Jesus’ Public Ministry

John 7:1

This morning I want us to consider for a title, Jesus’ Public Ministry. Now throughout our study in John, we have been looking most often about the person of Jesus. Who is Jesus? He is God (John 1:1). He is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). That is to say he is the Saviour. We have also seen he is the expected Messiah. Indeed this is what John set forth in his gospel to prove. That Jesus Christ is the Messiah and our relationship with him must be that of faith for salvation “Now Jesus did many other signs  in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may  believe that Jesus is the Christ,  the Son of God, and that by believing  you may have life  in his name.” (John 20:31).

Oppossition In His Public Ministry

Unfortunately, these very things Jesus proclaimed about himself brought him into trouble with the religious authorities. His life is under threat. They are seeking to kill him (v.1). Now not only the religious authorities, but his own family didn’t believe the things he said about himself (v.5). Again, in the wider scheme of things, the general population was divided about who he is (vv.11-13). These things provides the context in which Jesus operated in his ministry. He faced intense opposition.

How did Jesus go about his ministry or his work in the midst of all of these opposition he faced? What can we learn from these and how applicable is Jesus’ own ministry to our daily life. As believers and disciples of Christ, if indeed we are, we are to learn from the path he walked. Jesus is not only our Saviour, he is also our example. The One we looked up to. The one we set our affections upon.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and  sin which clings so closely, and  let us run  with endurance the race that is  set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,  who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising  the shame, and  cis seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Do Not Grow Weary 3 consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or  fainthearted. 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood (Hebrews 12:1-4).

He Took Responsibility For His Life (v.1, 10).

This may sound surprising to you. You might think the son of God will walk around with his chest out and shoulders high, nobody can kill me. Nobody can do anything to me. I am an over comer. No, he took responsibility for his safety. He wasn’t foolhardy. He was responsible. He lived wisely. Don’t court unnecessary controversy out there in gospel ministry. Spurgeon says the gospel is already offensive, don’t add your own offense.

And there are many ways this is applicable to us. How we take care of ourselves. Are we living healthy? Are we good stewards of our body? Do we think because we are believers, it doesn’t matter how we live our lives? You won’t rest, you will stress your body and expect to be going on, no, you will break down. And as a bivocational Pastor, I need this advise myself. My wife thinks I don’t love my body. One day in a conversation I said I am tired, I need rest. And I remember her saying something like Oh thank God. Brethren, the point if that we are to take responsibility of our lives and not put ourselves in unnecessary danger and harm. That’s what Jesus did. He was wise. He won’t take unnecessary risk.

He Submitted To The Law of God (v.2).

He lived in obedience to God. John records a number of feasts Jesus attended (John 2:13;23 John 5:1;John 6:4). These feasts as we read in Leviticus were to be attended by every Jew. And Jesus’ attendance was significant. It pointed to his obedience of God’s law.

Feast of Tabernacles or Booths — Leviticus 23:34

Celebration always follows the Day of Atonement. The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s provision and protection for the people of Israel during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness; for the seven days of the feast, people live in temporary structures like they did in the wilderness. The Lord Himself was with the Israelites in the desert, in a tented temple called the

Tabernacle, so the feast also celebrates His presence as He tabernacles (dwells) with us. esus is called Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23, NLT). He put on a temporary tabernacle — a human body — to dwell on this earth and offer himself as a sacrifice.

He Was Submitted To The Sovereignty of God (v.v.6,8)

He was conscious of the timing of God. He didn’t do things foolhardy. The way we respond to life in difficult situations truly tells our trust or submissiveness to God’s Sovereignty. Do we truly believe that God’s works all things out for good? Do we really believe that everything that happens to us is in the plan of God?

He Worked In Humility (v.6,10).

Jesus didn’t promote himself. He often works in secret. His brother’s insistence for him to prove himself sounds like the temptation of Satan. If you are the son of God.

Jesus doesn’t seek public approval. When he heals a sick person, he tells them don’t tell anyone. Can it truly be said of us that we live our lives in humility. What are the motivates that drives what we do?

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