{"id":887,"date":"2024-02-22T21:10:03","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T21:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=887"},"modified":"2025-12-15T20:52:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T20:52:30","slug":"a-river-runs-through-it","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/a-river-runs-through-it\/","title":{"rendered":"A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A River Runs Through It!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John 7:37-41<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good morning! How\u2019s everyone doing today?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, I want to begin this morning with a story. It\u2019s taken form a book \u2014 and then a movie that followed some 20 years ago. It was produced by Robert Redford<\/strong>\u2026and is called A River Runs Through It. <\/em><\/strong>Anyone familiar with the story or the movie?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, it\u2019s a story about two young men, Norman<\/em><\/strong> and <\/em>Paul<\/em><\/strong>, who grew up in <\/em>1920<\/em><\/strong>\u2019s <\/em>in Montana<\/em><\/strong> under the watchful eye of their father, who happened to be a <\/em>Presbyterian<\/em><\/strong> minister.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their mornings were spent in school and religious study, but their afternoons were devoted to fly fishing<\/strong>in the nearby Blackfoot River.<\/strong>Here\u2019s a line from the story \u2014 it\u2019s a line spoken by the main character\u2026one of the sons. He says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.<\/strong> We lived at the junction of great trout rivers in western Montana, and our father was a Presbyterian minister and a fly fisherman who tied his own flies and taught others. He told us about Christ’s disciples being fishermen, and we were left to assume, as my brother and I did, that all first-class fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly fishermen and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though things seemed good\u2026the truth was that there were deep struggles taking place in the boy\u2019s lives. They both battled as boys do with with a bit of rebellion. But through out the story \u2013 there was one constant in their lives\u2026and that was the river\u2026this guiding force within their lives that seemed to draw them all together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many ways \u2014 we as Christ<\/strong> followers have a similar experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although we live in a world of great temptation and strong rebellion against God<\/strong> and His Kingdom\u2026<\/strong>as men and women who have experienced salvation, we too have been blessed with the presence and the power of the Holy<\/strong> Spirit<\/strong>. But all too often\u2026we can experience weariness, and dryness in our spiritual lives. Thankfully, God has a solution to this problem. With that in mind, look with me at John 7:37-39<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

37 <\/em><\/strong>On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, \u201cLet anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Jesus<\/strong> means by \u2018thirsting\u2019 <\/em>is anybody who has unsatisfied desires, anybody who feels restless, anyone who is displeased with life, unhappy, discontent, anyone who hasn’t had a good day, or anyone who hasn\u2019t had a good life\u2026\u201dAnyone who is thirsty\u2026come to me and drink.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

38\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.\u201d <\/em>39\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. <\/em>40\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>On hearing his words, some of the people said, \u201cSurely this man is the Prophet.\u201d <\/em>41\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Others said, \u201cHe is the Messiah.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John 7:37-41<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus<\/strong> says, \u201cLet anybody who is thirsty\u2026come to me and drink.\u201d <\/em>Because, as He said \u2014 when you do, you will have streams of living water flowing from within <\/em>you! (You will experience the source of all life\u2026and hope, and strength \u2014 and likewise you will become a source of life, and hope and strength to others as well!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These words were spoken by Jesus<\/strong> to people who were spiritually dry, empty and defeated. They, like many people of our day, were going through religious ritual and spiritual ceremonies \u2014 but finding very little meaning, or life or victory through them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John<\/strong> adds some clarifying commentary to the words of Jesus – to help us understand His point in verse 39, and says, by this \u2014 by the phrase “rivers of living water”<\/em> He meant the Holy Spirit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Jesus<\/strong> indicates, SALVATION<\/strong> is found in Him \u2014 but the power to live our lives comes from His Presence<\/strong> (the Holy<\/strong> Spirit) <\/strong>flowing through us. For it\u2019s in the Holy Spirit<\/strong> that we find the joy and hope and passion and power we need to live our lives for Christ<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You know, one of the really powerful aspects of this passage is the setting in which these words were spoken. In many ways \u2014 it amplifies their meaning. And I say that, because \u2014 the occasion that Jesus<\/strong> said this was the Feast of Tabernacles<\/strong>, the third in a series of very important Jewish Feasts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. There was the Feast of Passover <\/strong>(that remembered that night that God saved the lives of those who trusted in Him back in Egypt).