Did they believe?
Notes
Transcript
Did they believe?
Did they believe?
I know some of you, maybe most of your hate history. But bear with me for a minute. If you ever make it to Boston you can go on a self-guided tour of American history.
It is called the freedom trail and it starts in Boston common which is the oldest public park in the US (almost 400 years old) and next to the oldest subway in the US.
Next you go to the Massachusetts state house which was built in 1798 and the dome was guilded by Paul Revere. It was later covered by 23k gold.
Next is the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial (largest volunteer African-American regime in the civil war)
Next is Park St Church site of the first ever Sunday School in the US and and where abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison made his first anti-slavery speech
Skip ahead and you come to Old South Meeting House where they planned the Boston Tea Party
Next is Old State House where the declaration of Independence was read for the first time.
You will walk by the site of the Boston Massacre, past the Paul Revere House and statue
Next is Old North Church the oldest church in Boston (1723)
You finish near the USS Constitution the oldest navy ship in the US and the Bunker Hill Memorial.
I did that tour, I actually ate at the Green Dragon Inn which opened in 1654 and was the site that Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Samuel Prescott planned the midnight ride—they warned the militia were coming and started the revolutionary war.
Whats the point of this? Well in Boston to follow this tour all you have to do is follow the red brick pathway all through the city. It is clearly marked with placards and bricks to show you where to go and what to see. Hundreds of years of American history right there in front of you and there is no question where to go and what to do.
The Christian life in many ways is that simple. We have a standard, a guide, showing us exactly how to live and what to do. And this wasn’t that different in Jesus day, they knew what they were supposed to do.
As we finished our lesson and passage last time we concluded this interaction with Jesus and the Pharisees with this:
As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
And so Jesus has this lengthy encounter and many people “believed” but he has to to answer the question, “believed in what?” Is their faith genuine.
We all know of or have heard of people who have “walked away from their faith.” The bible communicates that they actually didn’t walk away, they never believed, but regardless, we thought they were one thing but really they were another. Well how can we tell the difference? How do we know someone is a follower of Christ? In today’s passage we are going to see some ways how.
Tonight I am going to break you into groups and I want you to work together to write out what the passage says.
This half the room is going to write out Jesus says is true of those who walk in the light. This half is going to write out what Jesus says is true of those who walk in darkness.
John 8:31–59 (ESV)
Those who walk in light:
abide in my word (31)
know the truth (32)
set free by the Son (36)
of the Father (38)
following Abrahams works (39)
love me (42)
hears the words of God (47)
honor the Father (49)
keeps his word (51,55)
know Him (55)
Those who walk in darkness:
practices sin/slave to sin (34)
does not remain in the house (35)
seek to kill (37,40)
speak of what their father tells them (38)
doing the works of your father (41)
cannot bear to hear his word (43)
of your father the devil (44)
your will is to do fathers desires (44)
your father is liar, father of lies (44)
do not believe the truth (45)
do not hear the truth (47)
dishonor God (49)
have not known him (55)
This encounter of Jesus with the Jewish people who claimed to be followers of Jesus helps us understand what this looks like.
I actually think working through this together is very helpful. Let me just point out a few verses and then wrap this up.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The mark of a true believer is the truth, God’s word.
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
God’s word is not only the truth, it is a mark of a true follower. The truth is in you and it encourages and admonishes you, helps you grow, walk and discern.
This is a perfect intro to the retreat in a couple weeks, we are going to talk about integrity. We have to be known as be honest, truthful people. We cannot be known as people who say one thing and do another.
They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Your lineage or family history does not get you into heaven. You come from Abraham—great, you are still slave to your sin.
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
There is no either or. Those who practice sin, who practice lawlessness are slaves to sin and slaves to darkness, to wickedness.
They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,
They still did not understand. They thought since they were Jewish, since they followed in Abraham’s footsteps they were okay. No, if you want to follow in his footsteps you would obey, but you don’t. You don’t do the things Abraham did because he was saved and you are not.
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 does not stand in 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.
We are all sons of the father of lies, the devil. And until we are Redeemed, we are subject to the father of lies, the devil, and his desires.
Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
The best preachers and the most elegant presentations can fall on your hears but if your eyes are not opened it doesnt matter.
We can see the clear differences between someone who is walking in light and someone walking in darkness. Jesus is taking the time to tell them that while you may believe that you believe, there will be clear evidence that you believe.
Those who truly follow Christ will back it up with hard evidence. It becomes clear over time those who are of the spirit. As you see this list there is a big difference between the two groups and you belong to one or the other, there is no half and half.
So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
The picked up their stones to throw at him. What he was saying was so aggravating and enraging they wanted to kill him.