In His Timing

Growing up in Sunday School there were always 'Good Guys' and 'Bad Guys'. The ultimate 'Good Guy' was of course, Jesus. He was like a superhero going from town to town healing people, performing miracles. And then you had the 'Bad Guys' who were usually the Pharisees, or these Jewish Leaders who were in charge. I could never understand why they acted the way they did. Didn't they know Jesus was God?! Didn't they know he was the hero?!
I think we find a reason why they didn't want to believe in John 7. It is the Feast of the Tabernacles, and Jesus' own brothers (who at this time didn't even believe he was the Messiah) asked him to come to the festival and perform something grand. Give the people at this party a miracle.
This was not Jesus' plan or in his timeline. This was yet another example of how a group of people came to Jesus and said, 'Yes Jesus, we know you consider yourself God. That's great. But you ought to really do this. It makes perfect sense to everyone here that you would do this.' There has been a solid theme these last couple weeks in the Gospel of John that Jesus did not come to please, he came to save.
We, especially the church, need to come to Jesus and thank him for who he is and what he's done. And then listen to him!! He always had a teaching to give and still does for us today. When we don't listen we sound like the crowd in John 7:20 when they said, 'You are demon possessed.' This crowd did not believe Jesus had the authority to teach in the manner he did. Mainly because he taught against their religious pride. And for this in John 7:7 it says, 'The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.'
Keep this in mind when telling others about Jesus. Realize that there will be those that hate Jesus and the teachings he held. But be tenacious!! Be resilient!! Jesus died for all and his Spirit can reach all!!
It is all in his timing.

-PC
pastorcory@rescuesumner.org
www.rescuesumner.org