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February 10, 2021 8:00 am
We all could use some encouragement. I will find it together today in the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton here on The Encouraging Word today.
Dr. Wilson takes us to the book of John chapter 7, about the marks of the unbeliever. While we study another were available for you connecting online right now@gwonline.org now under the teachings of Dr. Don Wilton want to invite you to chat with me in your Bibles this morning to John's Gospel chapter 7. I know that I say this every Sunday and I will probably continue to say this every Sunday, but I really want to invite you to take a copy of God's word to follow with me this morning because it is absolutely critical that we understand the context of the message this morning and next Sunday. This is going to be a two-part series and yet I always reserve the right to make it a three or four or an eight part series, but I think this is going to be a two-part series, as the Lord leads us going to do something a little different this morning than what we are used to doing in that I'm going to be reading the entire chapter of chapter 7. Some of you again to say will foster why would you read an entire chapter with some 52 verses and Rob yourself of preaching time. I'm going to say to you that as Christian men and women that when we study God's word.
There is a real sense in which that the more we allow the spirit of God to speak to us and the moment we look at the word of God, and allow the word of God to infiltrate us the moment we enable God by the power of the spirit to help us to see the very the unbelievable joy that Jesus Christ shares with us in the context of his word, and so it is with John chapter 7 up until John chapter 7 we have an unequivocal below account of the reception of Jesus ministry the people to whom he ministered bylaws received what Jesus did for them. Beginning in chapter 7 we going to notice an unbelievable change because from chapter 7 we have the beginning not of Jesus reception, but rather of Jesus, rejection, and weighted Jesus rejection end up. It ended up at the cross we going to notice here, beginning in chapter 7 in verse one that they were people more and more militantly began to reject Jesus Christ and all of his teaching. I have entitled our message the marks of the unbeliever the marks of the believer there be many times from God's word and I know already in my ministry. Yaron, our beloved church that God has allowed us to understand the marks of the believer. How can you tell if someone's born again, you might've heard me say from time to time. How can I know that I know that I know that I know how can I know that I'm say the Bible is very clear. The going to be many times in God's word that we going to study this but caring chapter 7 the question raw that is how does a person know how do I know that a person is not site. One of the marks of the unbeliever.
What sets them apart. Now there is something wrong. The interesting here folks, and I'm going to be preaching this entire message on the introduction to this chapter. So I want you to know that right up front because I do not believe that as a congregation we can ever understand what God is trying to teach us if we don't see the big picture. If we don't understand the context I have struggled over this passage, Bob said, but Lord, surely you gonna let me read five verses in breach get the whole passage of chapter 7 keeps coming back to me so I'm going to begin by reading chapter 7 and I invite you to join together with me.
John's gospel chapter 7. After this, Jesus went around in Galilee purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near Jesus brothers said to him you want to leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples may see the miracles you do know one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world for even his own brothers did not believe in him. What a staggering statement. Therefore Jesus told them the time the right time for me has not dipped, for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the feast. I am not dipped going up to the space because for me the right time has not yet come. Having said this, Jesus stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the feast. He went also not publicly, but in secret, not at the feast, the Jews were watching for him and asking where is that man among the crowds. There was widespread whispering about him. Some said he is a good man.
Others replied no, he deceives the people. But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. Not until halfway through the feast, the Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach the Jews were amazed and they are lost.
How did this man dip such learning without having studied Jesus.
Onset my teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God, or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him as a man of truth.
There is nothing false about him has not Moses given you the law, yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me, you are demon possessed the crowd. Onset is trying to kill you. Verse 21 Jesus said to them, I did one miracle and you are all astonished yet because Moses gave you circumcision but actually it did not come from Moses but from the patriarchs you circumcise a child on the Sabbath knife. A child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken. Why are you angry with me for healing.
The whole man on the Sabbath. Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.
At that point. Some of the people of Jerusalem began August. Isn't this the man they are trying to kill Harry is speaking publicly and all they not saying a word to him. Have the authorities ready concluded that he is the Christ, but we know with this man is from when the Christ comes. No one will know where he is from.
Then Jesus still teaching in the temple courts cried out. Yes you know me and you know where I'm from, I'm not here on my own, but he who sent me is true you do not know him but I know him because I am from him, and he sent me at this they tried to season, but no one laid a hand upon him because his time had not yet come. Still many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, when Christ comes he will do more miraculous signs than this man. The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees send temple guards to arresting Jesus said I'm with you, only for a short time. Then I go to the one who sent me you will not look for me, but you will not you will look for me, but you will not find me and where I am you cannot, the Jews said to one another way does this man intend to go that we cannot find him. Will he go where people live scattered among the Greeks and teach the Greeks. What did he mean when he said you will look for me, but you will not find me and what he mean when he said where I am you cannot, lost and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this, Jesus meant the spirit whom those who believed in him were later to receive up to that time the spirit had not been given since Jesus had not yet been glorified. On hearing his words, some of the people said surely this man is the prophet.
