Jesus knows where he’s from and he knows where he is going. To be the church, we must follow suit. Pastor Josh walks us through John 7:25-36 to help us see the big picture of what it means to be people who know where we are from and where we are going as a church.

Grow Together

Read this from the Bible together:

John 7:28-36  
28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”

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Some key statements and questions put forward that are important for us to talk about…

You know me, and you know where I come from. Jesus knows the crowd is wondering if he is the Messiah. His address and ordinary appearance cause them to doubt that he can do what he came to do. In what ways do you doubt that Jesus can accomplish what he has come to do in your own life?

I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me. Jesus knew his Father and knew that his Father had sent him. Do you have confidence in knowing your heavenly Father and knowing that you are sent by him?

I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. Jesus knew his time on earth was short. So is ours. In what ways do you exemplify a lifestyle of urgency in doing the will of your Father?

Next Steps

But look down. Pastor Josh told a story of his trip to Bolivia where he was overwhelmed at the darkness in certain parts of the city. God directed him to look down at two flowers below him which represented his responibilty to his daughters. In what ways have you overlooked small obedience in your life because of the bigger concerns surrounding you?

Sincerity and sweetness should pervade all that we do. At Reach, we believe that Gospel, Worship, Community and Missionare our core values. But to do any of them without remembering where we’ve come from would derail the vision. Where do you come from in your church history? Where do you want to go?

Be challenged by the Big Gospel. Take some time to connect the dots of where you come from and where you are going. Do this by asking yourself how you can grow in areas of gospel literacy, whole-life worship, multiplying community, and sacrificial giving of your time, talent and treasure.