Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Reading: John 7:32-52

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1.

The Attempted Arrest

What was the crowd saying about Jesus?

Some of the people were beginning to wonder or speculate if Jesus might be the Messiah.

Why do the religious leaders want to arrest Jesus?

because he was breaking their Sabbath rules

because of his claims to be equal with God, to be the true Temple, etc.

because he made them look bad; he exposed their sinfulness, their pride, and their hypocrisy (John 7:7; John 7:19)

How do they plan to arrest him?

Notice how the chief priests (mostly Sadduccees) and Pharisees worked together to get rid of Jesus.

They did not get along and had very different beliefs.

(Think Baptist and Jehovah’s Witness today).

Such was their hatred of Jesus.

They sent “officers” or Temple Police to arrest Jesus.

This was probably an unusual task for these men.

They would have been Levites responsible for guarding the Temple and enforcing the laws in the Temple area.

But verse 44 tells us that neither they nor anyone else were able to arrest Jesus:

Why were they not able to arrest him?

We might imagine all kinds of different excuses they might offer when the religious leaders reprimand them for not arresting Jesus.

They could have said, “We couldn’t find him.”

Or “there were too many people around him and it would have started a riot.”

Instead they said simply, “No one ever spoke like this man!”

What was it that Jesus said that left them so stunned or awestruck that they couldn’t complete their mission?

We’ll come back to this question later.

2. The Puzzling Proverb

Jesus demonstrated his authority

John 7:33 (ESV)

Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer...

This reminds me of what he says later in John 10:17-18

Jesus told of his destination

John 7:33 (ESV)

… then I am going to him who sent me.

Jesus Condemns their unbelief

They could not find him or go to be with him (in heaven) because they refused to humble themselves trust in him.

They are clinging to their love of human praise, so they cannot love Jesus or trust in him, and they will not be able to be with him unless their condition changes.

What was the response of the Jews to this proverb?

They are confused and don’t understand at all what Jesus is talking about.

Parallel proverbs:

You will die in your sin = you will not find me.

John 13:33–36 (ESV)

Little children, yet a little while I am with you.

You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

… Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”

Here it seems Jesus is referring to his death, though possibly to his ascension as well.

The disciples, in contrast to the religious leaders, would see Jesus again, and they would be with him forever, because they trusted in him.

3. The Generous Gift

What is the great day of the feast?

The seventh day of the feast was the climax, though many also celebrated an eighth day.

John is probably referring to the 7th day.

The Feast of Tabernacles included a water drawing ceremony where a priest would draw water from a pool, there would be a big procession to the Temple, then the priest would pour out the water at the base of the altar at the Temple.

This ceremony celebrated God’s provision of water in the desert when the Israelites complained in Exodus 17:1-2

Exodus 17:1–2 (ESV)

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”

So what Jesus is about to say about his abundant provision of eternally satisfying water would have called to mind both God’s provision of water in the desert as well as pointing to Jesus as a fulfillment of this ceremony and as God’s ultimate provision for the satisfaction of his people.

Also, what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit would have called to mind many other prophecies in the OT as well.

Why did Jesus stand up and yell?

Jesus started out the chapter hiding and coming to the feast secretly.

In the middle of the feast he began teaching in the Temple.

Now at the end of the feast he is shouting.

“Cried out” = shout or scream (not whispering)

Jesus had said similar things in private conversation to the woman at the well, but now he yells for everyone to hear.

What generous gift did Jesus offer?

Read John 7:37-38 again

The condition: are you thirsty?

“If anyone thirsts.”

We often keep so busy drinking in all the world’s pleasures and goods that we don’t notice the deep spiritual thirst inside us.

God created us with this thirst that can only be satisfied in him.

Only in coming to Christ (not just once, but always!) is our thirst satisfied.

The call: come to me, believe in me, and drink.

Coming to Jesus, believing in him, and seeking satisfaction in him all seem to be parallel ideas, just as in John 6:35.

Jesus was offering himself as the eternal satisfier of our thirst.

“Come to ME and drink.”

Believe in me and become a springing fountain.

This probably calls to mind John 6:35

Jesus himself, and Jesus alone, truly satisfies the desire of our hearts.

And he calls us to come to him, to believe in him, and be satisfied.

V. 39 indicates that Jesus is talking about the Spirit.

The Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son; He is sometimes called the Spirit of God, and other times the Spirit of Christ, so that the Scriptures can talk about Christ living in us by his Spirit.

The Holy Spirit only began to dwell in all believers after the glorification of Christ: after Jesus died, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Majesty on high.

We read in Acts 2 of the Spirit’s work at Pentecost and how starting there, those who believed in Christ received the Holy Spirit.

But Jesus had to be glorified first.

So...

We must recognize our thirst

We must come to Christ, believe in him, and drink of him

When we do that, we will be satisfied by him, and we receive the Holy Spirit.

The effect of receiving the Holy Spirit is that not only is our thirst quenched, but also God’s love springs through us to others so that they also come and drink and find satisfaction in Christ.

The fruit of the Spirit is love… Genuine faith always results in love — for God and for others, even for our enemies.

Now we come back to this question from the failed arrest by the Temple officers: What was it that Jesus said that left them so stunned or awestruck that they couldn’t complete their mission?

I think this was the statement that stopped them in their tracks and left them awestruck so that they couldn’t arrest him.

Jesus was offering them the greatest gift ever—the greatest gift anyone could ever get: Jesus.

He was offering himself as the one who would satisfy their thirst if they would only come to him.

Here he offers his love to his enemies, and they can’t move.

4. The Deadly Division

Two sets of three divisions:

The crowds:

1.

This is the Prophet.

2. This is the Messiah.

3.

He can’t be the Messiah because he’s from Galilee.

The religious leaders