Pride Hates Competition

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John 7:14–24 (ESV) — 14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Intro

Context

Feast of Booths v.2 — This was a memorial to God’s grace and plans and provision as He provided ‘for the Hebrews in the wilderness. A time to celebrate the good plans of God.

“Remember that time in our history? Remember how God provided? Remember how faithful He was and is?” This is what it should have been about.

But we are told that at this feast the Jews there were seeking to kill him v.1.

Which Jews? They were all Jews. — The leaders - scribes

Jesus didn’t enter like his brother wanted him to. Jesus’ brothers were seeking glory through power and works

Jesus has already offended these people by his works, his breaking of the Sabbath, and his hard teachings, but in this text he offends them in a new way.

You know when you put a pot on the stove and right before it boils you can see the little bubbles starting to form. That’s where we are now. And a good way to get your beans on the ceiling is to turn up the heat and tighten the lid down. And that’s what’s happening here.

Important questions to consider

John 7:14–15 (ESV) — 14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

“In that day and culture, the teachers are at the top of the pecking order" - Ben Merkle

They ask “how is it that this man has learning when he has never studied.” What they meant was, where is this guy’s authority? What seminary did he go to? What are his bona fides?

Matthew 7:28–29 (ESV) — 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Theme of the morning: Pride hates competition

Could you imagine if at the olympics right now someone walked in off the street and dominated the competition in gymnastics but had never trained a day in their life? Do you think the other athletes who have given their lives to the discipline of their sport would be happy about this?

Maybe this is a clue as to why Jesus would go up to this festival privately? Jesus was possibly avoiding a premature triumphal entry. Something that really got the pot boiling.

Most prophets or teachers root their authority in others: “Thus sayeth the Lord”, but Jesus often says, “but I say to you”. The scribes would make great efforts to cite their sources, but Jesus astounds/enrages them by His own wisdom. Scribes used these sources to prove that their teaching was in line with proper tradition and precedent. But Jesus’ authority comes not from tradition but from the Father Himself.

Think about a supreme court justice who isn’t citing precedent but citing themselves “I say to you...”

John 7:16 (ESV) — 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

Jesus always glorifies the Father.

What does the truth sound like? It may sound funny when a man doesn’t need to prove himself or pride himself. — The aim of Jesus’ teaching is to glorify The Father. This radical humility rubs the fur of the prideful the wrong way.

He is neither a religious charlatan nor a respected religious leader with inevitably mixed motives. He is as trustworthy as his motives are unmixed. If Jesus were simply trying to persuade others to his views, he would seek whatever means seemed most effective. In fact he has utterly rejected such pragmatism (1 D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 313.)

John 7:17 (ESV) — 17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

Here’s the key as to why these men were so mad. Here’s the key as to why they were so blind. They were pursuing their own will and their own glory. When Jesus comes seeking God’s will and God’s glory, they don’t recognize it. They are challenged by it. They can’t comprehend it.

Jesus is saying that if you are confused about who he is and what he teaches, you will not understand him with your mind unless your will is God’s will. That is, we understand Jesus’ message when our appetites/desires/wants, etc. align with God’s will and not our own wills. Our brains are conformed to our bellies - what we desire. And what these men desire, what their will is, is their own glory. Their pride blinds them to the truth.

This goes back to what Andrew and I have been teaching for the past few weeks. Salvation doesn’t come through the intellect or self-will. Salvation is a miracle. God must give us, as scripture frequently references, a heart of flesh that feels correctly over the heart of stone that is cold and dead and full of self.

Scripture Survey on The Will:

John 8:42–47 (ESV) — 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV) — 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Matthew 16:17 (ESV) — 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 8:7–8 (ESV) — 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

John 7:18 (ESV) — 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

John 5:41–47 (ESV) — 41 I do not receive glory from people. 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. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

They can’t even recognize God’s work or ways or will because they desire self-glory.

Christianity is God-oriented and God-glorifying. Our authority is not a pope, or a tradition, or a dynamic speaker, or a committee, but our authority derives from God. We want to plead for our blinders to come off, leaning not on our own understanding, but in all of our ways acknowledging Him.

Speak to Ordo Amoris

Illustration

John 7:19–24 (ESV) — 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

They don’t have right judgement - they would rather a man to continue in suffering to uphold the law than to heal a man on the Sabbath day - a day designed for healing.

What is this like in our time?

Closing:

Think of the lords prayer: gods will be done

The chief Christian virtue is humility and thanksgiving

Have we seen Jesus?

Have we glorified Jesus?

Have we illustrated Jesus?