John 7:37-38

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 7:37-38

There are over a dozen times in the gospel narratives that the authors brought to attention an enhanced level of concern in Jesus’ speech by stating that Jesus “cried out” as He spoke a particular message to those listening in. I’ve been told before when everything is dramatic, nothing is dramatic.

Every time Jesus opened His mouth, even though everything He spoke was true, it wasn’t always said as if it were the last words He was ever to share (Isaiah 42:2). But then there were important moments, at important times, concerning important truths about Himself or His message that Jesus could not hold back. Jesus would cry out with a passion-filled zeal because these truths or realities He spoke must be heard, must be understood, must be taken seriously because they meant everything!

If you have ever found yourself having a conversation about Jesus or maybe even teaching the Bible and you find yourself getting a little louder or excited at some point, it’s usually because you started sharing a truth about Jesus that is critical for your audience to hear. To that I say, Amen! If you find yourself just trying to be passionate because you think everything you have to say is important, well, I’d point you to the classic story of the boy who cried wolf.

Be passionate about the things that matter… Jesus!

Pastor Jason Witt