???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????JOHN 7:1-31???????????????????????????? Lesson # 15
???????????????????????? HANDLING DISBELIEF:? REVEALING REALITY
I.?? Introduction:
???????????Q? Do you have relatives that do not believe in God and are critical of you and your faith?? What do they say to you?
???????????Q? Do you have relatives that do not believe in you and think you are a phony?? How does that make you feel?
???????????Q? Do they ever give you advise as to how to become a better Christian?
???????????Q? Are they always watching you to see if you are consistent?? How important is that?
???????????Note:? Jesus was not born in Disneyland and He did not live in Disneyland, but in real life situations like you and I (“He came down from Heaven….”).? Jesus was not always believed, even in His own family.? Let us watch Him this weeks deal with disbelief, first in His own family and then with the people and the leaders of His own nation.
II.? Travel Arrangements:? the Disbelief of His Taunting Brothers:? John 7:1-10
???????????A.? The Interchange:? the Challenge and His Answer:? John 7:1-8
Have someone read John 7:1-5
???????????Q? Why was Jesus staying away from Judea?
????????????? An = Because His life was in danger.? Remember that, Jesus is aware that they want to kill Him.? >>>>? Have someone read John 5:18.
???????????Q? What are the reasons the brothers of Jesus give for Jesus’ attendance at the feast?
????????????? An = If you want publicity, display yourself to the largest audience possible.? You have fans (disciples) let them see what you are doing (7:3) because he who seeks to be known must not remain in secret.? He must show himself (7:4).
???????????Q? Do the brothers believe in Him??
????????????? An = Apparently not!? Notice the form their taunt takes….
???????????Q? What do the brothers imply about Jesus’ motives and therefore character?
????????????? An = seemingly that Jesus is a publicity seeker.? Remember people will accuse you of being like they are.? If they would be publicity seekers in your situation then they project that character trait onto you.? “The jaundice eye always sees yellow.”?
???????????If Christ starts to form His life in you through His Spirit, then the world will not understand!
???????????Note:? There could be another way to see this taunting.? It could be an illusion to the fact that Jesus has deliberately kept some aspects of His powers or mission secret and has done so for quite a long period of His life.? Have everyone turn to Isaiah 49:1-2.? Read for everyone Isaiah 49:1-2.? Notice that Jesus was called before He was born like the individual mentioned here, and that Jesus’ sharpness and piercing quality was developed in secret.
???????????Q? What does this say about some of you who wish to go into ministry?
????????????? An = There has to be a sharpening period.? Paul spent three years in the desert, Moses 40 years in the wilderness, as did Jesus and John the Baptist.
Have someone read John 7:6-8
???????????Q? Does Jesus answer their charges and innuendoes?
????????????? An = Not really.? He does not answer their charge of being a publicity speaker, He lets it go by.? He does not feel the need to defend Himself in certain situations, in others He does.
???????????Q? Should we answer all the false charges made against us?? If not why not?
????????????? An = We have a higher agenda, we do not have to win every point or clean every scratch people put on our honor.? We are under orders.
???????????Q? What does Jesus tell them?
????????????? An =? He aggressively points out that He and His brothers are on a different plain, on different teams presently.? They are of the world and He speaks against the evil of the world.? The world does not hate them, but His words cause them to hate Him.? His timing is not subject to the taunts of others, but to something else.
???????????Q? Should the world hate us, how should we make it feel uncomfortable, as our Lord did??
???????????B.? Surprising Travel Arrangements:? John 7:9-10.
>>>> Have someone read John 7:9-10.
???????????Q? Why does Jesus go up after He said He would not, and then go up secretly?
????????????? An = Jesus says He is working on a different “time schedule”.? He did not say He would not go up at all, but just not then.? Morris reminds us that Jesus is “working out the implications of His messiahship in His own way, not in theirs.” (p. 400).
???????????Q? Have your decisions confused some of your relatives who are not believers?? Can you give us some examples?
III.? Jesus In Judea:? Confrontation at the Festival.? John 7:11-31.
???????????A.? Anticipation of Jesus’ Arrival:? John 7:11-13
>>>> Have someone read John 7:11-13.
???????????Q? What is the response to Jesus?? Is it mixed?
????????????? An = Yes, it is.? If you are a Christian leader, you have to get used to that.
???????????Q? Has there been a mixed response to you so far as a Christian?
