If Any Man Thirst
‘In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” — John vii., 37.
I. LESSON. Chrisfs gracious importunity: “In the last day that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried.”
The feast here spoken of was the great feast of tabernacles, being one of the three yearly festivals, when all the males came up from the country to Jerusalem. They used to build tents, or tabernacles, of the branches of palm trees, olive, myrtle, and willows, on the flat roofs of their houses, in their courts, or in the open streets and gardens. In these they lived for seven days. The priests and Levites used to teach and preach to the people, and it was a time of great joy before the Lord. The eighth, or last day, was a holy convocation, when all the people met in the house of God before going away to their homes. On that day it was that Jesus stood and cried.
1. Observe, it was when the whole people of the land were met together that Jesus stood and cried: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” Jesus never thought his words thrown away, even if there were but a single soul to hear. Never did he use words of more divine power than when he spoke with Nicodemus alone by night, and with the woman of Samaria by the well; but still, when thousands came together, Jesus would not miss the happy opportunity: “Jesus stood and cried.” O my friends! Jesus still stands in the crowded assembly. May you hear his voice this day!
2. Observe, the people were going home. This was the last day of the feast. To-day the courts of the temple are thronged with Jews from all parts of the country; to-morrow they will be on their way home. No time must be lost; speak now or never; “Jesus stood and cried.” I doubt not there was many a Jew there that day who never heard the voice of the Saviour again; and therefore I can see what was in the mind of Christ when he lifted up his voice so loud: “Jesus stood and cried.” There may be some here to-day who never will hear the word of Christ again. This may be the last day of the feast to some of you. Oh! then, that we might stand and cry, lift up the voice like a trumpet, and say, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink;” and O that you would hear as for eternity!
3. Observe, Christ had often preached to them before, yet he “stood and crisd.” From verse 14 we learn that it was about the middle of the feast (the middle of the week) that Jesus began to teach in the temple; and no doubt he continued preaching and teaching till the last day of the feast. Some marvelled, some murmured, some sought to lay hands on him. And was his patience not wearied out? Ah! no; who knows the long-suffering of the Son of God? How justly he might have gone away for ever, and said, “If ye will not have me for a Saviour, then I will not be a Saviour unto you, I will go my way to Him that sent me.” But no: the more careless the Jews became, the more anxious he became. On the last day he stood and cried, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
Jesus is the same still. Many of you have heard his words for a thousand Sabbath-days. He has stretched out his hands all the day; he has sent all his messengers, rising up early and sending them. You have been always unmoved — living in sin — worse than you were. Does Jesus give you up? No; he stands and cries on the last day; he follows you to your dying day.
Some of you are afraid that Jesus will not receive you now, for you have so long resisted his words. Ah! it would be quite just if he were to say: “1 will not hear; I will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh.” But no; be not afraid. On the last day of the feast he stands and cries. He speaks more loudly, more clearly, more freely than ever. Oh! listen to his words: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
II. Lesson. Christ is the smitten rock.
The feast of tabernacles was intended to be a picture of the
time when the fathers of the Jewish nation lived in tents in the
wilderness. It was intended to remind them that they too were
•trangers and pilgrims in the wilderness, and that they were journeying to a better land. But there was one thing in the wilderness which they had no resemblance of in the feast of tabernacles — the smitten rock which gave out rivers of water. In order to make up for this deficiency, it is said that on the last day of the feast the Jews used to draw water in a golden pitcher from the Fountain of Siloam, and pour it out upon the morning sacrifice, as it lay upon the altar. They did this with great rejoicing, having palm branches in their hand, and singing the 12th chapter of Isaiah. Now it was on this very day — perhaps at this very time — that Jesus stood up in the midst of them, and — as if he wished to show them that he was the true smitten rock — cried: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
Now, Christ is the smitten rock, because his blood has been poured out for sin. (1.) The rock was smitten before it gave out the stream. So is it with Christ. He was smitten of God and afflicted. He bore the wrath of God; and therefore his bio 3d gushed forth, and cleanses from all sin. Oh! you that fear to be smitten of God, wash in this blood; it flowed from a smitten rock. (2.) The water gushed forth abundantly when Moses smote the rock. It was no scanty stream; it was enough for all the thousands of Israel, and for their cattle; and so is it with the blood of the Saviour. It is no scanty stream. There are no sins it cannot wash out; there is no sinner beyond its reach; there is enough -here for all the thousands of Israel. (3.) It was a conslant supply: “They drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ.” We are not expressly told in the Old Testament that the waters of the smitten rock did actually follow the camp of Israel, but some learned divines are of opinion that it was so — that the water continued to flow wherever Israel went; so that it might be said the smitten rock followed them. So is it with Christ. He is a rock that follows us. He is like rivers of water in a dry place. You may wash, and wash again.
