John 7:1-9 (His Time)

 

What would you describe as the single most important EVENT of your life.

A)For those of you who are younger – Maybe what do you envision being the single most …. Life?

 

B) For some here – girls – the day you got married or the day you are getting married.

1) Girls dream about that day. -   Tell guys in Premarital – it is her day

 

C) Girl gets engaged – life changes – everything takes on a new perspective –

1)view friends potential brides maids –

 

D) Flowers thinking center pieces

1) Colors and dresses – new meaning –perspective

 

For many women – it is by far the single greatest event in their life.

A)For other women –The miracle of  Child Birth !

 

B) Maybe you are yet to experience either of those

1) Graduating high school / College / First Job & first real paycheck

C) I am sure for some of you – the single greatest event – by far – Conversion

1) Others Baptized in the Spirit!

 

D) For some of you – the first person you led to Christ – first time God used you in that way.

 

Well tonight I want us to consider the single greatest EVENT in our Lord’s life. Prep for Communion

A)John 7 is our text – we will look briefly at the first 9 verses to set up what is on my heart to share

 

                     Begin RD V.1-9

 

After these things – Now John uses this phrase a little different than the other gospel writers.

A)Matt- Mark and Luke – use it to move the story from one event to the next –

 

B) John however uses it as a point of reference to signify a Change in the context.

1) You see there is a 6 month gap between the end of Ch. 6 and the Beg of Ch. 7

 

C) A six month gap that John doesn’t give us the details to –

1) The other gospel writers fill in the events that take place during that gap – but that is not John’s focus

 

D) Not details but DIETY & Humanity – Walked

 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.

A)For 6 months Jesus was ministering in Galilee – more remote region –

 

B) Jerusalem was the center of religious activity – but that is not where Jesus was

1) He was with the common folk – the Blue collar crowd of Galilee –

 

C) Place where people worked with their hands – hard working – fisherman / shepherds / carpenters

 

D) The reason we are told He avoided Jerusalem was He knew that the Jewish leaders wanted to Kill him

 

E) Was He afraid? – Is that why He stayed away?

1) Scared to face these guys – Lets read on and we will see the answer.

 

2 Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

A)This is where we get our point of reference. – See the events of Ch.6 v.4 tells us took place at Passover.

 

B) Passover – takes place in April – now we are at another feast – the feast of Tabernacles – October

1) So six months have passed – we are now entering into the final 6 months of our Lords life

C)Also worth noting -  there were 3 yearly festivals in Israel that every Jewish male was required to attend

1) Pentecost – Passover and this one the feast of Tabernacles

 

D) Now the Feast of Tabernacles commemorates the time that Israel wandered in the wilderness

1) It was there that they lived in tents

 

So the feast of Tabernacles was sort of a national camp out – People would come together – 7days

A)Later an 8th day was added to the ceremony.

 

B) In it there were certain things that were done as reminders of the Pillar of fire by night

1) Water from the Rock – { talk about more in our next study.

 

C) But suffice it to say – this gives us our point of time reference.

 

3 His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

Now that last phrase is important to see the heart behind the words of Jesus ½ Brothers

A)He had 4 ½ brothers – at this time they didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah

 

B) If you have ever suffered or have been discouraged – by the unbelief of those close to you

1) Know this –Jesus knows what that is like

 

C) For close to 33 yrs those who knew him the best didn’t believe – didn’t accept him

1) To me this solves the debate of did Jesus do other miracles – before – Cana – wine

 

D) First the Bible says that was his first – but if he had – they would have believed

1) Miraculously fixed chairs - / dinner / mowed lawn

 

E) Jesus never used his divine power for personal reasons

1) Jesus was ordinary in his person – nothing that impressed even his own brothers

 

6 Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.  7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. 

 

Now this is what I what I want you to really see tonight – 2 things

A)My time:  Think about where He came from and how different this was

 

B) Jesus came from the realm of NO TIME !

1) He was the alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end

 

C) First and the Last – Time did not exist in eternity

1) Plane over a Parade – Time is in the Now

 

D)But when Jesus came to this earth – He entered the realm of time – schedules / day planners

1) He was suddenly bound by time / yrs / by dates

 

E) How Humbling – 33 yrs He walked – He lived and it was all about His Time / His Hour

1) Time for what – Hour for what ?

