Messiah Rejected

1 ALFRED THE GREAT • WAS THE NINTH-CENTURY KING • WHO SAVED ENGLAND FROM CONQUEST BY THE DANISH. • AT ONE POINT DURING HIS WARS WITH THE DANES, • KING ALFRED WAS FORCED TO SEEK REFUGE • IN THE HUT OF A POOR FAMILY. • NOT RECOGNIZING HER VISITOR, • THE WOMAN OF THE HOUSE SAID SHE HAD TO LEAVE • AND ASKED ALFRED TO WATCH SOME CAKES SHE WAS BAKING. • BUT THE KING HAD OTHER THINGS ON HIS MIND • AND DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE CAKES WERE BURNING. • UPON HER RETURN, THE LADY • UNKNOWINGLY GAVE HER SOVEREIGN A HEARTY SCOLDING! • SOMETIMES THE KING OF KINGS COMES INTO OUR LIVES • AND WE DON’T RECOGNIZE HIM • WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN SOME DAILY TASK • LIKE BAKING CAKES • AND WE FAIL TO RECOGNIZE JESUS CHRIST, THE KING OF KINGS • AND LORD OF LORDS…. WORKING IN OUR LIVES • WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE PAY ATTENTION • TO CHRIST WORKING IN OUR LIVES… • HE MAY NOT WORK THE WAY WE EXPECT HIM TO • OR WHEN WE EXPECT HIM TO.. OR ON THE PROBLEM • WE THINK WE NEED HELP ON. • BUT HE IS THERE IN OUR LIVES EVERY DAY • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT • THE LEADERSHIP OF ISRAEL NOT RECOGNIZING • JESUS CHRIST AS THE MESSIAH THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD • TURN TO JOHN 5:1 • JOHN RECORDED TWO MIRACLES • PRIOR TO THE ONE WE WILL LOOK AT TODAY • BOTH WERE DONE FAR FROM JERUSALEM • BOTH WERE DONE PRIVATELY • AND FEW PEOPLE KNEW OF THEM • BOTH OF THESE MIRACLES RESULTED • IN PEOPLE TRUSTING IN JESUS CHRIST • NOW JESUS WILL PREFORM A MIRACLE • AMONG A GREAT CROWD IN JERUSALEM JOHN 5:1–4 AFTER THESE THINGS THERE WAS A FEAST OF THE JEWS, AND JESUS WENT UP TO JERUSALEM. NOW THERE IS IN JERUSALEM BY THE SHEEP GATE A POOL, WHICH IS CALLED IN HEBREW BETHESDA, HAVING FIVE PORTICOES. IN THESE LAY A MULTITUDE OF THOSE WHO WERE SICK, BLIND, LAME, AND WITHERED, WAITING FOR THE MOVING OF THE WATERS; FOR AN ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT DOWN AT CERTAIN SEASONS INTO THE POOL AND STIRRED UP THE WATER; WHOEVER THEN FIRST, AFTER THE STIRRING UP OF THE WATER, STEPPED IN WAS MADE WELL FROM WHATEVER DISEASE WITH WHICH HE WAS AFFLICTED. A VERY PUBLIC MIRACLE • JOHN IS NOT TELLING US EVERY MIRACLE THAT JESUS DOES • WHEN JOHN DOES TELL US ABOUT A MIRACLE • WE CAN KNOW THAT HE TELLS FOR A REASON… • THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC MIRACLE JOHN TELLS US ABOUT • WHEN JESUS TURNED WATER INTO WINE ONLY HIS MOTHER • THE SERVANTS, AND HIS DISCIPLES NEW THE MIRACLE HAD HAPPENED • WHEN HE HEALED THE ROYAL OFFICIAL’S SON • THERE WAS NO SIGN OR WONDER, NO PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THE MIRACLE • BUT IN THE CASE OF THIS MIRACLE JESUS GOES • TO JERUSALEM DURING A FEAST, WHEN THE CITY WOULD BE CROWDED… • BECAUSE IT WAS DURING A FEAST • AND JESUS DID THIS MIRACLE IN A VERY PUBLIC PLACE DURING THE FEAST • HE DID IT AT A POOL CALLED BET-HESEDA WHICH MEANS HOUSE OF MERCY • AROUND THIS POOL; • “LAY A MULTITUDE OF THOSE WHO WERE SICK, BLIND, LAME, AND WITHERED” • AND IN THIS CROWD, IN JERUSALEM, JESUS WILL DO AN UNEXPECTED MIRACLE • OUR TEXT EXPLAINS WHY ALL THESE AFFLICTED PEOPLE • WERE AT