The feast of Tabernacles (3 things)

• 1^st – Standing up for Jesus… vs. 1-13 (4 things)
  • 1^st – It was time for the Feast of Tabernacles… vs. 1-2
    • Part of the 3 fall festivals of Israel – Rosh Hashanah / Yom Kippur / Succoth…
      • It was a weeklong feast to give thanks for the fall grain and grape harvests…
      • It also commemorated the 40-year wilderness wandering of Israel…
      • Booths were constructed from palm branches as joyful reminders…
      • The temporary housing used by their forefathers during the Exodus…

• A festival meant to show this is not our home – we are just passing through…
• Hebrews 11:13-16 – “[We are] strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a home… that is, a heavenly country.”
• If we think this is our home ~ that the 70+/- years we have is what matters…
• We will miss the blessing of what God wants to do through/in our lives…
• Joy comes when we realize this is not out home – that Heaven is our address!
• 6 months had passed since the feeding of the 5000…
  • The events of John 6 took place around the feast of Passover – March / April…
  • The feast of Tabernacles takes place in the month of October…
  • Jesus had spent much of that time ‘hiding out’ in the area of Lebanon…
  • Because healing the Lame man on the Sabbath really upset the leaders – John 5…
  • Even now a year and a half later they were still looking to kill Him!

• 2^nd – Jesus returned to the Galilee… vs. 3-5
  • Jesus half brothers – tried to convince Jesus to go to Jerusalem for the Festival…
    • It would do Jesus no good to do miracles in secret – He needed to show the world!
    • They wanted Jesus to make a ‘grand entrance’ – proclaim He was the Messiah…
    • But His brothers said these things sarcastically – because they did not believe…
  • I am sure Jesus felt like the whole world was against Him…
    • The religious leaders sought to kill Jesus because He healed the lame man…
      • Most of His disciples had left Him because of His hard teachings – John 6…
      • Now even Jesus’ family was turning against Him and mocking Him…
    • I Kings 19 – Elijah ran for his life – when evil queen Jezebel wanted his head…
      • He thought he was the only one left – and so wanted to give up…
        • When everyone we know does not want to go to church – or hear about Jesus…
        • When we are under constant pressure to conform to the world around us…
        • It is easy sometimes to think we stand alone – the whole world against us…
      • But Elijah was not alone – God had 7000 men faithful to Him – I Kings 19:18
        • We do not stand alone – God always has a remnant that stands with us…
        • We may not know till we get to heaven – just how many people really love Jesus…
        • But no matter how dark/difficult things seem to be – we are never alone…
        • In fact – often it is when we stand up for Jesus – other will stand up too!
• 3^rd – Hated by the world… vs. 6-9
  • Jesus refused to go – because it was not ‘His time’ – referring to His death…
    • The brothers could go to the feast at anytime – the world did not hate them…
    • But Jesus had to be careful – because the world hated Him – and wanted to kill Him…
    • Jesus would make a ‘Triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem – but it would end at the cross!
  • The world hates Jesus because He convicts the world of sin and righteousness…
    • If it were not for Jesus men could do whatever they wanted without consequence…
    • Like a light shining in the darkness – Jesus reveals the sin of the world…
    • Because men LOVE sin they hate the light that reveals their sinfulness…
    • They do not want their sin to be revealed – they do not want to come into the light!
    • They would rather have their sin – than eternal life with God in Heaven!
    • If you are wondering where your walk with the Lord is – examine yourself…
    • Stand in the light of Christ and be honest about the sin in your life…
    • I John 1:7 – “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
• 4^th – Different opinion about Jesus… vs. 10-13
  • After Jesus’ brothers went up to the feast – Jesus followed secretly…
    • Jesus knew it was not His time – but He still needed to attend the festival…
    • The Law required every man 20 years or older to attend – Deuteronomy 16:16
  • The Religious leaders tried to find Jesus – asking anyone if they had seen Him…
    • There were some among the crowd who argued Jesus was a ‘good man’…
      • But the were afraid to speak out publically for fear of the religious leaders…
      • It is not enough to believe in Jesus – we must stand up for Jesus…
• There is always a temptation to want to blend into the crowd – to be accepted…

• If we are not willing to take a stand for Jesus today… 
• He will not stand for us before the ‘Judgment seat of God’ – Luke 12:9
• But there were other who said Jesus was a fraud – deceiving the people…
  • When we stand up for Jesus – people will try to make us look bad…
  • People will attempt to discredit you through spreading untrue rumors…
  • Dave Matthews – was accused of being the cause of bagios hitting his Island…
  • The purpose is to justify why they are unwilling to come around or listen to you…
  • It is also to try and keep others away from hearing the Gospel
• 2^nd – How to test a teaching… vs. 14-24
  • 1^st – Testing the teacher… vs. 14-18
    • Half way through the weeklong feast – Jesus stood up and began to teach…
      • Jesus could only keep quiet so long – there were people who needed to hear…
      • We know there is only one way to get to heaven – and only one alternative – hell…
      • Knowing the truth – how can we hold back from sharing – how can we keep silent!
      • Jeremiah 20:9 – “His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.”
    • The people marveled at Jesus teaching…
      • Jesus had never been to school – yet he was more ‘learned’ than the scholars!
      • Jesus answered that His doctrine was not His own – but the one who sent Him…

• Men tend to look for the diploma on the wall – to validate their ability to teach…
• But I am not a big fan of Bible college / seminaries…
• They tend to fill their students with the ideas of men – religious doctrines…
• But a good teacher does not teach his ideas – he teaches the Word of God!

