April 1, 2020
So Good AND True!
John 7:25–53
Erin Schreyer
Central Truth
We all thirst for fulfillment. Jesus invites us to allow Him to quench that thirst, as only He can, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. With the Spirit, we gain His presence during this life, and we are saved for eternal life together with God.
Key Verse | John 7:37-38
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.'"
John 7:25–53
Can This Be the Christ?
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
Rivers of Living Water
37 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. 38 Whoever believes in me, as 1 7:38 Or let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 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.
Division Among the People
40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
[The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 2 7:53 Some manuscripts do not include 7:538:11; others add the passage here or after 7:36 or after 21:25 or after Luke 21:38, with variations in the text
The Woman Caught in Adultery
53 [[They went each to his own house,
Dive Deeper | John 7:25–53
My husband knows I love surprises. Even more, he loves to score bonus points by including my closest friends in his schemes.
Years ago, he and I had planned a trip to California during grape harvest season. My best friend had moved out-of-state a few months earlier, and my heart had been heavy with the loss of our daily next-door-neighbor experiences, so I was eager for some lighthearted fun.
When the day of our California departure came, my dear friend called as I was finishing my packing. She was excited for my trip and even said she had wished she and her husband could join us. I was still talking on the phone with her as I brought my packed suitcase downstairs to go to the airport. Then, my doorbell rang.
I opened the door to find my best friend standing there, still holding her phone and smiling from ear to ear. I couldn't believe it! I stared incredulously right at her, and when she spoke, she exclaimed, "We're coming with you!" I could see her in front of me and hear her words clearly. Still, I couldn't quite process it. It was almost too good to believe!
When the right time came, Jesus made claims that could be made only by the Messiah. People heard Him, but didn't know what to believe. Still today, we can believe He was sent as our Savior, or we can keep striving to save ourselves. Jesus offers us life with Him today and for eternity. He boldly proclaims, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." (John 6:35) Psalm 107:9 tells us, "For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things."
Jesus invites us to drink from His well, and the waters are so abundant they will overflow in and through us. He satisfies our deepest needs. We might be surprised, but God, in His great love for us, planned this all along. We only need to believe. The Good News is true!
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever had trouble deciding if something was true or not? What did you do to investigate further?
2. Just like some in Jesus' time, have you struggled to believe the claim that Jesus is the Messiah; that He came to pay the price for your sins—past, present, and future; that through His sacrifice and by accepting His invitation, you are redeemed, forgiven, and saved? How have you sought to gain additional insights and information? Have you ever come to Great Questions to work through any doubts? Have you asked Christian friends how faith has impacted their lives? I'm always amazed at the surprising ways Jesus shows up and makes Himself known to people.
3. If you already have a strong faith today, have you shared with others how Jesus has surprised you and quenched a thirst in your life? Testimonies of His mercy, grace, and love are often the best ways to help others understand who Jesus really is.