John 7:35-36
My topic for this morning is Questions That Demands Answers. My aim for this title, which I struggled to find one is to attempt to answer the questions the Jews asked in the verses we read. In answering these, I believe it will also remind us of things we already know of and possibly deepen our faith in Christ and enrich our walk.
Last week, we saw how the people were divided about the person of Jesus Christ, whether he was The Christ or not. That’s from the vv.25-31. Now the Pharisees didn’t take this discussion about the possibility of Jesus being The Christ lightly. They reacted by sending officers to arrest Jesus (v.32). Why this reaction? Because it threatens their authority. These Pharisees and religious authorities are not so much interested in God. They were interested in their place of authority and the popularity of Jesus threatens that authority. In our own individual lives, this can subtly rear its head. We may pursue our own personal interest even in the name of Christianity. Whose interest must we seek therefore as a church and as individuals? First and foremost, we must seek the interest of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). We are also to seek the interest of one another as believers: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). This could be a simple message of asking someone how are you today? Is there something I can pray with you about? Let’s not make our faith just a gathering on Sunday, let’s check on one another. This is the least and minimum we can do
Now despite their continuous attempt to silence Jesus, the people still believed in him, and this was troubling to the Pharisees. Look at v.31: “Yet many of the people believed in him.” This must be most encouraging and assuring to us. That despite hostilities towards Christ, which continues even up to today, the name of Jesus is still believed in. People are still coming to faith in Jesus.
The Pharisees were part of a religious authority called the Sanhedrin which had supreme religious authority over the Jews. And their fear was that the people believing in Jesus will lead to an uprising which the Romans, which had political authority will quell by removing them. So simply, to them, Jesus was a potential threat to their existence. Remember in the narrative regarding the healing of Lazarus, many people believed in Jesus because of the events. And here we see the insecurity of the Pharisees at play.
Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation (John 11:45-48).
How wick can these people be. A miracle has taken place—a man dead for four days has been raised from the dead, and rather than rejoicing over him, they rather were seeking their interest of how to destroy Jesus. Look at John 11:53: “So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” Their action is driven by hatred and selfish interest. Indeed, this is a real problem in the world. It is a problem that has been with the human race since the days of Cain. He killed Abel because Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and his rejected. You and I must guard our hearts so that such behaviors of hatred do not spring up in our hearts for our selfish interest. In response to the hostility of the Pharisees, Jesus made a statement which confused the people (vv.33-34). It’s like Jesus was telling them, don’t worry, I will not be around for long, I will be leaving you soon and you will not see me again. As I indicated earlier, the people were confused, so they asked some questions among themselves (vv.35-6).
Now let us attempt to answer their questions. At least from hindsight and our understanding of Scripture, we have clearer understanding than the Jews.
Where Does This Man Intend To Go That We Will Not Find Him?
We will not have to struggle over this to find answers. We go back to Jesus words. See the latter part of v.33 “I am going to him who sent me.” This is a loaded statement from which we can draw a number of inferences. But before the inferences, let’s attend to the main point. Jesus is going to he who sent him. Who is that? Constantly in his public ministry, Jesus makes reference to the fact that he has been sent by the Father. You can see this in many places in John. Look at John 5:22-23, 36; John 6:38-39, 44; John 8:16; John 14:24; John 16:5; John 7:28-29.
This reference points to the source of Jesus’ authority and mission. He was sent by the father. And declaring this is what constantly put him into trouble. Rightly, the Jews understood the implication of saying he was sent by God, and he is the Christ. It makes him equal with God and that’s the source of all the problems he is having with the authorities who are trying to arrest him. Remember all these hostilities towards Jesus started from John 5 when the lame man was healed (John 5:17-18). See, even today, it’s not everyone who receives the truth about who Jesus is. People are ready to accept him as a good man, a good teacher, even count him among the prophets of God, but away with him as God. How can a man proclaim himself as God. Well, if you accept him as a good moral man or teacher, then you must accept everything he said about him. In his popular quote, C.S Lewis says
A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.
Jesus is God and this is a core Christian doctrine that must be believed. The denial of this is prevalent even among people who claim to be Christians, Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons top the list. But a mere man couldn’t have died to save sinners. God demanded a perfect sacrifice for the payment of sin and Jesus offered that sacrifice.
To the question of the Jews “where does this man intend to go”, we conclude that Jesus was going to the Father. Now if Jesus is going to the Father, we can infer that he is going to Heaven because that’s the dwelling of the Father. That’s where Jesus was and that’s where he is returning (John 6:38, John 14:1-4). Randy Alcorn in his book Heaven, makes a distinction between the present Heaven, that is the present dwelling of God and all the saints who have died. And the future heaven which will be the new earth as recorded in revelation.
The present, intermediate Heaven is in the [spiritual realm], distinctly separate from Earth. By contrast, the future Heaven will be in the human realm, on Earth. Then the dwelling place of God will also be the dwelling place of humanity, in a resurrected universe” “I saw “a new heaven and a new earth…I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:1-3). Heaven, God’s dwelling place, will one day be on the New Earth
But it suffices to say that Jesus is in heaven a place where all believers go when they die. “Heaven is where Christ is. It is the eternal bliss of communion with God.” (R.C. Sproul).
Another inference we can draw in answer to the Jews is an inference of the ascension. When Jesus resurrected, he didn’t vanish into heaven. Indeed, his disciples saw him when he ascended to heaven.
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. (Acts 1:9-11)
Now most importantly, if Jesus ascended to heaven to the Father, then it means he died and resurrected. This is a necessary condition because this was why the Father sent him. To come and die to save sinner. Jesus Christ came into the world for this very purpose that he will die to save sinners that anyone who believes in him will be saved. That sends us to the next question
What Does He Mean By Saying You’ll Seek Me And You Will Not Find Me
Look at that first phrase in v. 33 “I’ll be with you a little longer” I believe that Jesus was telling them his time is short. He will not be with them forever. And this is very important. If that is the case then, they were to believe in him while they have the opportunity. Jesus was with them physically. He is not with us in that same sense. But his work is presented to us in the preaching of the gospel and in the Scripture. The most important response required from us is faith in Jesus and his finished work on the cross. He came to die to save sinners and sinners must put their faith in him to be saved. Faith cannot be postponed. If you hear his voice do not harden your heart. There are people who have time for everything but not considering Jesus. And that leads us to answer their next questions
Where I Am You Cannot Come
You know Jesus told his disciples something different in John 14:3: “And if I go and prepare a place for, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also”. This is a big contrast to what Jesus is telling these Jews. Again, this highlights the importance of faith in Jesus. It is only believers of Jesus who can go to where Jesus is right now. By the statement “Where I am you cannot come” Jesus was pronouncing their doom and separation from him. It is an indication that anyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus will one day be separated from him in eternal judgement.
There is a sobering question worth asking. Can you go to where Jesus is now? Every believer can confidently answer yes to that question because they have been redeemed and reconciled to God. We have been justified. We have been made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. But anyone who has not put their trust in Christ cannot answer this question.
Some people trust in their good works thinking it will save them. But no, no amount of good works can save. The Jews to whom Jesus was talking were concerned about the outward requirements of keeping the law, but that could not save them but rather Jesus issues a warning to them: Where I am you cannot come
The only requirement to be able to be where Jesus is now, is to put our faith and trust in him for the hope of eternal life. No one can be saved from their sins apart from faith in Christ.
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