More Living Water

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” ’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’ So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not arrest him?’ The police answered, ‘Never has anyone spoken like this!’ Then the Pharisees replied, ‘Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.’ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, ‘Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?’ They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.’ John 7:37-52

“Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water." This is when the real troubles start. Jesus has gone to the temple for the festival and is reminding folks that he is living water and that from the heart of believers will flow living water. Living water from people, poor and wealthy alike. life changing water from simple believers, from unlikely places, from people who speak in other tongues and who are very different from us. This infuriated the chief priest and pharisees, who lit into the temple police. Nicodemus, a believer, came to Jesus' defense. Yet their fear and anxiety was already on high alert. A nobody from Galilee cannot be a prophet let alone the messiah they declared. We also live in a time when nobodies shake up the powers that be. Let us be the nobodies whose hearts flow with streams of living water.

Wondrous Creator, who gives us living water

so that we might be refreshed and made clean

full of your love and healing for the world.

Our planet is on fire with angry, fearful hearts

folks whose shame has been brought to light

and who are afraid of the truth telling nobodies.

Help us have hearts full of living waters

may love and forgiveness flow though us

so all might know of your presence here today. Amen.