Knowing the Lord — David Wilkerson

You know something, I don't think I can go on until, I feel that there's some people in physical pain this morning. You're sitting here with physical pain. Stand please so I can pray for you right now.

You're sitting here in physical pain. Yes. I sense that so strong. Like about three or four around these who are standing, just lay hands on these, just on the shoulder or on the arms. Heavenly Father, you are our healer, the devil's an adversary, and I ask you Lord, right now to remove the pain.

Remove the pain. Father bring healing this moment. Hallelujah. Lord I believe you that, that we can sit here without pain this morning. Because you've taken our pain on yourself. You've taken our pain on yourself.

Lord I believe you're able right now. We agree in Jesus name for the healing of these who are here. That they can sit down, and say Lord I thank you for relief. And I may hear the word. Sometimes the enemy is just trying to block the word.

In Jesus name. God bless you. Be seated and trust him right now that you can sit here without pain this morning. Hallelujah. He took our pains and our infirmities on himself. I'm going to have you leave your Bible open to the book of John.

The Seventh Chapter of John and the Lord Himself

I mean to the book of John, the 7th chapter. The 7th chapter of John. And just leave it open. I'm going to be referring there, coming back to that quite frequently, and ministering primarily from the 7th chapter of St. John.

Heavenly Father I pray that the word that you've put in my heart would come forth as you want it to come forth. We come with this word to encourage your saints. And to challenge us. That oh God we need that anointing, that unction that comes from God.

Heavenly Father speak truth this morning. For you are the truth. And I pray for the unction and the anointing of the Holy Ghost. That everyone who's here this morning will be ministered to by the power of your spirit.

It's the spirit that gives life. The letter itself killeth, but the spirit gives life. Hallelujah. Lord for those that are here just curious. I pray that even though they are curious, speak a word Lord to their heart.

Minister. Come Holy Ghost and minister to all of us. Indeed we're hungry. Indeed we're hungry this morning Lord. We would meet with you. We want to hear not a man's opinion. We want to hear the word. The living word of God.

And we want it in demonstration power of the Holy Ghost. Because that's the only way it can affect our hearts and change our lives. In Jesus name. Amen. Let me begin by saying I believe that the most important thing for a Christian to know in these troubled times is nothing more than the Lord himself.

Now I thank God for doctrine. But my goal is not to know doctrine. It's to know him. I thank God for this holy scripture and I study it. But my goal is not simply to know the scripture because the scripture is given only to describe Christ to our hearts.

I thank God for the message of the kingdom of God. But my goal is not to understand and know the kingdom of God. My goal is to understand and know Jesus Christ. Now I'm going to say it again. The most important thing that you and I can ascribe to, the most important goal in your life is to simply to know and understand and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ in fullness.

Wasn't it Paul who said, and he said it in a time when many doctrines, winds of doctrines were blowing in all sides. He said, I'm determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

And all of his doctrines had to do with the mystery. Christ abiding in us. To Paul there is no other kingdom than the kingdom within. There is no other paradise than walking on earth with Jesus Christ in fullness.

The only place Paul wanted the Lord to be king and the Lord was in the heart. This was the kingdom, this was the realm and this is where he saw the kingdom. This is what Paul was talking about, the mystery, Christ in you.

The material world had no meaning to Paul whatsoever. He said, I consider it all done, it's all lost. And I'm amazed at people who hold so tenaciously to the world, they even build doctrines. So that they'll not ever have to let go of this world.

Religious Activity That Leaves Christ Out

Now there's something very wrong in all the religious activity today. Never have we seen so much religious activity with Jesus Christ even at the center of it. His name is on the lips of almost everybody in the religious world.

His teachings are prevalent everywhere you turn. There's talk about science and what does it mean? People say, you ought to see what's happening under teacher so and so. Or under this church, this great church, this super church.

And there's so much religious activity. And so many people speaking of doctrines, so many people speaking religiously. And Jesus' name at the center of it all. But there's something underneath it all that's tragically wrong.

And those who are walking in the spirit detect it. They know there's something wrong. That's why this seventh chapter of John means a lot to me. Because you see, here's a chapter with probably the most religious activity in all the book of John.

