Cautious Sovereignty
Text: John 7:10-30
Theme: We should follow Jesus’ example to walk each day in his cautious sovereignty.
Key verses: “But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival…” (v. 10-11a). “Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. The people were surprised…So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own” (v. 14-17). “Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me” (v. 19). “Jesus replied, ‘I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision…” (v. 21-22). “…why should you be angry with me fo healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly” (v. 23b-24). “Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, ‘Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill’…Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from…While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, ‘Yes, you know me, and you know where i come from But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent he to you.’ Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come” (v. 25-30). “When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. But Jesus told them, ‘I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me…” (v. 32-33).
What I believe God said to me: In my perfect wisdom I chose to limit myself and be affected by fickle and unpredictable human response and outcomes. No doubt this is a startling revelation and reality for you. It ranks up there with how could Jesus love sinners like you and why would he leave the glory of heaven for the filth of earth. You may never fully understand these decisions made by an all-powerful and all-knowing God. But you can draw some perspective and conclusions, even if they do fall pitifully short of full understanding. For one, Jesus clearly humbled himself to take on the form of mankind. That’s not “god-like” behavior in most people’s expectations and understandings of gods. Secondly, if Jesus’ “time had not yet come,” as Jesus told his brothers, then why did he act as though his time might come prematurely? Why be concerned about that if “time” is stoically predetermined? That only makes sense if he somehow set aside his sovereignty (at least temporarily) and gave it a lower ranking of priority. The vicious mob and its sinful humanity were given the upper hand—or so it would seem. Jesus willfully operated within the confines of human depravity and short-sidedness. That is so shocking to consider. We still do that today, and so should you, Dwayne. You live in a fallen world with real fallen-world problems and fall-out. Yes, I can and will intervene in human affairs from time to time, especially as you pray and seek my face. I will ultimately get my divine will and purposes accomplished. But don’t miss or ignore that I’ve given each person a free will with freedom to choose whom they will serve, and not just for eternity, but from day to day. Each day brings its own sets of opportunities to follow me or follow your own flesh and the lure of the world. Your time has not come. You still have today. You have this moment to glorify me. Be shrewd as snakes and wise as doves. I got you, but I’ve also given you a brain to keep yourself on the straight and narrow.
What I said to God: Thank You, Father, for helping me grasp these very difficult stories and principles in John 7. First, Jesus appeared on the surface to have lied to his brothers. (That will mess with a person’s theology big time.) And secondly, Jesus seemed to have needed to sneak around just to help Your will be done. In both cases, what appears to be true on the surface is actually quite the opposite when we peel back the layers and examine each situation carefully. May we and I wisely heed what Jesus said the crowd in John 7:24: “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”