What would Jesus do ?

Title: What Would Jesus Do?
Text: John 7-9
Pr Joseph Tang

21 May 2017

The gospels tell us what the character of God is like. Jesus engages with the people he meets with signs and wonders. Yet many people including his brothers do not believe in him and many opposed him. What is Jesus response?

1) God sees the heart. 

What would Jesus do ? How would Jesus see things ? 

God responds to us according to what he sees in our heart. Man looks for outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart 1Sam.16:7.

a) God looks at the purity of our hearts. "Blessed are the pure on heart for they shall see God. Matt.5:8. We need to come to him clean, authentic, without mask or hidden agenda otherwise we will pass him by. Only those pure in heart sees God

b) God wants us to honor him. 
Jesus preached in his hometown but even his countrymen took him for granted with dishonor and unbelief. God is looking for those who honor his word, his presence, and those who worship him in spirit and in truth. If we don't he will pass us by and we will miss what he has in store for us. 

Do we honour Him ? Opposite of hobour is prideful 

2) God cannot be seized. 

We cannot manipulate God or make him a genie to do our bidding. We cannot compel him to bless what we have decided without considering his stand. We should follow Jesus stand at Gethsamene where he put God's agenda first. " Father if you are willing take this cup from me yet not as my will but your will be done" Luke 22:42. Don't ignore God's stand. Always prefer his agenda.

We try to manipulate God. We sometimes ignore God's teachings. 

We try to band God's arm. 

Questions

1) How do you know if your motive is right before God and others? 

2) Share a major obstacle in your obedience to God. 

3) Share about difficulties you experienced in living for Christ and how you can persevere.