When God Says …
“Then Jesus 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. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.” (John 7:6-8 KJV)
The Lord's response to His half-siblings' mocking suggestions reveal few very important aspects of His ministry.
Firstly, contrary to their teasing presumption, that He was merely doing a show to gain attention, truth is - the Lord Jesus was passionately revealing the truth to the crowd. This is the truth that leads them to the light to be set free and be brought out of darkness.
Secondly, with the Lord's brethren (unbeknownst to them) being used by the forces of darkness to push Him to deepen conflict with the Jews before His time, He remained steadfast in following the Father's will. Hence, He told them that they can go themselves to the feast. Their time is already come. This is a statement aimed to nudge them and today's unbelievers from their unbelief. The time is now for them to go to the feast and celebrate, for God's provision from heaven in His person is already come. Now is their time to be saved (2 Corinthians 6:2), but somehow, they, as with many in this age, seemed to miss it!
Thirdly, these also reveal another truth. When in the world and you behave like the world, the world loves you. Like these brethren of the Lord, who acted like the religious Jews, taunting Him and His ministry. Unlike the Lord, they and those disciples who turned away are the darlings of the Jews and the world. The Lord Jesus and we, who are borne again by believing in Him, are hated by the world (John 15:18-19).
Fourthly, the timing of the Lord's mission here on earth is set from above. He follows what the Father tells Him to do (John 14:31). On the same manner, we must follow what He tells us too, through His Words, guided by the Holy Spirit who is in us (Galatians 5:16), and not by religion's cue, nor by the promptings of the world.
Apostle Paul, gives us these caution and exhortation: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”” (Romans 8:13-15 ESV)
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
(When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.)
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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