Well, good morning, everyone. Are you all awake? Good morning, everyone. There you are. Well, let's stand and we're going to get some blood flowing a little bit more. Apparently, Sunday School didn't do it, so all I have to do is sing it. 138, O come all ye faithful. Because this is one of those songs you can't sing halfway. We've got to give it our all. O come all ye faithful. sing with me Oh joyful Oh Born the King of Angels, O come let us adore Him. O come let us adore Him. O come let us adore Him. Now this is one of those songs where when you sing the chorus you need to start out kind of soft. Oh come let us adore Him. And then you get a little bit louder. Oh come let us adore Him. And then you give it all you've got on that last time. Oh come let us adore Him. Christ the Lord. Okay? Let's sing it that way on the second verse. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation. Oh, sing, all ye bright hosts of heaven above. Glory to God, all glory in the highest. Good, let's sing the last. For this happy morning, Jesus, to Thee we applaud. man. Good to see you this morning. Indeed, that's what we're here for, to adore our great God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's good to see you. Trust that as we come together, we come together for that very purpose, to honor Him, to worship Him, to give Him a measure of that glory that He so richly, richly deserves. Brother Daniel will be announcing here in a little bit about the ladies' brunch tomorrow. It's going to be at Ginger Browns and Cinnamon Roll Time. And so I'm planning to be there or come whatever. So you plan to be there too. Guys, we'll have our places somewhere in the corner where the ladies can't hear us talking about them. and we'll have a great time. All right, well, let's take a couple minutes and welcome each other. Please, church family, get around and welcome our visitors. Oh, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Oh, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born. I ask the Lord to help me, and He shall lead the way. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain. ♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪ ♪ I say a complimenter ♪ ♪ That Jesus Christ was born ♪ ♪ The God of all creation ♪ ♪ He gave birth, child, and hope ♪ Amen. If you would return back to your seats, let's turn to page something. 145. Page 145. I'd love to tell a story of unseen things above. because I a a a a a a a a On the last. I'd love to tell the story for those who know it best. Sing hungry and thirsty to hear it like the rest. And when it seems unholy, Oh you can be seen it It's no secret what God can do, but it's not for others. He'll do for you. He'll pardon you. It is no secret, but God knows best. The chimes of time, we doubt that it's another day is through. Someone slipped and fell. Was that someone new? You may have looked for added strength, your courage to renew. It is no secret what God can do. He'll do for you. Pray love's final prayer, He'll pardon you. It is no secret what God can do. There is no night, for in its light you'll never walk alone. Always feel at home, wherever you may roam. There is no power can conquer you while God is on your side. To save you have his promise, don't run away and hide. What God can do, what he's done for others, he'll do for you. When hearts wide open, he'll pardon you. It is no secret what God can do. Please stand with us once more. Let's turn our handbooks to page 395. 395. I have a song that Jesus gave me. It was sent from heaven above. Let's sing the last. To be my endless theme in glory With the angels I will sing To be a song with glorious harmony When the kids of heaven ring In my heart there rings a melody, there rings a melody with heaven's harmony. In my heart there rings a melody, there rings a melody of love. Please be seated. Brother Daniel is going to come up and do announcements here momentarily and then I'm going to give you some quick announcements regarding Project Nativity first. The first one is, before I forget, because my wife is giving me that look, is we need some additional help. for the kids' nativity stop. So the ladies that help out with getting the kids dressed and ready and prepared to go out to the nativity at the drama stop, we need some additional help there. If you can help with that, please see me after church this morning and talk to me. We do need some additional help there. Just getting kids ready and corralling them, keeping them entertained and warm. and also in their spots when it comes time for them to go outside and do their nativity scene. Also with Project Nativity, choir practice tonight is not gonna be the normal thing. We're gonna meet at 5.30 instead of 4.45, and really we're just gonna go over the two songs that we're singing for the Project Nativity choir stop. So, No Room Today, that song, and then Jesus is the Reason for Christmas. that song. We have we have those recorded already and we'll be going over those. So if you're if you're in choir, please be here at 5 30. But also if you're not in choir, but just in the choir stop for Project Nativity, we'll be practicing those two songs at 5 30. And that's about it for Project Nativity. I'm looking forward to it. And please be in prayer that everything we do