I AM

Intro

There’s a habit in the world today, which may not be new but is certainly more prevalent, that looks at the recorded words of Jesu and considers only what is recorded as being said by Him. Some look at Scripture and they consider some major issues that we are seeing today and they say simply, “well Jesus never said anything about that, but He did say something about this other thing.” And at face value, with no other research or understanding, this position seems correct. There is a lot that Jesus didn’t talk about. LGBT issues are really the main topic of this argument, but there are others as well. If our role as Christians is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ life as an example to live by, then our chief concern must be to listen to what He did say. And this is what the world even demands us. They claim the church would be good or that they might even like the church if we just looked more like Jesus. We could really just talk about that all day, but we won’t. But let’s focus in. If our chief objective is to focus in on and follow the words of Jesus, then I suggest that such a pursuit begins in this passage. In verse 58, Jesus makes what I would argue to be the most significant and important statement of His entire ministry - Jesus claims to be God. If these words of Jesus are true, then it changes the argument completely. If Jesus is God, then it isn’t just the red letters we find in six books of the New Testament that guide us in life, but it is the whole of Scripture that is the words of Jesus. And if it is the whole of Scripture that is the words of Jesus, then as we come to the Word to follow the words of Jesus then we follow the whole Word. But what about the things that Jesus didn’t say during His ministry? Well that argument changes to. Would it not be fair to say that because Jesus didn’t say something of what was already spoken then what was already spoken would be set and unchanging? Anything that Jesus ever said never changed the Law, but gave a new understanding to the people of how the Law was calling them to live. They were trying to work their way around it and Jesus came to correct them. The age we live in today is trying to find a way around the Law and using Jesus as the excuse, when in fact Jesus is the confirmation of all that has ever been said in the Word of God, ever perfect and never changing. So as we study this morning, let’s focus in on what Jesus says and let us consider where we are at in our pursuit of following His example.

True Freedom (31-36)

Marks of a true disciple of Jesus

John 8:31–32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Last week in verse 30, we saw that many came to believe in Jesus as He was speaking. As the story shifts, Jesus now turns to those who had believed in Him and points them to what it looks like to be a true disciple of His. There are three marks of a true disciple that Jesus offers in these first two verses of our text, one being the work of the disciple, and the others being a result of that work. First,

They continue in the Word of God Jesus says to the people, “if you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine”. Notice the language He uses. Not, “if you read My word”. Not, “if you believe in My word”. Rather, He says that the true disciple continues in His word. Jesus makes clear that to be His disciple does not mean a one-time expression of faith, but is continual pursuit of Christ. It is time spent studying His word, getting to know Him and building a relationship with Him. It is understanding His teaching and it is the pursuit of living in accordance with it. If you’ve read the gospels, you’ve seen it happen a couple times where Jesus’ teaching actually results in His followers leaving Him. At the triumphal entry, a great crowd turned out to welcome Him, but a week later they either left Him or cheered for His death. It takes more than just words, and as Jesus says, not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” actually knows Him or believes in Him. True disciples of Christ pursue Christ. Because of this continuance in the Word, the believer in Jesus becomes a disciple of Jesus, and because they become a disciple of Jesus, then they know truth.

They know the truth Jesus continues in verse 32 that those who are His true disciples are people that know the truth. Of course, this makes sense, because if the Word of God is truth, and the disciple continues in the Word, then the disciple is continuing in, learning and knowing what is true. Jesus’ statement makes clear that truth is not just intellectual knowledge, but knowing truth requires a commitment to the Person of truth, that is Jesus Christ Himself. Remember what we talked about last week? Jesus is the Light of the world, and as the Light of the world He reveals all things, both what can be seen and what can be unseen, what is true and what is false. Nothing can hide from the Light. John Moody Intellectual achievement is good and learning is useful; but learning needs, if it is not to be foolish, to be combined with moral commitment to Jesus himself. Mottoes from the old universities recognized this: Yale University’s historic motto is Lux et Veritas. Truth requires the light of commitment to Christ. As Jesus continues, the disciples of Christ who knows the truth is set free. Let’s read down to verse 36.

