Jesus tells all who come to Him that they will receive living waters. This water will flow forth from their hearts through the Holy Spirit. This leads to all manner of discussion about whether He is the Messiah or not. The thing the religious leaders say to prove He isn’t is this. He’s from Galilee, not Bethlehem. They knew that! There is only one problem. They were wrong. They did not know the entire story. They rushed to judgment. He was from Bethlehem. They just didn’t know. Today, let’s not make the same mistake. Let’s not rush to judgment. Let’s be wise and discerning. Let’s listen, and let’s act wisely.

Shameless plug, here’s a link to Method(ist) to the Madness.

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Good to be with you on this Wednesday morning. I hope you’re doing well and that your week has been going great. Today, as we continue studying the Gospel of John together, we’ll finish chapter 7 by reading verses 37 through 52.

This passage continues the heated debate among the crowds and religious leaders about Jesus’ identity. It starts with Jesus inviting all who are thirsty to come to him and drink from the living water, which John reveals as a reference to the Holy Spirit. When we receive the Spirit, we are renewed, and rivers of living water flow from our hearts, much like the songs we sing as children: “I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me.”

Jesus teaches that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. What’s in our hearts will inevitably show itself in our actions and words. None of us are perfect, but as we strive to follow Jesus, we should hope that the more we seek him, the more our actions and words reflect his love and truth. Our lives should demonstrate that living water, drawing others to Christ.

Yet in this passage, the crowd struggles to understand Jesus’ identity. Some recognize him as the Messiah, while others doubt because of his Galilean origin, not realizing the full story. They thought they knew where he came from but didn’t have the complete picture. How often do we make assumptions or judgments without knowing the full story? Like the Pharisees, we sometimes jump to conclusions that make us feel justified or self-righteous.

The Pharisees were quick to dismiss Jesus because they didn’t like him from the start. They used their limited knowledge to reinforce their bias. “He’s from Galilee—he can’t be the Messiah,” they said. Yet they were wrong. Jesus was indeed from Bethlehem, and had they taken the time to speak with him, they might have realized this.

Nicodemus, unlike the others, had a conversation with Jesus, and as a result, he was the one who raised the issue of fairness. The Pharisees, however, continued to judge without knowing the full truth. In our lives, how often do we rush to judgment without understanding someone’s background or story? It’s easy to judge, but we’re called to be slow to do so.

I recall a personal experience during my college years that reminds me of this story. Like the Pharisee and the tax collector parable, where the Pharisee prayed, “Thank you, Lord, that I’m not like this tax collector,” I, too, had a moment of judgment. I was quick to judge someone who didn’t “look the part” of a Christian. Yet, as I sat there in my self-righteousness, the person I judged sat down, removed his hat, and prayed before his meal. I was immediately convicted. I had judged without knowing anything about him, and I was wrong.

That moment taught me to be slow to judgment, to acknowledge that I don’t know everything, and to resist thinking I have it all figured out. Like the Pharisees, we can be quick to judge, but we risk missing the truth by making assumptions.

So today, friends, let’s be cautious in rushing to judgment. Let’s strive to be discerning, wise, and patient, asking questions and seeking understanding. When we open our hearts and minds, we may discover the truth we’ve been missing. Let’s not make the same mistake as those who dismissed Jesus because they thought they knew it all.

Thanks for being with us today. Tomorrow, we’ll dive into one of the most well-known stories in the Bible as we begin John chapter 8. Have a wonderful day!