ESCALATING HATRED

 

John 7:1-13

As we approach this chapter, and into the next, we see that the Jewish leaders, and the crowd’s hatred, has been smoldering in Judea. We know that they wanted to kill Jesus, especially after Him healing a lame man on the Sabbath, “Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” Jesus Is Equal with God. This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” John 5:14-18

 

As we approach chapter seven, we see that there is seven months between this chapter, and the previous chapter. 7 months has passed between the Passover, to the Feast of Booth here in chapter seven. So, this means that Jesus didn’t enter into Judea, but remained in Galilee and surrounding areas for seven months. What did Jesus do for these seven months that John doesn’t record in his gospel letter. According to Matthew, and Mark, Jesus spend most of His time on the outskirts of the city, on the outer edge of the parameter of countryside. Matt 15, Mark 7

 

During this seven months Jesus spends most of His time discipling the twelve. Yes, He did teach, and ministered to others, but mostly he spent this time preparing His disciples for future ministry. It’s during this time Jesus spoke privately for the first time to His disciples about His coming death. “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matt 16:21-23. It’s during this time the disciples went through an intense training, and instruction, but yet they were still confused during it.

 

To help the closest disciples, the inner four to understand, they were introduced to the Transfiguration of Christ to affirm who Jesus was. “He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” Matt 17:5-9

At the right time Jesus reveals more about Himself to His disciples, but as for the world they didn’t recognize Him, even His own brother didn’t recognize Him for who He truly was. But as the Scriptures has already said, “But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:64-69

Now, Jesus returns to Judea after seven months, not by

chance but by the perfect timing of God.

 

Some say Jesus went into hiding out of fear of the Jews who wanted to kill Him; that is false and unfounded, to why He didn’t go to Judea. “He would not go about in Judea” (v1) because the time was not yet right in God’s plan for the events leading to His death. This doesn’t mean that Jesus was unwilling to die, because this why He came into the world. John 12:27, but like many times Jesus would remind His disciples and others, “Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.” John 7:5

Look What Hostility Jesus Faced By His Own Family! (v1-v5)

 

His own brothers sort of mocked, and ridiculed Him, very similar to the way Joseph’s brothers treated him. John doesn’t name the brothers here, but Matthew reminds us of Jesus’ siblings when He told the parables and the Jewish leaders didn’t believe Him, “and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things? And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” Matt 13:54-58

 

It was bad enough that His own people, "the Jews sought to kill Him." But it was even worse that "His brethren did not believe." Their own religious ignorance to Jewish Festivals couldn’t see their Messiah was standing before them. (v2) See, this festival was a time to look back to Israel’s journey through the wilderness, and looked forward to the promised Messiah. 

 

Think about this for a moment! This is one of the three great annual journey festivals, when the Jewish people gather together in Jerusalem not only to remember God’s provision in the Wilderness but also to look ahead to that promised Messianic age when all nations will flow to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

 

The Feast of Booths (the Feast of the Tabernacle) was a festive

time for the people.

 

It was the longest festival of the Jewish year, lasting seven days, this feast was held in early Autumn. Numbers 29; Deut 16

 

This followed the Jewish New year and the Day of Atonement. This was a celebration of God’s gracious provision for the Israelites in the wilderness, and the completion of the years harvest.

 

The temple area would be illumined by large candlesticks, that reminded them of the guiding pillar of fire. Exodus 13

 

Each day during the festival the priests would carry water from the pool of Siloam and poor it out of golden vessels, reminding the Jews of the miraculous provision of water from the rock.

 

This Feast of Festivals, marked a jubilant time for the people, but for Jesus it was a difficult time as people became more militant towards Him and His ministry.

 

This is what makes this conversation so sad. Here were men, his brothers, going to a religious feast that look to the coming Messiah, who the nation would worship once again.

 

Yet they rejected the Messiah that is before them.

How easy is it to follow tradition and miss eternal truth?

