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The Rejection of Living Water
John 7:1-39, Luke 9:51-62
Christians worship Christ. He’s our God - who suffered to forgive us of our sins. And as his forgiven people, we live for him. We’re his disciples who deny ourselves and resist our sins. But such self-denial is hard. We suffer as we put off sin. But no one has suffered the way Christ suffered. He was put to death on the cross. In fact, the purpose of his life was to suffer. He was sinless but suffered and died at the hands of sinners. In fact, his whole life was one of rejection. This God of the universe was humbled. He was born in a stable. His own family thought he was crazy. The religious leaders tried to kill him. And while at first he had a great following, people only came to be healed and fed. Eventually many rejected him. His teaching was too difficult. If you want to be saved, you must surrender to him. You’re not master of your life. But even his disciples found this teaching hard. They hoped for a political deliverer. Someone to make the Romans suffer. But Jesus came to save his enemies from sin, by suffering and dying at their hands. Friend, if you want to be saved from your sins, you must believe in him, that he suffered to save sinners.
And here, in the last 6 months of his life, we see the intensification of his suffering. His teaching would intensify, thereby intensifying his rejection at the hands of others. It’s almost poetic. As he goes up to Jerusalem, his suffering increases. As he goes down to Judea, he descends into further hellish sufferings. In today’s passage, we see this descent in two points. Firstly, the steadfast Lord was rejected by his own. Secondly, the steadfast Lord was rejected for who he was.
Firstly, the steadfast Lord was rejected by his own. And it was a triple rejection. Until now, Christ had ministered in Galilee, aside from short trips to train his disciples in pagan lands. He hadn’t yet gone to Jerusalem because verse 1 says the religious leaders were trying to kill him. But why did they hate him so much? Verse 7 says he exposed their wickedness - “…me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” But Jesus had to go. Verse 2 says the Feast of the Tabernacles was soon. And all Jewish males were required to go 3 times a year - at Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. But we see something very sad. His brothers took the opportunity to mock him. In verses 3-5, they challenged him to go and sell himself in Judaea. Why? “After all, if you’re the savior, then demonstrate your power in Jerusalem. If you’re really that great, don’t stay in Galilee. Go to Jerusalem. Don’t be a big fish in a small pond. Maybe you’re only a small fish in a big pond after all!” Don’t miss their sarcasm. And know why they said it. Verse 5 says they didn’t believe in him. And don’t miss their hostility. They knew the religious leaders were trying to get him. They’ve known for a long time. But they asked him to go. So Christ was rejected by his own family. And this was sad. This feast was a weeklong celebration where families would camp out together in tents to celebrate God’s goodness. But his family mocked him. But despite the mocking and threats, he knew death was approaching. So Luke 9:51-52 says, “he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.” He steadfastly went to face death.
And he went through Samaria. 2 years ago, many of them believed. The woman at the well trusted him to give her Living Water, so her soul would be never thirst. She believed he’d save her from sins. But 2 years later, he was rejected there. Luke 9:52-53 says that when the disciples went ahead to prepare them to receive Jesus, they wouldn’t receive him. Why? Jews and Samaritans were historic enemies. And it was uncommon for Jews to travel through there. So they thought he was headed for Jerusalem. But Jesus had come even for them. He was willing to reach these enemies. But they didn’t receive him as they did the first time. So we see rejection. Christ grew up with brothers. They rejected him. Christ preached salvation to the Samaritans. Now they rejected him. And the rejection didn’t stop there.
We see it from his own disciples. He had spent much time teaching them. But look now at their responses. When the Samaritans rejected him, James and John wanted to destroy them. But Christ had come to save, not destroy. He said - “the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” They had spent so much time with him, seeing his compassion on all kinds of people. So to have this spirit of destruction was unthinkable. Even the Lord, in verse 55, revealed their different spirit from him. His was to suffer for others to save them. Theirs was make other suffer to destroy them. They rejected what Christ stood for.
