Jesus, Light of the World (Part 2 - John 8:19-30)

Pride is subtle and shape-shifting. There is more of it at work in our hearts than we know, and more of it pulsing through our busyness than we realize. Pride is the villain with a thousand faces: People-pleasing, Pats on the back, Performance evaluation, Possessions, Proving myself, Pity, Poor planning, Power, Perfectionism, Position, Prestige and Posting. Here’s the bottom line: of all the possible problems contributing to our busyness, it’s a pretty good bet that one of the most pervasive is pride. It’s okay to be busy at times. You can’t love and serve others without giving of your time. So work hard; work long; work often. Just remember it’s not supposed to be about you. Feed people, not your pride.

We saw last week the beautiful truth and reality of Jesus as the Light of the World.

We also saw that, despite that, spiritual blindness remains and man remains in darkness.

The overarching reason for this is that the adversary has blinded their minds.

PRIDE is always involved. The adversary blinds the minds of man THROUGH PRIDE.

Is it any wonder that God detests it so?

The Spirit must give eyes to see, must press back the darkness to let the light shine in so that man may repent and believe.

The Spirit must humble our hearts in order for us to repent and believe.

The work of salvation is a work of God, solely and completely. We must remember this.

We can save no one. We can convince no one.

We MUST proclaim the truth, for we are commanded to do so and God uses that proclamation to draw men to himself, but we must pray for and rely upon the work of the HS and actually bring about salvation, to actually bring about light working it perfect affect.

Regardless of this, scripture exposes for us some of the reasons why the flesh continues to remain blind.

In truth, all of them are rooted in pride.

As we seek to proclaim truth, it is important to understand some of these because there are a myriad of ways in which truth can be presented. There are a myriad of reasons why man remains blind and understanding the reasons may give insight to different means of sharing the same truth; ways that can be used by God to draw men to the light.

Sermon Body

Big Idea: Though The True Light of the World shines, beware of the blindness that persists.

Again, I believe this passage exposes four reasons why that is true. They are not ALL the reasons, but they are reasons.

We considered one reason last week.

What was the first reason that spiritual blindness remains?

Wrong standard of judgement - John 8:12-18.

John 8:12–18 ESV

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.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”

Man remains blind because they judge by the wrong standard.

They judge things according to fleshly wisdom and fleshly insight.

They think they know more than God. They pride themselves on understanding that they don’t truly have.

They have become so self assured and self-righteous that they become confident in their ability to judge rightly.

Like Job’s friends who thought that they had perfect understanding, they are not even open to or willing to concede the fact that they might not be as wise and discerning, as knowledgeable as they think.

We too must be wary of this danger. We can grow so confident in our knowledge that stop being teachable.

We can grow so confident in our “understanding” that we miss the bigger picture and misjudge and misinterpret that which we think we understand.

Secondly, man remains blind due to a lack of intimacy with God.

Lack of Intimacy - John 8:19-20.

John 8:19–20 ESV

19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

These Pharisees did not know God.

They had knowledge of God. They had knowledge of his word. But they did not KNOW God intimately.

Their pride and joy was found in their depth of knowledge and “understanding.”

Why does knowledge not automatically equate with intimacy?

Because relationship is more than just knowledge. Relationship is about shared values, shared vision, share goals, shared purpose. Relationship is about valuing the other person and loving them more than self, sacrificially giving for their benefit.

While one may retain knowledge about a person or subject, it does not necessarily mean that there is a shared mutual investment.

Time after time, after time, despite the incredible miracles Jesus did, they refused to connect their knowledge to Jesus, they refused to connect their knowledge to the one fulfilling the very words of the text.

For instance...

Luke 11:14-23.

Luke 11:14–23 ESV

14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Few had ever seen demons cast out. They marveled! The works this man was doing was so profound! Even the demons could not withstand him.

DESPITE THIS…their response....It is by the devil himself that he casts out demons!

They attribute this great work to the enemy himself....the enemy putting out his own demons.

Jesus response…a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. IF I truly do this by his power, the devil is doomed to failure.