They are truly free

John 8:33–36 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

There is a simple question to answer, and the Jews in their ignorance ask it: What are disciples free from? And Jesus’ answer is just as simple: you are free from sin. Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. We are all slaves to sin. Perhaps different sins, but sin nonetheless. And there’s nothing we can do to free ourselves from that sin because our sin has become our master. What we need is a new master, one that might pay the redeemer’s price to free us from our sin. And here, Jesus makes that offer. “If you are My disciples, then I will make you free, and if I make you free there is no questioning your freedom - you are free.” The Jews argument is that they could not possibly be slaves because they are children of Abraham, but what Jesus makes clear next is that they don’t actually know who they are serving as their father. Let’s look at the marks of a true child of God.

True Children (37-47)

Marks of a true child of God

The Word has its place in them John 8:37–41 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” As Jesus continues in His response to the Jews here, He makes a contrast with what we He said at the start of the conversation. He who continues in the Word of Christ is His true disciple. But for those here with Jesus, He makes plain in verse 37 that “My word has no place in you”. After laying the groundwork for what it looks like to be His disciple, Jesus essentially confirms that many of the people there listening to Him are not only not His disciples, but they’re not actually the children of Abraham that they think they are. When they say children of Abraham, what they are saying is that they are children of God. As children of God, they should abide in and know the Word of God, but Jesus says here that “His word has no place” in them. Abraham did the word of God, so if they are children of Abraham, then they would also do what Abraham did. Abraham heard the truth just as these people were now hearing the truth from Christ, but Abraham didn’t try to kill anyone over the truth like these Jews were trying to kill Jesus. They are indeed doing the deeds of their father, but it is not the father that they think it is. The true child of God is marked by having the Word in them and doing the deeds of the Word. The next mark of a true child of God is their love for Christ. Let’s keep reading.

They have a love for Christ

John 8:42–44 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Jesus says plainly to the people - “IF God were your Father, you would love Me.” Jesus has already hinted at this a few times before. Jesus has said before that if you knew the Father, then you would know Him, but the one that does not know Jesus does not know the Father. The mark of a true child of God is their love for Christ. Of course, the people here simply don’t understand and can’t seem to make this connection. Like Jesus already said earlier, if they knew the Word they would be His disciples, but they are not because they do not know the Word. Since they do not know the Word, then they do not understand what Jesus is trying to teach them. He’s been trying to show them time and again that God the Father is His Father, and as being the Son of God He is Himself God. But they don’t understand because they simply cannot hear His word. And now they seek to kill Jesus not because their father is Abraham and that’s what he taught them, but because their father is the devil and they’re doing what he teaches them, which is everything that is not truth. They are proven as children of the devil because they have no love for Christ, and because they have no love for Christ then they are not true children of God. He alludes to it a bit in these verses, but let’s keep reading to see the third mark of a true child of God - they have ears to hear.

They have ears to hear

John 8:45–47 “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

You ever feel like people just don’t want to hear the truth? Well guess what, it’s nothing knew. These people had Jesus speaking to them and they still didn’t want to hear or believe the truth. Our social climate today isn’t really any worse than it was 2,000 years ago. You start telling people that the way they live is destructive and no matter how much truth there is to it they will only see it as hate. But some of those people claim to believe in Jesus. Some of them claim to be children of God. And yet, they don’t want to hear truth. A mark of the true child of God has ears to hear truth, even if or when they may not like what they hear. You ever receive some loving correction? Did you receive it with a smile on your face, or were you offended and hurt at first? Maybe it was neither of those, but I am certain at the very least that no one in here is smiling through correction. The true child of God hears His Word and clings to it the truth. Now, let’s not dive down the rabbit trail of how we interact with other people when it comes to proclaiming and receiving truth - that’s a conversation for another day. Truth and grace in all things. But for today, consider yourself - do you have hears to hear the truth of God when it is delivered to you through His Word or through His people? If you are a true child of God, then you should.

