There are many different  opinions on who Jesus is. Some talk of him as ‘deceived’ others say that he was ‘demon possessed’ still others that he was a good moral teacher. Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on who Jesus is or was. In the passage, verse 43 sums it up by saying ‘the people were divided because of Jesus’. He, however, is the one who knows his identity.

The Jewish festivals presented  images of life-giving water flowing out to heal people. Jesus is saying that this is the moment the people have been waiting for … he has finally come to give all of that to us. The people would always thirst if they were just pilgrims going to festivals… there is something about religion which always keeps people thirsty.

Jesus said that he is the water of life … that he was going to put the river inside our hearts so that we would never be thirsty again. Rivers of living water flow to God’s people through the working of the Spirit. He provides the connection to Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Religion suffocates life but the Spirit streams life. Jesus wants people to come and drink of the life-giving water of forgiveness which comes from him. The first step towards having a drink is to acknowledge your thirst.