Lessons from Jesus (2)

Introduction

As a substitute teacher, I have got to observe all kinds of students each week. There are the kinds that do nothing all class and no matter how many times you get on to them, they are just not doing anything. There are those that quickly get to their work and quickly finish so that they can goof off all the rest of the class. There is the student that pretends to be busy but in actuality is not doing anything of value. There is the student who does their work well, takes most of the class to do it and then uses the little spare time left to read a book or draw. There are all kinds of students, but then there is one special kind of student, the best kind. This is the kind of student that does all of their work, gets to it quickly, uses all the time in class to do their work and do well, if they finish, they spend the time (without prompting or getting them back on task) who either: works on any other classwork/homework, works on make up, even works ahead a bit, and if all else fails, instead of playing games or talking when they shouldn’t be, they take the time to read a good book that is going to help their future studies. This is a rare kind, and the best of kind of student, who tries to take every opportunity to learn everything that they can, so that when it comes time to apply what they have learned, they will succeed where others do not. So then, let me ask you. When it comes to the Lord Jesus, what He teaches, shows, and commands us; what kind of student are you? Are you a lazy one off of task? One that has to be continually prodded to get back on? Are you average/lukewarm? Maybe you are above average or good. And few of us try with all of our might to be the best we can possibly be? Let me challenge you, LaFayette Baptist church, to always be the best you can possibly be, and never suppose that you have tried hard enough, always seek to do more, love Him more, submit to Him more, to Love God, Love People, and make disciples with every fiber and once of your being.

Prayer

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. I ask these things for your glory and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Context

In last week’s text, we saw Jesus perform one of His most well known, well talked about, and best received miracles. This is of course the feeding of the 5000 plus people after an extended teaching. All of these people were, as you would imagine, quite hungry. They had walked a long way to get to Jerusalem for a festival and along the way they came across Him and tried to follow Him (even though He and His disciples tried to go to a remote and desolate place to be alone). They were hungry physically from this prolonged trip. However, what they were most hungry for spiritual food. In fact, this is what the people of Israel had longed for for such a long time, so much so that they were used to operating and thinking with the empty stomachs that they had, thus they had by in large had either forgotten what God had revealed about Himself, misapplied it, ignored, or have morphed it into something entirely different and self-serving.

At the end of last week’s text, the people still wanting physical food and signs and wonders, Jesus instead teaches them something of far greater importance. This is, that He is the true bread of life. No other food other than Him can sustain you forever, so Faith in Him is required for life and preservation for eternity. Our text today picks up a little time later, approximately 6 months later. Here we find, another feast/festival time is coming. During this time, Jesus had gone back home because the opposition He had to Jerusalem at the time was deadly, so He went elsewhere and taught and spent time with other people. Our text picks up, and we see in it, that even though He had previously taught important lessons to the Jews in Judea and Jerusalem, still that had much take in, learn and apply, as their view and understanding was very limited, even the ones that understood; plus, there were a great many more Jews that needed to hear from God the Sons mouth the way of salvation and that He in fact would bring it to them, as He was and is their messiah.

The people that were there needed to do exactly what we as believers always need to be doing, that is we all need to Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. Oftentimes these lessons will be hard, but they will be well-forming and useful for the building up of God’s Kingdom and increasing our quickness in bringing God glory. So, let’s see some of those lessons today and jump into the text where I want you to see, understand, and apply these lessons from Jesus.

Message

The first lesson to see understand and apply is to: Use your best discernment 1-24

7 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee, since he did not want to travel in Judea because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 The Jewish Festival of Shelters[a] was near. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works that you are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.)6 Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. 8 Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival,[b] because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.10 After his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up, not openly but secretly. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was a lot of murmuring about him among the crowds. Some were saying, “He’s a good man.” Others were saying, “No, on the contrary, he’s deceiving the people.” 13 Still, nobody was talking publicly about him for fear of the Jews.14 When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. 15 Then the Jews were amazed and said, “How is this man so learned, since he hasn’t been trained?”16 Jesus answered them, “My teaching isn’t mine but is from the one who sent me. 17 If anyone wants to do his will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. 18 The one who speaks on his own seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19 Didn’t Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”20 “You have a demon!” the crowd responded. “Who is trying to kill you?”21 “I performed one work, and you are all amazed,” Jesus answered. 22 “This is why Moses has given you circumcision —not that it comes from Moses but from the fathers —and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses won’t be broken, are you angry at me because I made a man entirely well on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”

