Looking for Jesus according to John

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6) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 7:

- Jesus explains to them that his teaching is from God the one who sent him!

- And Jesus is seeking the glory of the one who sent him!

- Yes, Jesus seeks God’s glory while the religious leaders seek their own glory!

- To understand that, we just have to think about Jesus’ life with nothing for him and about how the religious leaders live!

 

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7) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 7:

- People usually judge according by the outward appearance!

- They should judge with righteous judgment!

- Here we get the real conclusion of Jesus vs the religious leaders

- And in this world, it’s not going to change unfortunately, that’s the root of badness, the impossibility to judge with righteous judgment, really boring, and it’s everywhere the same story!

 

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8) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 7:

- The chief priests and the Pharisees ask the officers why they haven’t brought Jesus with them!

- They answer by saying no one has ever spoken like him!

- When you know someone and you know about his life and he says what he lives, his words are powerful otherwise it is only empty words! Then you can compare it to what you live and it makes sense otherwise it is nonsense!

 

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9) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 7:

- The Pharisees ask the officers if they have not been misled adding not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him!

- And they add that the crowd do not know the law and are accursed people!

- Nicodemus tells them they can’t judge a man without hearing from him and learning what he is doing!

- they answer by saying no prophet is to be raised up out of Galilee!

- Religious leaders use intimidation to force people: if Pharisees don’t put faith in Jesus, it is because it is against their own interests and power but they know who he is!

- They think that the normal people who are not like them are ignorant and accursed people, so they are conceited!

- They are supposed to be the teachers so if the people they are supposed to teach don’t know the Law, it means they are teachers good to nothing!

- Nicodemus went to see Jesus at night that’s why he speaks that way in favor of Jesus!

- They don’t know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, what a shame, they don’t even check the facts, they are not serious but ridiculous!

 

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10) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 8: Jesus tells them he is the light of the world!

- On the one hand, light, on the other hand, darkness: apparently, the choice is easy, but people often prefer darkness!

- He also tells them they judge according to the flesh whereas he does not judge any man at all. And if he does, his judgment is truthful, because he is not alone, but God is with me!

- Good judgment vs bad judgment and partiality!

 

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11) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 8: Jesus tells the Pharisees they are Abraham’s offspring but they are seeking to kill him, because his word makes no progress among them!

- Jesus teaches about God whereas the religious leaders teach man’s tradition!

- We must be careful about what we learn: the way leading to God or man’s tradition which goes nowhere!

- Jesus tells us not to be blind followers!

- Some may prefer John, some may prefer another Gospel! In fact, there are four Gospels and each one enhances certain points! I would give the image of the hand: it has five fingers, some may be more useful than others, when someone loses one, he realizes it is better to have five fingers and losing one is a great miss!

 

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12) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 8: Jesus tells them God is not their Father because they don’t love him!

- But he comes from God!

- And he has come because God sent him!

- So why don’t they understand him?

- Because they can’t listen to his word!

- Because they come from their father the devil!

- And they want to do his will!

- He started as a murderer and against the truth!

- He is a liarv and the father of the lie!

- On the contrary, Jesus says the truth and they don’t believe him!

- Truth vs lie!

- God vs the devil!

- The religious leaders don’t really care about God and about the truth!

- We can’t look for your own interests and God’s interests: we need to make a choice!

- They can’t understand Jesus because he speaks the truth!

- Which example do we want to follow?

- The choice we make is essential and we must be careful doing it!

- We can’t accuse others because of our own responsibilities!

 

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13) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 8: Jesus tells them that the one who is from God listens to his sayings!

Thus they don’t listen to him because they are not from God!

- Once again God’s Word vs man’s tradition!

- Both are not complementary: we have to make a choice!

- How is it possible to listen and follow those who believe in man’s tradition instead of God’s Word!

- Is the difference not so evident?

- And if it is not, it means that we don’t study enough!

- We must be careful: it is a question of life or death!

- We must get away from appearances and keep digging, otherwise we will stay at the surface!

- There is a big difference between activity and inactivity!

 

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14) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 9: Some Pharisees say that Jesus is not a man from God because he does not observe the sabbath!

- Others wonder how a man who is a sinner can perform such signs!

- As a consequence there is a division among them!

- It is always a dilemma: even if they know they are wrong, they are used to look for their own interests!

- It is difficult to change when you have been doing something for a long time!

- Humility vs pride!

- Life vs Death!

 

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15) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 9: His parents say so because they fear the Jews have decided to expel from the synagogue anyone acknowledging Jesus as Christ!

- The religious leaders have power and they use it or better said abuse it to threaten ordinary people!

- They don’t care about the truth or better said they tell about their own truth which is the opposite of God’s truth because it serves their own interests!

- Thus how can they serve ordinary people’s interests?

- They don’t want people to know the truth!

- They like darkness and work in darkness!

- Jesus always warns us against them!

- We must open our eyes and ears!

- It is a question of life or death!

 

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16) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 9: The man says how it is possible that they don’t know where he is from whereas he opened his eyes!

- Thus he can only be from God!

- the Pharisees answer him he was born in sin thus he can’t teach us!

- So they throw him out!

- The former blind man tricks the religious leaders at their own game!

- Of course, it is against their own interests!

- Thus they deny the obvious!

- But it is a dangerous game because it shows their real nature!

- And it is not from God!

 

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17) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 9: Jesus explains that he has come so those not seeing might see and those seeing might become blind!

- Some of the Pharisees ask him if they are blind!

- Jesus answers saying that if they were blind, they would have no sin!

- They say they see so their sin remains!

- Jesus is clear the religious leaders are blind because of their attitude and their pride (we can say the same of kings).

- They don’t want to listen!

