It was difficult enough for Jesus to turn the crowds away at Capernaum. Now, Jesus was facing pressure from His family to “get out there” and perform. Jesus had to be so frustrated that his brothers still failed to believe. Still Jesus knew that things had entered a new phase.
The religious leaders were now intent on destroying and killing this “Rogue Rabbi”. So, Jesus had to be more surreptitious in his movement around Israel. The reality was that everyone was watching. The religious leaders were trying to trap or kill him. The people were still looking for a sign or a handout. People were in grand debate about who Jesus actually was.
Some thought that Jesus was a good man. He was a controversial Rabbi teaching the people about a real and personal God. Others thought Jesus was a Charleton, looking to deceive and take advantage of people. So as Jesus quietly entered Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, He was listening and learning about where He was in His mission.
Jesus never counted upon being the popular guy. He tried in every way to dissuade it. Jesus knew the time was coming for Him to be the center of attention, but not just yet. John shows us that Jesus never backed away from ministering to the sick and preaching the truth, but , He did always avoid making the mission about somehow building His name or popularity.
We now know that Jesus main focus was to glorify the Father. In that, He wanted the people to see His Father as a personal God that loves them and wants to be in fellowship with them. He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, and loved the unlovable because that was what His Father wanted.
He also was training HIs chosen to be the same. We, as God’s chosen, need to see and learn that we are called to the same mission. It is never about us. It is always about loving God and others. As we are going, we are to make disciples. We are to teach everything that we have learned. We are to remember that the Lord loves us and leads us to be transformed into His image. There is no higher calling.
God Bless You
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After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not[b] going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?”
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.
Walking With God 