The Gospel of John - Trust Required - Pt3 -Trust brings freedom - Agreement Slavery

GREET EVERYONE-

Good Morning Loved Ones

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

INVITES

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Open it to the Gospel of John and Chapter 8 vs 31 as we continue in our series called “Trust Required” which is ONE part of our walking through the Gospel of John together verse by verse.

PRAYER OVER SERIES

My prayer over this series is that the Holy Spirit of God will being us all - In ever increasing ways  - into a deeper supernatural trust in Jesus.

SO much so that we would all experience a dynamic shift in HOW we live out our faith.

Loved Ones: Hear me - Living out our faith is first an “Internal life” - and what flows from the internal life that we live in Christ has a dynamic effect on the external life we all live.

SO my prayer is that we would experience the dynamic shift of living Faith - Living Trust - in such a way that it changes both our internal thoughts and self identity but also how we live towards the world around us.

PRAYER OVER MESSAGE

My prayer over this mornings message - Is that we would realize an absolute eternal truth from the scriptures.

And the truth that Jesus will display speak about in this passage is there are those in the world that are free and those in the world that are slaves .

The eternal truth that I pray we would all evaluate ourselves -

Are we free? Have we really been set free?

OR are we still slaves - Slaves as we were born?

and before we all start raising out hands and saying “I’m in the free group, I’m in the free group!

What Jesus is going to bring to the attention of people who are in a group that “Believe Him”

That they only agreed with Him.

and Loved ones What Jesus will tell this group of people who say they believed him is- Agreement with Jesus is slavery - But Obedient Trust brings Freedom!

ENGAGEMENT –

Agreement -

What a phenominal word -

It means so much in our culture and in our language.

I think in very real terms we over use the word -

We can so easily take the word to mean so much more than it actually means.

Oxford Dictionary -

Agreement means - in Harmony or accordance in opinion or Feeling; a position or result of agreeing.

The Absence of incompatibility of two things or people, Consistency to do something that has been suggested by another person.

I think that there are many ways that we think more about the word “agreement”

I think one way is we thing it means thing like “unity” - Comradeship - Compatability - in concert with -

Thing like that -

and certainly we need agreement before we have all of those things. BUT that is not what agreement means -

It may lead to all those things but to place any other weight on agreement other than simply harmony in opinion or feeling resulting in agreement - Places too much on agreement

What is amazing is that we have this tendancy to sub-conciously put more on it than what it is.

How many of us have used the term - “We love to associate with Like Minded People”

What i think we think that means is that not only do we think a like in our values -i.e. Were in agreement

BUT I also think we can so easily assume that we would all behave in agreement.

Ya know - The Bible rarely if ever talks about “Agreement” -

The Bible talks in terms of Covenant - Walking together - Unity of thought AND action.

TENSION

The problem that we have when we take our thoughts of “agreement” into our relationship with Jesus is we can enter so very easily enter into a false sense of begin saved.

Invite Jesus to be savior - Invite him into your heart as your personal savior! WE have heard this a lot in recent years

Here is the problem - Many people think “if we agreed with the Bible were in -

Here is what I mean - If we agreed That Jesus was eternal - That He is God - He was predicted in the Old Testament for nearly 1500 years - born of a virgin - Lived a perfect life - was a real person of history - crussified on the cross of Calvary - satisfied the wrath of God against all sinners - and risen from the dead -

There are modern day preachers that would say to you and to me - If you agree with those facts - That is suffencient!

You are free from the wrath of God - You are saved. Your in the club

Loved ones - Hear me this morning - That is only half the equation -

The Devil knows all of those same things - The devil knows Jesus was eternal, God predicted, born of a virgin, perfect, historical, crusified, satisfying, and real and risen.

But the other half of salvation - The other half of the equaision -

Is The Half the devil would never do.

Submission to Jesus as Lord and Master - Joyfully surrendering to Him to imperfectly follow HIM all of his commands.

Compelled by HIs love - Captivated by His beauty - Collected by His soverignty -

The Devil would never do that- EVER!!!

