Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / John 7:10-29

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John 7:10-29 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

• 0:00
  Amen. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in John chapter 7.
• 0:07
  While you're getting there, I'd like to do two things.
• 0:10
  First, I want to encourage attentive listening by pointing something out to you.
• 0:15
  When TJ was praying, he prayed for the elderly in our church.
• 0:22
  And then did you hear how he defined elderly?
• 0:25
  He said, older than us.
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  And I think if you're being a careful listener, you're going to quickly go,
• 0:33
  what is the median age in this congregation?
• 0:38
  So this morning, TJ called me elderly.
• 0:40
  And I don't know how I feel about that.
• 0:44
  I'll own it, I suppose.
• 0:47
  Second thing I want to do is I just want to take a moment.
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  I don't know how regularly you might do this.
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  I know I don't enough.
• 0:55
  But take a moment to pause and consider how very privileged we are
• 1:01
  to gather together as a church on Sunday morning
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  to see and sing and hear, open up God's Word.
• 1:11
  What a blessing it is.
• 1:13
  What do you think you might be doing otherwise this morning
• 1:17
  if it weren't for God's grace in your life?
• 1:20
  I wouldn't be doing this.
• 1:23
  One of the greatest high points of my week,
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  I'd be off flitting away time doing something meaningless
• 1:30
  instead of gathering with you.
• 1:33
  It's also such a privilege that I get to open God's Word to you,
• 1:37
  this abundant Word that we have,
• 1:39
  and take the time during the week to study it
• 1:41
  and present it to you on a Sunday morning.
• 1:45
  So I'm glad to be here.
• 1:46
  I'm glad that we can open up God's Word together.
• 1:49
  I hope you feel the very same.
• 1:52
  Our text for today is John 7, verses 10-29.
• 1:58
  Once again, if this bothers you
• 2:00
  because the subtitles in your Bible are not following this,
• 2:03
  this is following the chiastic structure of this text.
• 2:06
  We won't spend much of any time on that this morning,
• 2:09
  but I just want you to understand
• 2:10
  there's a reason that we're preaching 10-29.
• 2:14
  I mentioned briefly last week
• 2:17
  that John continually juxtaposes
• 2:20
  those who reject Jesus as the Christ
• 2:23
  and those who receive Jesus as the Christ,
• 2:27
  and that this thematic element
• 2:29
  carries all throughout the book,
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  and it is established at the outset of John's writing.
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  He wants us to take it up,
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  and he wants us to see,
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  look, there's two groups of people being presented here, right?
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  Those who reject, those who receive,
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  and it is his hope that we will receive.
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  At the outset, the theme is established.
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  John 1, verse 9 and following.
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  The true light, which gives light to everyone,
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  was coming into the world.
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  He was in the world,
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  and the world was made through him,
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  yet the world did not know him.
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  He came to his own,
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  and his own people did not receive him.
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  But to all who did receive him,
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  who believed in his name,
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  he gave the right to become children of God,
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  who were born, not of blood,
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  nor of the will of the flesh,
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  nor of the will of man,
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  but of God.
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  Now then, chapter 7 places us
• 3:26
  in the middle of a growing crisis
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  in Jesus' ministry.
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  The crowds are confused.
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  The authorities are hostile.
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  The religious leaders are threatened.
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  The question driving this passage
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  is not whether Jesus is impressive,
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  but whether he has authority,
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  and more specifically,
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  where that authority comes from.
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  This text confronts us
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  with a sobering reality.
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  You can be surrounded by truth,
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  impressed by Jesus,
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  and still not know God.
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  May we all receive Jesus as the Christ
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  as we study together this morning.
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  Let me pray to that very end.
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  Father, help us as we take up your word,
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  as we open it together this morning.
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  We want to rightly understand it.
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  We want to glean from it
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  what can be gathered.
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  Lord, we humbly recognize
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  that we need your help
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  to do this very thing.
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  Help us to believe its promises,
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  obey its commands,
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  have affection for its author.
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  Help us to believe
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  that Jesus is in fact the Christ.
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  And we pray to this end
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  for his glory.
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  Amen.
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  John chapter 7, verses 10 through 21.
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  I'm going to begin reading
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  in verse 1 though,
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  just for some context.
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  I think it will help us
• 4:53
  make some sense
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  of what's going to happen after.
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  John chapter 7,
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  beginning in verse 1.
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  After this,
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  Jesus went about in Galilee.
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  He would not go about in Judea
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  because the Jews
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  were seeking to kill him.
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  Now the Jews' feast of booths
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  was at hand.
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  So his brothers said to him,
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  Leave here and go to Judea
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  that your disciples
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  also may see the works
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  you are doing.
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  For no one works in secret
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  if he seeks to be known openly.
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  If you do these things,
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  show yourself to the world.
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  For not even his brothers
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  believed in him.
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  Jesus said to them,
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  My time has not yet come,
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  but your time is always here.
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  The world cannot hate you,
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  but it hates me
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  because I testify about it
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  that its works are evil.
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  You go up to the feast.
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  I am not going up to this feast,
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  for my time has not yet fully come.
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  After this,
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  he remained in Galilee.
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  But after his brothers
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  had gone up to the feast,
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  then he also went up,
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  not publicly,
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  but in private.
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  The Jews were looking for him
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  at the feast and saying,
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  Where is he?
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  And there was much muttering
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  about him among the people.
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  While some said,
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  He is a good man,
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  others said,
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  No, he is leading
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  the people astray.
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  Yet for fear of the Jews,
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  no one spoke openly of him.
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  About the middle of the feast,
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  Jesus went up into the temple
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  and began teaching.
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  The Jews therefore marveled,
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  saying,
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  How is it that this man
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  has learning
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  when he has never studied?
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  So Jesus answered them,
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  My teaching is not mine,
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  but his who sent me.
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  If anyone's will
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  is to do God's will,
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  he will know
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  whether the teaching
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  is from God
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  or whether I am speaking
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  on my own authority.
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  The one who speaks
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  on his own authority
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  seeks his own glory.
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  But the one who seeks
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  the glory of him
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  who sent him
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  is true,
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  and in him
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  there is no falsehood.
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  Has not Moses
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  given you the law?
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  Yet none of you
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  keeps the law.
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  Why do you seek
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  to kill me?
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  The crowd answered,
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  You have a demon.
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  Who is seeking
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  to kill you?
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  Jesus answered them,
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  I did one work
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  and you all
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  marvel at it.
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  Moses gave you
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  circumcision,
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  not that it is
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  from Moses
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  but from the fathers,
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  and you circumcise
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  a man on the Sabbath.
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  If on the Sabbath
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  a man receives circumcision
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  so that the law
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  of Moses
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  may not be broken,
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  are you angry with me
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  because on the Sabbath
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  I made a man's
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  whole body well?
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  Do not judge
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  by appearances
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  but judge
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  with right judgment.
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  Some of the people
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  of Jerusalem
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  therefore said,
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  Is not this the man
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  whom they seek
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  to kill?
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  And here he is
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  speaking openly
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  and they say
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  nothing to him.
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  Can it be that
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  the authorities
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  really know
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  that this is the Christ?
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  But we know
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  where this man
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  comes from
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  and when the Christ
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  appears
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  no one will know
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  where he comes from.
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  So Jesus proclaimed
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  as he taught
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  in the temple.
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  You know me
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  and you know
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  where I come from
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  but I have not come
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  of my own accord.
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  He who sent me
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  is true
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  and him
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  you do not know.
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  I know him
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  for I come from him
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  and he sent me.
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  Alright,
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  let's first look
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  a little bit
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  at the context.
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  Feast and fear
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  verses 10 through 13.
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  Verse 10 says,
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  But after his brothers
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  had gone up
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  to the feast
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  then he also went up
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  not publicly
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  but in private.
