Today’s passage: John 7:25–53
Focus verse: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)
Health professionals and fitness experts teach on the importance of good hydration, of getting enough to drink. In much of the world, access to clean drinking water is a given. People in these regions don’t give water a thought. It’s available to them whenever they want it.
Other areas of our world aren’t so fortunate. Too many people don’t have access to any water, let alone clean water. To them, regular hydration is an ongoing concern that never leaves their day-to-day reality.
For those of us who have water, we should be mindful of those who do not.
While most of us can’t give parched people a cup of refreshing water in Jesus’s name (Matthew 10:42 and Mark 9:41), we can support organizations that have a mission to supply accessible, safe water to those who lack it.
This could take the form of boring wells or setting up water filtration systems.
Though this verse alludes to physical water, it’s a metaphor for spiritual water. We receive living water through Jesus.
We first covered this in Day 7, “Living Water.” In that passage, Jesus offers living water to the Samaritan woman and those in her town. Now, in this verse, he extends his gift to everyone.
Jesus wants to give supernatural water to all who have a spiritual thirst. To those who receive Jesus’s spiritual water by believing in him, rivers of living water will flow from them (John 7:38).
And to make sure we understand what he means by streams of living water, John confirms that Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit (John 7:39). After Jesus receives glory through his resurrection, everyone who believes in him will receive the Spirit.
Today, we see Jesus as risen and glorified. We have received Holy Spirit power as promised. Everyone who believes and follows Jesus will receive power from the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit will flow forth from us like streams of living water.
If you accept Jesus to save you, you have his Spirit in you.
Questions:
- What are your day-to-day concerns?
- What practical steps can you take to give thirsty people a cup of water in Jesus’s name?
- Aside from clean water, what needs do other people have that you take for granted?
- What can you do to give spiritually thirsty people Jesus’s living water?
- Does the Holy Spirit gush from you like water? If not, what must you do?
Discover more about living water and the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 55:1, Ezekiel 47:9, Joel 2:28, John 20:22, and Acts 2:17. What insights can you glean from these passages?
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Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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