Can This Be The Christ?

Can this be the Christ?

John 7:25-52

History is full of mysteries that capture the imagination of entire generations. One of the most famous is the story of the Man in the Iron Mask. In the late 1600s, during the reign of King Louis XIV of France, a mysterious prisoner was held in several French prisons under the strictest secrecy. Wherever he was transferred, guards were ordered to conceal his identity. When others might see him, his face was covered with a black velvet mask. He became known as the man in the iron mask due to all the intrigue and speculation. No one was allowed to know who he really was. Even after he died in 1703, the authorities recorded his burial under a false name.

 For centuries people have wondered about the man behind the mask. Was he a political rival? A disgraced nobleman? Some even suggested he might have been the king’s own twin brother (theory popularized by famed french philosopher Voltaire and author Alexanda Dumas.) The mystery endured and people still ask, “Who was the man behind the iron mask?”

Human beings are fascinated with questions of identity. When someone appears whose identity is uncertain, people begin to speculate. They debate theories. They try to piece together the clues. We see it in fiction world as people try to discover who is behind the mask of heroes like Batman or Spider-Man. We see this instinct shows up in politics as people constantly speculate about who will emerge as the next great leader. During election seasons commentators endlessly discuss all the new candidates seeking election.  Even recently in international affairs the same curiosity appears now as new names are emerging on who might become the next supreme leader of Iran. Across news outlets and conversations people analyze their backgrounds, alliances, history, and influences, trying to understand who this leader is. At the center of all that speculation is the same driving question: Who is this person really?

We are fascinated by questions of identity because identity shapes everything. If we know who someone truly is, it changes how we respond to them. And that same instinct was alive in Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths. As Jesus began teaching publicly in the temple, the crowds started asking the same kind of question about Him. They had heard His teaching. They had seen His miracles. And the question began circulating through the crowd: 

“Can it be that this is the Christ?” 

‘Who is this Jesus really?’ John 7 shows us how different groups of people respond to that question. Some are curious. Some try to control the conversation. Some are conflicted. Others condemn Him outright. As we walk through this passage we are watching how people respond to Jesus, but we are also being asked to examine our own response. Where do we stand?

And right in the middle of all those responses, Jesus Himself speaks. The crowds debate. The leaders plot. The people speculate. But Jesus does not leave His identity unclear. In the center of the passage He lifts His voice and offers a powerful invitations to all.

Curious People

As the question about Jesus begins to circulate through Jerusalem, John draws our attention to a particular group in the crowd. They are not yet believers, but they are paying attention. They are watching what is happening and trying to make sense of it. They are curious. John writes, John 7:25–27,

Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, ‘Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?’ But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from”

These people know the situation. They are aware that the religious leaders want Jesus arrested. They know the controversy surrounding Him. Yet here He is, standing in the temple courts, teaching openly, and no one seems able to stop Him. That is what sparks their curiosity. If the leaders truly believe He is dangerous, why have they not arrested Him? Why is He still speaking publicly?

And so the question rises in the crowd: “Can it be that this is the Christ?”

But almost immediately they begin talking themselves out of it. They assume they already understand Jesus. They believe they know where He came from, and based on their expectations about the Messiah, they conclude that He cannot be the Christ. Jesus responds directly to their assumptions. John tells us in verse 28-29, 

So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.’”

Jesus exposes the deeper issue. The problem is not simply confusion about His background. The problem is that they do not truly know the God who sent Him. They believe they understand God, but they fail to recognize the One whom God has sent.

John then reminds us of something that runs throughout the Gospel: 

So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come” (v.30). 

The leaders want to silence Him, but nothing happens before the appointed time. Jesus is not moving toward the cross because events are spiraling out of control. He is moving toward the cross according to the sovereign timing of God. His hour will come, but not before the Father’s plan is fulfilled.

This truth reminds us something about the sovereignty of God over all things. The leaders wanted to silence Him, but nothing happened before the appointed time. Everything was happening according to God’s plan. Scripture reminds us in Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” That means nothing can stop God’s purposes. Not political power, not human opposition, not the schemes of the world. The same God who governed the hour of Christ’s death governs the unfolding of His kingdom today. When God determines to build His church, no resistance can prevent it. When He determines to save a sinner, no obstacle can ultimately stand in the way.