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  Recall,
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  Jesus did not
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  delay his departure
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  because he was afraid
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  but because he was
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  awaiting
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  the Father's sending.
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  His timing
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  and his manner
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  are all about
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  the divine timeline.
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  We developed that
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  some last week.
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  Next week,
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  Lord willing,
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  we will spend
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  some extended time
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  discussing the details
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  of the week.
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  This long feast
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  of booze
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  or tabernacles
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  as those details
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  will have bearing
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  on our understanding
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  of the text.
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  For today,
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  it is enough to know
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  that this was one
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  of Israel's
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  great pilgrimage feasts.
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  !
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  It celebrated
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  God's provision
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  in the wilderness
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  after the Exodus
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  and it anticipated
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  future restoration.
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  resurrection.
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  Jesus goes up
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  to Jerusalem
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  for the feast
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  but he does so
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  quietly.
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  Not triumphantly,
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  not yet.
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  That will come.
• 9:13
  But this time
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  to Jerusalem
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  he goes
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  quietly.
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  Throughout John's
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  gospel,
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  Jesus is never
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  rushed,
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  never reactive,
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  never careless.
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  He moves
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  according to the
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  divine timeline.
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  He goes
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  when he is
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  told
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  to go.
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  He's already
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  said in verse 6,
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  my time
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  has not
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  yet
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  come.
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  Not time
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  for me to go.
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  I trust the
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  Father.
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  I go
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  when the
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  Father
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  tells me
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  to go.
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  The steps
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  of Christ
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  are governed
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  by the
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  sovereign
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  will
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  of God
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  the Father.
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  Verses 11
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  through 13
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  describe
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  the atmosphere.
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  The Jews
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  are looking
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  for him
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  at the feast.
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  Where is
• 10:00
  he?
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  We know
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  that he's
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  not gone
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  there because
• 10:02
  they're seeking
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  to kill him.
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  The beginning
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  of the chapter
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  tells us
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  this.
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  And the people
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  are muttering.
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  Some say
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  he's a good
• 10:11
  man.
• 10:11
  Others say
• 10:12
  no,
• 10:12
  he's leading
• 10:13
  the people
• 10:13
  astray.
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  But they're
• 10:15
  not talking
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  openly.
• 10:17
  They're not
• 10:17
  being loud
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  about it
• 10:18
  because they're
• 10:19
  afraid of
• 10:20
  what the
• 10:20
  Jews
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  might say.
• 10:23
  Notice the
• 10:24
  distinction
• 10:24
  between the
• 10:26
  Jews
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  and the
• 10:27
  people.
• 10:29
  The Jews
• 10:30
  here is
• 10:30
  referring to
• 10:30
  the religious
• 10:31
  leaders.
• 10:32
  We get a
• 10:32
  number of
• 10:33
  hints at
• 10:34
  this throughout
• 10:34
  John's
• 10:35
  writing.
• 10:35
  It becomes
• 10:36
  very clear
• 10:37
  there's a
• 10:37
  different group
• 10:38
  here being
• 10:39
  talked about.
• 10:40
  The people
• 10:41
  is everyone
• 10:42
  else at
• 10:43
  this festival.
• 10:44
  Most,
• 10:45
  to be sure,
• 10:46
  would have
• 10:47
  been Jewish
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  in ethnicity.
• 10:49
  But there
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  would have
• 10:50
  also been
• 10:50
  those who
• 10:51
  converted to
• 10:51
  Judaism
• 10:52
  from other
• 10:53
  nations.
• 10:55
  The people
• 10:55
  are unsure
• 10:56
  what to do
• 10:57
  with Jesus
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  and notice
• 11:00
  yet for fear
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  of the
• 11:02
  Jews,
• 11:03
  this distinct
• 11:04
  group,
• 11:04
  no one
• 11:05
  spoke openly
• 11:06
  of him.
• 11:08
  There's a
• 11:09
  festival and
• 11:10
  there's fear
• 11:11
  and fear
• 11:12
  often
• 11:14
  silences
• 11:15
  truth.
• 11:17
  It did
• 11:17
  then and
• 11:18
  it still
• 11:19
  does
• 11:20
  now.
• 11:21
  So this
• 11:21
  is the
• 11:22
  setting
• 11:22
  for what's
• 11:23
  going on.
• 11:24
  The middle
• 11:25
  of this
• 11:25
  week-long
• 11:26
  celebration
• 11:27
  is when
• 11:27
  Jesus
• 11:27
  begins
• 11:28
  to teach
• 11:29
  and I
• 11:30
  have for
• 11:30
  you three
• 11:30
  points to
• 11:31
  structure
• 11:31
  the rest
• 11:33
  of our
• 11:33
  study.
• 11:34
  So number
• 11:34
  one,
• 11:35
  Jesus
• 11:35
  teaches
• 11:35
  with an
• 11:36
  inexplicable
• 11:38
  authority.
• 11:40
  Verses
• 11:41
  14 through
• 11:41
  18,
• 11:42
  Jesus
• 11:42
  teaches
• 11:42
  with an
• 11:43
  inexplicable
• 11:44
  authority.
• 11:47
  Verse 14
• 11:47
  tells us
• 11:48
  about the
• 11:48
  middle of
• 11:49
  the feast,
• 11:49
  Jesus went
• 11:50
  up into
• 11:50
  the temple
• 11:51
  and began
• 11:52
  teaching.
• 11:54
  We don't
• 11:55
  know exactly
• 11:55
  what he's
• 11:56
  teaching,
• 11:56
  but surely
• 11:57
  that he
• 11:58
  is the
• 11:59
  Christ.
• 12:00
  Suddenly,
• 12:01
  publicly,
• 12:03
  boldly,
• 12:04
  Jesus does
• 12:04
  not avoid
• 12:05
  the temple,
• 12:06
  he goes
• 12:06
  and
• 12:07
  confronts
• 12:08
  it.
• 12:09
  We can
• 12:10
  have no
• 12:10
  doubt
• 12:10
  that it
• 12:11
  was time
• 12:12
  to do
• 12:13
  this very
• 12:13
  thing.
• 12:14
  God the
• 12:15
  Father
• 12:15
  orchestrates
• 12:17
  the growing
• 12:17
  conflict we
• 12:18
  will witness
• 12:18
  as this
• 12:19
  chapter
• 12:20
  presses
• 12:20
  on.
• 12:22
  Again
• 12:22
  and again
• 12:22
  and again
• 12:23
  we'll see
• 12:23
  Jesus won't
• 12:24
  say things
• 12:24
  the Father
• 12:25
  doesn't tell
• 12:25
  him to
• 12:25
  say,
• 12:26
  he won't
• 12:26
  do things
• 12:27
  the Father
• 12:27
  doesn't tell
• 12:27
  him to
• 12:28
  do,
• 12:29
  and so
• 12:29
  we have
• 12:29
  an ordained
• 12:30
  encounter
• 12:31
  happening in
• 12:32
  the middle
• 12:32
  of this
• 12:33
  festival.
• 12:35
  Verse 15
• 12:35
  records the
• 12:36
  response to
• 12:37
  his teaching.
• 12:38
  The Jews
• 12:39
  therefore marveled
• 12:41
  saying,
• 12:41
  how is it
• 12:41
  that this
• 12:42
  man has
• 12:42
  learning when
• 12:43
  he has
• 12:44
  never
• 12:44
  studied?
• 12:45
  Now I
• 12:47
  don't think
• 12:47
  that what
• 12:48
  we are
• 12:48
  seeing here
• 12:48
  is a
• 12:49
  genuine
• 12:50
  curiosity
• 12:51
  about
• 12:51
  Jesus.
• 12:52
  Remember,
• 12:52
  this group
• 12:53
  is seeking
• 12:54
  to kill
• 12:55
  him.
