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1. Greatest religious question every man must answer is "Who Is Jesus?"
2. John 7:10-52 - Feast of Tabernacles (7:2) - Several groups judging Jesus:
a. The Jews - v. 1 - Leaders/enemies -(v. 11).
b. His brothers - v. 3-5 - Did not believe in Him.
c. Multitudes - v. 12 - There for feast, unsure.
d. Jerusalemites - v. 25 - Curiosity & doubt.
e. Sanhedrin -v. 32, 45 - Rulers, faithless.
3. Jno. 7:24 - Jesus invites righteous judgment of Himself (reach a decision, determination).
- 7:50-51 - Basis of judgment: Words & works.
I. HIS IDENTITY: WHO WAS HE?
A. He Claimed To Be God - Jno. 5:17-18; 8:58; 10:30-36.
1. Only 2 alternatives to this claim:
a. FALSE (Knew it, or did not know it).
(1) If He knew it was false, He was a deliberate liar, hypocrite, demon & fool (died for it).
(2) If He did not know it was false, was sincerely deluded & a lunatic.
b. TRUE Þ LORD (Can accept or reject) - Jno. 12:48.
2. Most misjudge Jesus - Isa. 53:3.
B. What People Said (Say) About Him - Jno. 7:12ff (Matt. 16:13-16).
1. v. 12 - Good man (cf. Good moral teacher - Moral man doesn’t lie!).
2. v. 12 - Leads astray.
3. v. 20 - Have a demon (Deluded, deranged, visions of grandeur) - cf. He calmly mastered every situation.
4. v. 31 - Believed (Untested - Matt. 27:20-22).
a. v. 40 - The Prophet (Deut. 18:18).
b. v. 26-27, 41-42 - Christ.
II. HOW WILL WE JUDGE WHO HE WAS (IS)? - 7:24.
A. His Teachings - Jno. 7:14-18.
1. He claimed:
a. To speak from God - 7:15-18. (Sent to teach, He is true/righteous)
.........."No man ever spoke like this man!" (Jno. 7:46; Heb. 1:1-2)
b. To be from above - Jno. 8:23-24.
.............."You are a teacher come from God." (Jno. 3:2)
c. To be the Christ - Jno. 4:25-26.
................."We have found the Messiah!" (Jno. 1:41)
d. To be sinlessness - Jno. 8:46.
.........."I find no fault in him!" (Jno. 18:38; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22)
e. That He would rise from dead - Matt. 16:21 (Jno. 11:25).
................"He is not here, he is risen!" (Matt. 28:6-7; 11-15)
f. That all should love & obey Him - Matt. 10:37; Lk. 6:46; Jno. 14:15.
................"My Lord and my God!" (Jno. 20:28)
2. Jesus measures up to His teachings!
B. His Works - Jno. 7:19-23.
1. Healed man - 7:21 (Jno. 5:1-17).
...."If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." (Jno. 9:33)
2. "Broke" the Sabbath - Jno. 7:21-23 (5:16, 18).
...."This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath!"
3. Forgives sin - 7:23 - Every whit whole (5:14-18 - Made whole, work of Father); Mk. 2:5.
................"Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mk. 2:7)
4. What do His works say about Him?
a. Enemies never denied His miracles--They attributed them to Satan (Jno. 11:47; Matt. 12:22-24).
b. Didn't break law of Moses - Jno. 7:23.
c. Healed & forgave sins! - Mk.2:5-12.
d. He is Messiah, Son of God, Deity - Jno. 10:37-38 (20:30-31).
Conclusion
1. Jno. 7:24 - Having judged Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God, what must we do with that information?
2. Jno. 7:37-39 - Believe, come & drink - Life (Spirit, His blsgs. of salvation - Acts 2:38).
3. Mk. 16:15-16; Rom. 12:1 - Obey & be a faithful Christian.