The Truth Will Set you Free

This mornings passage definitely isn’t sugar coated

Good Morning

So grateful for the last couple of weeks

VBS then the Mission trip

Will definintly get you cup overflowing

But it is good to be back with you all

So, please turn in your Bibles to John 8:21-36 this morning

We will pick up where Pastor Tim left off last week

We are still at temple

still at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles

and Jesus has just finished declaring that He is the light of the world

and now, we have the Jews reaction to that

and Jesus’ response

So please stand as we read God’s word

Text

John 8:21–36 CSB

Then he said to them again, “I’m going away; you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’?” “You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” “Who are you?” they questioned. “Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.” They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him. Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

Illustration

Introduction:

Introduction

‌You know,

We often find ourselves caught between the desire to protect someone's feelings and the need to speak the truth.

This internal conflict can be particularly challenging when it comes to matters of faith and morality right

Let me say it like this,

Imagine a young man or woman struggling with a deep-seated addiction.

‌Her family and friends love her dearly and want to protect her from pain.

‌Now, they could choose to ignore the problem,‌

to pretend everything is okay,

‌and to shower her with compliments and affirmations.

‌This approach, while well-intentioned,

‌is akin to lying to make her feel better.

‌On the surface, it might seem like the compassionate thing to do.

‌But deep down, they know that this is not helping her.

‌It's allowing the addiction to fester,

‌and it's preventing her from experiencing the freedom and healing that can only come through facing the truth.

‌

Now, lets contrast this

with a loved one who approaches the situation with both honesty and compassion.

They acknowledge the addiction,

‌express their deep concern,

‌and offer unwavering support.

‌They just might not sugarcoat the consequences of her choices,

‌but they do so with love and a genuine desire to see her free from the bondage of addiction.

‌This approach is akin to Jesus' words that we will soon see in

John 8:32

: "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

‌See, the truth about the addiction is painful,

‌but it's also liberating.

‌It opens the door to recovery,

‌to new relationships,

‌and to a life filled with purpose and joy.

See, Just as the young woman in our illustration needs the truth

‌to break free from her addiction,

‌we all need the truth of God's Word

‌to set us free from sin and its destructive power.

‌The world offers us countless lies –

‌lies about happiness, success, and fulfillment.

‌But Jesus, He is the ultimate embodiment of truth,

‌and He offers us a different path: a path of freedom, love, and eternal life.

But sometimes he definitly doesn’t sugarcoat it

This mornings passage definitly isn’t sugar coated

But it is the way that Jesus approached it as we shall do the same

Our 3 points this morning as we dive into this idea of

rejection, truth, and freedom are

The Rejection of the Truth (and the consequences of rejecting it)

the fact that Truth is a Person

and That Truth is what sets you free

So lets get started with our first point of the morning

The Rejection of the Truth & its consequences

John 8:21 “Then he said to them again “I’m going away; you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.””

Jesus sure hits the ground running with this one

remember his sleeves are already rolled up

and he is not pulling any punches

remember we are essentially in the same conversaion you all covered last week

and at the end of passage Jesus is fired up

and he still is as we start this morning

So what is Jesus doing here

he essentially repeating what he has already told them in John 7:33–34 “Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time. Then I’m going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.””

which is part of this one account

And here he is repeating himself

why? Because they still arent getting it

And this time he didn’t say it near as nicely

One thing so many get wrong today is that they think that

Jesus is some weak man with

permed hair

and soft hands

when in fact he was the exact opposite

Jesus was a man of stregnth

integretiry

and he stood up for what was right

and he didn’t didn’t pull any punches

He told the truth, no matter the cost

And here is essentially saying

you are looking for truth in all of these other things

religion,

stuff

money

other people

you are looking for the messiah in all of the wrong places

thinking you know the scriptures good enough to form your own opinion of

what the messiah should be

And you will continue to look for the messiah in all of the wrong places

because I am the messiah

That is why he says you will look for me…

the messiah

and I am standing right in front of you

and yet you reject me

and because you reject me

you in turn you reject the truth

you reject the very one that can save you from your sins

And becuase you reject the truth

becuase you reject the messiah

you will die in your sin

And because you will die in your sin you will not be able to go where I am going

talking about heaven

So Jesus is essentially telling these folks

becuase of your unbelief and rejection

you cant go to heaven

which means yes,

you are heading to hell, or hades then gihenna (but that is something to discuss at a later time)