• 12:55
  They're
• 12:56
  scratching
• 12:56
  their heads
• 12:57
  a bit
• 12:57
  about why
• 12:58
  is it
• 12:59
  that he's
• 12:59
  able to
• 13:00
  speak in
• 13:01
  this way.
• 13:03
  The context
• 13:03
  leads me to
• 13:04
  believe it
• 13:05
  is contempt
• 13:06
  that is
• 13:06
  disguised
• 13:07
  as a
• 13:08
  question.
• 13:10
  How is it
• 13:10
  possible that
• 13:11
  this guy
• 13:12
  could speak
• 13:12
  in this
• 13:13
  way?
• 13:14
  They're not
• 13:15
  denying his
• 13:16
  grasp of
• 13:17
  scripture.
• 13:18
  They're
• 13:18
  questioning
• 13:19
  his
• 13:19
  authority.
• 13:22
  Jesus has
• 13:22
  no
• 13:23
  recognized
• 13:24
  rabbinical
• 13:24
  training,
• 13:26
  no official
• 13:27
  credentials.
• 13:28
  He's been
• 13:29
  hanging out
• 13:30
  in the
• 13:31
  nowhere
• 13:31
  land.
• 13:33
  No diploma
• 13:34
  hanging on
• 13:35
  his wall,
• 13:36
  yet he
• 13:37
  speaks
• 13:38
  with authority.
• 13:40
  Why?
• 13:40
  Because of
• 13:41
  who sent
• 13:41
  him to
• 13:42
  speak.
• 13:44
  Jesus
• 13:44
  answers
• 13:44
  their
• 13:44
  question
• 13:45
  in
• 13:45
  verse
• 13:45
  16.
• 13:47
  My
• 13:47
  teaching
• 13:47
  is not
• 13:48
  mine,
• 13:49
  but his
• 13:51
  who sent
• 13:52
  me.
• 13:53
  And the
• 13:53
  implication
• 13:54
  is,
• 13:54
  how is it
• 13:55
  that this
• 13:56
  man has
• 13:56
  learning when
• 13:57
  he has
• 13:57
  never
• 13:57
  studied?
• 13:58
  Is that
• 13:58
  God the
• 13:58
  Father
• 13:59
  is the
• 14:00
  one
• 14:00
  who sent
• 14:02
  me?
• 14:03
  This is
• 14:03
  a staggering
• 14:05
  claim.
• 14:07
  Jesus does
• 14:07
  not say
• 14:08
  he developed
• 14:08
  these ideas
• 14:09
  or discovered
• 14:10
  them.
• 14:11
  He says
• 14:11
  he was
• 14:12
  sent.
• 14:12
  He's
• 14:13
  serving
• 14:13
  as a
• 14:13
  mouthpiece
• 14:14
  of God
• 14:15
  the
• 14:15
  Father.
• 14:16
  This
• 14:16
  is the
• 14:16
  language
• 14:17
  of
• 14:17
  divine
• 14:18
  commission.
• 14:20
  Prophets
• 14:20
  are
• 14:20
  sent.
• 14:22
  We'll
• 14:22
  see
• 14:22
  later
• 14:22
  apostles
• 14:23
  are
• 14:23
  sent.
• 14:25
  And
• 14:25
  here
• 14:25
  the
• 14:25
  Son
• 14:26
  declares
• 14:26
  that he
• 14:26
  has been
• 14:27
  sent
• 14:27
  by the
• 14:28
  Father.
• 14:30
  Jesus
• 14:30
  loves
• 14:31
  to make
• 14:32
  huge
• 14:33
  claims
• 14:33
  and we
• 14:34
  should love
• 14:35
  it when
• 14:35
  he does
• 14:36
  so.
• 14:36
  He makes
• 14:37
  massive
• 14:37
  claims
• 14:38
  about
• 14:38
  himself.
• 14:40
  Listen to
• 14:41
  just a few
• 14:42
  of them
• 14:42
  that John
• 14:43
  MacArthur
• 14:43
  outlines for
• 14:44
  us in
• 14:44
  his
• 14:44
  commentary
• 14:46
  on these
• 14:46
  verses.
• 14:47
  This is a
• 14:47
  very well
• 14:48
  loved
• 14:48
  commentary.
• 14:51
  Next
• 14:51
  Christmas,
• 14:52
  if any of
• 14:52
  you are
• 14:52
  looking for
• 14:52
  a present
• 14:53
  for me,
• 14:53
  I need
• 14:54
  a new
• 14:54
  John 1
• 14:54
  through 11
• 14:55
  commentary.
• 14:57
  Listen to
• 14:57
  just a few
• 14:58
  of these.
• 14:59
  And this
• 14:59
  is so
• 15:00
  helpful.
• 15:00
  I'm not
• 15:00
  going to
• 15:00
  read you
• 15:01
  all the
• 15:01
  scripture
• 15:01
  references.
• 15:03
  MacArthur
• 15:03
  does that
• 15:03
  work for
• 15:04
  us.
• 15:04
  It's a
• 15:04
  really
• 15:04
  beautifully
• 15:05
  well done
• 15:06
  list that
• 15:06
  he's put
• 15:07
  here.
• 15:07
  But just
• 15:07
  listen to
• 15:08
  some of
• 15:08
  the things
• 15:08
  that Jesus
• 15:09
  has claimed.
• 15:10
  He's claimed
• 15:11
  to have
• 15:12
  come down
• 15:12
  from heaven,
• 15:13
  to have
• 15:14
  been sent
• 15:14
  into the
• 15:15
  world by
• 15:16
  the Father,
• 15:17
  to be the
• 15:17
  Savior of
• 15:18
  the world,
• 15:19
  to be the
• 15:19
  determiner of
• 15:20
  people's
• 15:21
  eternal
• 15:21
  destinies,
• 15:22
  to be the
• 15:23
  source of
• 15:24
  eternal life,
• 15:25
  to be the
• 15:26
  only way to
• 15:27
  God,
• 15:28
  to have the
• 15:28
  right to be
• 15:29
  honored on
• 15:29
  equal basis
• 15:30
  with the
• 15:31
  Father,
• 15:32
  to be one
• 15:32
  with the
• 15:33
  Father,
• 15:33
  to have
• 15:34
  power to
• 15:35
  raise the
• 15:35
  dead and
• 15:36
  even rise
• 15:37
  from the
• 15:37
  dead himself,
• 15:38
  to be the
• 15:39
  one to whom
• 15:40
  the Old
• 15:40
  Testament
• 15:41
  scriptures
• 15:41
  pointed,
• 15:42
  to be the
• 15:43
  supreme judge
• 15:44
  who will
• 15:44
  one day
• 15:45
  return in
• 15:46
  glory,
• 15:47
  to be without
• 15:47
  sin,
• 15:48
  to have all
• 15:49
  authority in
• 15:50
  heaven and
• 15:51
  on earth,
• 15:52
  to have the
• 15:52
  authority to
• 15:53
  forgive sins,
• 15:55
  to have authority
• 15:55
  over the
• 15:56
  Sabbath,
• 15:57
  to have the
• 15:57
  authority to
• 15:58
  answer prayer,
• 15:59
  to have the
• 15:59
  authority to
• 16:00
  authorize prayer
• 16:01
  in his name,
• 16:02
  to be greater
• 16:03
  than the
• 16:03
  temple,
• 16:04
  Solomon,
• 16:04
  Jacob,
• 16:05
  and Abraham,
• 16:07
  to be the
• 16:07
  bread of
• 16:08
  life,
• 16:08
  the only
• 16:08
  source of
• 16:09
  spiritual
• 16:10
  sustenance,
• 16:11
  to be the
• 16:12
  light of the
• 16:12
  world,
• 16:13
  to be the
• 16:13
  resurrection and
• 16:14
  the life,
• 16:15
  to be the
• 16:16
  Messiah or
• 16:17
  the Christ,
• 16:18
  to be the
• 16:19
  Son of God
• 16:20
  who would be
• 16:20
  seated at the
• 16:21
  right hand of
• 16:21
  God in
• 16:22
  glory.
