John 8:48-59, (Part 4)

 Hey guys, hope you all have had a great week. Let us know if you have any urgent prayer request or any long term request you would like us to just keep you in mind as we pray for the body of Christ.

This weekend we will finish John 8. We will pick back up in verse 48. There will be 4 parts to our unpacking of the text.

Part 1, John 8:48-50,

Keyword (honor or glory)”I do not seek my own glory”

We start here with an audience that literally can not relate to the message of Jesus because His instructions are so foreign to them. They are beyond the framework that they can conceive as right. Since, they see themselves as right with God in their own eyes, they can only naturally conclude that Jesus is a demon. That is what any of us would do if someone or something challenge our belief of truth and the identity of God and His purposes. Jesus is stating here that He is just doing what He was directed to do and the intent of glory for Him is not from His own desires but from God Himself. 

Part 2, John 8:51-53,

Keyword (death) “If anyone keeps my word He will never see death” Their main objection was Abraham died and the prophets died, who do you make yourself out to be? Here again, we see the challenge of Jesus’ audience logically reacting to His words in a objecting way because of their perspective of reality. From Jesus perspective of reality, Abraham did not die in the way this world defines it. When He says one will never see death He is speaking to a heavenly reality of death not an earthy perspective of it. 

Part 3, John 8:54-55, 

Keyword (know), “Truly Knowing Who God Is”

Who do you say that I am? Matt. 16:15

Here we see Jesus picking back up where He left off in Part 1 with (honor and glory) and He transitions into true and real knowledge about the Father. “Of whom you say, He is our God”. Here Jesus unites the two ideas of God has sent Him with a message of truth that is for those who love Him and the reality of those who confess by mouth, but not by deeds that come from a heart for God as being a lie. He also confirms His actions in “I keep His word” to be consistent with His instruction to those who believe in Him in vs. 31, “If you abide in my word”

Part 4, John 8:56-59,

Key idea (time), “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? This logic could have went the other way and they could have said Abraham has been dead 2000 years, how could he have seen you? This would have been a better question, but their arrogance pushed them to ask their question in a way that was more about refuting Christ than like Nicodemus in John 3 actually wanting to learn the answer. The answer is God is not bound by time like we are. It would have been a great benefit to them to listen more than talking and pondering if this is true then what? Pride and arrogance keeps us from serious asking and considering the key questions of the text.

Hope to see you all this weekend. Let me know if you need anything. Praying for you guys.

John 8:31-47 (Part 3)

Jesus gave them Insight on the Reality of,

1-The Slave to Sin, vs. 31-36 

2-The Works of Abraham, vs. 37-40

3-The Direction of the True Father, vs. 41-43

4-The Deception of the Father of Lies, vs., 44-47

Podcast

Introduction, (setting the scene)

We pick back up in an already heated conversation.

In part 1 they tested Jesus with a woman caught in adultery. 

In part 2, They object to Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world, and questioned His authority based on Him not having a witness to verify His claims, He points out that He does have a witness, His father and they ask where is your Father? He then moves the conversation to the idea of death. Both the reality of their death at the hands of their sins, if they do not recognize who He is. And He finishes with prophesying that they will know the truth when He is lifted up that He is who He has said He is. So a lesson both from the reality of death from sin for a person and a lesson from how His death is the solution for our sin problem. I say, He prophesied His death by a cross because by definition “prophesy” is when one definitely tells the future the way it will happen before it happens. In this way, Christ showed us, He was a reliable and true prophet for us. We then finally ended this dialogue with “many believed in Him”

In part 3, today we start off with Jesus instructing those from part 2 who had believed in Him about how they can find a continued and progressive freedom from their bondage. (Sanctification not Justification)

1-The Slave to Sin, vs. 31-36 

• If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples
• You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free
• We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone
• How is it you say, You will become free?
• Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
• A slave does not remain in the house forever, the son remains forever
• So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed

(Romans. 6:6, 13, 17)

2-The Works of Abraham, vs. 37-40

• If you were Abraham’s children you would be doing the works Abraham did

(James 2:14-26, “Faith without works is dead”)

(1 John 2:3-6, Whoever says I know Him but does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.)

• “But you seek to kill me”, 
• “a man who has told you the truth” 
• “I heard from God”
• This is not what Abraham did

(1 John 2:8-11, the one who hates his brother is in darkness and the darkness has blinded his eyes)

(Matt. 5:21-22, be careful of being angry, insulting, thing your brother is a fool)

In other words, be patient with one another, show others respect, and do not consider them a fool, hear them out.

