Truth and
teaching from John 7: 1-53
Now about
the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews
marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? 7:14
-15.
Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 7:45-46
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
A new hour
was at hand. The ministry of Jesus in beautiful areas of Galilee were over.
Rather frightening to realize that happens in every place and among all people.
When the word of the Lord Jesus is no longer heard there is the silence of death
on the location and people of the local community. Ministry in a location is a
blessing for that place. The Hunslet Church ministry is a blessing for this
area. The Lord is still in this place. His Hand remains on His people here and
the reason for that is He still has people out there!
THE SILENT STEPS OF THE SAVIOUR
Great
activities were taking place in the Holy City. Jerusalem was celebrating the
Feast of Tabernacles one of the great Jewish feasts from the covenant scriptures
of the Old Testament. The Old and the New Testaments are equally important
sections of the Living Word of God. They are linked together with the golden
cords of Divine love and Divine Revelation. They together tell the wonderful
story of Jesus.
TAKE CENTRE STAGE WITH THE CROWDS
The time was near for the celebration of the Feast of the Tabernacles. It would be a joyful occasion when Jerusalem would be crowded with people.
Leave the
villages of Galilee and display your miraculous ministry in the city. His
brethren had failed to grasp the plan and purpose of the Ministry of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
He was a
Man who was so much misunderstood because of the vastness of His past, present
and future. Jesus was and is dealing with eternal matters; He had brought the
secrets of heaven from the courts of glory and talked about them in villages and
cities with every kind of people and in the differing communities.
His voice
with its own particular accent had been listened to by thousands of people.
Jesus was good to listen and hear speak; He was good to be with, His brethren
and friends enjoyed the reflected glory and real possibilities He revealed and
spoke about.
However
they were blind to His real glory and power. “Lord don’t waste time in
little villages with ordinary folk don’t work in secret in obscure places go
to the centre stage of the City of Jerusalem. Confront the many with your
ministry”, was the advice given.
Jesus would indeed make the journey to Jerusalem, and it would be made in His own way and time. The choice was his alone.
AS IT WAS THEN SO IT IS TODAY
Today as
then many people fail to understand the full and ongoing purpose of the Saviour
of Man. Holy and perfect as Jesus was, faultless and flawless as were his
character and conduct yet even those brought up with Him in the same house
believed not in Him.
I am become
a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. For the
zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached
thee are fallen upon me. Psalm 69:8-9. This particular prophecy was fulfilled in
great detail, in these Scriptures and events.
How
essential is saving regenerating grace and love. No man can come to me except
the Father draw him. When that happens, all discussion and debates ceases and
believing faith takes hold of heart and mind and new life is given. One is born
again of the Spirit of God.
It is
called getting saved.
JESUS TEACHING IN HIS FATHER’S
HOUSE
He was now as it were centre stage in the great Temple in Jerusalem. No one had more right to be there and no one more qualified to teach eternal truth than our Saviour Himself.
He was in
the right place at the right time and for the right reason. Jesus always is!
How hath
this Man the letters having never learned?
They
marvelled at Jesus because He had the ‘grammata’ the letters. Where from??
What
impressed them was the intellectual grasp and knowledge of Jesus. He had the
‘letters’.
It is
highly significant that these people, not in lowly provincial Nazareth, but in
the centre of culture and learning, heard not simply a Man with a Galilean
accent; but a Man of intellectual and cultured speech. Jesus ministers at the
very highest level.
He stood
there among men who talked the language of learning, and were learned men; they
stood and listened to Jesus and said He has our accent!
HOW DID HE GET IT?
Page created 12 February 2007