• 16:24
  Astounding,
• 16:25
  magnificent,
• 16:26
  huge claims
• 16:28
  that he makes
• 16:29
  about himself.
• 16:30
  And if all
• 16:31
  of these
• 16:32
  claims are
• 16:32
  true,
• 16:33
  he is to
• 16:35
  be worshipped.
• 16:39
  Verse 17
• 16:40
  is crucial
• 16:41
  for us to
• 16:43
  hear.
• 16:45
  If anyone's
• 16:45
  will is to
• 16:47
  do God's
• 16:47
  will,
• 16:49
  he will know
• 16:50
  whether the
• 16:50
  teaching is
• 16:51
  from God or
• 16:51
  whether I am
• 16:52
  speaking on
• 16:54
  my own
• 16:55
  authority.
• 16:57
  Jesus does
• 16:58
  not say
• 16:58
  discernment
• 16:59
  begins,
• 17:00
  with
• 17:00
  intelligence
• 17:01
  or with
• 17:03
  education.
• 17:04
  He says
• 17:05
  it begins
• 17:05
  with the
• 17:07
  will.
• 17:08
  If the
• 17:08
  heart is
• 17:09
  submissive,
• 17:10
  the truth
• 17:11
  will become
• 17:12
  clear.
• 17:14
  Unbelief
• 17:14
  is not
• 17:15
  primarily an
• 17:16
  intellectual
• 17:17
  problem,
• 17:18
  it is a
• 17:19
  moral
• 17:20
  problem.
• 17:20
  It has to
• 17:21
  do with
• 17:21
  who we
• 17:22
  are at
• 17:23
  our
• 17:23
  core.
• 17:25
  Lord,
• 17:25
  help us
• 17:26
  to
• 17:27
  believe.
• 17:28
  Jesus
• 17:30
  goes on
• 17:31
  in verse
• 17:31
  18 to
• 17:32
  provide a
• 17:33
  test of
• 17:34
  true
• 17:35
  authority.
• 17:36
  He says
• 17:36
  the one
• 17:36
  who speaks
• 17:37
  on his
• 17:38
  own
• 17:38
  authority
• 17:38
  seeks
• 17:39
  his
• 17:40
  own
• 17:40
  glory.
• 17:43
  Somebody's
• 17:43
  seeking their
• 17:44
  own glory,
• 17:44
  then they're
• 17:45
  speaking of
• 17:45
  their own
• 17:46
  authority.
• 17:46
  But the
• 17:46
  one who
• 17:47
  seeks the
• 17:47
  glory of
• 17:47
  him who
• 17:48
  sent him
• 17:48
  is true,
• 17:49
  and in
• 17:50
  him there
• 17:51
  is no
• 17:51
  falsehood.
• 17:53
  Jesus is
• 17:54
  not
• 17:54
  self-promoting,
• 17:56
  he is
• 17:57
  father-glorifying.
• 17:59
  That alone
• 18:00
  sets him
• 18:00
  apart from
• 18:01
  every
• 18:01
  false
• 18:02
  teacher.
• 18:04
  Jesus
• 18:04
  teaches
• 18:05
  with an
• 18:05
  inexplicable
• 18:06
  authority.
• 18:09
  Secondly,
• 18:09
  Jesus exposes
• 18:10
  the hypocrisy
• 18:11
  of religious
• 18:12
  unbelief.
• 18:14
  See this
• 18:14
  in verse
• 18:14
  19
• 18:15
  through
• 18:15
  24.
• 18:17
  In
• 18:18
  verse 19,
• 18:18
  Jesus
• 18:19
  confronts
• 18:19
  them
• 18:20
  directly.
• 18:21
  Has
• 18:22
  not
• 18:22
  Moses
• 18:23
  given
• 18:23
  you
• 18:23
  the
• 18:23
  law,
• 18:24
  yet
• 18:24
  none
• 18:24
  of
• 18:24
  you
• 18:24
  keeps
• 18:25
  the
• 18:25
  law?
• 18:25
  Why
• 18:26
  do
• 18:26
  you
• 18:26
  seek
• 18:27
  to
• 18:28
  kill
• 18:28
  me?
• 18:29
  They
• 18:30
  claim
• 18:30
  Moses.
• 18:31
  They
• 18:32
  claim
• 18:32
  the
• 18:32
  law,
• 18:33
  yet
• 18:34
  they're
• 18:35
  plotting
• 18:35
  murder.
• 18:37
  Jesus
• 18:37
  exposes
• 18:38
  the
• 18:38
  contradiction.
• 18:40
  They
• 18:40
  boast
• 18:41
  in
• 18:41
  possessing
• 18:41
  the
• 18:42
  law
• 18:42
  while
• 18:42
  rejecting
• 18:43
  the
• 18:43
  lawgiver
• 18:44
  to
• 18:45
  the
• 18:45
  point
• 18:46
  of
• 18:46
  putting
• 18:46
  him
• 18:47
  to
• 18:47
  death
• 18:48
  on a
• 18:49
  cross.
• 18:50
  This
• 18:50
  plot
• 18:51
  is already
• 18:51
  in
• 18:52
  motion
• 18:52
  as
• 18:53
  Jesus
• 18:53
  speaks
• 18:53
  to
• 18:53
  them.
• 18:55
  In
• 18:55
  verse
• 18:55
  20,
• 18:56
  the
• 18:56
  crowd
• 18:56
  then
• 18:56
  responds,
• 18:58
  you
• 18:58
  have
• 18:58
  a
• 18:58
  demon
• 18:58
  who
• 18:59
  is
• 18:59
  seeking
• 18:59
  to
• 19:00
  kill
• 19:00
  you.
• 19:01
  How
• 19:01
  could
• 19:01
  you
• 19:01
  say
• 19:01
  such
• 19:02
  a
• 19:02
  crazy
• 19:02
  thing?
• 19:04
  Truth
• 19:05
  often
• 19:05
  sounds
• 19:06
  insane
• 19:08
  to hardened
• 19:08
  hearts.
• 19:10
  These
• 19:10
  two
• 19:10
  verses,
• 19:11
  for those
• 19:11
  of you
• 19:12
  who
• 19:12
  will
• 19:13
  care,
• 19:13
  I
• 19:13
  hope
• 19:14
  some
• 19:14
  of
• 19:14
  you
• 19:14
  do,
• 19:15
  comprise
• 19:15
  the
• 19:16
  chiastic
• 19:16
  center
• 19:16
  of this
• 19:17
  text.
• 19:17
  So if
• 19:17
  you
• 19:17
  care to
• 19:18
  plot it
• 19:19
  out on
• 19:19
  your
• 19:19
  own,
• 19:20
  this
• 19:20
  is the
• 19:20
  center,
• 19:21
  verses
• 19:21
  19 and
• 19:23
  20.
• 19:25
  John's
• 19:25
  drawing our
• 19:26
  attention to
• 19:27
  this growing
• 19:28
  conflict that's
• 19:29
  going to result
• 19:30
  in his
• 19:31
  crucifixion.
• 19:33
  Jesus answers
• 19:34
  by pointing
• 19:35
  to his
• 19:36
  healing on the
• 19:37
  Sabbath recorded
• 19:38
  in John
• 19:39
  chapter 5.
• 19:40
  That's what he's
• 19:40
  talking about.
• 19:41
  That's the work
• 19:42
  that he did
• 19:42
  that they marvel
• 19:43
  at.
• 19:43
  Back in
• 19:44
  John chapter 5,
• 19:45
  the last time
• 19:45
  he was in
• 19:46
  Jerusalem,
• 19:47
  you may
• 19:47
  remember that
• 19:48
  he healed
• 19:48
  a man
• 19:49
  at the
• 19:49
  pool of
• 19:49
  Siloam.
