1 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ m FOR THE SERMON , BIBLE READING , GOSPEL ADDRESS Hom iletical Helps B y W I L L I A M E V A N S u --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- !-------------- ? 0 SERMON OUTLINES Theme: “The River of Salvation.” T ex t : Ezekiel 47:1-12. I ntroduction . 7. The source of the river (vers. 1, 2). The prophet at the temple (vers. 1). The altar the source (vers. 1). The waters gushing forth (vers. 2). II. The increase of the river (vers. 3-6). intense desire—a figure of great meaning to the Oriental. It signifies the deepest yearnings of the soul. 2. Do all thirst?—“If.” Yes, bodily. There is also soul thirst, although not always conscious of it as such. One may have a need, and not a desire.
3. How thirst is shown. (a) By general dissatisfaction with all earthly things—longing for pardon, communion, sonship, vic tory over sin, Christ-likeness. (b) By an undefinable sense of incom pleteness—a tentative realization of something as belonging to one’s true self, but not yet ^realized in one’s life, II. Christ the Quencher of soul thirst. 1. How man strives to satisfy i t : (a) By education, social standing, money, pleasures, ritualism, relig ious observances. “The toil of dropping buckets into empty wells and growing old in drawing nothing up.” drawing of water on the last day of the Feast was symbolic of Him (Isaiah 12; cf. John 7:37-39). (b) But we must come to Him, believe in Him, place faith in Him e’er we can find satisfaction for the thirst of the soul. 3. Christ not only quenches the thirst of the individual soul, but makes that soul a source of supply to others (v. 37). 2. How Christ quenches the soul thirst. (a) He is the Smitten Rock. The
■Ankle deep (vers. 3). •Knee deep (vers. 4). Loin deep (vers. 4). Impassable-depth (vers. 5). III. The effects of the river (vers. 7-12). Luxuriant verdure (vers. 7). Healing of bitter waters (vers. 8). Abundant life (vers. 8, 10). No other source of healing (vers. 11). Meat and medicine (vers. 12). C onclusion . — Selected. Ezekiel discovers the source of the great river which he saw to be in the holy of holies where God dwelt. Have you ■ found this great fountain ? Theme: Christ the Fountain of Living Waters. T ext : John 7. I ntroduction . Picture the Feast of Tabernacles: its cause, celebration, and particularly the cer emonies of the last day (7 :37). An oppor tunity for Christ to show His identifica tion with the deepest meaning of the Old Testament. He was the Smitten Rock, the Manna, and the Pillar of Fire. I. Man’s Thirst. 1. Thirst is a most powerful figure of
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