Now, do you realize that Jesus spoke about hell more than any other person in the bible

Listen to this exerpt from an article in the Gospel Coalition

Jesus doesn’t only reference hell, he describes it in great detail. He says it is a place of eternal torment (Luke 16:23), of unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43), where the worm does not die (Mark 9:48), where people will gnash their teeth in anguish and regret (Matt. 13:42), and from which there is no return, even to warn loved ones (Luke 16:19–31). He calls hell a place of “outer darkness” (Matt. 25:30), comparing it to “Gehenna” (Matt. 10:28), which was a trash dump outside the walls of Jerusalem where rubbish was burned and maggots abounded. Jesus talks about hell more than he talks about heaven, and describes it more vividly. There’s no denying that Jesus knew, believed, and warned about the absolute reality of hell.

Isn’t that interesting, that Jesus spoke about this more than anyone

And this was most likely because he had the best interpretation of what it would be like

and becuase he knew the bitter consequeses that came from not believing in him for salvation

and that means that He knew that those that would want nothing do with him

would get exactly what they wanted

You often hear me say that we are eternally seperated from God due to our sin

and that Christ bridges that gap through his work of redemption on the cross

So with that said, for those that reject the gospel

for those that reject that Jesus is God

for those that reject the truth that Jesus saves them

for those that want nothing to do with God here and now

They will simply get what they wanted

See Jesus does not send people to hell

no, they go there on their accord

they get exactly what they want

and that is eternal seperation from God

That is why, if we look closely we see that he says you will die in your sin

not sins

in your sin

as in singular

And this particular, singular sin

Jesus is speaking of

is the sin of unbelief

the sin of rejection

See the consequence of rejecting Jesus

as they did

and many today do

is eternal seperation from God

which emphasizes the gravity of those that don’t believe

and that reject the Gospel

Brothers and sisters, that is why it is so important we tell those we love about Jesus

that is why it is so important that people

know the truth

because hell is real

and the truth is

without Jesus

that is where we are going

Some may say that is not loving

but argue it is the other way around

Now, lets get back to our text

Still having no idea what Jesus is speaking of

The Jews reply with V22 & 23

They think he is going to kill himself

see to them,

all the religious practices they did

all the good works they performed

and dotted i’s and crossed t’s would get them into heaven

so if they are going to heaven because of all of thier good deads

and the fact that they are good Jews

and if Jesus is going where they cannot go

Then they think he obviously is going to hell

to the Jews one of the worst crimes you could commit against God was suicide

and that would get you a special place in sheol

so they think,

He is going to take his own life and go to sheol

that is the only way he will be where they cannot be

But see thier self rightiouness is one of the main factors leading to thier

rejection of Jesus

and this is ultimatly the oposite of what they think the outcome will be

Now, Jesus is speaking of his death

just not how they think

Jesus will voluntarily give up his own life

but not in the way that they think

That is why Jesus continues with your from below, and I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world

Jesus is restating the fact that

there is a gap between them and him

and between us and him

we are from this world

he is not from this world

there is a seperation as I often talk about

and if we want to be with him

then we must believe in him

See Jesus came from heaven right

Which means

He gave up heaven in order to give us heaven

He came from heaven and lived a perfect sinless life

and died in our place in order to give us heaven

he took off his royal clothes and crown

to put on our flesh and and crown of thorns

to save us from that seperation and hell we just talked about

And all we must do is believe in him

Now, V24 completes his point

if we do not believe that he is who he is

then we will die in our sins

he mentions that twice in this one verse

and mentioned once in v21

so he mentioned the fact that we will die in our sins 3 times within

these 3 verses

But this time it is plural

why,

becuase this refers to the mushroom of sin

and corruption that spills over from

the one sin of unbelief

in other words

the singular sin of unbelief

leads to multiple sins driving you further from the truth

Now, to wrap up this first point

I want to re-read V24 but from the NASB

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins

I like the way the NASB translates it here

That word “unless” is a beautiful word isn’t it

See, Unless you believe that Jesus is the son of God,

that he gave up heaven, for you

that he took your sin, for you

and that he can give you life,

and hope,

and heaven

unless you do those things’