THIS PARTICULAR PLACE FOR AN ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT DOWN AT CERTAIN SEASONS INTO THE POOL AND STIRRED UP THE WATER; WHOEVER THEN FIRST, AFTER THE STIRRING UP OF THE WATER, STEPPED IN WAS MADE WELL FROM WHATEVER DISEASE WITH WHICH HE WAS AFFLICTED. • NOW, THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY • THAT THIS VERSE IS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL TEXT • NO-MANUSCRIPT BEFORE AD 400 HAS THIS VERSE • AND MANY OF THE WORDS USED ARE NOT WORDS JOHN USED…. • EVEN THE GRAMMAR IS DIFFERENT THAN JOHN’S GRAMMAR • BUT THE INFORMATION IS STILL IMPORTANT • THIS VERSE TELLS US ABOUT A TRADITION AMONG • THE PEOPLE AT TIME, THIS TRADITION • HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS • THERE WAS AN ACTUAL PRACTICE AND BELIEF BEING DESCRIBED HERE • DOES THIS MEAN THAT AN ANGEL ACTUALLY STIRRED UP • THE WATER AND WHOEVER GOT IN THE WATER FIRST WAS HEALED • I DON’T REALLY KNOW, IT DOES SEEM UN-LIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN THE BIBLE… • I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND FROM THIS VERSE • IS THAT THE SICK, BLIND, LAME, AND WITHERED • WERE LAYING THERE EXPECTING TO BE HEALED BY • BEING THE FIRST ONE IN THE POOL AFTER THE WATER WAS STIRRED UP • NONE OF THEM WERE EXPECTING THE MESSIAH TO COME AND HEAL THEM, • NONE OF THEM WERE EXPECTING • THE MIRACLE THAT JESUS WAS ABOUT TO DO • THEY WERE DEPENDING ON THE WATER BEING STIRRED UP • AND BEING THE FIRST ONE IN • THIS VERSE HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHY THE MAN • WHO IS GOING TO BE HEALED RESPONSES THE WAY HE DOES JOHN 5:5–9 A MAN WAS THERE WHO HAD BEEN ILL FOR THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS. WHEN JESUS SAW HIM LYING THERE, AND KNEW THAT HE HAD ALREADY BEEN A LONG TIME IN THAT CONDITION, HE SAID TO HIM, “DO YOU WISH TO GET WELL?” THE SICK MAN ANSWERED HIM, “SIR, I HAVE NO MAN TO PUT ME INTO THE POOL WHEN THE WATER IS STIRRED UP, BUT WHILE I AM COMING, ANOTHER STEPS DOWN BEFORE ME.” JESUS SAID TO HIM, “GET UP, PICK UP YOUR PALLET AND WALK.” IMMEDIATELY THE MAN BECAME WELL, AND PICKED UP HIS PALLET AND BEGAN TO WALK. NOW IT WAS THE SABBATH ON THAT DAY. A TIMELY MIRACLE • 38 YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO BE ILL • IN THE MIND OF THOSE READING THIS TEXT • BEING SICK THAT LONG MEANT IT WAS A HOPELESS CASE • NO ONE GOT WELL AFTER BEING SICK THAT LONG… • AND JESUS ASKS HIM A QUESTION; • “DO YOU WISH TO GET WELL?” • SOMEONE MIGHT THINK THIS IS AN ODD QUESTION • OF COURSE, EVERYONE WHO IS SICK WANTS TO GET WELL…. • MAYBE JESUS IS ASKING IN ORDER TO GIVE THE MAN • THE CHANCE TO ASK FOR HEALING • BUT INSTEAD OF ANSWERING THE QUESTION • THE MAN SAYS; • “SIR, I HAVE NO MAN TO PUT ME INTO THE POOL WHEN THE WATER IS STIRRED UP, BUT WHILE I AM COMING, ANOTHER STEPS DOWN BEFORE ME.” • HE IS SO FIXED ON HIS EXPECTATION • HE IS SO DRIVEN BY THIS TRADITION OF THE POOL • THAT HE CANNOT ENVISION BEING HEALED BY ANY OTHER MEANS • HE THINKS IF HE JUST HAD SOMEONE TO PUT HIM IN THE WATER • WHEN IT IS STIRRED UP, HE WILL BE HEALED • AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY HE CAN EVER BE HEALED • BUT EVEN THOUGH THE MAN SHOWS