In fact, for that matter, maybe the whole New Testament. All religious activity happening in the city of Jerusalem during the time of the Feast of the Tabernacles. This is an eight day feast. Remember there were three feasts.

And every male Jew over 21 was expected, or the adult Jew, had to attend these three feasts. Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of the Tabernacles. The other two feasts were seven days. This was an eight day feast.

And you remember the priest would go with his little golden pitcher. And he would go down to the Kidron and fill it with water. And come up with a little silver funnel that would pour it into the trough that would carry it out.

Supposed to water the fertile fields. And this was a sign of the harvest. They stayed in booths to remind them that the Lord had taken them through the wilderness and had protected them. This is the Feast of Tabernacles.

And there's unprecedented religious activity in this seventh chapter. We're going to talk about it. Every Jewish adult in Israel that loved God was there. And I want to show you that in spite of all the religious activity, with Jesus Christ Himself being the center of the conversation and all the activity, He was really, in truth, left out.

That there was something really wrong in Jerusalem. Something with all this religious activity and all the talk about Jesus, He was completely missed. Completely missed. And my suggestion to you is that with all the religious activity today, and all the talk about charismatic renewal, and everything else, in many, many areas, Jesus Christ is being left out of the whole picture.

Even though we focus on Him and talk about it. We're going to talk about His religious brethren. We're going to talk about the religious multitudes. And we're going to talk about the religious leaders.

I'm going to show you, Lord willing, how the brethren missed Him because of their self-interest. The multitudes missed Him because of their ignorance. And the leaders missed Him because of their doctrines.

The Brethren Who Wanted an Earthly Kingdom

And we're going to get into that as best as the Holy Spirit can lead me this morning. I want to consider first of all His brothers. His own family. What does the Bible say? He came to His own and His own what?

Received Him not. Well, it doesn't say the drug addicts, alcoholics, and prostitutes didn't receive Him. He came to His own. His brothers. His sisters. His family. They received Him not. We're going to look at verse 3 and 4.

Turn to John 7. I'm going to read verse 3 and 4. Let's start verse 2. Now the Feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles, was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may behold Your works which You are doing.

For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If you do these things, now listen to this. Show yourself to the world. Show yourself to the world. Now look here. Now there's a doctrine involved here.

You're not looking here. This is the kingdom theology. These are people who can't reconcile the conditions around them of wickedness, sin, sickness, and disease. They can't reconcile that with who Jesus claims He is.

And they are saying to Him, Look, there's a world around us of sickness, and disease, and poverty, and You are the Son of God. You can perform miracles. We are under the thumb of Rome. Go now into Jerusalem.

Overpower the Roman Empire. Set up Your kingdom. Why should we have disease? Why should we have poverty? Why should these conditions exist? When already You have performed miracles and there are people in place ready to come out of hiding if they can just see a display of Your power.

Go, Jesus, into Jerusalem. Go right now into the city. Go to the capital and set up Your government. Because it is said by Isaiah that the government of all the people is on Your shoulder. If the government of all the people is on Your shoulder, then govern.

Take Your place. If You will show Your power. If You will display Your might. You see, to these kind of people there is no such thing as meekness and humility in the kingdom of God. There is no such thing as a secret inner kingdom of the heart.

It is out in the open. It is a display. Bless God. He has the power. He has the might. He is King of Kings. He is Lord of Lords. And we are going to take the kingdom. Now there is a teaching today that is sweeping the country.

I got a letter yesterday from Jimmy Swagger. Alarmed over what is happening today. Because this is where the entire health and wealth prosperity gospel is going. They are all going to meet. They are all going to amalgamate.

They are already organizing. And it is coming out in what is called the kingdom gospel. The kingdom message. And one of the television ministers that is running a political campaign. I wish you could read the statements.

I wish you could know in full what is being said. It is being said can you imagine a world where there are no more prisons and no more drug addicts. Where the president is a Christian and all the congressmen are Christian.

And there is nothing but peace and prosperity. And we have all the wealth of the world in our hands. And we don't borrow but we loan to the nations. And on and on a paradise now. And the words are said right now.

