Devo, John

Jesus Was No Coward

Jesus Was No Coward

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On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. — John 7:37-39

This moment illustrates how resolute Jesus was. Jesus was no coward. He wasn't scared off by political plots. He wasn't concerned about the gossiping crowds. He wasn't threatened by religious leaders scheming against him even though he was teaching on the Temple grounds. And this moment illustrates it.

Here is what is happening at this moment.

On the final day of this Feast, a parade would march down to the Gihon Spring down the hill on the southeast side of the Temple. There a priest would fill a golden pitcher with water looking back on how God provided water from the rock while wandering in the desert. And as he did, the choir would sing the words of Isaiah 12:3:

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. — Isaiah 12:3

Then the march would return to the Temple, entering through the Water Gate. When the crowd reached the Temple grounds, the priest would approach the ramp to the altar. The crowd would draw silent as the priest walked up the ramp to pour the water onto it while they reflected on the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days.

And it was probably in the middle of this moment that Jesus stood up and screamed out:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

Fellas, Jesus was no coward. He was afraid of no one and nothing. And yet right in the middle of the moment, he screams the most shocking statement.

I am the water. I am the one being poured out. I am the salvation you seek. Believe in me.

ASK THIS: Do you still think Jesus was a coward?

DO THIS: Believe in a courageous Jesus.

PRAY THIS: God, help me see your purpose so I can see the miracle you are about to do.

PLAY THIS: Courageous.

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7 thoughts on “Jesus Was No Coward”

  1. Chris says:

    I caught Vince on a radio show yesterday called, Breakpoint. Wonderful commentary on Easter Eggs and Christmas trees that we could all (at least me) use. Thank you!

  2. Daniel R Mashike says:

    I think the reason we have been losing men in the church is in part because we portray Jesus as a weak harmless wimp. Jesus was a man’s man He wasn’t, as you have pointed out, afraid. He was peaceful, not harmless. He was capable of great harm to those arrayed against him but kept his power in check, which is another sign of his strength. Also, I believe, he wasn’t like he is portrayed in many movies and thin, soft and speaking in a monotone. He was a first century carpenter, he would have had calloused hands and muscles defined and spoke with authority

    • Eddie Ackerman says:

      the ONLY time Jesus should be portrayed as thin is on the cross, when He was beaten, bloody, and weakened from the physical and spiritual attacks, taking on all the sin of the world, He received for a prolonged amount of time.

  3. David L. Trima says:

    in my humble opinion IF Jesus was a “coward” the cross would not have happened

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