Reading from Psalm 23:3-6, (verse 5 in particular).
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3-6
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
In Jerusalem, during the time of Jesus’ ministry, the annual week long blessing of the harvest had begun, this was held at the Jewish temple, beginning “around late September to early October”.
About the middle of the feast, Jesus had gone up to the temple, which had been built to honour His heavenly Father, so it should have been a place where He was honoured and made welcome by the Jewish people.
A large crowd were there, most of them had come for the celebration, but some of the Jewish rulers had sent officers there, to take Jesus into their custody, so that they could falsely accuse, judge, and kill Him:
We’re told about this in John 7:11-13, 25-26 and 30
The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?”
John 7:11-13
And there was much muttering about him among the people.
While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.”
Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.
Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Isn’t this the man who they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
John 7:25-26
So they were seeking to seize Him; yet no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
John 7:30
So, here in His Fathers house, in the presence of His enemies, but knowing that they wouldn’t take Him, because His hour hadn’t yet come; on the last day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried out (as if His cup was overflowing) saying…
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
He who believes in Me,
John 7:37-38
as the Scripture said,
‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.‘
Jesus was never restrained by fear; He knew that His whole life was planned by His Father, and no one could change the plan. So He loudly spoke the words He was given to speak. It was only going to be a short time before He was going to be crucified, and He knew exactly when His time would be. So He spoke boldly, calling the lost to salvation.
The words we hear from the world, mostly relate to common daily life; the News Papers, TV, electronic media and libraries mostly provide common earthly focused information, and drama. These sources largely tell about the process of, and the occurrences between, the time of one’s life and death. They’re mostly written and based on earthly human experience and expectations.
But Jesus’ Words weren’t sourced from earthly resources.
In John 12, He said:
For I have not spoken of myself;
John 12:49-50
but the Father which sent me,
he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
It’s through Jesus’ Words that the heavens and earth were created, it’s through His Words that light is separated from darkness, and it’s through His Words that life comes to those who are lost. We learn from the bible, and many have come to know through their own experience, that Jesus’ Words bring real life, everlasting life.
In John 10:10 Jesus said:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
There’s only one way to receive this abundant life, we’re told of it in Romans 10:
For who ever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:12
Who is this One called Lord?
It is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the One who stood up in the temple and cried out:
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said,
‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.‘
These rivers of living water that overflowed from Jesus throughout His life, and even there in the presence of His enemies, weren’t words composed by common man, only Jesus Christ, the perfect sinless man, could consistently deliver living waters which had come from His Father.
When unsaved men’s words are of any value, they’re usually only of earthly use, unless God chooses to glorify Himself through them, but otherwise, these men’s words are often spoken in pride, selfish desire, worldly wisdom, foolishness or fear, but Jesus’ Words in the mouths of the saints, through the Spirit of God, are life, they’re valuable now and eternally;
In John 6, we read of the disciple Peter saying this:
…“Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed,
and have come to know,that you are the Holy One of God.”
John 6:68-69
These words of eternal life fill the hearts and minds of all who believe in Jesus, then they overflow to tell others about the hope and eternal life in Jesus.
When the guilt of sin is removed through forgiveness from God, through Jesus; His Words recorded in the bible become precious, and they are to be shared without fear by His disciples, they’re:
- Words revealing the glory of God the Father.
- Life giving Words.
- Words of unchallengeable authority.
- Convicting Words.
- Purifying Words.
- Healing Words.
- Words of hope.
- Words of truth.
- Words that guide in the way of Christ.
- Words of peace.
- Words of life!
I wonder what it would haver been like to personally hear Jesus speak?
After He rose from the dead, He appeared to the disciples; On one occasion, He joined two of them who were walking on the road to a place called Emmaus;
at the time, they didn’t realise that it was Jesus they were talking with,
because He hadn’t allowed them to comprehend who He was, until He later revealed Himself to them; then they said:
Didn’t our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?
Luke 24:32
If you’ve already come to know Jesus as your Saviour, you’ll already understand and love the truth from Jesus’ Words, which bring peace, hope, purpose and freedom;
Unlike Jesus, we don’t know when our time will be, we know that we will dwell in the house of the LORD forever, but as long as we have breath; through God’s goodness and mercy all the days of our lives, we’re to walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of our time. Having our speech always gracious, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how we should answer each person. (Col 4:5-6)
And if you don’t know this freedom, then through asking God for forgiveness of your sins in Jesus name, you can have this same life changing hope too.
APO 23April2026
Study like a Berean! 