 

His own half-brothers were making fun of Him and His brothers, are prime examples to mankind’s ignorance to the truth of God.

 

This is just prophecy being fulfilled! There unbelief was told many years before. “I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons.” Psalm 69:8

 

So, how did the world feel 

towards Jesus?

 

Answer: They hated him; they hated the express image of the Father; they hated the brightness of His glory; they hated the person of Jesus Christ.

Humanity was in opposition to

God and His purposes.

 

Ultimately though! They hated what He said, what He testified too. See, the world can tolerate a social justice Jesus, our equal opportunist Jesus. The world loves and stands with a… Jesus who supports the Alphabet group, or a Jesus made in the image of man, but not the Jesus of the Scriptures.

 

Why does the world hate

Jesus so much?

 

Jesus, tells His brothers; the world will, and does loves you, but it hates Me. “The world cannot hate you; but me it hates, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." (v7) Jesus testified that, their/mankind, works were evil. (v7) “Testify” against the world and confront wickedness, will always arouse resentment and hatred. Jesus said, “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matt 10:21-22. John would write in his first epistle to remind the believer of this truth, “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.” 1 John 3:13. When sin is confronted, and exposed, it will either bring a person to repentance, or murder in their heart. Humanity hates Jesus, for what He said with His words; which hit the center core of the human heart, and that is what they hated about Him. This present world loves their sin and loves darkness, and what Jesus proclaimed with His words, get in the way of what man loves the most, their sin.

  

J C Ryle said what made mankind so angry with Jesus’ words. “These words reveal one of those secret principles which influence men in their treatment of Christ. They help to explain that deadly enmity with which many during our Lord's earthly ministry regarded Him and His Gospel. It was not so much the high doctrines which He preached, as the high standard of practice which He proclaimed, which gave offence. It was not even His claim to be received the Messiah which men disliked so much, as His witness against the wickedness of their lives. In short, they could have tolerated His opinions if He would only have spared their sins.”

There shallowness and emptiness revealed that the religious system often persecute the very prophets of God who are sent to save it.

 

The prophets of old, were persecuted for delivering a saving message, but what does Jesus say. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matt 5:13. See, the wicked cannot bear to be reproved. The most amiable behavior cannot secure a faithful Christian from the world's hatred. But is it not an honor to share the reproach of the Son of God. “And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Mar 13:12-13. The Hebrew writer says, “Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Heb 13:13-15

 

If the Lord suffered in this manner, His people ought to

be patient under the same trials.

 

This world system rejected Christ, so don’t be surprised when the world rejects you……even your family, your spouse possibly.

 

But here is where our peace and comfort comes, as we face this cruel world. Jesus said these words as He predicted what the disciples would do at His arrest. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

 

As James Stewart, the great Scottish preacher, put it more bluntly, "Christianity is not for the well-meaning; it is for the desperate…"

 

Truth is what matter, what the Word of God says is what matters. C. S. Lewis said on his own reading of the Bible. "The Christian religion…does not begin in comfort; it begins in…dismay… In religion, as in war and everything else, comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end: if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth – only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair."

 

This world as Jesus testifies too, is hostile towards

The true church.

 

For example:

 

Our friends to the south of us, on Oct 14, 2013, the U.S. Army were told that the American Family Association, a well-respected Christian ministry, should be classified as a domestic hate group because the group advocates for traditional family values. The briefing was held at Camp Shelby in Mississippi and listed the AFA alongside domestic hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis, the Black Panthers and Hamas.

Our Liberal Canadian Government has not been very kind to those who uphold traditional values. More than any previous government, Trudeau’s office has sought to normalize and celebrate progressive agendas surrounding LGBT, abortion, euthanasia and been openly hostile to Pro-Life views and the church.

 

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB), an Ontario public board, announced that parents will no longer be allowed to opt-out their child from class when topics of homosexuality are brought up in the classroom, regardless of their religious or cultural beliefs.

