John 8:31-59 – True Children of God.

 

Recap…

John 8:12…  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” In reference to the celebration of Light at the Temple during the Festival of Booths.

 

John 8:21 - Jesus warned of the up and coming judgement of God.

But, they didn’t believe in Him.  They were Self-righteousness… Unbelieving…  Worldly… which led to their willful ignorance of the Truth and their rejection of the Messiah!

 

However, there were still some who stepped out in Faith and Believed in Him.  

John 8: 31-32 - 31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, (Continue to obey, remain faithful to my teaching, abide in my word, hold to my teaching) you really are my disciples.

 

How is it that we Continue… that we Follow Him? 

* We Admit we’re sinners in need of a Savior.

* Confessing/Believing in Jesus as THE Savior, THE Messiah! THE one and only sacrifice that God provided for sin.

* A change of mind that leads to a change of heart that leads me to turn from my ways and turn to Jesus…  to follow Him.

* That’s an ongoing process in our life… Admitting, Believing/Confessing and Repenting…  as I live my life in Christ, for Christ…   Following Him in Faith, Trust and Obedience.

 

John 8:32 -  32 then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

Today we’re in John 8:33-59 – This has been an ongoing conversation….  There is growing with the Religious Leaders and some of the Jewish people and Jesus reveals the “True Children of God.” 

John 8:33 - 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”

 

The Festival of Booths was a celebration of their deliverance, freedom slavery in Egypt….   After than they were in slavery to the Assyrians…  Babylonians…  Persians… Greeks…  And they were currently under Roman rule!

 

Pride, Self-righteousness, Worldliness, Unbelief and Willful ignorance of the Truth causes us to lie and distort the facts.

 

 

Vs. 34 -36 - Jesus is talking about Spiritual Slavery.

34 Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin (chooses or practices a life of sin) is a slave (trapped in a dead-end life) of sin.  35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, (slaves were bought and sold, came and went) but a son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

 

Jesus was sent by God the Father… on the authority of God the Father.  If HE sets you free you’re free indeed.  A slave has no power, no authority, no freedom and can’t set you free! Only Jesus (Son) has the authority, power and freedom to set us free!!  

 

Vs. 37-38 - 37 I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. 38 I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.” 

 

Physically they were descendants of Abraham…  but Spiritually they were of the Devil.  Jesus said, I share what I’ve heard from My Father and you share what you’ve heard from your Father.

 

Matthew 7:17-23- 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and throw...

John 8: 12-59 – “I AM the light of the world.”

Recap:

Last week, Jesus said in John 8:12-20 –12 … “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

He’s our Deliverer. As God delivered the Jews from Egypt and provided for their Freedom… Jesus delivers us from sin and provides our Freedom!

He’s our Provider. As God provided bread and water for them in the Wilderness, Jesus is our bread and water (here in this wilderness) until we reach the promised land!

He’s our Guide… the light that we follow for LIFE! (Our Way, Truth and the Life) Just as God provided a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night for the Jewish people to follow… Jesus is the light for all the world to follow. If you walk in Me, with Me, for Me, you will never walk in darkness again.

Jesus gave us 2 conditional promises.

1. We receive His LIGHT and NEVER walk in Darkness.

2. We have the LIGHT that leads to Life!

He didn’t say we might have, but said we WILL HAVE the light of life! IF we follow Him!

Today, In John 8:21-59 – Jesus continues the conversation warning of coming judgment for those who will not Repent…

Why is repentance important?

Matthew 4:17 – First thing Jesus said as He began His earthly ministry. “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Luke 5:32 – When the Pharisees ask Jesus why he ate with tax collectors and sinners. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repent.

Luke 13:3 – Without repentance Jesus said, we would all perish.

Luke 24:47 – After the resurrection Jesus commanded that repentance be preached to all nations. “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

2 Peter 3:9 - 9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

Our Salvation is dependent upon Repentance.

1. Admit: We’re sinners in need of a Savior. We can’t save ourselves. Unless we willing to admit that we’re sinners in need of a Savior we can’t be saved.