and say will be honoring to the Lord and a blessing to our community. Brother Daniel. Amen. Please come forward for the offering. Good morning Metropolitan Baptist Church. It's good to be with you this morning. Visitors, it's good to have you. We've got a very busy month. Announcements for today. The Bruce Martin family and David Martin family have a new prayer letter out at the front from Latin America and Argentina. Ladies brunch, as the pastor mentioned earlier, at Ginger Browns and at 930. Ms. Beth has an update address. See info at the Welcome Center and the Hope Ministry every Friday at 7 p.m. Christmas card mailboxes have been set on both ends of the foyers for Christmas cards. And the Christmas parties, there you see the list, it's a lot. Ms. Sherry wanted me to mention that the primary class will be having their party immediately after service next Sunday. And for the children to bring and the, okay, their class two, okay, I'm sorry, and Brother Sam's class two, immediately after the service, next Sunday, and to bring, Miss Sherry wanted the kids to bring, the parents to bring a sack lunch for the kids, and a change of clothes for the girls, I believe, I'm not, I think that's what it was. And youth, we will be having ours on Saturday, December the 8th, Make sure you bring a $10 gift exchange and be ready for a good time. All right. All right, and as Brother John was mentioning, Project Nectivity, as you can see the list there, we're gonna be pretty busy. Drama practice December the 4th through the 6th from 6 to 7 p.m. Puppets practice December the 5th and the 12th at 6 to 7 p.m. And homemade cookies are needed by Wednesday, December the 12th at 7 p.m. Rehearsal will begin at 5.30 Thursday, December the 13th, Project Nectivity. December the 14th through the 16th. It's going to be my first one. I'm excited and I know it's a blessing not only like Brother John said, not only to us but to our community. And I'm so thankful. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Father God, we thank you for this day. And Father, we thank you for just allowing us the privilege to come together and to praise your name together. Father God, we pray that you be with our pastor as he preaches your word. Pray that you be with I pray that we honor you in everything that we do. I pray, Lord, if there's anyone lost here today, Lord, that they come to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ is and Him being our only and true Savior. We thank you. We love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. so so We're getting ready for the special. I just want to mention a couple of prayer requests. Please be in prayer for Brother Ronnie Stevens. He has had a very, very rough night last night with his heart. He's in Harris Heart Tower. And the word I had from Deborah this morning was that they had to shock his heart 30 times. last night, and while I was talking to them this morning in the space of about six, seven minutes, it went from 220 down to 100 or so, and then back up again just in a matter of moments. And so trying to get that heart rate regulated is critical right now. Also, pray for the Pfluger family, our missionary Al Lee Pfluger, Mrs. Pfluger had been sick for a very long time and she went home to be with the Lord this morning. So please pray for the Pfluger family. So some may say that this is more of an Easter song than a Christmas song. We like to sing it at Christmas to remember that Jesus the Messiah came and the manger led to the cross. This is called God's Perfect Lamb. Can you give us the first note? Sing alleluia. Praise to Jehovah. Worship the God of Abraham. Sing alleluia. Praise to Jehovah. Once for all is slain God's perfect Lamb. God spoke to Israel, bring me a sacrifice Morning and evening, every day Offer a spotless lamb without a blemish This is the command you must obey Sing Alleluia! Praise to Jehovah! Worship the God of Abraham! Sing Alleluia! Praise to Jehovah! Once for all is slain God's perfect Lamb! Daily the lambs were brought, daily the blood was shed, laid on the altar, put by man. Then at the perfect time, God said to Israel, I will now provide the perfect lamb. Let's worship the God of Abraham. Sing, oh sing. Once for all is slain, God's perfect Lamb. At God's appointed time, Jesus, Messiah came To make a sacrifice for our sin No longer bring a lamp, Jesus has paid the price Clap your hands and let your songs begin Sing, sing Let's worship the God of Abraham! Sing! Oh, sing! One sprawlish slain God's perfect Lamb! Amen. Appreciate that. Goes with the day's message quite well. Little bit of a different title for the day's, this morning's message. Jesus, a wanted man. Huh? Well, as you'll see, he definitely was a wanted man. Turn with me if you would to John chapter seven. Gospel of John chapter seven. this chapter in reading and praying over the last week or two concerning messages for this month of December. And we might not readily think of John chapter 7 as something to do with the birth of Christ, but I think you might, as we go through this chapter, come to the conclusion that, yes, indeed, we can surely see the emphasis of the coming of Jesus Christ to be our sacrifice for sin, as we just heard sung so beautifully. Stand with me, if you would, in reverence to the