- They prefer to defend their own interest!

- They are condemned!

- No way to escape their judgment!

- Their guilt is double because they mislead the people who follow them!

- So many bad examples!

- They are deaf and blind!

- They will never understand!

 

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18) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 10: Jesus speaks about the one not entering into the sheepfold through the door but climbing in by another way is a thief and a plunderer!

- Jesus compares the religious leaders to thieves and plunderers!

- When we remember that they are only looking for their own interests, it makes sense!

- So many people died or became slaves because of them when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans!

- How many will follow the same end because of them when God puts an end to this world?

 

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19) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 10: Jesus says that the one who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep!

- The doorkeeper opens to him and his sheep listen to his voice!

- He calls them by name and leads them out!

- He goes ahead of them and they follow him, because they know his voice!

- They won’t follow a stranger because they don’t know his voice!

- Jesus is the shepherd, the religious leaders are the strangers!

- The sheep follow him, listen to him!

- He knows the name of each one!

- He leads them out!

- But they will by no means follow a stranger!

- On the contrary they flee from him

- Because they don’t want to get into trouble!

 

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20) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 10: Jesus tells about the hired man who is not a shepherd and to whom the sheep do not belong!

- When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and flees!

- Then the wolf snatches them and scatters them!

- THE SHEPHERD vs no shepherds at all!

- THE SHEEP BELONG TO THE SHEPHERD!

- WHEN THE WOLF IS COMING THE HIRED MAN ABANDONS THE SHEEP AND FLEES!

- He is a HIRED MAN and DOES NOT CARE FOR THE SHEEP!

- THE HIRED MAN / ABANDONS THE SHEEP / FLEES

- It is difficult to be more clear!

- Do you need the real SHEPHERD or the HIRED MAN!

 

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21) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 10: The Jews are divided because of Jesus’ words!

- Some think he has a demon whereas others he has not!

- It is not something new!

- And it keeps going the same way!

- It is the same with Bible translations!

- It seems there are many Bibles!

- That’s why it is important to keep in mind the original text!

- Jesus said many would come in his name and turn his message in something else to mislead the majority!

- Thus we must be careful!

- Thus we must check everything!

- Thus we must take time on a daily basis to learn about the Bible!

- It is like a trip that will never end!

- The more we understand the more we want to learn!

- And it is not possible to stop!

- But you can’t postpone this trip!

- It is a question of life and death for each one of us!

-If you think you don’t have the time, what do you think that Jesus will say when he comes back regarding to you?

 

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22) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 10: Then the Jews surround him and begin to say to him: “how long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

- They are not serious!

- Better said, they are ridiculous!

- How is it possible to say such words?

- Everybody is speaking about Jesus’ miracles!

- And they can hear his teaching even if they don’t want to listen to it!

- The way you ask questions shows who you are and if you are really interested!

- You can act with bad faith!

- But you can’t cheat people except if they want it!

- The way you act and speak gives many indications of who you really are!​

 

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23) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 11: Jesus has waited for Lazarus’ death to resurrect him. When he sees Lazarus’ sisters weeping, he can’t avoid weeping too even if he is going to resurrect him. But Jesus is sensitive, he feels something when people suffer. And he goes to the tomb and before resurrecting Lazarus, he prays God. As a consequence, many of the Jews put faith in him.

- We know that Jesus cured many people!

- Even among the Jews, many could see his miracles!

- Some put faith in him, others no!

- Those who didn’t put faith in Jesus knew he was the Christ!

- But they preferred to keep their positions!

- They looked for their personal interests!

- Those who put faith in Jesus had a better disposition of the heart!

 

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24) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 12: Jesus goes back to Bethany where he resurrected Lazarus. There is an evening meal at the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. Mary puts an expensive perfumed oil on Jesus’ feet and wipes his feet dry with her hair. Many Jews come to see Jesus and Lazarus. The chief priests conspire to kill Lazarus because many Jews put their faith in Jesus. The next day Jesus is received in Jerusalem as king of Israel. Hid disciples will understand what was written about him after his death. Jesus tells his disciples that the time has come for him to die and be resurrected. The Jews want to know why according to the Law the Christ must remains forever and Jesus says he must be lifted and they also want to know who the Son of man is. But the Jews don’t want to put faith in him. Many rulers put faith in Jesus but they don’t want to acknowledge it because of the Pharisees.

- Again the Jews know who Jesus is but they don’t want to put faith in him because they wan to keep their power!

- Those who put faith in him don’t acknowledge it because they want to keep their power!

- It is always the same story!

- The religious leaders prefer to sell themselves to keep their power!

- They don’t belong to God!

- It is always a personal choice!

- Looking for God or for power!

- The religious leaders usually prefer power!

- This world is superficial and the majority prefers superficiality!

- They think they can get everything without doing anything!

- But it has never work like that!

- God’s word is not man’s word!

- But anyone receives his own reward on time!

- God’s law always applies!

- It is only a question of time!

- When it’s too late, it’s too late!

- There is no surprise!

- It is written and it has been written for so long!

- It is only necessary to open the Bible and read it carefully again and again!

 

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25) Jesus vs the religious leaders

John 13: Jesus tells his disciples that if, being the Lord and teacher, he washes feet of one another, they should also do it!

- Every religious leader wants to become the top leader!

- It is the same in politics and business!

- Power is not to share!

- It is so different from Jesus!

- Only wolves!

- God’s world is going to be totally different!

- We can’t imagine how it is going to be!

- It is necessary to prepare now to be able to adapt!

- We must prepare our mind!

- Only one leader, God and nobody will be able to oppose him!

- Only two options: accept God’s authority or die!

- Those who think to behave like the Israelites will be eradicated straight away!