Sermon Cloud

Lectionary = 3 year reading program to get through the entire Bible, usually associated with how we do our readings here, OT L and P, and NT G and E – we read these sections because even the NT says that we are to give attention to the public reading of the word, and that Paul preached after a reading of the law and prophets – so we have a context for it == but we do not follow a lectionary – we read from all four sections (and of course sing the psalms and have most of our call to worships from the Psalms) to show how all the scriptures are interconnected. The lectionary is used as a preaching guide as well, to make sure that no pastor just preaches from his pet passages – so you get the entire scope of the Bible—this is why the lectionary is good.  It also keeps very connected to the Christian calendar over the 3 year period, another advantage of it.

HOWEVER – in a strict 3 year compliance with the lectionary as a guide, you will skip, almost in it’s entirety, John chapter 7 and 8.  There are short readings from them regarding rivers of life, light of the world, and the truth setting you free – but strict adherence to the most popular lectionaries, has you missing some awesome JOJO’s  (Johanine Jokes)  3 of them in John 8!  A JOJO is when  -- People misunderstand Jesus and asking ridiculous questions which allows Jesus to reveal a profound truth!!

Well, John 7 and 8 have great teaching details about the nature of Christ, the role of the Trinity, and Jesus relationship to Judaism – the faith of Abraham.  And of course you know I could dissect all the morsels of these passages and spend lot’s of time doing it – and I believe it would be rewarding; But I have a preacher’s task, and therefore wanted to organize the message today based upon the questions asked of Jesus in John 8 == FAM PAGE

WHY ALL THE QUESTIONS??  Well, because Jesus and the religious leaders are engaging in a little verbal Cat & Mouse – the problem is, the religious leaders THINK they are the Cat – Why do they think they are the Cat?  Well, look at Jesus, he’s an uneducated hick from Galilee.  He is not refined and sophisticated like these men with a proper education from the big city!

And here in lies our second layer of introduction.  And it’s related to how we all process information:  We process information based upon the information we already possess.  Here is an example from just yesterday.  I met a man who said he was establishing a brand new seminary.  I was intrigued by that, after all, I graduated from two seminaries.  I was about to engage in fruitful conversation; but then he tells me that Charles Ryrie is a visiting professor.  As soon as I heard that, literally in my brain, flags start waving, and opinions start popping, and my subconscious asks my face a question:  Are you still looking nice and friendly?  Because Charles Ryrie is someone from another theological camp than I, and I’m not too impressed with that camp, and so I’m now very cautious about the conversation I’m having.

Now our conversation ended quite nicely, I think I just acted calmly, and now think that I was having a conversation with a fellow saint who is trying to do right by the Lord – fine.

But this is an example of all the multiple conversations we have in our brain when we start talking to someone else, and how we need to try extra hard to focus in on the person who is speaking with us, otherwise, we might be hearing something that they are not really saying!

And maybe THIS is why the religious leaders are asking so many questions of Jesus – they are not really listening – OR, what they hear is language that gets them thinking off topic altogether.  And of course, by way of application, we want to be active listeners so that we don’t confuse what we should really be hearing!

So let’s go to the context of John 8.  Jesus has just dealt with a matter of judgment of a woman caught in adultery, and as he sends her away, he says in V. 12…

JOHN 8

V. 12 = “I AM the light of the world.” Follow from the dark to the light!

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

à Jesus setting himself up as the worthy one to be followed in contrast to others who were trying to lead Israel at the time == Jesus is challenging the way the religious leaders do things

à John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh == You are judging me on matters to which the law should be blind – where a person comes from, how he speaks, how he dresses, who he associates with, what his job is === we judge people on these things all the time, and perhaps for good reason – but if we did this to Jesus, we would have been WRONG – so we must judge character and action and intentions before we judge outward appearances

John 8:18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me."

à  Yeah Jesus, that’s a great point, we want to meet your father because there are some rumors about where you really come from!  Do you think you can show us who your REAL father is?

“Where is your father?”

V. 19 =  If you got to know me, you would know my father!

à  They are expecting to meet some earthly individual, but Jesus says, “It’s really not too hard to meet my Father – You just need to spend some time with me and get to know me.

