A MESSAGE FOR SUNDAY.

THE WORDS OF JESUS.

Reading: JOHN 7:30-46

“Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come." On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"

When they came to arrest Jesus they returned empty handed, because of the deep impression that the teachings of Jesus had made upon them. No doubt they realized that Jesus’ teaching had won support, because it carried authority and truth. The purity and grace of Jesus held them spell-bound. They felt a divine power in the WORDS of Jesus. For no man spoke with Jesus’ wisdom and power, grace and love, with such conviction within the hearts of men and women.

1. THE WORD IS JESUS.

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, God is presented as speaking the Creation into existence. God speaks the WORD and it happens: heaven and earth, ocean and stream, trees and grass, birds and fish, animals and mankind. Everything, seen and unseen, is called into being by God’s spoken WORD.

In planned matching words of Genesis, John presents God as speaking Salvation into existence. This time God’s WORD takes on human form and enters history in the Person of Jesus. Jesus speaks the WORD and it happens: forgiveness and judgment, healing and illumination, mercy and grace, joy and love, freedom and resurrection. Everything broken and fallen, sinful and diseased, called into salvation by God’s spoken WORD.

Sin is in desperate need of fixing. The fixing is all accomplished by speaking, God speaking salvation into being, in the Person of Jesus the Son of God. Jesus, not only speaks the WORD of God; He is the WORD of God.

Keeping the same thought with these words, we begin to realize that our words are more important than we can ever suppose. Saying “I believe,” for instance, makes the difference between life and death. Our words build us up or bring us down, our words of acceptance of Jesus as Saviour will take us into His presence, or our rejection of Christ will take us to hell.

2. THE WORDS OF JESUS.

The Temple guards, who were sent to arrest Jesus in (verse 32), returned without Him. Responding to the question “Why?” the guards answered, “No one ever spoke the way this Man does.” Which implies that the guards sensed that Jesus was unusual or perhaps more than a man. The Gospels often reveal Jesus as a most impressive Teacher and Speaker (Matt. 7:29; 22:46). Though Jesus was opposed, many of those who heard Him were moved by Him (John 7:15; 12:19)

“No man ever spoke like this Man!”

A. Not Moses, the spokesman of the people of Israel.

B. Nor David, the anointed Psalmist of Israel;

C. Nor Solomon, the wisest of men;

D. Nor that inspiring prophet Isaiah;

E. Nor any of the other prophets;

F. Nor John the Baptist, Jesus’ forerunner, the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

Never man spoke WORDS of truth and substance like Jesus.

Such WORDS, which so fully express the grace of God, and are so thankful to men; such as:

a. Justification by His righteousness.

b. Full pardon by His blood.

c. Peace and reconciliation by His sacrifice.

d. The liberty of captives from the bondage of sin and Satan, by His power.

e. And spiritual and eternal salvation by Christ Jesus.

Never man spoke such words of truth, as He who is full of truth, and TRUTH itself: or such words of wisdom, which is the WISDOM of God, which passes all wisdom.

Nor did anyone speak such words of love, as Jesus did; words so needed and important:

a. With such gracefulness.

b. With such majesty and authority.

c. With such power and effectiveness.

Which at once charmed the ear of the hearer, affected their hearts; carrying conviction upon them, enlightened the understanding of His hearers, as to fasten their attention to the Person of Jesus!

Which was the case with these men, so that they had not the power to execute their commission? He delivered such excellent things, and in such a manner, they could not find in their hearts to use any violence towards Him; or be the means of bringing Him into any trouble or danger. They had fallen under the power of Jesus see verse 28. It was the WORDS of Jesus that had so gripped these officers, not His works.

CONCLUSION:

No man spoke with such wisdom, and power, and grace, with conviction as Christ spoke. Yet, many, who are for a time held, and who speak highly of the word of Jesus, quickly lose their convictions, and go on in their sins!

Yet, others, those that believe hold on to every WORD spoken.