INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
John 8:31-39
CONTINUING IN CHRIST
V:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, \”If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.\”
Continuing in Christ is the doctrine of Christian living. Belief and putting the word
of God into action is Christian living. Jesus stated it another way; If you abide
in Me and my Word abide you, ask what you want and it will be done for you.
Abiding is an intimate relationship with Christ. You and I should have a life
regulated by Christ. Every thought and every action ought to be controlled by the
Word of God.
Jesus said it in another way. I am the vine, you are the branches, and my Father
is the Vine dresser, If you remain in me, you will bear much fruit (John 15:5-8)
Discipleship is more than studying the Word it living by the Word.
Notice that there are two benefits listed for abiding in Christ; truth and freedom.
The truth is an understanding of God’s Word. There is spiritual knowledge and
worldly knowledge. Spiritual knowledge provides wisdom far beyond worldly
knowledge. Truth exposes lies and deceptions. Abiding in Christ gives us the strength
to speak the truth in the face of lying tongues.
When we know the truth, sin is evident. The Word of God exposes to each of
us the sin in our lives. Only God can give us the strength to resist sin and temptation.
It is only by acknowledging the truth that we will be free of sin. The truth is our sins
have been forgiven by abiding in Christ. The truth is our sin enslaves us to the past.
KNOW YOUR HISTORY
V:33 They answered him, \”We are Abraham\’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?\”
If you don\’t know your history you want to appreciate the grace of God in your life.
We didn’t survive on our own, God stepped into our lives to protect and provide
for us. We can easily take for granted the purpose God has for us. What we have
survived in our lives is a testimony to the grace of God and His power to
direct us in His will.
The religious leaders twisted the conversation. First, they ignored their history, they were slaves in Egypt for 400 years. They were slaves in Babylon for 70 years.
Second, they played down their current situation; they were slaves of Rome. Third, Jesus was talking about spiritual freedom, and not physical. All of us have been slaves to sin. They missed the most important point of how to be free from sin.
Jesus was speaking to two groups in the temple court; those who believed in Him and those who hated him. Guest who spoke up most of the time when Jesus had a conversation
with the crowd? You guested it, the leading religious leader of the community.
Why do people ignore the truth and hold on to a lie? They are hiding something
or they looking for a reason to discredit the speaker.
A PERMANENT PLACE IN THE FAMILY
V:34 Jesus replied, \”I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know you are Abraham\’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father\’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your Father.\”
We were born in sin, shaped in iniquity. Therefore were born alienated from the
the family of Jesus Christ. We were born slaves to sin. The only way to become
part of God’s family is to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior which makes us sons and
daughters. Once part of the family, always part of the family.
The average Jew could not see any man as the Son of God. To do so was blaspheme.
They were prevented by their misinterpretation of the law from seeing the Messiah
in the scripture. They were blinded by their selfish agenda from seeing the one
who came to save them.
The leading Jews considered themselves a privileged people because Israel was a
descendant of Abraham whom God gave the promise to be the father of their nation
They knew the scripture but only used the verses that justified their position.
Jesus pointed it out in verse 37. You want to kill which is against the law because
you have no room for the truth. They knew the truth, were convicted by the truth
but ignored the truth in favor of murder.
The religious leaders thought it their duty to write rules and regulations that were more holier than the Bible. It is a book of their traditions called the Talmud (Mark 7:9)
IT’S NOT WHAT PEOPLE CALL YOU, IT’S WHAT YOU ANSWER TO
John 8:48-57
48 The Jews answered him, \”Aren\’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?\”
49 \”I am not possessed by a demon,\” said Jesus, \”but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself, but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.\”
The devil is relentless in trying to destroy your reputation. He will influence people
close to you to do it. It could be a family member, a close friend, or a coworker.
You must be confident in who you are and who you are. You are a child of the
King. You have been justified, sanctified, and have a home in heaven. When people
degrade you, quickly remind yourself that you are a child of the king and accepted
by Him.
