right judgment in a world of wrong assumptions
Pastor Frank Park | Founding and Senior Pastor
Scripture: John 7:1–24
As we kicked off John chapter 7 - Jesus is walking in tension.
His brothers don’t believe in Him. The religious leaders want to kill Him. The crowds are confused about Him. And yet, Jesus is completely unhurried, unwavering, and undeterred.
John chapter 7 opens with pressure. Jesus’ brothers push Him to go public, to prove Himself, to seize the moment. But Jesus refuses. Why? Because His timing is governed by His Father, not by public opinion. While the world is always ready for spectacle, Jesus moves according to divine purpose.
There’s something deeply freeing here: obedience to God often looks like restraint, not action. Faithfulness isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s waiting. Sometimes it’s saying no when others say “now.” Later, Jesus does go to Jerusalem, but He goes quietly. And when He teaches, the crowd is stunned. “How does this man know so much without formal training?” they essentially ask. Jesus responds by exposing the real issue: it’s not a knowledge problem, it’s a heart problem.
And then Jesus says what I think may be one of the most profound truths found in John’s Gospel.
He says, “If anyone is willing to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God.” (John 7:17)
Truth is not merely discerned intellectually; it is recognized spiritually. A surrendered will sharpens spiritual clarity. When we are more committed to God’s glory than our own, truth becomes unmistakable. That you and I don’t understand truth to obey it. Rather, you and I obey truth to understand it.
Then comes the confrontation. Jesus calls out the hypocrisy of the leaders who accuse Him of breaking the law by healing on the Sabbath, while they themselves perform circumcision on the Sabbath to keep the law. They are meticulous with rules, but blind to mercy. Precise with tradition, but careless with compassion.
That’s when Jesus delivers the piercing line:
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
This is the heartbeat of the passage. We are often quick to judge actions without understanding motives, quick to label obedience as rebellion when it disrupts our categories. But Jesus invites us into righteous judgment. The kind that sees with God’s eyes, weighs mercy alongside truth, and values restoration over reputation.
Reflection Questions:
As we kicked off John chapter 7 - Jesus is walking in tension.
His brothers don’t believe in Him. The religious leaders want to kill Him. The crowds are confused about Him. And yet, Jesus is completely unhurried, unwavering, and undeterred.
John chapter 7 opens with pressure. Jesus’ brothers push Him to go public, to prove Himself, to seize the moment. But Jesus refuses. Why? Because His timing is governed by His Father, not by public opinion. While the world is always ready for spectacle, Jesus moves according to divine purpose.
There’s something deeply freeing here: obedience to God often looks like restraint, not action. Faithfulness isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s waiting. Sometimes it’s saying no when others say “now.” Later, Jesus does go to Jerusalem, but He goes quietly. And when He teaches, the crowd is stunned. “How does this man know so much without formal training?” they essentially ask. Jesus responds by exposing the real issue: it’s not a knowledge problem, it’s a heart problem.
And then Jesus says what I think may be one of the most profound truths found in John’s Gospel.
He says, “If anyone is willing to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God.” (John 7:17)
Truth is not merely discerned intellectually; it is recognized spiritually. A surrendered will sharpens spiritual clarity. When we are more committed to God’s glory than our own, truth becomes unmistakable. That you and I don’t understand truth to obey it. Rather, you and I obey truth to understand it.
Then comes the confrontation. Jesus calls out the hypocrisy of the leaders who accuse Him of breaking the law by healing on the Sabbath, while they themselves perform circumcision on the Sabbath to keep the law. They are meticulous with rules, but blind to mercy. Precise with tradition, but careless with compassion.
That’s when Jesus delivers the piercing line:
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
This is the heartbeat of the passage. We are often quick to judge actions without understanding motives, quick to label obedience as rebellion when it disrupts our categories. But Jesus invites us into righteous judgment. The kind that sees with God’s eyes, weighs mercy alongside truth, and values restoration over reputation.
Reflection Questions:
- Where might God be calling you to wait instead of rush?
- Are you more concerned with appearing right or being surrendered?
- Have you judged someone’s obedience through the lens of your preference rather than God’s purposes?