NO FAITH IN JESUS • EVEN THOUGH THE MAN IS STILL STUCK ON • THE BEING FIRST IN THE STIRRED-UP WATER • JESUS WILL PREFORM AN AMAZING MIRACLE • THE WATER HAD NOT BEEN STIRRED • THE MAN HAD NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE WATER • JESUS SIMPLY SAYS; “GET UP, PICK UP YOUR PALLET AND WALK.” • THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE COMMANDS • CONNECTED TO A MIRACLE • AND THIS MAN IS GOING TO OBEY AND DO WHAT JESUS COMMANDED • IMMEDIATELY THE MAN BECAME WELL, AND PICKED UP HIS PALLET AND BEGAN TO WALK. • I WANT US TO TRY TO PICTURE THIS EVENT • IN A VERY CROWDED AREA FILLED WITH • SICK, BLIND, LAME, AND WITHERED • WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE WATER TO BE STIRRED-UP • A MAN BECAME WELL, AND PICKED UP HIS PALLET AND BEGAN TO WALK. • THIS MAN HAD BEEN SICK FOR 38 YEARS • WE DON’T KNOW HOW LONG HE HAD BEEN COMING TO THE POOL • BUT IT DOES IMPLY HE HAD BEEN THERE WAITING • FOR SOMEONE TO PUT HIM IN THE POOL • AND ALL THE SUDDEN… IMMEDIATELY • HE GETS UP… PICKS UP HIS PALLET… AND WALKS • THIS IS AMAZING.. THIS IS WONDERFUL…… • GOD BE PRAISED.. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A GOOD THING RIGHT.. • HOW COULD THIS BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN SOMETHING GOOD…… • BUT THEN WE READ THE WORDS…. • NOW IT WAS THE SABBATH ON THAT DAY. • THAT DOES NOT MEAN MUCH TO US • BUT ANYONE WHO KNEW THE JEWISH PEOPLE • UNDERSTOOD WHAT THIS PHRASE MEANT • THEY WOULD KNOW THIS MEANT TROUBLE JOHN 5:10–13 SO THE JEWS WERE SAYING TO THE MAN WHO WAS CURED, “IT IS THE SABBATH, AND IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE FOR YOU TO CARRY YOUR PALLET.” BUT HE ANSWERED THEM, “HE WHO MADE ME WELL WAS THE ONE WHO SAID TO ME, ‘PICK UP YOUR PALLET AND WALK.’ ” THEY ASKED HIM, “WHO IS THE MAN WHO SAID TO YOU, ‘PICK UP YOUR PALLET AND WALK’?” BUT THE MAN WHO WAS HEALED DID NOT KNOW WHO IT WAS, FOR JESUS HAD SLIPPED AWAY WHILE THERE WAS A CROWD IN THAT PLACE. A REJECTED MIRACLE • THE WAY THIS IS WORDED MEANS • THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER HE STARTED WALKING • THIS MAN HAS JUST BEEN MIRACULOUSLY HEALED AFTER 38 YEARS • AND RIGHT AWAY.. THE FIRST THING ANYONE SAYS TO HIM IS • IT IS THE SABBATH, AND IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE FOR YOU TO CARRY YOUR PALLET.” • NOT….PRAISE GOD YOUR HEALED • NOT….IT’S A MIRACLE • JOHN TELLS US THE JEWS WERE THE ONES SAYING THIS… • THIS PHRASE IN THE BOOK OF JOHN MEANS THE JEWISH OFFICIALS • THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN MIRACLES THEY WERE INTERESTED • IN THEIR TRADITION, THEIR MANMADE RULES • AND THE MAN WHO WAS HEALED…. • IS NOW FACING ALL KINDA TROUBLE • JUST FOR CARRYING HIS PALLET.. ON THE SABBATH • SO, THE MAN FEARING THAT HE MIGHT BE PUNISHED REPLIES • “HE WHO MADE ME WELL WAS THE ONE WHO SAID TO ME, ‘PICK UP YOUR PALLET AND WALK.’ ” • IF THESE LEADERS DID NOT KNOW A MIRACLE HAD HAPPENED BEFORE • THEY DO NOW, HE JUST TOLD THEM SOMEONE MADE HIM WELL • AND INSTEAD OF ASKING ABOUT THE MIRACLE • ABOUT HOW HE HAD BEEN HEALED • THEY ASKED HIM, “WHO IS THE MAN WHO SAID TO YOU, ‘PICK UP YOUR PALLET AND WALK’?” • NOT, WHO HEALED YOU… • NOT, HOW DID HE HEAL YOU… • BUT, WHO TOLD YOU TO CARRY YOUR PALLET AND WALK • THESE JEWISH LEADERS HAVE JUST COMPLETELY • IGNORED… REJECTED…A MIRACLE • AND THEY DID THIS WHILE STANDING IN A PLACE • FILLED WITH THE SICK, BLIND, LAME, AND WITHERED • IN A PLACE FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO NEED HEALING • THEY REJECT THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN HEAL THEM… • THEY REJECT THE MESSIAH…. • SO, THE MAN ANSWERS THEIR QUESTION • BY SAYING HE DOES NOT KNOW WHO HEALED HIM • BECAUSE JESUS HAD SLIPPED AWAY IN THE CROWD JOHN 5:14–18 AFTERWARD JESUS FOUND HIM IN THE TEMPLE AND SAID TO HIM, “BEHOLD, YOU HAVE BECOME WELL; DO NOT SIN ANYMORE, SO THAT NOTHING WORSE HAPPENS TO YOU.” THE MAN WENT AWAY, AND TOLD THE JEWS THAT IT WAS JESUS WHO HAD MADE HIM WELL. FOR THIS REASON THE JEWS WERE PERSECUTING JESUS, BECAUSE HE WAS DOING THESE THINGS ON THE SABBATH. BUT HE ANSWERED THEM, “MY FATHER IS WORKING UNTIL NOW, AND I MYSELF AM WORKING.” FOR THIS REASON THEREFORE THE JEWS WERE SEEKING ALL THE MORE TO KILL HIM, BECAUSE HE NOT ONLY WAS BREAKING THE SABBATH, BUT ALSO WAS CALLING GOD HIS OWN FATHER, MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD. A MIRACLE RESTATED • JESUS WENT LOOKING FOR THIS MAN AND FOUND HIM IN THE TEMPLE • THE FIRST THING JESUS DOES WHEN HE FINDS THIS FELLA • IS REMIND HIM ABOUT THE MIRACLE • HE SAYS • “BEHOLD, YOU HAVE BECOME WELL; • NOT, YOU ARE WELL, BUT YOU HAVE BECOME WELL • JESUS IS POINTING HIM TO THE THING THAT MADE HIM WELL • THE MIRACLE THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE • AND THEN JESUS GIVES THE MAN ANOTHER INSTRUCTION • DO NOT SIN ANYMORE, SO THAT NOTHING WORSE HAPPENS TO YOU.” • SOME PEOPLE WANT TO SAY THIS MEANS THE MAN’S ILLNESS • HAD BEEN CAUSED BY SIN, AND THAT IS POSSIBLE • SOME HAVE SAID THAT JESUS IS REFERRING TO THE MAN • TELLING THE JEWISH OFFICIALS THAT JESUS TOLD • HIM TO PICK UP HIS PALLET AND WALK • AGAIN, THAT IS POSSIBLE • IN EITHER CASE THE MAN FAILS TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION • THE MAN WENT AWAY, AND TOLD THE JEWS THAT IT WAS JESUS WHO HAD MADE HIM WELL. • I DON’T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED • BUT THIS MAN’S RESPONSE TO THIS MIRACLE • IS NOT LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER RESPONSES WE SEE IN THE BIBLE • HE IS NEVER SAID TO “BELIEVE” OR HAVE “FAITH” IN JESUS • HE NEVER THANKS JESUS, HE NEVER GIVES GOD GLORY… • WE DON’T KNOW WHY HE GOES TO THE JEWISH OFFICIALS • JOHN DOES NOT TELL US • I THINK….THE KEY TO WHY JOHN PUT THIS MIRACLE HERE • IS FOUND IN HOW THESE JEWISH LEADERS RESPOND WHEN THEY FIND OUT JESUS IS THE ONE • WHO HAD HEALED THIS MAN MESSIAH GOES UNRECOGNIZED • THESE LEADERS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE • WERE LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH • THEY HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR HIM FOR A LONG TIME • THEY HAD CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT HE WOULD BE LIKE • THAT HE WOULD BE A MILITARY LEADER • THAT HE WOULD FREE THEM FROM THE ROMANS • BUT THEY ALSO HAD SCRIPTURE FULL OF STATEMENTS ABOUT THE MESSIAH • SAYING HE WOULD COME AND HEAL SICK, BLIND, LAME, AND WITHERED • AND