John Chapter 7:14-34

Do you know what happened next week. Do you know what can happen next. Your family is no you don't want awesome promises in this book us to understand tomorrow is not one of but here's something that should come for you. Jesus knows he knows what's about to happen in you. I think he knows what could happen tomorrow and next week and next year he knows you can trust that will come to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today on our verse by verse journey through the book of John we are in chapter 7, with the message. Reality we also have DA Brown studio with his welcome brother, Bob, you know, living for Jesus is something that we can put on layaway.

We don't know what's can happen tomorrow today to seek Jesus today is that the cartoon is teaching reality or in John chapter 7 verse 14. Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and tall and the Jews marveled, saying, how does this man know letters, having never studied Jesus answered them and said, my doctrine is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone wills to do his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. He who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true understand that what what Jesus is doing is he's calling us to a reality of a life in God. Jesus calls us to the reality of a life in God is about relationship. It's not about religion and it's about God being real understand God is real. Amen God is really today.

AAA up but not is God real you is it just something you do on Sunday morning because there's the games and started God is real. God wants to become real to you, and it's interesting because you history reveals that religious systems always persecuted the person who came in talking about the reality of life in God. Why because it Toppled their kingdom and this is what's going on here Jesus is coming any being radical in his you know hey this is a different thing going on, calling us to a reality in him just like he was then calling people to reality in him and sad thing is, that's not always received well. But that's okay that's okay history set the president. The president that it will always be received well. Verse 19 did.

Did not Moses give you the will all yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me me so here's Jesus being seeker friendly again. I guess I don't get me wrong, we want to reach people there certain things that the church is done that makes it difficult for them to reach people. Some places have emphasized reach so much. They forgot to teach. They emphasize reach so much that you know their whole Sunday morning is built around seeing people get saved.

Only problem with that is 80 9095, 98% of the people that are listening already saved what he given them.

If you just given them the gospel, they're not getting Meltzer not getting me so it's important to have that balance in and things are getting better nonessentials that are in the way of reaching I got to go guys.

They gotta go, and I don't want any walls built so you know I want comfortable chairs or good coffee or whatever the thing is good. I'm not going to water down the truth, I'm not going to make it. Well, you know, put it, just like such a certain way, it will be easier to swallow.

Can't do that because then I betrayed my king, Jesus is here. None of you keeps the law. He said that two people who were very very understand very religious, very devout, but Jesus that you don't yet none of you guys are keeping the law in a sense anymore to Plaza's morning. None of us are keeping the law, none of us all of us are missing it or messing up in one area or another everyone of us headed to church go from what Jesus said to people thinking that it's about their goodness that they can earn their goodness in the heaven that if they're good enough for long enough they get in and if you think this is a misconception asked people around you.

Ask other people who go to church hey you think you're going to have it all. You batch of 20 think that while you know because a very good person that's very un-biblical or while I go to church all okay my good go to church. You must be aggression analogy, it is going to church major Christian that I guess going to Krispy Kreme make you doughnut it doesn't wildcat most the 10 Commandments. Most of them. It says that if you've offended if you broken the law in one place you broken everyplace. Romans 310 says that as it is written, there is none righteous know not one nobody in here guys is righteous, not one.

Romans 323 says for all of send and fall short of the glory of God spell look at the word all you know the word all means in the Greek means all that's right all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Understand that understand every single one of us under the law stands condemned that he should go. What's not very affirming pastor David, I'm not feeling good about me right now. That's the bad news see the good news has to start with the bad news. If you don't realize your condemned under the law, you will realize you need a Savior. But if you realize that there is none righteous know not one that you need a Savior. Then you begin to look okay who can save me was only one that's Jesus and and you know it's awesome. He's willing he's willing this morning to make a deal with.

He stands there with the nail scarred hand and looks at you this morning session with offer still stands. What will you do what we do.