Beloved, that same sovereignty reaches into the details of our lives. Sister, you may look at the path of your life and see disappointments, unanswered prayers, or circumstances you never would have chosen. Yet the Lord is not absent in those moments. He is shaping your faith, deepening your trust, and preparing you for works of love and service that only you can carry out in His kingdom. Brother, you may feel the weight of responsibility, the pressure of work, or the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Yet even those pressures are not outside the hand of God. He is using them to form your character, to teach you humility, and to lead you into deeper dependence upon Him. The same sovereign God who appointed the hour of Christ’s death is guiding each and every step of His people. Your life is not random. Your story is not outside His control. The God who rules from heaven is faithfully accomplishing His purposes in His kingdom and in the lives of His sons and daughters.

Look back at the text and see how in the midst of the curiosity of the crowd, something otherworldly happens. John writes, 

Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, ‘When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?’” (v.31). 

For some in the crowd, the evidence was becoming difficult to ignore. They had seen His miracles. They had heard His teaching. And they began asking a serious question: if this man is not the Christ, then who could possibly do more than what we have already seen?

That question still confronts people today. When John finishes writing his Gospel, he tells us exactly why these signs were recorded:

 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples… but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30–31).

John is not simply recording history. He is presenting evidence. The miracles of Jesus, His authority over sickness, demons, nature, and death itself, are meant to point us to one conclusion: this is the Christ.

Friend, if you are not a Christian, do not let your curiosity about Jesus remain in the realm of speculation. Consider the evidence of what He has done. Look at His life. Listen to His words. Look at the signs recorded in the Scriptures. The question is not whether Jesus gave enough evidence. The question is whether you will honestly consider it. The same signs that convinced many in Jerusalem are preserved in the Word of God so that you might believe.

As we read about these curious people in Jerusalem, we have to ask whether we see ourselves in them. Many people are curious about Jesus. They are interested in the conversation. They are willing to consider the claims of Christianity. But curiosity alone never leads to salvation. At some point the question must move from speculation to conviction: Could this really be the Christ? And if He is, what will you do with Him?

Controlling People

As curiosity begins spreading through the crowd, the religious leaders hear what people are saying, and their reaction is immediate. John writes in verse 32, 

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.

 Instead of considering the question people are asking, the leaders move to control the situation. The murmuring of the crowd threatens their authority, so they decide to shut the conversation down. If people are beginning to wonder whether Jesus might be the Christ, the leaders will silence Him before that question spreads any further.

What is striking is that the people trying to control Jesus are not irreligious outsiders. They are the most religious people in the nation. The Pharisees studied the Scriptures, carefully observed the law, and were respected as spiritual authorities. Yet these deeply religious men opposed the very Messiah they claimed to be waiting for. Why? Because Jesus threatened their system. His teaching exposed their hypocrisy. His authority challenged their control. If Jesus truly was the Christ, their carefully constructed system of self-righteousness would collapse. And when religious pride feels threatened, it often responds by trying to control what cannot actually be controlled.

And this danger can quietly emerge in the life of the church as well. Sometimes people become so attached to traditions, preferences, or positions of influence that when the Word of Christ confronts them, their instinct is not humility but control. Instead of submitting to what Jesus says, they try to manage the conversation, silence the challenge, or protect their standing. It can happen in a committee meeting, in a ministry of the church, or even in a leader’s heart. Whenever we begin defending our reputation, our comfort, or our authority more than we seek to submit to Christ, we are moving in the same direction as the Pharisees. The church must always remain a place where Jesus rules by His Word, not a place where people try to control Him.

Jesus answers their attempt to seize Him with a statement that reveals a far deeper problem for the Pharisees and all those who are trusting in their own righteousness to save them, Jesus says in verse 33-34, 

I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 

Jesus is speaking about His coming death, resurrection, and return to the Father. His time among them is limited. The opportunity to respond to Him will not remain open forever. There will come a day when those who rejected Him will seek Hi as m and find that the door has closed.