Word of God. Well, begin reading in verse 1 of John chapter 7, where it simply says this, After these things, Jesus walked in Galilee. For he would not walk in Jureh, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence and go unto Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there's no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe on him. Then Jesus said unto them, my time is not yet come, but your time is already, always ready, excuse me. The world can not hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast. I go not up yet unto the feast, for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but, as it were, in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him. For some said, He is a good man, Others said, nay, but he deceiveth the people, being no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews." Father, once again, we ask you to take your word, open it to our understanding. Certainly, Father, I pray that you'd give the preacher liberty to be able to declare your word exactly as you would want it today. Pray that we would grow in that good grace and knowledge of our Savior, we'd be better suited, better prepared to serve you and to live for you. Pray, Father, you give us ears to hear exactly what you'd have for each heart, each life. Pray for those who may be in our midst today that are yet without Jesus Christ as their Savior. I'm gonna pray that today they might hear from you and understand their need, their need of Jesus, your sacrifice for their sin. We love you, Lord. We love you because you first loved us. In Jesus' name, we do pray, amen, amen. Of course, we'll be seated. About six months transpire between the end of what we read in the sixth chapter of John and in the opening verses of John chapter 7. You say, why is that? Well, I can't really answer that. John was, of course, writing and recording the gospel as the Holy Spirit of God was directing him. So we'll leave that with the Lord Himself. One sad reality comes through, though, loud and clear. And that is dealing with the hardness of man's heart. We see the unbelief in this chapter of the Lord Jesus Christ's own brethren. We see the doubts and the questions of the people there in the city of Jerusalem. We also see the hatred of the Jewish leaders who literally sought to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, my. Verse 1 states, after these things. Well, the obvious question would be, after what things is John talking about? We won't do it in detail, but if we went back and looked in John chapter 6, we find the chapter opening with that amazing, miraculous feeding of the 5,000. on the Mount. In the following verses, after that, we find the Lord Jesus Christ miraculously walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee, in the face of the storm, going to his disciples. And then in the rest of the chapter, The rest of the six chapters, there's this contentious, if you will, dialogue going on between the Lord Jesus Christ and those that were there to hear Him. Those that were there for various reasons. And we find the Lord even chastening, rebuking the crowds for following Him simply for what they could get. Again, looking for another free lunch, if you will, rather than seeking Him for the miraculous Son of God, the miraculous bread of life. Even His disciples. Even his followers were struggling with some of the things that he was teaching in those days. In John chapter 6 and in verses 60 and 61, we read this. It says, "'Many, therefore, of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, "'This is a hard saying. Who can hear it?' When Jesus knew it himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, "'Does this offend thee?' Does this offend thee? Now our English word offend comes from the Greek word that we get our word scandal from. What is this that offends you so? What is it that would seem so scandalous to you? What is it that I'm saying that would cause you to follow me no more, to be dissuaded from following me or mine? Now, it's not so much that that select twelve, those twelve that were separated from the rest of his disciples to be his closest followers, but it does appear that even they had questions. In verses 66 and through 68 of that sixth chapter, it says this. It says, from that time. Interesting. From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. They were scandalized. They were turned back from believing him. Verse 67 says, then said Jesus unto the twelve, will ye also go away? Will you no longer follow me as well? He's asking. Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Well, thank the Lord for Peter's understanding there. that indeed there was no other place to find, no other preacher, no other individual to go to that had the words of eternal life. They were, as we read there in verse 1, or excuse me, in verse two, concerning the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles was going to be taking place in the city of Jerusalem. It's important that we understand a little bit about that feast. The feast, this feast, this particular feast, was to commemorate those years that the Jews wandered in the wilderness Of course, before they crossed over Jordan into the land of Canaan. But it was to commemorate, help them remember those years as they traveled there in the wilderness. And during that time, they dwelt in tabernacles, tents. temporary structures, all those 40 years. During this feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, they were to gratefully remember. This was the Jews' Thanksgiving. They were to gratefully remember how God, Jehovah God, had been their supply during that 40-year trek in total dependence on him, mindful. Their water, their food were daily supplied by God. At this feast, the Jews then were instructed to erect temporary structures, to not live in their homes, but to live in, to stay to tabernacle in temporary structures. Even to this day, during the Feast of Tabernacles, they'll erect tents or lean-tos in the streets or on their patios, wherever. And during this feast time, they dwell in those temporary structures. But it's also important to make note, and we'll see even more so in a moment, that at this feast, The Gentiles were invited to take part. Interesting, isn't it? Those that were Gentiles, foreigners, strangers in the land, were invited as well, enter in and be part of this time called the Feast of Tabernacles. Now, as with the other feasts, excuse me, Passover and so forth, there was a present aspect, that present aspect of remembering what God had done for them while they were in the wilderness. But there was also a prophetic aspect involved, and especially taking note of the Gentile participation in this feast. In Zechariah, the prophet Zechariah, we see the instruction for the nations of the earth during Jesus' millennial reign, that thousand-year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ that is yet to come. that all the nations of the earth were instructed to join the Jews in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles, year after year, to worship the King, the Lord God. of hosts. We read in the prophet Zechariah in chapter 14 and verse 16, it says this, and it shall come to pass, now listen to this, it shall come to pass that everyone that has left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem Be mindful, in the last days, that tribulation time, there'll be those that will join forces against Israel, against the Jews. And here, this prophecy, it refers to all those that remain of the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Interesting. Is it not interesting that this Feast of Thanksgiving, this Feast of Thanksgiving that the Lord Jesus Christ will attend, as we'll say, mindful when He will reveal Himself as that Bread of Life, as their Messiah. Let's look at a few things in this passage. We see here this unsettling. It's unsettling. Desire of the Jews to kill Jesus, to kill Him. We read in verse 1, the end of the verse, it says, "'Because the Jews' --" excuse me, I should explain. He was staying in the northern area, the northern region of Galilee. Why? Because in Judea, The Jews were seeking to what? Kill him. To kill him. Yes, indeed. He was a wanted man. The word was out. If you know where he is, we want to know. And we see the disturbing desire here. Simply because of their envy, because of the Jewish leadership's jealousy of the Lord Jesus Christ. What did they have to be jealous of? They were jealous, they were envious of the attention that Jesus was receiving from the people. They were so accustomed to being regarded as such spiritual individuals and being looked to in every aspect for spiritual guidance and direction. And on top of that, even maybe in spite of that, they dominated, cruelly dominated the common people in Israel. And here was this one, this preacher from Galilee, who the people were, oh, my, swarming to see, to hear, and even to be touched by His miracles. This hate was so intense, it's amazing that it could be that intense, that they wanted to actually put Jesus to death. Wow. And what a determination. Even a disruptive determination. So disruptive that the whole city was a hubbub about this. In verse 13. Well, in verse 12, it says this. There was much murmuring among the people concerning him. Some said, he's a good man. Others said, nay, he's a deceiver. But he deceiveth the people. But notice, how be it no man spake openly of him for fear. of the Jews. My, it was even a destructive, or excuse me, a disruptive determination of the Jews. They had everything stirred up. And we read here of this murmuring that was everywhere in the city at the time of the feast. But no one dared to speak openly about Jesus. Everybody was talking about it, but they were talking about him in those whispers. The Jewish leaders were doing their very best to suppress any attention, any notoriety that might be given concerning this preacher, this new preacher. What's interesting, It's interesting, is it not? Now, just as I was studying over the last few days, it's interesting that we're experiencing much the same thing in our day as Christians. As Christians, as long as we keep Jesus inside our churches and in our homes, it's pretty much okay. But if you dare take a stand for the Lord Jesus Christ, If you dare speak up for Him, if we would be so presumptuous to actually declare what God's Word says about sin or the prevailing evil social conditions of our day, well, guess what? We'll be shouted down. And this society in which we live will do