Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 19
Monday


YOU HAD
TO ACT

READ:
John 7:37-46
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No man ever spoke like
this Man! __John 7:46
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A US congressman, John Lewis, was 23 years old when he participated in the historic 1963 civil rights "March on Washington" led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Half a century later, journalist Bill Moyers asked Lewis how he was affected by Dr. King's I Have A dream speech that day. Mr. Lewis replied, "You couldn't leave after hearing him speak and go back to business as usual. You had to do something, you had to act. You had to move. You had to go out and spread the good news."

Many who encountered Jesus found it impossible to remain neutral about Him. John 7:25-46 records two different reactions to Jesus. while "many of the people believed in Him" (v.31), the religious leaders tried to silence Him by sending temple guards to arrest Him (v.32). The guards were likely present when Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (vv.37-38). The guards returned without Jesus and were asked, "Why have you not brought Him?" (v.45). They answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" (v.46).

The words of Jesus compel us to act, and to move, beyond business as usual. __David McCasland

`````````````````````So let our lips and lives express````````````````````
``````````````````````The holy gospel we profess;`````````````````````
```````````````````` let our works and virtues shine,```````````````````
`````````````````To prove the doctrine all divine. __Watts```````````````
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Jesus' death forgave my past sins
and inspires my present obedience.

**********************************Today's Bible Reading __ John 7:37-46**********************************

37 On the last day, that
great day of the feast, Jesus
stood and cried out, saying,
"If anyone thirsts, let him
come to Me and drink.

38 He who believes in Me,
as the scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow
rivers of living water."

39 But this he spoke
concerning the Spirit,
whom those believing in
Him would receive; for the
Holy Spirit was not yet
given, because Jesus was
not yet glorified.

40 Therefore many from
the crowd, when they heard
this saying, said, "Truly
this is the Prophet."

41 Others said, "This is the
Christ."

But some said, "Will the
Christ come out of Galilee?

42 Has not the Scripture
said that the Christ comes
from the seed of David and
from the town of
Bethlehem, where David
was?" 43 So there was a
division among the people
because of Him. 44 Now
some of them wanted to
take Him, but no one laid
hands on Him.

45 Then the officers came
to the chief priests and
Pharisees, who said to
them, "Why have you not
brought Him?"

46 The officers answered,
"No man ever spoke like
this Man!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Jesus was in Jerusalem at the temple when He gave the teaching
of John 7. Observant Jews came to the temple to celebrate three
annual harvest festivals (Ex. 23:14-17; Deut. 16:1-17): Passover
(together with the feast of Unleavened bread), Feast of Harvest
(Weeks or Pentecost), and Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacles or
Booths). As a devout Jew, Jesus faithfully kept these annual feasts
(v.37; Luke 2:41-42; John 2:23).