Understanding Jesus: Divine Timing and Human Misunderstanding

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting in Divine Timing

Jesus' statement, "My time is not yet come," emphasizes the importance of divine timing in His mission. Unlike human tendencies to rush or act on personal agendas, Jesus operated according to God's eternal plan. This divine timing is evident throughout the Gospels, where His actions, such as His decision to go to Jerusalem, align perfectly with God's purpose. This challenges believers to trust in God's timing rather than their own, recognizing that His plans are orchestrated for a greater good. [09:15]

"For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay." (Habakkuk 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you struggle to trust God's timing? How can you practice patience and faith in His plan today?

Day 2: Understanding Unbelief

Unbelief often arises from the human attempt to rationalize divine mysteries. Jesus' brothers, like many today, failed to understand Him because they tried to fit Him into their preconceived notions. True understanding begins when we stop talking and start listening to Jesus. This requires humility and openness to the divine mysteries that transcend human logic. [07:17]

"Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.'" (Mark 6:4, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a time when you struggled to understand God's ways. How can you cultivate a posture of listening and openness to His voice today?

Day 3: The Radical Nature of Jesus' Mission

Jesus' mission was not about social or political reform but about redemption and salvation. His message of incarnation, redemption, and regeneration is radically different from human philosophies and requires spiritual discernment to understand. This mission challenges believers to look beyond worldly expectations and embrace the transformative power of the Gospel. [39:16]

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:25, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding the radical nature of Jesus' mission change your perspective on your own purpose and calling in life?

Day 4: Embracing God's Plan of Salvation

Jesus' death on the cross was not an accident but a fulfillment of God's eternal plan. Despite human opposition, Jesus carried out this plan to save sinners, demonstrating God's love and grace. This salvation is available to all, even those who initially reject Him. Believers are called to embrace this plan and share the message of salvation with others. [29:08]

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about God's plan of salvation? How can you share this message with them in a loving and compassionate way?

Day 5: The Call to Listen and Believe

The first step to salvation is to listen to Jesus and believe in His message. This requires a new understanding, given by the Holy Spirit, to see the truth of the Gospel and the depth of God's love for humanity. Believers are encouraged to cultivate a listening heart and a faith that is open to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. [51:33]

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to deepen your faith and listen more intently to Jesus' voice in your life?

Sermon Summary

In the Gospel of John, chapter 7, verse 6, Jesus says, "My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready." This statement reveals a profound truth about the nature of Jesus' mission and the misunderstanding He faced, even from those closest to Him. Jesus' brothers, despite their blood relation, did not believe in Him and failed to understand His divine purpose. This misunderstanding is emblematic of the broader unbelief that Jesus encountered, which often stems from a human attempt to rationalize and control divine mysteries.

Unbelief is baffled by Jesus because He defies human logic and expectations. His actions and timing are not arbitrary but are part of a divine plan orchestrated by God. Jesus' statement, "My time is not yet come," underscores His submission to God's timing and purpose, contrasting with the human tendency to act according to personal agendas. This divine timing is evident throughout the Gospels, where Jesus' actions, such as His decision to go to Jerusalem, are meticulously aligned with God's plan.

The world often misunderstands Christianity, viewing it as a moral or ethical system rather than a divine revelation. Jesus' message is not about social or political reform but about redemption, incarnation, and regeneration. His mission was to save humanity by bearing its sins, a concept that the world finds difficult to grasp. This misunderstanding persists because the world is not ready for the radical nature of Jesus' message, which requires spiritual discernment and a new birth.

Despite the world's unbelief and misunderstanding, Jesus faithfully carried out God's plan. His obedience, even unto death, was not thwarted by human opposition. He died for sinners, including those who rejected and misunderstood Him. This act of divine love and grace is the heart of the Christian message, offering salvation to all who believe.

Key Takeaways

1. Divine Timing and Human Misunderstanding: Jesus' statement, "My time is not yet come," highlights the divine timing of His mission, contrasting with human impatience and misunderstanding. His actions were not random but aligned with God's eternal plan, challenging us to trust in God's timing rather than our own. [09:15]
2. The Nature of Unbelief: Unbelief often arises from a human attempt to rationalize divine mysteries. Jesus' brothers, like many today, failed to understand Him because they tried to fit Him into their preconceived notions. True understanding begins when we stop talking and start listening to Jesus. [07:17]
3. The Uniqueness of Jesus' Mission: Jesus' mission was not about social or political reform but about redemption and salvation. His message of incarnation, redemption, and regeneration is radically different from human philosophies and requires spiritual discernment to understand. [39:16]
4. God's Plan of Salvation: Jesus' death on the cross was not an accident but a fulfillment of God's eternal plan. Despite human opposition, Jesus carried out this plan to save sinners, demonstrating God's love and grace. This salvation is available to all, even those who initially reject Him. [29:08]
5. The Call to Listen and Believe: The first step to salvation is to listen to Jesus and believe in His message. This requires a new understanding, given by the Holy Spirit, to see the truth of the Gospel and the depth of God's love for humanity. [51:33]
** [51:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Introduction to John 7:6
[00:33] - Context of the Feast of Tabernacles
[01:11] - Jesus' Brothers' Unbelief
[02:15] - Misunderstanding of Jesus
[03:55] - The Nature of Unbelief
[06:46] - The Call to Listen
[09:15] - Divine Timing
[11:17] - The Uniqueness of Jesus
[17:29] - Jesus' Submission to God's Plan
[22:01] - Apparent Contradictions Explained
[28:00] - The Purpose of Jesus' Death
[32:22] - The World's Misunderstanding
[39:16] - The Radical Nature of the Gospel
[46:22] - Jesus' Faithful Obedience
[51:33] - The Call to Salvation

