Untamable Jesus (John 7:1-13) (23/01/2025)

Untamable Jesus (John 7:1-13) Living Life 01/23/2025 Daily Devotional Bible Study

 

Untamable Jesus (John 7:1-13)

 

 

Welcome to living life 

it is impossible for us to live a perfect life of faith in this world.

If they were possible we would have no need for God's grace.

We are weak human beings who make mistakes, fail and at times even betray Jesus 

but God delights in the love we give him because of our weaknesses 

because we have free will God desires us to grow our faith through our free will 

and he helps us guides us in this journey.

While we cannot live a perfect life of journey we can grow in it.

However there are many things that disturb our spiritual growth.

Through today's passage we will study what are the obstacles and reflect on how they affect our journey of faith.

Let us read today's passages together.

 

Untamable Jesus

 

 

Untamable Jesus

 

 

John Chapter seven verses one to thirteen

1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 2 But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him. 6 Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. 8 You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." 9 Having said this, he stayed in Galilee. 10 However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?" 12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.

 

Jesus had been performing miracles healing the sick and teaching people in the region of Galilee.
As time passed the Festival of Tabernacle approached.
Jesus's brothers came to him and said live Galilee and go to Judea so that's your disciples there may see the works you do.

They were challenging Jesus to go to public gathering where many people would be present and spark a revolution through his miracles.

However in verse five we learned that even his brothers did not believe in him.

Oh here we encounter the first obstacle to spiritual maturity. It's a familiarity. 

A biblical scholars suggests that Jesus had four younger brothers and two sisters.

It must have been difficult for his siblings who grew up with him to understand that he was the messiah.

This kind of difficulty is something we experience as well.

If you have been a Christian for 20 or 30 years you may also face the challenge of familiarity.

You probably studied the Bible and memorized some of its well known stories.

You've heard countless sermons of repentance devotions, love and forgiveness those messages that once deeply moved you but may no longer stir your heart as they once did 

to Jesus's brothers The miracles and teaching of Jesus were undeniable It was real 

and yet because they were too familiar with him as their older brother they struggle to fully trust him.

Of course we know that they later change

after Jesus's resurrection and ascension His brother James became a leader in the Jerosum church 

but Jesus's teaching was already enough before that.

So for us it's the same 

If you've been Christian for a while we already know how we should live we know the importance of prayer and meditation on the Bible we understand the value of love forgiveness community ministry offering and service in the church.

We also know the significance of justice and protecting the weak in our daily lives

and yet despite knowing all of this familiarity can numb our hearts to God's calling.

Even today God desires to do something new in our lives.

Let us reflect on whether our familiarity has become an obstacle to our spiritual maturity.

The second obstacle to spiritual growth is calculation 

and this is not about like mathematical calculation but rather self centered and cost benefit calculation.

Although this is not clearly stated in this passage

it is evident from the cultural and historical context at that time the Jewish people loved miracles they wanted to see signs with their own eyes.

Thomas asked Jesus for proof and Peter wanted to walk on the water after witnessing the miracle of the five lobes and two fish the crowd followed Jesus wherever he went.

Jesus's brother must have thought 

if my brother can foreform such amazing miracles perhaps he could become the leader of this nation and maybe I could gain something from that too

perhaps escape this life of puverty and become a ctchick of the greatest hero of the generation.

They pressured Jesus to showcase his power even though they did not believe in him.

This kind of calculation reflects a desire to use God for our own eager 

It's a mindset of using God thinking if God does this for me then I will serve him maybe.

Of course it's natural and good to pray and make a promise to God

but we must examine whether we have truly surrendered to God.

And the third obstacle to spiritual growth is a fear.

In verse 12 and 13 we see that some people in the crowd thought Jesus was a good man 

yet no one spoke openly about him because they feared the Jewish leaders.

This is not about recklessly jumping into danger we are called to act wisely.

However we must recognize the remaining silent about the truth is sometimes equal to opposing.

If I say the entire world is a one community some may disagree because our world is divided by nation regions cultures generation and politics but we must realize that we share the same air, the same Earth and the same natural resources.

We are affecting not only the people right next to us but also one another across the entire world even 

if we cannot see it with our eyes we have power to change.

The trash we throw away today might end up on the other side of the world next month

and a kind action on our part could inspire someone next you and we sometimes see that person change the world 

as a weak human beings.

We cannot fully aware the tiny effect of our actions but one thing is clear

when we fail to speak the truth the truth remains hidden and the world is getting darker while we are hiding.

When we proclaim it however, it spreads, impacts life and brings a new transformation in the world.

The Apostle Paul preached the Gospel with weakness 

but those words became the power of God and have been passed down to us today for the salvation.

Today criticism and opposition against Christianity are as strong as ever.

It is true that the Church has failed in many ways and hasn't always been a good a Model for the world.

However, in the face of such criticism, we must not shrink back.

May we have the courage to let truth live and breathe in our lives?

Let us leave as believers who revealed our faith, proclaim blessings, pray for this world and do good works and serve others.

Through such believes God's kingdom will be revealed.

 

Who among those you know opposes you because of your faith in christ?

 

 

It. May today be a day when we let go of familiarity, abandon calculation, cast a fear, and live with the heart that loves and desire God alone.

Let us pray 

 

 

Heavenly Father 
there is a lot of obstacles in our life to live life of journey of faith 
but we want to pray we want to pray and we want to just like have a heart of longing for you 
and also we still want to open the Bible and read it and we want to obey it
If even if there's like whatever obstacles there we just want to love you By that way Please help us Lord today we love you Lord in J name We pray 
Amen.

 

 

Instead of becoming who we want Him to become, Jesus is who we need Him to be a gracious God who calls us to repent of our sins and trust in His sacrifice on our behalf.