Pastor's Notes:

 Intro:   A crowded weekend in OKC… Downtown… normal activity

            AND Arts Festival + Marathon! (I would run, but Sunday…)

 

            T/S – Biggest week of year in Jerusalem came mid-October.

            Feast of Booths (Tabernacles)… God’s provision in      wilderness; rain for crops; future abundance in the Kingdom!

• Lived in booths and celebrated harvest… Temple worship. Daily water from pool of Siloam to alter… singing Hallel; shouting Thanks; celebrating God’s provision!

 

            Jesus had been avoiding crowds; but decides to visit mid-week

 

John 7 tells the story…great chapter… crowds, chaos, confusion…

The Crowds are stirred Up… Jesus feeds the frenzy!

 

Overview the long chapter… 53 verses

 

Direction; Agitation; Invitation

 

Clear Direction of Jesus

Exp – Four times the Cross as the destination is Mentioned

            My time (6); My time (8); His Hour (30); Glorified (39)

 

• Jesus has a lazer like focus on His Mission… Cross!

 

            His every decision was made in that light… CROSS

 

App – Know this one thing about Jesus… He marched to the Cross!

            Will He really lay down His life?

 

            And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s   blood?

            Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to            death pursued?

            Amazing love! How can it be? That Thou, my God, should

            Die for me?

 

Divided Opinion about Jesus --- Agitation

Exp – John 7:43 serves to summarize the response to Jesus.

• Brothers; crowds; informed; ignorant; leaders; Nicodemus
• All of the following remarks are made about Jesus…

            He is a good man; He leads people astray;

            He is demon possessed; He is the Messiah;

            No one ever spoke this way; He should be arrested

            He is confused; He is the Prophet;

• They were confused; impressed; astonished; afraid; angry

 

ILL – Humiliated a woman caught in act of adultery; and

            embarrassed themselves…

            …To trip Jesus up so they could accuse Him!

 

App –  People Divide over Jesus… Matthew 10:34

            He forces each one of us to pick a side!

 

t/s - A noisy; chaotic; confusing Mess in Jerusalem… one moment

            I imagine you could have heard a pin drop…

 

A Dramatic Invitation (7: 37-39)

Exp – Read John 7: 37a – Dramatic Manner of Invitation

• Crowd; Stood; Cry Out Loud…
• Last Day… Day eight… No more water poured…

            After all the celebration; feasting; shouting;

            The people will soon return to their lives

Read John 7:37b – Dramatic Message

• The OT Promise of deep satisfaction
• Internal/not external; abundant/not sporadic; Spirit

 

            This is actually nothing new. Isaiah and Ezekiel…Promise

• Come to Me and drink!

 

Ill – Megalomania = a psychopathological condition characterized by

            Delusional fantasies of power, relevance, omnipotence.

 

App – Clear insight into What we need; and, Who He Is!

            Open Invitation… “If Anyone” = Since… I know you are

Conclusion

 

ILL – I received an Invitation to a meeting at an exclusive Resort.

            Two nights lodging and one round of golf… Free

• I am busy that week.
• I don’t trust whoever sent the invitation…

            … trying to manipulate me and sell something!

 

            RSVP - French for “Please Respond”

 

            I Ignored the Invitation; To Ignore is actually a Response.

 

 

This morning, you received an Invitation from Jesus

 

John 3: 37-38

 

Please Respond…

 

Will you Reject the Invitation? (Busy; Suspicious)

Will You Ignore His Invitation?

 

Will You Come to Him and Drink?