Destination Unknown?

Destination unknown?

John 8:21-30

January 21, 2024

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In 1999, my wife and I graduated from college and set out on our adventure called life. The scary and exciting thing was that we immediately left school for the military. In so doing, we packed everything we owned (and that was not much) and drove from Idaho, across this county to Maryland for my first duty station at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD. It was exciting for two kids that had never been east of Yellowstone before.

Now, we were okay until we got past Montana. I still remember this drive as one of the most enduring adventures of our marriage. We had to rely on each other. I would drive, she navigated. Kids these days probably don’t know what this is. (SHOW MAP). You see, we had to use this, NOT siri, to make sure that we got the right exits, got to gas stations, got to hotels, and eventually got to the base in Maryland. I’ll tell you that Chicago about broke us. Try going through that ridiculous city with a paper map! We actually took an entire day to recover from that.

Today we see two destinations and two different travelers. Both are on the same ground but the two could not be any further apart in where they would end up. In our passage today, Jesus could not get any more blunt. He makes it so clear that to not have the right map, will in fact lead the traveler so utterly lost it will cost them their lives. The most alarming concern is that people, many people, do not know that they too are on the same road as the Pharisees.

Let’s do some quick review. This conversation that we just read is another part of a conversation that is building to our Lord’s murder. He is still teaching in the temple and, according to commentators, still in the treasury of the temple, on the last day of the Feast of Booths. Jesus has already claimed deity by saying that He is THE Light of the world and now, in this section, the gloves are coming off. Jesus moves from polite to direct in His teaching.

This section can be summed up easier than most. Here we learn that knowing Him is knowing the destination of the soul, the greatest treasure known to man and the only solace of life. But how do we do this is question? Let’s see what He teaches.

1. Born below, die twice (John 8:23)

I have used this statement before and I think that it is a great reminder to circle back. When we live our lives in rebellion from God, from His salvation, we have two appointments. One of the appointments is the physical death. We all get there and it’s not like we will escape life alive. It is one of those things called the circle of life. But, unfortunately, it does not stop at death. Let’s look at our text:

Vs 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.”

Masterfully, our Lord uses the heated exchange with the Pharisees as a teaching tool for His disciples later in John 14:28 as He reminds them of this conversation. His point that we can’t miss is that He knew where He came from, and where He was going. He also knew where they (the Pharisees) were and unfortunately for them, where they were headed. Their direction of travel was in opposite directions with catastrophic outcomes.

Vs 8:21 “I am going away, and you will seek me.”

Jesus is not just talking to these Pharisees. The sad truth is that many Jewish people are still waiting and searching. But, could we not lump others in that category? I googled how many “spiritual self-help books” there are. Google came up with more than 135,000,000 hits and that is just scratching the surface. If I changed the search parameters, I bet I could get even more hits. My point is that the human heart was built with the knowledge of the eternal. We know it is out there, we search and search and try to fill that desire with everything imaginable.

Mankind has been searching for an answer for the eternal since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, apart from Christ, there is a sad ending for those who reject Him.

Vs 21:” and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

Believe it or not, this is the gospel message in one short line. You (sinner), apart from HIM =Christ will die in your sin. Many pastors take this section of scripture and say that it is the most depressing section of John. I for one disagree! The Gospel is on full display! You can’t have the good news without knowing that there is a reason for it! The reason for the Gospel is that we all will die in our sin apart from Christ.

Look, in the culture of always being nice and never saying anything hurtful, I know that this saying will be a bit sharp but, I am completely okay with it. As Jesus taught, apart from Him, we are in our sin and will go to hell. You and I, apart from Him will spend an eternity apart from God in eternal torment designed for Satan and his minions. If we are NOT in Jesus, we have no salvation.

Now, look at verse 23:

Vs 23: “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world”

Christ is talking to those who are the experts of righteousness, those who are used as examples for “doing” everything right religiously. These are the thought leaders and perceived experts. Jesus even uses them as examples for the sermon on the mount in Mat 5:17. But, their expertise is in the show. Not in the heart. They were concerned with outward perception, not the heart.

Being “below”, as Jesus is speaking here is a picture of being carnal, fleshly and setting one’s mind on the things of the world not on the things above (something that all mankind does). He was saying that they were setting their minds on making sure that they follow the Law on their own abilities, on their own standards.

John the Baptist comments on them by saying in John 3:31:

“He who is of the Earth belongs to the Earth and speaks in an Earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.”

Being “of this world” is NOT a compliment. The statement “you are from below” is a strong figurative comment. Meaning, “oil and water” comparison and is used to prove that you (Pharisees could not be any further away from Me).

RC Ryle commented on this statement as:

Our Lord’s argument in this case appears to be as follows: “There is no union, harmony, or fellowship between you and Me. Your minds are entirely absorbed and buried in earth and objects of a mere earthly kind. You are from beneath, and of this world; while I came from heaven, and My heart is full of the things of heaven and My Father’s business.