all it can to shut us up. Evil. social conditions and the progressive media, the depraved, and I do say the depraved, entertainment crowd, even liberal government tries to shut us up. They don't want to hear it. Keep that Jesus to yourself. Huh? You can talk about him, but don't you speak openly of him. The threats were bad enough. against Jesus in Judea. But, unfortunately, his physical family was also giving him problems. He had issues even with them. And we see here the unbelieving hearts of his own brethren. Isn't that sad? The unbelieving hearts of Jesus' kinsmen. We pick up there in verse 3. It says, "'His brethren, therefore, said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there's no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world." Wow. Now, we do understand that the Bible records, the New Testament tells us very clearly that the Lord Jesus Christ had brothers and sisters, half-brothers and sisters. These were, of course, born to Joseph and to his mother after his birth. after he was already born, were given the names of his brothers, but his sisters, they're never named in the New Testament. In Matthew chapter 13 and verses 55 and verse 56, we read this, Matthew 13, 55 and 56. They're the folks of his own hometown. Respond and they say, is not this the carpenter's son? Of course, that's their understanding. They didn't realize that he was not indeed Joseph's son, but the son of God. Is not his mother called Mary and his brethren, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? Again, they couldn't understand where he was coming from. How do they know all these things? Well, there's no question in these verses that Matthew's talking about physical, not spiritual brethren, as false religion wants us to believe. These were indeed the children of Mary and Joseph. So his half-brothers. It is safely held that James and Judas, or Jude, mentioned here in Matthew 13, are the human writers of the books that bear those names. So indeed, what's the conclusion? Jesus had physical half-brothers and sisters. Now I'm grateful. I'm grateful that sometimes along the way, God was pleased to work in at least some of their hearts and drew them savingly to himself. But what an amazing relationship. amazing and yet a very complex relationship the Lord Jesus Christ had even in the home that he grew up in. His brethren's desire, what did they want? His brethren's desire for him simply to be more visible. You need to get more out there. We read a moment ago in verses three and four, he says, "'His brethren said unto him, "'Depart hence and go unto Judea. "'You need to go up to the feast, "'that thy disciples also may see the works "'that thou doest. "'For there's no man that doeth anything in secret.'" I mean, you can do all these things. You shouldn't be doing it in secret. and he himself seeking to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world." What do they want? Jesus' brothers are taking a very selfish attitude here, very selfish and worldly attitude. They want him to make himself more visible. They want him to seek attention of the people. They believed. They believed that he was wasting his time ministering up there in Galilee. The region of Galilee and the folks in Galilee were looked down upon by the people in Judea and certainly by the residents of Jerusalem. You need to go to Judea. You need to go down to the feast where more important people can see the things that you do. These miracles need to be seen, these works that thou do. Hmm. What were they saying? Don't hide yourself up here amidst a bunch of nobodies. You need to go to Jerusalem and be a somebody. Boy, isn't that the story of many looking for notoriety, sadly, even amongst many preachers. trying to be something special when we're here to be servants as pictured in the Lord Jesus Christ. We're told that his brethren did not have a true faith. Verse five says, what? For neither did his brethren believe on him. Neither did his brethren believe in him. Wow, what a sad statement, isn't it? That's a really sad statement when you consider that these ones grew up in the same home as the Lord Jesus Christ did. Grew up under the same roof. They watched Him every day. They, better than anyone else, witnessed the quality of His character, the nature of His virtue. They observed his daily kindness, mercy, his grace, the loving spirit that he had, that merciful attitude, and with whoever, that gracious manner. And yet, in spite of all that, they didn't really know him. Isn't that something? How sad to be so close to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, and still not know Him. Huh? Wow. But then I thought, some of that happens today as well. Church, isn't it also sad that many can grow up in Bible-believing and preaching churches, and hear the eternal truths of the Word of God, grow up witnessing God changing lives, and not have their own life touched and changed. It's sad indeed, but we all understand Unfortunately, that that does happen. Can witness so much and yet never come to a true faith in Christ. Wow. Prayer. Mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, needs to be our prayer. That our children, our grandchildren. I'm thankful my children and grandchildren grew up in church. I'm thankful they grew up