But not just them. In Luke 9:57-62, on the way to Jerusalem, 3 other disciples rejected him. They didn’t get his urgent mission. One disciple said - I’ll follow you anywhere! But was he prepared? Jesus lived in tents. He had no proper bed. Another wanted to wait till his father died to follow and serve Jesus. And another wanted to say goodbye to his family. Yes, it would take less time than the previous disciple. His would take years, but this one would still take weeks. Remember where they were. They were in the middle of Samaria. To go home, say bye, and come again would take weeks. And the Lord Jesus was heading down to Jerusalem with a purpose. So to such a one, Christ said - such a person is not worthy of the kingdom. If you don’t get the urgency of salvation from sin, you’re not worthy of it.
Now, in these rejections, we see the cost of true discipleship. When the first disciple said he’d follow Jesus anywhere, our Lord replied - I’ve no home on this earth. I’m a pilgrim living in tents! In tabernacles! True discipleship can lead to deprivation. Our Lord knew he was going to suffer. Yet, he was now going steadfastly to Jerusalem. And there, he’d suffer deprivation. No longer placed in a stable, but thrown into a dungeon. He’d receive no food, but would be given vinegar to drink. He’d no longer be clothed in swaddling bands, but he’d no longer be clothed at all. Foxes have holes, birds nests but Jesus would have nothing. Today, many who follow after Christ are persecuted. They won’t give up the faith. Because they know the value of the soul and salvation.
The other said, let me wait until my father has died, then I’ll follow you. Jesus replied that obligation to him is more important than any other obligation. True discipleship means we must choose loyalties. He taught them before - if any man love father, mother, children more than me is not worthy of me. Why? Because of who Jesus is - he’s from God. His Word is God’s Word. And because of what Jesus gives - he gives life eternal by giving up his life. What can father, or mother, or children give? Additionally, salvation is now. Christ was steadfastly headed to Jerusalem, to his death. But this disciple was not concerned with that message. What was Jesus’ response? Let the dead bury themselves, you focus on the message of salvation. What’s the most important thing to you? Can it save you? Can your job save you? Can money deliver you from hell? Where’s the urgency for your soul? What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul? The Lord’s work was to save souls. But that disciple didn’t care for his soul. And yet another disciple said, let me say goodbye to my folks first. The Lord said no plowman who looks back is fit for God’s kingdom. The plowman has one task, to plow the field. If he looks back, the rows won’t be straight. It’ll affect planting. So this disciple was distracted from the one task, which was to follow Christ. True discipleship needs steadfastness.
But, beloved, looking at all of this; who was the true disciple? These had rejected him. But Christ’s words tell us who the true disciple was. He was describing himself. In spite of rejection from family and friends, he’d go steadfastly to Jerusalem to face suffering, no turning back. His disciples were finding reasons to turn back. Friends, this is the life God has called you to - a life where you follow Christ, to deny self, take up the cross, and follow him. It’s a life of suffering, to deny sin and self. That kind of desperation results in salvation. So we must urgently follow him. All things must be counted as loss. Christ was rejected by family and friends. But he was the steadfast disciple.
But secondly, our steadfast Lord was rejected for who he was. And who was he? He’s the savior, sent from God, to give living water. In John 7, we see his clear declaration of himself to the pilgrims. In the middle of the feast, according to verse 14, he began to teach in the temple. And the people were shocked. Why? He appeared not to be educated. He was obviously a Galilean. He spoke like one. And he had no Rabbinic education - no religious degrees. But there was something amazing about his teaching. And as he taught, the Lord emphasized he was sent by God, and his Words were from God. Verse 16 - “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” Also verse 29 - “But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.” Now very clearly, the Lord Jesus Christ was an eloquent and gifted teacher. Many marveled. They were amazed. But he was not self-taught. Nor school taught. He didn’t learn from the many books and commentaries like the religious leaders. He didn’t repeat what these parrots had said. But we learn that he didn’t teach his own things. He taught God’s Word. This is why his Words had so much impact. They were the very Word of God. So he was taught by God because he came from God. God sent him. So his authority to teach didn’t come from any man. His authority came from the Father. Additionally, we know that Jesus was from God because he only wanted to glorify God. Verse 18 - “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” Many of the religious teachers were interested in getting a following. But not Jesus. He didn’t seek his own glory. In fact, he deliberately taught difficult things. It was almost like he dissuaded people from following him. When that disciple said he’d follow him all his life, Jesus replied - “foxes have holes, birds nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head.” Are you sure you want to follow? So he only wanted to give God glory. That’s proof he’s from God. When he taught, he taught difficult things so people would be confronted by their sins. Why? So they’d be saved. Guilt leads to grace.