We are on the brink right now of taking over. We are on the brink right now of Christ revealing himself. Bringing every enemy under subjection to him. Every kingdom of the world is going to be subjected.

There is no such thing as an imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will come back only after we conquer the world. And take over all the arts, all the sciences and all the governments of the world.

You have it here. Show thyself to the world. Show it. This is the time for the kingdom of God to be set up. Now there is a mistake in this. And you have to go to Pilate's judgment hall to understand that mistake.

When Pilate is asking and saying are you really the Christ? Are you really who you say you are? And Jesus said you couldn't even hold me except my father gave me into your hands. He said my kingdom is not of this world.

If my kingdom was of this world, my disciples would fight. We would take over. Now I don't want you this morning to make the mistake that is being made across the country. And I want to take you into the word of God.

It's amazing. I've been reading the teaching of this new doctrine now. That sounds so good. It sounds so good. But I want to take you to the word of God. Go to John 18 with me. John 18. They say the tribulations already passed.

That happened at Jerusalem 70 years after Christ left. Then they go ahead and spiritualize everything else. They're going to take the literal translation of that and then they spiritualize everything from there.

But listen to this. 36. John 18, 36. Now what does it say? Now let's settle what's on your mind unless you get caught up in this last delusion before Jesus comes. This final delusion. Look at verse 36.

Jesus answered. My kingdom is what? Again, my kingdom is what? If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would be fighting. That I might not be delivered up to the Jews. But as it is what? My kingdom is not of this realm.

Say it. My kingdom is not of this realm. Now folks, there's some seats. There's a seat here I believe. Are there any more seats in here? We've got some folks that need some seats there. There's a seat over here?

Fine. Alright. Do you want some more? Go to Luke. Luke 17. Please. Go back to Luke. You need to mark these verses down. Because you're going to hear more and more of this and you better know the word.

Luke 17. 17. Verse 20. 17 verse 20. Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, look here, it is here, there it is.

For behold, the kingdom of God is where? In your midst. That's Jesus Christ himself. Jesus Christ is the very kingdom of God. Go with me now to 1 Corinthians. Go right. 1 Corinthians. I don't want to go on until you understand something about this kingdom now.

1 Corinthians. If you get to Romans, you go one more chapter. Young people. I'm talking to the young people that are trying to find out where it's at. Go. 1 Corinthians 4. Verse 20. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but what?

The kingdom of God is in power. It's a demonstration in power of the Holy Ghost in the heart, the inner man. We're going to prove that now because let's go. Keep going to the right to 1 Corinthians 15.

1 Corinthians 15. The 50th verse. 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 49 first. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. There is an earthly and there is a heavenly kingdom.

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the perishable. Do you understand that? That flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

It is not a flesh and blood kingdom he's talking about. Colossians. Keep going right. Colossians. First chapter of Colossians. So Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. First chapter. We'll tie it down for you here now and then we'll move on.

You know, they talk about the kingdom that's coming. All right, what's it say? Verse 13. Colossians 1 .13. For he delivered us from the domain, a kingdom of darkness, and transferred us to what? We're in the kingdom already.

Raise your hand. Are you in the kingdom of God? Absolutely. The kingdom of God is within you, the scripture says. Now even the disciples. Even the disciples. I want you to go to Luke. Go back to Luke.

The 19th chapter. The 19th chapter of Luke. I want to show you how even the disciples kept looking for this earthly thing. They were looking for Jesus to set up a power of government right here on earth.

Luke 19 .11. Luke 19 .11. And while they were listening to these things, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem. And they supposed what? That the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

They supposed that Jesus was going to set up a literal, physical kingdom. Jesus kept on praying. He said, you don't understand. The kingdom of God is come. It's within you. It's within you. It's within you.

All right. Now go back to John 7. And leave it open on your lap because we're going to stick to John mostly throughout the rest of the message. John 7. All right. Now Jesus in John 7 introduced the reason why the kingdom talk that's going around then and even now is incompatible with his purpose and his ministry.

The Kingdom of God Is Not an Earthly Political Program

Look at me now. Do you know why there can be no earthly kingdom set up until he comes back and sets it up in his own righteous way? Do you know why the kingdom right now is right here in our heart and the only place that he's looking to rule and reign right now is in our hearts?