If I am doing this by the devil, then how are those who have cast out demons before me done so? The implied question is, have they also cast out demons by the devil?

BUT, if I do so by the hand of God, then the kingdom of God HAS COME TO YOU.

In other words, my casting out of demons IS A CLEAR SIGN OF MY AUTHORITY FROM GOD AND IS AN AUTHENTICATION OF MY WORDS but you fail to see it.

SO INTENT were they on denying his person that they were willing to attribute the very works of God to the devil.

This is the blindness of man.

Because they did not know God. They knew truth. They did not know God.

How do we guard against the danger of acquiring knowledge and equating that to intimacy? How do we develop intimacy with God?

ALWAYS apply knowledge to our understanding of God, pushing us to worship and delight in God more. ALWAYS apply the knowledge to our life and ways that we can grow in holiness. ALWAYS seek for application and be mindful it daily.

Praying for humility and intimacy.

Unhurried time with God in his word and prayer

Staying intimately connected with the body

Practice repentance daily.

Reflect often on the cross and the gospel

Read, study, memorize, meditate AND APPLY the word of God DAILY.

The soberness of this reality cannot be understated. THERE IS A VERY REAL DANGER OF KNOWING TRUTH AND NOT KNOWING GOD.

There is a very real danger of knowing truth but not being saved by that truth.

The Joshua Harris’ of our world who walk away, who fall away after professing Christ and even “serving” him for years should sober us to the reality of this truth.

I want you to note the contrast between these guys and those mentioned here in Luke 2:22-38.

Luke 2:22–38 ESV

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Why did Simeon and Anna recognize Jesus, as an infant, and the Pharisees did not recognize him as an adult doing miraculous signs?

Because there was an intimate relationship with God.

They were devout, humble followers of God.

The Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die till he saw the promised child.

This comes from a depth of intimacy when one humbly pursues and seeks after God.

Why did Joseph and Mary not resist when God’s word came to them?

Even Zechariah, despite his lack of faith, he was devoted to God and in the end, he followed, he obeyed.

Why?

Because they knew God and trusted God, even if their faith did falter and times.

There was intimacy with God.

How does one develop true intimacy with God?

Time.

Do you spend quality, unhurried time with God in His word, in prayer, with the body?

Do you rehearse his character and works over and over again as a means to remind, refresh, and reinvigorate ones passion for Him?

May we not be like the Pharisees who, though they possessed knowledge, lacked intimacy with God and missed the greatest gift, the greatest treasure God could ever send.

Thirdly, their blindness remained due to misplaced values.

Have you ever been guilty of mistaking knowledge for intimacy? Are you currently mistaking knowledge for intimacy?

Misplaced Values - John 8:21-24.

John 8:21–24 ESV

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.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

Jesus is not done with these empty shelled Pharisees. His rebuke will continue.

He repeats and reiterates what he has already stated…unless they believe that HE IS the Son of God, the Messiah, they would die in their sins. This is a truth that they continue to reject and fail to see.

In response, they mock him.

Why do people mock one another? Why do they mock Christ here?

One possibility I see here is that, in addition to their intense scorn for and hatred of him, their inability to understand what is trying to say to them, leads them to mockery in order their own embarrassment of not being able to understand.

Their mockery is an attempt to deflect the accusation and the scathing rebuke he is sending their way.

The best way to deflect, the disempower someone is to find fault with them, to point out their wrong doing.

Is this not one way to cover our own embarrassment, shame, or guilt?

Is this not one way to rebut attacks against our sufficiency, worth, or value?

Does not our pride seek a way to defend and justify itself?

And if it cannot come up with legitimate rebuttals, it will resort to attacks.

Thus we see their accusation...

“Will he kill himself, since he says, Where I am going, you cannot come?”

You can almost see them turning to one another, mocking, laughing, jabbing each other in mockery.

The Jews detest suicide. They believed that those who committed suicide went to the blackest, darkest part of hell.

Jewish historian Josephus wrote, “The souls of those whose hands have acted madly against themselves are received by the darkest place in Hades” (The Wars of the Jews, iii. viii. 5).

