In recent visits we have considered the importance of our love for Jesus and for one another, beginning with what Jesus taught in the upper room just before His crucifixion. Another topic that emerges during that crucial event was what Jesus said about “time.” In addition this topic appears throughout John’s Gospel.
On a number of occasions Jesus pointed out that his time had not yet come. Then in John 13:1 John declares, “Jesus knew that the time had come…” He was aware of Who He was, where He was and what He should be about at that particular time.
Others were not aware of the same. On an earlier occasion his brothers, sensing His popularity growing, thought the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem would be the right time for Him to announce His agenda. The problem was they had not grasped His agenda. They were unaware why His Father sent Him into the world.
Second, they were off on the timing. If you read the account in John 7 you’ll note that they were close on the timing. But with an erroneous idea about His agenda a matter of hours would seem like ages. Jesus left for the festival only hours after His brothers, but He got there at just the right time.
When He did address the crowd His message was “timely,” to say the least. It was not what His brothers were expecting. It was a message for those who were ready to hear it. It set the stage for the climax of Christ’s mission. It inspired anticipation of what the result would be of Christ fulfilling His mission. It spelled out what they could expect if they believed and followed Him. (John 7:37-39)
