What to Do When Loved Ones Don't Believe

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What to Do When Loved Ones Don’t Believe John 7:1-13 Steve Holdaway, LifeSpring Church 08.07.16

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

Helpful to know: Feast of Booths (Tabernacles; Succoth) Jesus Half-Brothers: Joseph, Jude, James, and Simon Jesus also had 2 or more sisters, not named. See Matthew 13:54

Essential to believe: Even the best families have nonbelievers. It’s not your fault. The principle of human responsibility Rom.14:12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. The principle of Christ as the Great Divider (Matthew 10:34-38)

You have more influence than you think. You can pray. You can be an authentic example. You can share up to a point. (as much as you are permitted)

Be encouraged: You don’t know the rest of the story. For Sunday, John 7:14-36, “What gives Jesus the right to rule your life?”

What to Do When Loved Ones Don’t Believe John 7:1-13 LifeSpring Church 08.07.16 Open Up: Ask members to share their own “case studies” about family members who don’t believe and how it makes them feel. Why is it easy to feel guilty? Context: Chapter 7 bridges the end one period in the Gospel of John and the start of another:

Period of Controversy: Chapters 5-6: The crowd, Jews, and large group of disciples start to ask questions and push back. Period of Conflict: Chapter 7 through the raising of Lazarus in Chapter 11: Outright conflict and war of words with Jesus. Jesus’ popularity takes a nosedive. But Jesus never worried about being popular. Digging in to the Text: Read verse 1. Who are the “Jews?” (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Jewish leaders)

Why do you think the Jews were trying to kill Jesus? Read verse 2. What was the Feast of Booths? What did it commemorate? Why do you think it was the most popular festival? What might be an annual observance that you could observe to teach your family about a biblical truth? Read verses 3-5.

Read Matthew 13:54-56 for a description of Jesus’ family. Why do you think that Jesus’ step-brothers did not believe? What were they wanting him to do? How did they mock him?

Read verses 6-9.

V.6, 8 Why do you think Jesus said that it was not his time to go to Jerusalem? Why do you think he wanted to wait until the middle of the feast to arrive? Was Jesus lying to his step-brothers? Why/why not? V.7 Most people love Jesus until they find out that he won’t tolerate sin. Can you think of an example of this? Read verses 10-13.

What would be the advantage for Jesus to travel to the feast privately? What were people saying about him? Why would some call him a good man? Why would some call him a deceiver? Why did the Jewish leaders want to destroy him? Application:

Describe your understanding of responsibility for one’s own soul. Can you think of any scriptures that support this? Read Matthew 10:34-38 and discuss if and how Jesus has brought division to your extended family. What can you do to influence family members for Christ? What might be some boundaries? Is it comforting to know that you cannot save anyone but that God is at work in ways we cannot see? How so?

Take time to pray for each other’s unbelieving loved ones.