Jesus speaks - Pt. III

46 “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

Jesus’ point is spot on, His logic irrefutable, so the only thing left for the Pharisees is to resort to name calling.

Now we get to our passage tonight and it will contain the next of the great “I AM” statements. May we look together now?

Our Passage

John 8:48–49 NASB95

48 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.

John 8:50–51 NASB95

50 “But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”

John 8:52–53 NASB95

52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 “Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?”

John 8:54–55 NASB95

54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.

John 8:56–57 NASB95

56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

John 8:58–59 NASB95

58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

Any general observations?

What is the Jews accusation (v.48)?

What does Jesus say He does compared to what they do (v.49)?

Carefully look at (v.50), who is the One?

What does Jesus have to say about His word (vv.51-52)?

What is the Jews question, snark comment (v.53)?

Who gives the glory (vv.54-55)?

What did Abraham rejoice in (v.56)?

You see more snark (v.57)

What is Jesus claim (v.58)?

Why did they pick up stones (v.59)?

Charges addressed

Jesus accused of being a Samaritan and having a demon

This is not really anything new, they could not refute the lord’s statements before (8:41) so they attacked His character claiming he was born of fornication.

It was an insult to be called a Samaritan.

Jesus response, I honor My Father, you dishonor Me.

How does Jesus honor His Father?

How do they dishonor Jesus?

Kuzik said, and he found the quote from another source, but not sure the source.

“Jesus desire to honor God and His personal humility disproved any charge of demonic possession. since those who have Satan as their spiritual parent will have some of the characteristics of Satan, they will have an evident pride and self-seeking - things that were and are absent in Jesus.”

A promise and a call

If anyone keeps My word

Jesus had previously warned them that they would die in their sins because of unbelief (8:24)

Jesus invites them to believe by keeping His word

Basically He is pleading with them, hey if you simply receive and embrace what I’m telling you, you will never see death.

Is that not the same that is offered to us today? We will not taste the 2nd death?

The death Jesus is speaking of is not annihilation, nor termination, it is transformation! For we will see Jesus (2Cor5:8) and we will be like Him (1Jn3:2)

The great promise is to those who believe and keep His word

Spurgeon said regarding never see death: “When the gospel of the Lord Jesus comes to my soul, and I keep his saying by faith, I am turned completely round. My back is upon death, and my face is towards eternal life.”

Now, look at (v.53) The Jews think they have Him.

John 8:53 GNB

53 Our father Abraham died; you do not claim to be greater than Abraham, do you? And the prophets also died. Who do you think you are?”

Jesus came to give life, eternal life (Jn20:31); He came that those who believe may not taste death/see death (8:51-52); So they may walk in the light (1Jn1:7).

How is Jesus greater than Abraham (v.53)?

Because of His claim, and the proof that He will offer on the cross, and also by the signs and wonders He had already done.

Now we turn back to the scripture and see how Jesus answers. We need to keep in context to get a better understanding

John 8:54 GNB

54 Jesus answered, “If I were to honour myself, that honour would be worth nothing. The one who honours me is my Father—the very one you say is your God.

John 8:55 GNB

55 You have never known him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his word.

John 8:56 GNB

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see the time of my coming; he saw it and was glad.”

Who honors/glorifies Jesus (v.54)?

The Father does

Jesus makes another bold claim (v.55), can you see it?

You never knew Him, or have not come to know Him

Jesus backs it up in normal fashion, I know Him, I keep His word. He does what pleases the Father (Jn8:29), what He hears from the Father (Jn8:38) and what He sees the Father doing (also Jn8:38).

Abraham rejoiced to see His day

Did Jesus say Abraham saw His day (v.56)?

It says he did

But you maybe asking when, how? Here are some possibilities

By faith as seen in (Heb11:10, 13-16)

Heb11:10 “10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

Heb11:13-16 “13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country

of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”

How about with Melchizedek, believed to be Christophany (Gen14:17-24)

Gen14:17-20 “17 Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all.”

Gen14:21-24 “21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.” 22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 “I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.””

Melchizedek name means “King of Righteousness” - is that not who Jesus is?

He was from Salem which means “peace” - is Jesus not the prince of peace?

There is no history of him, no parents, no beginning, no end

Heb7:3 “3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.”

Here comes the “I AM” statement

John 8:58 GNB

58 “I am telling you the truth,” Jesus replied. “Before Abraham was born, ‘I Am’.”

This is not the first.

John 4:26 (NLT)

26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”

How about

John 6:35 NASB95

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

and

John 6:41 NASB95

41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”

as well as 6:48, 51 too

Since on a roll can’t stop

John 8:12 NASB95

12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

This did not sit well with the Jews, so they mock him again

John 8:57 GNB

57 They said to him, “You are not even fifty years old—and you have seen Abraham?”

They knew he was not 50, but 50 is when a man would retire from temple service, they again were mocking him.

Jesus response was great

John 8:58 NASB95

58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

This is another statement that makes Him equal, claims equality with God like

John 5:18 NASB95

18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Jesus presented the truth with invitation for them to believe, to trust Him and be set free, yet they did not. They chose to walk in the darkness when the Light was standing right before them.

So, this is where they, the Jews, go with it next

John 8:59 GNB

59 Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

When they, the Jews, picked up stones to stone Him, they understood his claim and were going to take matters, judgment into their own hands, but God had a divine time schedule.

Jesus hour had not come (Jn7:30), so they could not stone Him, they could not lay hands on Him.

The glory of God, the shekinah glory that had been absent for about 1000 years had reappeared in the temple, now left the temple again.

This is because the people rejected Him, just like the Israelites had forgotten God and did not even notice when the glory left the temple before (in Eze10).

So, a final question today.

(Insert whose child are you picture here)

Whose child are you? Is God your Father through your faith and dependence on God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ?

Have you obeyed the gospel as prescribed in the scriptures?

Or, are you trying a works of righteousness religion that does not save? This righteousness is of man, not of God, and it is a false righteousness. For Jesus is the righteous one.

You need to know whose child you are, it has eternal consequences.

(Prayer)

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