Think about what we just read, Jesus wouldn't walk in Jerusalem any more since the Jews were seeking him to kill him. We have already seen that he walked through their midst when they sought to take him by force. This is incredible. This shows me that we are not to tempt the Lord our God. He DOES protect us but if we deliberately put ourselves in the position then we are asking for it. The Lord knows our hearts and he meets us and cares for us but we do not test him. It is like this: I know God is my life, my protection but that doesn't mean that I will go and jump off a cliff or stand in front of a semi, believing that he will deliver me. He won't.
(We will see that in this chapter vs.28-30 when we get there BUT let's check Luke 4:28-30 at this time.)
Luke 4:28-30
"28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,"
Tempting God is one thing but doing the things that you must do is a totally different thing.
John 7 cont.
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, show thyself to the world.
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
Those who are kin to us in the physical are many times the hardest to reach with the truth.
John 7 cont.
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.
This is really being brought to light today. We are in a society that says everyone and just about everything is all right unless of course, it is those within Christianity. When a man or woman is shown to be wrong, perverted or whatever, they get mad and truth hurts when you are not walking in it.
John 7 cont.
8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.
This reminds me of Solomon when he said,
"1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
(Ecc. 3:1-8)
And many believers are going before their time by walking in unbelief, carnality and the like. If we walk in the Spirit of God then we WILL go in his timing and his timing is perfect.
John 7 cont.
9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
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.
13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
There are times that we will be doing things alone with God and not with others... I asked some believers years ago when they were going to Boise to witness to stay and witness with me in Nampa. Nampa was a more hard core bar life and Boise had a lot of college students that freguent the bars there. And all their friends were going to Boise and it will be more fun. Enough said!...
John 7 cont.
14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
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.
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.
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
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.
James 2:10 tells me, "10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
It is like he ignored what they said, he already stated a fact that they were seeking to kill him and that was enough to make them think just as he told Judas what he was about to do in betraying him too, he wants us to think about our actions before we even do them...
John 7 cont.
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.
Since people such as Planned Parenthood use Matt. 7:1 on me, I use this one back,
John 7:24 which says, "24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." God condemned unrepentant sinners for hate, murder, lying and the like.
The Old Testament circumcision was a type of the real circumcision of the heart, God cleans our heart and makes us new creatures. (Check Rom. 2:29)
John 7 cont.
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.
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.
Once again we see that he had something that needed to be said at the proper time and they could not take him until his time. Jesus put it this way, "17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10)
John 7 cont.
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.
Jesus caused division everywhere that he went, people were taking sides... Thinking makes this happen... Today we see the government trying to make us all agree that sin is alright and those who don't agree hate since they think disagreement is hate. Disagreement or Hate! Which is it?
Going to
Matt. 10:34-39--
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
John 7 cont.
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?
Jesus is talking to all lost people here, whether they are religious or not...He is even talking to all those who believe on him too, even believers can't go with him yet...
John 7 cont.
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.
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.)
JESUS IS STILL CALLING PEOPLE TODAY... Religion can't satify, only Jesus can...
John 7 cont.
40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
This is the Prophet that they were waiting on since the days of Moses...
Check Deut. 18:20,21--
"18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."
John 7 cont.
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?
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
Verse 41 verifies that the Prophet who was to come was indeed the very Christ... Also v.43 is interesting... Jesus caused divisions everywhere he went, he plainly said that he didn't come to bring peace but a sword...
Let's check
Matt. 10:34-39--
"34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
Keep in mind that he was called the Prince of Peace in Isa. 9:6 before he came to earth, also he said in
John 14:27--
"27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
John 7 cont.
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.
Because his time had not yet come... "Never a man spake like this man" yet he saved us to be conformed to his image. To be a likeness of him on this planet. Check Phil. 2:13, Phil. 4:19, and...
I Cor. 2:16--
"16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
John 7 cont.
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.
I think he would have been better off if he said, "Those who know the letter of the law are cursed not the spirit of the law since that produces life."
Check
II Cor. 3:3-6
"3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
John 7 cont.
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.
Let's go back and focus on John 3 and discuss it for a little bit more.
NOW
John 3:1-9...to discuss Nicodemus a little...
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
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.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Nicodemus asked a good question, "How can these things be?" I am amazed at the things God does to reach us, he makes it so simple and we are the ones who complicate it or try to mess up what God is doing in our midst. Just as the first birth was the act of someone else for you to be born, the second birth parallels it. God uses the preaching of the cross to save me, he uses someone or something else to get me saved. NO physical reality and spiritual reality match in every area. It would be like the sperm going into the egg produces a new human life, when the word goes into the spirit of a man, it produces a new spiritual life, a new child of God has been born again, born of the Spirit of God. There are times when the egg is not receptive to the sperm as there are times when the sinner is not receptive to the word of God.