Other said he is the Christ. Still others lost in Christ, the Christ come from Galilee does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem the town with David live. Thus, the people were divided because of Jesus, someone to the season, but no one laid a hand on him. Finally, the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who Austin. Why didn't you bring him in. No one ever spoke the way this man does. The guards declared you mean he is deceived. You also, the Pharisees retorted has any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed in him no. But this Bob knows nothing of the Lord. There is a curse on their Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and was one of their own number August does rule condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing by replied are you from Galilee to look into it and you will find that a prophet does not, out of Galilee by the rule Lord write his word upon our hearts this morning. It seems to me my friends that when we come to the end of John chapter 6 that Jesus leaves us with no doubt that there are two categories of people left behind.
I want to remind you that in John chapter 6 Jesus gave an extraordinary display of his public and his private manifestation of his power.
He fed the 5000 publicly. He walked on the water privately. He demonstrated his power to these people. Jesus was everywhere. They saw what he was doing.
They were impressed by what he was doing, but the Bible says at the end of chapter 6 that they were two categories of people who were left behind at the conclusion of this phase of Jesus ministry.
Number one, there were those that believe in him. The Bible tells us that in John chapter 6 verse 68 and 69 look at it. Simon Peter, Onset him, Lord, to whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life. We believe and we know that you are the holy one of God.
There was no doubt was the choir.
There were many people in fact, if you picked it up just a moment ago as I was disciplining myself to read the whole passage without stopping evening John chapter 7 and right throughout the fabric of Scripture. We are going to joyfully be reminded that they with those that believed on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that there was a second group of people that were left behind at this juncture, there were those that did not believe John chapter 6 told us that in verse 61 say in verse 66. Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this Jesus spoke to them in verse 66 the Bible says. From this time many of those who followed around often him turned back and no longer followed him there were people who did not believe despite the fact that Jesus had manifested himself both publicly and privately, despite the fact that Jesus Christ had left no doubt about who he was.
He had preached about himself. He had demonstrated himself and get there were people who did not believe it but Jesus didn't leave their unbelief just like that Jesus reminded us that there were two reasons why they didn't believe number one.
The Scriptures tell us that they were those who didn't believe because of the human side of their unbelief. The goodly of chapter 6 and verse 64 is what the Bible says, yet there are some of you who do not believe Jesus was saying to them, you don't believe because you don't want to believe I wouldn't be surprised today if there are people worshiping with us in this great century of worshiping with us by way of television if it were ready to come down to where the water hits the wheel. It's not a matter of whether you believe that the Bible is true, it is not a matter with you. Believe that Jesus is the son of God. It is not a matter of whether you seen the public and private demonstration of the power of God you don't believe because you do not want to believe that is the human side of unbelief. But then there's the divine side of unbelief. They were those who not only did not believe because of the human side but they were those who did not believe because of the divine side of unbelief. Look at verse 64 game verse 65. He went on to say that is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the father has enabled them to come unto me. You see friend that is the divine side of who God is, that is the sovereign work of God.
That is the completeness of God in the act and the work of salvation. Salvation begins in the heart of God, and it ends in the heart of God. Salvation is initiated in the heart of God, and it is perfected in the heart of God. Salvation, my beloved friend is God is the beginning and the end he is the author and the Omega, he's giggling through all and outside of God by praying you are not be born again we cannot be there is the human side of unbelief and there is the divine side of unbelief. So we get down to this issue. The marks of the unbeliever you see in chapter in verse 70 something of Staggering Proportion Takes Pl. in Jesus ministry have the 12 disciples are. Can you imagine Jesus walks up to them and he must've said several things to them. I have no doubt.
But in verse 17 it is recorded.
Jesus replied, have I not chosen you the 12 yet one of you is a devil he meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, even though he was one of the 12. He would later betray Jesus because of his unbelief and the issue, my beloved friends as we begin to get in the chapter 7 something remarkable begins to take place.
We are going to discover in chapter 7 that what Jesus was trying to say to his disciples was simply that counterfeit Christians will eventually separate themselves from believers. Jesus was looking at his disciples. Those who were so close to him.
Those who ate with him and drank with him. Those who did all kinds of things they rubbed shoulders with the King of Kings and Lord of lords.
And yet Jesus looks at the 12 and without singling any of them out. He makes a generic statement that must've put fear into the hearts of those who love him so much and he said one of you is a devil and wanted you is going to betray me. All I've agonized over that passage, I lost myself the question, why would Jesus have said that as he moved from Galilee into Jerusalem. What was the purpose with which Jesus moved into Jerusalem to mingle among the moles of the people in that society.
What was Jesus working toward. Why did Jesus say my time has not hit, the marks of the unbeliever, perhaps, may I submit to you today ladies and gentlemen Boys and Girls Club that what Jesus was trying to say to his disciples, which no doubt left them as baffled as most of us are left many times as we try to understand the mind of God is that those who are counterfeits. Those who look like Christians.
