John 7:14-29. Christ Defends Himself for Healing on the Sabbath Day.
Jesus' treatment by the Jews provided an opportunity for him to display meekness and wisdom, while also emphasizing the importance of knowing God.
Favell Lee Mortimer preaches about Jesus' meekness and wisdom in the face of insults and accusations, highlighting how every circumstance in life presents an opportunity to cultivate grace. Jesus displayed great meekness and wisdom in dealing with perverse sinners, exposing their inconsistencies and deceitful pretenses. Those who claim to have good motives for doing wrong will be speechless before their Judge. Jesus challenges people's ignorance about His origins, emphasizing the importance of truly knowing God, which He came to reveal to humanity.
Text
In these verses we have a fresh instance of the insulting manner in which Jesus was treated upon earth.
He was despised for his want of a learned education. "How knows this man letters?" exclaimed the Jews scornfully, "having never learned!" Soon afterwards their insolence increased, and they cried, "You have a devil." This treatment gave Jesus an opportunity of displaying his meekness. Every circumstance that befalls us affords the opportunity of cultivating some grace. Disappointment affords the opportunity of exercising resignation; enjoyment of showing gratitude; when we are praised, then is the time for humility; when we are insulted, then is the time for meekness; every temptation to sin furnishes an occasion of manifesting faithfulness to God.
Jesus showed not only great meekness, but also great wisdom, in his dealings with perverse sinners. He knew what accusation they had against him, namely, that on the Sabbath-day he had healed the impotent man who lay by the pool. With wonderful skill he unveiled their inconsistency in accusing him of breaking the Sabbath by performing a work of mercy; for he said that even they themselves performed the ceremonies of Moses' law on the Sabbath-day. How easy it is for Jesus to show men the deceitfulness of their pretenses! At the last day those who profess to have the best motives for doing the worst things, will be confounded and speechless in the presence of their Judge.
What ignorance those people betrayed who said that Jesus could not be the promised Christ, because they knew whence he was. They imagined they knew whence he was; but they were mistaken; they did not know he came from God. So Jesus answered them by a question; for the words in verse 28 should be regarded as a question, "Do you both know me and do you know whence I am?" By this he meant to say, "You think you know whence I am, but you do not know."
Then Jesus added these words respecting his Father, "I know him!" How happy are they who can truly say of the Father, "I know him;" for the world does not know him, and no man can know him, except Jesus reveal Himself to his soul. But the meek and lowly Savior is willing to teach all those who desire to know his Father. He came into the world "to bring us to God."
Do we desire to know God? Is this our chief desire? It may appear that we can pass away our time, and enjoy ourselves without knowing God; but what should we do at the last day if God should say, "I never knew you, O you that work iniquity!"
Sermon Outline
- I. Jesus' Treatment by the Jews
- A. Despised for lack of education
- B. Accused of having a devil
- C. Opportunity for Jesus to display meekness
- II. Jesus' Wisdom in Dealing with Perverse Sinners
- A. Unveiling the inconsistency of the Jews
- B. Showing the deceitfulness of their pretenses
- III. Jesus' Knowledge of His Origin
- A. The Jews' ignorance of Jesus' true origin
- B. Jesus' statement of knowing his Father
- C. The importance of knowing God
Key Quotes
“How easy it is for Jesus to show men the deceitfulness of their pretenses!” — Favell Lee Mortimer
“Do we desire to know God? Is this our chief desire?” — Favell Lee Mortimer
“I know him!” — Favell Lee Mortimer
Application Points
- We should strive to cultivate meekness and wisdom in the face of adversity, just as Jesus did.
- Knowing God is essential for a meaningful relationship with Him, and it is our chief desire.
- We should be willing to learn from Jesus and seek a personal relationship with God.