The law was to be a schoolmaster to point us to Jesus was never meant to justify us. We were never meant to be justified by the law, Paul talks about the Romans in verse 20 the people answered and said you have a demon who is seeking the kill you. That's always a quick solution accuse him of having a demon right. 21 Jesus answered said to them, I did one work and you all marvel Jesus had done other works, but he's talking about the fact that he healed on the Sabbath and how freaked out they got about now understand some of these people around were trying to kill them and they were trying to cover it up as we go back. Remember John chapter 5 verse 16 says for this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him because he had done the these things on the Sabbath and they were upset with Jesus for healing somebody on the Sabbath. You understand how twisted that is. Jesus healed somebody on the Lord's day, and they got freaked out about. But before we start throwing stones at him, knowing that they were in legalism and if they were in bondage and that they were offering hope to people. Let's think about what the church in America looks like today. Are we offering hope, we offer freedom are we offering healing the people or are we condemning them with legalism and with verse 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision that is not that it is from Moses but from the fathers, and you can circumcise a man on the Sabbath manner. See circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses should not be broken. Are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath see their loss. You had to be circumcise only a stay in the that eighth day fell on the Sabbath. They said what's okay that eight days on the Sabbath that somebody would be circumcised and Jesus is born out the hypocrisy of the places you're willing to circumcise somebody on the Sabbath, but you get mad at me that I healed some money on the Sabbath and understand the concept there's there's there's rabbinical law and Levitical law. Levitical law is the scriptural concept of what to do in the Sabbath, what not to do on the Sabbath, as it's contained in the Bible, but when it happened is they had rabbinical law where they developed like 38 volumes on how to interpret the law, you can't do this you do that you can't do this, you can do this again and again before we throw many rocks he ought to think about what traditions we expect as we picked up quite a bunch of verse 24. Do not judge according to appearance the judge with righteous judgment and challenged us. Do not judge according to parents want on a challenge to us because we judge according to appearance. We do every day, every day I will destroy this context is walks and he got cowboy boots got a script up and dirty and jeans and T-shirt with holes in it becomes in the you know and notices everybody's hand look at in Weirton it but he's in there. He's in there here from the Wharton NAFTA service pastor comes at me ghosts son were were were glad you're here. But I would ask if you plan on returning that you would ask the Lord what you should wear when you come into the house of the Lord – okay, I'll do it well follows on the guy shows up and once again he's got cowboy boots on Cosgriff.jeans holes in the knees T-shirt holding pastor little bit confusing sees them after the service and uses a Bell son.

I thought I ask you to talk to the Lord and see what he would have you to where to this house of God, man looked innocent when you know I ask him and he said he'd never been here either, but now understand, obviously, were we dressed. We have casual dress you can you know I'm just happy people are here.

I'm happy if they're wearing shorts. I'm happy if there in a suit and tie. I'm happy there.

Here you know. Amen and is in of wearing a suit and ties your thing. Praise got worse and it's not your thing then don't. But don't look at people and shorts. If you were Cigna, Tiger, what are they doing here dressed like that but neither and this might be more applicable word for us.

Don't look at a person in a tie and think all my goodness, look at him. There were don't do that because that's a danger that we run here because we do dressed casually as a matter fact just to make people feel comfortable that occasionally were tossed don't be super.

I'm not saying this is going happen but don't be surprised if one morning I bopped out here in a time don't be completely freaked out by that see some of your faces just went white of yes I own it time I do have a couple salutes don't judge by appearance judge would righteous judgment will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown Bob want to take a minute to pray for our listeners and few cities in Florida, Panama City, St. Mark's, Tallahassee, West Palm Beach, and also in Georgia, Athens, Blue Ridge and Brunswick God, we thank you for those listening today we know that you have a special word just for them and God. We pray that they would be encouraged in following you do today they would put their trust in you with no holding back an Lord that they would be an encouragement to others with what you're doing in them. Lord, we pray for the pastors in the cities that you give them wisdom and discernment and that you will be honored in the midst that in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 25. Now some of them from Jerusalem said is this not he whom they seek to kill 26 but look. He speaks boldly and they say nothing to do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ. These guys know they know now understand when we when we think Christ. We think okay Christ. That's kind of his name not known and to know his name was Jesus. The Hebrew word is Joshua that we translated that it from the Hebrew to the English Joshua goes into Joshua okay but when Joshua goes into the Greek it becomes Jesus. I was his name. Christ was a designated term Christ from Christos in the Greek or anointed one, the anointed one, not a anointed one, the anointed one, and they're saying right here. Do they understand that this is the guy that this is the anointed one life lesson here is, do you know that Jesus is the Messiah. Do you know that Jesus is the Messiah, not just the Savior of the world but your Savior to understand that and I'm not talking about a lot understand that in my head understand who Jesus was and who he said he was know I mean do you know do you know in your heart. There's a lot of people walking around that have the knowledge in their head but they all have in their heart they don't have in their heart.

I am not interested necessarily in what this denomination teaches or what that denomination teaches or if they think this is. They think that outside of the central issue.

Do they realize that Jesus is the anointed one. Do they realize he's the Messiah that's that. That is the number one question if the answer is no. If there teaching. Another way of salvation I can't fellowship with after reject that. But that is the real question for each and everyone else and do you understand do you understand this is the Christ who provides the finished work of salvation that we can enjoy the benefits and the blessings everyone of us has to make that decision. Verse 27. However, we know where this man is from. But when the Christ comes. No one knows where he is from. Now what they're doing is they're mixing their tradition with the scriptural expectations of the Messiah. There, mixing their superstition and in the man's wisdom and little better word of God and what are they come up with a come up with their that's what happens every time we mix our wisdom are superstition our rituals with the word of God.