I wonder if what would happen if our terminology was different “We love serving Jesus and being obiedient to Jesus together!

This is exactly the issue that Jesus will be addressing with the people He is speaking to in this passage of text -

What they DO with their belief in the person of Jesus!

BACKGROUND

Jesus is in the temple - He is in Jerusalem - He has been speaking to some religious leaders - some Jewish leaders that have seen him do some pretty amazing things -

He has fed thousands and made the 1st of 9 definitive “I am” statements - “I am the bread of life, the living bread that coms down from heaven, - ANYONE who eats this bread will have eternal life”

The religious leaders who know their bibles well - Are infurrited at him and set out to kill Him.

He goes to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Booths - A feast to celebrate the Harvest- The Provision of God.

He goes to the temple to teach and to preach and a group of men bring a woman caught in the very act of adultery - Cheating in her husband - They are condemning her to death! -

He dispatches those men - and He lights her way forward by saying to her “where are those who would condemn you to death? She says “They are gone” Jesus says “neither do I condemn you no go and sin no more.

To the religious leaders who are watching him do and say these things - He makes the second of the 9 definintive “I am” Statements He says: “I am the light of the world! “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of Life”

Many of the religious leaders think Jesus is and absolute nut case - BUT there are others - as the text says “Many believed in Him”

and they did so based on what he was saying and doing.

UNPACKING

We get to verse 31

VSS31&32

Jesus speaks to the Jewish people in the temple who broke ranks with their counter parts and “Believed Him”

and Jesus makes an IF - THEN statement - A conditional Statement- A statement that separates hearers and doers.

Jesus says :IF you abide in my word” meaning if you remain in my word - In other words if you hear what I tell you and you do what I have said - That is what Remain means -

The literal definition of the word in the language of the New Testament means :”to Keep to Something”

IT is a word that back then “was commonly used in legal contracts in connection with the penalties of not performing the terms of the contract”

Here is what Jesus says - IF you keep to my word, performing the terms of my calling, my covenent, (implied in the text is the word “THEN”)

THEN, you are truly my disciples,

You are my student - My Followers -

If you Keep to my word then you are TRULY my disciples -

Then Jesus says: and you will know the TRUTH and the THUTH will set you free!

What is implied in what Jesus is saying here at the very beginning of this dialog He is having with the people who believe Him:

You believe in me - You Believing in me must go beyond mere agreement, it must go into you Keeping to Doing my word - And IF you do that - Then you will be my true students and followers -

He also Implies - You currently don’t know the truth and you need to know the truth and in order for you to know the truth you must keep to my word. And because you don’t know the truth You are not FREE.

And when Jesus directly implies that they were not free but slaves These guys were offended - Greatly offended

(and back then if you were not free you were a slave)

These Jewish people begin to Argue - watch what they begin to say out of their traditions, out of their offence.

VS33

John 8:33 “They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?””

Reality is they didn’t get it.

What Jesus was saying to them is you have an eternal problem -

You claim to believe in me and that is good but there in another half - Abide in my word - Keep to my word -

SO Jesus explains:

VSS34-38

Jesus begins with the words “Truly Truly” and any time Jesus says “Truly Truly “ what Jesus is saying “You better pay attention to what I am about to say because it is of eternal importance”

Then He unpacks:

He begins with the word “Everyone”

Everyone say “Everyone”

Who is Everyone?

Everyone who practices sin is a slave to SIN -

Who is Jesus calling a slave to SIN?

Who Practices SIN?

Who is a slave to SIN?

What Jesus is declaring to them back then is IT matter not whos offspring you are-

It matters not who you are or where you came from - You practice Sin you are a slave to Sin and you NEED ONE THING

You need to to be set free from your slavery.

And Jesus has just directly implied that not only are they slaves, and not only do they need to be set free -

But that they do not have the truth -

and the Key to freedom they key to knowing the truth -

Is Being His disciple and the only way for that to be true - The only way to being His true disciple is to Keep to HIs word.

VSS35

Jesus explains HOW HE has the ability to set free those who remain Keeping TO his Word.

and He uses a very real senario in that culture.

