The Word Became Flesh 20

John 7:1-24

HOOK- Skepticism

As an atheist university professor, Dr. Holly Ordway, was convinced that by definition faith is utterly irrational. She would eventually become a Christian, but prior to her conversion she used the following analogy to explain why, as an atheist, she could not consider the option of believing in Jesus and going to heaven:

Imagine that you tell me, "If you believe that there's an invisible pink unicorn in the sky, I'll give you a new BMW." I see the car in the parking lot; you jingle the keys in your hands. If I can believe what you want me to believe, the new car is mine. Cool! But it's a waste of time: I know there's no unicorn. No matter how much I want that car, I am incapable of believing something contrary to reason in order to get it. Believing something irrational on demand to get a prize: that is what the evangelical invitation to "accept Jesus and get eternal life in heaven!" sounded like to me.

Despite her skepticism, she went on to accept Christ and to write a book about her conversion experience called appropriately Not God's Type.

TO BE SURE

Secular skepticism about the world is wholly negative, for it opens no doors and offers no comfort. Christian skepticism is a by-product of faith and hope in another order that can itself transform this one.

Harry Blamires

Not Believed by Family (vv.1-9)

Jesus returns home because things are not going well in Judea

They don’t like his message

Some have turned away

Others are seeking to take his life

The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles was near

BOOTHS, FEAST OF This festival, known variously as the Feast of Booths, (Lev. 23:34; Dt. 16:13), Tabernacles (2 Ch. 8:13; Jn. 7:2), or Ingathering (Ex. 34:22), was one of the three major feasts in which all Hebrew males were required to participate each year. It began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), i.e., mid-October, five days after the Day of Atonement (Tishri 10). It continued for one week, and was associated with the end of the year (Ex. 34:22) when agricultural work concluded. It was a “pilgrim” festival, the intent of which was to emphasize the nomadic character of the wilderness period (Lev. 23:43). (R. K. Harrison, “Booths, Feast of,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 535.)

It was a look back at God’s deliverance (Egypt) from temporary shelter to permanent shelter (Leviticus 23:39–43 ““ ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you must celebrate a pilgrim festival of the Lord for seven days. On the first day is a complete rest and on the eighth day is complete rest. On the first day you must take for yourselves branches from majestic trees—palm branches, branches of leafy trees, and willows of the brook—and you must rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You must celebrate it as a pilgrim festival to the Lord for seven days in the year. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you must celebrate it in the seventh month. You must live in temporary shelters for seven days; every native citizen in Israel must live in temporary shelters, so that your future generations may know that I made the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ ”” )

His brothers mock him (vv.3-4)

Go to Jerusalem to be with your disciples

John has already mentioned the lack of honor one receives in their hometown (4:44)

The brothers accuse Jesus of wanting to become a popular figure (v.4)

For his own brothers did not believe in him (v.5)

This is evidence that Jesus was not a show-off who performed miracles for his family and siblings as a boy growing up, as some spurious (forged) documents suggest

John intends to bring a bit of shock value to this concept—that not only is Jesus refused by his fellow Jews, he is rejected by his family as well

Application:

Often when God commissions you to do a particular thing, those closest to you will not support you, but even worse—some will attempt to mock you for even attempting an effort they believe is impossible

Jesus responds to his brothers (vv.6-9)

Jesus frames the situation for them (v.6)

His time has not yet come—meaning to die (this is our word kairos [καιρὸς])

His brothers projected on to him what they would have done—well if I were you...

Jesus is often having to provide reasons/justifications that are rooted in a divine future

This is perhaps some of the frustration we encounter when trying explain to someone about the future hope of the Christian faith—because it is rooted in a divine future, we will not always be believed

Or even trying to encourage or counsel someone out of a present situation that is ruining them to pursue something better and they ask the question what’s out there? How do I know it will be better?

He flips the conversation by telling them that their opportunity is always available—the implication is that they can choose to believe at anytime echoing John 3:15–16 “so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus Says: You’ll never walk in my shoes (v.7)

He tells them that world literally is “unable” to hate them

What do you think this means?

My Responses:

You are on the world’s side

You agree with it/them in principle

Your form of religion might look different, but any system that fails to recognize the need for redemption through an eternal Savior is severely flawed and incomplete

When the church become overly “chummy” with the world, and is liked by everyone, that is a problem

We are not seeking to be disliked—because that brings about a negative disposition

But when everyone likes you, that’s dangerous

The same goes for individuals—there should be someone who doesn’t like something you are doing

Jesus says, I am hated because I hold a mirror before the world’s face, so that it can see itself for what it really is

We get a peek into the early human struggle for what Jesus has come to do (vv.8-9)

Similar to the Garden of Gethsemane, we are given witness to the real-time struggle (a lesser historical account would have edited this out)

Jesus wants to go to the feast

Because it was required of every male Jew

He has more to say, teach and preach

He does not want to go

Because he knows the people are polarized—some want him to be king, while others want him killed

He knows that what he says will likely force the issue

Unlike some modern preaching and teaching, Jesus preached for a verdict

When he was done, you would either be drawn closer or pushed away because of unbelief

There was no lukewarm preaching with Jesus

Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Homework

What are the other two major feasts that Jews celebrated during Jesus’ time?

What did you learn about one of them that you did not know?

What significance does that particular feast have with the Church?