Introduction:
- The Feast of Tabernacles (v.2)
- The middle of the fear (v.14)
- The last day of the fear (v.39)
TEXT: a wonderful promise
CHRIST IS ALWAYS READY TO HELP THOSE IN NEED
- His offers of mercy usually are to those in need: "if any man THIRST" (= in need). So also: "Come - labour" / "Bread of life - he that hungers", etc.
DOCTRINE: None come to Christ without a felt sense of need.
(Proof: "I came not to call...").
- Q. But are not all sinners in need?
A. Yes - but not all know it to be so.
- Satan labours to hide this need from us:
- By re-defining "sinner" -> "criminal".
There is an important difference. - The harm done by some psychiatry:
The tendency to get us to heal ourselves:
"Every day and in every way ...". - Keeping us so busy - no time to stop and think:
"Where am I going wrong?"
APPLICATION: If we think we are well we shall not come to Christ for His gracious help.
- "Thirst"
- for a sense of God's forgiveness
- for increased peace of soul
- for God's love and favour
APPLICATION: Who goes to the doctor when they are well?
CHRIST IS ABLE TO SATISFY OUR EVERY NEED
- "Come - drink": None are excluded - all the qualification you need is a sense of your need: I show you how to stir this thought in your soul:
- Think about your past sins - every one is enough to damn you - but there are myriads of sins - God will not/cannot pardon out of Christ.
APPLICATION: Have you no thirst for God's mercy? - Think how short your time for repentance is - soon you will be too frail to come to church - prayer will be harder - your heart harder...
APPLICATION: Do you not feel your need of God's mercy?
Can you ignore Christ's offer?
- Once you have drunk from this cup of salvation, you will never thirst again. See:
- The disciples: did they want the old life?
- Matthew: did he go back to tax-collecting?
- the devout woman: Mary, Martha - did they?
- DOCTRINE: None who come to Christ are unsatisfied.
- APPLICATION: I promise you - it will be so for you.
- Christ is able to lay every fear to rest in your life now and in time to come:
- past sins: Illustration: Satan and Luther.
- present worries: "Casting all your care upon Him".
- future needs: "I am with you always..."
- facing death: Illustration: "Today - in paradise"!
APPLICATION: I can assure you: a life lived by faith in Christ is the only happy and fulfilled life there is.
TEXT: "Come - Drink!"
THE SECRET SPRING BY WHICH CHRIST GIVES FULL SATISFACTION IS HIS HOLY SPIRIT
* The vv..38-39: "rivers - out of His belly - the Spirit" (Explain).
- It is a picture of extravagant blessing - not drops but "rivers" of blessing, grace and full satisfaction.
APPLICATION: No wonder Isaiah says: "Why do you spend...not bread?" God gives it all free.
- What are these "rivers"?
- The assurance that we are saved. This comes by the Spirit.
- The clean heart: Illustration: dirty house clean and beautified.
- The power to resist evil: The Spirit gives us ability now to master sin.
- The joy of being a witness to God: Illustration: How did Legion feel?
- The good hope of eternal: Illustration: "Tell mother, I'll be there".
- Christ makes all these blessings ours - this mercy "springs up" in the soul.
APPLICATION: I bid you come and drink
CONCLUSION
Here is the gift to put all other gifts to shame!