Jesus is drawing a sharp contrast that He is completely separate and above this reality of human thought. The Pharisees are an example of this state of mankind. They were searching for an explanation while missing that their wisdom was actual blindness and the result was “no union with the Father.”

I hear questions from my kids like, “how in the world could they not see it? How could they not see Jesus for who He was?”

Vs 25 “So they said to Him, “who are you? Jesus said to them “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.”

The “you” or sy in Greek on “who are you” is like saying “who do you think you are?” But, the blindness of the Pharisees is still a warning to us today!

The answer to the question, how could they miss who He is that sin causes:

a. Blindness: Zephaniah 1:17 “I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD”

b. Pride: “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:5

c. Envy: James 3:14,15)“ 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.[2]

d. Stupidity: Romans 1:21, For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.[3]

So, Sin makes you blind, prideful in your blindness, envious of what is not yours and stupid. I am sorry if that is a bad word and I applaud parents for teaching kids that it is a bad word, because, spiritually speaking, I would rather be called anything but that. My desire is that no one in MBC be called by our Lord as spiritually un able to see, and full of pride, envy and dumb as a box of rocks.

Vs 26: “I have much to say about you and much to judge”

Church let me be very clear, for those who choose NOT believe in Christ, to recognize Him as Lord, their day of judgement looks dark. The devil doesn’t even need to show up to their judgment. Those who decide NOT to trust in Christ will be judged according to the Law. The perfect Law of God will be their accuser.

The only thing left is the judgment and there is only one who holds the mantle of that title is our Lord Jesus Christ. Look how that verse ends,

“I have much to say about you and much to judge…”

Apart from Christ, on that day of judgment, we will face our Judge and there is no jury of our peers. There is no hope of a mistrial or a leniency based on a head knowledge of Jesus. There is just one other person in the room and that is a just and perfect judge. And our accuser is the LAW that we ignore daily.

Thanks be to Jesus though, He isn’t done talking!

Vs 26 “but He who sent me is true and I declare to the world what I have heard from Him.”

In the gospel of John, this is a repeated theme. Christ receives the power to judge, execute judgment and save because of 1. Where He comes from (above) and 2. Who sent Him. In God’s mercy, He sent His Son, so that sinners may see The Light of the world BEFORE the judgment that I just described. God, being rich in mercy, even to people who would eventually “die in their sin” allows his common grace to afford those who will eventually pin Him to a cross to hear the plan of salvation.

Let me be very clear, Jesus says in our passage that those who do not believe that He is Lord, will in fact die physically but ALSO die spiritually. It is called the second death and is found in Rev 21:8

8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death[6]

Even in His blunt description of where sinners who reject Him are going, He gives the road map for hope! There is an exit from this highway to destruction! There is an off-ramp! There is another option besides hell. It is found in HIM!

2. Born above, die once. John 8:24

The author of Hebrews has an important promise for those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 9:27 it says:

Heb 9:27 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment[5]

Did you catch that very important number? “appointed for man to die ONCE…” Meaning, for the believer, there is only one death. There is good news in our text today! The good news, the “gospel” is laid out before us!

The only escape or exit from the road to destruction is what Jesus has to offer. This exclusive off-ramp points to the only means to salvation and the only way to escape the second death. By His grace, He shows us the pathway and that is “being from above”.

Vs 23 “He said to them “you are from below; I am from above.”

The very best way to fully understand this is back with our friend Nicodemus in chapter 3. We discussed this in depth when we covered John 3 but I would love to draw your attention to what Jesus said to Nicodemus under the cloak of night when Nicodemus asks, “how can a man be born when he is old.” Even here at MBC, some have asked or some may be asking the same question. Listen to how Jesus responds to this great question!

“unless one is born of water AND Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

That which is above is spirit, that which is below (or earthly) is flesh. The flesh in the bible is at odds with God. It is used as an opposition to those things of God. When we are “in the flesh” we cannot please or draw close to God because our flesh is at war with God. It is how we are genetically bent from birth. BUT, God being rich in mercy and THROUGH His Son offers a second birth. A new birth of the spirit. Paul writes in

1 Cor 15:50

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable[7]

Being born of the Spirit, HIS Spirit to be clear, is the ONLY way to become “one from above.” It is the only way to avoid the second death and the only way to be saved. Jesus is the pathway to being born from above. In our passage today, He is saying, if you stay in your sin, you will die in your sin. BUT, if you believe that I am (Ego IMI=God) He, the Savior of the World, you will be born of the Spirit and will live. He is offering, through HIMSELF the offramp of the road of destruction.

I am using the road analogy and if you don’t mind, I will push the analogy one step further. The highway to destruction is massive and easy to travel. It is easy to get mesmerized by the traffic and just roll along through life. This road distracts us, encourages us to keep going, and will do anything to keep us on this road. It is an 8 lain super highway. Billions of cars from the beginning of time have traveled this road and has many tread marks all pointing the same direction. It all leads off the cliff into the eternal separation from God. The offramps of the devil are only distractions. They all have a way of circling back to the same road of destruction.

