Popularity

A bit from my notes from our recent church weekend away. The speaker was Craig Dyer, and this one was on John 7 - Jesus with his brothers.

Their aim was popularity.

John 5v44 "How can you believe if you accept praise from one another yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?"

Easy to confuse being in a right relationship with God with being liked by his people.

Whose glory do I seek?
Whose approval am I satisfied with?

He succeeded where we fail.

"The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory."
If we seek our own glory, we don't take with any seriousness the living God from whom comes our life and breath and everything else.

Brothers sought their own glory through Jesus.

Ouch!

So, so easy to do, in so many different circumstances.

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And here's all my notes for that session. There will obviously be stuff missing or misreported, because I can only write so fast... [Edit: Here's the audio link - it's Saturday morning]

John 7v1-24 - Jesus with his brothers

Remember why John wrote his book:
"These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God, and that by believing you may have life through his name."

John also shows what unbelief looks like.

Two types of unbelief.

1) Easily spotted flat out rejection

People seeking to take his life. (Though no-one can, because he came to give it. Jesus was not avoiding death, but postponing it till the right time.) Because he healed a man on the Sabbath.

2) Easily missed unbelief - skin deep appreciation

Brothers told him to show himself to the world. Impressed with him. Assume he thinks the way they think. You've got the talent; we've got the management.

"My time has not yet come, but your time is always here."

The world hates him because he says that what it does is evil. The brothers don't realise that the world hates him.

DON'T LOSE THE PLOT

Not even his brothers believed in him - but believing in him is the point of John. Therefore they don't have life through his name.

Unbelief can be cold, but it can also feel warm.

Some wanted him executed: others exhibited. Neither believed or had life.

Jesus went up secretly, then taught (not miracles).

People thought he was good. Marvelled at teaching. But wouldn't admit it for fear of leaders.

DON'T MISS THE POINT

Since everything depends on it, how are we to know what true belief is really like?

How we relate to God.

"My teaching is not mine but belongs to him who sent me."
Brothers wanted Jesus to make much of himself, but he redirects their admiration to his father.
We receive everything from him, and return everything to him in praise.

Their aim was popularity.

5v44 "How can you believe if you accept praise from one another yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?"

Easy to confuse being in a right relationship with God with being liked by his people.

Whose glory do I seek?
Whose approval am I satisfied with?

He succeeded where we fail.

"The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory."
If we seek our own glory, we don't take with any seriousness the living God from whom comes our life and breath and everything else.

Brothers sought their own glory through Jesus.
The Jews sought their own glory by publically making a big deal of how well they kept the law (when they wanted to kill him for breaking the Sabbath).

Psalm 36 "There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin."

We can be amazed at all Jesus can do for us but ignore why he came - cross.

Can think he's good - but not worth getting in trouble for.

The way out
Look carefully at ourselves. Is there enough good and glory to please God? Of course not!
See and repent.
Look at Jesus - all goodness and glory.
Reflects glory to the father.
Giving himself to die for us.