Day 13 John 7:1-27

Scripture: John 7:1-27

Observation:

In today’s reading, we will see an encounter with family and an encounter with a doubting crowd. Look for ways that Jesus tries to soften their hardened hearts as tools we can use to share our faith and plant and water faith seeds.

Read Verses 1-9. Even Jesus’ own brothers didn’t believe in Him. Family has seen us at our worst and seen us at our best. Jesus’ brothers saw him as a sibling, maybe a good man, but no way the Son of God. How does your family react to your faith? Jesus’ brothers are pushing him onto the stage, like a circus act. They don’t seem to think that the power of God is behind these miracles nor that God’s plan is greater than anything they can imagine. If you were Jesus here, how would you answer Jesus’ brothers? What does Jesus do?

Read Verses 10-13. The right time has come for Jesus to go to Judea. These verses are written like Jesus and his disciples are sneaking through the crowds, listening to the pulse of the people and where they are at with belief. What do you think—was Jesus just a good man? How would you defend your faith to someone who believes that?

Read Verses 14-27. Jesus appears to wait until the chatter about him dies down until he begins teaching publicly. The crowd is at first in awe of his teaching but then turns, questioning the source of his knowledge and power. Can you recall a time when you were sharing your faith with someone, or maybe even a crowd? Did it go well or get ugly? In retrospect, were you trying to do it on your own, or were you acting on God’s will? Jesus always points it all to God. Jesus doesn’t speak without God breathing it through him. What does that look like for you and me?

Application:

I want to act more like Jesus, in every way, but today especially as I think about sharing my faith. If I ask God into each conversation I have with someone else, He can work through me to reach them. I can’t do it alone.

Prayer:

Help me to abide in You, Lord! You can be my strength, my courage, my words, my sounds, my actions, only if I let you. Please help me to choose to let You work through me. Apart from You, I am nothing.

Becky