Feast of Tabernacles
13 January 2013– John 7:1-53 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Jesus had ministered in Galilee for many months because his enemies in Judea wanted to kill him. Now it was time for the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. This feast is also called the Feast of Ingathering. It was a seven-day feast to thank God for the harvest. It also commemorated the wanderings of the Israelites in the desert. During this joyful feast people lived in booths made of branches and the Law was read daily. (Nehemiah 8:18)
Jesus preached his “Bread of Life” sermon that caused many followers to leave him in Capernaum. This is where we find him when chapter seven opens.
Transition: I want us to examine four parts of this Feast of Tabernacles chapter and look for principles for our daily lives.
I. Jesus Reproves His Half-brothers v. 1-9
A. Jesus’ half-brothers taunted him.
1. They urged him to go to the feast and show his miracle power openly.
2. They did this to taunt him because they did not believe in him.
B. Jesus gently reproved them.
1. He explained that it was not yet time for him to show who he really was.
2. The world hated Jesus because he testified that their works were evil.
This is true of us as well. If we speak out against sin and separate from evil, unbelievers will disapprove. Sadly, many professing Christians will too.
II. Jesus Goes Secretly to the Feast v. 10-13
A. Jesus went to the feast secretly
1. Luke tells us that Jesus and his disciples went through Samaria on their way to the feast. (Luke 9:51-56)
2. The Samaritans in one city would not give them a place to sleep so James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven on that city. Jesus quickly turned and rebuked them.
B. People looked for him at the feast
1. They talked secretly about him as they looked for him.
2. Nobody spoke openly about Jesus because they feared the Jewish leaders.
3. Jesus went privately because it was not yet God’s time to announce who he was.
III. Jesus Taught at the Feast v. 14-39
John records five brief speeches that Jesus made during the feast.
A. Jesus defended his doctrine or teaching (16-19)
1. The people questioned his knowledge (14-15)
2. Jesus spoke words from his Father. Those who speak their own words do it for their own glory.
We must be careful to believe and teach the words of God and not our own ideas. The Bible must be our authority, even when it goes against our personal feelings. Paul told Timothy to “Preach the Word!”
B. Jesus defended his miracles (21-24)
1. The people denied that they plotted to kill Jesus, yet they hated him because he did miracles on the Sabbath (20).
2. Jesus argued that they circumcised babies on the Sabbath without breaking the Law of Moses, (KJV 1611 footnote) and that was more work than healing a sick man.
3. Jesus then warns that we must not judge according to what we see, but we must rightly know the facts. They had added tradition to the Scriptures.
C. Jesus defended is origin (28-29)
1. Some of the people wondered how Jesus could speak so boldly and not be captured by his enemies. They doubted that he was the Christ because they knew a bit about his family.
2. Jesus said he did not come from himself but the One who sent Him is true and they did not know Him.
3. This stirred up his enemies, yet they did not touch him because his hour was not yet come.
If we are walking in the will of God, nothing can happen to us that is not God’s plan for our lives. The difficult part is continually walking in the will of God. This is walking in the Spirit as we spoke this morning. It is to abide in Christ as we learned several Wednesdays ago. We must stay close to God with a clean heart and a fully yielded life.
Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
D. Jesus described his departure (33-34)
1. The people murmured that Jesus the miracle worker very likely is the Christ. This worried them so they sent officers to take Jesus (32).
2. Jesus taught that he would shortly return to the one who sent him and those seeking him could not follow him.
3. This stirred the curiosity of his enemies.
4. It appears that John is just giving us bits and pieces of Jesus teaching during the feast. The portions he is relating got people thinking.
We must use every opportunity to put in a word here and there to get people thinking about their eternal destiny and their need of a Saviour. Bring up subjects that may interest or challenge them. Subjects like creation, fossils and the flood, judgment day, and the Ten Commandments are a few good topics.
E. Jesus offered spiritual drink to all (37-38)
1. In the last day of the feast (remember it was seven days long), Jesus offered spiritual drink to anyone who would come to him.
2. Jesus said that those who believe on him would receive the Holy Spirit who would flow from them.
If we truly know the Lord, the fruits of the Holy Spirit ought to flow from us. Others ought to be able to see a clear difference in our lives compared to the lives of unbelievers. Our family and close friends ought to see the Holy Spirit’s character in us. Our body is his temple. He cannot flow from us if we watch or listen to things that grieve his holy character.
Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
IV. Jesus’ Teaching Roused Debates v. 40-53
A. The people had mixed opinions (40-44)
1. Some thought Jesus was the Christ.
2. Others reasoned that the Christ would come from Bethlehem not Nazareth.
3. The officers were sent to take him, but no man laid a hand on him.
B. The Pharisees were also divided (45-53)
1. The Pharisees rebuked the officers for not bringing Jesus. They answered, “Never man spake like this man”.
2. The words Jesus spoke convicted the hearts of even his enemies.
3. The Pharisees implied that the officers and anyone who sided with Jesus were ignorant because the rulers and Pharisees, the truly wise people, rejected Jesus.
4. This is when Nicodemus speaks up. He was a Pharisee yet a secret disciple of Jesus. Read vs. 51.
5. They mocked Nicodemus by asking if he too were from Galilee. They claimed that no prophet came from Galilee.
Thomas Constable states, It is unclear if they meant that no prophet ever came from Galilee or that the Prophet (Deut. 18:15) would not come from there. Obviously, Jonah and Nahum had come from Galilee, so it seems unlikely that they meant that.
6. This ended the feast and everyone went home.
Nicodemus did not openly defend Jesus, but he did speak up. It takes courage to speak up for Christ in public. Be watching for opportunities and ask God for courage to speak up for him. At least pass out a tract or invite someone to church. Let everything about your life, attitude, speech, and appearance testify for Christ.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Conclusion: This evening we have identified several principles that can help us to live more like Christ. If we speak against sin, people will not like it, but it is the right thing to do. Let’s keep the Bible as our authority and not our feelings. Remember, you have nothing to fear if you live in the will of God, walk in the Spirit, and abide in Christ. Look for opportunities to challenge people to think about their eternal destiny. If you truly know the Lord, the Holy Spirit lives in you and ought to be flowing from your life.
Song: More Like the Master – 325