Sunday, July 16, 2023

July 30, 2023 – John’s Writings – Rivers of Life

Rivers of Life

Jeremiah 17:12-15 - New International Version (NIV)

12 A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,
    is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Lord, you are the hope of Israel;
    all who forsake you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust
    because they have forsaken the Lord,
    the spring of living water
.

14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
    save me and I will be saved,
    for you are the one I praise.
15 They keep saying to me,
    “Where is the word of the Lord?
    Let it now be fulfilled!”

What is “a glorious throne, exalted from the beginning” (verse 12)?

Who is “the hope of Israel” (verse 13)?

Who will be “put to shame” (verse 13)?

Who is “the spring of living water” (verse 13)?

When will Jeremiah be healed (verse 14)?

When will Jeremiah be saved (verse 14)?

What do “they keep saying to me” (verse 15)?

What does Jeremiah want to happen (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about moving from thinking of God only as a power who can provide safety to also thinking of God as the source of life?

John 7:37-43 - New International Version (NIV)

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.

When did Jesus stand up and speak (verse 37)?

Who did He call to “come to me and drink” (verse 37)?

Where will “rivers of living water flow from” (verse 38)?

What did Jesus mean by “rivers of living water” (verse 39)?

Why had the Spirit not yet been given (verse 39)?

Who said “surely this man is the Prophet” (verse 40)?

Who said “he is the Messiah” (verse 41)?

Who said “how can the Messiah come from Galilee” (verse 41)?

Where is the Messiah to come from (verse 42)?

Why were the people divided (verse 43)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about moving from thinking of God only as a power who can provide safety to also thinking of God as the source of life?

In your opinion, how does Jesus in John 7:37-43 transform the statement in Jeremiah 17:12-15 that identifies the Lord” as “the spring of living water”?

1 John 5:1-8 – New International Version (NIV)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 

Who is “born of God” (verse 1)?

Who loves the child (verse 1)?

How do “we know that we love the children of God” (verse 2)?

What is “love for God” (verse 3)?

What are not burdensome (verse 3)?

Who “overcomes the world” (verse 4)?

What is “the victory that has overcome the world” (verse 4)?

“Who is it that overcomes the world” (verse 5)?

How did Jesus Christ come (verse 6)?

Who testifies (verse 6)?

What “three are in agreement” (verse 8)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about moving from thinking of God only as a power who can provide safety to also thinking of God as the source of life?

In your opinion, what does 1 John 5:1-8 reveal to us about the one that Jeremiah 17:12-15 says is “the hope of Israel”?

In your opinion, how is the promise of being born of God to everyone who “believes that Jesus is the Christ” in 1 John 5:1-8 related to the promise by Jesus in John 7:37-43 that Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them”?

Revelation 22:1-7 – New International Version (NIV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

Who showed John “the river of the water of life” (verse 1)?

Where does it flow from (verse 1)?

What stands on either side of the river (verse 2)?

What “are for the healing of the nations” (verse 2)?

Who will serve the Lamb (verse 3)?

Who will have the Lamb’s name on their foreheads (verses 3 and 4)?

Why will there be no need for “the light of a lamp or the light of the sun” (verse 5)?

Who will “reign for ever and ever” (verse 5)?

What is “trustworthy and true” (verse 6)?

Who will be blessed (verse 7)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about moving from thinking of God only as a power who can provide safety to also thinking of God as the source of life?

In your opinion, what relationship does the throne that Jeremiah 17:12-15 says “is the place of our sanctuary” to the throne of God that John sees as the source of the river of life in Revelation 22:1-7?

In your opinion, how are the “rivers of living water” that John 7:37-43 says flow from within all who believe in Jesus and the “river of life” that Revelation 22:1-7 says flow “from the throne of God and of the Lamb” related?

In your opinion, how is being a servant of God who reigns in Revelation 22:1-7 related to the overcoming the world by faith that 1 John 5:1-8 promises to the “one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God”? 

In your opinion, what do these passages from Jeremiah, John, 1 John and Revelation teach us about the abundance of life that God shares with us?

In your opinion, how can we share that abundant life with others?

 

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

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