III. Lesson. All are invited to come to Christ and drink: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
1. Careless sinners are here invited to come to Christ and drink. Men in their natural condition are quite careless about their souls and about Jesus Christ. They thirst after pleasure, they thirst after money, and they thirst after the world; but they do not thirst after Christ rpr heavenly things. Yet Christ wishes us to cry aloud in the hearing of such: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” Let me speak to such. You have no anxiety of soul, no desires after Jesus Christ, no wish to receive his Holy Spirit. You are not thirsty for anything beyond the waters of this world; you are quite happy where you are, and as you are; yet the day may come when you shall be a weary, thirsty soul. O that it may come soon! Now Jesus says: “If ever you feel thirsty, remember, come unto me, and drink.” “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and ye scorners delight in scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn yc at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you; I will make known my words unto you.”
2. Anxious, thirsty souls, are especially invited to come unto Jesus: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me. and drink.” Souls awakened by God are thirsty in two ways. (1.) They thirst after the forgiveness of sins; they have been awakened to know their lost condition; the weight of God’s anger has been revealed to them. They go from mountain to hill seeking a resting-place, and finding none. At last they sit down, weary and thirsty. They feel that all they do just signifies nothing — that they cannot bring themselves nearer to peace. They feel as it’ already in that place where they shall ask in vain for a drop of water to cool the tongue. Do any of you know what this condition is? Then you are here spoken to by Christ. (2.) They thirst after deliverance from sin. Awakened persons generally put away all outward sin. When a drunkard or swearer is awakened, he puts away his outwnrd sin; but he is far from being able to change his heart. On the contrary, most wicked and hateful thoughts sometimes rise into the soul. The heart is filled with such vile desires that the soul is almost driven to distraction. He goes from mountain to hill seeking a new heart, but finding none. He sits down, at last, weary and thirsty. Do any of you feel this? It is to you Christ speaks: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
O thirsty souls! — afflicted, tempest-tost, and not comforted — why will ye not come unto Jesus, the smitten rock, to drink? One says, I have sinned too much — I dare not come as I am. Ans. But are you not thirsty? Christ says: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” Another says, I have sinned against Christ — I have turned a deaf ear to his warning voice — 1 have mocked at his messengers — I have profaned his sacraments — eaten bread and wine when I was living in sin; and surely I dare not come. But are you not thirsty? Hear what Christ says: “If any man thirst.” Another says: But I am unwilling to come to Christ — I have a proud, unbelieving heart — my heart rises against coming to Jesus Christ; surely I dare not look to Jesus. But are you not thirsty? Christ does not ask the willing or the believing, but the thirsty. He asks no more: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me. and drink.”
3. Thirsty belieuci s are here bid to come to Jesus. Among the crowd on thai greai day of the feast, we are told that there were many who believed on Jesus (verse 31); and it was for their sakes also that ho spake these blessed words: “If any man thirst.” All true believers are a thirsty people. They are travelling in a wilderness, and therefore they need the rock to follow them. Oh! It is a bad sign of a soul when there is no thirst. True Christians are like new-born babes; they desire the sincere milk of the Wor J they need nourishment, and need it often; they cannot live with out it. Oh, then, hear the word of Jesus:” Come unto me, and drink.’5
(1.) Remember you must come to Christ before you can drink. It is only when you have a believing view of the Saviour that you can receive the Spirit. It is only when your eye is fixed on the smitten rock that you can drink of the living water. Are there not some Christians hearing me who seem to receive very little of the Spirit of God? Are there not some Christians among you who often exhibit a mean, worldly spirit? — some who are easily betrayed into a fiery, passionate spirit? Why is this? Ans. You do not come to Jesus to drink; you do not keep the eye of faith on Jesus Christ; you do not live by faith on the Son of God. You are thinking to walk holily without coming unto Jesus day by day, and hour by hour. You do not look on the Lord our strength at God’s right hand; therefore you receive little of the Holy Ghost.