But the leaders completely misunderstand what He is saying. In 35-36, John tells us they begin asking one another, 

Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am you cannot come’?

They are thinking geographically. They imagine Jesus leaving Jerusalem and traveling to Jewish communities scattered among the Greeks. But Jesus is speaking spiritually. He is talking about returning to the Father. And the reason they cannot go where He is going is simple: they do not believe in Him. They are rejected the only path to God.

It is possible to be very religious and still resist the truth about Jesus. A person can know the language of faith, participate in religious activity, and yet reject the Savior the Scriptures proclaim. That is why this passage carries a warning for those who trust in religion rather than Christ. Many people place their confidence in morality, church attendance, family heritage, or good works. They assume that because they are respectable or religious, they must be right with God. But none of those things can bring a person into the presence of God. Only Jesus can do that. And if a person rejects Him, no amount of religious effort can bridge that gap. Jesus says plainly, “Where I am you cannot come.” The only way to the Father is through the Son.

Friend, if you are not a Christian, this is the warning of this passage. It is possible to hear about Jesus, to be around the conversation about Him, and still miss Him entirely. You may admire parts of His teaching. You may respect Christianity as a moral framework. You may even attend church from time to time. But Jesus says something very direct here: apart from believing in Him, you cannot go where He is going. You cannot come to the Father on your own terms. No amount of good intentions, personal spirituality, or moral effort can bring you into the presence of God. Only Christ can do that. The invitation of the gospel is open today. But the window will not remain open forever.

And this warning must also be heard by those who sit in church every week but whose hearts remain far from God. It is possible to know the language of faith, to sing the songs, to attend the services, and still never truly come to Christ. That is exactly what happened with the Pharisees. They were deeply religious, yet they rejected the very Messiah they claimed to be waiting for. The danger of that path is not merely spiritual dryness. The danger is eternal judgment.

 If a person continues rejecting Christ, there will come a day when the opportunity to seek Him will be gone. Jesus says, “You will seek me and you will not find me.” That is the terrible reality of hell, separation from God forever. Religion cannot save you. Church membership cannot save you. Only Jesus can bring you to the Father. 

So do not ignore the warning of Jesus. Hell is real, and it is the final separation from the God whose presence is life and joy. It is the place where those who reject Christ are left with the full weight of their sin and the absence of God’s grace forever. But the same Jesus who warns of that reality also opens the door to something far greater. Through His death and resurrection He has made a way for sinners to be forgiven, reconciled to God, and welcomed into eternal life. Heaven is not merely a better place. It is the joy of being with the Father through the Son forever. And the path to that joy is not found in religion or human effort. It is found in Christ alone. That is why the call of this passage is so urgent and so hopeful: turn from trusting in righteousness and come to Jesus trusting in his righteousness while the invitation still stands.

Comprehensive Provision

The tension of the chapter now rises to its high point. For days the crowds have been debating about Jesus, the leaders have been plotting against Him, and questions about His identity have spread throughout the city. In verse 37, everything turns, 

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

This is not a quiet conversation in a corner. Jesus stands up in the middle of the feast and raises His voice above the noise of the crowd. He cries out so that everyone can hear. In the middle of the debate and confusion, Jesus Himself makes the clearest declaration of all.

To understand the force of His words, we need to remember what was happening during the Feast of Booths. The feast celebrated how God had sustained Israel during their years in the wilderness. Each day a priest would carry water from the Pool of Siloam and pour it out at the temple as a symbol of God’s provision. It reminded the people of how God gave water from the rock when His people were thirsty in the desert. The ceremony pointed backward to what God had done for Israel long ago. But on the final and greatest day of the feast, with that symbolism fresh in the minds of the people, and with the anticipation of the Messiah at its peak, as the people would be singing and shouting for the Lord’s salvation, Jesus stands and makes a staggering claim. Instead of pointing to the ceremony, He points to Himself. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” 

In that moment Jesus is declaring that He is the true source of life. Every longing of the human heart finds its answer in Him. Every spiritual thirst that religion cannot satisfy is satisfied in Christ. Notice how wide the invitation is. “If anyone thirsts.” Jesus does not limit the invitation to the religious elite or the morally impressive. He invites anyone who knows their need. Anyone who recognizes the emptiness of sin. Anyone who has discovered that the wells of this world cannot truly satisfy the soul.