And yet have no relationship with Jesus Christ will ultimately separate themselves from among the company of the committed, that's what Matthew chapter 13 verses 18 through 22 is all about listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher on The Encouraging Word will be back with the rest of today's message. If the Lord is convicting and challenging you and you like to have someone pray with you know that were available right now at 86689. That's 866-899-9673.
Talk with you.
Pray with you, maybe connect with resources will help you grow in your faith. Now back to today's teaching with Dr. Don Wilton see that Jesus leaves an unequivocal statement when he says that the timely, at that time is called the harvest time. You know that according to God's word. It is possible for the wheat and the tares to grow together.
It is possible by praying for human observers not to be able to tell the difference between the good and the bad. It is possible for Ted to become hidden among the we Jesus said at the time of harvest. Those who leads those who are counterfeits.
Those who are unbelievers will be separated from the real thing. And I want you to know frames that the Bible says that counterfeits like Judas, even though the others may not necessarily see it clearly as God does will ultimately separate themselves from among the company of the committed all year. In Matthew chapter 13 verses 18 through 22.
You can read in John chapter 8 verse 31 and 59 will get there, probably in the next 3 to 4 years. In second Timothy chapter 2 verse 18 and 19 and one John chapter 2 and verse 19.
The Bible is rerouted from wall-to-wall from Genesis to Revelation. Those who are not what they say they all even though they are among the crowds going to separate themselves maybe even as late as the harvest time.
What was Jesus trying to say what I'm going to point out to you today my friends that as we move into the spirit of rejection that they were eight groups of people in John chapter 7 who rejected Jesus, I want you to write these down if you have a pin because it's very important. I'm going to show you something very interesting about them. They were eight groups, eight categories, some of them general categories eight groups of people who in chapter 7. Either began already did reject Jesus Christ to the unbelief number one. This may shock some of you his own brothers look at me in chapter 7 and verse five first bullet verse three Jesus brothers said to him you want to leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples may see the miracles you do verse 54.
Even his own brothers did not believe in him I'm going to come back to the minimum number to the religious rulers verse 10.
In fact, the religious rulers arrive through this passage, but verse 10 and 11. However, after his brothers had left for the feast at the feast of the Jews were watching for him. There was a rulers the rulers the religious rulers. They were everywhere, making the dictates of the day.
The third category where the Jews themselves. Look at me in verse 15 through verse 19 I'm not going to read this whole passage, but the Bible says.
Now the Jews were amazed and they were the ones that I asked the question how in the world that this man gets such learning without having studied up that I had a problem. Good night.
It was the Lord Jesus Christ standing in the church teaching. Unbelievable truth from God's word and would you believe he hadn't even been to the Jerusalem Baptist theological seminary, but I want you to note in the fourth place they were people that's right just the crowds looking. Verse 20 through 24. Again, I'm not going to read all of these verses. Every time but just look in verse 25. A bigger part go back to verse 20. The Bible says you are demon possessed the crowd on suit who is trying to kill you.
What a Christian you see Steve these people couldn't understand what everybody else was talking about. They were part of the crowd. They were the bystanders. They were out there observing up are you going to say you gonna say now pasta you getting out a line here, but there are some people here today who are Boston, there was 1/5 category of people who didn't believe the Bible calls them. Some of the citizens of Jerusalem and then there was the Sanhedrin, verse 32. The Bible tells us in consistently that the chief priests and the Pharisees who were in the temple, the Sanhedrin, and then in the eggs place.
They were the Pharisees. The Pharisees are in verse 32. The Pharisees pop up again in verse 45. The Pharisees are again in verse 47 the Pharisees are in verse 48. The Pharisees are in verse 50 and 52 the Pharisees all day with these people. They didn't believe in what Jesus was doing and I didn't believe who Jesus was, he would say to me today pasta, then why does he come together at the feast of the tabernacle. Simply my friends because the feast of the Tabernacles was the happiest of all the Jewish celebrations in the happiest of celebrations with the thing that makes us the most happy is when we understand what it's like to say yes to Jesus Christ for Dr. Don Aziz preached now he comes in the studio with a final thought just for you.
Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that Iversen and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend.
I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting new to the family of God. Some of you I know he prayed to receive Christ to rededicate your life you need to let us know so we can put great resources in your hands, Dr. Don want you to have for free can call us at 866899 word that's 86689996734 email us at online@tewonline.org we discover great resources like this. God's intended purpose for us after changed, not defeated. We are overcoming students. Jesus Christ, the word of God is alive and is relevant times in which we live, there are countless testimonies of people who walked with God in the Bible. They are our cloud of witnesses to encourage us on the Christian journey learned from God's giant your gift of $20 or more in support Encouraging Word doctor looking new dynamic two-part series. Walking with God series walking with God's giant is available on CD or DVD includes messages on the lives of Nehemiah name Solomon and David Collis today at 86699 word to apply theory walking with God, you missed the first series, you can request it to thank you for your continued partnership to share the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world and the place to find all that is our website tewonline.org you while you're there, sign up for the free daily email. Dr. Wilson online@tewonline.org of your stay connected online at tewonline.org