Let’s move to our last section of the text where our main focus will be, on the true identity of Jesus and the marks of His true identity.

True Identity (48-59)

Marks of Christ’s true identity

He gives life John 8:48–51 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” It is an interesting change of events in the conversation taking place. The people that followed Jesus and began to believe in Him have quite quickly turned away from Him and are now accusing Him of being demon possessed. Once again, it is clear that they don’t really believe. Here Jesus makes a third statement about His Word and with it gives them a clue into His identity. Earlier Jesus said that the one who continues in His word is His disciple, then He says that those following Him here weren’t children of God because they don’t know His word. Now He says that anyone who keeps His word is not only His disciples, but will never see death. Remember, this conversation is happening after the Light of the world conversation where Jesus said that He Himself is the Light and that those that follow Him have the Light of life. Now Jesus confirms once again that He is the giver and source of life just as He is the source of Light. So Jesus makes probably the most palatable claim of His identity - He is the one that gives life, and those who believe in Him and keeps His word will never taste death. Of course, the Jews here, now almost looking to completely discredit who Jesus is, are quick to argue, which brings us to the next mark of Christ’s true identity.

The prophets rejoiced in His coming John 8:52–56 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” In their mind a fair question - even our father Abraham died, and you’re telling us that you can make it so we can’t die? You can’t possibly be greater than him? The prophets died too, so what exactly are you trying to say here? Jesus confirms to the people once again that they don’t know Him, and therefore they do not know God, but also that Jesus does know the Father and keeps His word. Then He hits them with another clue to His identity - Abraham rejoiced in seeing Christ’s day. Not just Abraham, but the prophets as well. The faithful followers of God that these Jews claimed to trust and follow were all looking forward to when Christ would come and they rejoiced in His coming. In the Old Testament, there are over 300 prophecies about the Messiah, even going back as far as Christ who would be the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham. Everything these Jews studied was pointing to Jesus, but because they didn’t abide in His word, they simply didn’t see it. And then comes the most significant sentence Jesus ever spoke and the third mark of His identity.

He is I AM John 8:57–59 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. Perhaps the Jews were just thinking too logically here. Now we know that Jesus was somewhere around the age of 30 here, so their claim of His age is fair, and so is their question. Jesus isn’t that old, so how would He, of all people, have seen Abraham some 2,000 plus years earlier? Jesus’ sentence isn’t proper English - probably because He almost definitely was speaking Aramean and not English, but either way His sentence doesn’t make sense. Why didn’t He just say that He was there when the world was created? Or that He was alive before Abraham was? Or just tell the people that He has always existed? What He did was give them an answer that they would immediately understand and would connect back to the beginning. When Moses encountered the burning bush and God commanded him to be his representative before pharoah to free His people, He introduced Himself with this name: I AM. So when Jesus responds to the Jews, He is telling them that He is Himself the One and only God. Not “before Abraham was born, I was,” but “before Abraham was born, I AM”. I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the Creator and Sustainer, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the eternal, all powerful and all knowing God of the heavens and the earth. I AM Yahweh. This is how God had once introduced Himself to His people and this is how Jesus now introduces Himself to the people. And how do they respond? They pick up stones to throw at Him for blasphemy.

It is an interesting turn of events, because a few verses ago the people believed in Jesus and were following Him, and it only took a 5 minute conversation with them where Jesus revealed Himself all the more to them for them to turn against Him and try to kill Him. So did they really believe? Do we really believe?

Let’s recap:

The marks of a true disciple of Jesus: They continue (or abide) in the Word of God, they know the truth, and they are truly free

The marks of a true child of God: The Word has its place in them, they have a love for Christ, and they have ears to hear

The marks of Christ’s true identity: He gives life, the prophets rejoiced in His coming, and He is I AM, the One true God

If there is something in these that is not true of you, or something of Christ that you do not believe, then I would encourage you to study the Word and perhaps talk to someone about it. Much like where Jesus starts this conversation, we must start in the Word of God. This is where we learn about Jesus, where we find truth, and where the Light comes on and the truth is revealed to us.

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