My sermon notes from Sunday, Sept. 3^rd  as we continue our study through The Gospel of John. Remember, these are my study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon.  To see the sermon each week  or subscribe to the weekly sermon podcast please visit http://www.fbcap.net

 

 

John 7:14-24 (Feast of Booths part 2)

The Teaching in the Temple

INTRODUCTION

• Teaching in the Temple (First public teaching in Jerusalem)
• A prominent Feast that celebrated the faithfulness of God
• Jesus teaching is the picture of God’s faithfulness in this section

 

The Substance of His Teaching / The Subject of His Teaching

 

A Running Commentary of the Text

 

vv. 14-18 – The substance of His teaching

His teaching was pointed (MESSAGE WAS CLEAR)

• no doubt he unpacked the theological concepts of the old covenant and the new covenant.
• no doubt he continued the theme of His previous messages.
  • You must be born again
  • I am the bread of life
  • Whoever comes and believes will never hunger or thirst again.

 

His teaching was empowered

• My teaching is not mine…but He who sent me.
• If you cannot believe me, then you cannot believe God
• Jesus continued to teach the   THREE IN ONE
• They pointed people to themselves…the laws
• Jesus pointed people to the will of the Father

 

 

vv. 19-24 – The subject of His teaching  (TRUTH)

He pointed out their hypocrisy

 

The Truth about the Law

• You have the law, but you do not believe the HOPE OF THE LAW
• IF YOU REALLY BELIEVED…THEN YOU WOULD KEEP.
• 40:8 – I delight to do your will O God, your law is in my heart

 

The Truth about the Sabbath

• Sabbath healing over a year ago. They circumcised (A sign of the covenant), yet Jesus is the NEW COVENANT.  He fulfilled it.
• You circumcise on the Sabbath and are right….I heal the entire man on the Sabbath and I am wrong
• The Sabbath was for rest….HE IS THE REST
• You judge, but your judgment is a legalistic judgment, my judgment is a righteous judgment and is based on truth.
  • You judge solely on appearance, I judge based on the heart.

 

An Application of the Text – THE WHAT NOW

 

As we live out the Christian life what is The Substance of our Message

 

Bold and uncompromising

• Willing to speak in the midst of persecution.
• He knew they were not supportive of the message nor the messenger.
• He remembered His mission.
  • This what He came to do

Articulate and Authoritative

• They said…”who has been teaching Him?
  • How often do people say this about us
• From the Father. Not my words…HIS WORDS

Verifiable and God Centered

• The Spirit will confirm. (truth is the plumb line)
• 1 Cor. 2:14 – The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
• John 16:7-11 – READ TEXT
• Points to God. God centered message, not  a man centered message

 

As we live out the Christian life what is The subject of our message

• Gospel truth is all that we should be concerned about
• The Heart is the issue of man.
  • The head hears it but the heart must receive it
  • People do what they do because of their heart

• If the heart is the issue, then the Gospel is the answer. GOD ANOINTED GOSPEL SHARING IS THE ONLY ANSWER TO THE HEART.
  • We must think spiritual.
  • SPIRIT AND THE WORD
  • PRAY AND PREACH

• There is a righteous judgment and a sinful judgement
  • Be careful with your judgment, a fruit of legalism is judgement.

Lessons on judgment:

1. Do not pass judgment when your life is not where it needs to be.  THIS IS HYPOCRISY.
   1. Too often we are more concerned about what others and doing and we should be spending more time looking in the mirror.
2. Do not judge by just what you think or what you thought you saw or heard. We are not the Holy Spirit.  We do not read minds.  We cannot discern motives.  Get your facts right. Go and Gather information, then go One on One
   1. Too many parking lot conversations.
   2. He said that she said that he said……
3. Do not judge with a harsh or bitter spirit. The goal of judgment should be correction not conviction.  If we see a brothers in sin then pointing it out should not  be just the goal, rather conviction and repentance.
4. Be a humble and gentle person. Speak the truth in love.
   1. Too often the fault finders in life are the most lonely.
   2. A person with a gentle spirit seems to have the most and closest friends.

 

CONCLUSION

Jesus Christ came into the Temple preaching/teaching the truth about who He was, What He came to do, and how that should affect their lives.

The Spirit is here today proclaiming that same message today.  Do we know who Jesus is?  Do we know what He came to do?  What affect has Jesus had on our life?