THE CROSS – THE THRONE – THE SPIRIT

Jn.7:37 -39 – Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

This scripture points to the very essence of the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ. It points us to the whole point of Calvary, the empty tomb, and the heavenly ministry of Jesus. The work of Christ did not end at the cross, it was the beginning of His heavenly ministry. This is what we celebrate every time we take communion, it is the results of the blood of the cross, it is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

So what is the purpose of the blood? You may say forgiveness so we can go to heaven. That would not be a wrong answer but it is totally an incomplete answer, the blood was shed to bring us to God. The blood of the cross opened up the way for us to receive the filling of the Holy Spirit. This is exactly what Jesus is describing here, drinking Living Water. Here is how Dick Mills describes drinking of His Spirit.

“To drink, to ingest liquid. A common NT word that describes the act of quenching thirst. When done with other people, along with eating, pinō describes table fellowship and the nurture of relationship with them. It is why Jesus is reproved for eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners. To drink from one cup as the disciples do during the Last Supper is a sign of their shared life together, and to drink from Jesus’ cup is a sign of sharing in his ministry to others. To drink living water is a metaphor for experiencing the vitality of God’s Spirit.”

None of this could happen even when Jesus was here on earth, He had to die to secure this experience for us. This is the whole point of communion, He shed His blood so that we could be filled with God’s presence. So the next time you take communion step beyond the bread and the drink, step into the fullness of His presence and drink in the Living Water.