Gospel Division

Hopewell Baptist Church

September 29, 2019

Opening Illustration

Los Angeles Rams – at one point there was unity, and another point was causing division. All throughout life, there are things that for some, bring unity, and to others, bring division.

The same thing is true with the Gospel, as Paul writes in that the Gospel is a fragrant aroma, to some of life to life, to others of death to death.

Thesis – The call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ not only unites the Church to God, but also creates division between the regenerate (True Christians) and the unregenerate (non-Christians).

I. – The Call of the Gospel

a. The last day of the feast, “the great day”

i. During the feast, water was ceremonially carried and poured out into the temple courts, with this done even more so on the seventh day, the day before the Sabbath, in recognizing how God provided water to the Hebrews from the rock in the wilderness ().

b. Jesus cried out “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink”

i. Same message Jesus gave to the woman from Samaria ()(read this).

ii. The water symbolizes the Holy Spirit, and how the Holy Spirit is God’s agent for changing our hearts

1. That spiritual thirst from (that I mentioned last wee) is what this “water” quenches.

c. Whoever believes in me…

i. Whoever believes in Jesus will receive this water, the Holy Spirit – will receive, not yet, because Jesus has not yet been glorified.

ii. And, they will have eternal life.

1. , etc.

II. – The Division Amongst the People

a. Division #1: This really is the Prophet

i.

ii. Jesus IS this Prophet

b. Division #2: This is the Christ.

i.

ii. Jesus IS the Christ

c. Division #3: Is the Christ to come from Galilee?

i. No, but Bethlehem, where Jesus was born

1. ,

ii. This shows that they really don’t know where Jesus is from

1. Grew up in Galilee, family from Galilee, born in Bethlehem.

d. v.43 – “So there was a division among the people over him.”

e. Some of the people wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

i. Why? For his hour had not yet come, God’s perfect plan did not include this.

1. Crowds were too large

2. Many people had believed in Him (v.31)

3. Leaders didn’t want problems with Romans.

III. – The Division Amongst the Leaders

a. The officers (temple police) came to the chief priests and Pharisees empty handed.

i. They did not arrest him.

ii. The Pharisees were indignant, as if they were shocked that their command to arrest Jesus was not perfectly obeyed.

1. Why did you not bring him?!

b. No one ever spoke like this man!

i. How right they were! For this is no mere man, this is Jesus, the Messiah, the God-Man (hypostatic union), 100% man and 100% God.

1. Remember ;

ii. The words of Jesus really resonated deeply with the officers, as they are Levites, who are trained in priestly duties, thus educated well in the Old Testament laws and prophets. They recognized what Jesus was saying, and possibly had an inkling that He was, in-fact, the Messiah.

c. Leadership Division #1: Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or Pharisees believed in him?

i. We see the cracks forming within the leadership, all caused by the living Word of God, Jesus Christ (, ).

ii. Well, since WE (the Pharisees) don’t believe, why would you believe?

1. Well, Remember Nicodemus? (and shows him to possibly be a disciple of Jesus AND still a Pharisee…).

iii. The Pharisees separation of “the authorities” and “Pharisees” here is telling, as the Pharisees generally saw themselves in a more righteous light than the other authorities, or anyone else…

d. But this crowd that does not know that the law is accursed

i. Here, the Pharisees really show how arrogant they are, insulting the crowd

1. They basically say the crowd is mostly uneducated, which is true, because it is the Pharisees and Scribes who control the scrolls of the Old Testament and their interpretation

a. This is why Jesus rebukes them regarding having but not following the Law…

b. Their insult shows where their hearts truly are, and that is in their own power, prestige, and selfishness.

c. The Pharisees see themselves as the only ones who are really holy, set apart for God. (Parallel to Catholicism, as this is how priests (and those above them) viewed themselves versus the “laity”).

e. Enter Nicodemus! (50-51)

i. Nicodemus brings up a valid point of legal contention: Does our law allow us to judge a man without a hearing?...No, it doesn’t

1.

2.

3.

4. All these point towards hearing from witnesses and to judge impartially.

ii. He was trying to keep the Pharisees in step with the law, unbiased judges, fair and unbiased hearings, etc. (, ).

f. Leadership Division #2: The Pharisees turn on their own

i. Are you from Galilee too?

1. An insult hurled at Nicodemus.

2. They equated anyone who followed/believed in Jesus as being from Galilee.

a. The Jewish leaders weren’t fond of Galilee because they felt they didn’t observe the law well enough there, so they basically felt that Galileans were less/uneducated and inferior to themselves, Judean Pharisees/Sanhedrin.

3. This continually shows the heart attitudes of the Jewish leaders, and how they fail at keeping the very law they espouse as supposed religious leaders of their time.

IV. Application – So What?

a. When we come across division, (i.e. someone who is divisive regarding your faith in Christ), we must be careful and pray for the division and that person.

i. Division WILL happen - Acts 14:1-2

ii.

iii.

b. When we come across unity (other Christians), we must carefully tend that relationship, not take it for granted, and pray for them.

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V. Invitation