In Due Time

If you have a bible this morning please turn to John Chapter 7. I have titled this message this morning, “In Due Time” As we get into todays text much time has passed in between chapter 6 and Chapter 7. Most people believe this was around 6 to 7 months after the last interaction we had back in chapter 6, but before read the text this morning , I want to pray for our time today if you would pray with me…

John 7:1–13 ESV

1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee. 10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

Main point I have for you this morning is this.

Jesus accomplishes all his goals in due time.

Just as a reminder in due time means eventually at the appropriate time.

God works on his own time. And during his ministry the disciples and many others wanted Jesus to do things on their time. Not much different from today is it? In this text we see Jesus own brothers try to get Jesus to show himself to his disciples in the most important religious space, Judea, Jerusalem. And they are trying to get him to go when people from all over would come to that place.

The time was the feast of booths, or as some of your translations may say the feast of Tabernacles. This was an important time for the people of Israel. To better understand what was going on let us look at Lv 23:33-36 and see it for ourselves…

Leviticus 23:33–36 ESV

33 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the Lord. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 36 For seven days you shall present food offerings to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.

Leviticus 23:39–43 ESV

39 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. 40 And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. 41 You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

This event was a reminder of what the Lord has done for the people of Israel. Now Jesus brothers told Jesus he should go.

John 7:3–5 ESV

3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.

We don’t know the intentions of the brothers, all we know is they don’t believe in him. They dont have saving faith in him, at least not in the moment. Who knows what signs Jesus has preformed that they saw or did not see.

They appear to be like many of the disciples in the last chapter that left Jesus after his sayings were tough, but maybe they in their mind if Jesus went up to the place where the religious elites are, and many of his disciples then he will be validated among the people. And cause them to believe.

And also have his biggest crowds, who could see the signs and wonders he did, and have those people tell others that Jesus is here doing incredible things that no-one else could do, in the place where Gods temple is.

A place where Jesus could really make a name for himself, where he could truly show himself off to world.One man said, “ like so many of the superficial disciples we have already seen in John. they in 2:23–25; 6:60ff., could not perceive the significance of what they saw, and therefore did not penetrate to Jesus’ real identity and entrust themselves entirely to him.” They did not believe in him, and rather than Jesus taking the bait and going to Jerusalem he tells them something else.

The first thing I want you to take note of today is this…

Gods timing is always best.

John 7:6–9 ESV

6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

Jesus does things on his time, as we have learned throughout our study of John so far, Jesus was about the fathers timeline, not the Pharisees, not the disciples, not even his own brothers timeline.

The brothers were unbelieving, and they could have thought if Jesus does these great things among the people of God during this festival then maybe we will believe him, but we what we learned back in chapter 6 is that even if they saw it they would not believe unless they are changed by God.

The brothers thought like most of us would in that circumstance, thinking what would we do if we were Jesus, but they are not God, and at that time did not understand his mission, and his mission was done on God’s timing. And his time to go up to Jerusalem to proclaim that he was who he said he was was not yet. But the brothers could go, infact Jesus said there time is always here.

The time was here because they belonged not to God, but to the world, and the world hates Jesus.

We will see this later on in John, but for now ill read it to you. John 15:18-19

John 15:18–19 ESV

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

And we know they belong to the world, because they want to do things there way, and on there own time.

Jesus tells his brothers that the world hates them, because he testifies of there evil work. And him testifying about there evil works was one of the primary reasons they wanted to kill him.

You don’t often meet people who like to be confronted with there sin, but Jesus did that. He exposed the Jews, and the word of God does the same for us.. I read a tweet this week by Shane Pruitt and he said, If the bible never offends you, most likely your not reading it right.

The reason so many missed Jesus is because they did not understand the scriptures, and the reason so many hated Jesus is because he exposed there darkness, just like the word of God does.

If you remember John 3:19-20

John 3:19–20 ESV

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

And Jesus exposed the people’s sin on his own time, and in his own way. And people hated him for it.

After explaining this to his brothers they went to the feast, but Jesus said he is not going to the feast yet. His time has not fully come.

