Scripture Text: John 7:14-24
The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
John 7:18
We learn from this passage why Jesus eventually went up to the feast. It was not to appear publicly as the Messiah (because it was not the right time), but it was an opportunity to teach the crowd the truth and invite men and women to Him. What a marvelous teacher Jesus must have been. Have you ever wished to have heard Him in person as He spoke with such authority to the people of His day? It says that the people questioned how Jesus knew the Scriptures so well and spoke with such authority when He had never been to a seminary (v.15).
It seems that the people of that day fell into the same trap that many people fall into today. That is, a person has to graduate from a seminary and have a degree after his name before he is qualified to preach or teach. It is certainly good to get Bible training, but sometimes, God raises up people like D.L. Moody, who only attended school up to the fifth grade or Jack Wyrtzen, who didn't graduate from high school. It is sad to see churches and organizations that will not accept God-called men who do not have a degree after their name. I want to hear a man who knows God and has spent time with Him recently, I don't want to listen to his press agent! Jesus replied: "I am not teaching something that I thought up (vv.16-18). What I teach comes from the one who sent me. If you really want to obey God, you will know if what I teach comes from God or from me."
The Pharisees spent their days trying to achieve obedience by trying to keep the rules they had added to God's laws (v.19). They do not even fulfill a legalistic religion, for they were living far below what the law of Moses required.
Reflect
1. How fair are you in judging others?
2. What are your guidelines/basis for giving remarks or expressing opinions?
3. Do you follow the teaching of Jesus in giving a comment to them?
Remember
"Do not judge by appearance, but judge with right judgement" (vv. 20-24). This means that we are to get our values straight and look at things from God's point of view. Only then can we make our righteous judgement.
Read
Isaiah 11:3-4; James 2:1, 4, 9; Proverbs 24:23; Deuteronomy 16:18-19
Pray
Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for reminding me about judging others or any situation happening everyday. I admit that most of the time, I might judge unfairly. Help me Lord, to judge according to what Jesus teaches in the Bible. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
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