Ezekiel 47:1-12, John 7:37-38B the Living Waters of Jesus and the Spirit

Message by Rev. Joyce Yanishewski St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, Thunder Bay, ON August 28, 2016 Ezekiel 47:1-12, John 7:37-38b The Living Waters of Jesus and the Spirit ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ Water. In the last week a cool refreshing glass of water brought relief to parched lips and dry tongues. Many of us kick start our day with a shower, or relax at the end of the day in a bath. Something as simple as being able to brush our teeth and rinse with water, or splash water on our faces to cleanse, these experiences are things we rarely think about for long because water comes in abundance to us in our homes. In Northern Ontario we are particular blessed with large bodies of fresh water lakes, rivers, and streams. People head down to marinas to enjoy the water, or search out remote areas where fishing is good, wading into the streams to spend a few hours in the peace, immersed in the sounds and sights of creation around them. It is likely that each one of you has some memory of water that brings a sense of peace. People will create fountains in backyards just to hear the sound of water. I have been in hospitals where there are fountains in courtyards as it seems to offer hope and healing to those whose bodies and minds are struggling for health. One of my cousins is a superintendent for a major company that builds many public buildings. Once when we flew to Ottawa he let us know to check out the water feature in the terminal as he was in charge of installing it. If ever people needed a sense of peace it is in an airport. Water – cleansing, peaceful, healing. But often the news also has stories of water that is out of control. The latest happening was in Louisiana where flooding has caused damage and distress. Torrential rains, hurricanes, and tsunamis, all leave death, damage, and destruction in their wake. They are experiences of water that are powerful, full of energy, and uncontrollable. Water as an image in the Bible is used over and over from the Genesis to Revelation. At times it is destructive, as in the story of Noah and the flood, at other times it is restorative like the story we heard today from Ezekiel. This particular portion of scripture from Ezekiel is written about a vision the prophet had where water is flowing from below the threshold of the doors of the temple. It begins as a stream that is ankle deep, the further the prophet walked out and away from the temple with his guide, the deeper the water became. From ankle deep it becomes knee deep, then waist deep. Finally, the water has reached such a depth that the only way to be in it is to swim. The once ankle deep stream became a flowing river that could not be crossed. At this point the guide takes Ezekiel and they walk back along the bank of the river. The bank has a great many trees on both sides and Ezekiel is told that the water will enter the sea of stagnant waters, known to us as the dead sea. The dead sea is a place that does not sustain life due to it high salinity content. Yet in Ezekiel’s vision the water from the temple displaces the stagnant waters and the water becomes fresh. Let me share the words of life from Ezekiel’s vision again. As I do, try to hold in your mind the images. Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. People will stand fishing beside the sea; it will be a place for the spreading of nets; its fish will be of a great many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing. (NRSV) So much abundance. Abundance of fruit, trees, fish and other animals. Fruit for food and leaves for healing. It is interesting to note the verse I skipped over in that description. Verse 11 says, “But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.” Even the salt had a purpose for preserving food and for flavor and so to completely remove it would have not been helpful. It is said that, “In early Christianity the growth of the stream from a trickle to a mighty river was seen as symbolic of the increase in the number of believers, and the four stages marked by the guide were taken to represent the four Gospels, the fourth being the most profound.”1 This, being the Gospel of John, is where we heard the lines that are spoken by Jesus on the last day of the Festival of Booths, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture says, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Living water. We, as believers in Christ, are heirs to the promise that out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water. It is also said that Jesus spoke these words about the Sprit, which believers in Christ were to receive. To think that we are part of the rivers of living water is truly incredible. If that is so, then let’s take the imagery from Ezekiel’s vision and play with it a little. If living waters flow from us through the power of the Holy Spirit, then we have the power and grace to bring life to places that have no life. To know that we can drink of these living waters brings hope, and to show others how to drink of this same water is a gift. The power and hope begins in the waters of baptism. The drops that we witnessed as the pitchers of water were poured into the font are a symbol of the promised seal of the Holy Spirit. Those waters of baptism are a beginning, but they are also the source for 1 Joseph Blenkinsopp. Interpretation: A Bible-Commentary for Teaching and Preaching – Ezekiel. James L. Mays, Series Editor. John Knox Press. Louisville. 1990. P232. 2 our spiritual walk, like the small stream flowing from the threshold of the temple. But as we experience God, as we grow in faith, as we believe and learn, the drops grow thicker and become a steady stream and maybe even a strong river. Our lives have the potential to be filled with a Holy energy, and a Holy power. If we let God carry us into the fullness of the river we may find that we can no longer walk - we have to swim. At times we may be on the banks of the river enjoying the fruit as spiritual food and sharing the abundance of it. Other times we may be taking the healing leaves to heal ourselves and others. The scary thing about these waters is that we don’t know where that living water will take us - especially when we get in and swim, letting the current take us where it will. But remember this is living water. Christ is a living Saviour, God is a living God who loves you and desires that you may have life and experience it in abundance. God wants that for you, for our families, friends, neighbours, the sick, the forgotten, the homeless, the despairing. As the church and as individuals we are called to experience the waters, whether we are just wading in the ankle deep water, taking a little more freedom by rolling up our pants to just above our knees and walking a little more in the living waters of faith, maybe getting braver and going up to the waist, or letting go completely to experience the depth, power, and energy of the river. Wherever you are at in life, God is there, the Spirit is there, Christ is there. As the church we have been more than ankle deep, maybe knee deep, like when we share our Sunday worship services. At times of change like when calling a new minister or creating new structures for the church we may be willing to go up to our waist. However, profound change will happen in the church and in our lives when we let go and just swim, trusting that God has given us an abundance of life giving energy, an abundance of nourishment to sustain our faith, and leaves from the trees along the bank of the river to help us heal any pain or struggle that we must bear because change does not come easily. The river is the Holy Spirit. It is for each person to figure out where they are in their walk of faith and decide how far and deep to go into the river. There is no right or wrong in this, as faith and belief are a journey. We don’t arrive until we arrive to experience eternal life with God. What is incredible is that no matter where you find yourself, the living water cannot be contained.

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