In The Word
Read: John 7:1-24
Jesus Teaches at the Feast
7 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him. 6 So Jesus *said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. 8 Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” 9 Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.
10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel.22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on theSabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Jesus began to teach the people about the voice of God. How do you know for sure the person you follow hears the voice of God? First, are they following the will of God, and does their life bear witness to the teachings found in the bible? Today, with large amounts of people desiring to please men instead of God, many are beginning to water down the teaching of God’s Word. We should not be surprised because Paul warned us of this in Romans 1:24-32.
Second, do they desire to bring glory to themselves or to the heavenly Father? Someone who always seems to desire the spotlight and always wants to be seen by all, is someone to be aware of. And third, is that person leading a righteous or an unrighteous life (6:18)? The person seeking to glorify God will have the witness of a righteous life.
When deciding to follow someone’s teaching, look at their fruit. Is the fruit being produced the fruit of the Spirit, or the fruit of the flesh? Galatians 5:22 shares with us that the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits should be evident in that person’s life. If not, you need to reevaluate your commitment to that relationship. Today, more than ever, we need to be following leaders who are hearing from God.