(2.) Remember when you come to Jesus you must drink. O how many seem to come to Jesus Christ, and yet do not drink! How few Christians are like a tree planted by the rivers of water! What would you have thought of the Jews, if, when Moses smote the rock, they had refused to drink? or what would you have thought if they had only put the water to their lips? Yet such is the way with most Christians. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. The Spirit was given to him without measure. The command is given to us to draw out of his fulness; yet who obeys? Not one in a thousand. A Christian in our day is like a man who has got a great reservoir brimful of water. He is at liberty to drink as much as he pleases, for he never can drink it dry: but instead of drinking the full stream that flows from it, he dams it up, and is content to drink the few drops that trickle through. O that ye would draw out of his fulness, ye that have come to Christ! Do not be misers of grace. There is far more than you will use in eternity. The same waters are now in Christ that refreshed Paul — that gave Peter his boldness — that gave John his affectionate tenderness. Why is your soul less richly supplied than theirs? Because you will not drink: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
IV. Lesson. The change on all who drink — they become fountains like Christ: “He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” — John vii., 38.
The Holy Spirit is an imperishable stream. It is not like those rivers of which you have heard which flow through barren sands till they sink into the earth and disappear. Not so the stream of grace. When it flows from Jesus Christ, it flows into many a barren heart; but it is never lost there. It appears again it flows forth from that heart in rivers of living water. When a soul is brought to believe on Jesus, and to drink in the Spirit, it often appears as if the Spirit were lost in that soul. The stream flows into such a barren heart, that it is long before it makes its appearance; but it is never lost. The Scripture must be fulfilled: “He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
1. A new motive for coming to Jesus. — If you will come to Jesus and drink, you shall become a fountain, you shall be changed into the image of Christ. Are there none of you living in a godless family? O come to Jesus and drink! You will become a fountain of grace to your family. Through your heart, through your words, through your prayers, the stream of grace will flow into other hearts. Those you love best in all the world may in this way receive grace. O come unto Jesus and drink! Many of you live in a godless neighborhood, come to Jesus and drink, and you will become a fountain of grace to your neighborhood. From you shall flow rivers of living water. O if all of you that know the Lord Jesus would only drink out of his fulness, even this neglected place might become as the garden of the Lord, well watered everywhere!
2. New test if you have come, to Jesus. — If you have believed on Jesus, then you have received the Spirit, and from you there must be flowing rivers of living water. Is this the case? Alas! how many of you must answer, No; we know not what you mean.
(1.) Are there not some hearing me whose heart is more like a sink of iniquity than a fountain of living water? Are there not some who send forth from their heart rivers that pollute and poison every place where they go? Are there not some who send forth streams of horrid imaginations and impure desires? Are there not some who send forth polluting conversation, foolish, lascivious talking and jesting, which are not convenient? Ah! how plain you have never been brought fo Jesus! The river of grace has never been turned into that foul bosom.
(2.) Are there not some who are like a fountain sealed? They seem to come to Jesus, but they do not give out any living stream. I stand in doubt of you.
Every one that believes on the Lord Jerus must receive the Spirit. Every one that receives the Spirit will make it manifest by sending forth rivers of living water. Be not deceived, my dear friends. He that doeth righteousness is righteous. If you are living a dead, useless life, you are no Christian.” Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. Prove your ownse’ves. Know ye not your ownselves how that Jesus Chris* i? un v*n, except ye be reprobate?**
St. Peter’s, October 22, 1837.