Note:? Notice that the leadership was not “for” Jesus and so they stifled response.? This happens often.
???????????B.? The first Interaction:? Jesus and Leaders and Jesus and Multitude.? John 7:14-24.
>>>> Have someone read John 7:14-15.
???????????Q? When did Jesus begin to show Himself and how did He do it?
????????????? An = In the middle of the Festival and by teaching, not doing miracles.? Good Christian leaders do what they believe most important, not what is expected of them.
???????????Q? How did the “Jews” or the leadership respond to Jesus’ teaching?
????????????? An = He knew well what He was talking about.? He impressed them so much they marvelled and wondered how He could be so intelligent in His teaching without formal education.
>>>> Have someone read John 7:16-18.
???????????Q? What is the source of Jesus’ teaching?
????????????? An = It from the Father.? When we teach we need to speak His Words, not our own.? Our age puts a real premium on “originality”.? If we speak His Words, we are to be faithful, and we need not be worried about being original or interesting, His word will get us in plenty of trouble.
???????????Q? According to verse 17 how will we recognize when someone is speaking from the Father?
????????????? An = When we obey what we already know.? If there is something God has already told you that you have not done, you will cease to “hear”.
???????????Q? Is Jesus seeking His own glory?? Do speakers you hear, often seek their own glory?
???????????Q? How do we avoid this?
>>>>? Have someone read John 7:19
???????????Q? This takes some real thinking, but what is Jesus saying here?
????????????? An = If they answer well, go on, if not….? Jesus says you leaders do not follow Moses’ teaching and the proof is that you do not recognize who is speaking to you, and what I have done is in line with the true teaching of Moses.? Why do you seek to kill me, when you guys are the one’s at fault.?? >>>>? Have someone read John 3:20.
>>>>? Have someone read John 7:20-24.
???????????Q? What are the multitudes accusing Jesus of in verse 20?
????????????? An = Of being a paranoid man, an unbalanced man, perhaps a possessed man.
???????????Q? Does Jesus react to their accusation about His sanity?? If not what does He do?
????????????? An = He goes back to the agenda, the real agenda.? There are times when we must not defend ourselves, but stay on the task of helping people.?
???????????Q? What event is Jesus referring to in verse 23?
????????????? An = The healing of the man sick for 38 years which Jesus did on a Sabbath.? See John 5:18.
???????????Q? What is the essence of Jesus’ argument in verses 22-23?
????????????? An =? I healed a man sick 38 years, made him whole on a Sabbath.? You guys break the Sabbath when you circumcise on the eighth day, even if the eighth day falls on a Sabbath.? If you make a person ritually whole on a Sabbath, why is it wrong to make a man physically whole on a Sabbath.
???????????Q? What is Jesus challenging them to do in verse 24?
????????????? An = Get beyond appearances and see reality.
???????????RQ? Is not that what the world seeks and what you seek, to really understand the truth behind the “image”?
???????????C.? The Final Interaction:? Jesus and the Multitude.? John 7:25-31.
>>>>? Have someone read John 7:25.
???????????Q? What does this response mean?
????????????? An = They remember the 5:18 incident now of the healing of the man sick 38 years and that the leaders had sought to kill Him.? Amazing huh?? >>>> Have someone read John 7:13.? They were quite aware of Jesus precarious position they would not even speak openly about Him for they too feared the leadership of the Jews.? People are really amazing!? If you speak the truth and it cuts across standard misunderstanding, expect people to be very illogical in their accusations about you.
>>>>? Have someone read John 7:26-27.
???????????Q? If this any more logical?
???????????Q? What is their objection now?
>>>>? Have someone read John 7:28-29.
???????????Q? How does Jesus answer this objection?
????????????? An = He goes back to the same agenda.? He is from the Father, Whom they do not know, but He does.? Jesus knows the Father, because He is from the Father and sent by the Father.
>>>>? Have someone read John 7:30-31.
???????????Q? If there a mixed reaction again, what is it?
????????????? An = Some sought to seize Him and others started to think realizing the force of Jesus actions.
???????????Q? If we keep bringing people to the truth, will we always get full acceptance?
Note:? Jesus did get to some people, but His death is approaching.? However, when we work for the King, we will die on the King’s time table, not before.? When we work for the King, we indeed will pay prices, and die, but we will rise again!
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