See part of the process for us when we get together. It's awesome to learn the word of God. But you know I will also have to do we have to unlearn because seaweeds picked up stuff along the way has nothing to do with the Bible.

We picked up stuff along the way has nothing to do with the character of God. And then we observed that we go… Truth wow you know its truth will because they told me it was truth know that's wrong answer knowingly their sentence.

Truth visits in this, then you can be assured its truth. While we believe this is courting this verse. While we believe that was courting that verse secrets what's happening in the church today is there's a lot of integration of this and that this truth and that truth and on and what we've we've come up with a new and improved gospel ligament a new and improved gospel gospel doesn't need any improving doesn't know. And this is because quite frankly it's it's an attack of the enemy, and this is the same thing he's been doing for years and years and years. If you remember back to the garden in Genesis 31 when the enemies talking to GPs as it did God really say is that still a very successful tactic all it was that the Gospels were written centuries after have no they weren't. And it's it's been historically proven with archaeological stuff and all sorts of stuff and yet still the enemies in their deaths.

The word of God really say that some churches, some seminaries teach now that the word of God is not the literal word of God totally rejects a totally reject that in their stuff in the church today that has no biblical basis and Kaiser so much in here that that we we need to see and we need to be doing, why would anybody add more stuff.

Will you do this, we got it outdoors at what's not in there, but we added it and you know what I'll be honest with.

I've got plenty to do with what's already in here. I'm still working on that love thy neighbor thing you know it's not.

It's the is the basic stuff in here that gets to me and Mark Twain said it's not part of the Bible that I don't understand it bothers me.

This is the word of God and so we wandered and we we need to know all this stuff is found its way and you know the southern saying that where is the good book says that generally when semi uses that phrase understand what to get ready to tell you is not scriptural well is the good book says the Lord helps them and help themselves is not in her well is the good book says cleanliness is next to godliness, so I say and it's not in their this is the word of God in their tradition and their pride was keeping them from reality of Jesus in their life.

Verse 28 then Jesus cried out as he taught in the temple saying you both know me and you know where I'm from, and I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you do not know. So the Lord saying you know what you don't know my father. Verse 29 but I know him from from him and he sent me.

Therefore, they sought to take him, but no one laid a hand on them because our had not yet come in many other people believed him. Him and said, when the Christ comes. He will do more sons will he do more sons than these which this man is done. Verse 32.

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning him and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him see you have to make a decision about who Jesus is.

You have to make a decision about the truth when you hear the truth. You have to make a decision to reject it or accept it. And Jesus tells in verse 33 then Jesus said to them shall be with you a little while longer and not go to him who sent me. You will seek me and not funny where I am. You cannot go. You understand that Jesus was addressing these people up on the Temple Mount and he understood that in less than 40 years that Temple would lay in devastation that the town would be under siege that men and women and children were going to die.

He understood that because Jesus knows what's next. He knows what's next in your life, see if I ask you this morning what's next in your life that you could tell me your plans and then we should make plans and don't get me wrong well you plan on doing this and plan on doing that.

That's all well and good but do you really know what's can happen, the more do you know what's can happen next week. Do you know what's can happen next year really is no you don't, there will be surprises some good, some not good lot awesome promises in this book us to understand tomorrow is not one of but here's something that should come for you. Jesus knows he knows what's about to happen in your life. He knows what can happen tomorrow and next week and next year he knows you can trust that but you know Jesus. None of us knows what tomorrow holds that we can know who holds tomorrow as the saying goes you know it not talk about ahead knowledge talk about. Do you know him in your heart and are you passionately living out a life for him because it's not enough just to say yeah I know all these facts, but is your life making a difference as you live for Sue because he really believe what he said should be making a difference should be making a big difference.

I just like Jesus looked around on that day and he saw what was going to happen in this city of Jerusalem, that they were going to be exiled for almost 2000 years from the city. He knows what can happen in your life, and at some point he knows that you're going to stand before him.

Don't wait until that day to draw near to him. Don't wait time is too precious. Everything we've been given days by the Lord during this keeping but everyone of us has an appointment set point in time where we stand before the Lord and we say well I rejected your we say yes I accepted you and I live the life for you. You were you were them.

The most important thing in my life is the most important thing in your life.

If he's not, you need to make in the most important thing in your life you to ask him to forgive you for letting other things occupy number one and number two and number three and once again make him number one because there's a lot of things on uncertain about. I'm uncertain about what's can happen in my own life from this morning until that day. I served shortly don't know what's can happen in your life.

From this moment. Until that day, but let me say with full assurance that these, you know it's in the middle, but I know you're here this morning here and there and I know that days, some of you may have been waiting to give yourself to the Lord. Waiting for the right moment is now friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness.

Those who were sick, not the righteous to congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day.

You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our life, say 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church.

The bridge North Carolina again.

That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John