We begin here with Jesus as we said before, at His home with His family leading up to this next festival. Look at what happens here, clearly Jesus’ siblings still either didn’t understand Jesus and His purpose or they doubted Him all together. I can almost hear the sibling rivalry and dispute in the text here, they told Him to go so that everyone can see you. There is no need for you Jesus to be hiding in secret, go and proclaim and do your mission right now. They, like many either believed Jesus’ purpose (if He was the messiah, which they didn’t really believe themselves) was the overthrow of Rome or they didn’t believe Him at all; they, like many, were not thinking about the ravages of sin on us and God’s need to intervene for us. So then, Go if you must! They charged. Jesus responds, now remember, Jesus is not like us, and would respond out of hatred and hurt, rather He responds out of love and truth. He tells them His time (to stir up that kind of ruckus that would lead to my execution) is not yet. The world already hates me, and it would be counterproductive for me to go. So then, go yourselves, i’m not going to go make this big deal about myself as you say I should. Eventually, after everyone else went, Jesus did go. And there, his family and He discovered that everyone was looking for Him all over out of interest. It seemed that the crowds had a mixed opinion of Him, yet everyone agreed that they didn’t want to do any big looking or talking about Him, because the backlash of being associated with Him would be harsh. A few days in, Jesus begins to teach in the temple, this was done to everyone’s surprise. Some heard His God filled words, others rebuked and accused Him. Many wanted to Kill Him, and Jesus calls out their hypocrisy on their law. Jesus then charges them, have reason, think about what you are doing and saying. Don’t judge just by the surface level facts, research, think about it, judge well with your best discernment. Instead of thinking like a fallen human, begin thinking like something and someone more righteous for a good answer/decision/judgement.

Joseph Stowell, the long term precedent of Moody Bible Institute, who’s programs i’m sure you’ve heard on the local missionary radio, wrote on discernment paritclarly in scanning the scriptures and applying them life in Moody magazine in 1986. In it he said quote, “Discernment in Scripture is the skill that enables us to differentiate. It is the ability to see issues clearly. We desperately need to cultivate this spiritual skill that will enable us to know right from wrong. We must be prepared to distinguish light from darkness, truth from error, best from better, righteousness from unrighteousness, purity from defilement, and principles from pragmatics.” So, discernment is a skill that we need to work on, but into action, cultivate, their are lessons to learn about it and both put into action. It is essential to do this to tell the wills of the light (God) vs that of darkness (Satan).

Jesus teaches us and them, to use good discernment. Don’t think like a fallen person in darkness, think like a person made righteous by God. Think, act, and do, as God would desire. We of course deepen our ability to discern what is the will of the light vs the darkness by pursuing God and diving into the spiritual disciplines of scripture reading, scripture meditation, prayer, evangelism, repenting from sin, worship, gathering regularly with the saints, giving, and good deeds. So then, do you find yourself weak in any of these critical areas? I’m sure every one of us can say yes to one or more, myself included here. Do you see and understand this lesson from Jesus, that you must draw near to Him in any way you can to use good discernment, make good decisions. Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. One of these is to use good discernment, which you do by taking in more of God, less of the world, and changing and rearranging your mind to think, feel, and act as Christ does. Let me give you a big hint as you go about this, you will never get there, you will only get better, so then don’t suppose that you ever reached a “good enough level” no matter your physical or spiritual maturity. With such a high bar as Jesus has set us as our example, we all have much room to improve as you we seek to use good discernment.

