John 7,37-39. Exaudi

John 7,37-39           3121 

Exaudi 042

Pereginus, Bishop of Auxerre, France. Martyr 304 

16. Mai 2021

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, we give thanks unto You, that through Your Holy Spirit You have appointed us to bear witness of Your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: We beseech You, inasmuch as the world cannot endure such testimony, and persecutes us in every way, grant us courage and comfort, so that we may not be offended because of the cross, but continue steadfastly in Your testimony, and be found always among those who know You and Your Son, until we obtain eternal salvation through Him. Amen. (Veit Dietrich) 

2. »On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out: „If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.“ Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.« 

3. The context for today’s sermon text is Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, that falls between late September – late October. It is one of the three high holy festivals where Jews are to pilgrimage to Jerusalem for its celebration. This year the feast is from 20. – 27. September. It is a twofold festival: 1. It is a thanksgiving harvest festival, and 2. It also commemorates the Exodus where God delivered Israel and lead them to the Promised Land.   

4. While Jesus was celebrating this feast in John 7, the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest Him. These officers were impressed by Jesus’ teaching and refused to arrest Him.   

5. Jesus proclaimed: »If you are thirsty, then draw nigh unto Me and drink.« Jesus was not referring to the literal water and thirst, but to spiritual thirst and water that only He and His teaching can quench. Mankind certainly has a thirst for knowledge and wisdom. We try to satisfy that thirst with teachings, religions and philosophies that span numerous cultures but they never truly meet the needs of our thirsty soul. Religions and philosophies abound throughout the world that attempt to answer the age old questions every person asks at some point: who am I, how did I get here, what is the meaning of life? 

6. The Christian faith answers these and many other questions. We, human beings, are created in the image and likeness of God. We are the crown jewel of all of God’s creation. We were created to be in communion with God, to be stewards of the earth and to care for one another. Jesus exemplifies this stewardship and care to us just as He intended for us to do. But we are also a fallen creation that is in rebellion against God. 

7. Those who thirst for redemption and forgiveness, will find it in Jesus and only in Jesus who said: »I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me« (John 14,6). If we believe in Jesus, then living water will flow from us. Jesus’ statement is based on something the Prophet Zechariah said 5 centuries earlier: »On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem« (Zechariah 14,8).

8. The Prophet Zechariah proclaims that Yahweh will be King over all the earth (14,9). At His ascension Jesus was seated at the right hand of Yahweh, and reigns as King over the world. All the nations, Jews and Gentiles, will acclaim Him as King, worship Him and be blessed with eternal life. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to continue this work on Pentecost, and He continues it to this very day. 

9. Draw near unto Jesus and drink the ever-flowing water He bestows. He has made us righteous in the waters of Holy Baptism. He is the Vine and we are the branches (John 15,5); eat and drink the righteousness He gives us in His supper. »If anyone thirsts, then let him come to Me and drink.«  Amen. 

10. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who is seated on Your holy throne; draw all nations under Your reign and gather them into Your Church, so that all the world confesses that You are risen indeed. Alleluia!  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

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All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2019 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2020 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands.