There is so much going on in this chapter that it’s hard for me to teach it as a whole. I need to slow down and take a breath.
Come, Holy Spirit. Calm my soul and open our hearts to Your instruction.
“My teaching is not My own. It comes from Him who sent Me. “John 7:16 NIV.
He speaks to us
For centuries, the Church has learned from priests, pastors, and teachers who’ve sought the truth in Jesus’ words. Now we come and prayerfully open our eyes and ears to what is of great value here in sacred Scripture.
God is speaking to the crowds, to the Jewish authorities, to the Pharisees, to the officers wanting to arrest Him, and now to us.
What does he want us to hear?
As I read, I move His confrontation as He asks them an important question.
“… Why are you trying to kill Me?”John 7:19 NIV
I hesitate as they ignorantly tell the Messiah that He’s demon-possessed.
I listen as He puts the crowds in their place. They hated Him because he healed the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. They break the Law regularly when they circumcise their children on the eighth day if it falls on the Sabbath.
Think about it
Jesus forced them to think about their judgment. They were judging Him for breaking the Law while they justified their own violation.
“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” John 7:24 NIV
So, here I hesitate for a moment.
Here is Christ, the One who will judge the quick (living) and the dead. The One with whom we will give an account. He knows their judgment is unjust.
Such unjust judgment will grow stronger and ferment into the deadly words, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
I move on.
His words make a difference
Individuals in the crowd begin to think for themselves. Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill, and here He is speaking out in public? They began to wonder, “Have the authorities concluded that He is the Christ?”
Jesus responds to their curiosity:
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “… I am not here on My own, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him, but I know Him because I am from Him and He sent Me. John 7:28-29 NIV.
Amid the murmuring and mumbling, Jesus had to cry out loud to get their attention – to get my attention. The Holy Spirit reminds me that His words are truth, and I need to move my focus away from the crowd to listen to Him.
His words are powerful
His words provoked a reaction. The Jewish leaders tried to seize Him, but no one could touch Him. The Sovereign’s plans will not be adjusted or manipulated by others. It wasn’t His time yet.
Now, many in the crowd began to put their faith in Him. As they thought for themselves and listened to His words, they believed. They opened their eyes to the signs – the miracles that pointed to His identity.
Now the Pharisees watched this transformation, so they sent the temple guards to arrest Him.
Meanwhile, Jesus continues to teach.
Now is the time to seek Him. Soon, He will be gone, and where He goes, they cannot follow. He doesn’t say this once, but twice. Once to the crowd and again directly to the Jewish leaders.
I see clearly now as I watch what is happening.
He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:11-13 NIV.
Lean in to Learn
As I read on, the Spirit continues to teach. I listen to His words – lean in to learn.
On hearing His word, the people began to consider that maybe this man was the Prophet, and others that He was the Christ. Disagreement spread through the crowd. Some wanted to seize him, but again, no one could lay a hand on Him.
Even the temple guards could not arrest Him. They were “arrested” by His words.
Finally, the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards declared. “You mean he has deceived you also?”, the Pharisees retorted. John 7:45-47 NIV
Is there no voice of reason?
Nicodemus was there with the Pharisees. Yes, the same leader received the words of life: “You must be born again.”
Nicodemus tried to reason with them, but their unjust judgment and hatred remained unshaken.
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?”John 7:50-51 NIV
So, I stopped here. What is Jesus really trying to tell the crowd and the Jewish leaders? What does the Holy Spirit want us to learn?
Then I saw it.
There, in the middle of all these murmurings, Jesus had to cry out for them to hear Him. He spoke to their spiritual need and not their prejudice, hatred, or ignorance.
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them. John 7:37-38 NIV
He’s speaking to the soul – to our thirsty soul.
As we read sacred Scripture, something happens. All else is silence as we engage in God’s word. We hear His voice welcoming us to come to Him and live.
When we come to truly believe, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, who teaches us today, will be in us like streams of living water.
The Take Away
Everyone will have their opinion of Jesus. They will hate Him, follow half-heartedly, and swear by their prejudices.
But will they listen to believe?
No matter what they do, they cannot silence Him. The choice is ours to listen or not. He is still going to speak even if no one listens. Will He speak loud enough for many to turn their heads, listen, and come to believe?
Are you listening?
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance… The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:5 & 7 NIV.
Call to Action
Thank you for taking this journey with me through sacred Scripture. If these words have encouraged you in any way, then please use the comments below to encourage others.
Thank you.
May the Lord bless and keep you until we meet again.
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He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:11-13 NIV. Everyone will have their opinion of Jesus. They will hate Him, follow half-heartedly, and swear by their prejudices. No matter what they do, they cannot silence Him. The choice is ours to listen or not. He is still going to speak even if no one listens. Will He speak loud enough for many to turn their heads, listen, and come to believe?
Are you listening?
As I read on, the Spirit continues to teach. I listen to His words – lean in to learn.
Sita bear This journey you are on, we get to go with you one breath at a time,