Jesus comes out boldly proclaiming that if anyone thirsts, they should come to Him. People are confused as to who Jesus is, creating tension in the city. A tension that is still felt today.
John 7: Jesus at the Feast of Booths
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.
14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.
15 The Jews therefore marvelled, 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."
Can This Be the Christ?
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill?
26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from."
28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.
29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me."
30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?"
Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.
33 Jesus then said, "I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me.
34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come."
35 The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
36 What does he mean by saying, 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, 'Where I am you cannot come'?"
Rivers of Living Water
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Division Among the People
40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This really is the Prophet."
41 Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?
42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"
43 So there was a division among the people over him.
44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?"
46 The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!"
47 The Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived?
48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."
50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them,
51 "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?"
52 They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee."
Things to think about…
In Jn 7:1-7 we see Jesus saying to His brothers that He would not go up to the feast because His time had not yet come. But He does end up going. We would not charge Jesus with lying, but He did disguise Himself because of the heightened emotion and misunderstanding about who He was. This misunderstanding about Jesus and misplaced emotion still goes on today of course. Our role is to continue to show and tell others about the truth about who Jesus really is. But in all things we need to be discerning as to who the Lord is drawing, lest we suffer unduly or be guilty of throwing pearls before pigs.
Jesus goes up to the temple and begins teaching Jn 7:15-24. His teaching causes division among the people who are confused about His identity. Some say He was the Prophet, others the Christ. The Jews and the Pharisees argued that He could not be the Christ because no prophet arises out of Galilee. They had obviously not read Isaiah 9 and 11 in the right light – these passages speak about a light coming from Zebulun and Naphtali. These areas are in Galilee, in the north of Israel. There are still divisions today about the Messiah and on the Temple Mount, especially when there is a time of celebration of Jerusalem’s liberation back to Israel. There is an increased calling for the temple to be built in Israel, but sadly not an increase to know the One whose body is the temple.
In Jn 7:37, 38 Jesus stands up and proclaims about the rivers of living water. We know in the Millennium a river of life will flow both east and west from Christ’s temple, flowing both to the Mediterranean sea and bringing life into the Dead Sea as prophesied by Ezekiel 47:1-12 and Zechariah 14:8. Christ’s words are to be taken literally and spiritually. We are His representatives and sources of life where our words give life to others who are in desperate need of Christ’s living water.
Christ’s words always bring division, Jn 7:40 -52. To some His words are the smell of life and to others the stench of death. In this world there are believers and unbelievers. There are simply no other options. Jesus put it very plainly “If you are not for me, you are against Me”, Mt 12:30, Lk 11:23.
Were the Jews right when replying to Nicodemus in saying “"Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee." Jn 7:52. Nicodemus’ eyes were being opened. We can see from this interaction that Nicodemus is wrestling with how his fellow leaders were applying the law in the light of the witness and ministry of Jesus. These leaders did not discern the prophet Isaiah when he said “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” Isa 9:1,2. The light of Christ shone on them as prophesied, but many rejected the light. Fortunately Nicodemus did not.
Vision Point
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Questions for Cell groups
Sunday’s sermon, “For God so loved the world” came from John 3:1-21 by Ps Jay.
1. We find it hard to imagine how Nicodemus would have heard the words “You must be born again”. Explain what Jesus meant when He said you must be born of the water and the Spirit? This involves 2 births. Explain each according to how you understand it.
2. The wind, the “Spirit” blows where it wishes. Describe your understanding of what Jesus meant. Do we have any role to play in our conversion if the wind blows where it wishes? Surely when we ask Jesus into our lives it involves us. What do you think?
3. Nicodemus clearly got the message. He is seen wrapping the body of Jesus after His crucifixion along with Joseph of Arimathea. Both became unclean touching a dead criminal’s body. Describe your understanding of who Nicodemus was and why this was a courageous act. What has your own conversion cost you?
4. Pray that many might be “born again” in our city. Pray for your cell group and the church building and outreach that we achieve our Vision/Mission as a church.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for Queensland that we do not see any more Corona virus cases as restrictions are lifted. Pray for Victoria and NSW as borders close, but virus cases rise.
2. Pray for our church services now meeting together and our streaming that both can continue to be done well every Sunday.
3. Continue to pray for our government for wisdom and economic management.
4. Sunday’s fb live messages and for Kids church. The message this week – “I am the resurrection” John 11 – Pr Jay.
5. Our online Chuwar Kids at church program – that our kids still feel connected to church and love worshipping Him.
6. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
7. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times. Pray especially for people to be stable with respect to mental health.
Praise Points.
1. The joy in returning to church last Sunday. Pray for more to join us.
2. Church picnic/bbq - Wonderful time together. Thank you one and all.
3. Last of our money blessed from Mallacoota fire donations. Will show it this Sunday.
4. Finances being maintained and donation to Café roof. Thankyou!
1. One service at 9:30am Every Sunday morning. This service will also be live streamed. No hand shakes or hugs are allowed. Hand sanitizer is to be used, tables will be wiped and chairs arranged for appropriate distancing. Families can of course sit together.
2. Cell groups can meet up – Ask for details as to how and what is required.
3. New church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Kids Church now streamed live at 9:00am every Sunday morning via CBC’s fb page. Will be run in the house for the 10am service starting on the 12th July.
