BATTLES – Part 1 – Pressures in Life

GETTING STARTED:

Life is tough. Thank God we have Facebook so we can put out a cleaned up version of our messed up lives, trying to get people to think we have it all together. Thank God we have church, where, when done in the exact wrong way, we present ourselves as though we are perfect people just awaiting the day we receive our reward. However, life truly is a SERIES OF BATTLES that WE MUST FIGHT constantly against an enemy that is relentless. Satan is constantly whispering to us that we are not good enough. Our bodies, sometimes, betray us through cancer-scares, heart problems, depression, and the list goes on and on…

ONE BIG IDEA!

JESUS DOESN’T DO THINGS TO SATISFY OTHERS.  JESUS DOES THINGS TO GLORIFY THE HEAVENLY FATHER.

STUDY:

JOHN 7:1-13 “7 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews[a] were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers[b] said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not[c] going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee. 10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.” (ESV)

LEARN:

PRESSURES WE FACE IN LIFE:

DO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE TELL US TO DO (JOHN 7:1-3)

In life, there are people who would tell you what you ought to do. The first pressure that we face in life is: Do What Other People Tell Us to Do. Let us face the reality that there are people who would be around us to tell us what we should do even if God didn’t say so. No wonder a lot of people don’t know who they really are.

IMPRESS PEOPLE AROUND US (JOHN 7:4)

If it’s in our time, the brothers are telling Jesus to post it on Facebook or Instagram. Many people are so addicted to Facebook and Instagram because they want to become famous. This is what the brothers of Jesus did. They told Jesus, “show yourself to the world” But Jesus didn’t care about fame. Jesus didn’t try to impress people.  Jesus is concerned in impressing the Heavenly Father. John 7:5 says, “For not even his brothers believed in him (ESV).” I can’t imagine how hard it is for Jesus to be around His brothers. They’re always taunting Him.  They don’t believe in Jesus so they’re pressuring Him to perform. It’s our fear that pushes us to perform.  It’s our fear that pushes us to please people.  It’s our fear that pushes us to impress others. When you have to prove it, it takes the joy out of it.

Check out the answer of Jesus: John 7:6-7 – “⁶ Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. (ESV).” Jesus doesn’t do things because people pressure Him to do so. In fact, He doesn’t care if people hate Him because He knows that the evil will surely hate Him. If you are not clashing with the devil lately, maybe you’re heading in the same direction. Keep this in mind: If we’re children of God, we’re in conflict with the world’s values. So, it’s not easy to live on this world because we’re abiding in the Kingdom Principle of God.

Jesus doesn’t do things to SATISFY others.  Jesus does things to GLORIFY the Heavenly Father. The religious leaders were planning to kill Jesus in John 7:1. But what’s killing you? Jesus purposely stayed away from Judea.  What do you have to purposely stay away from in this season of your life? What do you have to purposely stop thinking in this season of your life? Who do you have to purposely stop comparing yourself with? Don’t compare yourself to others because you are not them. We’re built differently.  We’re wired differently.  We’re uniquely created by God. God has a different purpose for us.

Is it possible that you’re hurting right now because you’re putting yourself in a position that you’re not built to live in? Jesus said, “I’m not going to Judea because you want me to go to Judea. I don’t have to post it to prove it. I don’t have to turn stone to bread to prove that I’m the Son of God.” Jesus lived for PURPOSE and not for POPULARITY. Jesus lived not for praises of men but praises from God.

SAY YES TO EVERYTHING THEY ASK FOR (JOHN 7:8)

For some of us, life would be easier if we know how to say “NOT YET” or “NO”. Jesus didn’t say YES all the time.  In reality, God doesn’t say YES to all our prayer requests.  We have to think what’s good in the eyes of God, we have to think what’s good for us, before saying YES.

ACCOMPLISH THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME (JOHN 7:9-13)

Sometimes, there are many pressures coming from different directions. Look at Jesus.  He was pressured by the Pharisees who wanted to kill Him because they think that Jesus is destroying their political and spiritual power. So, they’re watching Jesus with scrutinizing eyes. Imagine, even if Jesus healed a person, they will find faults on Jesus.  They’ll either say “It’s the wrong day to heal since it’s Sabbath.” How do you want to be accused not because you did the wrong thing but because you did the right thing at the wrong time, in their perspective? Sometimes Jesus will perform a miracle in front of the crowd but they’ll miss the deeper meaning and significance of what Jesus did.

Jesus wasn’t doing it for the people. Certainly, He’s not doing it for their praise. He was doing it for a purpose. People were not His audience. So, when the brothers told Him to do it so other people will see, Jesus didn’t give in to their pressure. Jesus does things not for the CLAPS. He did not do things for CLOUT.  He does things because He’s CALLED.  Jesus is not getting people’s APPROVAL.  He is fulfilling His ASSIGNMENT.

The time we live in never gets tired of chasing clout, approval and publicity. But something has to stay private. There are things that God does in your life which is not for public display. We have to learn to stay private.  We don’t need to please everyone.  If we try to please every person in this room, we’ll go crazy.  To all the workers and leaders of our church, I hope we’re not here to get praises of people.  I hope we’re here because we love God. We don’t need a crowd of audience.  We only need one audience in our life and that is God. When God is your audience, the opinions of people are no longer your concern.

GROW:

Application Questions:

1. How would you currently describe your life? Do you sometimes or most of the time, feel the pressures in life? What are the sources of your stress? How do you deal with it?
2. How can and does comparison (real life or via social media) hinder us from seeing ourselves in the eyes of God? Who do you compare yourself with?
3. To quote from the sermon: “Jesus didn’t give in to their pressure. Jesus does things not for the CLAPS. He did not do things for CLOUT.  He does things because He’s CALLED.  Jesus is not getting people’s APPROVAL.  He is fulfilling His ASSIGNMENT.” What do you think are you called for? What is your special assignment from God?