Are You Thirsty?
Teaching Pastor; Staff Governing Elder; Staff Director
During the Festival of Tents, a significant week in the Jewish calendar, Jesus seizes the celebratory moment to preach in Jerusalem, offering himself as living water. The crowds, amazed at his teaching, are divided on whether Jesus is a fraud, a good man, or the Son of God. Today we also must decide who we believe Jesus to be, and recognize that our belief is fueled by our need, or thirst, for him.
Study Questions
During the Festival of Tents, a significant week in the Jewish calendar, Jesus seizes the celebratory moment to preach in Jerusalem, offering himself as living water. The crowds, amazed at his teaching, are divided on whether Jesus is a fraud, a good man, or the Son of God. Today we also must decide who we believe Jesus to be, and recognize that our belief is fueled by our need, or thirst, for him.Application
Do you truly believe in Jesus, follow him, and recognize him as the Son of God? Is it possible that, like his brothers, you might not actually believe in him, and instead be associating with Jesus for your own agenda and benefit?
Instead of concerning ourselves with rules, and evaluating Jesus by these rules, he wants us to evaluate the conditions of our souls. Take a moment to evaluate yourself. Has there been a time in your life, in the past or currently, when you recognized your thirst, your need for Jesus? What does that look like in your life?
The defining characteristic of a Christian is the Holy Spirit’s presence in their life. Describe how the Holy Spirit has been working in your heart recently. How is he changing you?
Key Points
Like Jesus’ brothers, we can seemingly be on board with Jesus without truly believing in him, seeking our own agendas instead.
The crowds recognize there is something different about Jesus’ teaching. Instead of attaching people to himself to gain affirmation, he promotes God and his kingdom.
Confronting them with their conflicting Sabbath rules, Jesus challenges the crowd to look beneath the surface to see what he is actually doing—bringing restoration. As a result, many believe in him.
Jesus is the solution to our spiritual thirst. Those who are thirsty, those who recognize their need, will come to him.
The defining quality of a Christian is the presence of the Holy Spirit working and regenerating them on the inside.
The Pharisees evaluate Jesus and reject him. In order to believe, we too evaluate Jesus, but we must also evaluate ourselves in order to recognize our spiritual thirst.