Admitting I’m a sinner, I’ve done wrong is necessary but it doesn’t save me. (Judas admitted He did wrong, he returned the 30 pcs of silver… but his admission of guilt didn’t save Him!)

2. Belief or Confession. The Holy Spirit reveals all Truth. Reveals that I’m a sinner in need of a Savior. Reveals Jesus as God, the Messiah, and I “recognize and confess” Him for who He says He is and the only way to restoration with God the Father.

Believing in and Confessing Jesus is necessary but it doesn’t save me. (The Demons believe in Jesus, (James 2:19) but they aren’t saved. They confessed him numerous times in the New Test.

3. Repentance:

Def. = “To Change one’s mind.” A Change of mind that results in a change of heart that results in a change of “action or behavior.”

• We “TURN FROM” - Our way, Our will… (“Dying to ourselves.”)

• We “TURN TO” – HIM! His way, His will… not doctrine, not principles, not a cause… but to Jesus! (“Living for Christ”)

It’s when those three are combined, Admitting, Believing/Confessing and Repenting that we are Saved.

4. That’s a “Continuous and Constant” Cycle or process in our life in Christ. As we walk in the light…

John 8: 12-59 – “I AM the light of the world.”

 

Today we’re in John 8:12-59…  It’s where Jesus makes one of His “I AM” Statements...  “I AM the light of the world.

 

Let’s back up just to set the stage…

John 6 -  Many of Jesus Disciples have left him...  Vs. 56, Jesus said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.  Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on my will live because of me….   Vs. 66, from this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.

 

John 7 - Jesus is facing opposition from everyone…  His family, the people, the Jewish leaders… and the Jewish leaders are plotting to kill Him.

 

If you remember, we’re at the Festival of Booths (Tabernacles) which is significant… 

Final Festival of the year. 

* Middle – End of Sept. Along with Passover it’s the most celebrated Festival.

* Celebrating the End of the Harvest. God delivering them from Egypt, providing for them in the Wilderness and bringing them into the Promised land.

* Takes place 5 Days after the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) when the High Priest goes into the Holy of Holies, makes atonement/offering for the sins of the people.

* The Jewish people bring their tithes and offerings to God for 7 days.

* For that 7 day period, people live in 3 sided huts made with palm branches… symbolic of their living in the Wilderness after leaving Egypt.

* Gentiles were invited to come and worship the Lord along with the Jewish people during this time. 31:12 – The Lord told Moses to gather all men, women and children along with the foreigners in their land, so they can learn to fear the Lord.

 

 

 

In this Festival 2 significant celebrations took place of which Jesus is making a significant comparison.

* Water Celebration which is a significant celebration of God’s provision for the (1 Million) Israelites traveling through the Wilderness to the Promised land… for 40 years!

 

Priest would go down to the Pool of Siloam to bring water to the Temple in a golden container.   There would be a great ceremony/celebration.

Isaiah 44:3 - For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring. –

Zech. 14:8 -  And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem…

Jesus has already made a reference to living water… John 7:37-38 - “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”

 

* Lighting of the Temple. After the Water celebration everyone would gather into the Court of Women. They would light Candles, Golden bowls full of oil… the people would lite torches… The Temple and the city would glow from the light.

 

Significant of God leading them with a Pillar of Cloud during the day and Pillar of Fire at night!   God Himself leading, guiding them.

 

Exodus 13:21 - The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.

 

 

And, that’s where we are today.  John 8:12-20 –12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Happy Father’s Day Dad’s!!!!

Last week John 7:14-24

Jesus is teaching in the Temple. We saw how Jesus responded to that opposition... and by that how, we should!

Opposition Shouldn’t Effect Obedience!

John ch15 says if the world hates you like it does me, it’s because I chose you out of the world.

When Opposition come ~ Be encouraged ~ and be Obedient! Opportunity Isn’t Limited by Education!

In God’s economy, a willing heart is more valuable than a learned mind!

Opposition Doesn’t Change The Truth!

Jesus: v16 ~ My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.

Teaching = Doctrine ~ The essentials of the Christian faith (found in His Word, the Bible) that can’t be compromised, watered down.

Opposition Doesn’t Effect the Message!

