Remind us that though there are
five Sundays in this month, we do not plan to have our fifth
Sunday meal next week. I want you to save your strength
and all of your enthusiasm for October 6th, 7th, and 8th when
we have our conference. And I trust that you're praying
about the conference already and for the men who will be coming
here to preach. Now let's turn in our Bibles
this evening once again to John chapter seven. John chapter seven. Beginning in verse 32. John 7, verse 32. The Pharisees heard that the
people murmured such things concerning him, and the Pharisees and the
chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto
them, yet a little while I am with you, and then I go unto
him that sent me. You shall seek me and shall not
find me. And where I am, thither you cannot
come. Then said the Jews among themselves,
whither will he go? That we shall not find him. Will
he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this
that he said, you shall seek me and shall not find me? And
where I am, thither you cannot come. 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. He that believeth
on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive. Or the Holy Ghost
was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified. The verses
that we are looking at this evening begin with the Pharisees sending
the temple police. The Pharisees and the chief priests
sending the temple police to arrest the Lord Jesus. And we're
told that they did this because of what they heard the people
were murmuring. People were murmuring, and they
heard what they were murmuring. What was it that they were murmuring?
Well, we have two things given to us. In verse 26, we see that
they were saying this, Do the rulers know indeed that this
is the very Christ? They heard that. Do the rulers
indeed know that this is the very Christ? And then also in
verse 31, they heard some of the people murmuring and saying,
when Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which
this man hath done? So hearing what the crowd, what
the people was saying, they decided to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ. They send the temple police,
the officers of the temple to apprehend him. But we see that
These men who went to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ or to take
Him, that they were restrained. We know that they were restrained
by the hand of God. And at the same time, they had
to remain in His presence and listen to His teaching. They were afraid of the people
to lay hands upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and they were afraid
to go back to the Pharisees and chief priests and without him
so they had to remain there and they heard him speaking and teaching
and They were told that he would only be with them a little time
Notice what he said Yet a little while am I with you? He would
only be with them a short time more and then when it was at
His appointed time, at God's appointed time, not before, not
a day before. They were restrained from taking
Him, but at His appointed time, when His hour arrived, then,
and not till then, He would return unto the Father who had sent
Him. When that time came, our Lord
told them, You're going to seek Me but you will not find me."
That's an awful thought, isn't it? That's an awful thought. That there is coming a day when
men will seek the Lord Jesus Christ and not find Him. Can you imagine anything worse,
anything more solemn than that? Men seeking, seeking but not
able to find him. And yet our Lord clearly tells
them that that time would come. You will seek me, but you're
not going to find me. Now some people, some of the
writers believe that this referred to the siege of Jerusalem in
A.D. 70. We know that the Roman soldiers
shut the Jews up in the city. And our Lord had told them in
Matthew 24 that at that time, many would say, here's Christ
or there's Christ. And our Lord said, don't believe
them. Don't listen to them. And Josephus and his history
of the Jews tells us that in that siege, yes, there were many
men who came claiming to be the Christ and actually working miracles. But their doom was sealed. We know from history as well
that all of the believers, our Lord warned and he said, when
you see the abomination of desolation, when you see the city of Jerusalem
encircled with the armies of Rome, flee, flee. And we're told there's a city
by the name of Pella, P-E-L-L-A, that the Christians fled to and
were safe, were saved. But the Jews who remained in
the city, they were destroyed. And it was an awful siege. It
was a day like no other. Jacob's trouble. A day like no
other. When people would actually eat
their own flesh, their own children. Moses told about it. That's the
amazing thing about the Word of God, isn't it? That Moses,
so many years ago, before they ever entered into the Promised
Land, told them what would happen, what would take place, and it
did, just as God had foretold. And he said that the woman who
is so delicate, the lady who is so delicate, she would not
even put her feet on the ground. in that siege would be guilty
of eating her children. And we know that that happened.
