17th September 2026

The opposition to Jesus had been growing, and it was now dangerous for him to travel outside his home region of Galilee, since the Jewish authorities were already seeking an opportunity to put him to death (John 7:1). As the autumn festival commenced, large crowds assembled and dispersed into family groups to erect temporary booths of leaves and branches. There was much whispering, talebearing, and private gossip concerning the miracle worker from Nazareth; however, for fear of the religious leaders, no one dared speak openly about Jesus (vv.12-13). When Jesus finally declared his presence on the last day of the festival, teaching publicly and making the boldest of claims, the people were amazed at his understanding, and at the power and authority of his words (v.14,15).

What was perhaps more amazing to the audience of enraptured souls was the striking inactivity of the authorities in the face of Jesus’ very overt public preaching (vv.25-26). Even the temple guards sent to arrest Jesus were unable to lay hold on him for, as they later informed their impatient inquisitors, ‘No one ever spoke the way this man does’ (v.46). It was the Pharisee, Nicodemus, who had come to believe that Jesus was ‘a teacher who has come from God’ (John 3:1-2), who cautioned the Jewish leaders against leaping to judgement, and bringing down the shutters of ignorance in the light of such wondrous acts (John 7:50-51).

Jesus himself had clearly warned about this damning condition of self-imposed spiritual blindness. The religious leaders had accused him of breaking the law, but they themselves were the actual lawbreakers (vv.19-24). Had they been looking for the truth, they would have found it in Jesus’ words, which were evidently God-breathed, and in his works, which were patently Spirit-driven (vv.16-18).

How easy it was to come to Jesus in the days of his earthly life when to hear him was a truly wonderful experience, and to see him was a joy unspeakable. The Lord’s Galilean and Judean ministry was like a gentle, healing stream compared to the rushing waters that would soon burst forth at the Spirit’s outpouring to flow incessantly from every believing heart, flooding the world with the gospel of grace and turning it upside down in the turbulence of renewal (Acts 17:6).

It was on that last day of the festival that Jesus stood up in view of the temple, following the elaborate water pouring ceremony that had just taken place, to present himself as the true centre of worship and life’s fountainhead. Jesus’ invitation is for all who thirst after righteousness to come to him for the perpetual refreshing of their souls (John 7:37).  “Whoever believes in me,’ Jesus promises, ‘…rivers of living water will flow from within them” (v.38 NIV). This refers to the Spirit, promised by the Father, whom he would send upon his return to glory (Luke 24:49). His claims were astounding, his voice captivating, his presence forceful and commanding, his sovereignty manifest: ‘On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Messiah” ’ (John 7:37-41 NIV).

Local congregation:
Grace Communion Peterborough
Farcet Village Hall
Main Street
Farcet
Peterborough
PE7 3AN

Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am

Local congregational contact:
Richard Dempsey
Email:  richard.dempsey@btinternet.com
Local church website: GRACE COMMUNION CHURCH PETERBOROUGH – Landing Page

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church