Responses to Jesus – John 7:1-24

Good morning church! Glad to see you all this morning. Thank you so much for your prayers, messages and concern as our family was recovering from the sickness. I’m so happy to be back this Sunday to fellowship and be encouraged with you all. I’m grateful for the gift of the local church.

Even as we turn to God’s Word this morning, I want to remind us that this is a very precious and important time. Because if the Word is being preached faithfully as it should be preached, then all of us will be held accountable to what we’ve heard.

Let’s remember that our accountability isn’t just to the pastor or to the church, but our accountability will be to God Himself. So that’s the seriousness with which we need to approach this time.

As a church we’ve been going through a series titled Believing and Knowing Jesus from the gospel of John. The apostle John wrote this book with the laser eyed focus of helping us believe (commit, entrust and surrender) and know (personally, intimately, experientially) Jesus.

And right now we find ourselves in chapter 7 where the events of this chapter happen around 6 months before Jesus’ death and resurrection. So he has spent a considerable amount of time doing ministry by then. What we’re going to learn today is the different responses people had toward Him. But before we proceed, let’s look to the Lord in prayer.

Pray

Imagine if you and I were part of a kingdom where our king had gone away on a long journey for many years and we were eagerly waiting for Him to come to us. Imagine the scene as our king finally returns home! What do you think the responses and reaction would be?

Joy & celebration – a month of festivals would be planned to celebrate the coming of our king. A red carpet would be rolled out & a stage would be set to honor our king. He would be welcomed with such warmth and affection – because this is our king! This is the One that we’ve been waiting for.

Interestingly, the Jews and the Israelites waited for centuries for the Promised King and Messiah to arrive. But when he finally arrived in the person of Jesus – God’s Son, their response was exactly the opposite. It was one of rejection. It was one of hatred.

John 1:11 ESV

[11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Today what we’re going to do is spend some time digging deep into the various responses that people had towards Jesus their King. Let’s try to understand why they responded in the way that they did. Are there any lessons that we can learn in terms of our responses to Jesus?

1. Response of Jesus’ family (V1-9)

[1] After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.

The context that John sets up for us is the growing hostility and aggression of the Jewish leaders towards Jesus. By hostility, it’s not just their frustration or criticism of Jesus. They are actively contemplating murder. They’ve begun making plans on how to eliminate Jesus.

Jesus was aware of that and so He decides to remain in Galilee rather than go to Judea where a plan is being hatched on how to kill Jesus.

[2] Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand.

The Jewish feast of booths or feast of tabernacles was one of the most popular and celebrated festivals for the Jews. Crowds would travel from all over and come to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. Not just Jews, even foreigners would be present during this festival.

What would happen here is that the people would make temporary shelters made of leaves and branches and live in it for one whole week. This was to remind them of God’s presence, provision and protection over them while they roamed around in the wilderness for 40 years.

The timing of this festival was also important. It would be during the time of agricultural harvest – so it was a time to thank God for His provision in the last year and it was just before the rainy season – so it was a moment for them to hope and ask God to renew favor for the next year.

By NT times, Jews had added some more rituals to the Feast of Booths. One was a ceremony with water which was done everyday in the morning. Then there was a ceremony involving lights. The reason why I’m mentioning these ceremonies is because Jesus will touch upon these themes in the coming passages.

Jesus will reveal to His people that He is the fulfillment of the Feast of Booths. This whole festival was about Him. To just give one example: the word that’s used for booths or tabernacle is the exact same word used by John in John 1:14

John 1:14 ESV

[14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

That word “dwelt” among us is the same word that is used to describe the Feast of Booths. What is John trying to say here? Just as God remained with His people and took care of them while they were in the wilderness for 40 years, here is our Lord who has come to permanently live with us and take care of us not just for our short earthly lives but unto eternity.

[3] So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing.

[4] For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”

Jesus’ brothers advice him to seize the moment – make the most of the opportunity of having the entire Jewish crowd present in one place at the Feast of Booths & create this spectacle by doing some amazing miracles out there and according to them, that’s how Jesus is supposed to reveal Himself to the world.

Seasoned politicians and businessmen know exactly how to do that. They identify the grand moments and then they know what to say and do in those moments to make it go viral and then become the talk of the town and create hysteria around them.

That’s what Jesus’ brothers are telling him – if you truly are the Christ, if you are who you claim to be, then why are you doing it in secret? You need to go and do this in public.

[5] For not even his brothers believed in him.

What the brothers were saying wasn’t coming from a place of wanting Jesus to be glorified, it was coming from a place of sarcasm or mocking.

This verse is critical because though the brothers of Jesus saw Him up close, they had the best seat in the house to hear from Jesus, to witness His miracles, to see His spotless life and yet they didn’t believe in Him.

Proximity to Jesus doesn’t guarantee faith in Jesus. We can be close to Jesus in physical proximity and still be far away from Him.

[6] Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. [7] The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. [8] You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” [9] After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

Jesus reminds His brothers that He cannot operate according to their timing and plans but He operates according to God’s timing and plans. Their plan of Jesus revealing Himself to the world meant Jesus going and “wowing” the crowd with miracles. God’s plan of Jesus revealing Himself to the world meant Jesus going and dying on the cross for our sins.

It’s the dealing with our sins that is why Jesus came to the earth. Jesus clarifies that in V7 – the world hates Him because He testified that it’s work is evil. Confronting sins. Exposing people’s hearts. And then providing a way for saving and rescuing them is why Jesus came. Not to come and “wow” people with miracles.

What’s interesting is that the entire time when Jesus was there in the Feast of Booths, he performed no miracles. His primary purpose was to expose people’s hearts. Expose their need for help, so that they can run to Him for salvation.