But, there is one small offramp that is lit with THE LIGHT of the world. It is only wide enough for your shoulders. It is narrow and built specifically for one person, you. Not multiple people, just you. That offramp is Christ and it is for the believer to use. He is offering for you to be “born from above” or as He told Nicodemus, “born of the Spirit.” Then, after your race is done, when you step into the judgment your experience will look different than all the others on the super freeway.

Look, I know that an analogy breaks down but I want each of us to know that what Jesus is telling the Pharisees applies to each of us today. He is no longer talking in parables. He is no longer saying it nice. Remember there are offenses given and taken. What Jesus is saying is not offensive, He is not giving "offense"! But in our fallenness and as unbelievers, we take it as an offense. But we have no right to do so.

He is saying, unless you turn and follow Him in salvation, you will in fact die in your sin. Only He makes it possible to avoid that. Now, look down at your feet and tell me, what road are you on? Are your feet planted on the highway that billions of others are on? Or are you on the small road with a narrow offramp?

If we are born of the Spirit, the picture will look different when we die. The sinner will see judgment, the believer sees something completely different. As a believer, we have an advocate (lawyer) to represent us before the judge (Christ). That advocate is:

Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”

Behalf: in the interest of also: as a representative of[8]

Or how about:

1 John 2:1-2

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world[9]

Believer, imagine, the judge is our lawyer! What better way to face the accuser? But wait, you said there wasn’t an accuser earlier? Believers, we are being continually accused. Day and night the enemy of our salvation has put the hearts of the believers on his radar. He stands before God casting our every sin on the witness stand. Rev 12:10 says that he accuses them day and night before God. But, thanks be to God, we have an advocate standing before God, making it clear that:

Romans 8:1-2

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

For those that are saved, there is NO condemnation from the accuser that can possibly sway or change the heart and mind of our LORD. We have the very best advocate, representative and savior possible. And, because of this advocate, this heavenly NON human advocate, we see our Lord’s face. We see Him church! Not His back, but Him. This is a reality for those who are born of the Spirit. Those who have been born again THROUGH Christ Jesus. Those who have placed their faith and trust in the power of Christ and have repented from their sin.

3. Proper belief leads the way.

What is the most valuable thing that you own? What would you give all your money to have? Is there anything you can name in your life that you would give literally everything for? Think for just a second. If you can think of it, write it down.

For the believer, the most valuable thing on the planet should be proof that their faith is a saving faith. Think about that for just a minute. The most common question I hear and many other pastors get is, “How do I know that I am born again.” How do I know that I am on the right road (to go back to my analogy).

Many look back and hope to replicate an emotional response or a time when they said a prayer, sang a song or felt an emotional response to softly played music. This leads to the doubt of the believer. Salvation is NOT a response to something that you did. Salvation, true salvation is a response to something HE did!

Listen please, look over the course of your life. Was there a time when there was a transformation as a result of your profession of faith? It may have started with a profession of faith, but it should lead to an assurance that you have POSSESSION of the faith you professed!

Do you see a time when your life was once pursuing a life of sin and now you pursue a life of righteousness? Righteousness is the hallmark of a new life, a life that God has changed you! Do you act differently in the grocery store when people irritate you? Do you allow that car in front of you in? Do you forgive your brother when he sins against you? Do you forgive that family member who has trampled your kindness for years? Do you stop using God’s name as a slang word? Look, I am not saying that You have to follow these rules to be saved. I am saying that these statements should be a RESULT of what He has done in your life! A life that has changed from the bondage of sin and now is marked by a life of righteousness. Righteousness must be the new pattern of your life.

Romans 6:1

6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. [10]

Vs 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Vs 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

You want to know that your profession is real? Look back and tell me of a time of your transformation. The transformation is a RESULT of a new birth. The new birth should completely stand in opposition to your old self. If you are comfortable with people who disregard God’s truths, desecrate His Holy Word or are complicit to the sin around you, I would challenge you that what you believe may not be the saving faith you think it is.

BUT, if you can look back and say, there was a change. I am not perfect but I am aware of my sin and am working WITH God to be righteous. Then take hear believer! Stay connected to your Savior. Continue in your sanctification.

That knowledge is worth more than any gold, silver, or earthly position. That is what it means to be born of the Spirit, His Spirit in us. That, according to the Word of God is an indicator that you are on the right road. The off-ramp of Christ. The narrow gate that few find but blessed are they that do find it.

Unbeliever aside:

Listen, maybe you have never heard a message like that and think I just said you have to work your way into heaven. NOPE, you may have missed the entire point there. The point is, only through the birth of the Spirit can one change the life of sin to a life of righteousness. Christ said today, “unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins.” He is clearly saying that He is the ONLY fix for the penalty of sin, death. He alone can change you to a new creation in Him. One that is righteous and on the right road. Come, believe in Him and be saved.

Conclusion:

What road are you on? Is it His or yours? One is right, one is death.