Sunday Lesson Notes from October 5, 2025
Read John 7: 14-19
- Jesus showed up at the Festival of Tabernacles and started to teach the people.
- This was surprising to some of the Jews because they knew that Jesus had not studied to be a teacher under any Rabbi, yet he was teaching with authority. Jesus advised his teachings were from his Father, who is God.
- Jesus advised the listeners that they would know if his teachings are from God if they would obey the scriptures. Everyone had access to the Scriptures, which was called the Torah.
- Jesus also advised his listeners that he was not speaking to gain his own personal glory but to bring Honor to God.
- How do you know if you are really following the teachings of Jesus?
- Read your bible personally and do what it says.
- Do not simply follow along with traditions and regulations of a church because these items may not always come from the scriptures, really research the origins of the traditions and regulations of a church body for yourself
- Know that many good intentioned churches will put their rules and regulations and traditions above obeying Jesus’s true teachings.
- Can you think of some examples of this happening in your experiences at church?
- Were the religious leaders of the Jews obeying the scriptures in this passage?
- Jesus pointed out that they were trying to commit murder, breaking one of the ten commandments in the Torah
- Read John 7: 20-25
- Part of the crowd said Jesus was demon possessed.
- They were having a hard time knowing who Jesus really was because they were not obeying the scriptures they should have known from childhood in the Torah.
- Jesus reminded the Jewish leaders that he healed the man at the pool on the Sabbath and demonstrated a special relationship with his Father and that is why they were trying to kill him.
- Read John 5: 16-18
- Jesus healed the lame man at the pool. He was lame for 38 years. Jesus healed him physically, spiritually and socially on the Sabbath. However, the religious leaders were more concerned about their traditions and said Jesus was breaking the Sabbath rules.
- Jesus reminded them that God is always working and so was he. He is always working to take care of his people.
- In Genesis 2- God rested from creating, not from working and taking care of his creation.
- Read John 7:24
- When we obey God’s word in our own lives, it will help us to make good judgements.
- The Jewish leaders were coming up with wrong conclusions about who Jesus was because they were not obeying the Torah (sins of murder and lying)
- Questions for Personal Reflection
- When we teach others about Jesus, are we teaching the scriptures or our own thoughts and ideas?
- Do we teach others about Jesus and do good works for personal glory or to bring honor to God?
- Can you imitate the way Jesus taught the Jewish leaders? What are the steps Jesus took?
- He entered quietly, not for show or attention
- He asked questions and gave responses to questions
- He pointed out the sin of the people he was teaching and referred them to obey the scriptures
- He summarized in one sentence the main idea of his teaching- obey the scriptures so that you may make correct judgements in your life and recognize who Jesus really is