Since they themselves thought they were going to heaven, this was a credible jest, jibe, and mockery that put them on the attack and not on the defense anymore.

They do not respond to his assertion that they do not know the father.

They do not respond to his assertion that they will die in their sins if they do not believe he is the one.

So confident are they (or so desperately trying to hide their shame and guilt) that they simply seek to discredit him by smearing his character.

Still unfazed, as only Jesus can do, he responds...

You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

And by world, he means more than this temporal, physical world.

While it is true that is not of earth and comes from heaven, when he says he is not of this world while they are, he is also (and more importantly) speaking of the way of thinking, the values and philosophies of two entirely different and opposed views.

In this context, world refers to the invisible spiritual world, it forces, and ideals that are raised up AGAINST the knowledge of God.

John MacArthur notes...

The world does not recognize Jesus’ true identity (1:10), or that of believers (1 John 3:1). It is also ignorant of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent (14:17). Those engulfed in the world “[love] the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds [are] evil” (John 3:19). As a result, they are utterly blind to spiritual truth (2 Cor. 4:4; cf. Matt. 13:11; John 12:39–40; Rom. 8:5; 1 Cor. 2:14)—having filled themselves with hatred toward Jesus (and His followers; John 15:18–19; 17:14; 1 John 3:13) for confronting their sin (John 7:7; 15:18). Because it hates God, the world rejoices in the death of His Son (16:20; cf. Matt. 21:37–39).

John F. MacArthur Jr., John 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2006), 347.

The world represents ALL that is opposed to God, in open rebellion to Him.

This why James says..

James 4:4.

James 4:4 ESV

4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Friendship with the world is to be an enemy of God. They are on two totally different playing fields. There is no union between the two.

The Pharisees are of the world. Jesus is of Heaven.

Thus, their spiritual blindness remains.

Do not be surprised beloved, when the world remains blind to truth. Pray for the Spirit to enlighten, to draw, the grant faith and repentance to them, trusting that HE DESIRES EVEN MORE THAN WE for men to repent.

All that salvation requires is for men to confess their sin, repent of it, place their faith in Christ ALONE to save them, and to yield their life in utter surrender and abandon to him.

But this is an act that only God can accomplish. He must work, must soften hearts, must shine the light of the gospel into their beings for them to see.

Unfortunately, men’s sin remains, their blindness remains because they are hard at heart. In our pride, we think we can know and determine better than God the things of greatest value and worth. And in our arrogance, in our misplaced values, we die in our sins (Unless we believe in Christ).

In what way(s) are you living as a friend of the world, adopting and embracing worldly values that stand at opposition to God?

How are we guilty of misplaced values in our lives? What are some common areas that we misplace our values?

Safety - missionaries refusing or being refused to go to dangerous countries because it is not safe. Certainly there is prudence and wisdom here, but safety alone may not be a reason NOT to take the gospel to a desperately needed country.

We elevate comfort and pleasure to too high of a place.

Lack of forgiveness and reconciliation. At times, the worlds ideas behind forgiveness and reconciliation stands at odds with God.

The comforts of this life. At times, the comforts of this life mean more to use then sacrificing to proclaim the gospel or serve another. We have gotten too comfortable here, forgetting we are just passing through

Use of our finances. Spending too much on self and too little on the king dom.

Hardness of Heart - John 8:25-30.

John 8:25–30 ESV

25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 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. 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.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Who are you?

There are several possibilities of how to take their tone....

Who do you think you are? Incredulous, disbelieving response

Who do YOU think you are (that unless we believe, we will die in our sin)? Mocking tone at the audacity of his claim and the arrogance of it (while ignoring their own arrogance)

Who are you? Asked with sincerity in awe and wonder of such a one to make the claims he is.

Most likely NOT this third from the context BUT…the end of this text suggests that some superficially believe, so perhaps for some, this was a sincere question asked in ignorance because they have been missing his message all along.

For most, the first two suggestions are more than likely the tone of their question.

Jesus...

I have been telling you (plainly) who I am.