They called Jesus a Samaritan, whom they hated and demon-possessed because they
couldn’t deny His miracles or the truth He spoke. First Jesus was a Galilean and
most important He was the Son of God. Second demons don’t cast out demons.
Notice How Jesus elevates Himself. He puts Himself on the same level as the Father.
He and the Father are one. He claimed the Father as judge, who glorified Him.
I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. Jesus claimed Himself to be the Word and
the power over death. Belief in His Word brings eternal life. Belief in His Word
brings freedom to your mind in everyday situations.
WRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM HATEFUL PEOPLE
V:52 At this the Jews exclaimed, \”Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?\”
You can’t bring an understanding to people who don’t want to hear what you say.
A mind made up in darkness may stay in the dark. Don\’t get upset, it is not you they
reject, but God.
The men responding to Jesus were the religious leaders, scribes, and maybe members of
the Sanhedrin court (70). They studied the law, knew the law, and applied the law
to everyone but themselves. The Old Testament, according to the dating of the Dead
Sea Scrolls was completed 300 years before Jesus\’ birth in the flesh. They taught from
the Old Testament every Sabbath.
They knew the death of Abraham and the prophets. But they also knew the prophecies
concerning the coming of the Messiah and His birth in Bethlehem. The religious leaders
had evidence that Jesus was more than a man because of His many healing and casting
out of demons. Neither Abraham nor any of the prophets did the good Jesus did on
a continuous, daily basis.
We are not communicating if we don’t understand what each is saying, Jesus was talking
about spiritual death, but the accusers were talking about physical death. Wrong
conclusions bring baseless accusations with damaging results.
HUMILITY, THE ATTITUDE OF THE KING
V:54 Jesus replied, \”If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.\”
57 \”You are not yet fifty years old,\” the Jews said to him, \”and you have seen Abraham!\”
From the start of Jesus\’ birth on earth, He lived a life of humility. Even though He
was born king of Kings and Lord of Lords, he presented Himself to the world
in humble means. His birth was announced first to shepherds in a field, He was born
in an animal’s cave to a carpenter and his teenage wife.
It was the angels who announced to the shepherds, that today is born a king, peace
on earth, and joy to the world. It was Jesus who said, birds have nests and foxes
have holes, but I have no place to lay my head. At His baptism it was the Father
who said, this is my Son in whom I am well pleased.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus did not seek the glory of man, he worked to
glorify the Father. He performed miracles to glorify the Father (Luke 7:11, Matthew
9:1-8). On the cross bearing the weight of the world, Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven
Father glorify your Son that your Son may glorify You ( John 17:1).
In verse 56 Jesus claimed His deity and His eternal being
“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad”.
Having heard this, Jesus\’ accusers sarcastically proclaimed His eternal being
You are not fifty years old, but you have seen Abraham.
They missed the point again. He is the God of eternity. Before everybody was He is.
A closed mind can’t learn anything new. A closed mind is stuck in human reasoning
and the darkness influenced by Satan.
COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE IN THE FACE OF DANGER
V:58 \”I tell you the truth,\” Jesus answered, \”before Abraham was born, I am!\” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
Consider this; the religious leaders, trained in the Word of God, keepers of the law
were in temple court the holiest place in the world screaming murder.
Jesus\’ Accusers fuming in their hearts with anger eating their bones wanted the last
words of revenge. Jesus added fuel to their fire; Before Abraham was born, I AM!
They picked up stones but Jesus disappeared from their mist. When the world is against
you God is for you.
Today, You and I live in a violent world, influenced by Satan, the father of
all lies. Nothing will ever happen to us that will not work out for our good.
We must at all times speak the truth in love. God is our refuge and protector.
He will always have the last words.
At Jesus\’ death, God the Father caused the enemy, a Roman solider, to say this;
Surely, He was the Son of God (Matthew 27:54). The Lord can cause your enemy
to praise you. This is proof in Jesus\’ Word; If I be lifted, I will draw all men to me
(John 12:32).
CHURCH, YOUR WORK TODAY IS LIFTING UP JESUS