Now his time to go the feast was not what Jesus was talking about. He is referring to cross, to his death, to his resurrection, to his ascension.

Galatians 4:4 ESV

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

Jesus time in coming to earth to save his people was the right time, and the best time, and his brothers, and his disciples who wanted Jesus to do things on there time failed to understand God’s time. And in God’s perfect time he will fulfill all his goals.

The text does not say he didn’t go the feast, but he went going about it in his own way. For a time he remained in Galilee, but in his own time he went to the feast, after his brothers left.

Notice it says he left in private not publically. He did the opposite of what his brothers wanted him to do. He took a different path than the world wanted. And he did it in his own time, in his own way.

Gods timing is always best

Second thing I want you to take note of this morning is this.

God reveals himself in due time.

The text says the Jews were looking for him at the feast. The Jews who were looking for him, where looking to kill him. The Jews had more power in this area, because in Galilee Harod Antipas had the power there, and thought if he came they could put him to death, but others were wondering for themselves where was Jesus? They were there and were grumbling and muttering about him.

And there was definitely a difference of opinion about him. Some said he was a good man, others, said he was leading the people astray.

Two pollar opposite things, and still both sides could not be further from accurately describing who Christ is.

Yet they did not opening talk about him, because there was this growing fear of there own persecution if they did so. Beginning to also sound like our day.

Jesus is going to reveal himself to the people soon in this text, we will see it next week, and later on in this book he will be seen in a new light then they see him now, but Jesus reveals himself to his people through his word and by the power of the Holy Spirit in his timing. Not theres in his own, and for us we have to understand there is much application to learn from today.

Third thing I want you to take note of is this…

Believers are to fulfill there ministry in God’s timing

Before I was called to pastor this church God had me doing a variety of different things. He called me to go to college, bible college, seminary. To help prepare me for this assignment he has for me today, and he did that in his timing.

He called me to serve the church in a variety of ways, through teaching children, adults. through discipling men, all on his time. Often I was like the brothers and wanted him to do things on my timing, and still struggle with this as well. and I think about this church and I want him to send more people who don’t know Christ here so we can help them know him, connect people who have left the church, but he does things on his own time. But I am to fulfill the ministry God has before me in the time he has giving me.

I look out among the people, and think about those who may be joining us online, and those who might not be here today or those who are serving in the nursery, and think about how each and every one of us has a ministry.

I think about how we have lezlea and her dance studio, on her website it says this… FootWorks is a Christian based studio. We use Secular and Christian music in our classrooms.  All our materials and music reflect our wholesome family values.  We believe that Dance can be used as a powerful praise tool and that God has given us the ability to tell a story with our bodies.  Without the influence of the  Lord our studio would not be in existence.  We give all the credit and praise to Jesus Christ.

She gets to show Christ to those who might not know him. I think about her husband who had 5 daughters, and a wife that he has the opportunity to pour into them. Two of his daughters attend here and serve the church, and serve the community as teachers, and as ambassadors of Christ where God has called them.

I think about Kevin, and Bryan and how God calls them uniquely to work around those who don’t know him, and how as fathers can minister to there children, and family

I think about Audrey and Corey who both work with and around so many people who probably dont know Christ, and they can be a witness for him , and how they bring there grandchildren to church often, and how that shapes there hearts and future.

I think about Emily and Dustin who both work to support themselves, and a son they truly love and can show Christ to.

I think about the Winslows, who we have three generations of them in this place, and some who join us online, because they can’t physically come, and how they love the Lord and seek to serve the church in a variety of ways..

I think about Lois, and how dedication to serve and love the church is still happening even at the age of 103. A incredible encouragement to me, and others here.

I think about my mom, and the transformation in her life, because the Lord is so gracious.

I think about my wife, and the ministry opportunities she has church, at work and at home with our daughter Isabella.

If I did not mention you it does not mean that I did not think of you I only have so much time to preach, before people start looking at there watches.. But I think about all the kids, and families that walk through our door on Wednesday nights, Sunday Mornings that need the gospel, I think about how we as a church have a message and a mission to reach those around us with the gospel, and how God has graciously given us time to fulfill our own mission.