It was an awful, awful time. Our Lord told these that came
to arrest Him, and there was others there as well, not just
the temple soldiers or temple police, but there was others
there as well. And He told them, you're going
to seek Me, but you're not going to find Me. You know, there's
a scripture which says, listen to me now, every person here, every person, today, today. You said tomorrow. You're not
promised tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes. Today. If you will hear my voice, harden
not your heart. as in the provocation, as the
Jews did in the wilderness. They hardened their hearts, and
because of unbelief, they could not enter in to the land of promise. Hear me now. There's coming a
day when men will seek the Lord, and I can't hardly bear to think
that any of you would be in that group. that there's anyone here
this evening that would be in a group one day seeking the Lord,
and yet you will not find Him. Today is the day of salvation. Call upon the Lord while He is
near, the scripture says. The point is, here's my point,
these people that our Lord was speaking to, they missed the
day of their visitation. They missed the day of their
visitation, and the time came when the door was shut and no
one could enter. Now the murmuring changes, if
you notice here. I pointed out two things that
the high priest or the chief priest and the Pharisees heard
the people murmuring or gossiping, but now we notice that the murmuring
changes in verses 35 and 36. Then said the Jews among themselves,
whither will he go that we shall not find him? Will he go unto
the dispersed among the Gentiles and teach the Gentiles? What
manner of saying is this? That he said, you shall seek
me and shall not find me, and where I am thither you cannot
come. What they murmured, we know,
was fulfilled in the book of Acts. Because the Lord Jesus Christ,
through his apostles, He went, he sent the gospel to the dispersed,
the Jews dispersed among the Gentiles. In fact, the first
letter of Peter is written to the dispersed, those of the Dyspora,
those who were Jewish by nature or by origin, but they were scattered
out. But in taking the gospel to the
dispersed, the Jews among the Gentiles, and then the gospel
was taken to the Gentiles. And Paul, he made this very bold
statement in Acts chapter 13 in verse 46. And this is a pivotal
point in the history of the gospel. When Paul told those there in
Antioch, it was necessary that the word of God should first
have been spoken to you. But seeing you put it from you,
You put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting
life. Lo, we turn to the Gentiles. And for the last 2,000 years,
the Gentiles have had the gospel preached to them, and there have
been some Jews who have been saved, but relatively few. Now let's look at the Lord Jesus'
words in verses 37 and 38. And let's remind ourselves that
this was the Feast of Tabernacles. And we know that the Feast of
Tabernacles was that week when they dwelt in tents and it commemorated
Israel's living in tents as they traveled from Egypt to Canaan. And we know that God provided
water for them in their wilderness journey from the rock. From the
rock. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10
in verse 4, they drank of that spiritual rock that followed
them, and that rock was Christ. Now keep that in mind. This is
a feast of tabernacles commemorating the time they spent in the wilderness.
And they needed water. Water's not a luxury. We must
have water. And God provided them water out
of a rock. And Paul tells us that that rock
pictured or symbolized the Lord Jesus Christ. And so now, at
the last day, notice John points that out, in the last day, that
great day of the feast, I mean all the ceremonies had ended. All the animal sacrifices had
been offered. And then it was that the Lord
Jesus Christ, and we're told that they had a wonderful ceremony
where they poured out water on the altar, but that was not commanded
by God. That's something that evidently
the Jews had introduced into this feast of tabernacles. But
after all of that was over, all of it, and the people would be
dispersed, would be released to go back to their homes. It
was then when the Lord Jesus Christ, the scripture says, cried. He didn't just announce this,
but he stood and cried in some prominent place there in the
temple, no doubt. He stood and cried and he said,
if any man thirst, Let him come unto me and drink. One old writer
said, if there are any words that deserve
to be printed in letters of gold, they're these words. If any man
thirsts, let him come unto me and drink. Now three things I
want to point out to us. First, a need, thirst. A need, thirst. If any man thirst. Now thirst indicates a need and
clearly these words are to be understood spiritually. Does any man have a need as a
result of sin? Anyone here? Any man? Does anyone, any man have a need
as a result of sin? Does any man know? Do you know
tonight that you have sinned against your God? You have sinned
against your Maker. And does that fact, and do you
realize that God is a holy, righteous God and in His presence sin cannot
come? that He is of holier eyes and
to behold iniquity? And does that fact that you,
you, not your neighbor, not your mother, not your dad, but you,
that I have sinned against my God, against my Creator, does
that cause some anxiousness on our part? Does it? Does any man thirst? Does any
man desire to have his sins put away? Does any man desire to
have peace with God? Does any man desire to have his
sins pardoned? Does any man desire to be washed
in that fountain washed whiter than snow? Though our sins be
as scarlet, though they be red like crimson, does any man Does
any man thirst? Does any man desire to be reconciled
to God? The thief on the cross, one of
them had a thirst, but only one. The Ethiopian eunuch traveling
across the desert in his chariot, he had a thirst. The Philippian
jailer at Philippi, he had a thirst. Three thousand souls on the day
of Pentecost had a thirst. They were pricked in their hearts. Does any man thirst? Now, a person who is unfamiliar
with the Word of God You might think, well, all men, all men
would have a thirst. All men would have a need. But
you and I, if we know anything about the Word of God, we know
that is not the case. Men thirst after everything but
Christ. Men thirst after riches. They'll
sell their soul to obtain riches. Men thirst after fame. And do
you know, fame is so short-lived, isn't it? It really is. I like baseball, you know that.
