New Power for a New Age

But like many others in my generation I discovered as I grew up that living the life Jesus died and was raised again to give me was more than simply trying harder to be better. If that’s what it means to be a follower of Jesus no wonder most people around us aren’t interested.

On the seven days of the Feast, a golden flagon was filled with water from the pool of Siloam and was carried in a procession led by the High Priest back to the temple. As the procession approached the watergate on the south side of the inner court three blasts from the šôp̄ār—a trumpet connected with joyful occasions—were sounded. While the pilgrims watched, the priests processed around the altar with the flagon, the temple choir singing the Hallel (Pss. 113–118; cf. Mishnah Sukkah 4:9). When the choir reached Psalm 118, every male pilgrim shook a lûlāḇ (willow and myrtle twigs tied with palm) in his right hand, while his left raised a piece of citrus fruit (a sign of the ingathered harvest), and all cried ‘Give thanks to the Lord!’ three times. The water was offered to God at the time of the morning sacrifice, along with the daily drink-offering (of wine). The wine and the water were poured into their respective silver bowls, and then poured out before the Lord. Moreover, these ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles were related in Jewish thought both to the Lord’s provision of water in the desert and to the Lord’s pouring out of the Spirit in the last days. Pouring at the Feast of Tabernacles refers symbolically to the messianic age in which a stream from the sacred rock would flow over the whole earth[1]

[1] Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (pp. 321–322). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.

“…Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink!” (John 7:37, HCSB)

“The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”” (John 7:38, HCSB)

“He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been received because Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:39, HCSB)

a). The Holy Spirit and Jesus are inseparable. As a matter of fact, Jesus had already stressed to His followers that He and the Father were inseparable –

“Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed. And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to anyone He wants to. The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” (John 5:19–23, HCSB)

b). The Holy Spirit operates from within the believer as well as from the presence of God Himself. Paul, an early follower of Jesus,

“So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs —heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:12–17, HCSB)

“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.” (Romans 8:26, HCSB)

c). the gift of the Spirit marks a new way of knowing God’s presence and power

All those attending the festival were aware of God’s power to provide water in barren land. One example was often read during these festival days –

“The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the Lord’s command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So the people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them. “Why are you testing the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!” The Lord answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile

with in your hand and go. I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:1–6, HCSB)

Today, Jesus offers us Himself as the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us…

How will you respond to Jesus’ invitation today

Come to Jesus – perhaps for the first time….

Acknowledge your sin and need of a Savior

Believe that Jesus died and was raised for you

Confess Him today

Come to Jesus – stop trying to manage life all on your own, honestly confess how desperately you need Him to make His presence real

Confess any known sin

Immerse yourself in the truth of His Word

Accept His free gift and live like you’ve never lived before!

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