Wednesday in the Word...John 7.1-9 - Let's go to the party!

Our Wednesday in the Word today deals with John chapter 7 and verses 1 through 9, which read,

v.1, 2

After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, 

for He was unwilling to walk in Judea 

because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.  

Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near.

Those more learned that I say there is about a 6 month gap between the end of chapter 6 and the start of chapter 7.  In chapter 6 Jesus is celebrating the Passover in the Jerusalem area, roughly the month of April, and now it is the time of the Feast of Booths which is roughly October.  Those in Judea, the south, want Jesus dead but it is not the time for that to happen so we find Jesus in the north, in Galilee, continuing God's perfect plan.  This festival was the most popular celebrating the harvest of grapes and olives and remembering the trek in the wilderness from Egypt to the Promise Land.  Those who were able would be traveling south to celebrate this festival in the holy city of Jerusalem.

v.3, 4

Therefore His brothers said to Him, 

"Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.  

For no one does anything in secret 

when he himself seeks to be known publicly.  

If you do these things, show Yourself to the world."  

Jesus' half brothers are with Him at this time.  Matthew chapter 13 and verse 55 gives us their names:  James, Joseph, Simon and Judas.  His brothers are urging Him to go south and get where the population was most concentrated and show what He can do.  It would be like us saying to someone that you need to go to the streets of Chicago or New York City to be seen by more people than the streets of Oglesby or Jonesville.  

We don't know their motives for suggesting this.  It could be to see another miracle.  Maybe it was a platform to point a finger back to themselves that they were related to the miracle worker.  The crowds pressured Jesus to be their earthly king and this could be the thought of His brothers also.  What they suggest is what the world promotes.  Get on a soap box so you can be seen, so you can be popular, so you can promote how great you really are.  Print up some cards; put out some signs; and shake as many hands as possible.

v.5-7 

For not even His brothers were believing in Him.  

So Jesus said to them, 

"My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me 

because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil."

What a piece of information about Jesus' own half brothers and their spiritual condition.  They would not believe in Him until after the resurrection as it says in Acts chapter 1 and verse 14,

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

And also in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 7 which reads,

...then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;...

James mentioned here is the half-brother of Jesus and not James the apostle.  

God has a plan and it has a time.  Jesus echos His words to His mother at the wedding in Cana.  He is right where He is at because it is not the right time, God's time, to be in Jerusalem.  The world's time is always right now.  Immediate satisfaction is the name of the game for the world.  Why wait?  You could have it now for 3 easy payments of $19.95.  

If you are of the world, the world will love you.  But if you are of God, the world will hate you because you will tell them of God's words which expose our sin.  We don't like to be told what we are doing wrong.  Jesus was speaking a very unpopular message.  

Does this sound familiar, in our world today, for the Christian who holds to what the Bible says?   

v.8, 9

"Go up to the feast yourselves; 

I do not go up to this feast because 

My time has not yet fully come."  

Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

End of discussion about this matter.  Jesus tells His half brothers that they could go if they wanted but He would stay put.  There would be a time when Jesus was back in Jerusalem and it would be a time that His time would fully come.  It would be when He was placed on a cross and buried in a grave to rise 3 days later as resurrected.  Jesus gives obedience to God's plan in the face of the world's temptation to change it.

Galatians chapter 4 and verses 4 and 5 says,

But when the fullness of the time came,

God sent forth His Son,

born of a woman, born under the Law,

so that He might redeem those who were under the Law,

that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Are we walking in accordance to God's plan?  Are we attentive to how God says we are to live and living it out in the midst of a world that would love us to join their side?  Are we looking forward to our time fully coming as when we will see Jesus face to face?  Does that reality dictate our words and actions?  Whatever it is, could it be the popular thing to do in the world's eyes and they would love you for it or would you would realize that God loves you and gives you the way to live that is unpopular at times.  Will you stay in the north because He says so or will you join the party in the south?  Let us pray.

"Heavenly Father help us again today to see Your plan for our lives.  May we take the time to speak with You as our God.  May we read Your words which renews our minds to Your ways set for us to follow.  May we fellowship with others who are also staying in the north because You have said to.  Lord, help us to not be enticed by the love of the world for the world.  Amen."

Pastor Adam