That he wants dominion in our hearts over sin? I'll tell you why and I want to prove to you conclusively as far as I'm concerned that it's incompatible with the teaching and ministry of Jesus Christ that there will ever be a world in which you and I live without drugs, without prisons, without hell, without all of these things.

There's not going to come some golden day here on earth until he comes back himself. Let me tell you why. Because the Holy Ghost convicts of sin. I want you to look at something in verse 7. Verse 7. Let's go to verse 6.

Jesus therefore said to them, my time is not yet at hand but your time is always opportune. Now what Jesus is saying, the message that you preach is always going to be acceptable. Look at it. Look at it again.

My time is not yet at hand but your time, your theology is always opportune. Hey, who doesn't want that kind of a world? That's a tremendous thought. Wouldn't that be wonderful that you don't have to fight temptation anymore?

Because you're doing away with all the drug pushers. There are no drug pushers. There are no pornographic movies. You don't have to fight it in a battle anymore because someone has already legislated it out of condition.

See, it's not even there anymore. It's been legislated out. I don't know how they plan to do it. But he said, that's opportune. He said, this will always be accepted. He said, your time is always. The world doesn't hate you because you're not offensive to them.

You're not saying anything that's offensive. It will always be accepted. But he said, as for me, look at the next verse. The world cannot hate you. See, the world loves its own, doesn't it? But he said, the world hates me because what?

I testify that its deeds are evil. He said, I preach against sin and that's the reason the world can never have a kingdom. Down here with me, as a physical ruler, I can't be president, I can't be king of nations here the way you want me to be because I'm going to testify that its deeds are evil.

Its deeds are evil. I'm going to be a preacher against sin. See, God cannot, will not take dominion over man's free will. Listen closely to me now. How do you legislate man's free will? Has not God given every man a free will?

Doesn't Jesus say, if you love me, then you'll serve me, you'll obey me? What kind of a world would it be if we had to legislate righteousness? We had to make rules. You know, we have an idea, I think a lot of Christians have the idea, if we had a Christian president, if we had a Christian congress, a Christian senate, and all of our mayors were Christian, that we'd have a paradise here on earth.

No, we wouldn't because God's always going to have the Holy Ghost moving and breathing and the work of the Holy Ghost is to convince the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. And that produces hatred.

That produces enmity. You show me any man that preaches against sin and I'll show you a hated preacher. Jimmy Swaggart said recently, he said, I'm the most hated preacher. Speaking of himself, I'm the most hated preacher.

I was glad to hear him say that, I thought I was. Go to Matthew 10. Matthew 10. Matthew 10, verse 21. Listen to what it says. And the brother will deliver a brother to death and a father his child. And the children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

And you will be, what? Hated by all on account of my name. But it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. Over and again Jesus said, if they hate me, they're going to hate you. In other words, if you're going to walk like I walked in this earth, you're going to reprove the world of its sin.

When you see the name of Jesus Christ being blasphemed. When you see rampant sin, you've got to testify to the world that its deeds are evil. And Jesus said, that's why they hate me. Jesus said, now if I go in there to Jerusalem and I say, get your sword.

We're going to call fire down out of heaven. We're going to do away with the Roman Empire. We're going to do away with the Roman army. I'm going to set up my kingdom here in Jerusalem. He said, they would have loved me.

They would have loved me. But he said, the problem is not that, it's sin. And he said, I'm going to testify that the world, its deeds are evil. And the reason there can be no earthly kingdom as it is being preached today, that God is always going to have holy men, that he's going to rise up crying out against sin.

And that's going to cause enmity. And that's going to cause hatred. The Bible said there was a division in this chapter because of him. What causes a division? What causes a division? It's this truth against sin and unrighteousness.

People say, well those, he said, in fact, I got a letter from Poland. And one of our interpreters in Poland, one of our sponsors over in Poland, they've already had American evangelists over there. And they wrote me a letter and said, in fact they're saying it public, Brother Wilkerson is causing havoc in the church in America.