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The Feast of Tabernacle<\/strong>(which was what was taking place here). And\u2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The Feast of Pentecost <\/strong>(that celebrated the harvest).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    During the Feast of Tabernacles,<\/strong> the people would live in little booths (or huts) made of branches as a reminder of their nomadic days in the wilderness. It was a time of remembering God’s<\/strong> wonderful provision. During the Feast of Tabernacles<\/strong>, the city of Jerusalem<\/strong> and the Temple<\/strong> area were filled with booths made from branches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One miracle that is commemorated in this festival is the way God miraculously provided water for them through Moses<\/strong> and a rock<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It was for this reason, that during the Feast,<\/strong> a daily procession was made \u2014 where the Priest<\/strong> would carry a Golden Pitcher<\/strong> and lead a parade with people through the city to the Pool<\/strong> of<\/strong> Siloam<\/strong> singing the words ofIsaiah 12:3<\/strong><\/a>, “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The great crowd of people would parade back to the Temple<\/strong> and the Priests<\/strong> would pour the water from the Pool<\/strong> of<\/strong> Siloam<\/strong> down upon the Altar<\/strong> and the people would shout and wave palm branches. The main event of the day was this water drawing ceremony that was \u2014 in many ways a visual prayer asking God to give them a great harvest and make them fruitful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This process went on for seven days, but on the last day there were two changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    First,<\/strong> when the parade of people returned from the Pool<\/strong> of<\/strong> Siloam<\/strong>, the Priests<\/strong> marched around the Altar seven times commemorating Joshua’s<\/strong> victory at Jericho<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Secondly,<\/strong> the Priest<\/strong> would raise the golden pitcher <\/strong>over the altar like he had done each day previously, but this time there was no water inside \u2014 only an empty pitcher. And this signified the disobedient generation that died in the Wilderness<\/strong>. And also their hope that God would provide in the future. So, instead of a shout and the waving of palm branches as the people had done each day, they now stood in silence. Sort of a joy-kill moment. What a party ender.  But it was in this awkward moment of silence \u2014 that moment of bewilderment, emptiness and meaninglessness \u2014 that Jesus<\/strong> cried out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Just when they were left with an empty vessel longing for more \u2014 Jesus<\/strong> spoke up. In essence, they found themselves right where they had started\u2026with an emptiness \u2014 longing for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I sometimes think of the great crowd of people who gathered annually for this observation of the Feast<\/strong> of<\/strong> Tabernacles<\/strong>. I think about their lives, their homes, their jobs, their communities and their churches. I think about what they brought with them to the great Feast<\/strong>: frail hopes, empty dreams and unmet expectations\u2026and I think about what they took away when they returned to their homes. The same empty dreams and hopelessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They weren\u2019t any different? They had just gone through the motions only to end up with an empty pitcher?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Too often this happens to us as well. If we\u2019re not careful, we can get in the ruts of religious routines<\/strong> \u2014 just going through the motions, trying to find power in what we do\u2026and somehow miss Jesus<\/strong> in the process. We may know Him \u2014 but are we longing for His presence to flow through our lives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Well, look with me again at the passage in John 7. <\/strong>In verse 37<\/strong>, we discover that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Jesus clearly identifies our problem. (v. 37)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jesus<\/strong> said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink.\u201d <\/em>(John 7:37)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Thirst is a consciousness of an unsatisfied need. Thirst<\/strong> expresses desperation<\/strong>. Did you know that thirst will kill faster than hunger? We can go weeks without food, but only days without water<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This week, I learned something about thirst. The sensation of thirst occurs when there is a loss of water from the blood cells of our body. As those cells pass by a particular censor in the brain, the censor alerts the body that water needs to be added. First, there’s the dry mouth and a craving for fluids. Then there is decrease in the production of saliva and then difficulty swallowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If the body still doesn’t get the liquid it wants, it begins to suffer dehydration. The skin becomes dry and wrinkly. A fever develops, sweating stops, kidneys shut down, and death can result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The thing that surprised me is that dehydration takes place with the loss of only 8% of the body’s water content. And under normal conditions, with no water intake, we loose 2.5% of the body’s water content per day. If it’s dry or we perspire a lot due to heat or activity, it goes up from there. That means that even under very ordinary conditions, we could experience fatal dehydration levels within 3 days of no water intake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Are you thirsty? Are you thirsty for God? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stuart Briscoe<\/strong> who one said, “God will meet man at the level of his deepest desire. We can have as much of God as we want.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let me ask you, do you have an unsatisfied need for more of God\u2019s presence flowing through your life? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Are you feeling discontent or spiritually thirsty? Well, if so, the Bible tells us that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Jesus offers Us an Invitation to solve our problem. (v. 37)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Looking again at verse 37<\/strong>, we read that Jesus<\/strong> said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink.\u201d<\/em> (John 8:37)<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We are reminded here that Jesus<\/strong> stood to extend this invitation to the crowd. And to all who would listen and respond, Jesus<\/strong> promised a solution to their problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And He has extended that to you and me as well. If we are thirsty<\/strong> we can come to Him\u2026and He will quench our thirst with His presence<\/strong>\u2026His Spirit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This re-emphasizes Jesus<\/strong> promise from the sermon on the mount where He said, \u201cBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness \u2014 for they shall be filled!\u201d<\/em> It\u2019s the same idea here. The solution to our problem is to learn to LOVE and desire God more\u2026to hunger, or in this case THIRST for righteousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, for the ancient nation of Israel,<\/strong> they faced a tremendously difficult time of physical stress in the wilderness — and their thirst was really life threatening.  But for you and me, the wilderness of our lives is more of an inner condition than it is an outward one.  The thirst may not be physical or life threatening — but it can be soul threatening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But the good news is that Jesus has the answer to our problem\u2026it resides in Him. When we seek Him \u2014 we find Him. When we hunger for Him we are fed\u2026and when we thirst after righteousness, we are blessed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But, I want you to notice that the invitation was not to attend church more (while that is a good habit) and it wasn\u2019t to get involved in more programs or do more spiritual disciplines (like reading your Bible, or praying, or fasting, or meditating, or anything else). All of those are great things\u2026but this is about getting close and personal with Jesus. It\u2019s about loving Jesus more. It was an invitation to come to Him \u2014 not DO MORE THINGS!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But when we love Jesus more\u2026the disciplines follow (just as fruit comes from a tree planted in good soil). It happens in response to our connection to Jesus. But, what is critical here \u2014 is that you see\u2026JESUS OFFERS US A SOLUTION TO OUR THRIST PROBLEM!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Well, the last that I want you to see is that,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Jesus\u2019 solution FAR SURPASSES OUR NEED. (v. 38)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Again, look at verse 38<\/strong>, Jesus<\/strong> says, \u201dOut of his heart will flow rivers of living water\u2026”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I think it\u2019s important that we recognize, the greatest work and purpose of the Holy Spirit\u2019s<\/strong> presence within our lives is not for convicting of sin\u2026although He does that work within us. It\u2019s not to direct our steps (like a Godly global positioning system) although He does that as well. His greatest work to give life giving power and strength to live for Him and fulfill His purposes for us as we serve Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You know, this is one of those verses that I just like the way the old King James Version<\/em><\/strong>translates it, because it says, \u201cAnd out of his <\/em>belly<\/em> will flow rivers of living water<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The belly has become a real important part of the body in our day. There are a lot of ads and exercise equipment for people\u2019s abs\u2014things to help people have abs of steel and stuff like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Well, Jesus<\/strong> uses the a Greek Word for Belly (\u2018koilia<\/em><\/strong>.\u2019) that describes: the innermost part of a man, the soul, heart as the seat of thought, feeling, choice<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n