• 19:51
  In
• 19:51
  verse 21
• 19:52
  through 23
• 19:53
  he explains
• 19:54
  that circumcision
• 19:55
  is permitted
• 19:56
  on the
• 19:56
  Sabbath
• 19:57
  because the
• 19:57
  law itself
• 19:58
  allows for
• 19:59
  acts of
• 20:00
  covenant
• 20:01
  faithfulness
• 20:01
  and mercy.
• 20:03
  So they
• 20:04
  would have
• 20:05
  performed
• 20:05
  circumcision
• 20:05
  on the
• 20:06
  eighth day
• 20:06
  and if it
• 20:07
  fell on the
• 20:07
  Sabbath
• 20:07
  they did
• 20:09
  that work
• 20:10
  and the
• 20:11
  law allowed
• 20:11
  for that.
• 20:12
  Acts of
• 20:12
  covenant
• 20:12
  faithfulness
• 20:13
  and of
• 20:15
  mercy.
• 20:16
  So then
• 20:17
  what did
• 20:18
  he do?
• 20:18
  He did
• 20:18
  an act
• 20:19
  of mercy.
• 20:19
  He healed
• 20:20
  a man
• 20:20
  on that
• 20:21
  day and
• 20:21
  it was
• 20:21
  for that
• 20:21
  reason
• 20:22
  that they
• 20:23
  were seeking
• 20:23
  to kill
• 20:25
  him.
• 20:25
  His
• 20:26
  argument
• 20:26
  is airtight.
• 20:29
  If on
• 20:29
  the
• 20:29
  Sabbath
• 20:29
  a man
• 20:30
  receives
• 20:30
  circumcision
• 20:31
  so the
• 20:31
  law of
• 20:31
  Moses
• 20:31
  may not
• 20:32
  be
• 20:32
  broken,
• 20:32
  are you
• 20:33
  angry
• 20:33
  with me
• 20:33
  because
• 20:34
  on
• 20:34
  the
• 20:34
  Sabbath
• 20:34
  I
• 20:35
  made
• 20:35
  a
• 20:35
  man's
• 20:35
  whole
• 20:36
  body
• 20:36
  well?
• 20:38
  Look
• 20:38
  at the
• 20:38
  hypocrisy
• 20:39
  of your
• 20:41
  unbelief.
• 20:43
  Verse
• 20:43
  24
• 20:43
  summarizes
• 20:45
  the issue.
• 20:47
  Do not
• 20:48
  judge by
• 20:48
  appearances
• 20:49
  but judge
• 20:51
  with right
• 20:52
  judgment.
• 20:54
  Jesus is not
• 20:55
  here forbidding
• 20:56
  discernment.
• 20:57
  He is
• 20:57
  commanding it.
• 21:00
  Superficial
• 21:00
  judgment looks
• 21:01
  at credentials
• 21:02
  and at
• 21:03
  customs.
• 21:04
  Right
• 21:05
  judgment is
• 21:05
  shaped by
• 21:06
  truth and
• 21:07
  grounded in
• 21:09
  God's word.
• 21:10
  They should
• 21:10
  have had no
• 21:10
  issue with
• 21:11
  his healing
• 21:12
  on the
• 21:13
  Sabbath.
• 21:13
  They should
• 21:13
  have
• 21:14
  accepted
• 21:14
  him
• 21:14
  as
• 21:15
  the
• 21:16
  Christ
• 21:16
  and yet
• 21:17
  they're
• 21:17
  so
• 21:17
  caught
• 21:18
  up
• 21:18
  in
• 21:19
  their
• 21:19
  keeping
• 21:20
  of
• 21:20
  the
• 21:20
  law
• 21:20
  that
• 21:20
  they're
• 21:21
  neglecting
• 21:21
  central
• 21:22
  elements
• 21:24
  of it.
• 21:26
  So we
• 21:26
  see that
• 21:27
  Jesus exposes
• 21:28
  the hypocrisy
• 21:28
  of their
• 21:29
  religious
• 21:29
  unbelief.
• 21:32
  Thirdly,
• 21:34
  Jesus reveals
• 21:35
  a divine
• 21:35
  origin
• 21:36
  that they
• 21:37
  just
• 21:37
  refuse
• 21:38
  to
• 21:39
  accept.
• 21:40
  Verse
• 21:40
  25
• 21:41
  to the
• 21:41
  end
• 21:42
  of the
• 21:42
  text.
• 21:43
  Verses
• 21:44
  25
• 21:45
  to 27
• 21:45
  show
• 21:46
  the
• 21:46
  confusion
• 21:47
  of the
• 21:48
  Jerusalem
• 21:48
  crowd.
• 21:49
  They
• 21:49
  think
• 21:50
  they
• 21:50
  know
• 21:50
  where
• 21:50
  Jesus
• 21:51
  is
• 21:51
  from
• 21:51
  and
• 21:51
  assume
• 21:52
  that
• 21:52
  the
• 21:53
  Christ's
• 21:53
  origins
• 21:54
  will
• 21:54
  be
• 21:54
  entirely
• 21:55
  mysterious.
• 21:57
  So much
• 21:57
  misunderstanding
• 21:58
  about who
• 22:00
  the
• 22:00
  Christ
• 22:00
  would be.
• 22:02
  They
• 22:02
  misunderstood
• 22:02
  both
• 22:03
  Jesus
• 22:04
  and the
• 22:05
  Old
• 22:05
  Testament's
• 22:06
  teaching
• 22:06
  about
• 22:06
  the
• 22:07
  Christ.
• 22:08
  What
• 22:08
  he was
• 22:08
  to be
• 22:09
  and what
• 22:09
  he was
• 22:10
  to do.
• 22:12
  Verse
• 22:13
  28
• 22:13
  is
• 22:14
  filled
• 22:14
  with
• 22:15
  so
• 22:15
  much
• 22:16
  holy
• 22:17
  irony.
• 22:19
  Jesus
• 22:20
  proclaimed
• 22:20
  as he
• 22:21
  taught
• 22:21
  in the
• 22:21
  temple,
• 22:23
  you
• 22:23
  know me
• 22:23
  and you
• 22:24
  know where
• 22:25
  I come
• 22:25
  from,
• 22:26
  but I
• 22:26
  have not
• 22:27
  come of
• 22:27
  my own
• 22:27
  accord.
• 22:28
  He
• 22:28
  who
• 22:28
  sent
• 22:28
  me
• 22:28
  is
• 22:29
  true
• 22:29
  and
• 22:29
  him
• 22:30
  you
• 22:30
  do
• 22:30
  not
• 22:31
  know.
• 22:33
  Yes,
• 22:34
  they
• 22:34
  know his
• 22:35
  earthly
• 22:35
  background.
• 22:37
  Word
• 22:37
  had
• 22:37
  gotten
• 22:38
  around
• 22:38
  about
• 22:39
  who
• 22:39
  this
• 22:39
  Jesus
• 22:40
  is,
• 22:41
  this
• 22:41
  one
• 22:41
  claiming
• 22:42
  to be
• 22:43
  the
• 22:43
  Christ,
• 22:44
  but they
• 22:44
  do not
• 22:45
  know
• 22:45
  his
• 22:46
  heavenly
• 22:47
  origin.
• 22:49
  They
• 22:49
  know
• 22:49
  Nazareth,
• 22:50
  they
• 22:51
  do not
• 22:51
  know
• 22:52
  that he
• 22:53
  has
• 22:53
  come
• 22:53
  from
• 22:54
  the
• 22:54
  Father
• 22:54
  and
• 22:55
  therefore
• 22:55
  do
• 22:56
  not
• 22:57
  know
• 22:57
  the
• 22:58
  Father.
• 23:00
  Verse
• 23:00
  29
• 23:01
  brings
• 23:01
  the
• 23:01
  matter
• 23:02
  to
• 23:02
  its
• 23:02
  very
• 23:03
  sharpest
• 23:04
  of
• 23:05
  points.
