SHOW YOURSELF TO THE WORLD
JOHN 7:1-13
Introduction:
Jesus is again in Galilee after His discourse in John 6. In Jerusalem the Jews sought to kill Him, but here in Galilee He had safety and rest for a time. Matthew 10:23, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.”
Galilee was His home where His brethren lived. You will remember that Jesus was not accepted as the Messiah here. Even His brethren did not believe on Him at this time.
I. “AFTER THESE THINGS…”
A. After the events recorded in chapter 6.
1. That was shortly before the Passover, that is in April, John 6:4, “And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.”
2. The Feast of Tabernacles was near (six months later in October), v. 2, “Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.”
B. The Feast of Tabernacles was one of the three great Jewish feasts.
1. Josephus, the great Hebrew historian, called it their holiest and greatest feast.
2. This feast, also called the Feast of Ingathering, was a time of thanksgiving for harvest, Deuteronomy 16:13, “Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:”
a. It was a happy time, Leviticus 23:40, “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.”
b. This is one of three times that the males of Israel had to appear before the Lord, Deuteronomy 16:16, “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:”
3. It was at this feast at the end of every seven years that the Law was read, Deuteronomy 31:10-11, “And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.”
II. JESUS’ BRETHREN DID NOT BELIEVE AT THAT TIME
A. “IF” you do these things, show yourself to the world, vs. 4-5, “For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 5For neither did his brethren believe in him.”
1. Go into Judaea, that your disciples may see the works that you do, Jeremiah 12:6, “For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.”
2. No man does these things in secret, Matthew 4:6, “And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
B. Jesus’ brethren did not believe that He was the Messiah, v. 5, “For neither did his brethren believe in him.”
1. Jesus came unto His own, John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
2. He was not received in His own country, Matthew 13:57, “And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”
3. However, Jesus was received by some, John 1:12-13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
III. MY TIME IS NOT YET COME
A. The Lord’s brethren did not have spiritual discernment because of their unbelief, 1 Corinthians 2:15-16, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
B. “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth,” v. 7, “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.”
1. He revealed the problem, John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
2. Jesus became the enemy of man because He told him the truth, Galatians 4:16, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”
CONCLUSION:
Jesus went to the feast, but not openly. Too many sought to kill Him, v. 25, “Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?”
Even the people would not talk openly about Jesus for fear of the religious leaders who would put them out of the synagogue, v. 13, “Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.”