Know the Fullness of Christ

Read

John 7:25–31 (ESV)

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

Opening Prayer

Setting the Stage

Well, we’ve seen the Religious Leaders call into question Jesus’ ability and authority to teach God’s Word.

We’ve seen Jesus flip the script on them and call into question their ability to receive God’s Word and discern the things of God.

We’ve seen Jesus use the Law to point to their sinfulness.

—> While pointing out His sinlessness.

He then told them to judge rightly.

Which is to say judge according to God’s Word.

This morning we see a response to what Jesus has been saying.

Observations of the Crowd

It’s interesting that, although not all the crowd was aware of the plot to kill Jesus…

Some of the crowd was aware.

John 7:20 (ESV)

20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”

John 7:25 (ESV)

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill?

Those who didn’t know the plot to kill Jesus, underestimated the possibility of it being true.

Those who were aware raised questions about what they’ve observed in the midst of the Temple.

Their observations were…

John 7:25–26 (ESV)

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?

Some recognize that this is the Jesus and the religious leaders are wanting to kill him.

Remember, they’ve been inquiring about Jesus…

And, searching for Jesus throughout the Feast so far.

And the people observe…

Behold, He’s right here in the temple and He’s teaching openly to the crowds.

Why aren’t they doing something?

Why aren’t they arresting Him?

Is their lack of action because they know that He is the Christ, but are keeping it to themselves?

They’re on a good track of thought.

But we notice in the text a horrific thing, we notice the people…

Drawing the Wrong Conclusion

John 7:27 (ESV)

27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”

The Doubts of Man regarding God stem from earthly thinking.

Such as the thinking here…

“A man is a man, just flesh and blood like all other men. His origin has to be that of a man and a woman.”

Unbelief prevails when the mind is set only upon the earth and it’s physical law.

If God is God, He must be allowed, in our thinking and understanding, to act supernaturally, above natural law.

This was the problem with the people in Jesus’ day, and it is the problem with so many of every generation.

They’re in the bondage of sin and their sin holds them captive to earthly thinking.

They take good evidence and they filter it through a spiritually dead filter.

Now, let’s think about…

What They Advocated…

Their Religion Believed, Advocated, & Defended:

God as Creator.

God as the Supreme Being.

God as Spirit.

God as All Powerful.

God as the Miracle Worker.

And, much more that we would agree with as Christians.

But, ironically, at the same time they advocated for such truths…

They did not allow for things to occur above and beyond the natural laws.

They did not allow for the supernatural to occur.

It was too much for them to believe.

Which, in reality, points back to their not actually believing what they advocated.

If you’re truly an advocate of God doing supernatural things…

You don’t deny that a Supernatural act can occur.

You can test, you can discern.

But you do not deny to investigate of a supernatural event.

They’ve been witnessing supernatural events.

Healings, feedings, water into wine, sight restored, deaf made to hear…

But the same person who has performed such miraculous events…

Is not allowed to have a supernatural origin.

Is there no real search for truth?

Is there no real desire for God to intervene?

Or do they actually prefer God just being a stage hand?

The desire of mankind is for God to be a stagehand for what they want, the scapegoat for what goes wrong, and butt out their life when God commands.

When things go right?

—> Just keep them coming God!

When things go wrong?

—> How dare God!

When God commands?

—> Stay out of this God, I’m not even sure you’re real.

Let’s think about this…

It is possible to be extremely religious…

Impress people with your religion…

And, actually not believe what you profess in the midst of your zeal for what you advocate.

How?

Because your religion is used for the purpose of feeling righteous in one’s self.

Religion is used to prop up one’s perceived self righteousness.

So, we should take heed to the actual object of our faith.

Is it religion, religious duties, peer perception of your character, religious good deeds, going above and beyond?

Such as the Pharisees teaching that one was required to forgive a person three times.

Peter said seven times in hopes that it would make him look good in the eyes of the Lord…

More than doubling the Pharisaical teaching.

As Christians, the only object of our faith is Jesus Christ.

They missed Him.

We must not. (The point of John’s gospel)

Jesus responds to the Crowd

John 7:28–29 (ESV)

28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”

Jesus is responding to their remark in v.27…

John 7:27 (ESV)

27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”

There are three truths that Jesus proclaims (means cry out, to shout it with emotion) in His response to those who questioned Him:

#1 - He is a Man.

#2 - He has come from God.

#3 - He knows God. They do not know God.

#1 - He is a Man.

You know me, and you know where I come from.

They’re correct.

His mother is Mary.

He is from Nazareth.

He is flesh and blood.

They can lay hold of Him.

He gets hungry.

He gets thirsty.

He gets tired.

He experiences everything common to man…

Yet He experiences it without sin.

But, Jesus says…

Just because you know something about Me doesn’t mean you know all about Me, or even enough about Me.

But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”

Jesus is saying that He is from somewhere else other than Nazareth.

They don’t know everything about where He is from.