When that one person says yes – even the Angels in heaven rejoice!

Testing the heart of the listener…

Only those who want to follow God – will know if a teaching is from God…

One reason why many people are deceived by false teachings…

Is because they want to be – they do not want to know the truth…

People flock to teachers who tell them God wants them to be healthy and wealthy…

Not because it is true – but because they want to be healthy and wealthy!

They prefer false teachings because it is what they want to hear!

Putting a teacher to the test…

If someone teaches their knowledge to impress others – false teaching…

Only those who teach to give glory to God – say what is true!

Many ‘Pastors’ teach for their own glory – to show how much they know…

But the power comes when a Pastor teaches the Word of God…

Not so that people will marvel at Him – but instead give glory to God!

2^nd – Think about what is being taught… vs. 19-24

Jesus asked the crowd – ‘why do you want to kill me’…

The accusation was Jesus broke the Law of Moses – healing on the Sabbath…

But Jesus points out that no one is able to keep the Law of Moses…

Romans 3:20 – “No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.”

Be willing to ask questions…

The people responded – ‘you must have a devil – who wants to kill you’…

Keep in mind there was a huge crowd from all over in Jerusalem for the feast…

Jesus had also not been in Jerusalem for over a year and a half…

Many in the crowd likely had no idea that the Religious leaders wanted Him dead…

So rather than look into the truth – they just assumed Jesus was possessed…

More often than not when people do not understand something – they assume…

And more often than not their assumptions are WAY OFF  – ‘Jesus possessed’…

There are always going to be things in the Bible / about God we do not understands

If we have a hard time understanding the Word of God – ask questions…

Assumptions will only get us into trouble – answered questions give us the truth!

Take the time to examine the teaching…

According to the Law – a baby had to be circumcised on the 8^th day – Leviticus 12:3

If the 8^th day happened to be the Sabbath – they still circumcised the baby…

So they Jews kept the law of circumcision only by breaking the law of the Sabbath!

Yet Jesus was accused because He healed ONE man on the Sabbath day…

He broke the Sabbath to keep another Law – ‘Love your neighbor’ – Leviticus 19:18!

And to love your neighbor is a far greater command than to circumcise!

Obvious – but no one took the time to think about what was being taught…

Too often men believe what they are told – because they are looking to a person…

We should not just accept the words of preacher – no matter who is teaching…

If we only know what the preacher has told us – then our faith is in their words…

But if we seek the Bible for the answers – then our faith is in the Word! 

Acts 17:11 – “Search the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things are so.”

3^rd – The reaction of the crowds… vs. 25-31

Could this be the Christ… vs. 25-29

The people of Jerusalem knew the Religious leaders wanted Jesus dead…

Yet here was Jesus publically speaking in the Temple – and they did nothing…

They wondered if perhaps it was because the leaders knew Jesus was the Christ!

We may not think anyone is watching us – but they are…

And when we are bold enough to get up and talk about Jesus – people notice…

They had a problem – ‘no one knows where the Christ will come from’…

Everyone knew that Jesus was from Nazareth (though born in Bethlehem)…

They expected the Messiah to ‘drop out of the sky’ – or just suddenly appear…

A common tradition of their day – but contrary to the Word of God…

The Bible says the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem – Micah 5:2…

Many people do not want to hear about the Gospel – because of their traditions…

Thinking if they were sprinkled as a child – they have a free ticket to heaven…

We live in a community where many are very hardened towards the Gospel…

Because they have been indoctrinated in a lifetime of traditions and superstitions…

And they are proud of their ‘religion’ and believe it is enough to get them into heaven…

The crowds knew about Jesus – but they did not know Jesus…

That is why Jesus was sent from the Father – so they could know God!

Most people only know about Jesus – they do not have a relationship with Jesus…

The reason why we stand up for Jesus – is so that people can come to know Jesus!

Two reactions… vs. 30-31

Some of the crowd wanted to arrest Jesus – but it was not yet His time…

But many of the people believed – what more would the Christ do than Jesus…

The reality is not everyone who hears about Jesus – will choose to believe…

As a matter of fact most likely only a small portion of those who hear will believe…

But though 100 people might break our hearts by refusing the wonderful Gospel of grace…