Lesson 7 The Spirit Flows From The Cross
Questions 1 and 2
“Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” John 7:38
It’s so good to have you back today studying with us.
Experiencing a new heart and life is the evidence of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Without a heart transplant we will never change but will remain the same forever, left with our heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26) that is “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9).
As you will no doubt remember, this heart circumcision is a spiritual one, done without hands (Colossians 2:11), where God removes the evil hard heart and replaces it with a new heart of flesh.
Notice the amazing contrast between the old stony uncircumcised heart, and the new heart of flesh. We can see this contrast by comparing Matthew 15:19 with John 7:37-39:
“for out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” (Matthew 15:19)
“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.’” (John 7:37-38)
Yes, from out of the old uncircumcised heart come evil thoughts of sinful things, but out of the new heart “flows rivers of living water.“
Jesus’ death brought us life. A new life. And with this new life, a new heart. A heart that no longer flows out violence, pours out lies, thirsts for sexual immorality, or has murderous thoughts. The river of evil that poured out of our heart of stone for so many years would be circumcised and replaced at the cross as we die with Christ and raise with a new heart, a new life, as a new creation.
Yes, it is as we come to Jesus and drink, as we believe in Jesus we experience this flow of the rivers of living water. These happen at the cross of Jesus Christ (John 6:54).
Question 2: According to John 7:37-38, What would “flow out” and where would it flow from?