Jesus doesn’t back down for fear of pushing them away... He exposes their sin.

The Method doesn’t matter as long as it brings God Glory AND doesn’t change the Message!

Opposition Shouldn’t Change Our Attitude!

Jesus said v24: Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly. They looked at the outside....his family, his education, where he was from...

He called them to look deeper! “Judge Correctly”

He didn’t let the way they felt about Him change the way He felt about them.

He turned Opposition into Opportunity!!

 

John 7:25-8:1

So last week Jesus turned Opposition into Opportunity. Jesus didn’t back down, rather he shared the Truth in Love....

This week we’re going to see how Jesus turns:Opportunity into Understanding!

How Understanding reveals Truth! & Truth Transforms Lives!

Title: Transformed By The Truth

All of Chapter 7 ~ Life lesson on how Jesus overcame Opposition as he kept His eyes and ears on His Father in Heaven and did what He told him to do.

We are called to keep our eyes and ears on Jesus and do what He tells us to do...

Jesus took what seemed to be a negative & turned it into a positive by staying the course!

Stay the Course!!

The Opposition hasn’t gone away....

but some people are beginning to Understand or at least question a little more...

Check out what happened....

(v24 ~ Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.)

25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?

26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah?

Those living in Jerusalem had an idea that the authorities were trying to kill him.... the ones that had

traveled to the Festival of Tabernacles probably didn’t.

They were amazed that the Pharisees either wouldn’t or couldn’t stop Him from teaching!

They were questioning, Could He be the One? Do the authorities already know???

27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is

from.”

It was a popular belief that the Messiah would just appear.

Prophet Malachi prophecies about John the Baptist & Jesus... But they didn’t understand...

Mal 3:1 ~ 1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

Most Jews believed the Messiah would come upon the scene quickly and restore Nation of Israel. God doing God stuff for His people on the Earth...

No eternal perspective!!

Just for what they could get here and now!

Have you...

John 7:14-31 Turning Opposition Into Opportunity!

JD 7:1-13

Ch 7 Turning point in the Gospel of John. Jesus is experiencing Conflict and Opposition, even hatred! Brothers / Crowds / Jewish elite.

Centers around the Festival of Booths / Tabernacles.

Conflict / Opposition, continues to grow around Jesus.

v1-5 Brothers didn’t even believe He was the Messiah!

Start to challenge Jesus to make himself know!!! Messiah!!

Ever have any conflict with your brothers?

out of fear of the religious est. (ESV translates it Muttering)

So when we pick it up in vs 14, Jesus is in Jerusalem, in the Temple teaching!

John 7:14-24 NIV ~ 14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning

without having been taught?”

16 17

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.

chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak

Anyone who

on my own.

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.

given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”

19

Has not Moses

“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed.

circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a

22

Yet, because Moses gave you

boy on the Sabbath.

Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may

not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath?

Stop

judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

20 21

Title: Turning Opposition into Opportunity!

V14-18

(Pt 1) Opposition Shouldn’t Effect Obedience!

24

Opposition should really encourage obedience and encourage boldness!!

Matt 5:11 ~ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.

Jesus said in John ch15 that if the world hates me, it will hate you. If they persecute me, they will persecute you... v19 ~ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

This world is not your home!

Jesus chose YOU!

He reached down into the pit of your worldly life and lifted you out!

You no longer belong to The World = Satan’s Hands to God’s Hands!!!!

When Opposition comes ~ be encouraged ~ and be obedient!! It’s a sign that you are HIS!!

v1-13 Jesus’ brothers opposed Him.

We’re going to see how the crowds and Jewish officials opposed Him. Jesus doesn’t back down!!

He never shrinks back from proclaiming the truth!!

7:14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up into the temple courts and begin to teach.

No Grand Entrance! IN HIS FATHERS TIMING!! (Obedience)

He walks in and begins TEACHING! Sharing the TRUTH!

The Gk word translated “temple courts” is the same one used in chapter 2 when he threw out the animals and money changers!

It was the part of the temple courts that the gentiles were allowed into!

His message was and is for everyone!!!

v15 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

The Jews ~ included the Religious Officials and the crowd.