The next lesson to see understand and apply is that: The Father sent The Son 25-36

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Yet, look, he’s speaking publicly and they’re saying nothing to him. Can it be true that the authorities know he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from. When the Messiah comes, nobody will know where he is from.”28 As he was teaching in the temple, Jesus cried out, “You know me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on my own, but the one who sent me is true. You don’t know him; 29 I know him because I am from him, and he sent me.”30 Then they tried to seize him. Yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come. 31 However, many from the crowd believed in him and said, “When the Messiah comes, he won’t perform more signs than this man has done, will he?” 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent servants[c] to arrest him.33 Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time. Then I’m going to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”35 Then the Jews said to one another, “Where does he intend to go that we won’t find him? He doesn’t intend to go to the Jewish people dispersed[d] among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, does he? 36 What is this remark he made: ‘You will look for me, and you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

During this, the people were confused, hold on sec, isn’t this person the leaders are trying to have killed? What is He doing here? Maybe He is the Messiah, maybe the found out if He is here right now…. Well wait, that can’t be, isn’t supposed to be that we won’t know when and where He comes from (of course they were supposed to know, but no one was really searching the scriptures for Him). While teaching, Jesus cries out to them, you know Me, you know where I am from physically. However, you do not know My Father and where I really come from and what authority He has given me as His Son. They understood Jesus saying, you don’t know God, so they tried to take Him in anger. Despite their efforts, God had ordained it that this was not Jesus’ time to be taken yet, so they did not succeed. Some in the crowd believed something about Him and raised the question, if this isn’t the messiah, then how is He doing so many miracles?” The leaders, of course, were unhappy about this, and sent for Him to be arrested. Jesus continues to teach them, even here He is telling them what will come in His ministry, where He is heading. He tells them, I will be here with you for just a little longer, then I am going back to the Father. Those that have not accepted me, will not be able to come to me, for they will not be able to stand before The Father without my forgiveness. The Jews again, were confused by His teaching, thinking where on earth does He think He will go that we can’t find Him? Wait a minute… You don’t think…. You don’t think He is going to the dispersed Jews where we can’t go do you? Or worse, what if He goes to gentiles? Disgusting! Surely that is not it, what on earth do you think He means here?

Jesus had been sent to them for a very specific purpose. To die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins, that everyone who accepts the sacrifice as their own can be forgiven by God and stand whole before Him. The Father sent the son for this mission, with His blessing and joy. Fathers and mothers, have you ever sent your child on an errand or task for you before? Do you remember that delight you felt, knowing that your child was doing something simply just to please you, even though it brought them no personal gain. I can only imagine the joy and pleasure the two persons of the trinity (the Father and Son) had as they saw the other (The Son) go to earth to achieve this task and fulfill the task with distinction and perfect selfless action as He went about it.

This is a lesson that Jesus continues to teach them and us. That He was sent for a purpose, that He was sent from and with Power and Authority. That He was sent for the Father’s Joy. That in turn, has lessons that we need to understand. First of all, that rebellion against God (our sin) no matter how small it is in our eyes is so terrible that it required The Father to Sends the Son. It required a terrible price and sacrifice. God is pleased by our chosen separation from. That Jesus has paid it all for us, and has given missions and objectives for each of us personally to do and live without, which to say shortly is to be and make the kind of disciples of His that love God, love people, and make disciples. So then, if He has done all of this for you, and you are truly saved and truly His disciple then do this, Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. An elementary one we need to remind ourselves of is that The Father sent the Son, which has fall out and implications for each and every one of us. So then, take that lesson, ponder on, and change the way you think, act, and do.

