Summers can get hot and with all of our outdoor chores, there are many times we find ourselves thirsty. Where do you turn to quench that thirst? The theme for Camp Mantowagan this year is “Thirst.” The theme verse is taken from John 4:7-26. In this passage Jesus interacts with a Samaritan woman at a well. As Jesus speaks with this woman we see that there is a physical thirst but also a spiritual thirst that must be quenched. Just as it is important to find hydration physically, we must also find the right hydration spiritually.
Jesus finds this woman at the well and the two begin to interact about water and living water. Jesus answers and says to her in verse 13-14, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” Most restaurants offer free refills. The majority of fast food restaurants today have drink dispensers available for customers to grab their own refills. How many times do you normally get a refill? What was your highest amount? What’s amazing is that no matter how many times you get a refill, you’re eventually going to be thirsty again. Sometimes even by the time you get home. The refills never cured your thirst. Jesus says to the woman, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again…” Jesus is beginning to show this woman that the things of this earth will never satisfy you. Jesus knew that she had a deeper thirst that she was trying to quench but she was trying to quench it with things that would only leave her thirsty again.
Look at where she was hoping to find here thirst quenched (vs. 16-18): “The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” This woman was hoping that her relationships would bring her what she wanted. She was looking to find her thirst quenched by the love of these other men but they kept falling short. When that would happen she moved to the next and then the next. No matter how many refills of relationships she got, they weren’t quenching her thirst. Remember Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again.” Earthly things like friends, significant others, money, reputation, and stuff will only leave us thirsty no matter how much we gain. Living for ourselves, our wants, and our desires will only leave us empty and wanting more. Paul talks about people in Phil. 3:19 whose god is their appetite. The people who serve this god only set their minds on earthly things hoping to quench this god but that satisfaction never comes.
Jesus continued in verse 14, “…but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” Only He can satisfy the thirst this woman has. Christ is pointing to Himself here. Everything we would ever need is found in Jesus. He is the right hydration because He leads to eternal life! In Christ we quench our thirst for peace because through His death He has paved the way for peace between us and God. In Christ we quench our thirst for rest because through His life and death He has accomplished all righteousness and works necessary before God on our behalf. In Christ we quench our thirst for love because through trusting in Him we are fully adopted, reconciled, and redeemed by God. All thirst is quenched in Jesus so as believers we must continue to draw from Him. Paul instructs where to draw our refills in Colossians 3:16,“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Quench your thirst on Christ and His word!
Thirsting For Jesus, Pastor Rudy