à  This is an important part of our Christian apologetic!  Whenever anyone has questions about who God is and what he is like, we must point them to Jesus.  The religious notion of God gets pretty concise when we fill it in with the picture of Jesus and we should always be ready to show how God the Father is expressed in the words and actions of his son.  Jesus said this himself to Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

V. 21 = “I AM going away…where I AM going you cannot come.”

John 8:21 So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come."

“Will he kill himself?”

V. 23 = “You are from below; I AM from above. You are of this world; I AM not of this world.”

à  NOTICE the clear contrast of each of their origins and destinies – no wonder they cannot follow Jesus because they are from two completely different places

à  If we want to meet Jesus’ father, we must spend time with him.

à  If we want to go where he is, we must acknowledge some realities about where we are both headed.  Jesus is going to inherit eternal life due to his sonship and his righteous obedience; If we don’t realize our sonship and our need for righteous obedience – we will perish and forfeit eternal life.

V. 24 = “...for unless you believe that I AM he you will die in your sins."

I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."

à  Tough language; but in all “Jesus honesty,” Jesus is the ultimate HE with whom we must deal!

 “Who Are You?”

V. 26 = A judge sent to declare

à  DECLARE what?  Stuff we have all heard from the beginning… about how to love and care and defend and preserve and share and all that early playground stuff is still enforce as we grow up!

V. 28 = “...the Son of Man...you will know that I AM he.”

John 8:28 So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

V. 29 = Not alone “He has not left me alone… I always please Him.”

John 8:29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."

V. 31 = A disciple maker

John 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

V. 32 = A truth-teller and a freedom-giver

John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

v. 32 = think of all the things from which we are free – fear of God, fear of man, fear of failure, guilty conscience, hatred of others, superstition, self-glorifying delusions, lies of false authorities, uncertainty about the future, resentment, unbridled passions, ignorance,  … because of knowing the person who knows the truth about everything!

“Why do you say we shall be set free?”

à  Jesus says be “free” and they think negatively of being slaves held in bondage, but Jesus is talking about the positive aspects of being a son who is free to enjoy his fathers love and  provision.

V. 34 = “...everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.”

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

V. 35 = The True Son = not a household slave!  A son can command the servants of the house.  But servants are under compulsion to do what they are told.  So if sin takes up residence in our lives, it will start to  demand things of us, and control us.  And since the slave does not have the identity of a son, or the resources of the house of God, they will continue in servitude…

V. 36 = Free at last!

V. 37ff = Who’s your daddy?= God, Abraham, or the Devil??

à  Let’s just examine the fruit of each of our fathers for a moment:  what is the fruit of our disagreement?  You want to kill me!  And I plan to stand in judgment of you in the after life

à Now think about that, which is more threatening?  If I walk up to you and say, “Boy, I’m going to get you in the afterlife – just you wait!”  OR, “What you say is wrong and so now I will kill you!”  Hopefully you would agree with me that anyone threatening bodily harm in this life is out of step with Jesus and the Father – now there is an afterlife!  And depending upon whether we believe that Jesus actually rules that realm as he says he does, this will greatly impact how we live in this life.

à A most important fruit of having the true God as your father is LOVE

V. 42 = "If God were your Father, you would love me… I AM here.”

à While love is a fruit of God’s sons, the Devil also has a fruit of relationship: John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

 “Aren’t you a Samaritan and demon possessed?”

à Jesus response is to say that He honors God, and these accusations are dishonoring him.

V. 51 = “...if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

John 8:51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

à John 8:52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'

“Are you greater than Abraham? Who are you?”

John 8:53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"

V. 56 = “...Abraham rejoiced @ my day. He saw it and was glad."

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."

“You have seen Abraham?”

John 8:57 So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"

V. 58 = "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

à FINALLY they understand what Jesus is saying in the divine name.  Although he has been referencing it throughout the entire passage.

We’ve read a lot of questions from a group of people who had difficulty listening because they already had decided what would be acceptable or not.  How are we in this?  PRAY Listening>

On hiatus

XXX CUT XXX

Pastors ought to consider some of these Johannine texts which do not appear in the

lectionary. The story of the Galilean official (4:46-54) involves issues of faith and experience. A

man was driven to seek Jesus because of his son’s illness; he believed Jesus’ word of promise

without having seen a miracle, and his faith was deepened by the experience of his son’s healing.