They're saying that of Jimmy Swaggart. It's havoc that's being wrought. He's causing such division. They're causing such turmoil in the church. What is it that's causing the turmoil? It's sin. People not willing to open their hearts.

I'm not defending Jimmy Swaggart's ministry. I'm not defending my ministry. I'm not trying to relate my ministry to his. I'm just saying that man has a free will. And you cannot legislate that free will into submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.

You cannot cause them to love the Lord Jesus Christ. It can't be legislated. There will always be that hatred toward the body of Christ. And when there's a pure people walking in righteousness before the Lord, they'll not fall down and submit to it.

They're going to hate it. They're going to reject it. And the more we have a holy remnant walking with God, the more the world's going to hate it, reject it, resent it. How in the world do you set up a kingdom when you have a whole world resenting you?

They'll fight it. They'll fight that which is of righteousness. Go to 2 Timothy 3. 2 Timothy. I want you to go to 2 Timothy 3. Verse 13. But evil men and seducers and imposters will proceed from what?

Does that sound to you like it's going to get better and better? But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continually think that you've learned and become convinced, knowing from whom you've learned them.

2 Timothy 3. Evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Now go back to Matthew 24. Matthew 24. Verse 9. Matthew 24, verse 9. Before we read this, look at me for a moment.

You see what's being taught today, and I agree with Jimmy Swaggart that this is the final delusion before Jesus comes. In fact, I've got a prophecy written 100 years ago by a great English preacher, a very divine, one of the great divines.

And he said the last apostasy will be this concept. He said men are going to become so earthbound, they'll even invent doctrines to keep the earth. It's amazing. People who will not give him their hearts want the world.

Those who will not give him the dominion of their own spirits want to rule the world. And listen to what it says. Matthew 24, verse 9. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and they will kill you, and you'll be what?

By who? All nations on account of my name, and at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another, and they will hate one another, and many false prophets will arise and mislead many, and because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will bear cold.

Because sin shall increase, the love of many will wax cold. The King James says, I like that better. The love of many will wax cold. Now that's Jesus, that's his prophecy about the end of time, the last days.

Men are going, the evil is going to abound, and because evil abounds, the love of many will get colder and colder and colder. That's the opposite of what they're trying to say here. The very brethren of Jesus.

Jesus bluntly said to his brothers, the world accepts you. Now why was it the world accepted their brethren? His own brethren? Because they were not saying anything offending the world, they were accepting.

You know what's an amazing thing? That there are so many churches today, so many Christians today, not only want to accept the world, they want to be loved by the world. They want to copy the world, but not only copy the world, they want to be accepted by the world, they want the world to love them.

There's not a single so-called Christian rock group in America that doesn't want to be accepted by their contemporaries out there in the world. They want to be admired by other ungodly worldly rock and roll groups.

They don't want to be accepted by the church, they want to be accepted by those that are out there, supposed to be, you know, the professionals. They want the professionals to say, hey, they're good. They want to be accepted.

They go after the acceptance of the world. Jesus says, no, it's because of these very things that your love is growing cold. And I listen to the sweet talk of many, many of these groups. They talk so sweetly about Jesus.

Their words are right. They talk so sweetly. You know, it says in Deuteronomy, God says, Your words were so right. Oh, that you had a heart to obey my commandments. Your words are right. I can take you to almost any doctrine that's false now, and you'll find so many good words.

You'll hear Jesus spoken of so sweetly, that it's another Jesus, it's another gospel, it's another spirit. God said, oh, that you had a heart. You had a heart to serve me. These brethren had no heart for him.

Now, can you imagine, do you think there's any self-interest in what they were saying to Jesus? After all, Jesus sets up his kingdom. Who's going to get the first shot? After all, we're related to him.

I find that most people that are talking about this kingdom that's coming, this paradise on earth, I suspect self-interest because, I've been preaching prosperity. I've already given advice on how to make money.

It pretty well follows that you want to keep hold of that, and not let it go. I'm not trying to be facetious, and I'm not trying to put any brother down. Just I'm saying, this world lies in ruins as far as God is concerned, and the Bible says, Peter said, it's reserved for fire.

