Jesus: Prophet, Judge, & Savior

Read

John 8:21–30 (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.” 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.

Opening Prayer

Setting the Stage

Jesus is continuing to teach in the Temple.

He’s taught that He is the Living Water, He is the Bread of Life, He is the Light of the World.

All of these descriptions point to Him being the appointed by God and exclusive source of what all mankind needs to be reconciled with God.

He quenches our ultimate need before God.

What does John mean “they did not understand that He had been speaking to them about the Father”?

It cannot mean that they did not ever know that He spoke of His Father being God.

Or that they did not know that He spoke of the One who sent Him as being God the Father.

John 5:17–18 (ESV)

17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

John 5:37–38 (ESV)

37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

John 8:16 (ESV)

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.

John seems to be telling us that they had a hard time hearing such things with their mind.

This shows the blindness that remains when we are unwilling to admit that Christ’s claims are valid.

No matter how many times they heard His claim of Sonship to God the Father…

Their minds were bent on understanding only earthly things about Him.

They were unwilling to contemplate the possibility of His divine origin.

And, because of this unwillingness to admit Christ’s claims, they were slow to hear what He was actually saying.

So, we see in…

John 8:28 (ESV)

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.

Jesus moves from the common pronoun he to the proper Father.

To speak more explicitly due to the dullness of their hearing and their animosity towards Him.

Now, Jesus continues teaching…

He’s spoken to them about judging not according to the flesh, like them.

But, He judges according to divine, righteous judgment.

We see His talking about judging go from a general speaking to a specific speaking of judgment.

He takes the contrast between their judgment and His judgment…

And, now unveils a specific judgment that awaits them.

Their hostility towards Him and their unbelief bring them to only one conclusion.

As we read through this passage we notice Jesus speaking as Judge, Prophet, and as the Messiah-Savior.

Those roles overlap, of course, as He speaks, but we can see each role in the Words that He speaks.

For instance, Jesus speaks as…

The Prophet of God

Listen to what Moses says in…

Deuteronomy 18:15–19 (ESV)

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

They wanted a Mediator.

God promises them the ultimate Mediator of the ultimate covenant.

That Mediator is Jesus.

And, He mediates a New Covenant in His blood.

The Prophet that Moses says should be listened to above all others.

God says He will speak all, meaning nothing but, all that God commands Him to speak…

He will speak.

God will require of them to listen to Him and do what He says…

Which is believe upon Him whom God has sent.

Jesus says that He is that Prophet…

John 8:26 (ESV)

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.”

Jesus is saying that He has come from God as the Prophet who declares exactly and all that God, His Father tells Him to say.

He has more that He could say.

He has more that He knows.

But He speaks what and when the Father commands Him to speak.

Now, at this time, He has not come to condemn, but to save.

To preach the good news of a superior covenant.

There is a future time coming in which He will judge all mankind.

There, at that future and ultimate judgment, He will have plenty to say.

At that time, it will be the appropriate time to disclose what He already knows.

But, for now, He says…believe upon the Lord Jesus or perish in your sins.

He also speaks as Judge…

The Judge of Creation

John 8:21 (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.”

If you reject Christ the only thing left for you is judgment.

John 8:24 (ESV)

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.”

John 8:26 (ESV)

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.”

Jesus is laying out judgment here.

Let’s think about this…

v.24 & especially v.26

What we receive in this life does not equate what we will receive in the next life.

You may have great comforts in this life, but if you die without Christ, there will be no comfort for you in the next, only condemnation.

Psalm 73 teaches us this same thing…

—> Comforts in this life ≠ Comforts in the next.

The Parable of Lazarus teaches us the same thing, but differently...

—> Suffering in this life ≠ suffering in the next.

What matters is do you believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus adds in judgment…

John 8:23 (ESV)

23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

All people are from below, but Christ.

All people are from this world and fall under the category of…

Ephesians 2:1–3 (ESV)

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

This is the condition of the natural man.

Dead to do nothing but sin and transgress the Law of God.

Willingly follow the philosophies and ideologies of this world, no matter how much they may shift within one’s lifetime.

Joyfully follow the Devil and his ways against the glory of God and obedience to God.

Happily living according to the lusts of our flesh.

Fulfilling sinful pleasures as best we can in both body and mind.