3-The Direction of the True Father, vs. 41-43

(John 4:25)

His Children build upon a foundation of Truth (Matt. 7:24-25)

• We are not born of sexual immorality 
• We have one father, even God
• If you were from God you would love me 
• I was sent by Him
• Why do you not understand what I say?
• It is because you cannot bear to hear my word

(1 Cor 2:6-16, These things have been revealed to us through the Spirit)(John 7;37-39)

(John 6:45, 7:16-17, 6:44, 6:65, 6:63-45)

(If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether my teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority)

4-The Deception of the Father of Lies, vs., 44-47

His Children build upon a foundation of Lies (Matt. 7:26-27)

• You are of your father the devil
• Your will is to do your father’s desires
• He was murderer from the beginning
• He is a liar and the father of lies
• I tell you the truth
• Which one of you convicts me of sin?
• Whoever is of God hears the words of God
• The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not from God

(2 Cor. 4:1-6, The God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel)

(1 John 2:15-17, Do not love the world)

Conclusion

This passage starts with Jesus giving helpful instruction to those who have started to believe in Him. It navigates through a back and forth discussion from objection of the unbelieving leaders. Jesus had already dealt with their objections to the laws given by Moses and now they are appealing to father Abraham. In this passage, it navigates from Jesus showing them their error in finding hope in Abraham and in the idea that they are the chosen ones of God because of their heritage. He exposes their hearts and minds to be influence by the god of this world and not by the Father of Abraham. Not only have they misunderstood the intent of the law of Moses and failed to accurately obey it, they have also misunderstood the promise the Father of Abraham made to Him and his offspring. It was not an automatic salvation that comes from physical birth to him, but from a new birth that comes from the faith he had in God. In conclusion, they were resisting His teaching for a reason, their hearts desires were influenced by the devil, they loved the darkness more than the light and did not want to be exposed by the truth of God. 

How important is the question “But who do you say that I am?” Matt. 16:15

(1 John 2:20-23)

Take Away Questions

1-What was the internal struggle for this audience? At the core of their being what was the challenges they were wrestling with holding them back from believing the truth of God?

2-What was the external struggle for this audience? What traditions of belief and outwards conditions and realities made it a challenge for them to surrender to the teaching and direction from Jesus?

3-What ultimately was the eternal consequences? If they ultimately reject and deny Jesus what will that mean for them for all of eternity?

4-How do the previous 3 questions relate and apply to the audience of today? How do the apply to you? What struggles does the text create for you? Is it an internal struggle? Is it an external struggle? And what is the eternal consequences of the outcome of your struggle?

Thank you Lord, for speaking to us through your word in a way that opens our eyes to the way to you. We thank you that you call us to Yourself and draws us to You. You are faithful and true. 

John 8:12-30, (Part 2)

 I am the light of the world

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness 

(Part 1) John 8:12-20

1-Light

John 8:12, 

John 1:1-9, 11:8-10, 

1 John 1:5-7, 2:8-11, John 9:39 

2-Witness and Testimony 

John 8:13-14, 17-19,  

John 5:31-32, 

7 witnessess, 1-John, 2-The Works, 3-The Father, 4-The Scripture, 5-My Father’s Name (John 17:12), 6-Glory, 7-Moses 

3-Judge

John 8:15-16, 

John 3:17-20, 36, Here we see the ideal of Judgement connect with light and darkness

(John 5:30, 39-40, 45-47) Here judge is connected with witness and testimony

4-Father

John 8:17-19, 

John 5:17-23, 26, 37, 6:57

5-Sent

John 8:16-18, 29 

John 5:23-24, 30, 36-38, 6:29, 38-39, 44, 57, 7:16, 28-29, 33, 

Romans 10:15, How are they to preach unless they are sent?

Isa. 6:8, Whom shall I send and who will go for us? 

John 1:6, John the Baptist was sent.

John 5:23-24, 16:5, Jesus was sent.

John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, The Holy Spirit was sent.

Acts. 13:2-3, Holy Spirit said “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul” 

laid hands on them and sent them off

Know

John 8:14, 19, 28 

John 7:17, 26-29,  

Not just a man (Authority)

John 8:28, 

John 5:16, 19-20, 27, 30,   

Tell us plainly Who are you? John 10:24 

Now you speak plainly, John 16:25, 29-30 

His hour has not come

John 8:20

John 2:4, 7:6, 7:30

(Part 2) John 8:21-30

Where I am going you can not come

John 8:21 

“You will die in your sin”

John 7:33-36, John 8:14, John 13:33, 36, 14:4 

Death

John 8:21, 24, 28, 

John 10:11-18, The Good Shepherd lays His life down

John 8:1-11, (Part 1)

 John 7:53-8:11 (Part 1)

So one thing the leaders want to do here is to stop Jesus from teaching and the second thingthat want to accomplish is to find something they can acuse Jesus of. 