And that thirst shows up in many different ways. Some people feel it as restlessness that never seems to go away. Others feel it as guilt they cannot escape. Some try to drown it with success, entertainment, or relationships. But sooner or later every person discovers that the wells of this world run dry. Jesus says there is only one place where that thirst can truly be satisfied: “Let him come to me and drink.”

When Jesus said those words, the people standing there would have remembered the story from the wilderness. When Israel was wandering in the desert and the people were dying of thirst, God commanded Moses to strike the rock, and water flowed out so that the people could live. What seemed impossible in the desert became a river of provision because God opened the rock. The apostle Paul later tells us that event was foreshadowing something far greater. “They drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4). The water in the wilderness was a picture. It was pointing forward to Jesus.

But that living water could only come if the Rock was struck. In the wilderness the rock had to be struck so the water could flow. In the gospel the Son of God would also be struck so life could come to sinners. At the cross Jesus bore the judgment that our sin deserved. He was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. The wrath that should have fallen on us fell upon Him instead. The Rock was struck so that grace could flow to those who believe. The forgiveness of sins, the cleansing of guilt, and the gift of the Holy Spirit are possible only because Christ was struck; crucified for sinners.

And praise be the God, the story does not end with the cross. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead, proving that His sacrifice was accepted and that sin and death had been defeated. Because he lives, the invitation to come and drink still stands. The living water of salvation is available to anyone who will come to Him. You do not have to clean yourself up first. You do not have to prove yourself worthy. The call of Jesus is simple and urgent: if you are thirsty, come to Him. Come with your sin, come with your guilt, come with your emptiness, and drink deeply of the grace that flows from the crucified and risen Christ.

And the good news doesn’t stop there. Jesus makes an even more astonishing promise in verse 38, 

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

The Jews would sing Isaiah 12:3 during this Feast of Taberancles, 

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

At the height of expectation, Jesus announces salvation has come. The person who comes to Jesus does not merely receive enough water to survive. Jesus says rivers will flow from within them. And the one who drinks from Christ becomes a channel of life to others. John then explains what Jesus means in verse 39: 

Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Jesus is speaking about the coming of the Holy Spirit. After His death, resurrection, and ascension, the Spirit would be poured out upon His people. The Spirit would dwell within believers, giving them new life, new power, and new desires.

This is the power of the gospel. Jesus does not merely forgive sinners. He transforms them. What was once dry and empty becomes alive with the presence of God. Those who come to Christ are filled with His Spirit, and from their lives flows living water to others. In the middle of all the confusion and debate about His identity, Jesus lifts His voice and declares the truth plainly.  The deepest thirst of the human soul is satisfied only in Him. And the invitation still stands today: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

Beloved, Jesus did not whisper this invitation. John tells us that He stood up and cried out. His voice rose above the noise of the crowd because the invitation of salvation is too important to remain quiet. The Son of God publicly declared that the thirsty must come to Him. That moment reveals his heart for sinners. He is not reluctant to receive them. He calls them. He invites them. He urges them to come and drink. The gospel is not a secret reserved for a few. It is a proclamation meant to be heard by all.

And now in this day,  the cries of the Lord Jesus echo through the voices of His people. Those who have come to the water are now sent to call others to the same fountain. The living water that fills the believer does not stay contained. It flows outward in witness. When the church understands what Christ has done, evangelism becomes the natural overflow of gratitude and compassion. We begin to see the thirst around us in our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family members. 

And with the same urgency that marked the voice of Christ, the cry now rises from the lips of His people. We call out to a thirsty world: come and drink. Come and drink, you who are curious about Jesus but have never yet believed. Come and drink, you who are religious yet still trying to control your own righteousness. Come and drink, you who are trapped in sin and wonder if there is any way back. Come and drink, you who carry the weight of guilt and shame and feel too far gone to be forgiven. Come and drink, even you who have resisted His words and tried to silence His voice in your life. Come and drink of Christ.

