Sermon – Good Friday – "I Am Is Still I Am" – John 6-11 – 4/6/07
April 6th, 2007On one occasion, Jesus sat by a well in the village of Sychar. A woman came to the well and Jesus asked her if she would be so kind as to use her bucket to bring up some water for him. He was thirsty. Sounds like a simple enough request, but this woman had her pride and wanted to argue. “How is that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” She wanted to debate the principles of fairness and the rules that divide and separate us from each other. Just like we do every time we find our neighbor right there in front of us with his neediness crying out for our help, and we rehearse our list of reasons why we really shouldn’t get involved. It’s really amazing how often we actually conclude that it would be better for them if we didn’t. “Jesus answered her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Jesus is offering this woman water that gives eternal life to all who drink it.
Yet, from the cross, this fountain of living water cries, “I thirst,” as though the eternal spring had finally run dry.
On another occasion, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness.” (John 8:12). This time it’s the Pharisees who want to argue with him. They think that He is a very conceited person and before they will listen to His bragging they would like to have a second opinion. “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Which is just another way of saying the same thing we say all the time, “if God is as good as He says He is, why is there so much evil in the world. We want to see some evidence before we’ll believe it.” But Jesus responded saying that He should be believed on the basis of who He is. He is the light of the world and that light is self-generated and self-sustained. He doesn’t get is authority or power from outside witnesses. “I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” (John 8:18).
Yet here on the cross, the light of the world is extinguished. It was only the 6th hour, which is noon. From noon until 3:00 in the afternoon, “there was darkness over the whole land, while the sun’s light failed.” (Luke 23:44). The darkness has overcome the light.
On another occasion, Jesus fed 5,000 men and their families with five loaves of bread and two fish and then told them, “I am the bread of life. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Now, when you say things like this to people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, they eat it up. But when you say things like this to theologians and bible wizards, they question it and hold symposiums and conferences. The want to debate the truth claims being made.
“The Jews then disputed among themselves saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” (John 6:48-52) It wasn’t that they didn’t know their bible. They could recite their verses with the best of them. They knew every jot and title. But they never realized that the jots and tittles were meant to be connected together into one long line that led right to the point of it all. They enjoyed their religion just the way it was. It had become as comfortable and cozy as a pair of slippers. Today we call it “warm and friendly.” People just love their little church – their network of friends, the close knit fellowship, a few service activities that make us feel good about ourselves, and a watered down dose of spirituality so nobody feels too threatened. But the fact that Jesus actually wants all of our attention and makes demands on us, like that we must take up our cross in life and follow Him, well that sort of ruins the whole thing doesn’t it?
This was Judas’ problem too. Judas liked Jesus just fine. He felt that Jesus was a good man, a nice person, real good with kids. He believed that if more people were like Jesus, the world would be a better place. But ultimately, every problem requires practical solutions. For Judas, the solutions to the problems at hand were political and economic ones. For others, its science, technology that hold the answers to life’s problems.
But Jesus actually insists that every problem is a spiritual problem and every solution is spiritual solution. But Jesus isn’t talking about the kind of vague, indefinable spirituality like we cling to, where everything is right and no one is wrong as long as you’re sincere. No, Jesus insists that the only true spirituality is that which is found in Him and comes from Him. Not at all vague and indefinable but incarnate Word made flesh and dwelling among. He actually claims that politics and economics, science and technology are His creations and belong to Him and are only used to good and salutatory effects when they are used in faithful service to Him.
So when John writes, “In Him was life, what at first seems to be a very innocent claim and casual remark actually turns out to be the very thing that overthrows all of the false gods in which we look for life.
To all of this, Jesus simply says, “As the living Father sent me, I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.” (vs.57)
Yet, here on the cross, the bread of life breathes His last and gave up His spirit. Death has dominion over Him. The sting of death has pierced his hands and feet and side and death has won the victory over life.
Here on the cross, the “living water” runs dry. The “light of the world” is snuffed out. The “bread of life” dies. And we are responsible for this. Don’t blame Caiaphas, or Pontius Pilate, or Judas, or the Jews. They were doing what we would have done too if only we had the courage. They’re there so that we may see the how deep the evil in us goes.
We are responsible for this because all of this He endures for us. He gave Himself for OUR sin. (Gal.1:4) He became sin FOR US. (2 Cor. 5:21). He became a curse FOR US. (Gal.3:13). He was delivered up for OUR trespasses. (Rom.4:25). Christ died for the UNGODLY. (Rom. 5:6). He gave Him up for US ALL. (Rom.8:32). He gave His life as a ransom FOR MANY. (Mat.20:28). He was wounded for OUR transgressions. He was crushed for OUR iniquities. The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of US ALL. (Isaiah 53:5-6).
But His Word is His Word and His Word never fails.
He is still the “Living Water.” And though the well is dry now, it is being filled and it will well up to eternal life for you very shortly.
He is still the “Light of the World.” And though you cannot see it now, the light shines in the darkness and soon, very soon, you will see the sun rise and His light will shine upon you.
He is still the “Bread of Life.” And though He is now unleavened, yet even now, the leaven of heaven is at work in him and this Bread is about to rise.
For the One who said, “I am the living water,” and “I am the light of the world,” and “I am the bread of life,” also said, “I am the resurrection.”
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