William Tyndale and the Living Word | John Chapter 7 | Missionary Joe Consford | Author

Welcome back to the Morning Meditation Podcast. Each weekday, we open God’s Word together, read a portion of Scripture, and share a story from history that helps us meditate on the truths we find there. Today, we’re in the Gospel of John, chapter 7. This chapter brings us to the Feast of Tabernacles, where Jesus speaks powerful words about living water. So, let’s open our Bibles to John chapter 7. Scripture Reading – John 7:37–39 (KJV) "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" Story – William Tyndale and the Living Word In the 16th century, a man named William Tyndale carried a burden that would change the world. At that time, the Bible in England could only be read in Latin. Ordinary farmers, craftsmen, and families had no access to God’s Word in their own tongue. Tyndale was convinced this was wrong. He once said to a clergyman, “If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scripture than thou dost.” Like Jesus in John 7, who taught openly in the temple courts despite opposition, Tyndale believed the truth of God must flow freely, like living water, into the lives of all people. His work, however, met fierce resistance. He was hunted, exiled, and forced to move from city to city in Europe. Still, he pressed on, translating the Bible into English. His New Testaments were smuggled into England, hidden in sacks of grain and bales of cloth, where hungry souls could finally drink of the water of life for themselves. Eventually, Tyndale was betrayed, arrested, and condemned as a heretic. In 1536, he was strangled and burned at the stake. His final words were a prayer: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” Within a few short years, God answered. The English Bible spread across the nation, and countless people were refreshed by the living Word of God. Reflection John 7 reminds us that Jesus is the true source of living water. Just as Tyndale risked his life so others could read the Scriptures, Jesus offers Himself freely to all who thirst. The opposition in Tyndale’s day mirrors the opposition Jesus faced in John 7. Leaders tried to silence Him, but truth cannot be chained. The Holy Spirit continues to bring life wherever the Word flows. The question for us is simple: Are we drinking deeply from that living water, or are we letting it pass by? Jesus still calls today, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” The invitation is open—will you come? Outro Thank you for joining us on today’s Morning Meditation Podcast. We’ve seen in John chapter 7 that Jesus offers living water to all who believe. Tomorrow, we’ll be turning to Romans chapter 9, a powerful passage about God’s sovereignty and mercy. You won’t want to miss it. Until then, may the Word of God dwell richly in your heart, and may rivers of living water flow through your life to bless others.