John 7:53-8:2

1-Setting the scene, Jesus is teaching

John 7:14, “About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching”

John 8:3-5, 

2-“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery”

John 8:5, The Law of Moses commanded us “to stone such women” (Lev. 20:10, Deut. 22:22) 

(Walk through their error in law understanding already established)

John 8:6-8, 

3-“This they said to test Him”

Other question reference where they tried to test Him before.

John 8:9-11, 

4-“But when they heard it” 

In Galilee, his was able to heal and teach more, because they probably were less educated about the details of spiritual matters or the law of Moses. But they were humble and more teachable. In some way I think the story shows Jesus was able to humble people by showing the ones that wanted to judge other their on mistakes. Jesus know we are without hope without Him. So how He handle the sin problem for any of us is not a big deal for Him. If he doesn’t show any of us mercy we are doomed regardless of how commited we are to do go in the future.

John 3:17-20, 36, 

(John 5:30, 39-40, 45-47) 

John 7:19, “Has not Moses given you the Law?”

Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me? (John 8:46)

1. John 7:22-24, you misunderstand the intent of the Sabbath
2. John 7:49, they thought they were in the right because of their knowledge of the law. Luke 18:9-14, (Pharisee and Tax collector)
3. John 7:51, they were not applying the law in its original intention, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”
4. John 7:52, they had missed the details of the law and prophets

Examples (Luke 16:19-31, 27-31)27  

Isa. 7:14, Born of a Virgin (Matt. 1:21-24) 

Micah 5:2, Why did they think in Bethlehem? Because of the Wise Men, (Matt. 2:1-6)

Jer. 31:15, Herod kills the Children, (Matt. 2:16-18)

That Joseph was from Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7)

The Shepherds and the Angels (Luke 2:8, 17-18)  

Isa. 40:3, Mal. 3:1, That John the Baptist was Elijah (Matt. 3:3)(Matt. 11:10)(Matt. 17:10-13)(Luke 1:17) 

2 Kgs. 14:25, That Jonah was from Galilee (Matt. 12:38-42, 16:1-4) 

Isa. 9:1-2, Isa. 42:6-7, The Prophecy of Light shining on Galilee (Matt. 4:12-16) Matt. 2:23 

Jer. 23:5-6, Mal. 3:1, Zechariah’s Prophecy, Luke 1:67, 76-79, 

John 8:6-8, “This they said to test Him”

Matt. 21:23-27, 25, “The baptism of John from where did it come from? From heaven or from man?

(Setting why he was teaching)(Another attempt to stop His teaching)

Mark 12:18-27, Sadducees, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but no child

“Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?

“Have you not read in the book of Moses in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him saying, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” Ex. 3:1-4, 

Questions

1. Mark 10:1-10, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? (Moses)(divorce is adultery.  Matt. 5:27-30, 31-32, 28, 
2. Mark 10:17-31, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
3. Mark 11:27-33, By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them? (Afraid of the people)
4. Mark 12:13-17, Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? (Why do you put me to the test?)
5. Mark 12:18-27, Whose wife will she be at the resurrection? (Moses)
6. Mark 12:28-34, Which commandment is the most important of all?

1. Mark 12:35-37, How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?

They bring a woman caught in the act of Adultery and question him what do you say about this? Lev. 20:10, Deut. 22:22

So at this point Jesus has said something or somethings that made them aware that He at least in their opinion knows better than them. They are trying to determine is He a hertic they can accuse?

Going back to the end of 7 with “search the scriptures and see no prophet has come from Galilee” we learned they was not as expert in the scriptures as they thought because they made a claim that was false along with other poor determinations in line with where the Christ would come from and where Jesus actually came from. It couldn’t have said much about their investigative skill to not even be aware that Joseph was from Bethlehem but moved to Nazareth. That would have been in records they would have had access to. They were not even responsible enough to seek the geneolgy records. 

But here again the law they claim serve and live by would have said if one is caught in Adultery both of them are to be stoned. The obvious question is why are they just bringing the woman? Where is the person they caught her with? Where is the man? Why did they not bring him? Lev. 20:10, Deut. 22:22