• 23:06
  Jesus
• 23:06
  says,
• 23:06
  I
• 23:06
  know
• 23:07
  him
• 23:07
  for
• 23:07
  I
• 23:08
  come
• 23:08
  from
• 23:08
  him
• 23:09
  and
• 23:10
  he
• 23:10
  sent
• 23:12
  me.
• 23:13
  This
• 23:13
  is one
• 23:14
  of the
• 23:14
  clearest
• 23:14
  assertions
• 23:15
  of Jesus'
• 23:15
  divine
• 23:16
  origin
• 23:16
  in the
• 23:16
  gospel
• 23:17
  of
• 23:17
  John.
• 23:18
  Jesus
• 23:18
  does not
• 23:19
  merely
• 23:19
  know
• 23:19
  about
• 23:20
  God,
• 23:21
  he
• 23:21
  knows
• 23:22
  him
• 23:22
  eternally
• 23:23
  and
• 23:24
  perfectly.
• 23:26
  And
• 23:27
  then comes
• 23:27
  the
• 23:28
  devastating
• 23:28
  indictment
• 23:29
  at the
• 23:29
  end of
• 23:29
  verse
• 23:29
  28.
• 23:30
  Him
• 23:30
  you
• 23:31
  do
• 23:32
  not
• 23:32
  know.
• 23:34
  may
• 23:36
  that
• 23:36
  not
• 23:36
  be
• 23:36
  said
• 23:37
  of
• 23:37
  us,
• 23:38
  him
• 23:39
  you
• 23:39
  do
• 23:40
  not
• 23:40
  know.
• 23:43
  These
• 23:44
  are
• 23:44
  scripture
• 23:44
  experts
• 23:45
  and
• 23:46
  devout
• 23:46
  followers
• 23:47
  of
• 23:47
  the
• 23:47
  law.
• 23:48
  They
• 23:48
  are
• 23:48
  gathered
• 23:49
  for
• 23:49
  a
• 23:50
  commanded
• 23:50
  feast.
• 23:51
  They
• 23:51
  have
• 23:51
  come
• 23:52
  together
• 23:53
  in
• 23:53
  obedience
• 23:53
  to
• 23:54
  God's
• 23:55
  word.
• 23:56
  Jesus
• 23:57
  says
• 23:57
  plainly
• 23:58
  that
• 23:58
  they
• 23:58
  do
• 23:59
  not
• 23:59
  know
• 23:59
  God.
• 24:00
  That
• 24:01
  should
• 24:01
  sober
• 24:02
  every
• 24:03
  one
• 24:03
  of
• 24:03
  us.
• 24:04
  Every
• 24:05
  one
• 24:05
  of
• 24:05
  us
• 24:05
  should
• 24:06
  think
• 24:07
  them?
• 24:08
  How
• 24:08
  did
• 24:08
  they
• 24:09
  miss
• 24:10
  that
• 24:10
  Jesus
• 24:10
  is
• 24:12
  the
• 24:12
  Christ?
• 24:14
  Jesus
• 24:14
  says
• 24:14
  in
• 24:15
  John
• 24:15
  chapter
• 24:15
  5
• 24:16
  verse
• 24:16
  39
• 24:16
  and
• 24:16
  40
• 24:17
  it
• 24:17
  says
• 24:18
  this
• 24:18
  to
• 24:18
  these
• 24:18
  Jewish
• 24:18
  leaders
• 24:19
  you
• 24:19
  search
• 24:19
  the
• 24:20
  scriptures
• 24:20
  because
• 24:20
  you
• 24:20
  think
• 24:21
  that
• 24:21
  in
• 24:21
  them
• 24:21
  you
• 24:22
  have
• 24:22
  eternal
• 24:22
  life
• 24:23
  and
• 24:23
  it
• 24:23
  is
• 24:24
  they
• 24:24
  that
• 24:25
  bear
• 24:25
  witness
• 24:25
  about
• 24:26
  me
• 24:26
  yet
• 24:27
  you
• 24:28
  refuse
• 24:28
  !
• 24:28
  to
• 24:29
  come
• 24:29
  to
• 24:29
  me
• 24:29
  that
• 24:30
  you
• 24:30
  may
• 24:31
  have
• 24:31
  life.
• 24:32
  search
• 24:34
  the
• 24:34
  scriptures
• 24:34
  don't
• 24:35
  stop
• 24:36
  doing
• 24:36
  that
• 24:36
  search
• 24:37
  the
• 24:37
  scriptures
• 24:37
  but
• 24:37
  do
• 24:38
  so
• 24:38
  that
• 24:39
  you
• 24:39
  may
• 24:39
  find
• 24:40
  Jesus
• 24:40
  go
• 24:41
  to
• 24:42
  him
• 24:42
  and
• 24:43
  have
• 24:43
  life
• 24:43
  in
• 24:44
  him.
• 24:45
  Jesus
• 24:46
  reveals
• 24:47
  his
• 24:47
  divine
• 24:48
  origin
• 24:49
  that
• 24:49
  they
• 24:49
  just
• 24:50
  do
• 24:51
  not
• 24:51
  accept.
• 24:53
  So
• 24:54
  let's
• 24:54
  think
• 24:54
  about
• 24:55
  a bit
• 24:55
  of
• 24:55
  application.
• 24:58
  First
• 24:59
  let me
• 25:00
  say
• 25:00
  that we
• 25:00
  ought
• 25:01
  to be
• 25:01
  careful
• 25:02
  to
• 25:02
  beware
• 25:03
  of
• 25:04
  respectable
• 25:05
  unbelief.
• 25:08
  Many
• 25:08
  admire
• 25:09
  Jesus'
• 25:10
  teaching
• 25:10
  while
• 25:11
  rejecting
• 25:12
  his
• 25:13
  authority.
• 25:13
  That
• 25:14
  is
• 25:15
  not
• 25:16
  faith
• 25:16
  as
• 25:16
  the
• 25:17
  author
• 25:17
  put it
• 25:17
  it
• 25:18
  is
• 25:18
  rebellion
• 25:18
  with
• 25:19
  manners.
• 25:21
  We
• 25:22
  have
• 25:22
  spoken
• 25:22
  before
• 25:23
  of
• 25:23
  C.S.
• 25:24
  Lewis'
• 25:24
  trilemma.
• 25:26
  He
• 25:26
  argues
• 25:26
  rightly
• 25:27
  that
• 25:28
  you
• 25:28
  must
• 25:28
  either
• 25:29
  think
• 25:29
  Jesus
• 25:29
  a
• 25:30
  liar
• 25:30
  or
• 25:31
  a
• 25:31
  lunatic
• 25:32
  or
• 25:33
  worship
• 25:33
  him
• 25:34
  as
• 25:34
  Lord.
• 25:35
  He
• 25:36
  says
• 25:36
  it's
• 25:36
  not
• 25:36
  appropriate
• 25:37
  to
• 25:37
  just
• 25:37
  think
• 25:38
  of
• 25:38
  him
• 25:38
  as
• 25:38
  a
• 25:38
  good
• 25:38
  teacher
• 25:39
  because
• 25:39
  of
• 25:39
  the
• 25:39
  types
• 25:40
  of
• 25:40
  claims
• 25:40
  he
• 25:40
  made
• 25:41
  about
• 25:41
  himself.
• 25:42
  He
• 25:43
  either
• 25:43
  knows
• 25:43
  it's
• 25:43
  not
• 25:44
  true
• 25:44
  and
• 25:44
  just
• 25:44
  lies
• 25:45
  or
• 25:46
  he's
• 25:46
  a
• 25:46
  crazy
• 25:46
  person
• 25:47
  he
• 25:47
  actually
• 25:47
  thinks
• 25:48
  it's
• 25:49
  true
• 25:49
  or
• 25:49
  it
• 25:50
  is
• 25:50
  in
• 25:51
  fact
• 25:51
  true.