then you will die in your sins and be cast away forever

forever seperated from God

It really is that simple

all it takes is faith

all that is required is to believe

Litterally the differance between

heaven and hell is faith in Jesus Christ

Yet so many reject that

just as these Jews in this passage reject him

and by doing that

they reject the truth

and we just saw what the consequenses of rejecting the truth were

Which leads us to our next point of the morning

Truth is a Person

These Jewish interogators

bless thier hearts right

they are blissfully confused

and they ask

almost as if they haven’t witnessed

Him proclaim that he is the bread of life

that he is the living water

that he is the light of the world

ignore the fact that he said he was all of those things

they ask him in V25

John 8:25 “Who are you”

And Jesus answers with

I am exactly the person I have been telling you about this entire time

and he elaborates on that in V26

But at the heart of the matter of what Jesus is saying

is that what he has been telling them from the beginning has been consistant

all the way back to when John the Baptist testified for him

That he is from the father

that he speaks for the father

that he will one day judge for the father

that his signs are from the father

that his healings are from the father

and that his father is true

But becuase they are of the world they do not understand he is speaking to them about the father

as John our author he clarifies in V27

So, Jesus gives another testimony as to who he is in V28 and 29

Lets read that one John 8:28 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”

Jesus is saying not only am I all the things I said I am

but one day, you will know this to be true

whether you reject it or not

as he referenced himself being lifted up on that cross

because it is on that day that his full glory will be shown

it is on that day that the full disclosure of who he is will take place

We can take meaning to the term lifted up

See when Jesus is lifted up on that cross

he is being lifted up into the fathers presence

returned to his former glory that he enjoyed before the world began

This doesn’t mean the cross is but a stepping stone on the way to exhaltation

but it is the exaltation of the cross

that shows his glorification of who he is

of his true identity as the messiah

as the lamb of world

That is the event, him being lifted upon that cross

even though it was carried out by his enemies

that is the event that solidifies who he is

One of the main functions of the cross is to reveal who Jesus is

and that is when the Jews will know the truth

and they will know the truth is not wrapped up

in some ideas or concepts

but that the truth is hanging there

on the cross

This most certainly doesn’t mean they will be moved to beleive in him

but if they do

it will most surely be because of the cross

And even those that dont beleive

those we just talked about that

reject Jesus as the truth

will one day stand condemned by him

who THEY lifted upon that cross

blinded by his glory

yet forced to kneel and confess that Jesus is Lord

Brothers and sisters Jesus’ work on the cross for us

proves to us that he is the

“way, the truth, and the life”

The cross elevates Jesus beyond merely

teaching the truth

but in it he becomes the personification of truth itself

He reveals the ultimate and absolute truth

about the nature of reality, moraliity, and salvation

and this truth that he personafies is not

a set of philosophical ideas

but it is a living person who interacts with us

When we understand that truth is the

person of Jesus Christ

it shifts our

focus from the absract ideas of truth

what the world tells us is true

into to a personal relationship with that truth

This transformation moves us from

seeking truth in philosophical theories or cultural norms

to experiencing it through a

living, dynamic relationship with Jesus.

In knowing Christ,

we engage with truth not as a distant concept

but as an intimate reality that guides and shapes our daily lives.

and this personal connection with Jesus provides a foundation

for understanding reality,

morality, and purpose

And if we dont reject the truth

and if we accept that the truth is found in Jesus Christ

Then we can beleive that that

Truth will set us free

Which is our final point of the morning

Truth That Will Set you Free

V30 says many beleived in Him

which on the surface is a good thing

and I am sure maybe some did

But what is interesting is that Jesus will soon describe some of these that came to faith as

slaves to sin (34)

those trying to kill him (37 & 40)

hardened (37)

children of the devil (44)

unbelievers (45-47)

and liars (55)

So what we can take from this is the fact that this crowd was mixed

there were some who genuinly believed

whom Jesus will address in V31-32

and those that don’t truly believe

as found in V34 through well, possibly even the end of the chapter

So lets start with Jesus adressing those that really believe

those that will be set free

So to ensure they really know what it means to beleive in him

and this has so much meaning for us today

in what we are to do once we have come

to believe Jesus is the truth

Jesus in V31 says

John 8:31–32“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples.”

