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Words of Jesus Part 53
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John 7:1 After
these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in
Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
Naturally all the
Jews did not seek to kill Jesus but only those that ran the
religious order of that day. The ordinary people loved Jesus but
could be swayed and stirred up by the Pharisees. I want to stress
here the importance of not following a crowd of public opinion.
Think for yourself, use God given critical thinking skills. In
saying that, we must avoid harsh judgmental fault finding. Analyzing
and making fair and impartial decisions with the right motive, is
the key. Pray always and never jump to conclusions. Lastly walk
in God's perfect love.
- John 7:2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at
hand.
- 3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into
Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
- 4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in
secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew
thyself to the world.
- 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
They too were in
the same thinking that the Messiah should openly do miracles and
become a great king or warrior against the Romans. They too were
blinded to the fact that Jesus came to save from sin. In order to do
that, He had to pay the penalty for sin so that those who would
believe in Him would not have to pay that penalty. He came to make
an offering for sin first before setting up an earthly kingdom.
- John 7:6 Then Jesus said unto
them, My time is not yet
come: but your time is alway ready.
- 7
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
Those that
compromise, those that are half-hearted and those that please the
world will not make waves. It is the ones who preach repentance,
living holy and preach the truth that make anyone sit up and take
notice.
Jesus knew that
the time of His death on the cross was not yet. If He went up to the
feast at the wrong time, He would be killed too quickly.
Notice that along
the journey Jesus made; two things tried to hinder His ministry. One
was people seeing the miracles and wanting Him to become King then
overthrow the Romans. Two was the religious crowd trying to trip Him
up and sought an occasion to kill Him.
A true preacher of
the gospel today will face the same hindrances. There will be those
that try to make him or her higher than they should be and tempt the
preacher to accept the praise of men, or there will be those that
continually fight against their ministry and hinder their work with
false accusations.
Staying humble and
resisting the temptation to be lifted up in pride or keeping a sweet
spirit of love when opposed by the enemies of the gospel is not
easy. Keeping out the old roots of bitterness is hard. Jesus was
able to overcome these things although He faced them constantly.
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John 7:9 When
he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
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10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also
up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
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11 Then the Jews sought him at
the feast, and said, Where is he?
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12 And there was much murmuring
among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good
man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
We see the same
attitude today. Some believe and some doubt. Some seek and some
ignore the gospel.
- John 7:13 Howbeit no man spake openly of
him for fear of the Jews.
Does the fear of men keep us from speaking
openly of Christ?
Had Jesus went publicly with an announced
visit, He most probably would not have been able to teach. He had
more important work to do than to receive honor and praise of men at
this time.
- John 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying,
How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
- 16 Jesus answered them, and said,
My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
- 17 If any man will do his will, he
shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak
of myself.
Here is a promise from Jesus. If we are
willing to follow and do the will of God we will know the truth and
the truth will make us free.
- John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews
which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my
disciples indeed;
- 32 And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.
Doing God's will is continuing in His
word.
- John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself
seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him,
the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
One is coming who will speak in his own
name and many will be deceived by him. He will be speaking by his
own authority and not God's authority. A true ministry will only seek to glorify
God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
While Jesus walked the earth He only
sought to glorify God. He spake having the full authority to do so
by God His Father. He did not speak by His own authority but that
which was given to Him by God.
- John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law,
and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
They used the law of Moses to attack the
ministry of Jesus many times even though in reality, they did not
keep the law of Moses in their own lives.
- John 7:20 The people answered and said,
Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
- 21 Jesus answered and said unto
them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
- 22 Moses therefore gave unto you
circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and
ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
- 23 If a man on the sabbath day
receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken;
are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on
the sabbath day?
- 24 Judge not according to the
appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
This is a truth we are still struggling to
learn even today. We must learn how to make righteous judgments and
not be fooled by outward show, outward appearance, or outward
religious rituals.
- John 7:25 Then said some of them of
Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
- 26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and
they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is
the very Christ?
- 27 Howbeit we know this man whence
he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
They knew what town He was from and knew
His earthly family.
- John 7:28 Then cried Jesus in the temple
as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and
I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know
not.
- 29 But I know him: for I am from
him, and he hath sent me.
- 30 Then they sought to take him:
but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
God only allowed Jesus to be taken by the
mobs at the right time and place. Look at the anguish of Jesus here
as He pleaded with the people to believe in Him and the reason He
came to them. He spoke with zeal and feeling. He did not take His
purpose lightly. He knew what would happen to those who rejected the
only possible way of salvation. He knew eternal death in hell was
the fate of those who resist the gospel.
- John 7:31 And many of the people believed
on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than
these which this man hath done?
- 32 The Pharisees heard that the
people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and
the chief priests sent officers to take him.
- 33 Then said Jesus unto them,
Yet a
little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
- 34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not
find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
- 35 Then said the Jews among
themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he
go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
- 36 What manner of saying is this
that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I
am, thither ye cannot come?
- 37 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.
- 38 He that believeth on me, as the
scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water.
Here is another description of the Holy
Spirit, the new birth, and a further proof that being born of water
and of the spirit is done by the Holy Spirit.
- John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
You can feel the anguish of Jesus has He
pleads for them to believe and be saved.
- John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into
everlasting life.
A well of living water springing up into
everlasting life. What a gift, what a treasure. Nothing can compare
to this promise to all who would receive Him.
- John 7:39 (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.)
- 40 Many of the people therefore,
when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
- 41 Others said, This is the Christ.
But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
- 42 Hath not the scripture said,
That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of
Bethlehem, where David was?
They were unintentionally proving that
Jesus was indeed the Messiah by remembering this part of scripture.
We know by the account of Matthew and Luke that Jesus was born in
Bethlehem as foretold in Old Testament prophecy. When Jesus and His
family were sent into Egypt after Herod threatened the life of Jesus
as a baby, they returned to Nazareth instead of return to the city
of His birth.
- John 7:43 So there was a division among
the people because of him.
- 44 And some of them would have
taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
- 45 Then came the officers to the
chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye
not brought him?
- 46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
- 47 Then answered them the
Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
- 48 Have any of the rulers or of the
Pharisees believed on him?
- 49 But this people who knoweth not
the law are cursed.
- 50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he
that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
- 51 Doth our law judge any man,
before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
- 52 They answered and said unto him,
Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
- 53 And every man went unto his own
house.
Actually there were prophets from Galilee.
One of them was Jonah. So we see that these did not know their
scriptures.
Things are still the same today when we
see different reactions to the preaching of the gospel. Some
reject and some believe. Some let the word fall by the wayside and
the word is soon forgotten, some let the word take root until their
friends and family members mock them. They fall away out of fear of
their good opinion. Some receive the word but the word is choked by
other things that take first place in their lives. Some receive the
word and it brings forth fruits of repentance, a changed life, and a
life filled with the spirit.
Words of
Jesus Part 54
Words of Jesus
Index
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