Faith in the Face of Rejection part 2
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Two weeks ago, we were introduced to chapters 7-8 of John’s Gospel, which show the rising rejection of Jesus and His teachings. Throughout this section we will see numerous reasons why people rejected both Him and His message, that would ultimately lead to His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion.
Within each of these examples, we are going to see that the same types of rejections continue to exist today. Thus, this section has much to teach us about how the church is to respond when the Gospel of Jesus Christ is rejected today.
The key question we will consider throughout these chapters is: How do we hold tightly to our faith in the face of rejection?
Exegesis of John 7:14-24
Exegesis of John 7:14-24
John 7:14-18
Jesus attends the feast halfway through and begins teaching in the temple. Why?
The Jews reject Jesus because he’s not educated through the rabbinical school, so He must be telling His own opinions.
The way the Jewish leaders approached teaching & learning...
Their point: You’re not from us, so you must be speaking your own opinions...
Rejection #4: I’m far too educated to believe what the church teaches about Jesus.
Rejection #4: I’m far too educated to believe what the church teaches about Jesus.
Rejection #5: Jesus is testifying about Himself, so how do we know this is really from God?
Rejection #5: Jesus is testifying about Himself, so how do we know this is really from God?
Jesus educational credentials are from God, not from man.
Rejection #4 can be dealt with here...
Walking into my seminary library…then the Multnomah library...
Someone who is truly intelligent knows how little they really know...
Warren Wiersbe: “Education is a blessing, but it is better to be taught by God than to borrow the ideas of men.”
Rejection #5 can also be dealt with here...
But how can we know?
Obedience to God leads to knowledge of God’s truth.
Obedience, knowledge & love…
Blind faith? No, willing obedience...
D.A. Carson: “Divine revelation can only be assessed...from the inside. From that perspective the person who chooses to do God’s will discovers that Jesus’ teaching articulates it, that Jesus does not speak on his own but as the Word of God.”
Jesus didn’t come seeking His own glory, but the glory of God.
John 7:19-20
They are law breakers because they wanted to kill Jesus.
The crowds are confused, mainly because they knew nothing of the plot against Jesus. Therefore, they think that He’s paranoid.
Rejection #6: Jesus was not in His right mind, but His followers later developed myths about Him in order to keep the movement going.
Rejection #6: Jesus was not in His right mind, but His followers later developed myths about Him in order to keep the movement going.
Those who state this are typically like the crowds of Jesus day…they don’t have all the facts!
Most who claim this have not really studying the Scriptures.
Sometimes they are just regurgitating things they heard from others...
Sometimes they’ve read writings by people, yet didn’t read with a critical eye and refuse to listen to answers to the challenges raised...
Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code...
Sometimes they believe what they believe because they don’t want to let go of something they cherish more...
Sometimes they are just intellectually lazy...
John 7:21-23
Jesus points to the healing He did when He was last in Jerusalem. John 5:1-17
And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
He points out an inconsistency in their practice and their belief: they wanted to kill Him because He healed a man on the Sabbath and was claiming equality with God, yet they circumcise a child on the Sabbath when the Sabbath fell on the eighth day.
Wasn’t the entire person more important than just one part?
Rejection #7: Jesus was a law breaker.
Rejection #7: Jesus was a law breaker.
False. Jesus was the law giver. He broke their traditions that were now becoming more important than the law and the spirit of the law.
John 7:24
The religious leaders judged Jesus as a law breaker because He appeared to be breaking their traditions. In truth, they didn’t really seek to do God’s will, and thus they didn’t understand that His teaching is from God.
How could they judge with right judgment?
By truly desiring to do the will of God through obedience, knowledge and love.
And, that same encouragement stands for us today to, even in the face of the modern rejections we will face.
Obey Jesus in spite of the rejections...
Learn more about Jesus in spite of the rejections...
Love Jesus enough to cling tightly to Him in the face of the rejections...