John 7:37-44

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 min)

2) Scripture Reading - John 7:37-44

3) Devotional:  In April 1775, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that "the British were coming" by sea, to arrest them for supporting the growing insurgency, that one year later became the United States of America.  The Sons of Liberty abut s they were called, had created signals using two lanterns to indicate how the British Army would attack - so the people would be prepared.  When Paul Revere saw the two lanterns in the bell tower of Christ Church in Boston, he set out on his ride.  His announcement kept both Adams and Hancock safe, and prepared the people for what was to come. . .

In a similar way, the bible says that Jesus stood up on the last day of the Feast in Jerusalem and in a loud voice, announced to the people how they could relieve their spiritual thirst.  He didn't want anyone to miss what he had to say.  "Whoever believes in me as the Scriptures has said, streams of living water will flow from within Him."  He wanted people to know, that He - and the promised Holy Spirit were the answer to their spiritual thirst. 

I wonder how many of Paul Revere's contemporaries lost their lives or land, because they failed to pay attention to those famous words. . . the British are coming, much like people today, who miss out on the manifest presence of God, by glossing over the significance of Jesus' words "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink."  Those words meant something to Jesus, for us, and they still do today.  It's why he stood up and spoke in a LOUD voice.  He wanted to get people's attention.

4) Questions to ConsiderIs our Lord trying to speak something into your life?  Has he spoken loudly through either His word, prayer, a friend or a church sermon?  Pay attention.  Write it down.  Acknowledge it before Him.  Allow it to be living water!

5) PrayerLord Jesus, help me to hear you when you call.  Let me never grow weary of heeding the warnings you send my way.  Than you for loving me, and caring for my heart and life.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)

John 7:25-36

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
 
2) Scripture Reading: John 7: 25-36

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom ^they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, ^speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that ^the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But ^we know ^where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, ^no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, ^ “You know me, and you know where I come from? But ^I have not come of my own accord. ^He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.  I know him, for I come ^from him, and ^he sent me.” 30 ^So they were seeking to arrest him, but ^no one laid a hand on him, ^because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet ^many of the people believed in him. They said, ^ “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”

3) Devotional:
I am a child of the 90’s.  What does that mean?  It means I watched t.v. from the 90’s, listened to music from the 90’s, and watched movies from the 90’s.  One of my favorite movies from that time period was a movie called Clueless, starring the adolescent love of my life, Alicia Silverstone.  The film is actually a clever retelling of Jane Austin’s novel Emma, but with some modern twists.  One such twist, is the language.  There was an entirely new language that you had to learn to understand what the characters were saying.   One such word was Monet, as in “That girl is such a Monet.”  Meaning?  Like in the paintings of Monet, she would look good from far away, but a mess up close.  This is what is happening to Jesus.  From far away the people are looking at Jesus and thinking that he is their political liberator, but up close He reveals the true mess that they are in.  He shows them that they are in need of spiritual awakening, salvation and forgiveness.  Jesus’ message and mission is often misunderstood.  From a certain distance it looks good, but when we allow His message and mission to intersect with our lives it is certain upheaval.  Yet, when the message of Jesus begins to take root in our lives and bring life change, the mess it brings is temporary, but the healing and restoration that comes will be eternal.

 4) Questions to Consider:
How has following Jesus messed you up recently?  If not, why is that?

5) Prayer:
Father, let our faith be something that continually causes us to evaluate our priorities, our life and our passions.

Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)