And I've watched the Astros for years. And I think sometimes
I cannot even remember when I see one of the older players, they'll
have a report on him. I'd forgotten all about that
guy. Fifteen years ago, I mean, he was so popular, everybody
in Houston knew his name. Fame, it lasts for a very brief
time, maybe one generation, if that long. And yet some people
thirst after it. But men do not naturally thirst
after that which is most important and that which is most needed. In Proverbs chapter 1, we are
told of wisdom crying in the streets. And in the book of Proverbs,
wisdom is the Lord Jesus Christ. Wisdom crying in the street.
And wisdom we read cries in the chief place of concourse, in
the opening of the gates. You know, in a city of old where
the gates opened, that's where everyone came in and went out.
That was the place where you went to meet people, see people.
But yet wisdom cries in the opening of the great gates, and she cries
out, and she promises in her cry to pour out of her spirit
and make her words known unto men, but men refused. Wisdom said, I stretched out
my hand, and no man regarded. Is the Lord stretching out His
hand to someone here this evening? He said, I stretched out my hand,
and no man regarded. Does any man thirst? That's the
point. Does any man thirst? Blessed
are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they
shall be filled. Brother Tom Harding was here
at our conference last year and every Saturday he sends me a
transcribed sermon of Brother Henry Mahan. his wife Bridget,
she does that work and he sends them out every Saturday along
with his bulletins. But I noticed the one he sent
yesterday, I don't usually have time to read all of them, but
I noticed the title. And the title was, A Sight That
Few Men See. A Sight That Few Men See. And then I saw his text, Job
chapter 42, verses 5 and 6. And I knew, what did Job say? I am Bob. A sight that few men
see does any man thirst. Secondly, we see a fountain. Jesus. Let him come unto me and
drink. Jesus alone is the one to supply
all spiritual needs. How is it possible for men who
are described in Job chapter 15 and verse 16 as being abominable,
filthy, and drinking iniquity like water to have their need
their thirst quenched. How is that possible? Let me say that again. Men, as
we are all described in the book of Job as being abominable, filthy,
and drinking iniquity like water, how are we to have our need,
our thirst met? It is in Christ alone that the
thirsty Come to Christ. And let me say this. You may
be here tonight and you say, I know I'm not right with God,
but I don't even have a thirst. Come to Christ for a thirst. Right? Come to Christ for a thirst. Lord, I know I need to be thirsty,
and yet I have no thirst. Have mercy upon me. Give me a
thirst. Come to him. If any man thirst,
let him come unto me and drink. Come unto him as the fountain
that the Lord God opened for sin and for uncleanness. And
what was this fountain opened for? That sinners might come
and wash and be clean. Come to him as the deliverer. to be delivered from sin and
all of its consequences. Come to Him as the righteousness
that God requires to stand in His presence. Come to Him to
be clothed. Come to Him to have peace with
God. Scripture says, therefore, being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. come to Him. You say, but preacher,
how do I come? Do I come down to the front of
a church building? Do I go through a catechism class? Do I go through the baptismal
fountain? Is that the way that I come to
Christ? Well, listen. Look at the passage again. This
is the third time, at least in the Gospel of John, where the
apostle tells us how a person comes to Christ. Tells us this
three times. This must indicate that we're
slow learners. We need to hear it over and over
again. How does a person come to Christ?
