A HARDENED HEART

The skeptics

John 8:21–38 NLT

21 Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.” 22 The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?” 23 Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” 25 “Who are you?” they demanded. Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be. 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” 27 But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” 30 Then many who heard him say these things believed in him. 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” 34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37 Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”

Jesus is surrounded by skeptics in the temple

When you are in the darkness you cannot see the light

you are effectively blinded by your sin.

you will look for reason to doubt and find fault where there is none

These religious leaders had all of the information on the Messiah and God’s character from the OT

they had more opportunity than anyone to believe and have proof that Jesus was who He said He was.

They refused to acknowledge Him regardless.

“You will search for me”

He was saying they would search for what they thought He “should” be, but being blinded would miss the truth and die in their sins.

sometimes we “look” for what we think Christ should look like to us, ignoring the truth because it does not fit what we want to believe.

God is God, He does not change because we WANT to see Him different or because we are uncomfortable with how He is.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 NLT

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

If we choose to not see the truth, it will be hidden from us.

Most of the people that where taking and debating with Jesus had no desire to find the truth.

When we are unwilling to deal with our sin, we choose to put on the blinders that satin has for us, blinding us from the truth.

We then only see the truth as a threat to the way we want to see the world and our sin.

There is no room in your heart.

v37

When we are consumed with our sin, way of life, or just unwilling to give up what we know is separating us from Jesus, we leave no room for the truth.

we cannot serve two masters, we must be willing to give up what we think we want for our lives to peruse the truth.

When God is not our father, satan is our father, its one or the other.

we either leave room for Christ, or we leave room for the enemy to take control of our hearts.

Who is king of your heart?

Who are you claiming as your father?

Are you adopted by Christ into His family or are you shackled, a slave to your desires?

Are you choosing to forgo perusing the truth to satiate your flesh?

If all you can think about is what you want, what makes you feel good, you have allowed the enemy to take hold of your heart.

Life and battling the flesh is always difficult, but if you have lost your desire to fight, if all you can think about is fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, there your heart is also.

The enemy will make you FEEL free when you are satisfying your desires, but in reality He is chaining you down, shackling your potential, and claiming ownership over your soul and decisions.

We can either be a bond-servant of Christ, claiming sonship and royalty in Him.

Or we can be a slave to sin, dragging us through the mud of the world, claiming ownership over us and taking our decisions.

Its worth giving up the things we seem to love the most to Christ, He will deliver us beyond what we can ever imagine.

We tend to romanticize our decisions and desires, thinking that we do not want to give them up on account of what they will do for us.

We forget that in Christ our desires are redeemed, what we think is a loss, Christ turns around for our gain

We cant imagine what our lives would be without this “thing” or “desire” in our lives, but when we look back on our lives, we see that God had something so much better for us.

I can honestly thank God for steering me away form what i “thought” i wanted in the moment.

There has been many a time where either from a career choice, a relationship, or just a life decision, that i look back and see how detrimental that would have been for my life

Or that i see that how Christ has directed my life is full of so much more life and freedom then i thought where possible at the time.

Surrender to Christ, let Him free you from what is damaging you or stopping you from growing.

Spend time seeking what He has for you and let Him fulfill your life, don't try to fulfill it yourselves.