Christ Always Shows Up

But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him (John 7:10-13).

Jesus told His brothers that it was not time for Him to make a public appearance in Jerusalem. Thousands of Jews would be gathering in and around the city for a major feast… “Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand” (John 7:2). This festival commemorated the forty years of journeying from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the land of promise… “All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 23:42-43). Jesus knew it was time to visit His children in Jerusalem, but it was not time for a public appearance. Now it was time for the Son of God to make this trip to Jerusalem “in private”. It was time to show His disciples in every age that until His final appearance in glory, whenever we call on Him, though unseen by the temporal world, Christ always shows up.

We all have times when we ask God, where are you? It may be in the midst of a very personal crisis. It may be when we’re praying for a very public tragedy or event. We declare to the Lord, this would be a great time for you to show up and do something incredible! We echo the words of His brothers when we challenge Jesus to grant a sign or a miracle that the world could not miss… “For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world” (John 7:4). Jesus will be faithful to His promise to always show up… “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). But Jesus knows the secret and hidden things within the hearts and minds of people… “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25). So when we call on Him, Jesus will always show up; sometimes in private, sometimes publicly.

In today’s text we see that Jesus showed up privately in Jerusalem during the feast of booths or tabernacles. He moved about unrecognized among both disciples and unbelieving Jews. His incognito presence allowed the people to talk freely about Him. Everyone knew about Him because of the signs (He purified the temple), miracles (He healed a man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath), and the crowds that followed Him everywhere. As they talked about Him they all fell into two camps. Some said “He is a good man”. Others said “He is leading the people astray”. Jesus later revealed that both were correct. Because He is God incarnate, He is good… “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). Jesus also taught the He was leading believers in a new direction, away from a life of selfishness and sin into a life of sacrifice and service… “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). Jesus was calling disciples away from the emptiness of religion and into the fullness of fellowship and service with Him… “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also” (John 12:26). As He covertly moved about and mingled with the crowd, their hearts were opened and their motives were revealed even as they spoke secretively because of their fear of the Jews.

Jesus did eventually show up publicly as the long awaited Messiah... “And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’  And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee’ (Matthew 21:10-11). His public entry into Jerusalem would provoke a very public response from all who witnessed the event. His next public appearance on earth will likewise compel a final public testimony from everyone, everywhere… “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-32).

As we grow up into Christ we enjoy His private presence and anticipate His public return, knowing…

Christ Always Shows Up.