You have not been listening

This is the essence of his answer.

They have just failed to truly understand.

I have much to tell you....

They did not understand...

Point is, their hard hearts prevented them from truly hearing and understanding.

They may have heard the words, but the message was lost on them.

Not a new theme for Israel...

Ezekiel the prophet was sent to speak to the people. He was told THEY WOULD NOT HEAR because of their hard hearts, but go anyway.

Ezekiel 3:1-11.

Ezekiel 3:1–11 ESV

1 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. 4 And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears. 11 And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

On a side note…Ezekiel was not responsible for their response…only to go.

The same is true with us.

We are told to go. We are NOT told to save people or to convince people. Simply to proclaim.

Do not let man’s response, or their anticipated response, stop us from going.

It is God who changes hearts.

Israel then, and even now in Jesus time, suffered from hard hearts.

Our world today is suffering from hard hearts.

Why? Pride. We think we know better than God. We think we can do without God.

For many there, their hearts are so hard, they have failed to hear, failed to understand, failed to see.

Their response, however, should not stop us from going, from proclaiming.

It did not stop Jesus.

So Jesus tells them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man...

Reference to His crucifixion

In other words, when he is tried, crucified, and risen again, then....they will know.

A full understanding will come AFTER all is said and done.

Christ’s death and resurrection vindicated every claim ever made for Jesus by the prophets and apostles, and erased all doubt to any open mind as to His deity. That great and glorious work proved that He truly spoke the things that the Father taught Him, that the Father was one with Him and could not leave Him alone, and that He always did the things that are pleasing to the Father, for He could do nothing else in His divine perfection (Heb. 7:26).11 John F. MacArthur Jr., John 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2006), 350.

Then you will know that “I AM.”

The HE is not present in the Greek.

This is yet another occasion of his claiming the “I AM” terminology of YWH in the OT.

It is a bold and clear statement of his deity and his identification with God.

He will make it again towards the end of chapter 8, and they will want to stone him for it because they totally understand what he is doing and what he is claiming and they will have none of it.

Jesus came to bring life.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

The sad reality is, not all will be saved.

Some will remain in darkness. They loved darkness. They prefer it over the light because their deeds are evil.

Some will remain spiritually blind.

None of this changes a thing for us.

We must still go

We must still proclaim

We must pray for God to remove the blindness, to draw men to repentance, and we must worship Him when he does.

Understanding the reasons why men remain in darkness, spiritually blind, should MOTIVATE us to pray more, be faithful in obedience, bold in proclamation, and fervent in action…for perhaps, through us, God may yet save some for Himself.

Why is the reality of man’s hard heart so sobering?

LIke pride, it prevents man from repenting and believing.

It keeps man trapped in their sin, under the wrath of God (John 3:36).

Is it possible for followers of Christ to develop hard hearts? Explain?

How do we guard against developing a hard heart?

Keep daily in the word and pray

Keep in community

Practice repentance daily

Reflect upon the cross daily

Remember OFTEN how much we have been forgiven and the cost it took to provide that forgiveness.

For those present, for those receiving Jesus’ words, we will see....

Conclusion

John 8:30.

John 8:30 ESV

30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

The outcome of this discussion APPEARS to have fruit.

However, as we will see, as we continue on in this text, their belief had not yet resulted in saving faith. They were beginning but not there yet.

But that is for next time, and our next text.

Big Idea: Beware, though The Light shines, blindness can persist.

Four Reasons that, though The Light shines, man remains blind.

Wrong standard of judgement - John 8:12-18.

Lack of Intimacy - John 8:19-20.

Misplaced Values - John 8:21-24.

Hardness of Heart - John 8:25-30.

Though the light shines, spiritual blindness remains.

Being aware of the reasons equips us to be more specific in our prayers and more passionate in our prayers for the intervening work of the Spirit to intercede. May our passion and fervency grow to match that of our Heavenly fathers. And as we intercede for the lost, as we interceded for the body, may God protect from spiritual blindness and shine his glorious light into our hearts so that we are ever growing together to become more like Jesus for the glory of God.

Application