Bible ReadingJohn 7:37-39 “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. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”’ 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.”
[05:16]Ezekiel 47:1-12 “Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, ‘Son of man, have you seen this?’ Then he led me back to the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, ‘This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.’”
[06:27]Ephesians 1:13-14 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
[10:17]Ephesians 5:18 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”
[11:32]1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
[10:41]Observation questions- In John 7, what does Jesus tell thirsty people to do, and what does he promise will flow out of the one who believes in him? [05:16]
- In Ezekiel 47, how does the river change as it moves away from the temple, and what happens wherever that river goes?
- According to Ephesians 1 and 1 Corinthians 6, what are two ways the Holy Spirit’s presence in believers is described? [10:17]
- What were some of the places where living water overflowed in the stories that were shared—what kinds of people and situations were touched? [26:26]
Interpretation questions- Jesus does not simply offer teaching to thirsty people; he offers himself. What does that show about where spiritual life really comes from, and why does that matter for people who are trying to fix their thirst with effort, habit, or religious routine? [09:00]
- Believers are told both that they have the Holy Spirit and that they should be filled with the Spirit. How do those two truths fit together, and what does it mean to say that filling is about the Spirit having more of the person? [11:32]
- Ezekiel’s river moves from ankle deep to water deep enough to swim in. What might that picture help explain about the difference between being near God’s work and surrendering to God’s control? [28:33]
- The river in Ezekiel brings life to dead places, and living water in Christ moves toward prisons, sickness, and forgotten people. What does that suggest about where the Spirit often leads, and why might those places become settings where God’s glory is seen more clearly? [27:17]
Application questions- Many believers live like people standing over a hidden oil field—rich in Christ, but not drawing on what has already been given. Where does that feel true in life right now: weariness, fear, prayer, witness, obedience, or something else? [03:03]
- Scripture should not be shrunk down to match thin experience. Where has there been a temptation to lower expectations of what God can do instead of asking him to deepen faith and obedience? [04:02]
- “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” What does coming to Jesus and drinking look like in a real week for this group—prayer, repentance, worship, asking for help, slowing down, stepping out, or something else? [12:37]
- Being filled with the Spirit means surrendering control. What part of life is still being held ankle deep at the edge of the river because full surrender feels costly or unsettling? [29:24]
- Living water does not stay contained. Where might overflow need to go next—to a hard relationship, a lonely neighbor, a hospital room, a prison ministry, a struggling friend, or some other thirsty place? [12:48]
- The Spirit often meets people when they step toward something beyond their own strength. What is one specific act of obedience or service that feels bigger than natural ability right now? [27:13]
- Thirst should become movement. What would it look like this week not just to talk about spiritual hunger, but to actually respond to it in a concrete way? [31:51]
