DYNAMITE TEACHING!

Shannon Taliaferro

Central Truth

Christ's claims leave no neutral ground. They demand attention and a decision.

The officers answered, "Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks." (John 7:46)

Division Among the People

40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

[The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.]^{1

7:53
Some manuscripts do not include 7:538:11; others add the passage here or after 7:36 or after 21:25 or after Luke 21:38, with variations in the text}

The Woman Caught in Adultery

53 [[They went each to his own house,

Footnotes

[1] 7:53 Some manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11; others add the passage here or after 7:36 or after 21:25 or after Luke 21:38, with variations in the text

One of the reasons I love teaching is because it's like having my own Broadway show. I was blessed with a dramatic flair, and teaching provides me with a built-in audience. The bell rings, the door closes, and the "audience" is trapped! My willingness to be perfectly ridiculous, in service to education of course, has garnered plenty of comments from my students. Many of them eye me warily and declare they've never had a teacher like me, and I'm just a language arts teacher. Imagine the reactions to a truly dynamic teacher who made claims such as these:

1. After He dies, He'll rise the third day (John 2:19).
2. He comes from heaven (John 3:13).
3. He is able to give eternal life to anyone who asks for it (John 4:10, 14).
4. He is the Messiah (John 4:26).
5. He is the Judge over all men (John 5:22).
6. Those who believe in Him will never be condemned (John 5:24).
7. He is able to call the dead to life (John 5:28-29).
8. He fulfills Old Testament prophesies (John 5:39).
9. He gives meaning and purpose to life (John 7:38).
10. He knows the hearts of all men (John 2:25).

No wonder people were divided in their opinions about Him. Was the person who made these claims crazy, lying, or telling the truth? There simply isn't another option. He certainly couldn't be thought of as merely a good teacher when He claimed to be God (John 10:30).

When we consider His teachings, we find that they address all of our needs and hopes. Look back over what He said. Who doesn't hope to have his sins forgiven or his eternal destiny secured? Who doesn't want meaning and purpose in life? We were created to have a relationship with Him, and Jesus is the ultimate source for becoming all that God meant for us to be. So, now it's time to make a decision about how you're going to respond to Jesus' claims. Remember, there's no neutral ground!

1. Which of Jesus' claims most directly relates to your life? What do you need?

2. Do you understand how to receive what He's offering?

3. How have you taken His claims to those dearest to you?

4. What kind of fulfillment of the present and hope for the future do Jesus' claims give you?

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Find the different titles that people in the passage gave to Jesus. (Hint: Prophet: one who told others what was going to happen in the future. King: because Jesus was to come from the family of King David [verse 42], people believed Jesus would be a king. Messiah/Christ: one who saves people from the penalty of sin. Liar [verse 47]: one who leads people astray from the truth.)

2.Who do you say that Jesus is?