See once we have accepted this truth

in order to be set free

we are to continue in His word

other translations use the word abide here, or to remain, or to persist

and this implies that we are to have a continuous relationship with Jesus

and we continue this relationship through his word

and His word is his message

about the kingdom of God

about salvation

and his instructions to live life outside of sin and bondage

and live life outside of the world in which we are temporarily living in

See those of us that are committed to Jesus as the truth

that continue in his word

that seek that relationship

will as V32 says

“...will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””

This means that we

who hold to the truth of Jesus will be able to

discern from falsehoods

we will discover the true way to live

according to God’s will

It says we will KNOW the truth

and this knowing is more than a intellectual knowing of truth

it will be engrained in our hearts

this knowing will be based upon the experiance of knowing Jesus Christ

and our relationship with Him

and knowing that truth, deep down in our hearts will set us free

Free from what?

Lets see as Jesus addresses the other group of “believers” that are only seeing things superficially

John 8:33–36 ““We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”

See they though that since they were able to keep thier identity as Hebrews or Jews through all of thier time as a nation

and even now, they were not slaves to the romans

they were actually one of the few nations still able to worship thier God under Roman rule

they don’t comprehend what Jesus is saying

they again think he is speaking of the wordly

They even go so far as to think that since they are the decendants of Abraham that that will set them free

That they are already free

They are Gods people, right

in the same fashion that so many today

think that the fact that they are a good person will get them into heaven

they think hell is reserved for those like Hitler

or Mao, or fill in the blank

But as we already looked at

this is not acurate,

it doesn’t matter how good you are

outside of Christ you are in the same boat

So Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.

Everyone is a slave to sin

Let me say that again everyone!

Here’s the deal

because we are all slaves to sin

We all long for freedom

a freedom that transcends our circumstances and liberates our hearts and souls.

Yet, many of us walk through life carrying these invisible chains,

weighed down by the guilt and shame of past mistakes,

or the relentless grip of sinful habits,

and the deep-seated fears that whisper we’ll never be truly free.

We will never be good enough

Sin has a way of entangling us,

deceiving us with promises of pleasure and fulfillment

but ultimately leading to bondage.

It might be the chains of addiction,

anger,

pride,

or unforgiveness that hold us captive.

And the power of sin often feels overwhelming,

like a never-ending battle we can’t seem to win.

We may try to overcome it through our own strength,

only to find ourselves defeated time and time again.

But the good news is that Jesus not only frees us from the penalty of sin but also from its power.

Through His sacrificial death on the cross,

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins,

offering us forgiveness and a fresh start.

This freedom from sin is not something we earn;

it is a gift of grace.

When we trust in Christ,

He washes us clean,

removing the stain of sin and guilt from our lives.

We are no longer defined by our past,

but by the freedom He provides.

When we place our trust in Christ,

the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us,

empowering us to live victoriously.

This means we are no longer slaves to sin;

we have the power to resist temptation

and walk in righteousness.

The Spirit transforms our desires,

aligns our hearts with God’s will,

and produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Freedom in Christ is not just about what we are set free from,

but what we are set free for.

Jesus came to give us abundant life—

life filled with purpose, joy, and peace.

This freedom allows us to live as God’s beloved children,

secure in our identity and destiny.

As we trust in Christ,

we are free to love others without fear,

to serve with compassion,

and to pursue God’s calling with boldness.

We are no longer bound by the opinions of others,

the pressures of this world,

or the fear of failure.

Instead, we walk in the confidence

that comes from knowing we are deeply loved

and eternally secure in Christ.

So Brothers and sisters

Do not Reject the truth that is found in Jesus Christ

Instead embrace the fact that Jesus is the truth

and he will set you free

Let us pray