The invalid at Bethesda (5:1-16) was just the opposite: Jesus healed him, with no evidence of

faith on the man’s part before or after he was healed, and the man subsequently reported Jesus to

the authorities. The story is invaluable because it shows that faith is not a precondition for

gracious actions on Jesus’ part. The remainder of chapter 5 is an example of Christian

apologetics, that is, it presents a reasoned defense of Jesus’ unity with the Father in response to

challenges from critics. Like a stirring courtroom drama, the charges are stated (5:17-18), Jesus

argues his case (5:19-30), presents his witnesses (5:31-40), and finally prosecutes a case against

his opponents (5:41-47). Chapters 7-8 present a series of debates concerning Jesus’ messiahship

in the context of festival worship (7:2), showing how Jesus used water and light, which were the

major symbols of the feast, to declare his identity.10

The lectionary can be a valuable tool for the study and proclamation of Scripture. It leads

pastor and congregation to many of the key sites on the biblical landscape and establishes a basis

for weekly text studies among pastors. Nevertheless, like the Fourth Evangelist, pastors must

sometimes take an independent path to vistas often bypassed. The lectionary is intended to

expand, not restrict, the number of texts for preaching. Pastors can and sometimes should include

texts not found in the cycle; they can use the texts prescribed for festivals on non-festival

Sundays and create sermon series that run independently of the assigned texts. The gospel of

John makes a bold and compelling witness to Christ which commands a full hearing in our time.

v. 8.44 = it’s this particular passage that really makes the modern day Jew uncomfortable – being called a son of the devil.  This language has been associated with anti-Semitism as it is rather harsh!  I want to be sensitive to these concerns – so how do I respond.  First of all, and I don’t want to be patronizing; but I love the Jewish Scriptures, I love to read them and appreciate their original context.  You must know that in our recent series of meeting the Savior, we have been learning about Jewish feast days, and religious observances.  When we did the Prophet, Priest, and King Series – we spent all kinds of time just looking at how important these three offices where to Israel.  When we did the Exodus series, I felt like I had wandered in the wilderness with the children of Israel – It was a long series!  Sometimes I wish some Jewish people would come to our church and just observe how much we love and appreciate their faith – we say with the New Testament, they are the roots of our faith!  In visiting a Jewish synagogue, I was amazed to see that our worship space even looks identical to theirs!  I think they would in some sense, feel at home here – that might be stretching it – but we care deeply about what the Old Testament teaches – And yet, Christ is the hope of Israel!  Those who place their faith become children of Abraham – I know that is a bit of a rub to those who put confidence in their family lineage.  I too must struggle somewhat with my family heritage – but I am able to distance myself from my Dutch history – The Dutch were colonists, imperialists, and slave traders – I am sensitive to that part of my family history – but that is not me.  Just as many Roman Catholics can agree that the church at the time of Martin Luther DID IN FACT need a reformation – probably not as much as happened, but they can agree that abuses did take place.  Almost every race of people can find a dark place in their history – and perhaps today’s Jewish population (AND, those who read passages like this) can say that was a particular group of people at a particular time that does not necessarily represent today. (MAYBE SS STUFF)

Jojo = 8.22; 33; 57

v. 28 = start here “lifted up” notes

-         disciple = 53x’s in Mat.  = 43x’s

v. 31 = people do all kinds of believing in the Gospel of John, but John wants MORE than just believers, he wants disciples!  You are a TRUE believer when you APPLY the teaching.  Jesus calls this abiding.  A disciple hangs on every word and action of the savior, and finds their meaning and motivation by being connected to Jesus – just as a branch is connected to a vine.  How do we connect to Jesus so that we learn his words and actions – well, how many sermons have we heard about the benefits of reading, praying, journaling, memorizing, and meditating on God’s word?  This would be just the start.  Finding a fellowship of believers that actually take the claims and convictions seriously so that there is accountability to the faith.  Setting apart times to be the voice and hands of Jesus to our world – blessing people with acts of service – meeting needs of those who are sick, imprisoned, and without daily needs.  Actually taking your beautiful feet into missionary contexts to share the Good News.  And certainly, remembering the work of Christ on your behalf in regular observance of the sacraments – being sure to examine yourself and to recall your need of a Savior and His promises.

