Jesus at the Festival of the Shelters

Background: the Festival of shelters was one of the three pilgrimage shelters where all Jewish men were required to travel to Jerusalem. While they were in Jerusalem they would live in temporary shelters seven days that they themselves would construct out of branches.

This festival was to remind them of God’s provision for the nation of Israel while wandering in the the wilderness and God’s faithfulness in bringing them out of the wilderness and into the promise land.

Because it was such an important festival any body who was anybody would come and teach during the 7 days.

In this chapter of John we will see Jesus uses the phrase “my time has not yet come”

I. Why Does the World Hate Jesus? John 7:1-9

John 7:1–9 CSB

1 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 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, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.

Jesus was spending some time with his brothers when they told him in a sarcastic tone to go to the festival and do something miraculous openly so that your disciples know who are. Or make a big scene and reveal yourself.

Look at Jesus answer.

John 7:6–9 CSB

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, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.

The first thing that I want you to notice is that the world hates Jesus.

Now if you ask the average person if they hate Jesus they will most likely tell you no.

Why? Because their Jesus is the little baby in the manger who grows up to love everyone and never judges anyone.

However this is not the Jesus of the Bible.

Again these are Jesus own words heres. What does Jesus say about himself?

John 7:7 CSB

7 The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil.

Jesus is a direct witness against the worlds wickedness.

You see the world hates the Jesus of the Bible because he openly exposes the sin and testifies against it.

You see this is a far cry from the Jesus that never judges. This is a far cry from the cute little baby in the stall that is so meek and gentle that he would never pronounce judgement against a person’s action or lifestyle.

If Jesus testified against evil while he was on earth, one can be sure that he will certainly testify against it when he is seated next to the father with the nail scars in his hands.

The world hates the biblical Jesus because he is holy and he exposes sin.

I was just having this conversation with Noah the other day.

As a follower of Jesus we have to accept the idea and be okay with people not accepting us because we are followers of Jesus.

If we strive for holiness than our very lifestyle testifies against sin.

We can see that the tide is changing in the attitude toward followers of “The Way”. It is most likely not going to be easier to live out ones faith.

We have to accept that idea or your life as a disciple of Christ will be ineffective because you will live in constant fear of man’s approval.

Just Look at the crowds mixed reaction to Jesus leading up to his death. You can see that the tide was changing by what people were saying.

John 7:10–13 CSB

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.

I believe we to are in this same stage. There are many that say Jesus and his followers are deceiving people. It’s all a lie. Then there are a few that are still saying “no, they are good people”. But remember that in a few short weeks that the whole crowd would be yelling , “crucify Him.”

The next thing I want you to see is this.

II. Recognition of truth begins with the Will.

John 7:14 CSB

14 When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach.

In case some of you are confused from what Jesus told his brothers at the beginning of the chapter. Jesus didn’t go to the festival like his brothers instructed but rather about half-way through the festival he went to Jerusalem to the temple. This is not a contradiction for most of the festival took place outside. It would be like someone asking confusing the idea of you saying you aren’t going to See-wee outdoor festival with you simply being in Charleston during the same time. They are not the same thing.

John 7:15–19 CSB

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?”

So the Jews are amazed at Jesus knowledge of the law and his ability to expound scriptures. Jesus didn’t attend the same schools as the scribes or pharisees yet new more of the bible than they did and understood its applications.

But look what Jesus says next in John 7:16

John 7:16 CSB

16 Jesus answered them, “My teaching isn’t mine but is from the one who sent me.

John 7:17 CSB

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.

So many people struggle with this idea of what is the truth?

But a better question is Do I really want to do God’s will?

You see it isn’t until a person’s will is submitted to the Lord that the truth really even matters.

What good does it do anyone to know the truth if they are unwilling to obey God in it?

So many people are walking away from the truth of God’s word not because it isn’t plain to see but because they do not want to do the will of God.

In denominations that have become apostate you see this same pattern.

It starts with wanting to be accepted by popular culture.

The next step is then reinventing interpretations of scripture based upon modern context.

Followed by the Bible cannot be taken literally but is simply a collection of allegories to teach us how to love.

Then the spiral toward apostasy continues.

So my question for you church family is this…

Do you really want the will of God for your life?

I mean do you really desire it. Because if you do than there are certain things you have to accept.

1. Culture is not your friend. If you strive for holiness and teach truth you will be seen as the enemy. The tide is rapidly changing.

2. The will of God is not just simply to be good, but rather Jesus having absolute authority and control over your daily life.

3. This will be hard, at times painful, yet amazingly joyful. Its a strange paradox.

4. You will repeatedly fail yet God’s grace will pick you back up and give you the strength to continue pursuing Him.

5. You are not alone. The community of Christ, the gathering is here to walk beside you every step of the way.