under the preaching of the Word of God. I'm thankful for all the men along the way that they heard preach from holy desks like this one. But what a danger to have all the knowledge and nothing in their heart. Oh, that we pray God would be pleased to work in hearts and lives, not just heads. We also see the instruction, his brethren's instruction, the instruction that Jesus gave them, picking up here in verse 6 of our chapter. It says, "'Then Jesus said unto them,' speaking to his brothers, "'He said unto them, My time is not yet come, "'but your time is always ready. "'The world cannot hate you, But me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." Wow. Wow. He tells them that my time has not yet come. Essentially, he's saying, my time is not your time. My timing is not your timing. The Lord knew exactly what awaited him in Jerusalem. And it wasn't notoriety. It wasn't fame. He would not, he would not be influenced. He would not be turned by the pressure of even his brothers. Now I'm sure in a natural way, they were wanting the best for Jesus. You need to be where people can take note of you. But that wasn't what the Lord Jesus Christ was about. It wasn't what His heart was. He tells them in verse 7, you're of the world. You're of the world. Now, again, His brothers may have lived with Jesus, but they did not walk with Him. What's it say? The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that it works thereof are evil. They may have lived with Jesus, but they did not walk with Jesus. His walk, now listen to this, His walk, Jesus' walk was with His heavenly Father. Their walk was with what? The world. Stick with me. They were governed by the world and Jesus was governed by heaven. His brothers marched to the world's tomb, but Jesus walked in harmony with his father. My time's not your time. Brothers and sisters, we got to understand, we must understand how Jesus warns his brothers here. What's he telling them? The world, are you listening? This world is evil. We've got to come to grips with that. What's the old song say? This world is not our home. but we tend to get so comfortable in the world. Jesus says, this world is evil. We've got to understand that. We've got to accept that and deal with that. Yes, we live in this world, but what is the point? We are not of this world. We've been given a home where? In heaven. Huh? This world is not my home. What? I'm just a passing through. Hallelujah. One of my old Bible teachers, and I'm sure you've probably heard this before, that our attitude needs to be to not drive our tent stakes too deep. But to see this life in which we live now as what, as the Feast of Tabernacles, what was it all about? Temporary. The whole celebration was about that temporary time in the wilderness. Well, beloved, we're just passing through this wicked old world. Don't you be driving your tent stakes so deep that you can't pull them up. Uh-uh, to be ready, but to be ready for the sound of the trumpet. And we join, we'll join the masses in worshiping our great King, the Lord of hosts. Well, I'm getting ahead of myself. Forgive me. Indeed. We must understand that this is an evil world. Later on in John chapter 15, verse 19, the Lord Jesus Christ says this, and He's speaking to His disciples. He says, if ye were of the world, the world would love us all. Don't be surprised the world doesn't like you. We shouldn't be surprised at that. Hey, the best thing for us is to not fit in. That we would remain that proverbial square peg in this old round hole of a world. Hmm? If you are of the world, the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world. But I have chosen you out of the world. Huh? Out of the world. Therefore, what? The world hateth Hmm? This world is an evil place. Don't feel bad that it hates you. It should be a blessing, an encouragement to you. If the world loves us, uh-oh, I must not be living for the Lord like I should. I'm walking more in tune. I might be walking more to the beat of the world's drum than I am with the Lord Jesus Christ and in harmony with him. Lord, help us." Well, there's some confusing questions that we got to at least deal with here, and here Jesus has just told His brothers, what? Well, it's not my time. You go ahead. Verse 8, He says to them, "'Go ye up to this feast. I go not up yet unto this feast, for my time is not fulcum.'" Now, we've got to be careful what we deal with those words. The Lord Jesus Christ knew what he was going to do. He's God. It says in verse 9, when he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. Now, again, Jesus sends his brothers on to the feast. He sent them on to the Feast of Tabernacles there in the city of Jerusalem, making that trip from Galilee down to Judea and to Jerusalem. And the words of verses eight and nine can seem kind of confusing to us because later we find that he does go to the feast. He does indeed go to the feast. Well, what's the answer to this? Why didn't he just go with his brothers? Why didn't he just travel along with them? That's not what God wanted. Very simply, it was in God's will that he do that. Jesus never did anything without the direction of his father. He did not have peace in spite of his brother's urging to go on up. Understand that there would have been groups, the