Word of Jesus Part 53
 

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.

John 7:2 Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
John 7:3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
John 7:4 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.
John 7:5 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.
John 7:7 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.

John 7:8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.

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 and 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 not easy. Jesus was able to overcome these things although He faced them constantly.

John 7:9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
John 7:10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
John 7:11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
John 7:12 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?

John 7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

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?
John 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
John 7:17 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;
John 8:32 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?
John 7:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
John 7:22 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.
John 7:23 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?
John 7:24 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?
John 7:26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
John 7:27 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.
John 7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
John 7:30 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?
John 7:32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
John 7:33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
John 7:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
John 7:35 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?
John 7:36 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?
John 7:37 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.
John 7:38 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.

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.

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.)
John 7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
John 7:41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
John 7:42 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.
John 7:44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
John 7:45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
John 7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
John 7:47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
John 7:48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
John 7:49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
John 7:50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
John 7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
John 7:52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
John 7:53 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 54