Living Water
Delivered 2/1/2009 on John 4:3-15; 7:37-39 by Carter Sanger
Driving long distances is a challenge, especially if you have a lot of people traveling with you. When we take a road trip it is a challenge making sure everyone has underwear and socks, toothbrushes, warm enough clothes, pillows, games, books, snacks, water bottles (or drinks that don’t have sugar), then fitting it like a puzzle into the car so as to maximize room so that everyone is comfortable. Before packing at all I spend time getting the oil changed, cleaning the car, and filling the tank. I make sure I have music and lectures loaded on my ipod. By the time all of this is done and we start our trek, I’m already tired. It’s is no surprise that several hours into the trip I’m ready for something to keep me awake. On our long trip this summer I noticed at a gas station a little bottle at the counter called “5-hour Energy.” This little bottle promises to keep you focused and alert for 5 hours. Energy in a bottle. Amazing! My usual choice is a coffee or a coke. I even tried a Monster drink once. Those drinks all wake you up for a time but then you come crashing down when the caffeine and sugar wear off. You know what I mean. We enjoy that kick and it helps power us through the wearisome event, but then the crash comes and we fall hard and fast. The ads for the 5-hour Energy claim that this drink has no crash like those other drinks. Could it really be true? We need that kind of energy in a bottle!
As I pondered all of this in the span of the 30 seconds I stood at the counter paying for my coffee… I opted to pass on it. Perhaps my skepticism got the best of me. It’s hard to believe there really could be such a drink.
When Jesus offers “living water” we may very well have the same attitude. It sounds nice, but could there really be such a thing? After all, he’s not talking about just a 5-hour boost. He’s talking about an eternal boost. Living water. Water that would satisfy you forever. Water that would eliminate all that work of getting more. That’s what He’s offering. If it’s really true, then it only makes sense that we would take it.
Because Jesus offers living water, we must drink from Him.
Of course, Jesus isn’t talking about actually H2O. He’s using water as a metaphor for something else. Water is the fundamental source for life. Let’s consider what Jesus is saying by looking at it from this standpoint. What do we learn about our thirst, the wells we draw from, and the living water that Christ offers.