different villages, the towns, Nazareth, the others, would have been traveling together, making their way down to Jerusalem. And the closer they got to Jerusalem, the larger those groups, and do I dare use the word caravan, would have been as they neared the city. And as Jesus, excuse me, if Jesus would have chose to travel along with the group from Nazareth or from one of the towns there, he would have received all the attention and more and more so the closer they got to the city. That was not God's will. That was not what God was wanting at this time. Mindful, what did he say? I cannot go up yet to the feast for my time is not yet full, it's not yet the time. He sends them on up and then, He goes, well, for whatever reason. We do know that in God's perfect wisdom, the Lord Jesus Christ was doing exactly what His Father wanted Him to do. Well, then we see as we get here to the city, all the uncertainty, the uncertainty of the people there at the Feast of Tabernacles. And we pick up In verse 10, it says, "...but when his disciples were gone up, then went he also up to the feasts, but not openly," not publicly, as his brothers want him to do. Not openly, but as it were, in secret, quietly. The word secret is the idea of being hidden. Again, in God's wisdom, in God's timing, and we'll see as we go on later, that God had a purpose in how he was doing things. He was to travel quietly and in secret as he joined the crowds in the city. Wow. The uncertainty, indeed. It goes on, it says, but when his brother had gone up, he went up also. Verse 11 says, then the Jews saw him at the feast and said, where is he? Well, in Jerusalem, it was a feast time and the city would swell. The numbers in the city would multiply during these feasts. And the crowds were expecting to see Jesus. They were expecting that He would be there. But God would not have Him make Himself known until verse 14, as we'll read later. But the dialogue of verses 11 through 13 gives us the impression that He was the common topic. of what was going on during the feast. Be mindful. It's a little different. Instead of the residents of the city living in their homes and so forth, and the outsiders, the visitors, making their way to the inns and all that, everybody's staying in the streets, essentially. During the Feast of Tabernacle, they've all got their little huts or their lean-tos or tents, and everybody's out on the streets. So it's very, could we say close fellowship? And so there's all the talk that's going on, all the talk. And we see the noise about the Lord Jesus Christ in the city, the murmuring that was going on. That word murmur is synonymous with the word to grumble or even to complain. Everybody was complaining because they didn't know where Jesus was. But how were they doing it? Quietly. There was a lot of whispering going on. And the city was in this debate whether Jesus was indeed a good man or is he evil? Is he a deceiver? Hmm. Well, there were those whispers everywhere, but answers nowhere. Where is he? No one knew. And the people in the midst of all this, we can kind of picture it, can't we? I mean, they're talking in whispers. They get each other aside. Have you seen Jesus anywhere? You know, I've been looking for him. I figured he'd be showing up here during the feast. Have you seen anything? Has anybody told you? Have you seen anybody from Nazareth come down or Capernaum? Maybe they know something. I mean, all the whispering and the talk, but how are they doing it? Quietly. Why? Because if they are caught, if the religious leaders, the priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, all the rest, if they hear anybody saying anything positive about the Lord Jesus Christ, there'd be a price to pay. There'd be a price to pay. You see, they would hold the fellowship, the Jewish leaders, the priests, would hold the fellowship of the tabernacle against people, of the temple. If you were saying something they didn't like, you would be barred from the temple. It would be like not letting you come back to church. Only worse, because During the time of Moses, during the time of the law, you brought your sacrifice to the temple. Of course, we realize that our sacrifice is complete in Christ, complete in Him. Wow, the noise. The common people were aware that the priests and the religious leaders hated Jesus. and anyone that supported him. And so there was that fear that we read about here. If they find out that I wanna see Jesus, that I wanna hear from him, I could be in big trouble. Sad, isn't it? How sad, how sad indeed. What a crazy, what an insane and ironic situation. God in the flesh is in the city. Can you, I'm kidding, it's almost funny in a way. I'm trying to be careful of the right word. Jesus is there. Can you imagine Jesus trying to stay quiet, trying to stay in obscurity? He's probably hearing the same murmuring, the same questions about himself. And here God in flesh is dwelling amongst them in the city. Takes me back to John chapter one. And the word, it says in John chapter one in verse 14, and the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. We beheld His glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father. You know, I've got a little note in my margin here about that word dwelt. You know what the word