Identity Crisis, John 7:25-53, 26 August 2012
Big Idea: Perhaps the most important question in all of life is, “Who is Jesus?”
Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
Have you ever mistaken another person?
Friend who thought a man with long hair was a woman from behind!
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
That’s not a very good question. Last week we heard about how Muslim people believe in Jesus. Mormons believe in Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in Jesus. Many atheists believe in Jesus. Satan and demons believe in Jesus.
What do you believe about Jesus? Put another way, “Who is Jesus?
At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
They misunderstood what the prophets had said.
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, 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.”
At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Here’s the climax of the passage:
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
They poured out water during the feast of tabernacles. He may have been standing ankle-deep in water when He said this. They were celebrating Moses getting water from the rock. We see free will here—anyone. Here’s election—the thirsty. If you are thirsty today and tired of drinking at the mud holes of this world, come to Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t talking about H2O, of course. He was talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit that occurred in Acts 2.
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The image of flowing water may have come from Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11)
This may be related to the theme of the Feast of Tabernacles:
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)
While this references personal salvation, Isaiah 58:11 speaks of believers being a blessing to others.
When we receive salvation through Jesus, we get the Holy Spirit, too. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is not merely for our own pleasure, but to fill the earth with fruit and gifts, to bless others.
Just as God provided for His people in the wilderness—the purpose of the Feast of Tabernacles—so Jesus fulfills this symbolism, eventually providing both salvation and the Holy Spirit, who could not come until Jesus was glorified.
Notice the response of the people:
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Here again we see people confused about Jesus’ identity.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem but He didn’t stay there.
They couldn’t touch Him? Why? His hour had not yet come.
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
Many have been impressed with His teaching, including many today, but that wasn’t the ultimate purpose of HIs visitation to our planet.
“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”
Nick defends Jesus.
They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” (52)
They were mocking Nick. Galilee was a hick town compared to the city.
Then each went to his own home. (53)
Today Jesus is on trial, too. There are believers, skeptics, seekers, and enemies. Just as His followers risked identification with Jesus, so today those that bear His Name risk consequences.
While we share Jesus in word and deed, don't expect people to quickly follow Jesus. The world is in rebellion against God. They are skeptical. Even those in the Church are often skeptical…is grace real? Don't we have to earn God's love? Should we judge those for whom Jesus died?
Who is Jesus? How does your life reflect your belief? Would others agree with your personal assessment?
You can listen to the podcast here.
Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?
Have you ever mistaken another person?
Friend who thought a man with long hair was a woman from behind!
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
That’s not a very good question. Last week we heard about how Muslim people believe in Jesus. Mormons believe in Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in Jesus. Many atheists believe in Jesus. Satan and demons believe in Jesus.
What do you believe about Jesus? Put another way, “Who is Jesus?
At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
They misunderstood what the prophets had said.
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, 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.”
At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”
The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Here’s the climax of the passage:
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
They poured out water during the feast of tabernacles. He may have been standing ankle-deep in water when He said this. They were celebrating Moses getting water from the rock. We see free will here—anyone. Here’s election—the thirsty. If you are thirsty today and tired of drinking at the mud holes of this world, come to Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t talking about H2O, of course. He was talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit that occurred in Acts 2.
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The image of flowing water may have come from Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11)
This may be related to the theme of the Feast of Tabernacles:
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)
While this references personal salvation, Isaiah 58:11 speaks of believers being a blessing to others.
When we receive salvation through Jesus, we get the Holy Spirit, too. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is not merely for our own pleasure, but to fill the earth with fruit and gifts, to bless others.
Just as God provided for His people in the wilderness—the purpose of the Feast of Tabernacles—so Jesus fulfills this symbolism, eventually providing both salvation and the Holy Spirit, who could not come until Jesus was glorified.
Notice the response of the people:
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Here again we see people confused about Jesus’ identity.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem but He didn’t stay there.
They couldn’t touch Him? Why? His hour had not yet come.
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
Many have been impressed with His teaching, including many today, but that wasn’t the ultimate purpose of HIs visitation to our planet.
“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”
Nick defends Jesus.
They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” (52)
They were mocking Nick. Galilee was a hick town compared to the city.
Then each went to his own home. (53)
Today Jesus is on trial, too. There are believers, skeptics, seekers, and enemies. Just as His followers risked identification with Jesus, so today those that bear His Name risk consequences.
While we share Jesus in word and deed, don't expect people to quickly follow Jesus. The world is in rebellion against God. They are skeptical. Even those in the Church are often skeptical…is grace real? Don't we have to earn God's love? Should we judge those for whom Jesus died?
Who is Jesus? How does your life reflect your belief? Would others agree with your personal assessment?
You can listen to the podcast here.