 

So sad, but not surprised to see this happening around us, but it’s no different than

it was in the time of Jesus and His disciples. How do we as brothers and sisters in Christ deal with an evil and hostile world, even if it comes from our immediate family, that are the closest to us?

 

Enduring Wrongful Hatred Is Something That God Both Requires And Rewards.

 

Matt 5:44 says, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”

 

In Luke 6:22-23 Jesus says, "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

 

When We Return Good For Evil, We Follow The Example Of Christ.

 

Peter said, “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2:20-23

 

We Are Brought Into Glory Through Our Sufferings For His Name Sake.

 

Paul comforts the saints with this truth. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Cor 4:17-18

 

As a church/family of God, we are at war, the military calls this“a Band of brothers” which by definition is “a company of people having a common purpose.” Just as the Marine Corp live as a family no matter where they are stationed……the same rule applies the family of Godas we live among this evil world system. We long to be a part of a larger story, something that has eternal implications and is noble enough to die for!

 

And here is the beauty of the gospel. Later on Jesus’ brothers would join Him in the end as a part of this great story of redemption. “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” Acts 1:12-14

 

His brothers, eyes were open to see the testifying words of Jesus through His resurrection which revealed to their hearts to see the Messiah and the gospel. Another example of God’s perfect timing, as the Christian church waits on the Lord's time, while unknown, we welcome it, as we endure this hostile world around us. We sometimes wonder “Lord why haven’t you come and deliver us from this evil world system? The biblical answer is that He will on His time table, not ours, as we see in this portion of scripture as Jesus comes at the right time. Be of good cheer because we must go outside the camp to where He is; and sometimes it can feel like a lonely place when we are faced with such hostility.

 

But remember this wonderful truth, “looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Heb 12:2-3

 

We need to be faithful and endure as we wait

His glorious appearing.

 

As on preacher said “How bright do the perfections of the Lord shine forth when viewed in contrast with the base qualities of human creatures! The Son of God remained unmoved in the midst of all the conflicting storms of human passions. His eyes were directed to his Father, whose will was his only guide, whose favor was his greatest joy.”

 

We must never take our eyes of the prize!

The Lord of Glory.

An example of this is found in the English Reformer John Bradford, who suffered long in prison, not knowing the day appointed for his execution, but patiently waiting the Lord's time. When he knew it, how joyfully he welcomed it! History tells us “One afternoon the keeper's wife suddenly came up to him, troubled, and almost breathless, saying, "O Master Bradford, I come to bring you heavy news."—"What is it?" said he. "Tomorrow you must be burned, and your chain is now a buying." The martyr put off his cap, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, said, "I thank God for it. I have looked for the same a long time, and therefore it comes not to me suddenly, but as a thing waited for every day and hour. The Lord make me worthy thereof." On the morning of July 15th 1555 at 9am, two men were led to their execution at London’s Smithfield in the reign of “bloody Queen Mary”. They were condemned to be burnt alive as heretics. One was a young man of 19 called John Leaf, the other was about 45 years old and his name was John Bradford. Among Bradford’s final words at the stake were these “O England, England, repent!” Turning to the young man who was to suffer with him he said, “Be of good comfort, brother, for we shall have a happy supper with the Lord tonight”.

 

 

A faithful reminder for us as we wait and endure to the end for God’s perfect timing to call us home from this evil world system. The unbelieving world do not have the capacity to understand God’s Word, or the ability to obey His Spirit. But those who are quicken by it through the gospel, and the Spirit, rejoice at His Words, and understands this evil world will always be evil. Apart from His saving grace found in the Son of God.

 

The days are evil, so do the little things to press on for His glory.

Pray without ceasing

Read your Bible daily

Do your job well

Confess your sin daily

Love your spouse & kids

Serve your church

Thank God for His mercy and goodness

Encourage a struggling friend

Breathe and celebrate that God is totally sovereign

Enjoy God's steadfast love minute by minute in an evil and broken world

Proclaim the gospel as long as you have breath in your lungs.