Well, notice what John tells us in verse 38. He that believeth on me. That's
how you come to Christ. He that believeth on me. Look
back to John chapter 1. I said this is the third time
we are told this. Let's look at the other two places.
John chapter 1 and verse 12. But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on His name. Receive Him, believe on His name. Come to Him, believe on Him. And also, if you will, in John
6. John 6. In verse 35, Jesus said unto
them, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never
hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. The saints of God in every generation,
all of those in heaven tonight gathered around the throne, And
those who have lived in this world in every generation have
all been those who believed on Christ and had their needs met. This is his word, the words of
him who cannot lie. If any man thirst, let him come
unto me. And notice the promise. Out of
his belly shall flow rivers of living water. This promise is
twofold. Those who come to Christ by faith
will find plenteous redemption. Look back with me to the Psalm
130. Psalm 130. Out of the depths have I cried
unto thee, O Lord. Someone pointed out one time,
we're not told what depths the psalmist was in. Whatever depth
you may be in, the depth of sin. Out of the depths I cried unto
thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let thine
ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou,
Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Do you understand that verse?
Lord, if you count my sins, if you count the sins of any person,
any man, Who's going to stand in your, who shall stand in my
presence? Seeing that we've all sinned. I read a message the other day
and the man tried to calculate how many sins we might be guilty
of. And he took 10 sins of a 15 hour
day, 365 days, a year, 10 years, 20 years, 30
years, do you realize how many sins we are guilty of, that you
are guilty of, that I am guilty of? Lord, if thou shouldest mark
iniquity, who shall stand? But, thank God, there is forgiveness
with thee. that, in order that, thou mightest
be feared." Everyone to whom the Lord grants forgiveness fears
the Lord. The fear of the Lord is a beginning
of wisdom, isn't it? But no man fears Him until he
is forgiven, she is forgiven. I wait for the Lord, my soul
doth wait, and in His word do I hope. We have his word. We're looking at his word tonight,
aren't we? If any man thirsts, let him come
unto me and drink in his word, do I hope. That's his word. My soul waiteth for the Lord
more than they that watch for the morning. I say more than
they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord there is mercy. There is mercy. Many people think,
well, you know, when I stand before God, I'm just going to
cast myself on the mercy of God. Well, let me tell you something.
If you refuse God's mercy today, forget about casting yourself
on His mercy in that day of judgment. Because you're not going to find
mercy then. If you will not hear, if I will
not hear His voice, Now, don't think we're going
to be able to cast ourselves on the mercy of God in that day. The Lord is merciful, and with
Him is plenteous redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from
all his iniquities. Now, I said this promise here
is twofold. Out of His belly shall flow rivers
of living water, Those who come to Christ by faith, we find plenteous
redemption. But secondly, those who come
to Christ by faith become blessings to others. J. C. Romm made these comments on
this fact that believers who come to Christ by faith are made
blessings to others. But he said this, it will not
be fully known until the day of judgment. We read this verse
and John tells us that out of his belly shall flow rivers of
living water. And we say, I don't know about
that. I'm not sure about that. Mr. Rolfe said, that's the testimony
of every believer. But at the day of judgment, then
it shall be fully known. He said this, and I quote, In
one way or another, probably almost all believers will be
found to have been fountains of blessings by word or deed,
by precept or by example, directly or indirectly, They're always
leaving their marks on others. They know it not now, but they
will find at last that it is true. Christ's saying shall be
fulfilled. And we know this from Matthew
chapter 25, that those our Lord said had fed Him, and clothed
Him, and visited Him, and they said, Lord, when? When? They didn't see that they had
done that, but He did. Well, I pray that the Lord would
bless this word. And what an invitation. What
an invitation does Christ give here in this passage of Scripture.
And I pray it's an invitation to someone here tonight to come
to Christ.