37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
I love the consistency of Jesus! “Each day” and “each evening” affirm His words through His consistent actions spoken to us in John:
34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4:34-35 (NIV)
17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." John 5:17 (NIV)
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. John 6:38 (NIV)
4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. John 9:4 (NIV)
Jesus’ focus was on the eternal salvation of the precious souls listening to His teaching. They sat amazed, marveling at His words and daily flocking to Him. Much to the chagrin of His adversaries, His popularity with the crowds prevented their ability to rid Him off the scene. Over and over in the gospels we read that the crowds hung on His words:
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Matt 7:28-29 (NIV)
The word amazed used in verse 27 actually means to be astonished or overwhelmed, suggesting a strong sudden sense of being astounded. I wonder what type of reception Jesus would receive if He came to preach from our pulpits today? I wonder if we too would hang on His every word. I wonder if we would embrace true Truth over the base relativism our world espouses today. I wonder if we would cower at His absolutes in lieu of our rampant impartiality.
"Impartiality is a pompous name for indifference, which is an elegant name for ignorance." G.K Chesterton
We need to be reminded of the Word’s word to us in His prayer for us found in John:
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:14-17 (NIV)
Sanctify means that we are to be holy, set apart for sacred use, separation from the ordinary and common. As believers we are to be distinct from the world’s values, goals and systems.
“The means of this sanctifying work is God’s truth. The truth is communicated in the Word, which is both personal and propositional. As the message about Jesus was heard, believed, and understood, the disciples’ hearts and minds were captured. This change in their thinking resulted in changes in their living. The same is true of believers today. As they appropriate God’s Word to their lives, they are sanctified—set apart for God and changed in their living in order to honor God. God’s message set the apostles apart from the world so that they would do His will, not Satan’s.” Bible Knowledge Commentary
“The children of God do not love and please the world, and are oftentimes greatly afflicted on account of abounding wickedness, and particularly the profanation of the Lord’s name. Now, when you can like the world, and the world can like you, there must be much worldliness in you; for the world loves its own. Many pretend to be Christians, but they will not endure persecution. Instead of this, they blame others for too much rashness, and not acting prudently enough, to avoid the mocking and hatred of the world. Therefore, they propose to take wiser measures; and, in order to do more good, take great care not to be despised and rejected; but under this pretence of wisdom and prudence, very often lie concealed a dangerous love of the world and fear of man. Be thou nobler minded, live as a Christian indeed, and be not ashamed to bear the cross of Christ. ‘The disciple is not above his Master’. Has eternal Love, Wisdom, and Power endured the contradiction and reproach of sinners? Thou shouldst be wiser than him indeed, if thou could escape the reproach and hatred of the world.” K. H. Von Bogatzky