There are times in our lives when we reach a point of crisis. Crucial moments and crucial decisions that determine the trajectory of our life. A word of counsel, especially to young people, that is often declared is the simple truth that ‘decisions determined destiny.’ Every decision we make, both small and great, will determine where we go from here. The roadmap of our lives is marked with points of crisis or crucial moments of decision.
In John chapter seven, we see a tipping point in the ministry of Jesus. As the feast of tabernacles ensue, Jesus is faced with a point of crisis; a critical moment that set on course events that would ultimately lead Him to the cross. “The Feast of Tabernacles looked back to Israel’s journey through the wilderness, and looked forward to the promised kingdom of Messiah. The Jews lived in booths made of branches to remind them of God’s providential care of the nation for nearly forty years (Lev. 23:33–44).”[1] “The feast may have been a jubilant time for the people, but it was a difficult time for Jesus, for it marked the beginning of open and militant opposition to Him and His ministry.”[2] This opposition against Jesus really began when He healed the paralytic man on the Sabbath day. This action by Jesus rubbed the religious leaders the wrong way. Ever since that miraculous event, the religious leaders were looking for ways to trip Jesus up and provide a cause to have Him silenced. It is interesting as the Bible Knowledge Commentary points out: “The feast also signified that God dwells with His people.”[3] This year, the feast was extra special. It was different. Why? Because Jesus was there. As the people celebrated how God was with them in the past, they failed to see that God was literally right there in the flesh in the present.
This is the point of crisis. Jesus is there at the feast of tabernacles. The opposition was there too. Would Jesus do something to prove to His opponents that He is truly the Messiah? Will they respond to Jesus in belief? Everything has now come to a head. In the context of this passage we see four things at this point of crisis.
The Tragedy of Unbelief. One of the saddest statements in the Bible is what John records, “For even His brothers did not believe in Him.”[4] These brothers were the actual half-brothers of Jesus. They are sons of Mary and Joseph. “The non-belief of the brothers is in remarkable unison with the widespread unbelief of the people.”[5] Many were looking for Jesus to be a militant king and He had yet to meet their expectations. Therefore, they were cynical. His brothers were apparently among this cynical crowd. One can only imagine how the disbelief of His brothers affected Jesus. After all, though He is God, Jesus was also man. As a man, He was all too common with the emotions of humanity. Surely, there was a sense of sadness and disappointment in the heart of Jesus. All of those pre-ministry years growing up in the home of Mary and Joseph. Playing with his brothers. Learning with his brothers. Doing chores with his brothers. Were his brothers jealous of Him? Is this why they were so skeptical? What led to their unbelief at this point? No one really knows. But, what a tragedy! His own brothers did not believe Him. Eventually His brothers would come around after the resurrection, but what a tragedy to grow up in a home where your older brother is the Messiah and not believe. It is also a tragedy in our day to see people who grow up in church and in a Christian home and they fail to give their life to Jesus. This is why reaching children for Jesus is so important. The older someone gets, the harder it is for them to believe. Also, the later in life one believes, there are so many years wasted that could have been used living for the Lord. The saddest and most horrific reality is the ultimate end of unbelief. The Bible is clear; hell is a real place. Hell is a place of eternal torment. It is an unimaginable place of suffering. This is where unbelief will take you. Oh my friend, I beg of you, do not let another day go by without giving your life to Jesus. Your eternal destination is not something to trifle with. Trust in Jesus today. Believe in Him for He is the only way of salvation.
The Glory we should seek. Jesus makes it clear that He came so that the Father would be glorified. In verse 18 Jesus said, “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.”[6] I am always intrigued by this dynamic. Jesus is the Word that became flesh. He is God. Jesus and the Father are One. Yet, Jesus seeks to glorify the Father. As One with the Father, as Jesus glorifies the Father, so He Himself is glorified. “If the person sent seeks only the honor of the prince or lord who sends him, his message is to be trusted; he is true. And he is true, because no unrighteousness, no unfaithful conduct appears in his message.”[7] The message of Jesus can be trusted because He is not seeking His own glory. He is delivering a message from the One who sent Him. There is a point of crisis in our lives as we must decide if we are going to live for the glory of God or for our own personal gain. This is a decision we must make each and every day. Will we live today to bring God glory or will we live for our own selfish gain? All throughout scripture we see an emphasis on the doxological purpose of God. We were created for worship. We were created to bring Him glory. Therefore, every thing we do should be for His glory. This is the essence of stewardship. I live not for myself. I live for Him. Such an understanding changes everything. Your attitude is different. Your goals are different. Your outlook on life is different as you live for His glory. The glory we seek should not be our own. The glory we seek should be the glory of God.
The Judgement we should make. Jesus encourages us to make our decisions based on righteous judgement. In verse 24 Jesus says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”[8] Jesus encourages the crowd to consider their judgement of His healing a man on the Sabbath. Jesus says to not make quick assumptions based on what you see. Rather, you should look at the evidence. Look at the miracle. Look at the fact that a man was healed rather than that he was healed on a certain day. Too often we make quick judgements. We make conclusions without knowing the whole truth. When we face a point of crisis in our lives, it is important that we see the whole picture. Don’t focus on perceptions or assumptions, but look at what God is doing. The key to really experiencing God is to see what God is doing and get in on it. Our attitude in life really boils down to what we focus on. Do we see the good God is doing or do we get tangled up in the weeds of life? At some point in your life a decision must be made concerning what you focus on. Will you focus on what God is doing and how He is working? Will you choose to accept what God is doing? Will you choose to believe? Or will you be negative and always doubting and skeptical?
The One we should follow. As Jesus continues His conversation with the Jewish leaders, He gives an invitation. Verse 37-38 says, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”[9] Jesus tells the religious crowd that they will look for Him (the Messiah) but will not find Him. The One they were looking for was standing right in front of them. The Messiah Himself was speaking to them and they did not realize it. The Jews followed religion when they needed to follow Jesus. The greatest point of crisis in your life is when you hear the Gospel. A decision must be made. Will you accept Jesus and follow Him? Or will you reject Jesus and go your own way? The single most important decision you will ever make in your life is the decision to follow Jesus. Your eternal destiny depends upon it. The trajectory of your life hangs in the balance of that one moment of decision, that one point of crisis.
My prayer for you today is that you would not be blind to the truth. I pray that you will make the right judgement. That you will make the right decision and follow Jesus.
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 314). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 314). Victor Books.
[3] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 299). Victor Books.
[4] The New King James Version (Jn 7:5). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[5] Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. (1909). St. John (Vol. 1, p. 305). Funk & Wagnalls Company.
[6] The New King James Version (Jn 7:18). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[7] Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John (p. 247). Logos Bible Software.
[8] The New King James Version (Jn 7:24). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[9] The New King James Version (Jn 7:37–38). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
Pastor Chris Noland 