Intro.
1. Greatest religious question every man must answer is "Who Is Jesus?"

2. John 7:10-52 - Feast of Tabernacles (7:2) - Several groups judging Jesus:

a. The Jews - v. 1 - Leaders/enemies -(v. 11).

b. His brothers - v. 3-5 - Did not believe in Him.

c. Multitudes - v. 12 - There for feast, unsure.

d. Jerusalemites - v. 25 - Curiosity and doubt.

e. Sanhedrin -v. 32, 45 - Rulers, faithless.

3. John 7:24 - Jesus invites righteous judgment of Himself (reach a decision, determination).

- 7:50-51 - Basis of judgment: Words and works.

I. HIS IDENTITY: WHO WAS HE?

A. He Claimed To Be God - John 5:17-18; 8:58; 10:30-36.

1. Only 2 alternatives to this claim:

a. FALSE (Knew it, or did not know it).

(1) If He knew it was false, He was a deliberate liar, hypocrite, demon and fool (died for it).

(2) If He did not know it was false, was sincerely deluded and a lunatic.

b. TRUE: LORD (Can accept or reject) - John 12:48.

2. Most misjudge Jesus - Isa. 53:3.

B. What People Said (Say) About Him - John 7:12ff (Matt. 16:13-16).

1. v. 12 - Good man (cf. Good moral teacher - Moral man doesn’t lie!).

2. v. 12 - Leads astray.

3. v. 20 - Have a demon (Deluded, deranged, visions of grandeur) - cf. He calmly mastered every situation.

4. v. 31 - Believed (Untested - Matt. 27:20-22).

a. v. 40 - The Prophet (Deut. 18:18).

b. v. 26-27, 41-42 - Christ.

II. HOW WILL WE JUDGE WHO HE WAS (IS)? - 7:24

A. His Teachings - John 7:14-18.

1. He claimed:

a. To speak from God - 7:15-18. (Sent to teach, He is true/righteous)

. . . "No man ever spoke like this man!" (John 7:46; Heb. 1:1-2)

b. To be from above - John 8:23-24.

. . . "You are a teacher come from God." (John 3:2)

c. To be the Christ - John 4:25-26.

. . . "We have found the Messiah!" (John 1:41)

d. To be sinlessness - John 8:46.

. . . "I find no fault in him!" (John 18:38; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22)

e. That He would rise from dead - Matt. 16:21 (John 11:25).

. . . "He is not here, he is risen!" (Matt. 28:6-7; 11-15)

f. That all should love and obey Him - Matt. 10:37; Lk. 6:46; John 14:15.

. . . "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)

2. Jesus measures up to His teachings!

B. His Works - John 7:19-23.

1. Healed man - 7:21 (John 5:1-17).

. . . "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." (John 9:33)

2. "Broke" the Sabbath - John 7:21-23 (5:16, 18).

. . . "This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath!"

3. Forgives sin - 7:23 - Every whit whole (5:14-18 - Made whole, work of Father); Mark 2:5.

. . . "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7)

4. What do His works say about Him?

a. Enemies never denied His miracles--They attributed them to Satan (John 11:47; Matt. 12:22-24).

b. Didn't break law of Moses - John 7:23.

c. Healed and forgave sins! - Mark 2:5-12

d. He is Messiah, Son of God, Deity - John 10:37-38 (20:30-31).

Conclusion

1. John 7:24 - Having judged Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God, what must we do with that information?

2. John 7:37-39 - Believe, come and drink - Life (Spirit, His blessings of salvation - Acts 2:38).

3. Mark 16:15-16; Rom. 12:1 - Obey and be a faithful Christian.