John 7:37 “If Anyone Thirsts…”
A Sermon at the Baptism Service of Jackson Gregor (Naperville, IL) on 2.1.2025
John 7:37: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
Intro: Invitations can be wonderful (party/wedding); Fearful (Principals Office; Court Date); Irrelevant (Junk Mail).
-Tonight I want you to consider an invitation that Jesus gave to all who would hear from John 7:37:
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
-Let’s consider 1 what does this mean? 2 How can it be true? 3 What will you do with this invitation.
1 What does this mean?
CONTEXT: Jesus was at Jewish festival that lasted multiple days.
-On the final day, Jesus stood and proclaimed these words: READ John 7:37-38.
-What did Jesus mean?
-Not a literal physical thirst…
-No cooler with water bottles.
-Jesus gave a metaphor to teach a spiritual truth.
-Similar to: “I am bread from heaven…door…vine…”
-Jesus using physical things or action to teach truths about God and Himself.
–THIRST= Our souls having a longing need for God
–DRINK= Come to Jesus in faith, trust, and love.
-Fill your soul with the knowledge and love of Christ.
OTHER SCRIPTURE:
–Isaiah 55:1: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”
–Jeremiah 17:13 “they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters…broken cisterns”
SUMMARY: Jesus invites his hearers to have the thirst of their souls quenched by coming to him in faith.
2 How is it True?
2 Ways: 1. Gospel; 2. Uniquely Satisfying Nature of Christ
I GOSPEL. If we do believe in Christ, we will have eternal life.
-3-2-1 GOSPEL
-Jesus is God’s solution for our sin.
-As God the Son, He is able to meet our deepest needs.
II Jesus uniquely satisfies…
1 Thirst for truth: John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life”
2 Thirst for goodness: Titus 3:4 “Goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared”
3 Thirst for beauty: Mark 8:37 “He does all things well.”
4 Thirst for restored relationship w/God: Eph 2:13 “you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
5 Thirst for glory: 2 Cor 3:18 “beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
6 Thirst for forgiveness: Col 1:14 “in him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”
7 Thirst for mercy: Matt 9:36 “he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
8 Thirst for security: John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
9 Thirst for happiness: Psalm 16:11 “In your presence there is fullness of joy.”
10 Thirst for love: Rom 5:8 “God shows his love for us in this: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
11 Thirst for worship: 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
12 Thirst for God: John 17:3 “This is eternal life… that they may know you the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
3 What will You do with Jesus’ invitation?
-We all have a thirst in our souls that only Christ can satisfy. What will you do with your thirst?
Will you come to Jesus in faith?
CLOSE: Prayer
