September 22, 2024
Morning Service

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

            Last week Jesus revealed to us that He is the Light of the world and through Him we too can have the light of life.  He has opened up to us the understanding of spiritual world in which His followers abide in Him and attain eternal life.  His light has illuminated His plan of salvation for us and guides us along in our journey of life chasing away the darkness allowing us to walk in the light.  Today as we continue in John 8, Jesus will show us how He sets us free from being the slaves to our sins.

 

John 8:31-32Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  (32)  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

          In verse 31, Jesus defines those who are His “disciples indeed.”  A disciple indeed “abides in My word” meaning we continue in His teachings living them out and letting them define who we are.  In a disciple indeed there is a strong commitment even a permanence that ties us so strongly to Jesus that without Him we don’t even know who we are.  We abide with Him and He in us in such a way that we can no longer separate ourselves nor would want to.  As the song says, “to tell my story is to tell of Him.”  This close, intimate relationship began with Jesus revealing to us the truth and “the truth shall make you free.”  This truth He is speaking of is the truth about who He really is and the truth about who we are.  We are sinners in need of a Savior and He is that Savior.  When we accept this truth we are truly set free from a bondage we did not even realize existed.  The Jews that heard this teaching questioned it.

 

John 8:33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free?’

            To the Jews everything was about their ancestry.  They defined themselves as being the descendants of Abraham who God called out to begin His own chosen people. They were proud of their heritage and felt it made them special and entitled to God’s blessings.  This is true to a point as the nation of Israel is God’s chosen people and He has a very special and unique plan for them, but individually the Jews and even us are not defined by our heritage.  At the day of judgment, it will be our faith that saves or condemns us, not the faith or lack of faith of our parents or grandparents that matters.  This is the challenge each generation in the church must hand down to the next.  This cannot be my “parents church,” it must become my church.  Jesus must not be my parents Savior, but He must become my Savior.  Jesus now explains what He means by being “Set free.”

 

 John 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.  (35)  And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  (36)  Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

            Jesus here again spreads His light of understanding to us in that He did not come to free Israel from the bondage of Rome, but to set each person free from their bondage to their sins.  When we sin, sin becomes our master and we are held accountable for the consequences of them as Paul tells us “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) That death is the separation of us from our Creator because of our sin.  God is Holy, Just, and Good so much so that He cannot be in the presence of sin.  Here lies our problem of being enslaved; we are under sins control.  BUT GOD has set a plan in place and we can be set free from the bondage of our sin through believing in His Son to atone for our sin. “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”  We are freed from being slaves of sin which separated us from God, and now we are free to pursue a relationship with our Creator and Lord as His adopted children.  We are free to become all that God has created us to be in Him.  With sins’ bondage broken, we are free to abide in Christ and follow Him putting His teachings into action in our lives and being “disciples indeed.”  That is where true happiness, peace and contentment can be found, in a relationship with God in which we were created for.  This is the purpose for which we were created, to have a free, open, and intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior.  We abide in Him and He calls us His children.  That is the only heritage that matters!  Jesus now shows the Jews who their true father is at the moment. 

John 8:39-42They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.  (40)  But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.  (41)  You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God."  (42)  Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.

            Jesus shows the Jews here that they are not “disciples indeed,” because their works reveal them.  They are seeking to kill Jesus fighting against the truth rather than accepting it.  If they were truly following God, they would recognize Jesus’ divinity and worship Him celebrating His arrival.  Jesus continues:

 

John 8:43-47 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.  (44)  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.  (45)  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.  (46)  Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?  (47)  He who is of God hears God's words; therefore, you do not hear, because you are not of God."

            Jesus reveals to them that they are not able to listen and understand His words because their hearts did not belong to Him.  They display this by their actions showing they are following the bidding of their father and our enemy, the devil.  The devil opposes, fights, and resists against everything God does showing his true nature of defiance.  Anyone who acts this same way shows they are not of God, but of the devil.  Jesus here defines who our enemy is showing us he is a murderer from the beginning as he deceived Adam and Eve to sin bringing death upon them and all who sinned after them.  He does not stand for truth because there is no truth in him only lies and deceptions; “he is a liar and the father of it.”  John later show us our enemy’s purpose in 10:10; “the enemy does not come except to steal, kill and destroy.”  He is real and he is working to fulfill his mission in each of our lives. He is working tirelessly to deceive you into questioning all that Jesus is telling us as being truth.  Don’t underestimate his power to deceive, but diligently pursue the truth and “the truth shall set you free.”  To be an overcomer of this world and not be deceived, we must be “disciples indeed” abiding in Jesus, obeying His commands, and seeking His truth through the guidance of the Holy Spirit within you.  “He who is of God hears God’s words.”  Jesus shows us the results of that decision.

 

John 8:48-51Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  (49)  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.  (50)  And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.  (51)  Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."

            Jesus is not promising that we will live in the physical body and not die, it is obvious that is not true.  He here again affirms to us that if will “keep His word” we will not experience the second death of being separated from God for eternity because of our sins.  We may die physically, but we will be resurrected from our grave as He was and live again for eternity with Him in our heavenly bodies.  Jesus finishes this chapter affirming He was in the beginning and will be there in the end.

 

 Joh 8:53-59   Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?"  (54)  Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.  (55)  Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.  (56)  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  (57)  Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"  (58)  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."  (59)  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

 

Rev 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

            The truth that sets us free to be disciples indeed is that Jesus our Savior is the Son of the One Living God who created this world and will judge it in the end.  This is His story and we are blessed to be part of it.  What He began, He will finish.  Believe it and build your life around that truth.  His Word has enlightened us and His blood has freed us from our sins.  “He who the Son has set free is free indeed.”  "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”