📖 John 7:14-18 • How do you know if a teacher is from God or just pushing their own agenda? Jesus gives us two clear tests to discern truth from deception. When Jesus showed up at the temple, the religious leaders demanded, "Where's your degree? Who authorized you?" They valued credentials over truth. We face the same trap today—celebrity preachers, gatekeeping systems, and teachers who seek their own glory instead of God's. This exposition of John 7:14-18 provides two biblical tests to discern any teacher (including your pastor): TEST #1 - THE WILLINGNESS TEST (v. 17): "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Are you willing to obey what God shows you? The issue isn't your intelligence—it's your willingness. TEST #2 - THE GLORY TEST (v. 18): "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory...but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true." Who gets the credit? True teachers decrease so Christ can increase. This sermon walks through John 7:14-18, 1 John 2:27, Acts 4:13, and 1 Thessalonians 2, explaining: • Why religious gatekeepers demand credentials instead of truth • The Holy Spirit's anointing in every believer (1 John 2:27) • Why God chose "unlearned and ignorant men" (Acts 4:13) • How to discern if teaching magnifies God or man • The difference between seeking God's approval vs. human applause • Why willingness to obey unlocks understanding • What trajectory to watch in any teacher's ministry