Amazed!!!!

John 7:1-52 – Conflict with Jesus…

Recap:

Last week was a difficult week? Many Disciples “desert” Jesus because of His words.

They have a hard time accepting His words. This is too hard, they said, who can accept it. Many desert Him and walk away.

Not much has changed since Jesus day. Many today have deserted Him and they walk away because His words are too difficult… The price for being a Disciple is too high.

The Cost of Discipleship is… my life!

• Jesus said that our Love for Him should be so great that by comparison it’s as if we hate everyone, everything else.

• We take up (or carry) our Cross and follow Him. The Cross means death! As Jesus fulfilled His purpose for the Father, we fulfill our purpose, dying to ourselves and living for Him.

• We give up everything we own for Him. HE is our Master. Jesus is enough.

Judas deserted Jesus as well, but he looked like a Disciple… Jesus called Him a devil.

Here in Chapter 7 we begin to see a “turning point” in the Gospel of John. There’s an increased opposition and an outright hatred for Jesus.

• Conflict with His Brothers, Family…

• Conflict with the crowd. Some believe and some don’t.

• Conflict with the Jews (Religious Leaders and Jewish people who are aware of Jesus Ministry.) They don’t just have conflict with Jesus they hate Him! They wanted to take Him out!

Why is there such a “hatred” for Jesus? We don’t see that with any other Religious figure? Why Jesus… He’s God!

John 3:19-20 – 19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,[g] so that his deeds may not be exposed.

Hebrews 4:12 - 12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

James 4:4 - You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15 - Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Romans 8:7 – The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, not can it do so.

Jesus exposes our sinful nature, our character, our integrity and our motives… and we don’t like to be exposed! He ruins these little kingdoms we’re establishing for ourselves.

Point 1: Ever found yourself angry or upset with God? We wouldn’t dare say we hate God but we act like it with the way we live.

99.9999% of the time our anger toward God is over some physical thing… something didn’t go “our way.” Something happened that affected “our kingdom” negatively.

John 7:1-52 – Conflict and Opposition with Jesus.

John 7: 1-9 - After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee, since he did not want to travel in Judea because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 The Jewish Festival of Shelters (Tabernacles/Booths) was near.

There’s a 6 month gap between Chapter 6 & 7. Chapter 6 took place around the Passover in April. Chapter 7 takes place at the beginning of the Festival of Tabernacles which is held in Sept.

NOTE: Jewish Men were expected to attend Festivals or Pilgrimages to Jerusalem.

Festivals are explained in Leviticus 23 and Numbers 29. Established by God for the Israelites to come to Know Him, worship Him and remember His deliverance from Egypt. To recognize His provision, protection and His promise.

John 6:60-71 – Disciples or Deserters?

 

John 6:60-61 - 60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you?

They didn’t understand, eating flesh and drinking His blood… Jesus symbolism for the cross and his sacrificial death. They took it literally.

John 6:62-65 - 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

Without the work of God in our life we don’t understand, we won’t understand. We can’t even see our need for God!

God does it in us and when we sense that we NEED to RESPOND! We Respond by Believing in Him… putting our Faith, Trust and Hope in Jesus as we come to know Him and God gives us what we need to come to Him!

In Ezek. 36 God is revealing the restoration of Israel but it’s not a physical restoration… it’s a spiritual restoration.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV - 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

John 6:66 - 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. (Isn’t it interesting that this verse is John 6:66.)

There’s a cost of being a Disciple of Christ!

Luke 14:25-34 - 25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

34 “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?35 Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”

• I thought Salvation, being a disciple or a follower of Jesus was free, a gift from God!

• Salvation IS free, it is a gift from God however it’s very costly… it cost us our life! Jesus gave His life for us and we give our life for Him!

• We were bought with a price and there is a high price to pay for becoming a True Disciple.

What’s the Cost of Discipleship? Jesus said…

1. We must, by comparison, hate our families and ourselves. We’re either all in or we aren’t in at all! We can’t be superficial and be a True Disciple.

Surrendered to Him. He’s not only our Savior but He’s the Lord and M...