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Jesus mean when He says, "My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready"? How does this reflect His understanding of divine timing? [09:15]
How did Jesus' brothers misunderstand His mission, and what was their attitude towards Him? [03:38]
What are some examples from the sermon that illustrate the world's misunderstanding of Jesus' mission? [32:22]
How does the sermon describe the nature of unbelief and its impact on understanding Jesus? [04:17]

Interpretation Questions

How does Jesus' statement about His timing challenge the human tendency to act according to personal agendas? What does this reveal about the nature of divine timing? [09:15]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that unbelief is a result of trying to rationalize divine mysteries? How can this be seen in the attitudes of Jesus' brothers? [04:35]
How does the sermon differentiate between the world's expectations of Christianity and the true nature of Jesus' mission? [32:22]
What does the sermon suggest about the significance of Jesus' obedience to God's plan, even in the face of misunderstanding and opposition? [46:22]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you struggled to trust in God's timing. How can Jesus' example of waiting for the right time encourage you in your current situation? [09:15]
Have you ever tried to fit Jesus into your preconceived notions, like His brothers did? How can you practice listening to Jesus more intentionally this week? [07:17]
The sermon highlights the uniqueness of Jesus' mission. How can you better communicate the true message of Christianity to those who see it as just another moral or ethical system? [32:22]
In what ways can you demonstrate obedience to God's plan in your life, even when faced with opposition or misunderstanding? [46:22]
How can you cultivate spiritual discernment to better understand the radical nature of Jesus' message? What steps can you take to deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit? [39:16]
Think of someone in your life who misunderstands Christianity. How can you engage them in a conversation that focuses on the heart of the Gospel message? [41:50]
Jesus' death was part of God's eternal plan. How does this understanding impact your view of suffering and challenges in your own life? [29:08]

Sermon Clips

Unbelief is always baffled by the Lord Jesus Christ, baffled by him himself, baffled by what he did, baffled by what he didn't do. He's a problem, a puzzle, an enigma to the unbeliever. That's why he is an unbeliever. That was the trouble with these brothers of his; they failed at all those points. [00:04:05]

The word which comes therefore to the unbeliever from the New Testament is this: give up trying to understand and instead of that begin to listen. These men did all the talking. It's only now that our Lord has given an opportunity of addressing them. He just stayed up in Galilee as we are told. [00:06:26]

The first step on the road to Salvation is that we are silenced and we begin to listen to what he has to say. And then if we do so, he will speak to us and he will help us to understand the enigmas and to solve the problems as he did with his brothers on this occasion. [00:08:36]

He reveals unto them that he has come into this world in order to carry out a plan. Then Jesus said unto them, "My time is not yet come." What's he talking about? Well, what he's saying clearly and obviously on the surface is this: that none of his actions are haphazard. [00:16:44]

The Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God, came into this world to carry out God's plan. Everything he does is under the control of God. Do you realize that what we have recorded in the pages of these four Gospels, it is explicated in greater detail in the book of Acts and in the Epistles? [00:19:01]

The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on that cross on Calvary's Hill was not an accident. That wasn't a political matter. That was dying. No, no, this wasn't the result of the machinations of the people and the jealousy and bitterness. Of course, all that came into it, but that isn't the explanation of the death upon the cross. [00:28:50]

He carried it out in spite of men's sins and misunderstanding and their devilish unbelief. He had come to carry out the plan, and he wasn't deflected from it, and he could not be deflected from it. He came into the world to carry out God's plan, and he did carry out God's plan. [00:46:00]

God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet without strength, in due time, at the right moment, Christ died for us. Who did he die for? He died for sinners. He died for the ungodly. But listen even to this: while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. [00:48:08]

He carried out the plan that men could not understand for the very men that couldn't understand. That is God's love. God commendeth his love toward us. Oh yes, sometimes you'll find a man who was prepared to die for another, perhaps for a righteous man someone would even dare to die. [00:49:46]

God's way of Salvation is not dependent upon our understanding, upon our time. It is all in his own Eternal will and counsel. It is all his own Grace and love and compassion and kindness and Glory. It is all his, and before we can understand this and receive it and be saved by it, we need to have a new understanding. [00:51:21]

The Jesus that stayed in Galilee because the Jews wanted to kill him and then went steadfastly when the hour had come. Oh, how I thank him for his obedience. He obeyed for me. He carried out God's plan to the smallest detail that I might be rescued and redeemed. [00:53:10]

Thank God for God's gospel, God's way of Salvation. It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world. What for? To reform, to protest, to put an end to war and to make a better world? No, no, thank God, to save sinners of whom I am the chief. [00:55:10]

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