[2026. 3. 1.] One who seeks the glory of God | John 7:1–24

[2026. 3. 1.] One who seeks the glory of God | John 7:1–24

Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn (Hope of Heaven Baptist Chuch) 

 

2026. 3. 1. 주일예배 설교- 요한복음 강해 22
본문: 요한복음 7:1-24
제목: 하나님의 영광을 구하는 자

설교자: 손진국 목사 (하늘소망교회)

 

Today’s passage is Jesus teaching us what the purpose and direction of our lives must be. As we are born into this world and grow up, we gradually come to understand life, and we begin to form desires about what we want our lives to look like. Then we work hard to achieve those desires.

But there is one major misunderstanding many people have: we often think that the purpose of life is determined by what job we have. That is why people prefer professions that end with “-sa” (doctor, lawyer, etc.) and think that standing in such positions means they have achieved the purpose of life.

Yet the direction and purpose of life are different from one’s occupation. It is important and necessary to have a job that fits our aptitude and talents and to live our earthly lives through that work. But no occupation itself is the purpose of life. The purpose of life is the direction in which we live through that occupation and what we ultimately gain in the end.

Today’s passage shows us what Jesus says the purpose of our lives must be. I pray that through today’s message, we will look back on our lives and learn how we must live going forward.

What is the purpose of life according to Jesus? I believe it is found in verse 18 of today’s passage.
[Verse 18] Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
What is the purpose of life? Jesus says that the one who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true. The One who sent Jesus into this world is God the Father. And the One who sent us into this world is also God. Therefore, the purpose of our lives is to seek the glory of God who sent us and to live for His glory during our time on earth.

The apostle Paul said the same thing.
[1 Corinthians 10:31] So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
We live on this earth for the glory of God who gave us life, caused us to be born, and allows us to live out our days. I bless you to be believers who seek God’s glory today and fulfill the purpose for which He has sent you.

So how do those who seek God’s glory live? Let us look at the example of Jesus in today’s passage.

 

1. Wait for God’s timing.

When Jesus began His public ministry at age 30 and carried it out for three years, did His brothers believe in Him? Verses 2–3 show how His brothers viewed Him.
[Verse 3–4] Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.”
What does this mean? They thought Jesus was strange, mocked Him, and treated Him like someone out of His mind. Verse 5 summarizes this clearly:
[Verse 5] For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
How does Jesus respond to their words?
[Verse 6] Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.”
Those who seek God’s glory are people who wait for God’s timing. In contrast, people who belong to the world act whenever they want. That is why Jesus says, “For you any time will do.”

Jesus’ half-brothers (brothers with a different father) told Him that if He wanted to gain glory in the world, He should not continue doing ministry quietly but reveal Himself publicly so that everyone would know Him. But Jesus’ timing was not based on His own desires; it was based on the Father’s will. Therefore, He did not reveal Himself.

God’s timing often feels slow and even frustrating. But remember this: God’s timing is always perfect.

Pastor Tim Keller was quite well-known in his younger years, and many around him urged him to plant a church. But he continued to pray, sensing that God had not yet given him the green light, so he waited. People around him grew impatient, but he trusted God’s sign to wait. God’s answer took much longer than people expected, and only in his mid-forties did he plant Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, which by God’s grace became a global model for urban ministry. He once said, “If it is not God’s time, even the best opportunity is not a good opportunity.”

Dear believers, do you desire to live for God’s glory? Then do not live according to your own timing but according to God’s timing. To do that, you must ask God and wait for His answer. Do not make hasty decisions based on your desires or worldly standards. I pray that you will be believers who wait for God’s timing.

[Application] In what areas am I insisting on “my timing”? What desires must I lay down in order to wait for God’s timing?

 

2. Do not fear the world’s hatred.

In today’s passage, the religious leaders of the time had already formed the intention to kill Jesus. Jesus knew their hearts.
[Verse 19] “Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”
Why did they want to kill Jesus? Everywhere Jesus went, crowds gathered, and His teaching exposed their greed and threatened their religious authority and economic interests.

