Sermon nuggets, Tuesday May 6, 2008
Theme- Conflict
Verses -John 7:6-13 Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come."
Having said this, he stayed in Galilee.
However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.
Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?"
Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people."
But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. (NIV)
A Matter of Timing
Jesus’ brothers were not believers yet, but they are aware of Jesus abilities to perform miracles. The brothers of Jesus were worldly wise. Doing things the world's way and at the world's timing is part of knowing your market. It makes sense to capitalize on the Feast of Tabernacles. It makes sense to do some miracles to attract a crowd. It makes sense to go to Jerusalem now, with fanfare and pomp and splendor to accomplish what they thought Jesus wanted to accomplish, but this was not the way of Christ. Jesus is out of step with the world. Handling conflict was a matter of timing.
It wasn't the right timing from God’s perspective, not in terms of the time of day, but the circumstances surrounding the entrance into Jerusalem. It was not God's timing to show off miracles, but to confront people of their unbelief. It was not the right time to make a public display for the wrong reasons.
In other words, what his unbelieving brothers did not understand, and what is hard for others to understand too is this: Jesus was not to be popular with people by trying to please them. It was time to point out their sin and that would result in hatred.
We can miss the will of what God is doing in our lives, not because we cannot see the individual features of His work, but because His work is either too slow for our comprehension or too fast. Trust Him and rejoice in the fact that one day your perspective will be His own. We have one concern on our mind whereas God is aware of the bigger picture and purpose.
Jesus was concerned about being in God's will by recognizing that timing must also be in God's hands as well. We must recognize the timing of God differs from man's timing as well. God does what He wishes from a different perspective than what we can imagine. The New Testament is full of verses which indicate that Jesus was born, lived, and died according to the fixed plan of God: Gal. 4:4,5 "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
The death of Jesus Christ was the most important event of His life and it was eternally planned and determined by God. Not only His death, but also the details of His death and other facts related to His birth and life on earth. When Jesus came to earth, He was conscious that the events of His life were marked out for Him by God.
When it also comes to conflicts a matter of timing and prayer needs to be considered to discuss, confront, or remain quiet as we pray and prepare our hearts. Impulsive responses and confrontation at the wrong time can make matters worse. Most married couples realize there is right and wrong times to resolve some issues.
Are you struggling with witnessing to someone who is closed to Jesus Christ? Are you perplexed that God is not moving as fast as you want Him to move in a certain area of your life? Are you concerned that He is pushing you too fast?
The time Joseph was in the prison in Egypt seemed wasted but it wasn't. The time of Paul in the prisons of Rome seemed to not make sense from a worldly point of view, but as all these figures of faith will attest God's timing is best. Wait when he wants you to wait, Keep quiet when he wants you to keep quiet, move when he wants you to move. The matter of timing is important when you want to follow the ways of God.
Pastor Dale
