In this episode, we remain in John 7 and listen as Jesus tells His unbelieving brothers, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here… the world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify that its works are evil.” We explore God’s ordained timing in Christ’s ministry, the uncomfortable truth that the gospel is inherently unpopular, and the sharp contrast between those who belong to the world and those called out of it. We also watch the crowd at the Feast of Booths whisper and argue about Jesus—some saying He’s a “good man,” others that He’s leading people astray—and use that to expose modern attempts to reduce Jesus to a safe moral teacher. Along the way we talk about redeeming the time instead of living by the world’s blueprint, the danger of seeker-friendly compromise (including pop-Christian near-death-experience stories), and close with C.S. Lewis’s classic challenge: Jesus is either Lord, a lunatic, or something far worse—but not merely a nice teacher. Key Topics Covered “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here” – Jesus’ absolute focus on the Father’s timetable God’s ordained timing in Scripture: Jesus’ “hour” not yet come (John 2; John 8) The fullness of time in the incarnation (Galatians 4:4–5) Christ’s death and resurrection “according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4) Every believer having a God-given place, calling, and moment – and the danger of comparing ministries Why Jesus’ ministry, by nature, had to be unpopular and offensive The gospel as stumbling stone and sword, not a PR strategy Jesus as the “terrible church planter” by modern seeker-sensitive standards “Your time is always here” – what that reveals about His brothers’ unbelief and priorities Concerned with being “good Jews” and public image, not God’s will Living on the world’s calendar vs. living on God’s Redeeming the time vs. YOLO Worldly scripts: college → debt → career → more stuff Teaching our kids a different lens: days are evil, so we steward time for Christ “The world cannot hate you… but it hates Me” John 15:19 – loved by the world vs. chosen out of the world Why the world cannot love those who truly belong to Christ Opposition as a normal marker of faithfulness, not necessarily failure Jesus going up to the feast quietly and later, not publicly and on the crowd’s terms The crowd’s divided whispers about Jesus: “He is a good man.” “No, he is leading the people astray.” Reducing Him to “just a man” and arguing about Him like a politician Modern parallels: “good teacher Jesus,” therapeutic church, and near-death-experience Christianity C.S. Lewis’ trilemma: Jesus is not merely a great moral teacher Calling believers to live as if He really is Lord and God, not an accessory Scripture References Primary Text John 7:6–13 Supporting / Alluded Texts John 2:3–4 – “My hour has not yet come” John 8:20 – “His hour had not yet come” Galatians 4:4–5 – “When the fullness of time had come…” 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 – “According to the Scriptures” Revelation 13:8 – names written before the foundation of the world John 15:19 – the world loving its own vs. hating those Christ has chosen out of it Ephesians 5:16 – redeeming the time because the days are evil Revelation 3:16 – lukewarm, spit out of His mouth Key Ideas / Phrases to Highlight “My time has not yet come… your time is always here.” The world cannot hate those who belong to it—but it must hate Christ and those who are in Him. Redeem the time, don’t just run the world’s script for success. Jesus is not building a brand; He’s proclaiming truth that offends the flesh. Crowds saying, “He is a good man,” vs. “He leads people astray” – treating Him as a man to be evaluated, not a Lord to be worshiped. C.S. Lewis: Jesus is either Lord, lunatic, or something worse—but not simply a great moral teacher. If Jesus is who He says He is, that changes everything: how we live, lead, parent, work, and worship. Big Takeaways God’s Timing, Not Ours Jesus refuses to move on His brothers’ schedule or the festival calendar. He lives on the Father’s timetable. In the same way, our lives and ministries must be shaped by obedience, not by envy, comparison, or worldly models of success. Loved by the World or Hated with Christ The world can’t hate those who belong to it, but it will hate Christ and those united to Him. Opposition, misunderstanding, and rejection are normal for faithful believers—not signs that we should soften the message. Jesus Is More Than “A Good Man” The crowd’s debate—good man or deceiver—mirrors modern attempts to keep Jesus “nice” but not divine. Scripture and simple logic leave us no such option: He is Lord, or He is nothing to us. That reality demands a response in every part of life. Redeem the Time in Your Generation This is our time and our place in redemptive history. We’re called to live distinctly from the world’s priorities, not just in doctrine we affirm but in how we spend our days, raise our kids, and steward our opportunities.
