Jesus Confronts Unrighteous Judgment

John 7:1-24

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       I.            Introduction.

A.     The distinction between righteous and unrighteous judgment.

                                          1.            Do not judge. (Matthew 7:1)

                                          2.            Judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)

B.     The unrighteous judgment against Jesus. (John 5:8-9)

C.     The confrontation at the Feast of Tabernacles.

 

    II.            The timing of the confrontation. (John 7:1-10)

A.     Safety in Galilee.

B.     Pressure from relatives.

C.     Careful travel.

 

 III.            The background of the confrontation. (John 7:11-14)

A.     Fear of speaking openly about Jesus. (John 9:22)

B.     Reasons the Jewish leadership hates Jesus.

                                          1.            Things Jesus said about the Jewish leadership.  (Matthew 23:23-36)

                                          2.            Things Jesus said about Himself. (John 5:17-18)

                                          3.            Things Jesus did. (John 5:8-9)

 

  IV.            The confrontation itself. (John 7:15-20)

A.     Unrighteous hostility exposed.

                                          1.            Reasons the crowd is amazed at Jesus.

a.      His knowledge of the Scriptures. (Matthew 7:29)

b.      His claim to have received His teaching directly from God.

c.       His contention that people are responsible for knowing He is from God.

                                          2.            How the people are responsible for knowing Jesus is from  God.

a.      They are responsible to be people who want to do God’s will.

b.      They are responsible to see the difference between the humility of Jesus and the self-promoting showmanship of the Pharisees.

c.       They are responsible to affirm that they have never seen Jesus sin, not even once.

d.      They are responsible to have appropriate humility due to the fact that they are sinners.

                                          3.            How the people are culpable for trying to kill Jesus.

B.     Unrighteous judgment answered.

                                          1.            The charge of violating the Sabbath by healing the paralytic.

                                          2.            The answer from the Sabbath observance of circumcision.

a.      Circumcision is permitted on the Sabbath.

b.      Jesus made a man completely well on the Sabbath.

                                          3.            The answer from the Sabbath permission to rescue distressed animals. (Matthew 12:11-12)

a.      A man can pull a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath.

b.      A man is worth more than a sheep.

                                          4.            The unrighteousness of judging by appearance. (Prov. 14:12)

a.      Inordinate interest in public opinion. (Matt. 6:1; 9:13)

b.      Healing on the Sabbath appears to be wrong because of Oral Tradition.

c.       Healing on the Sabbath is actually right because of  Scripture.

 

     V.            Righteous judgment explained. (Matthew 7:1-6)

A.     Rather than judging hypocritically, a person who judges with righteous judgment is fully aware of his own sinfulness. (James 3:1)

B.     Rather than trampling what is holy, a person who judges with righteous judgment will give Scripture priority over tradition, social norms, and personal preferences. (Mark 7:6-13, from Isaiah 29:13)

C.     Rather than being mean spirited, a person who judges with righteous judgment will be gentle, kind, and civil in every avenue of communication. (Galatians 6:1)

 

  VI.            Righteous judgment applied.

A.     Examples where righteous judgment is required.       

                                          1.            Ethical judgments as citizens. (Acts 5:29)

                                          2.            Character judgments as voters. (Deuteronomy 16:18)

                                          3.            Doctrinal judgments as churches. (2 Timothy 3:16)

                                          4.            Accountability judgments as church members. (Matt 18:15-17)

                                          5.            Family judgments as parents, guardians, and caretakers. (Ephesians 6:1-4; John 8:7; John 8:11)

B.     Righteous judgment and final judgment. (John 3:16-18)

C.     Summary.

                                          1.            How to avoid exercising unrighteous judgment.

                                          2.            How to exercise righteous judgment.

                                          3.            How Jesus was perfectly righteousness in the Sabbath Day healing.