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An Abundance of Living Water
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRivers of living water are the Holy Spirit, which Jesus offered on the Last Great Day when He stood amid the Temple water ceremony and cried, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink." The priests' golden pitcher of water was paltry beside what He will give: a sea for a gallon. Since Pentecost the Spirit has flowed only as a trickle to those God calls, enough for the Church's needs, but the full river belongs to the Great White Throne Judgment, when billions rise to a second lifetime of growth with the missing dimension, God's Spirit, freely given. To the Samaritan woman Jesus contrasted Jacob's seep well, which is exhaustible and leaves one thirsty again, with a spring of living water that satisfies fully and leads to eternal life. Ezekiel 47 pictures this river flowing from the Temple, deepening until it cannot be crossed, healing the Dead Sea, and giving life and fruitful trees wherever it goes. Habakkuk 2:14 shows it spreading until the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Living water is active energy, not stagnant water, and it flows out of the believer in good works. Isaiah 55 and Revelation 22:17 invite all to drink freely, and most will.
God of Our Salvation
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the context of humanity's profound struggle with sin and the need for salvation, Jesus Christ stands as the ultimate source of living waters, offering deliverance to all. Inspired by the Water Ceremony on the Last Great Day, where water was drawn from the Pool of Siloam and poured out on the altar in a grand procession, He proclaimed with great joy that anyone thirsting for salvation should come to Him. With a radiant expression, He invited all to drink from the wells of salvation, as echoed in Isaiah 12:3, where it is said with joy one will draw water from these wells. This imagery of living waters represents a dynamic, inexhaustible fountain, not a stagnant well, but a spring of active, powerful sustenance. During the Great White Throne Judgment, billions will rise in the second resurrection to a world of abundance and paradise, far removed from the hardships of their past lives. They will eagerly approach this Source, free from interference, and with immense gratitude accept the offer of living water, knowing it will quench their thirst forever, as Christ promised in John 4:14. The Hebrew word for salvation, yeshu'ah, carries profound significance, emphasizing deliverance from distress and danger. Closely tied to the name of Jesus Christ, Yeshuah, it reveals Him as the embodiment of salvation. This connection underscores that He is the central figure in God's plan, the very essence of the living waters that flow continuously, offering redemption and eternal life to all who come to Him.
Why the Last Great Day?
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe concept of 'Rivers of Living Waters' signifies an immense outpouring of God's Spirit, as introduced by Jesus Christ in John 7:38, where He declares that out of a believer's heart will flow rivers of living water. This imagery conveys a sense of vast magnitude, not a mere stream or trickle, but a broad, gushing, voluminous flow akin to mighty rivers or the waters of Niagara Falls. Jesus emphasizes that His Spirit will be available in limitless supply, surpassing even the greatest earthly waters in its abundance and indescribable greatness. This powerful metaphor ties directly to the significance of the Last Great Day, a time of unparalleled spiritual abundance. It reflects a period when God's Spirit will be openly accessible in limitless quantities to everyone who desires it, extending beyond a single generation to all of humanity across all times. The 'Rivers of Living Waters' symbolize the floods of salvation that will be available, as multitudes come to know and praise God for the salvation He offers, previously denied to many. This overwhelming provision of spiritual life underscores the grandeur and magnitude of the day, marking it as a truly great and awesome event in God's plan.
Agape Never Fails
Sermonette by Bill OnisickIn the World Tomorrow, the majority of the water will be fresh and God's Holy Spirit composed of agape love will slake mankind's spiritual thirst.
Imagining the Garden of Eden (Part Eight)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Garden of Eden was the perfect place for mankind to get its start, a place where Adam and Eve could become acquainted with God and developed godliness.
Imagining The Garden of Eden (Part Six)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe rivers identified in the Garden of Eden were given in the context of pre-flood geography, making the use of modern topographical maps irrelevant.
The Bride of Christ (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark SchindlerOn the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood in the Temple and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me... out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John explains that this speaks of the Holy Spirit, which believers would receive after Christ was glorified. Jesus seized on Israel's priestly water ritual, in which water from the pool of Siloam was carried through the Water Gate and poured on the altar while Isaiah 12:3 was recited, "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." To the Jews this was little more than a symbol of adequate water for their crops, and their political distortion of God's Word kept them from recognizing the Wonderful Counselor and Everlasting Father standing in their midst. Their response was only division and contention. Christ's declaration reveals how those who could not come to Him can come: through the giving of the Holy Spirit, enabling them to live the letter and spirit of God's law. The Spirit flowing in and out of the called prepares them to become Christ's perfect helpmate, His Bride. What flows out of a person is what has already been put in through Christ over a lifetime of choices. The image is echoed in Revelation 22:17, where the Spirit and the Bride say, "Come," and whoever desires may take the water of life freely.
Marriage and the Bride of Christ (Part Seven)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsChristians must address marriage problems from God's perspective. Stress can cause people to lay aside their values in favor of humanly reasoned solutions.
Imagining The Garden of Eden (Part Four)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Garden of Eden was probably prepared or planted after Adam was created so he could see God at work, providing him an example of diligence and satisfaction.