means? To pitch your tent. Wow. To tabernacle. You see, when Jesus left glory, He came to this earth planet on a mission. It was a temporary mission. He came and dwelt amongst us. And here in John chapter seven, we find him amongst the people, and yet in obscurity. It won't remain that way, but I'm trying to bait your interest in the next couple of messages. Oh my, God in the flesh in the city, the very city. Remember what the Feast of Tabernacles, the prophetic nature? He's there in the city that will one day be his royal city. as we saw a week or so ago, the city in which, in the midst thereof, His throne will be in place. And all the world will come to worship Him in that place. Indeed ironic, isn't it? Wow. Well, we'll look more and continue in this passage But I just want us to sum up with a couple questions. What would you prefer? Which would you prefer, quiet with the Lord or noise with the world? Quiet with the Lord or the noise of the world? In our passage, the city of Jerusalem is in confusion. Nobody knows what's taking place. Nobody understands. It's in confusion about Jesus. But, beloved, you and I have the Word of God to clear away the confusion. You and I are able to look and see, because of the Word of God, past all that. Clears all that out of the way for us that we might be able to see Jesus, that He is indeed the Messiah of God. the sent one that we celebrate this time of the year. He is indeed the second person of the Godhead who came to earth to become the Savior of man. He is indeed the only begotten Son of God that takes away the sin of the world. Yes, indeed. We saw that Jesus' brothers wanted Him to make Himself, you know, the center of things. Promote yourself. Let the world see who you are. And we're to be quiet, beloved, about ourselves as Jesus was quiet about Himself. We just need to be servants. Busy for the Lord. We're to be quiet about ourselves. but we need to be bold concerning Jesus Christ. We need to be bold for Him. We're living in a day that needs bold witnesses for Christ. So excited when I hear this story or that story or this person testifying or that one witnessing of an opportunity that God was pleased to give them to witness for Christ, to share Christ with somebody. Oh my, indeed beloved, we are to be quiet about selves, but bold for Jesus. Knowing beloved, what did Peter say in John six? He's the only one. Where else can we go? Where will you and I go if it's not to Jesus? He's the one that has the words of eternal life. And who is His mouthpiece? I am, you are. Oh Lord, help us to speak up for you. Let's stand together, beloved. The Lord Jesus Christ was the answer for our need. He is the answer for our need of a Savior. The answer, the one to pay the price of our sin. Thank you, Lord. We bow before you, Lord. We're thanking you, praising you for your goodness. Thank you for our Savior, the Lord Jesus. Thank you for opening up a passage of scripture that, Lord, I've read past so many times, but these days you've been made a bit sweeter, a bit, more rich to my own heart, and I pray to the hearts of our church family. Lord, please make yourself real to folks today. Lord, I don't know. I don't know that there may be someone, maybe a few folks that are here that are not saved, that do not have the confidence of where they will spend eternity. when they take that last breath on this earth planet. Lord, I pray that you'd be pleased to show them Jesus. They might see that he is that one that you sent to be the sacrifice, the payment for my sin and for their sin. Father, I'm asking you to make real to those hearts that Jesus died for their sin. Lord, please, even now, make that ever, ever so rich and real and powerful that today might be that day of salvation for them. And might all of us, Lord, oh Lord, invite this preacher, each one in this room that is saved, desire more and more to be less and less about self and all about You. We love You, Lord. Again, we thank You for Your love for us. In Jesus' name, amen. Brother John. Page 155. As we sing, church, please Might the Lord speak to our hearts indeed. As always, please know that these altars are open for whatever the need might be. And I do want to urge you if you're here today, any question, any doubt concerning where you might spend eternity, I promise you that we'll do our very, very best to point you to Jesus. Help you to see what Jesus did for you, that you could have everlasting life. Amen. Again, let us be saved. Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way. Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after thy way. Yielded and still. Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way. Search me and try me, Master, today. Whiter than snow, Oh Lord, wash me just now. As in thy presence humbly I bow. Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way. Wounded and weary, Help me, I pray. Power, all power, surely is Thine. Touch me and heal me, Savior divine. Amen. Thankful for the day He touched and healed me. made us His very own. Amen. Be born into the family of God. Amen. Amen. It's good. Brother John, please come. Our course this month is Go Tell It on the Mountain. It's page 134 if you need the words there. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is Lord. You're dismissed.