By our very nature and being we are deserving of God’s wrath and under His condemnation.

Within that one group that fall under condemnation, there are…

Two Types of People

John 8:24 (ESV)

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.”

#1 - There are those who die in their sin.

Their sins still in their account, on the record of God’s court.

Their sins still needing to be paid for and to their everlasting doom, will be paid for by themselves for all eternity.

The conclusion of their life is a rejection of God.

They must face the justice of God on their own.

#2 - Those who believe upon Jesus.

These are those who have been freed from the bondage of sin.

They have been freed from the condemnation of their sins by Christ’s atoning work.

They have been delivered from the Domain of Darkness, so that they are no longer of this world.

They’ve been delivered into the Kingdom of Christ where there is nothing but joy and the friendly presence of God.

The rejection of Christ as Savior is a manifestation that that person is under the sway of the world and the devil.

If one does not believe upon the Lord, Jesus Christ as Savior…

—> He will one day meet Him as Judge.

We also see Jesus speak as…

The Messiah-Savior

John 8:21 (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.”

Believing upon Christ as Savior is the only path to heaven.

Not lineage, not works, not efforts…Faith in Christ as Savior.

The Jews respond…

John 8:22 (ESV)

22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

Their response was full of sarcasm and disdain for Christ.

And, they can only imagine one place that they would never end up.

That place being hell, removed from the presence of God.

So, they scornfully say that He must be planning on committing suicide.

Now let me speak to…

Suicide

The Jews believed that suicide removed the blessings of God from a person.

It was a grave sin to the Jews.

They considered it a hateful act towards God and such an act resulted in that person going to hell.

There are still many who hold to this view.

Catholics have traditionally held suicide as a mortal sin.

A sin that cannot be repented of, and therefore leaving one outside of Christ.

But, let me say that although suicide is a horrific act against the image of God.

And, although it is an unlawful sin to take one’s own life, to commit self-murder.

To think that Christians are not capable of performing the very sins that unbelievers commit…

Is to grossly misunderstand the deceitfulness of the human heart.

To think one can lose their salvation due to a sinful act commited…

Is to grossly misunderstand the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

To place your hope in the fullness of your repentance…

Is to place your hope in the finished work of you, not Christ.

If our salvation is based upon the finished work of Christ and His work alone…

Then there is nothing we can do, there is nothing in this life, there is nothing in all of creation…

That can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

If you are in Christ there is not only no more condemnation…

There is no possibility of future condemnation, as well.

We are secure in the finished work of Jesus…

And nothing, nor anyone can snatch us out of His hand.

John 8:24 (ESV)

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.”

Unless you believe that I am He.

What’s Jesus been teaching about Himself?

He is:

The Prophet

The Messiah

The Savior

The eternal Son of God

The Judge of all Creation

The exclusive source for all you need to be reconciled to God

IOW, Jesus says, All the things I’ve said of myself that has been affirmed by the testimony of my Father in the works that I do…

All summed up in my Person.

If you do not believe Me, you will die in your sins.

John 8:25–26 (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.”

Another scornful and snarky remark by the Jews.

Jesus replies, All that I’ve been saying since the beginning of my teaching.

It is all the truth of Me from the mind and mouth of God.

Believe God and live.

Jesus adds…

John 8:28–29 (ESV)

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.”

Jesus is saying…

I will walk to the cross, willingly.

I will resurrect and the proof of who I am will be forevermore.

I speak what my Father wants me to speak.

Jesus says…

The Father is always with me because I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.

This is the requirement.

To be fully and forevermore in the presence of God…

You must always, to perfection, do the things that please Him.

If you’re looking for that in your own life, your own words, your own actions…

You are to be most miserable in this life and the next.

Let’s think about this...

v.29

This is how we can have eternal life in the friendly presence of God.

This is how Christ can say, He will never leave you, nor forsake you.

Why?

v.29…If you believe upon Christ, your record with God is impeccable.

That record is yours in Jesus.

The perfect record of…

John 8:29 (ESV)

29 …I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

This record is yours, forevermore, by faith in Jesus Christ.

In Christ…

The record of our debt has been nailed to the cross.

The record of Christ’s perfection has been credited to our account.

And, it will never change.

We are safe in the new covenant as Christ as our Head.

Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and this is yours.

Closing Prayer