 The invitation of Christ is wide and gracious. From city streets to quiet conversations, from pulpits to kitchen tables, the church continues to echo the call of its Savior, saying to every thirsty sinner: come and drink of Christ, and you will find life.

Conflicted People

After Jesus lifts His voice and gives that great invitation, the response of the crowd is immediate. But instead of unity, the result is division. John writes in verses 40-42, 

“When they heard these words, some of the people said, ‘This really is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from Bethelhem, the village where David was?’” 

The same words of Jesus that invite sinners to come and drink also force people to take a position. Some in the crowd begin to believe. They hear His authority and recognize that something greater than an ordinary teacher is standing before them. Others go even further and say plainly, “This is the Christ.” But still others resist. They begin raising objections, pointing to what they think they know about His background and hometown. John summarizes the moment simply in verse 43: “So there was a division among the people over him” (v.43).

This scene reveals something that remains true wherever the gospel is proclaimed. Jesus does not leave people neutral. His words demand a response. When people hear the claims of Christ, they must decide what they believe about Him. Some will receive Him with faith. Others will hesitate and struggle. And some will reject Him altogether. But no one can hear the words of Jesus and remain untouched by them. The gospel confronts every person with the question that has echoed throughout this chapter: Who is Jesus really? Can it be that this is the Christ? 

And this reality also shapes the mission of the church. Those who have come to Christ and drunk from the living water cannot remain silent. The Spirit who fills believers also sends them out as witnesses. Evangelism is not merely a program of the church. It is the overflow of hearts that have been satisfied in Christ. When we speak the gospel, we should not be surprised when it produces different responses. Some will believe. Some will wrestle with the message. Some will resist it. The church is not responsible for controlling the response. We are responsible for proclaiming the truth. The same living water that satisfied our souls must continue to be offered to a thirsty world.

Let me press this into our lives with a simple question: who is one person you can share the gospel with this week? Not someday, not in theory, but this week. Is there a coworker, a neighbor, a family member, or a friend who needs to hear about Christ? Pray for that person. Ask the Lord to open a door for conversation and tell them of Christ.

And if you find that your life is arranged in such a way that you are rarely around non-Christians, then ask how you might step intentionally into places where you can meet them. That may mean slowing down long enough to talk with a neighbor, inviting someone to share a meal, serving in non–profit in the community, or building relationships with people outside the church. The goal is not to manufacture awkward conversations, but to live with open eyes and an open mouth, ready to speak of Christ when the opportunity comes. The same living water that satisfied your soul is meant to be shared, and God delights to place His people in the paths of those who are thirsty.

Condemning People

The tension of the passage reaches its final scene when the officers sent to arrest Jesus return to the religious leaders empty handed. In verse 45, John tells us, 

The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’” (v.45). 

The leaders expected a simple report and a prisoner in chains. Instead they heard something they knew to be true, but hoped to silence. 

The officers answer, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (v.46).

These men were not disciples. They were sent to arrest Jesus. Yet even they were struck by the authority of His words. They had listened long enough to realize that something about Jesus was different from every other teacher they had heard. His words carried weight. His voice carried the truth. The officers could not bring themselves to seize Him because they recognized that they were standing before someone extraordinary.

This reminds us of the power of the Word of God. The words of Christ are not empty speech. They carry divine authority and life-giving power. Scripture tells us that the Word of God is living and active, able to pierce the heart and expose what lies within. Even hardened men sent to arrest Jesus could not escape the force of His words. And that same Word still works today. It convicts sinners, strengthens believers, and transforms lives. That is why the people of God must give themselves to the Word. Read it. Sit under its preaching. Meditate on it. Let it shape your thinking and guide your life. The voice that astonished those officers still speaks through the Scriptures, and those who give themselves to that voice will find wisdom, life, and strength for the journey of faith.

But the response of the Pharisees reveals the hardness of unbelief. Instead of considering the testimony of the officers, they immediately dismiss it. Verse 47,

“Have you also been deceived?” 

Then they appeal to their own authority. 

“Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?” (v.48). 