• 25:53
  And
• 25:53
  if
• 25:53
  so
• 25:54
  which
• 25:54
  is
• 25:54
  what
• 25:55
  I
• 25:55
  put
• 25:55
  forward
• 25:55
  to
• 25:55
  you
• 25:56
  then
• 25:56
  we
• 25:56
  should
• 25:56
  worship
• 25:57
  him
• 25:57
  as
• 25:58
  Lord.
• 26:00
  Lewis
• 26:00
  wasn't
• 26:01
  the only
• 26:01
  person
• 26:01
  to
• 26:01
  reason
• 26:02
  in
• 26:02
  this
• 26:03
  way
• 26:03
  and
• 26:03
  included
• 26:04
  at
• 26:04
  the
• 26:04
  back
• 26:05
  of
• 26:05
  your
• 26:05
  bulletin
• 26:07
  a quote
• 26:07
  from
• 26:07
  G.K.
• 26:08
  Chesterton
• 26:08
  !
• 26:12
  This
• 26:12
  first
• 26:14
  couple
• 26:14
  sentences
• 26:14
  are
• 26:14
  about
• 26:15
  not
• 26:16
  being
• 26:16
  able
• 26:16
  to
• 26:17
  make
• 26:17
  a
• 26:17
  crazy
• 26:18
  person
• 26:18
  see
• 26:19
  the
• 26:19
  light.
• 26:20
  The
• 26:20
  delusion
• 26:21
  of
• 26:21
  divinity
• 26:22
  is
• 26:22
  what
• 26:22
  he
• 26:22
  calls
• 26:22
  it.
• 26:23
  So
• 26:23
  that's
• 26:23
  what
• 26:23
  these
• 26:23
  first
• 26:23
  sentences
• 26:24
  are
• 26:24
  about.
• 26:24
  He
• 26:24
  says
• 26:24
  this
• 26:25
  impossibility
• 26:26
  of
• 26:26
  letting
• 26:27
  in
• 26:27
  daylight
• 26:28
  on
• 26:28
  a
• 26:28
  delusion
• 26:28
  does
• 26:29
  sometimes
• 26:29
  cover
• 26:30
  and
• 26:30
  conceal
• 26:31
  a
• 26:32
  delusion
• 26:32
  of
• 26:33
  divinity.
• 26:34
  It
• 26:34
  can
• 26:35
  be
• 26:35
  found
• 26:35
  not
• 26:36
  among
• 26:36
  prophets
• 26:37
  and
• 26:37
  sages
• 26:37
  and
• 26:37
  founders
• 26:38
  of
• 26:38
  religions
• 26:38
  but
• 26:39
  only
• 26:39
  among
• 26:40
  a
• 26:40
  low
• 26:41
  set
• 26:41
  of
• 26:41
  lunatics.
• 26:43
  See
• 26:43
  what
• 26:43
  he's
• 26:43
  saying?
• 26:45
  Really
• 26:45
  crazy
• 26:46
  people
• 26:46
  think
• 26:46
  they're
• 26:46
  God.
• 26:47
  That's
• 26:47
  what
• 26:47
  he's
• 26:47
  saying.
• 26:48
  But
• 26:49
  this
• 26:49
  is
• 26:49
  exactly
• 26:50
  where
• 26:50
  the
• 26:50
  argument
• 26:50
  becomes
• 26:51
  intensely
• 26:52
  interesting
• 26:53
  because
• 26:54
  the
• 26:54
  argument
• 26:55
  proves
• 26:55
  too
• 26:56
  much
• 26:56
  for
• 26:57
  nobody
• 26:58
  supposes
• 26:58
  that
• 26:59
  Jesus
• 26:59
  of
• 26:59
  Nazareth
• 26:59
  was
• 26:59
  that
• 27:00
  sort
• 27:00
  of
• 27:00
  person.
• 27:01
  No
• 27:02
  modern
• 27:02
  critic
• 27:03
  in his
• 27:03
  five
• 27:03
  wits
• 27:04
  thinks
• 27:04
  that
• 27:05
  the
• 27:05
  preacher
• 27:05
  of
• 27:05
  the
• 27:05
  Sermon
• 27:06
  on
• 27:06
  the
• 27:06
  Mount
• 27:06
  was
• 27:06
  a
• 27:07
  horrible
• 27:07
  half-witted
• 27:08
  imbecile
• 27:08
  that
• 27:09
  might
• 27:09
  be
• 27:09
  scrawling
• 27:10
  stars
• 27:10
  on the
• 27:11
  walls
• 27:11
  of
• 27:11
  a
• 27:11
  cell.
• 27:13
  No
• 27:13
  atheist
• 27:14
  or
• 27:14
  blasphemer
• 27:15
  believes
• 27:15
  that
• 27:15
  the
• 27:15
  author
• 27:16
  of
• 27:16
  the
• 27:16
  parable
• 27:17
  of
• 27:17
  the
• 27:17
  prodigal
• 27:17
  son
• 27:18
  was
• 27:18
  a
• 27:18
  monster
• 27:19
  with
• 27:24
  historical
• 27:25
  criticism.
• 27:26
  He
• 27:26
  must
• 27:26
  be
• 27:27
  put
• 27:27
  higher
• 27:27
  in
• 27:28
  the
• 27:28
  scale
• 27:28
  of
• 27:29
  human
• 27:29
  beings
• 27:30
  than
• 27:30
  that.
• 27:32
  He
• 27:32
  can't
• 27:33
  just
• 27:33
  be a
• 27:34
  lunatic.
• 27:34
  Look
• 27:35
  at the
• 27:35
  things
• 27:35
  that
• 27:36
  he
• 27:36
  put
• 27:37
  on
• 27:37
  pages
• 27:37
  for
• 27:38
  us.
• 27:39
  Yet
• 27:39
  by
• 27:40
  all
• 27:40
  analogy
• 27:41
  we
• 27:41
  have
• 27:41
  really
• 27:42
  to
• 27:42
  put
• 27:42
  him
• 27:42
  there
• 27:43
  or
• 27:43
  else
• 27:43
  in
• 27:44
  the
• 27:44
  highest
• 27:45
  place
• 27:46
  of
• 27:47
  all.
• 27:48
  Lord
• 27:48
  recognize
• 27:50
  him
• 27:50
  as
• 27:50
  such.
• 27:52
  I
• 27:52
  hope
• 27:53
  that we
• 27:53
  will
• 27:53
  all
• 27:53
  recognize
• 27:54
  the
• 27:54
  soundness
• 27:55
  of
• 27:55
  this
• 27:56
  argument.
• 27:57
  More
• 27:58
  than
• 27:58
  that
• 27:58
  I
• 27:59
  hope
• 27:59
  that
• 27:59
  we
• 27:59
  will
• 27:59
  all
• 28:00
  arrive
• 28:00
  at
• 28:00
  the
• 28:00
  proper
• 28:01
  conclusion
• 28:01
  of
• 28:02
  this
• 28:02
  argument
• 28:02
  and
• 28:03
  bow
• 28:03
  the
• 28:04
  knee
• 28:04
  to
• 28:05
  the
• 28:05
  Lord
• 28:05
  Jesus
• 28:06
  Christ.
• 28:08
  Beware
• 28:09
  of
• 28:09
  respectable
• 28:10
  unbelief.
• 28:12
  It is
• 28:12
  still
• 28:13
  unbelief.
• 28:15
  It is
• 28:15
  rebellion
• 28:16
  with
• 28:17
  manners.
• 28:20
  Take
• 28:20
  some
• 28:21
  time
• 28:21
  and
• 28:21
  examine
• 28:21
  your
• 28:23
  will
• 28:23
  not
• 28:25
  merely
• 28:25
  your
• 28:26
  intellect.
