Reflections on John: Living Water

Bottled water....we see it everywhere.  We have some of the country's best tasting tap water in Seattle, yet we spend money for unknown water in a bottle!  Marketing slogans tempt us:  

Evian....Live young!

Kerry - Refreshes in every sense!

Vittel.....A new life everyday!

But when you drink these waters, you will thirst again.  This is also true in life.  We often thirst for something;  fulfillment, love, purpose, stuff, travel, adventure;  but it is all only temporary.  We will thirst again and want more.  

In John Chapter 4 Jesus describes a type of water that quenches... fills... overflows... and actually fulfills the slogans plain water cannot.  Jesus offers Living Water, the source of eternal and true life satisfaction. 

"Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."  John 4:14 

Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "if any one is thirsty, let him come to ME and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the scripture said, 'from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'" John 8:37, 38

The water Jesus offers satisfies the true thirst of life; our need for God, for forgiveness, for wholeness and healing.  Living Water is the gift of abundant and eternal life, which is life in Christ Jesus, given by His Holy Spirit.  

Have you taken the drink of Living water offered by Jesus?  What blocks your drinking deeply of this Water of Life?   And are you continually drinking of Jesus through His Word, the Bible?  

Drink deep and be filled!   

Living Water... you can't bottle it, sell it, contain it... but you can receive it!

Ein Gedi, "Spring of the Goat",  an oasis

near the Dead Sea, Israel

John 21, Galilee

In John 21, Seven disciples of Jesus went fishing on the Sea of Galilee.  They had been fishing all night without success.  Jesus comes to the shore at dawn and called for them to throw the net on the other side of the boat; it was immediately filled to the breaking point with fish, although the net did not break.  This miracle caused the insightful disciple John to realize it was Jesus, and the passionate disciple Peter to then jump in and swim to his Lord.  Once the catch of 153 fish was hauled in, they all ate breakfast with Jesus on the shore.

The Sea of Galilee at sunrise, Mount Hermon in the distance.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Last November our travel group went aboard a tour "fishing boat."

A traditional net fishing demonstration was given.

The Yigon Allon Museum contains "The Jesus Boat," a fishing boat from the time of Jesus.  It was discovered in 1986 in the mud on the shore only a few miles from the city of Tiberius.  It took 14 years to preserve the 2000 year old wood, and has been on display since 2000 AD.  

Model of a Galilean fishing boat of Jesus' time.  

The Galilee from Mount Arbel.  In Israel, this fresh water lake is known as Lake Kinneret.  It lies 212 meters below sea level.  

The city of Tiberius at dusk.  

Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus declared, "I AM..."

 "I AM the Bread of Life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, 

and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

John 6:35

"I AM the Light of the World.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

 but will have the light of life."  

John 8:12

"I AM the Gate; whoever enters through me will be saved."

John 10:9

"I AM the Good Shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

John 10:11

"I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

"I AM the Vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit."

John 15:5

All of Jesus' claims were validated by His death on the cross for our sin,  

for it was on the cross...

The Bread was broken to nourish our souls

The Light took on the darkness of sin to ultimately overcome it

The Gate appeared closed by death but in actuality opened heaven wide

The Good Shepherd was killed by the false in order to rescue the sheep

Jesus faced death in order to fully become the Resurrection and the Life

The Way is now opened to the Father; we can now walk the path of truth and life

The Vine was cut down that we could abide in the Father and He in us

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.....

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

John 15: 9,13