Jesus accomplishes all his goals in due time. And his goal for us is that we would use the time he has given us to fulfill our ministry.

I have said this before, and I will continue to say this until the Lord calls me home. Only you can live the life God has called you to.

Jesus had a mission no-one could carry out let that be clear.... but you have a mission God has giving you to live out. So use your time to fulfill your own ministry.

Believers are to fulfill there ministry in God’s timing

A second application this morning is this.. and its more of a motivation to fulfill your ministry.

God turns enemies of God into faithful servants in his time.

Prior to knowing Christ, we are all enemies of God. Each and every one of us. In the scripture we see radical transformations of those who previously did not know Christ. Paul had that radical change on the road to Damascus. But you know else who was changed? Jesus unbelieving brothers.

Could you image growing up with Jesus. The Guy was perfect? He did not Sin. He is that rare family member you see that follows his parents perfectly, follows God perfectly, but does it better. It is believed that he was taking care of his family with his carpentry work.

And the brothers I am sure were like who is this guy? Claiming to be the Son of God? Doing things we have never see him do until recently? We dont believe our own brother can be the Christ. There is no way…

But that changed one day after the resurrection.

Acts 1:14 ESV

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The brothers who were not believers, became devoted to Christ. Talk about a work of God, some of the hardest people to reach are family members, often because they know your worst. But Jesus died for the worst, and that included his brothers, and that death brought about a change in them so radically that the became devoted to someone they once probably despised.

But do you want to know something more incredible about one of his brothers he wrote the book of James. And Paul said in the book of Galatians that he was a pillar of the faith, which included Peter, and John the same John who wrote this book and 4 others.

James would become the leader for the church in Jerusalem up until the point he was killed for his faith.

In James 1:1

James 1:1 ESV

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

James who was not a believer was so changed by God that he himself referred to his own brother has Lord. I would never call one of my brothers Lord, but James by the power of God seen that Jesus was the Lord Jesus Christ.

And how could all this happened you might asked? Because God’s timing is best, because God revealed himself in due time, because believers fulfilled there ministry in God’s timing, and God turned an enemy of God into a faithful servant.

Many of us have people that we know and love who are closest to us that don’t know Jesus, and I am encouraging you to fulfill your ministry. Be an example to him, live as so God has called you. Dont give up…

Many of my biggest issues are that, I so often don’t follow Jesus and his plan on my life, because I am distracted by the things of the world, and not focused on the mission he has for me.

I want to encourage you to think about what God has given you, who God has given you, and what he has called you to, and fulfill that mission. Our mission as a church is to EXALT the Savior , EVANGELIZE the Sinner , EQUIP the Saints , EDUCATE for Maturity , ENCOURAGE one Another. I want you to think about how you can be actively involved in that mission using the time God has given you.

We have lots of things coming up, easter, vbs, falls creek, and just everyday ministry. Think about how you can be involved, both physically and financially.

But maybe listened to this message today, and thought I dont know Christ. The time I have had on earth is evidence I dont him. I belong to the world, and go along with what it thinks about Jesus, and doing that means your works are evil. Our catechism this month says.. Ought every one to believe there is a God?A. Every one ought to believe there is a God, and it is their great sin and folly who do not. The sin of unbelief the brothers had, and many in this world has, and because of that there is condemnation for those who do not believe. You might say.. I haven’t given must thought to knowing him, well in the text today Jesus said his time had not fully come, but it would come, and when it did he went to the cross, and died for his children, and his children are all those who repent of there sins, and trust in Christ alone for salvation.

If you don’t know him today, the time is now when your life can change forever.

Every week we have a time of response. I want to invite you to respond today. If that means you want to know Christ by faith, then praise the Lord, if you want to take a step of obedience and be baptized, or join this church or just need prayer. Respond how the Lord leads you today.

And know that Jesus accomplishes all his goals in due time.

Let us pray!!!