Although they were religious leaders, their goal was not to teach the truth or lead the people to obey God’s will. They held their positions for their own benefit.

Therefore, Jesus’ teaching—which proclaimed truth, called people to repentance, and led them back to God—was like a painful thorn to them, something they felt they needed to remove.

Yet in verse 14, Jesus goes up to the temple—where the very leaders who wanted to kill Him were—and teaches.
[Verse 14] Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.
The same is true for us. When we proclaim God’s truth and live according to His will, the world’s hatred will follow. Those who belong to the world do not like us who follow Jesus; instead, they persecute and hate us. Do not fear this, and do not think it strange.

This actually happened in the Chinese underground church. Wang Mingdao, a leader of the underground church, spent 23 years in prison yet never compromised his faith. His faith deeply influenced the believers there. A young man who had been discipled by him said in a 2018 BBC Asia interview, “What we fear is not the eyes of people, but living a life that is shameful before God.”

Pastor Wang Mingdao was released after 23 years of imprisonment at age 89. Two years later, in 1991, he went to be with the Lord at age 91. Shortly before his death, someone asked him, “Is there anything you want to leave for the church?” He answered clearly and firmly, “Tell them to walk the narrow road!”

The road believers must walk is not the road that everyone loves or the road that earns people’s approval and affection. Sometimes it is a road of misunderstanding, hatred, and persecution. But remember: we do not live for people’s opinions or evaluations. We hold on to the truth and follow the life of Jesus. Do not fear the world’s hatred. I bless you to press on today toward the prize of God’s calling for His glory.

[Application] Have I ever compromised the truth because of my faith? Whom do I fear right now—people or God?

 

3. Judge with righteousness.

In the final verse of today’s passage, Jesus speaks to the Jews.
[Verse 24] “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
In reality, we judge every day—every moment. When someone speaks or acts, when events happen around us, we judge whether something is good or bad, right or wrong. Is judging wrong? No. What determines whether our judgment is right or wrong is the standard we use.

How did the Jews judge Jesus? Jesus says their standard was appearance. Here, “appearance” refers to outward things—looks, education, background, visible actions. What do we notice first when we see someone? Their outward appearance. It is undeniable that most of our judgments naturally and instinctively arise from what we see on the outside.

Jesus warns us to be careful and alert about this natural, instinctive way of judging. He tells us not to judge by appearance but to judge with righteousness.

How can we avoid judging by appearance and instead judge with righteousness? We must intentionally ask: WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?), WWJS (What Would Jesus Say?), WWJT (What Would Jesus Think?). But why ask what Jesus would think, say, or do when the command is to judge righteously?

[Romans 3:23–24] For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
This passage speaks of God’s righteousness. What is the difference between justice and righteousness? Justice refers to moral rightness, while righteousness refers to legal rightness. Because God is righteous, He cannot overlook human sin. In other words, sin must legally be paid for. That is why God sent His only Son to die on the cross and pay the price for our sins—He redeemed us. Jesus is the righteousness of God.

Therefore, to judge righteously, we must believe in Jesus and be filled with Jesus. When we are filled with Jesus, we think, speak, and act like Jesus. Unlike the world, we do not judge by outward appearance but with righteousness. I bless you in the name of the Lord to be believers who judge with righteousness.

[Application] Am I judging people by their outward appearance? Is my standard for judgment the Word or my emotions?

To summarize: the life of a believer who seeks God’s glory is one who waits for God’s timing, does not fear the world’s hatred, and judges with righteousness according to God’s Word by following the example of Jesus.

Though we constantly face temptations to pursue our own glory, may we be filled with Jesus today—thinking like Jesus, speaking like Jesus, acting like Jesus—and live for the glory of God. I bless you all.

 

 

하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.

Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.