May 22, 2010

John 7:25-52
Where are you from? I sometimes do not know how to answer that. Do I tell them where I have reside now? Do I tell them where I was born? Do I tell them the town in which I have resided the longest? Let’s see, I have lived in Ft. Wayne 6.5 years, in Glencoe 5 years, in Stillwater 13 years in Portland 5 years, in Oklahoma City 9.3 years, in Southport 13.3 years and now in Stillwater again 1 year. Those don’t include a few months here and there. Maybe I should answer the state in which I lived the longest. Maybe I should say, “I’m from Indiana, Oklahoma, Oregon, North Carolina.” Perhaps I should just stick with where I live now. Of course the sarcastic answer would be, “From my Father and Mother.”
Jesus knew where He came from and where He was going. To the earthlings at the time, He was just the carpenter from Nazareth. The people didn’t quite understand how He fit into the Messianic prophecies. The Old Testament prophecies were a bit confusing. After all there were:
• Out of Egypt did I call my Son.
• But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will Shepherd My people Israel.
• He shall be called a Nazarene.
• And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
So where does Messiah come from—Bethlehem, Egypt, Nazareth or the clouds of heaven? Any one of them is correct. He was from His Father in heaven. He was going to return there. He has been glorified upon returning. Upon returning He sent His Holy Spirit to live within us. Because of Him those who walk by His Spirit experience His living water. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John