Do we work like Jesus?

John 8 v1-2

“Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them.”

I’ve been having a few days this week to rest and I’ve enjoyed sleeping longer than I usually do. I’ve even been caught having a little sleep in the afternoon too! I must be getting old!

Jesus was a lot younger than me when John records him getting up early in the morning to go to work again. But this was nothing to do with age but living out His purpose in life.

We know throughout the gospels of several times when Jesus got up early and at times before anyone else got up!

The day after spending the night on Mount Olives Jesus was in the temple early ready to teach. At first hardly anyone was there, it was probably too early, but soon a crowd gathered to hear him.

He sat down to teach. It was of course rabbinical custom. The Scriptures were read standing up but then the sermon was given sitting down to indicate that the words were now from the rabbi not that of the prophets of old.

Today we are reminded:

There are times when:

1. We must get up early. Whether that is to pray or to work. I first began getting up early in my first church. It was a farming community and the families in the church were all awake before the sun rose for work duties. As their Pastor I felt obliged to get up when they got up. They taught me well!
2. Turn up to do God’s work whatever that is even when it doesn’t look worthwhile. You may think what you are doing is insignificant but keep going for the crowds will come. Your work will move to a new level if you keep persisting.
3. Don’t break every custom, use some in order to make the gospel more easily received. Some breeze in and announce wholesale change. Some things should never change, thats just the fact and the sooner we know it the better.

Keep going, keep to your purpose.

John 7 v 53 – 8 v1 “Then they all went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.”

They went home at the end of the day to their comfort, food and warmth. Perhaps they went home to plan again to bring Jesus down.

Whilst they were in the warmth, Jesus was on the mountain overlooking Jerusalem. He had no home of his own, he faced the cold elements of the mountain. Such a contrast. But more than this. He went on the Mount perhaps to firm up His purpose. It was such an important place.

The Mount of Olives was the place for the commencement of the Triumphal Entry; it was here where he would speak of the tribulation and his return; the Garden of Gethsemane moment would be there; the betrayal took place there and after His glorious resurrection He would ascend from the mountain. That night he prepared for all that was ahead of him.

Today people will figuratively ‘go home’ focusing on what they want from this life. The world tells them what is ‘successful’ and they search after those things. They will bunker down in their positions of righteousness being even more convinced that they are right and the world is wrong.

Yet there is another place to go to. It is the place of purpose. The place of focus and direction on what God has called you to do. Yesterday may have been tough for you and the temptation to leave and ‘go home’ is huge. There is a higher place where a far ranging perspective can be had. It is the place of being committed to serving God’s purpose for your life. Keep going. Today is not the day to back off.

Less arguing more kindness.

John 7: 40-52

⁴⁰ On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” ⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? ⁴² Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” ⁴³ Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. ⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” ⁴⁶ “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. ⁴⁷ “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. ⁴⁸ “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? ⁴⁹ No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” ⁵⁰ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ⁵¹ “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” ⁵² They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

Why are people so angry?

People get themselves caught up in nonsense arguments. Nonsense because the argument makes no sense. It is filled with pre-texts and prejudices. It was so in Jesus’ day and it was centred on him. Here are their comments as I understand them being said and what they mean:

• “Surely Jesus is the Prophet.” “He is.” = CONVINCED
• “How can he be coming from Galilee and not Bethlehem?” = PREJUDICED against Galileans and IGNORANT to the truth of Jesus’ birth-place.
• “We have come back empty-handed, we couldn’t arrest him for no-one speaks like him.” = CHANGE OF HEART AND MIND.
• “Anyone with an understanding of the Scriptures knows not to believe this man.” = CONTEMPT of those who do not hold to the same interpretation of the Scriptures, namely the Sabbath.
• “Hold on let’s not dismiss anything new” = Lets be OPEN-MINDED.
• “That’s the Galilean sound” = SARCASM.

 

May our world have more convinced believers in Jesus; more changes of heart and mind and more open-minded people.

What we need less of are the ignorant arguments filled with prejudices; contemptuous speaking of others and the sarcasm that is indeed the lowest form of wit. Sometimes these nonsense arguments are from places we least expect to see them.

They come from Christian feeds, Church forums and Cafés of fellowship.

Let’s start a kindness revival.

 

 

The Spirit is waiting

John 7: 37-39

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Jesus mentions the Scripture without mentioning the Scriptures. I am sure many a commentator will have their idea of which part of the Old Testament Jesus is referring to. I can imagine possibly Ezekiel or Isaiah for they come to mind.

But note that John carefully tells us not only that Jesus was thinking back scripturally but that he was looking ahead. It was to Pentecost when the Spirit will flow from their lives.

Look back and look ahead.

Jesus can do that in detail but we cannot.

We only have knowledge of the road travelled but Jesus knows what is ahead of us.

If we lean into him with our faith and if we seek to glorify him in our world then there are further works of the Spirit in front of us.

Our ancestors cheers us on and our advocate, the Spirit, is waiting for us. So we trust and magnify Jesus as we journey down this road. There is more ahead. He is waiting.

Whisper louder

John 7: 30-37

At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. ³¹ Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?” ³² The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. ³³ Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. ³⁴ You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” ³⁵ The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

In verse 13 the crowd were afraid to say anything about Jesus publicly for fear of the religious leaders.

Intimidation will keep you silent. It will keep you just talking privately with those of the same kind. Intimidation silences the Church.