That was the response of his family. But there was also a

2. Response of the crowd (V10-13)

 [10] But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. [11] The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” [12] And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” [13] Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

Jesus does go to the Feast later on but not publicly but in private – in secret because the time had not yet come to reveal Himself and His purposes to the people.

But though Jesus went there in secret, there was a buzz around Him. The Jewish leaders were obviously searching for Him.

Among the crowd, there was a divided opinion on Jesus and it couldn’t be more contrasting from each other. Some people said “He is a good man” while others said that “He is leading people astray” – by calling God His Father and equating Himself with God. Completely opposite views of Jesus. There was no neutral ground. People either loved Him or they hated Him.

It’s similar to how CS Lewis describes the trilemma when it comes to Jesus. He is either a liar, a lunatic or the Lord. Every person irrespective of who you are, will have to make a decision on what you think about Jesus – on what your response is going to be towards Jesus.

Do you think he’s a liar (fake claims)? Do you think he’s a lunatic (he’s crazy and he doesn’t know what he’s saying) or He is the Lord? But it’s a risky statement to say that Jesus is Lord because if He is, then it’s going to demand your entire life’s surrender. Not 50 percent, not 70 percent, not 90 percent – 100 percent of your life needs to be turned over to Him if He is Lord.

That was the response of the crowd, earlier we saw the response of Jesus family, but there is also

3. Response of Jewish leaders (V14-24)

[14] About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.

This is an astonishing verse. Because we thought Jesus didn’t want to go public, we thought Jesus wanted to be secretive. We thought Jesus wanted to keep things under wraps until later. Why is Jesus then going and teaching in the temple? It’s like going into the lion’s den when you know that people are plotting to kill you. Why is Jesus doing this?

In Mark chapter 6 which talks about the same account of Jesus feeding the five thousand, Mark mentions a very interesting comment.

Mark 6:34 ESV

[34] When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

When Jesus saw the crowd and His heart was moved with compassion for them. When he saw that they were sheep without a shepherd, Jesus’ way of responding to them was by teaching them. The most loving things that Jesus could do to care for them was to teach them. Instruct them. Point them to the Father because that’s what our heart needs. That’s the only thing that can quench the longings of our heart which is the truth of God’s word.

Have you ever considered that one of the most loving things that God can do for you is teach you His Word? Have you ever considered that one of the most caring acts of God is to care for you through His Word?

We sometimes think of God’s care only in terms of daily provision, answered prayer – and these things are important. We ought to come to God with every kind of need and He delights in providing for our every need. But over and above all those needs, He knows that we are sheep without a shepherd, and so He loves teaching us through His Word. That’s His care for us.

So we begin to understand why Jesus despite the animosity and hostility decided to still go and teach in the Temple.

[15] The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

Jewish Rabbi’s had to undergo rabbinic seminary training for many years before they were able to teach in public settings. And so they were shocked when they heard Jesus had such amazing command over the OT Scriptures and was able to preach with such authority without having any rabbinic training or credentials. In our time we would say “how is he able to do it without any formal degree or certificate?” How is this carpenter’s son preaching with such clarity and authority?

 [16] So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. [17] If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

Jesus’ knowledge and authoritydidn’t come from learning under a rabbi or going to rabbinic seminary. Jesus’ knowledge and authority comes from His relationship with the Father. Jesus openly declares the source of His knowledge – “It’s come from my Father”. It tells us a lot about Jesus’ close relationship with Father, where Jesus trusts the Father completely and His Father delights to reveal everything to Him. There’s nothing hidden between them.

And then Jesus lays down an interesting test for people to know whether Jesus’ teaching is from God or self- manufactured? “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will” – in other words, if you desire to obey God – if the attitude of your heart is one of obedience then you will know that this teaching is from God.

Again, let’s remember who Jesus is speaking to right now. Learned Jewish leaders – Jesus is telling them that if they need to test Jesus’ teaching and understand its source, it can happen only if they have an attitude of obedience. If they don’t have an attitude of obedience, they will not understand that this teaching has come from the Father.

Again, just to highlight the importance of having an attitude of obedience when we approach God’s Word.

[18] The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

In everything Jesus ever did or said, He always sought the glory of the Father. Time and time again we see Jesus giving glory to the Father in the Gospels. Just like the obedience test, this is also another test to show that Jesus is truthful in everything that He says and does.

 [19] Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” [20] The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” [21] Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. [22] Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. [23] If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? [24] Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Then as Jesus continues to teach, he exposes their hypocrisy and sin. He peels off the layers to reveal what’s really going on in the hearts of these super religious leaders.

Firstly, he exposes their sin with respect to the law. On the outside it looked like these were very learned, obedient followers of the law. But deep down in their hearts, they weren’t keepers but breakers of the law because they were plotting to kill Jesus.

Why were they plotting to kill Jesus because Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. Jesus then addresses that as well by exposing their hypocrisy and double standards.

These Jewish leaders were okay making allowances if someone gets circumcised on a Sabbath because that is needed for that person to be included into the covenant family. But they made a huge scene with Jesus healing and restoring a person on the Sabbath. So in one case, an allowance is made on the Sabbath and in the other case, it becomes the basis for rejection, hatred and murder.

And that’s why these Jewish leaders hated Jesus even more because Jesus exposed what was going on in their hearts. But before we get judgmental on them, what if you and I were in their shoes?

Many times we imagine how beautiful and wonderful it would be if we were there in Jesus’ time listening to him preach. The truth is that many of us wouldn’t find his preaching too comfortable to listen to. Why? Because it would also expose our hearts and intentions. Not from a place of insulting and shaming or schooling them, but to actually help us have a right view of our problem so that we can run to Jesus as the solution. So even in the midst of this very hard and difficult teaching exposing hearts, Jesus wants the Jewish leaders to repent.