• 28:29
  You
• 28:29
  can
• 28:29
  know
• 28:29
  something
• 28:30
  is
• 28:30
  true
• 28:31
  and
• 28:31
  yet
• 28:32
  refuse
• 28:33
  to
• 28:34
  do
• 28:34
  it.
• 28:35
  Are
• 28:36
  you
• 28:36
  being
• 28:37
  shaped
• 28:38
  by
• 28:38
  God's
• 28:39
  word
• 28:39
  in a
• 28:39
  way
• 28:40
  that
• 28:40
  the
• 28:40
  impulse
• 28:41
  of
• 28:41
  your
• 28:41
  heart
• 28:41
  and
• 28:42
  your
• 28:42
  will
• 28:42
  you
• 28:42
  want
• 28:43
  to
• 28:43
  do
• 28:43
  the
• 28:43
  things
• 28:44
  that
• 28:44
  God
• 28:45
  would
• 28:45
  have
• 28:45
  you
• 28:46
  do.
• 28:46
  It
• 28:46
  starts
• 28:47
  with
• 28:47
  belief.
• 28:47
  It
• 28:49
  ends
• 28:49
  with
• 28:49
  continued
• 28:50
  belief.
• 28:51
  obedience
• 28:52
  to
• 28:52
  his
• 28:52
  way
• 28:52
  to
• 28:53
  the
• 28:53
  very
• 28:54
  end.
• 28:56
  Ask
• 28:56
  honestly
• 28:56
  whether
• 28:57
  you
• 28:57
  are
• 28:57
  willing
• 28:57
  to
• 28:57
  do
• 28:58
  whatever
• 28:58
  it
• 28:59
  is
• 28:59
  that
• 28:59
  God
• 28:59
  reveals
• 29:00
  to
• 29:00
  you
• 29:00
  that
• 29:01
  you
• 29:01
  should
• 29:01
  do.
• 29:03
  Finally,
• 29:05
  rest
• 29:06
  in the
• 29:07
  Christ
• 29:08
  who was
• 29:09
  sent.
• 29:10
  It's
• 29:11
  already a
• 29:11
  new
• 29:11
  year.
• 29:12
  We are
• 29:12
  off
• 29:13
  and
• 29:13
  running
• 29:14
  and
• 29:14
  there
• 29:14
  are
• 29:14
  a
• 29:14
  thousand
• 29:15
  tasks
• 29:15
  !
• 29:15
  out
• 29:16
  before
• 29:16
  us
• 29:16
  so
• 29:16
  many
• 29:17
  things
• 29:17
  that
• 29:18
  we
• 29:18
  are
• 29:18
  determined
• 29:18
  to
• 29:19
  do.
• 29:19
  Most
• 29:20
  of
• 29:20
  them
• 29:20
  probably
• 29:21
  are
• 29:22
  good
• 29:23
  things
• 29:23
  that
• 29:24
  we
• 29:24
  should
• 29:24
  be
• 29:24
  set
• 29:24
  about
• 29:25
  doing.
• 29:26
  I
• 29:26
  think
• 29:27
  already
• 29:27
  perhaps
• 29:28
  some
• 29:28
  of
• 29:29
  you
• 29:29
  are
• 29:30
  tired.
• 29:31
  Can
• 29:32
  you
• 29:32
  believe
• 29:32
  it?
• 29:32
  We're
• 29:33
  already
• 29:33
  worn
• 29:34
  out.
• 29:35
  The
• 29:35
  holidays
• 29:35
  have
• 29:37
  us
• 29:37
  tired.
• 29:38
  Perhaps
• 29:39
  in
• 29:39
  your
• 29:39
  spirit
• 29:40
  you're
• 29:40
  tired.
• 29:42
  Thinking
• 29:42
  somehow
• 29:42
  that
• 29:43
  your
• 29:43
  success
• 29:44
  or
• 29:44
  failure
• 29:45
  this
• 29:46
  year
• 29:46
  already
• 29:47
  has
• 29:47
  put
• 29:47
  you
• 29:47
  in
• 29:47
  some
• 29:48
  right
• 29:48
  or
• 29:48
  wrong
• 29:49
  standing
• 29:49
  with
• 29:50
  God.
• 29:52
  Rest
• 29:52
  in
• 29:52
  the
• 29:52
  completed
• 29:53
  work
• 29:53
  of
• 29:54
  the
• 29:54
  Christ
• 29:55
  who
• 29:56
  was
• 29:56
  sent.
• 29:57
  Sent
• 29:57
  on
• 29:57
  your
• 29:58
  behalf
• 29:58
  if
• 29:59
  you
• 29:59
  have
• 29:59
  believed
• 30:00
  in
• 30:00
  him.
• 30:02
  Jesus
• 30:02
  did
• 30:02
  not
• 30:03
  come
• 30:03
  on
• 30:04
  his
• 30:04
  own
• 30:04
  initiative.
• 30:05
  came
• 30:05
  on
• 30:05
  the
• 30:06
  father's
• 30:06
  mission
• 30:07
  to
• 30:07
  save
• 30:08
  sinners
• 30:08
  like
• 30:09
  you
• 30:09
  and
• 30:10
  me
• 30:10
  to
• 30:10
  make
• 30:11
  us
• 30:11
  new
• 30:11
  in
• 30:12
  him
• 30:12
  to
• 30:12
  clothe
• 30:12
  us
• 30:12
  in
• 30:13
  his
• 30:13
  righteousness
• 30:14
  to
• 30:14
  not
• 30:15
  only
• 30:15
  justify
• 30:16
  us
• 30:16
  but
• 30:16
  to
• 30:16
  adopt
• 30:17
  us
• 30:17
  to
• 30:17
  call
• 30:17
  us
• 30:18
  his
• 30:19
  and that
• 30:20
  was done
• 30:21
  because
• 30:21
  he
• 30:21
  did it.
• 30:23
  He accomplished
• 30:24
  that work
• 30:26
  and we can
• 30:27
  rest in
• 30:28
  that.
• 30:29
  He still
• 30:30
  speaks
• 30:30
  Jesus
• 30:32
  does
• 30:32
  with divine
• 30:33
  authority
• 30:34
  today.
• 30:36
  We can
• 30:36
  believe that
• 30:36
  his promises
• 30:37
  for us
• 30:38
  are sure.
• 30:41
  In conclusion
• 30:42
  John 7
• 30:42
  presses this
• 30:44
  unavoidable
• 30:45
  question
• 30:45
  upon us
• 30:46
  where
• 30:47
  did
• 30:47
  Jesus
• 30:48
  come
• 30:48
  from
• 30:48
  who
• 30:48
  is
• 30:49
  he
• 30:50
  if
• 30:51
  he
• 30:51
  came
• 30:51
  only
• 30:51
  from
• 30:51
  Nazareth
• 30:52
  he
• 30:52
  can
• 30:52
  be
• 30:53
  dismissed
• 30:53
  if
• 30:54
  he
• 30:54
  came
• 30:54
  from
• 30:55
  heaven
• 30:55
  he
• 30:56
  must
• 30:56
  be
• 30:57
  worshipped
• 30:57
  Jesus
• 30:59
  says
• 30:59
  in
• 31:00
  John
• 31:00
  17
• 31:00
  verse
• 31:01
  3
• 31:01
  this
• 31:02
  is
• 31:03
  eternal
• 31:03
  life
• 31:03
  that
• 31:04
  they
• 31:04
  know
• 31:05
  you
• 31:05
  the
• 31:05
  only
• 31:06
  true
• 31:06
  God
• 31:06
  and
• 31:07
  Jesus
• 31:07
  Christ
• 31:08
  whom
• 31:09
  you
• 31:09
  have
• 31:09
  sent
• 31:09
  let's
• 31:10
  pray
• 31:11
  as