Focus On Hope Series

Focus on Hope

John 7:25-31

• There was confusion and beliefs around Jesus.

• Whether we find confusion or belief depends upon what we focus on.

I. The Hysteria (25)

• They heard him teach. They heard the rumors.

• They were confused. What He was saying was Messiah-like.

• Yet, the rulers who sought to kill Him were not acting.

• Nobody was stopping Him, or even challenging Him.

• This was making a buzz, a kind of hysteria.

• To take Jesus without faith will create hysteria.

• Emotions were running high. But feelings are not reliable to take people to Jesus.

• Some people try to channel their hysteria to be Godly.

• But isn’t that tantamount to worshiping feelings?

• Yes, Lord, I will follow you as long as my feelings are there.

• But I must bow to feelings first. “I feel this…, I feel that….”

• If you depend upon feelings, in the end, you will be disappointed.

II. The History (26-27)

• They thought they knew Jesus because they knew His earthly history.

• They new his mother, father, brothers and sisters.

• They knew His home town, the occupation He was trained in.

• Jesus said, “Oh, you think you know me? You don’t really know me because you don not know the Father.”

• This was very difficult for a Jewish person to take.

• Experience is a good teacher, but it is not perfect.

• How many times does God use a new way to do His things?

• And people think they know you.

• Ill. Change

• You cannot go by history to find Jesus. Jesus wants to do something new in your life.

III. The Heritage (28-29)

• Jesus’ true heritage came from His heavenly Father.

• “You think you know me, but unless you know where I am truly from, you don’t.

• Many people have said to me, “If you know so-and-sos’ background, you would understand.

• They thought they knew Jesus’ background and training.

• These people even thought they had the background and training to know truth.

• II Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

• If you rely on your background and training, it will fall short in the end.

IV. The Hate (30)

• Their anger boiled over. They tried to grab Him, but they didn’t have the power.

• Hatred is a powerful thing, but God is more powerful.

• They were determined to end this, but God had not determined it yet.

• Some people live by shear determination.

• There are good descriptions of this and bad descriptions of this.

• He is a pioneer, she is so independent. Or, He is stubborn, she is rebellious.

• I Samuel 15:23 - For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you.”

• If you are depending upon sheer determination, you will fall woefully short in the end.

V. The Hope (31)

• Out of all the confusion was found some who had hope.

• When some looked at Jesus, they saw a phony, a liar, a deceiver.

• Some saw Him as a trouble-maker.

• He went against their feelings, experience, background and training, even their determination to be lords of their own lives.

• That didn’t suit many very well.

• But for some, He represented Hope.

• What better evidence that Jesus was the Messiah than the works He performed, His teachings, His love and compassion, His humility and His strength.

• In the end, we stand empty handed, nothing at our resources, with nothing but hope.

• That can be enough. If you believe in Jesus and call upon Him to save you, hope will pave the way.

• Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

• But hope is more than just wishing.

• Romans 5:5 says, “Our hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

• The Hebrews writer said, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end.”

• “Full assurance of hope”, not the way we use the word Hope today.

• It is an anticipation, not a wish. It is an assurance, confidence, when all appears to contradict.

• This is how you must come to Christ.

• God will give you the desire and wait for you to choose.

• Then He will give you the power to believe by faith, and fill you with His grace and understanding.