Sermon Notes - John 7:25-36 - Littleby Baptist Church - March 26, 2023

 1.     Last week we started with Jesus’ brothers challenged Him to be that triumphant ruler.

a.      They did not understand who Jesus was because they, like many, did not believe.

b.     Jesus then went up to the Festival and taught in the Temple Courts.

c.      Many were amazed by His teaching as a wise man, but others were out to get Him.

d.     Jesus called them out.

e.      He stated that in their effort to kill Him, that they were not following the Law handed down by Moses.

f.      He pointed out how they were hypocrites when somethings were ok on the Sabbath but other things were not.

2.     I think it is safe to say that those there that day who were more focused on the practices of their faith then the heart of the matter.

a.      They may have read the words of Moses and the Prophets, but they did not let those same words speak to them.

b.     They did not understand Scripture.

c.      They missed the important things like justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

d.     Because of their sin, Jesus called them to repent.

3.     The question for us last week, was where do we need to trust in Jesus more?

a.      What do we need to let go of and give to God?

b.     Hopefully you are praying about just that and letting the Holy Spirit guide you.

4.     Let’s see what John has for us today.

5.     John 7:25-26

a.      Some of the people wondered if the religious leaders were talking out of both sides of their mouths.

b.     On one hand they said they were out to kill Jesus for disobeying the Sabbath.

c.      On the other, they did not challenge Jesus while He was teaching in the Temple.

d.     Words and Actions were not lining up.

e.      If they believed in Jesus, their comments about killing Him were false.

f.      If they truly thought He was a demon, or a false teacher, they should be removing Him from the temple.

g.     That is why it is important that our beliefs and actions line up.

h.     Does not mean we have to be perfect, but our faith should be seen in how we live our lives.

6.     John 7:27

a.      They are correct, but wrong at the same time.

b.     As a man, the people knew where Jesus came from.

c.      But as God they did not know that Jesus came from the Father.

d.     John 1:1

e.      They could not know what it meant.

f.      While they knew who His mother was, they did not truly know the origin of our King.

7.     John 7:28-29

a.      Jesus responded to their talking and speculation.

b.     He stated that they do know where He came from.

c.      Maybe because He had told the crowd on more than one occasion that He was sent by Father God.

d.     Maybe because He knew God was working in the hearts of some.

e.      Maybe some really did know, but either were turning against Him or afraid to speak up.

f.      Jesus was attempting to make a point again.

g.     Actually, He was trying to make the same couple of points He has tried to make before.

h.     The first being that He came from Father God.

i.       The second is that they did not know this, because they do not know and love God.

j.       Jesus was answering them and challenging them at the same time.

8.     The Jewish leaders knew a lot about God.

a.      They had studied the scriptures and knew the words.

b.     But they did not know God, that is what Jesus was telling them.

c.      They were blind to the Truth found in the words they studied.

d.     We see this a lot today.

e.      People know whole chunks of the Bible or maybe just a verse of two.

f.      They may even teach it in one form or another.

g.     Yet, if they do not know God they are lost.

h.     Today, it is the Holy Spirit who opens our eyes.

i.       It is the Holy Spirit that helps us to see the truth that we need a Savior.

j.       We need the Holy Spirit if we are to know our God.

9.     John 7:30

a.      Jesus said that they did not know God.

b.     Them were fighting words, or at least arrest worthy words.

c.      It should have been easy to arrest Jesus while He was standing in the temple.

d.     But God is always in control.

e.      It was not time for Jesus to be arrested, tried, and hung on a cross.

f.      There is a time for all that to happen, it just wasn’t at that time.

10.  John 7:31

a.      A couple of weeks ago we talked about a crowd that ran away because of some hard teachings.

b.     Here we read that people from the crowd believe that Jesus may be the Messiah because of all the miracles He had performed.

c.      They liked what Jesus could do for them.

d.     But how deep was their faith?

e.      Likely surface deep as even Jesus’ closest disciples did not understand that Jesus had to die to atone for our sins.

f.      The crowd was moved by emotion and not by faith.

g.     Something we have to be very careful of.

h.     There are people who said a prayer after a message appealed to their emotions, but it stopped there.

i.       Choosing to follow Jesus is more than an emotional reaction.

j.       It requires true belief, faith.

k.     It is a lifelong journey not a single moment in time.  

11.  John 7:32

a.      The Pharisees did not like how things were turning out.

b.     They once again attempted to arrest or seize Jesus.

c.      Vs. 44, no one laid hands on Him.

d.     It was not Jesus’ time.

12.  John 7:33-34

a.      There is only a short time before Jesus was to return to the Father.

b.     Chronologically it was somewhere in the 6 months ballpark.

c.      In one way or another, they were going to be rid of Jesus in a matter of months.

d.     Maybe not as fast as some would want.

e.      Many will never be in the presence of the Father, unable to go where Jesus was going.

f.      They never come to a belief that Jesus is the Son of God and the sacrifice we sorely need.

g.     Some, thankfully, will be able to join Jesus.

h.     Those that believe that Jesus is King and Savior.

i.       They will seek Him and find Him; the others will not be so blessed.

13.  John 7:35-36

a.      Once again, the people did not understand.

b.     They were thinking about the here and now.

c.      What they could see, touch, and hear.

d.     They did not grasp that the man who performed so many miracles.

e.      The man who taught about being one with God the Father.

f.      That Jesus was saying that He was going to return where He came from.

g.     He was going to return to where the Father is.

h.     They did not grasp what Jesus was saying.

i.       They did not believe.

j.       They did not love God.

14.  The world, the sin in it and the sin in them prevented them from hearing the truth.

a.      The same can and should be said of us.

b.     We are here today because we choose to be.

c.      We are making a choice to give our time to God in worship.

d.     But there is still plenty of sin in our lives.

e.      There are truths we do not understand.

f.      There are things we simply do not get.

g.     We are choosing to follow Jesus, but if we are being honest, we still get things wrong.

h.     We forget things, we misunderstand things, we hold onto our traditions.

i.       We are flawed followers of Christ.

15.  Thankfully our God forgives us.

16.  Psalms 103:3-14

a.      If we believe in Jesus and have Faith in the gift of salvation, He is offering us, our Lord is faithful to forgive us.

b.     If we are honoring Him by Following Jesus, our life is redeemed.

c.      Our sin is paid for by the sacrifice of our Lord.

d.     No matter what we have done.

e.      No matter the doubts we struggle with.

f.      If we turn to Jesus.

g.     If we believe that He is the Son of God who has paid for our sins.

h.     If we believe that He is offering us life eternal with the Father, then we are saved.

i.       Our Hope is secure with Jesus.

17.  Don’t get caught up in the things of the world that cause us to miss the things of God.

a.      Seek Him and learn His ways.

b.     Build that foundation that will help us stand strong in this world.

c.      Let the Holy Spirit open our eyes so that we can see God’s truth.

d.     May we see Him at work in us and around us.