So they believed something about Jesus – that he was impressive, that he was knowledgeable, that he had authority, but this does not mean that they Trusted in him!

v. 33 = ‘never been enslaved?’ What are you talking about??  Willful ignorance of their history!  No wonder they didn’t know where Jesus was born, they just wanted to believe in notions that gave them a right to argue with something they didn’t like hearing…

v. 34 = without even going into the whole, ‘you were enslaved in Egypt and the Exodus thing… not to mention the Babylonians, the Persian, the Greeks, and the Romans holding them under their thumbs…

v. 35 = Son or Slave?  Keeping with a theme for John’s gospel – becoming a child of God allows you the rights and privileges of being a child of God.  What is a B & P?  Well, as a son, you can’t lose your job?  You won’t lose your place in the home; and you will be promoted to the owner of the entire fortune someday – slaves do not receive that unless they are adopted as sons.

v. 35 = So if the # 1 Son says that you are free, you must believe it and ACT like it.

v. 36 = Makes the distinction – I know that you are a son of Abraham, and you are putting so much confidence in that relationship – this is so much a part of your identity, you won’t even allow new categories for your faith – you are dismissing me out of hand because from the beginning you are ruling out my premise = = we can be more than children of Abraham, we can be God’s children.  ((major discussion about all the conversations that go on in our brains, that as soon as someone triggers a word or phrase that we associate with trouble, or don’t respect, we automatically reject the message and the messenger.  I admit that I’m guilty of this.  If a person makes a presentation about truth, and they mention a political view I do not embrace, if they respect someone I don’t, anything like that – I rule them out, and reject them – sometimes with disdain.

Vs. 38 == let’s admit our biases – you have information that you’ve embraced from your fathers – I have information that I embrace from my Father == but what is the fruit of our disagreement?  You want to kill me!  And I plan to stand in judgment of you in the after life à Now think about that, which is more threatening?  If I walk up to you and say, “Boy, I’m going to get you in the afterlife – just you wait!”  OR, “What you say is wrong and so now I will kill you!”

Well, I would hope that you would agree with me that threatening someone’s present existence is more threatening – And I would further submit that any religion or political movement that uses this kind of threatening should be dismissed out of hand because there is no true dependence upon God to defend himself, my opinion.  Having said that, the Christian faith never, never, never, threatens anyone with bodily harm – we do not battle against flesh and blood – our threat, if you want to call it that, will amount to praying for people (that does threaten people doesn’t it?  I’m going to pray for you man; that God reveals Himself to you.)  The only other threat, if you will, is that we disassociate with people and tell them they must refrain from participating at the table – this is called, appropriately, “ex – communication.”  It is a declaration from the church saying, “Until you repent, your lifestyle indicates that you are NOT in communion with Christ, so why are you pretending at church when you are not with the rest of your life?  By suspending someone from the table for a time, we are actually protecting them from the Lord disciplining and judging you by means that are weightier than human means.

v. 8.41 = jojo

v. 8.42 = Jesus always doing God’s will.  (paper for school – elective of John at CSUF)

v. 8.46 = “Who accuses me of a sin?”  I would never try to end an argument with this line!  When they finally accuse Jesus of a sin or a crime, what is it?  Blasphemy!  Claiming to be God!  Well, that was not a sin, it was the truth!  So their judgment of Jesus will become the witness against those who delivered him up.

V. 52 = HOW do you know how a demon talks?

v. 53 = I don’t care which father you claim ultimately – Abraham and God the Father are both very happy that I am here!

v. 8.55 = “Jesus keeps God’s word…”  Which is important in this debate – there are plenty of people who KNOW what God’s word says, but not everyone actually DOES what God’s word says.  We know how to bash one another with Bible verses; but we often neglect all the passages that tell us what kind of attitudes we should have, and what should be the fruit of our lips.

v. 8.58 = I am!  Not, I am here, I have arrived, I became, I am becoming – it is the verb, TO BE – it is the divine name!  And they understood what Jesus was claiming – eternal existence and equality with God in his nature and purposes – Jesus is claiming God’s identity!