 

2nd thing -  HIS Time to DIE!

A)He was on a Schedule. – This answers the question was He afraid to go up – afraid of religious leaders

 

B) NO WAY! – It was all about timing – He came to die – It just wasn’t His time yet.

 

C) Now consider this tonight in light of communion – the single greatest event in Jesus life – was His death

 

D) Everything has its meaning and purpose in that event – that moment !

1) He came to DIE! { Titans – Our time Now!

 

In John’s epistle 1 John a key word is the word MANIFESTED –

A)It is a word that means revealed – declared – brought forth – hidden now seen

 

B) Out of the closet / out of the shadows – it is a word that gives great meaning to Jesus time/ hour

 

John tells us 3 things that were accomplished by His manifestation

A)1Jn 3:5 He was manifested to take away our sins!

 

B) At the cross the sins of humanity are removed –

Placed on Jesus

1) Forgiveness and cleansing are possible – available

 

C) Every sin – every wrong doing – Mistake

1) Every deliberate act of rebellion

 

D) Taken away : put as far as the east is from the west -   Celebrate that tonight

1 John 3:8 He was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil.

A)The Devil comes to kill to rob / to destroy –

 

B) Holds people in Bondage to Sin – addictions

 

C) Holds people in bondage to guilt – plagued by past sins failures

 

D) Holds people in bondage to fears – Fear of death / fear of failure – fear of facing God

 

E) All of that is destroyed at the Cross – Satan is rendered a Death blow

 

So those who are in bondage to addictions – came be set free – Live in Christ power –

A)Jesus grants victory – Members of your flesh you presented as instruments of unrighteousness

 

B) Now can be presented as members of righteousness

 

C) Set free in Jesus – Serve the living God – no longer in bondage to serving the flesh

1) Claim that tonight at communion table

 

Some of you are in bondage to guilt – Past failures / failures of this week – We sin. 

A)Satan condemns – News for you – No condemnation for those in Christ

 

B) Guilt free – Jesus was manifested to bear all our guilt and shame – His time / His hour

 

C) Can I encourage you to walk in that tonight

1) Don’t give the Devil victory any more – but claim by faith – your victory in Christ

 

D) Freedom from Guilt – Sin forgiven and forgotten

 

Some living in Fear – So afraid to attempt anything for God – fear of failure – fear not worthy

A)Listen you are not worthy – it is not about you

 

B) It is about who you belong to – IN Jesus – we are more than conquerors –

 

C) When We fail He is there to pick us up ! Cover us

 

S0 He was manifested to take away our sins

He was manifested to destroy the works of Satan

 

#3 1 John 4:9 He was manifested to reveal to us the Love of God that we might live thru Him

A)This tells us two things: First that God’s love is clearly seen at the Cross

 

B) He gave His beloved Son – Not me – no way

 

C) The love of God is magnified in the Cross at Calvary.  – Manifested to reveal that

 

His time was all about you and I discovering – seeing believing once and for all.  God loves you !

A)God is for you! – God’s heart is after you!

 

B) May we REST in that tonight – at communion table = 

1) Once and for all put aside our performance mentality –

 

C) Rest in the reality ! God is for us! He proved that once and For all – at the Cross –

 

2nd Thing – that verse reveals to us – How we Live

A)Jesus was manifested to reveal to us the Love of the father – and to show us how to live!

 

B) Ever see a Child that is secure in His fathers love

1) Amazing thing – Fearless – confident – assured

C) Very little self esteem issues – They are content – my father loves me – with me

 

D) Protect me – I will try this because I know that if I fall – he will be there to pick me up

 

E) A Child who is secure in their Fathers love – are so different from those who aren’t

 

Those who aren’t – Always wanting to see – Is He watching – what is He going to think

A)If I try and fail – He is going to be mad – and disappointed –

 

B) So they don’t try anything or they are forever trying so hard to get DAD to notice

 

C) The words of John are powerful to me

 

Here is how to really LIVE – Know this you are loved by God – Radically – perfectly

A)Love so big fill up the ocean –

 

B) Lets embrace that tonight as we come to the table of communion !

 

C) Lets embrace – wrap our arms and hearts around the reality – I am loved by God – this proves it !