In addition to being from Nazareth…

#2 - He has come from God.

The precursor to the miraculous conception by the HS and the virgin birth of Jesus.

John 1:1 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 (ESV)

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The eternal Son of God came and took upon flesh.

He was sent by the Father to redeem all that the Father gave Him to redeem.

Notice this phrase...

He who sent me is true

What Jesus is saying is the One who sent me is the True One.

Meaning: The One who sent me is the Righteous One.

God the Father has sent Me.

They would understand Jesus as saying this.

There is, if you will, a human headquarters of Nazareth.

But there is a divine headquarters, as well, the throne room of God.

Jesus is making them aware of their ignorance of His true and full identity…

And, He is teaching them the importance of His divine origin.

You cannot have the full Messiah without the Man.

Nor can you have the full Messiah without God, the eternal Son.

If you don’t have both, you have neither.

This is an important truth that Jesus is conveying to the crowd.

He’s teaching them the importance of knowing all of Him.

They don’t truly know Him…

Because they don’t truly know God.

and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”

#3 - He knows God, They do not.

If they knew God, they would recognize Jesus.

They would acknowledge His personhood.

They would believe His words to be true.

They would believe His testimony.

Jesus has already stated in…

John 5:42–43 (ESV)

42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me.

They do not know God and they do not truly know the Scriptures…

If they knew either, they would know both.

The Scriptures point to Jesus.

And, they would recognize Jesus.

When Jesus is truly beheld, the glory of God is beheld.

If one adored the glory of God, they would adore Jesus, as well.

Jesus’ audience does not know God.

They do not love the glory of God.

In stark contrast to Jesus…

Jesus Does Know the Father

29 I [emphatic] know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”

This is manifest in these ways:

Jesus desires to glorify God.

Jesus desires to do the will of His Father.

Jesus came to do the works of His Father.

Jesus has no other will, but the Father’s will is His will.

Jesus points to the Father in all that He does.

We’re told that they continued to not like the person of Christ…

—> Nor the message of Christ.

John 7:30 (ESV)

30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

We are not told, here, how they did not lay a hand on Him.

We are just told the reason.

His hour had not yet come.

It was not yet time for Jesus to be taken to the Cross.

Therefore, God in His providence, used the desires/fears of people’s hearts to ultimately perform His will.

The fear of the crowd kept the Religious Leaders from laying a hand on Him at this time.

God used their fear of Man to delay the arrest of Jesus until the perfect time.

Now, the crowd had many who were intrigued enough to believe in Jesus…

Whether partially and temporarily or some had true faith we do not know.

But, we are told…

John 7:31 (ESV)

31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

Many believed.

What was the basis of their belief?

This statement…

“When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

It was a faith based upon signs.

It was an evaluation based upon the premise that they cannot imagine anyone doing more signs than Jesus has done.

Will their faith hold to be true?

Is it a superficial faith?

We cannot know for sure at this moment.

Nor can we know for every single person in this crowd.

Hopefully, the signs are pointing to the personhood of the One doing the signs.

And the personhood of Christ and His work on their behalf is what the signs lead them to.

Otherwise, it is a superficial faith based on partial truth.

We will continue next week and find out what else happens in the Temple at the Feast of Booths.

Let’s think about this...

What does this mean for us?

It’s important to know Christ.

Obvious from Matt 7, when Jesus says…

depart from Me you workers of lawlessness it is of ultimate importance that Christ knows you…

But, if He knows us we will know Him…

And it is important for us to know all of Him.

If you miss key elements of Christ, you can miss all of Christ.

You can know He’s from Nazareth…

But, if you don’t know He’s from heaven…

If you don’t recognize that He is the eternal Son of God…

You’ve missed enough of Christ to not really know Him at all.

We see in this discourse the importance of doctrine.

Doctrine is another word for Teaching.

A point of truth.

We live in a culture in which a large contingency of Christianity says doctrine doesn’t matter…

We just need to love Jesus.

But, without doctrine you know nothing about Jesus…

And, hence you don’t know Jesus.

The fact that Jesus is very Man is doctrine.

The fact that Jesus is very God is doctrine.

The truth that you are declared blameless by God based on the merit of Jesus Christ alone…

By faith alone is doctrine.

Without those doctrines we are left in the dark.

Without knowing that we lay hold of Christ by faith…

Will leave one under condemnation.

We don’t need less doctrine…

We need more doctrine in our churches…

And in our pulpits…

And we need prayer that the people in the churches will be moved by the HS to love true doctrine...

And pray that by the HS we will alive out doctrine for the glory of God.

We see in this discourse that just because you know some truth, doesn’t mean you know the right truth or enough truth to be right.

We need to be students of God’s Word.

Not to pass a test or to earn favor with God…

But, so that we might know Him, love Him, and know how to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.

Do we know the object of our Faith?

—> Is it Christ alone?

Then let us feast on God’s Word so that we might grow in that knowledge…

And, that that same knowledge would grow us in grace.

Closing Prayer