That’s why, Jesus declared more of who he was in verses 37-38 - “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 hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” This was the 8th day of the Feast. The whole temple grounds would be festive. Lamps would be lit in the court of the women. On the first 7 days, water would be carried from the Pool of Siloam into the temple to be poured on the altar. It reminded worshipers that God provided light and water during their wilderness wandering. But on the last day of the feast, the pouring of water stopped to symbolize how Israel’s wandering had stopped. They had entered into the Promised Land - where they’d have plenty of water.
Here, Jesus declared he’d give the living water. All other water will not quench your thirst. You will be thirsty again. But the Lord Jesus would give a water that would satisfy. He wasn’t speaking about H2O - rather, he was speaking about spiritual thirst that he would quench. If anyone thirsts - if anyone has a spiritual need because of sin, he will give them that water to satisfy. And how does one drink? By believing. “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” He offers life and forgiveness to all who’d believe on him. And the result is an eternal flow of life and forgiveness from a person’s innermost being. No ultimate satisfaction in family, in career, in friends, in money, in letters. Ultimate satisfaction only in Christ giving his Holy Spirit. Who’s Jesus? He’s from God. His teaching’s from God. And those who come to him will be satisfied eternally.
But they rejected him. They rejected living water. We see the clear ignorance and rejection of him. When Christ revealed himself to be from God, he said in verse 17 - “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” Meaning, those who really knew God, would acknowledge Jesus and his teachings. So here, he was inviting his listeners to examine his teachings. You see, spiritual understanding comes not by learning facts, it comes from having a heart and intention to seek God, to search God with all your heart. But we learn they had rejected him because they didn’t judge rightly. This was especially the case with the religious leaders.
In verses 21-24, we learn why they rejected him. The religious leaders were trying to kill Jesus because of one work he had done. This work clearly showed he was from God. Early in his ministry, he had healed a man on the Sabbath Day by casting out a demon. This was done in front of everyone. It was truly a miraculous healing. And this work alone should’ve proven he was God. Who can do this but God? But the day he healed on was the Sabbath. Verse 21 says it caused them all to be angry. You see, the religious leaders had all sorts of rules about how to keep the Sabbath Day - that no work would be done at all. So they saw Jesus’ miraculous healing as work, and it caused a lot of upheaval. So instead of marveling he was from God, they rejected him. They even said he had a demon and was a sinner, verse 20. To them, how can someone from God break that sacred law of not working? But Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy. They accused him of breaking the Sabbath by healing; but didn’t they also break the Sabbath by performing circumcision? According to their laws, a baby boy of 8 days old had to undergo the rite of circumcision. And if the 8th day fell on the Sabbath, they’d still circumcise him. So Christ’s point was this - how could they accuse him of breaking the Sabbath by making people whole? Isn’t it a better thing than cutting foreskins off on the Sabbath? Isn’t restoration better than dissection? Surely, his works must be more righteous! So they judged wrongly. Verse 24 - “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” They should’ve seen he was from God. But had poor judgment.
Folks, what’s your judgment like as you hear this message on Christ? Do you see Christ for who he is? He revealed he was from God, his teaching was from God, and only he alone can give what we need to be saved. Do you see him as the only life giver as you wander through your life? Do you see the urgency of being forgiven from your sins? Some want to live a life for themselves before they’re willing to follow him. You never know when your life will be taken away. Some aren’t willing to give up their sin. Others want to have a commitment that still allows them to turn back. But none of these are worthy of the kingdom of God. But if you come urgently to him, desiring forgiveness of your sin, he will give you all spiritual things that you have need of.
1. The Steadfast Lord Was Rejected by His Own
A. A triple rejection
B. The cost of true discipleship
2. The Steadfast Lord Was Rejected for Who He Was
A. His clear declaration of himself to pilgrims
B. Their clear ignorance and rejection of him
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