Sermon Tone Analysis

Opposition continues

Some quick reminders where we just came from.

(Insert Important Facts PowerPoint here)

Jesus went up to the feast on the last day

This is the eighth day of the feast, a reminder of God’s provision for a hungry and thirsty Israel and his provision.

Jesus stood and cried out

Stood and cried out because what He was about to say was important

Important because where He said it (in temple courts)

Important because when He said it (last day of Tabernacles when no water was poured out and on previous days it was.

Important how He said it (crying out) a great contrast to His normal ministry as foretold by Isaiah

(Insert Important Facts PowerPoint again here)

Important for what He cried out.

(Let anyone who thirsts come to Me).

This was more than to the Jews, to the elite but to all, regardless of anything to openly come to Him.

Important for there must be a belief of a need to be filled.

The requirement is they needed to know they were thirsty, that there was a need.

There needed to be a belief in Him

Important due to the promised results

Rivers of living water would flow out

So, we will see tonight about the Holy Spirit within, but this shows the Holy Spirit flowing out too.

Commentator Morris (College press) “ Jesus did not only speak of something coming into a person, but something flowing out of them as well.

It was not only a blessing received, but also becoming a source of blessings to others.”

Important because Jesus says “as the scripture has said.”

Now Jesus does not quote or reference any particular scripture, but they knew the scripture and would know this to be fulfillment of the living waters mentioned by Zechariah (Zec13:1, 14:8) and also what Isaiah said (Isa44:3, 55:1)

Important because Jesus gives the meaning - believers would receive the Holy Spirit.

(Transition) this now leads us to our passage tonight.

The division (7:40-43)

The distraction (7:44-49)

The declaration (7:50-53)

The Division

Are there things that can cause division in your life?

Are there things that can cause division in your church?

Some division are avoidable, others are unavoidable.

When it comes to Jesus and division it is a matter of faith, of belief.

Let’s glean from first section of scripture.

What general observations do you make here?

Ask the who, what, where, why and how questions.

What were some of the people saying (v.40)?

What were others saying (v.41)?

Why was there division (v.43); better look at (v.42) too?

Some said one thing, others said something else, but you will notice, everyone had an opinion.

We too can do that, we are good at voicing it too, sometimes without investigating it first.

When it comes to Jesus there is no fence sitting, you choose to believe or chose to disbelieve.

The invitation was given (v.38) but the invitation brought about division, didn’t it?

During Jesus earthly ministry it brought division

Some believing and taking up His cause

Others wishing to lay hands on him and kill Him

Alford stated “The division did not come because Jesus spoke foolishly, He spoke on a theologically controversial topic.

He spoke about Himself, the Messiah —and He spoke clearly, not in dark mysterious sayings.”

Jesus spoke of division/judgment in other places too, consider (Mt10:34-36)

As Christians we should not have any such divisions.

Spurgeon said

“We can sometimes even fight with one another for what we believe to be the truth, and rebuke each other to the face if we think there is an error; but when it comes to Christ and his dear cross, give me thy hand brother.

you are washed in the blood, and so am I.

You are resting in Christ, and so am I.

You have put all your hope in Jesus; and that is where all my hope is, and therefore we are one.

Yes, there is no real division among the true people of God because of Christ.”

Let me take a minute and may we consider what the division was about.

He is a good man or a deceiver (Jn7:12)

H is the promised “Prophet” (Jn7:40; Deut18:15)

They did not think, investigate the history.

They thought Jesus came from Galilee but He came from Bethlehem just as prophesy predicted (Jn1:45-46, 7:52)

We will get to that verse later and discuss in more detail.

So hold on, for their assumption is wrong, their knowledge of scripture is wrong.

The Distraction

Have you ever heard something that distracted you from what you were going to do?

I get it all the time, set out to do something and get distracted by other things along the way to do the thing I set out to do in the first place.

Let’s see who get’s distracted by Jesus words in our passage

Any general observations?

You can see a couple of moods of the people, what are they?

The officers were amazed (implied) because no one had ever spoken like this Man before.

The Pharisees were upset that the officers did not bring Him, arrest Him and that maybe some of them were being deceived and did not know the law.

Some wanted to seize him, but what happened (v.44)?

No one laid hands on Him, wonder why?

His time, His hour had not come yet.

This festival, this celebration was the last one on Jewish calendar before the Passover in which Jesus would have hands laid on Him.

This is about six months before His crucifixion.

What did the Pharisees question (v.45)?

Why did you not bring Him?

What was the soldiers response (v.46)?

Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.

The Pharisees make a very direct accusation (vv.47-49), what is it?

You are being led away, distracted.

None of us have been, for we know the scriptures and the crowd, they do not and they are accursed.

But think about this, if they knew the scripture, believed the scripture they would know that Jesus fulfilled the prophesies of the scripture.

(More on this to follow in a few minutes)

“The leaders refused to face facts honestly, but passed judgment on the basis of their superficial examination of the facts” (Wiersbe)

The leaders also are saying the common people, the crowd know nothing about the Law (scripture) And none of us, the elite, the educated do not believe so you common folk are wrong.

The officers being around the synagogues had heard lots of the Rabbis teaching and Jesus spoke different than all of them.

Even the people knew that.

Tenney says “The religious snobbishness of the rules was revealed in their contemptuous dismissal of the guards testimony.”

Can we do that today, be presupposed and not listen to, consider and dismiss others?

(Transition) not all the leaders felt the same and now we will hear from the descending opinion, someone we know.

The Declaration (dissension)

Sometimes a dissension comes from a place of common sense, so let’s see what Nicodemus has to say.

General observations?

Where have we seen Nicodemus before in John?

John chapter 3 is conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a thought provoking, and life changing conversation that is played out later in the gospel.

Who is Nicodemus addressing (v.50; look in context for answer)?

The Pharisees (v.47)