HERE JESUS HAS JUST HEALED A MAN SICK FOR 38 YEARS • AND THESE LEADERS UTTERLY FAIL • TO RECOGNIZE THE MESSIAH STANDING BEFORE THEM • NOT ONLY DO THEY NOT RECOGNIZE JESUS AS MESSIAH • THE TEXT SAYS; • THE JEWS WERE PERSECUTING JESUS, BECAUSE HE WAS DOING THESE THINGS ON THE SABBATH. • THE KEEPING OF THE SABBATH HAD BECOME VASTLY IMPORTANT • TO THE LEADERS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE • THERE WAS EVEN A SUPERSTITION AMONG SOME JEWS • THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD NOT COME • UNTIL THE PERFECT KEEPING OF ONE SABBATH BY THE NATION OF ISRAEL • SO HOW COULD THIS MAN • WHO BROKE THEIR MAN-MADE SABBATH RULES • POSSIBLY BE THE MESSIAH • BUT HE ANSWERED THEM, “MY FATHER IS WORKING UNTIL NOW, AND I MYSELF AM WORKING.” • NOW, THERE ARE A COUPLA THINGS • WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT JESUS JUST SAID • SO THAT WE WILL UNDERSTAND WHY THE JEWISH LEADERS • RESPOND THE WAY THEY RESPOND • FIRST, WE NEED TO NOTICE THAT WHEN HE REFERRED TO GOD • HE SAID MY FATHER… HE DID NOT SAY… • YOUR FATHER…OR EVEN… OUR FATHER… HE SAID… MY FATHER • THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE OFTEN CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD • IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE TO REFER TO GOD AS.. OUR FATHER.. OR YOUR FATHER • BUT THE WAY JESUS WORDS THIS • IMPLIES GOD IS MY FATHER AND NOT YOURS • SECOND, WHEN JESUS SAYS MY FATHER IS WORKING UNTIL NOW • HE IS TALKING ABOUT GOD WORKING ON THE SABBATH • WHICH WAS ACTUALLY PART OF RABBINICAL TEACHING • THE RABBIS TAUGHT THAT GOD DID WORK ON THE SABBATH • BY KEEPING THE UNIVERSE WORKING, HOLDING ALL THINGS TOGETHER • SO, THEY WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH THIS POINT • BUT THEN JESUS SAYS; AND I MYSELF AM WORKING • THE WORD JESUS USES THAT WE SEE TRANSLATED AND • IS A CONNECTING WORD THAT MEANS TWO THINGS ARE SIMILAR • OR EQUAL OR AT THE VERY LEAST LOGICALLY CONNECTED • AND JESUS USES THE SAME WORD IN THE SAME FORM FOR THE WORK • GOD THE FATHER IS DOING AND THE WORK JESUS IS DOING • SO, BASICALLY JESUS JUST TOLD THESE LEADERS OF HE NATION OF ISRAEL • THAT GOD IS HIS FATHER, NOT THEIRS • AND THAT HE IS DOING THE SAME WORK GOD IS DOING • AND SINCE HE IS DOING THE SAME WORK • AND IT IS OK FOR GOD TO WORK ON THE SABBATH • IT IS OK FOR JESUS TO DO THIS SAME WORK ON THE SABBATH • ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS HOW • THE JEWISH LEADERS WOULD HAVE HEARD WHAT JESUS SAID • THEN WE ARE NOT SHOCKED BY HOW THEY RESPOND • THEREFORE THE JEWS WERE SEEKING ALL THE MORE TO KILL HIM, • THAT IS A PRETTY STRONG REACTION • NOW I DON’T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS • BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY JESUS NEVER SAID HE WAS GOD • ACTUAL BIBLICAL SCHOLARS, PEOPLE THAT TEACH THE BIBLE • THAT SAY JESUS NEVER SAYS HE WAS GOD • BUT, SEE… I THINK THE JEWISH LEADERS • WOULD DISAGREE WITH THESE FOLKS • JOHN TELLS US THE REASON THEY WANTED TO KILL HIM • BECAUSE HE NOT ONLY WAS BREAKING THE SABBATH, BUT ALSO WAS CALLING GOD HIS OWN FATHER, MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD. • THAT LAST PHRASE MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD. • THAT