Day 27-Monday, March 11th
John 7:10-36
Make Up Your Mind!

In Jerusalem during the Festival of Booths, Jesus, keeping a very low profile, mingles with the crowds and hears them debating about His identity.
Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is He?” Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, He deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about Him for fear of the leaders. John 7:12-13 NIV
Jesus sees the need to clarify with both the leaders and crowds In Jerusalem exactly who He is and why God has sent Him.
Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this Man get such learning without having been taught?” John 7:14-15 NIV
Jesus makes it clear that His wisdom comes from His connection to the Father.
Jesus answered, “My teaching is not My own. It comes from the one who sent Me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own. John 7:16-17 NIV
Yet once again, Jesus encounters doubt based on the fact that the crowds know His family and His hometown. In exasperation, Jesus cries out…
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know Me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on My own authority, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him, but I know Him because I am from Him and He sent Me.” John 7:28-29 NIV
This just causes more confusion-some tried to arrest Him while others believed in Him as the long-awaited Messiah.
At this they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. Still, many in the crowd believed in Him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will He perform more signs than this Man?” John 7:30-31 NIV

We see once again in this passage that Jesus stirs the heart of every person. The Jewish leaders fear His influence and so they want arrest and execute Him; the crowds are divided: some believe Him to be a huckster who is just playing games while others see Him as the Messiah who Israel has been waiting on for generations. Jesus keeps telling them who He is but everyone else seems to think they have their own answer.

On this side of the cross, we have access to the Scriptures, Scriptures which teach us exactly who Jesus is, and yet, so many still refuse to believe.

During this season of Lent, we have the opportunity to search the Scriptures and learn who Jesus is and what He is calling us to do.

Questions to Consider:
In a world that holds so many differing opinions about who Jesus is, how do you hold fast to your belief in the Jesus the Bible presents?
In what ways does the noise of the crowds affect your thinking about your faith in Jesus?

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