And there's going to be a fire, a consuming fire, it's going to be consumed, it's going to be purged by fire, and he said, there's a new heaven, there's a new earth coming. Glory be to God. Folks, don't be caught up by this outer kingdom message.

The kingdom of God is within you. Hallelujah. I've only scratched the surface, but I've got to move on, because I've got to consider some more religious activity. Let's go back to John 7. There's a whole bunch of religious activity here.

Now, we're talking about the brother here, they're trying to set up this earthly kingdom. Jesus said, that's always acceptable, that's a good message, it's going to be loved by the world, but he said, it can't work, because I'm going to testify that his deeds are evil.

Folks, I can say the same thing Jesus said. As long as I've got breath in my body, I'm going to testify that the world's deeds are evil. I'm going to say to those who call themselves Christian punkers and rock and rollers, your deeds are evil.

And I don't care what anybody says, I'm going to say the same thing, and I believe Jesus would be grieved by what he sees today. I believe his heart would be grieved. Let's look at the next group. We're going to talk about the spiritual, blind, religious multitudes.

The Religious Multitudes Who Marvel Without Obeying

These multitudes that are in Jerusalem now, they've come from everywhere, from Judea and from Galilee, and from all parts of the Jewish world, and here they are gathered in Jerusalem. Verse 11. Look at verse 11 with me.

The Jews therefore were seeking him at the feast and were saying, Where is he? Now I want you to note, look this way please. Where's Jesus? Jesus, Jesus. Everybody's talking about Jesus. Well, what tales are being told about him?

You read on and you'll find that some are saying he's a good man, he's performed miracles. I'm sure there were little conclaves here and conclaves here, even though they wouldn't do it out in open for fear of the rulers.

They were talking about the miracles. They said, I saw him do this. I saw him do that. They talked about his good deeds. He's got to be a prophet. No one has talked like this man. No one has spoken like him before.

And Jesus is the talk of the city. All this religious activity, they're talking about this man of God. This man called Jesus. And there's much grumbling among the people, among the multitudes concerning him.

Now I want you to know, they weren't talking sports. They weren't talking clothes. They weren't talking materialism. They're talking Jesus. Do you understand that? This is a religious crowd. This is not a wicked crowd.

This is the religious crowd. And suddenly, Jesus appears in the temple teaching. That's in verse 14. But when he was now in the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. Look at verse 15.

The Jews therefore were marveling, saying, How has this man become learned, having never been educated? The crowds, what are they doing? Are they listening to him? No, they're marveling at him. They're marveling at him.

They say, Isn't that something? How can he do it? He's not been educated like Gamaliel. He's not been educated. You know, even Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel. This man, he's unlearned as far as they're concerned.

There's no record of him ever going to any of the Jewish institutions. He didn't sit under any of the Sanhedrin. He didn't know anything of the law of Moses according to their schools of theology. And here he is preaching this profound message that's gripping their heart.

And it's touching them. It's most unusual. And all of them missing his point entirely. Jesus was wanting them to judge what he was teaching. And the point is, he wanted to know, if this is of God, then you've got to obey it.

If this is man, then you don't have to listen. But he's saying, you've got to discern whether or not this message is coming from the heart of God. Look at me, folks. This is one thing that you and I have got to know in these last days when there's so many voices and so much teaching.

Is this coming from the heart of God? Is this really God speaking? If it's God speaking, then we've got to listen. If it's man, we've got to ignore it. And there's no in-between. They were so intrigued by his teaching, they were missing the message.

I see people like that all over the country. They run from teacher to teacher and they marvel. You ever hear them talk about their teachers? Paul said they heap them up. They heap up teachers to themselves.

They have heaps of teachers. Some Christians must run to 15, 20 teachers. They run around tasting teachers. Some of you landed here this morning. I could say, what a teacher! And then here, what he said!

They were so busy marveling at it, they were so intrigued by his method and trained. Not hearing a word that this is God speaking. God himself is speaking. Look at verse 16. Jesus therefore answered them and said, my teaching is not my own.

He's saying, come on, quit listening to just the words. He said, this teaching is not mine, it's from him who sent me. You're hearing from God, he's saying. Verse 17, if any man is willing to do his will, he shall know the teaching, whether it's of God or whether I speak for myself.