The whisper needs to become loud so that it can be heard, v32:

“No one can perform more miracles than Jesus.”

“We have convincing evidence that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Message)

“No one will do more signs than Jesus, he is the Christ” (NKJV)

Let us all find the courage to whisper louder.

 

Looking at Jesus we see God

John 7: 26-29 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? ²⁷ But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” ²⁸ Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, ²⁹ but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”

There was a belief at the time that the Messiah would suddenly appear from nowhere and no one would know where he had come from.

The problem was that they knew the background of Jesus and where he was from, so he couldn’t be the Messiah.

Jesus could have given lots of replies but he perhaps strangely agrees with them, at first. “You know where I am from.” But then continues to let them know they don’t know the person who sent him and where he is really from. They don’t know God.

The reason people cannot accept Jesus is because they don’t really know God. Know the Father know the Son, know the Son know the Father.

The closer we get to Jesus, the more like Him we become and as we follow Him, then we get to know God. Let’s turn our eyes upon Jesus.

 

The enemy never controls your life.

John 7

V1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him… V19-20 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” ²⁰ “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you? … V25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?

 

Jewish leaders were asking how? v1

Jesus was asking why? v19

The crowd (pilgrims) were asking who? v20

Some of the people were asking when? v25

 

Maybe today you are feeling storm-battered. Perhaps you are facing the onslaught of people speaking ill of you. Criticism can hurt so badly it takes you to the brink. You may be wondering why. (Though Jesus question was related to why were they going to break the law by killing him though offended he broke the law by healing on the Sabbath?) But you may be questioning why you are facing such attacks. Criticism can hurt so badly it takes you to the brink. Yesterday sadly a celebrity presenter took her own life because of such attacks.

What we will be reminded of in this chapter and throughout the gospel is that our time is not in the hands of anyone except God the Father who loves us immensely.

Secure in that we can live out our lives despite threats to de-stabilise us, confident in God and His purpose for our lives, no matter the attacks we face.

 

 

Inconsistency

John 7: 19-24

Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” ²⁰ “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” ²¹ Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. ²² Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. ²³ Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? ²⁴ Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

Remember the man who was invalid for 38 years who Jesus healed on the Sabbath? Jesus does. He reminds them. He tells them that they are inconsistent.

A baby boy has to be circumcised on the 8^th day and if that day happens to be the Sabbath the ceremony still goes ahead, thus breaking the Sabbath. They keep one part of the law but break another because it suits. They are inconsistent. The invalid man being healed on the Sabbath, was this wrong in light of the baby boy’s circumcision?

We have all fallen into the error of judging by what we see. First impressions count but they can be wrong. This week there was a government cabinet re-shuffle and people lost their jobs and so many judged. I don’t know enough information to know whether it was wrong or not. I wasn’t in the room.

We assess, judge and conclude and often we can be miles from the truth.

Our perspective is often not showing us the entire picture of what we have just witnessed. Let us give people more room to give their reasoning for certain things. Let us grace them with the opportunity to help us understand. We desire that from God for our own lives and He has the perfect perspective. So how much more us. Let us strive for consistency.

It is not about us

John 7: 15-19 “The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” ¹⁶ Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. ¹⁷ Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. ¹⁸ Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.”

May the world see God not us, v16

Behind every rabbi was the teacher who taught that rabbi. That’s who people would look for. Jesus says, ‘Behind me is God.’ In all that we say and do, may our world see God.

May people discover the truth of what we say as they are obedient to God, v17

The Gospel isn’t always received well. Usually people don’t want to obey God because of the challenge it brings to do so. But those that do then come to realise the truth of our words.

May we not get in the way through our ambition to be seen and heard, v18

Sacrifice is the way to bring glory to God. There isn’t another way. As we surrender our lives to Him and love Him sacrificially by going to those who need Him then He will be glorified. We need to decrease so He can increase. We need to be less so He can be more. We need to get out of the way so others can find the way to Him.

Where is He?

John 7 v 14

“Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.”

1. He is there in Jerusalem but for the first few days of the week long Sukkoth festival (Tabernacles) no one knows where he is. He is in hiding, there, but no one is aware.

They are celebrating God’s provision (a water ceremony) and His presence (an illumination ceremony) through the Wilderness years (a redemptive story). Whilst the people are thinking on their ancestors and especially the redeemer, Moses, The Redeemer of God is in the city but he is yet to go to the Temple.

1. It is halfway through. It is in the middle. Is Jesus coming or not? I don’t think so. He would have come by now if he was coming. There is another half to go but it doesn’t look likely.

 

1. Jesus goes into the Temple courts and performs a miracle of healing, feeds another crowd from a few loaves and fish and carries out a supernatural act akin to the walking on the water. He does none of these, though he could have chosen to do so. He went to the Temple to teach. Moses was given the Torah (literally means teaching), the first 5 Old Testament books and taught the Word of God to the people. Here comes Jesus, the Word and he chooses rightfully to teach.

So?

1. Jesus is nearer to you than you realise. You may not see him but he is with you. STOP WORRYING, Jesus is in the city.
2. It’s not over yet. You may be wondering if Jesus will show up and do something. It’s halfway, it’s not over yet. What is in front of you is better than what is behind you. KEEP THE FAITH.
3. He is the Word. You may think today you need His provision or His presence but you always need His teaching. His Word formed in you changes you. Take it with you today, memorise it and MEDITATE on it throughout the day. Your circumstances may not change but you will change for the better.