In other words, they assume that if the educated and powerful leaders reject Jesus, then everyone else should as well. Do not assume that truth is determined by the voices with the most influence or credentials. The question is not who rejects Jesus. The question you must ask is, “Are his words true?” And if so, will you believe? 

And finally the Pharisees show their contempt not only for Jesus but for the crowd itself. They say in verse 49, 

 “But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 

Their hearts have grown so hard that they are willing to dismiss the very people they claim to lead. This reveals how spiritual pride distorts the heart. When pride takes root, people begin to see others not as souls to be loved and guided, but as problems to be dismissed or crowds to be controlled. The gospel produces the opposite spirit. Those who know the grace of Christ should never look down on the spiritually needy with contempt. Instead, we remember that we ourselves were once blind and lost, and we speak to others with patience, humility, and compassion, inviting them to the same mercy we have received.

In the middle of this hostility, one voice speaks up. Nicodemus, the same man who came to Jesus at night in John 3, quietly raises a question in verse 51: 

Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 

Nicodemus does not yet openly confess faith in Christ, but he at least calls for fairness. The leaders immediately shut him down. “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 

Their minds are already made up. They are not interested in the truth. They are only interested in discrediting Jesus. 

This final scene shows us the ultimate danger of unbelief. When people refuse to listen to Christ, they will eventually begin attacking the truth itself. Instead of examining the evidence, they dismiss it. Instead of listening carefully, they mock and condemn. The issue is no longer about the facts. It reveals the heart.

Friends, throughout this chapter we have seen curious people, controlling people, and conflicted people. But here we see condemning people, those who have hardened themselves so deeply against Jesus that they reject Him outright. The tragedy of this response is that the very One they condemn is the One who came to save them. And this should not surprise us when it happens to those who follow Christ today. 

If the world treated Jesus with contempt, it will often treat His people the same way. When we speak clearly about the truth of the gospel, some will respond with interest, some with hesitation, and others with hostility. But rejection is not a sign that the message has failed. It is often a sign that the message is confronting the human heart. Our calling is not to soften the truth to avoid contempt, but to remain faithful to Christ, speaking the gospel with courage and humility, trusting that the same Word that provokes opposition in some will bring salvation to others.

As chapter ends, John shows us how people respond when Jesus is clearly presented. But the deeper focus of the passage is not ultimately the crowds. The focus is Christ Himself. In the middle of confusion, hostility, curiosity, and doubt, Jesus stands and lifts His voice above the noise of the world. He does not hide. He does not retreat. He calls out to thirsty sinners and says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” The hero of this story is not the people trying to figure Him out. It is the Savior who graciously reveals Himself and invites sinners to come.

That invitation flows from what Jesus came to accomplish. The One who cried out in the temple courts would soon go to the cross. There He would be struck for our sin so that living water could flow to those who believe. He bore the judgment we deserved so that we could receive the life we could never earn. And three days later He rose from the dead, proving that sin, death, and judgment had been conquered. The living water Jesus promises is possible because the crucified and risen Christ has opened the fountain of living waters.

So the question before us is not merely what the crowds in Jerusalem thought of Jesus. The question is what we will do with the Savior who stands before us in this passage. Are you curious but still holding back? Are you trying to control your life instead of surrendering it to Him? Are you conflicted, unsure what to believe? Or will you come to Him in faith and drink from the living water He freely gives?

The good news of the gospel is that Christ receives thirsty sinners. His invitation remains open to the curious, the religious, the conflicted, and even those who have resisted Him for years. If you are thirsty, come to Him. Come with your sin, come with your guilt, come with your emptiness. The fountain of grace has been opened through the cross and the resurrection.

But the invitation will not remain open forever. There will come a day when every person will stand before the risen Christ. That is why the gospel always calls for a response today. Do not leave Jesus as a question you never answer. Come to Him. Believe in Him. Drink deeply of the living water that flows from the crucified and risen Savior.

And for those who have already come to Him, remember this: the same voice that once called you now sends you. The world is full of thirsty people. And through His church, the invitation of Christ continues to echo: come and drink from the One who gives life forever. Let that be our cry.