
True story.
Two Christian men were making visits on behalf of their church. They drove into a subdivision, successfully made their visit, and were ready to leave the subdivision, but….
The driver could not find his way out of the subdivision! He tried several times but kept driving in circles and finding himself on streets he had already driven. Finally, in exasperation, he said to his companion, a civil engineer, “I wonder what idiot designed this subdivision!” To which his companion responded, “I did.”
After the driver asked his friend for directions, exiting the subdivision was relatively easy. The man who had designed the circuitous streets of the subdivision knew the way out. I wonder if we are sometimes like that driver. We keep going in circles, seeking our own way and directions, when Jesus is right beside us, and he knows the way. In fact, he IS the way (John 14:6).
When you are uncertain of the way to go, ask the one who is the way, the truth, and the life!
It’s Sunday Again: Living Water–Agua Viva
I have the privilege of joining the Park Plaza Iglesia de Cristo again today. I will preach on John 7:37-39.
We have overlooked and ignored the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is misunderstood by many. John’s view of the Spirit is interesting. In John’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit is less a miracle worker and more a presence to comfort, guide, instruct, empower, and secure the future. The presence of the Holy Spirit is promised to believers, Luke says to the obedient. The Holy Spirit assures us of sonship, seals God’s ownership, and guarantees the future. The Holy Spirit validates and confirms God’s truth. The Holy Spirit testifies and empowers.
The Holy Spirit is for every believer, those who are born of the water and the Spirit. But the Holy Spirit is not given only for the benefit of the believer. We are not reservoirs but conduits. The living water, Jesus’ description of the Holy Spirit, is for a thirsty world. The living water gushes forth from believers. Some of us need to turn the drip into a gushing river.
I want to encourage God’s people in this sermon so that we will go forth meeting the needs of a thirsty world. The Holy Spirit empowers our testimony.
P.S. I plan to post the sermon on the website as soon as possible.
Stay in Your Lane
I love school teachers. They have a way of making things simple. They know how to distill complex situations and to make them easily understood. My mother was a school teacher. My sister is a school teacher. I am a teacher as well as a preacher.
My wife and I were staying with friends—she is a retired school teacher, high school administrator. On Saturday evening she described a helpful principle with applications in the school house and also at the church house. She made it memorable when she used the phrase: “stay in your lane.”
The next day I taught the auditorium Bible class. The schedule called for me to teach 2 Corinthians 10. Paul writes about staying in the field God assigned him, not straying out of the assignment and not boasting about things beyond his limits or about things done by others. The illustration may be athletic more than agricultural. The reference may be to a race in which lanes are marked out for the runners. Then the NIV “field” (v. 13) would more properly be “lane”. The NIV uses “area of activity” in v. 15 and “territory” in v. 16.
Paul is talking about his apostolic ministry. He is claiming that he has worked in Corinth because God placed him there, and that he confines his boasting to the assignments God gives. He is ready to go preach in other regions according to God’s will and guidance.
Consider some contemporary applications at the church.
I could continue the illustrations, but surely you can see the point. It’s always a good idea and it makes things run more smoothly: stay in your lane.
You talk a lot!
Members say memorable things. Sometimes, members say strange things. I put such in the category: “Things that Preachers Hear.”
You talk a lot. The comment startled me—I wasn’t expecting it. I suspected that she had not said exactly what she meant, so I waited for her explanation. A bit embarrassed, she continued, “I mean that you say a lot when you preach, you DO talk very fast, there is a lot of material, and you seldom repeat yourself.”
A blessing of getting to preach in a congregation where folks do not hear you preach regularly is that you get more comments than you do at home. You get comments like, “I like your preaching….You should consider being a preacher….You say a lot….We WANT to listen when you speak.”
Well in fact, I DO talk a lot. Counting sermons and Bible classes, over an extended period of time, I have “talked” at least four times a week, over 200 times a year, for the last 40 years. Add the class load of a dozen years in Christian higher education, ministry in special series, revivals and gospel meetings, mission work and campaigns. The statement is probably true: I DO talk a lot. And I hope that the things the church member included in her explanation are also true!
Doing Church: “Flavor of the Month”
When the Christian sister used the term to describe her recent experience at church, she did not intend it to be complimentary. “Flavor of the month.” She went on to describe a constant stream of changes, innovations, false starts, and constantly shifting options.
“Flavor of the month.” That is how some church leaders and preachers seem to manage church programming. A new idea is tried, but it not allowed to mature or to find its legs. Someone too quickly decides it is ineffective, so it is discarded. The next month, something else becomes the new “flavor of the month.”
Churches that are led by those who are constantly seeking a new “flavor of the month” have bought into religious consumerism hook, line, and sinker. The preacher starts a new sermon series but never quite finishes it. The announced classes fizzle in the middle. Or perhaps the details are tweaked, but perceived dissatisfaction leads to more and more tweaking and no one knows why things happen or do not happen, why people attend or do not attend, and the church experiences a slow but steady decline.
Why are we so prone to trying to change things, looking for external stimulation when the real need is for strong foundations?
Start the Way You Plan to Finish
The elder’s advice to the recently hired minister was sound: “I like to start the way I plan to finish.” The elder was describing to me a conversation he had with a previous minister. The minister had begun his ministry with the church very slowly. When he was confronted with his lack of activity and direction during an early evaluation meeting with the elders, he explained that he intended to start slowly, that he did not intend to do much, and that he intended to limit his activity and work. He wanted to make sure he had time for personal things, for his family, and for leisure. He would increase his ministry activity when the needs increased. My elder friend pointed out that there are always more needs than can be met.
Regardless of the endeavor, there are some who start slow. There are always those who think the beginning is unimportant. There are too many ministers who plan to get around to a more active, more committed ministry later—better sermons, better classes, more prepared, more connected. It is easy to teach and preach out of the overflow during the early months. I appreciate those ministers who do not want to push multiple personal projects in the first year, but if nothing happens in the first year, it is unlikely that anything will happen later. During the first year, foundations are being laid (or not) that will determine much of the success or failure of the entire ministry.
Far too many ministers plan to begin some day. The truth is this: you most often finish the way you begin. If the work isn’t moving forward briskly after a year, it is probably not going to go very far or very fast. Ministers should start the way they plan to finish. In fact, I’m not sure any other option exists!
Baxter Reflections: Graduation Gifts
Thursday night of graduation week at Baxter is always special. The graduates and Baxter academic personnel join the U.S. guests for dinner and a delightful time of expressing love with gifts and kind words. In 2010, I had the privilege of presenting to each of the graduates a packet of books donated by Spanish Literature Ministry of Wichita Falls, Texas. These ministry tools provide strong foundations for effective ministry and mission work as the graduates go forth to begin full-time work. The words of appreciation and gratitude always touch hearts, especially of the guests from the U.S.
We at Baxter are grateful to partner with Spanish Literature Ministry in taking the gospel into the Spanish-speaking world. We appreciate the thoughtfulness and generosity of blessing our graduates in this way.