MEANS THE JEWISH LEADERS • UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING • WAS THAT HE WAS GOD • THE WORD TRANSLATED EQUAL WITH • CAN ALSO BE TRANSLATED THE SAME AS OR IDENTICAL TO…. • MANY OF THE MIRACLES IN THE BOOK OF JOHN • ARE CONNECTED TO, RELATED TO FAITH AND BELIEF • THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MIRACLE • SO, THE QUESTION IS… WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS MIRACLE? • WHY DID JOHN INCLUDE THIS MIRACLE IN HIS GOSPEL? • WAY BACK IN JOHN 1:11 • HE CAME TO HIS OWN, AND THOSE WHO WERE HIS OWN DID NOT RECEIVE HIM. • I THINK THE POINT OF THIS MIRACLE HERE IN CHAPTER 5 • IS TO EXPLAIN HOW; HE CAME TO HIS OWN, AND THOSE WHO WERE HIS OWN DID NOT RECEIVE HIM. • JOHN WANTED HIS READERS TO KNOW JUST HOW • JESUS WAS REJECTED BY THE NATION OF ISRAEL • AND THIS MIRACLE AND THE REACTION BY THE JEWISH LEADERS • EXPLAINS HOW THIS REJECTION OF THE MESSIAH HAPPENED • JESUS JUST MIRACULOUSLY HEALED A MAN • JUST LIKE THE PROPHECIES SAID THE MESSIAH WOULD • HE JUST TOLD THEM HE WORKS THE SAME WORKS GOD WORKS • AND THESE LEADERS DID NOT RECEIVE HIM, THEY REJECTED HIM • AND SOUGHT TO KILL HIM • JOHN PROVIDES THE ACCOUNT OF THIS MIRACLE IN HIS GOSPEL • SO, WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS IS, • GOD COME IN THE FORM OF A MAN • AND HOW THE NATION OF ISRAEL REJECTED HIM • AND WHY THEY WERE SEEKING TO KILL HIM… • THE NATION OF ISRAEL KNEW THAT MESSIAH WAS COMING • THEY HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR HIM FOR 100S OF YEARS • JESUS WENT TO THE SAMARIANS AND MANY BELIEVED • EVEN WITHOUT SIGNS AND WONDERS THEY BELIEVED • THE ROYAL RULER TRUSTED IN JESUS’ WORDS WITH NO SIGN • BUT WHEN JESUS HEALS A MAN WHO HAD BEEN SICK 38 YEARS • RIGHT THERE IN JERUSALEM, NEAR THE TEMPLE • THE LEADERS... THE ONES THAT SHOULD HAVE • RECOGNIZED THE MESSIAH WHEN THEY SAW HIM • NOT ONLY DO NOT RECOGNIZE HIM THEY SEEK TO KILL HIM…. • WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE EXPECT FROM JESUS • THEY EXPECTED THE MESSIAH TO FREE THEM FROM ROME • IF WE EXPECT JESUS TO FREE US FROM • TRIBULATION, CONFLICT, TROUBLE, STRIFE, SUFFERING • WE MAY NOT RECOGNIZE HIM WHEN HE WORKS IN OUR LIVES • IF WE ARE LOOKING FOR JESUS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER • WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE WRONG SAVOIR • JESUS CHRIST OFFERS US SALVATION FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION • NOT AN EASY LIFE IN THIS WORLD • HE HAS TOLD US WE WILL FACE TROUBLE IN THIS LIFE • BECAUSE WE HAVE TRUSTED IN HIM IF A KING SHOWED UP AT YOUR DOOR • IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU TO RECOGNIZE HIM • IF YOU FAILED TO RECOGNIZE HIM YOU • YOU MIGHT SAY OR DO SOMETHING YOU WOULD REGRET • YOU MIGHT END UP SCOLDING THE KING • FOR LETTING THE CAKES BURN… • WHEN JESUS WORKS IN OUR LIFE • WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE HIM • GIVE HIM THE GLORY WHAT HE DOES FOR US • GIVE HIM THE HONOR AND THE CREDIT FOR • DYING ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • GIVE HIM THE PRAISE FOR SECURING OUR ETERNAL DESTINY • IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST… 98