INTRO TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, Sarah Barry
JESUS’ TIME AND OUR TIME
Passage: John 7:1~13  
Key verse: 6
Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles
7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders(A) there were looking for a way to kill him.(B) 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles(C) was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers(D) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.(E)
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time(F) is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me(G) because I testify that its works are evil.(H) 8 You go to the festival. I am not[b] going up to this festival, because my time(I) has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus(J) and asking, “Where is he?”
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”(K) 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.(L)
Cross references
- John 7:1 : S Jn 1:19
- John 7:1 : ver 19, 25; S Mt 12:14
- John 7:2 : Lev 23:34; Dt 16:16
- John 7:3 : S Mt 12:46
- John 7:5 : Ps 69:8; Mk 3:21
- John 7:6 : S Mt 26:18
- John 7:7 : Jn 15:18, 19
- John 7:7 : Jn 3:19, 20
- John 7:8 : ver 6; S Mt 26:18
- John 7:11 : Jn 11:56
- John 7:12 : ver 40, 43
- John 7:13 : Jn 9:22; 12:42; 19:38; 20:19
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
Jesus lived to glorify God. So, he was not swayed by the demands or expectations of the people and waited on God’s time to go to Jerusalem. When he sensed God’s time for him, he went to Jerusalem to do the will of God. Jesus did not compromise with the world. Instead, he exposed its evil, and he was hated and persecuted by the world. If we don’t follow the popular way of the world but seek God’s way and follow his schedule to do his work, we may look like nobodies in the world. We may be hated or persecuted by the world, but let’s remain faithful and seek to please God like Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, I repent that I was more sensitive to the demands and words of people than your will and your way. Help me to follow Jesus’ example to please you.
One Word: Not worldly way, but God’s way