John 7:1-9
“For not even His
brothers believed Him.”
The “Feast of Booths” was a time when Israel would live
in leafy shelters in remembrance of God’s faithfulness to their forefathers in
the wilderness at the time of the Exodus.
Many Jews came to celebrate and give thanks to God for the harvest. This festival would be another great
opportunity for Jesus to marvel the crowd with his power and ability; at least
that is what his brothers believed.
I believe many in the church today are a lot like Jesus’s
brothers. James, Joseph, Simon, and
Judas (not Iscariot) (Matt 13:55) knew Jesus very well. They lived their whole lives in community
with him; eating, sleeping, working, playing, etc. They were aware of his power to perform
miracles (v 3-4). Jesus’s brothers knew
he was a great man, but they did not believe he was the promised Messiah. Jesus affirms this by telling them that they
were of the world (v6).
How many of our
churches are filled with people who believe that Jesus was a great man, but not
the Son of God? It is one thing to know
about Jesus. It is something altogether
different to be known by him as Lord, Savior, and Treasure. In the last day Jesus will say to many, “I tell you, I do not know where you come
from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil.” (Luke 13:27) Many of these people will have spent much of
their life in the church, serving with great fervency alongside many of
Christ’s true brothers and sisters.
Today I ask you, “Are like Jesus’s brother, or are you his brother?”
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