Another lesson to see understand and apply is that: No one is like Jesus 37-52

37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me[e] and drink. 38 The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” 39 He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit[f] had not yet been given[g] because Jesus had not yet been glorified.40 When some from the crowd heard these words, they said, “This truly is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “Surely the Messiah doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? 42 Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Messiah comes from David’s offspring[h] and from the town of Bethlehem, where David lived?” 43 So the crowd was divided because of him. 44 Some of them wanted to seize him, but no one laid hands on him.45 Then the servants came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”46 The servants answered, “No man ever spoke like this!” [i]47 Then the Pharisees responded to them, “Are you fooled too? 48 Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which doesn’t know the law, is accursed.”50 Nicodemus—the one who came to him previously and who was one of them—said to them, 51 “Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?”52 “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you?” they replied. “Investigate and you will see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

One the last day of feast, a day that included a symbolic ritual with a water jug that served to remind them of God providing water for the Israelites in the wilderness, Jesus stood up. He told them, if you are thirsty, come to me for a drink. Anyone who believes me, believes the Holy Scriptures which have said from the savior there will be a stream of living water. This is just what I am offering. Jesus also taught them about the Holy Spirit, that those who receive Jesus as savior and Lord will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in the time to come (a time that has come for us today). When the people heard this, they were amazed, surely this a prophet from God in front of us, others truly believed, yes, this is the messiah. Yet others doubted, not knowing the whole story of Jesus’ birth, they tricked themselves into disbelief; as Jesus was indeed born in Bethlehem and comes from the lineage of David. The divided crowd didn't know how to react, and even the servants of the officials sent to arrest them did not think, as they had heard noone teach like this with such authority before. This of course, enraged the powers that be of the day. Look how belligerent and rude they are to their servants and to the well esteemed Nicodemus. Clearly, they weren’t interested in what God had to say on any matter, rather they cared about what they wanted they wanted God to say about any matter. Even in the face of their laws, which they said they treasured so much, they were willing to bend and break their own rules because they were so uncomfortable with God speaking into and working in a situation without their approval. It’s clear here, even the religious elite couldn’t be like Jesus, they couldn’t use use good discernment because their wants had clouded their eyes and defend their ears, made all food and drink tasteless and stale, and their hands and feet motionless when it comes to God’s revelation to them and His will.

There is a man in history, who many have forgotten, who equated Himself like Jesus, was not, and paid for it with his life. This man was named Jon van Leiden. Now, Van Leiden was an eloquent talker who could keep an audience. With his dangerous power of persuasion He made and led a dangerous group of followers who would take the city of Munster Germany in 1534. Who would declare that the city was a religious theocracy, and that He was to be the head of it, and declared Himself the King of New Jerusalem. This of course, is a title that only Jesus Christ will have when the New Jerusalem comes to us. He led the people with great deceptions, and made his followers view as a person with the authority and right of Christ Himself. They would one day discover that this was simply not true, as he would badly lose his army in a crushing defeat. He would be tried and charged as a traitor in the most brutal way. The whole world saw, this man was nothing Jesus, He was only worried about earthly things and himself being. Jesus cared about the sins of the world, and when Jesus truly comes back as the king of the new Jerusalem, it is impossible for Him to defeat.

Whether we all admit to it or not. At one point or another (perhaps very often for a mature believer) we elevate ourselves, our wisdom, our position, our thoughts, our way, much higher than it should be. We think that Jesus’ thought must be ours, while if you stand back and look at it, it would be clear to you and anyone else looking that this simply isn’t true. The truth is, no one is like Jesus. Even the most saintly person you have ever met or will ever met, has still known the curse and trace of sin that Jesus Christ the righteous has never known. This means naturally, that we are apt to do rebellious things such as: look at God’s provision in the eyes and think we don’t need and don’t want it, gossip and belittle others what we want is at risk, think about our needs and desires first (and maybe later we will get to others, which is quite the opposite of Jesus), try to make bargains with God (God if you do this, ill do this; as if God really needed anything from us). No, God is so much greater than all of us put together and so much more, and He serves as our example to try to be like. So then, Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. Remember, that no one is truly like Him, so people (you, me, us) will make mistakes as we try to be like Him and learn from Him. So then, let me encourage you to turn to His Holy Word first and hear the groaning and leading of the Holy Spirit as you try to be like Jesus.

Conclusion

Beloved, so now then let us all Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. Once you think you got something, apply it and move on to the next lesson. Do not be complacent, do not suppose that you have already reached the hight of where you need in your faith. Do not be satisfied with staying the same but always seek more holiness as you seek after God and His will.