Household staff - Back then there were differing ways you could be considered a Slave - This form of slavery that Jesus is referring here to is the idea of Volunteer slave -

Like an Employee or someone who was in debt and needed to sell his self to have his debts pais and would work for the family for the rest of His life.

This was not what we think of when we hear the word slave - and slaves back then of this type, in fact most types were valued people, They were members of the Household and treated as loved members.

Jesus uses this real life scenario to give these Jewish people who had believed in Jesus but now are very very offended by what He has just said.

He gives them picture of why He can set them free!

Slaves do not remain forever in the household - That is a reality - This from of slavery was not forever - But for an agreed upon time.

Son’s remain forever - and Son’s back then - Espically first born son’s - Have the Authority in the house to do what the Father want or would do.

VSS36

The Son can act -

SO Jesus says: because the Son remains in the house forever and is a permenent member of the family - The Son can cancel the debt of the slave at anytime and set the slave free.

SO if the SON of the Family, cancels your debt early before you have to pay it off - You are free from the obligations of your debt -

You are free indeed.

VSS37

Jesus get real with them and boy oh boy does it offend them -

Remember these are people who just 7 verses earlier “believed in Him”

What Jesus is going to begin to draw out of them is the truth that they agree with Him but do not trust Him enough to obey Him.

VSS37

- I know Your background - It doesn’t mean anything. Jesus explains - You seek to kill me and the reason you seek to kill me is because my word has not place in you - My word has no place in your heart and life -

You see loved ones - The Gospel will Always have opposition - Every time the gospel goes out there is an opposing force that tries to keep in away!

VSS38

- Jesus then ties in the father issues - Jesus does and says what He hears and sees with the heavenly father

and Jesus says to them - WATCH: You DO what you have heard from your father.

Jesus has directly implied that God was not their father - That they were serving someone or something else.

and for Jewish people this was insult upon insult.

VSS39

“Abraham is our father” - They cried -

Here is why they have now repeated they are the offspring of Abraham TWICE.

Because in the scriptures - Abraham is labeled - He is titled the “Father of Faith” so Much so that the story of Abraham says that it was given to Abraham “Rightousness” because He listen to God, Trusted God and Did what God said to do.

The Gospel was preached in advance to Abraham - When God told Abraham that Every nation would be Blessed through Him.

That blessing is standing in front of the Jewish leaders who are arguing with the very person of the blessing of the nations and hatred is in their hearts.

Jesus says - NOT TRUE

“IF Abraham was your father you would be doing the works of Abraham” - The work of Abraham Listening to the words of God and acting on God’s instructions.

VSS40

But now you want to kill me a man who has told you the truth from God —

Abraham did not rebel against the word of God -

VSS41

Jesus says “you are doing the works of your father”

That statement gets them more that curious

they respond “We were not born of sexual immorality - We have ONE father - Even GOD.

VSS42

Jesus says : NOT TRUE

Watch what Jesus says: There is action in Jesus’s examination.

Remember these are people who the narrative says “Believed Him”

John 8:42–47 “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

Jesus came because the father sent Him - Not unwillingly but because it was pleasing to God to send Jesus and it was joyful for Jesus to be sent.

VSS43

Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

The reason they do not understand what Jesus says is not because they don’t comprehend it - They Comprehend it

Its because it is offensive to them! They cannot bear it.

Jesus then does what Jesus does so very well He exposes their condition.

VSS44

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.

and then Jesus describes the Devil - The former Archangel Satan - The One who was once in charge of singing and musical praise in Heaven - Here is who He is and what He does “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Jesus then confronts them in the reality of their sin:

VSS45-47

But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? The Sin of Lying

If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.””

He finished His reply to them with the reality they are not from God but from the Devil.

and then they start to accuse Him

VSS48

John 8:48 “The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?””

And what Jesus does for the next 10 verses is set up a conversation to usher in the 3rd and most power definitive I am statement that Jesus could ever make.

In fact it is the very statement that pursuades the Jewish leadership to pull out all stops and make sure they do what ever they need to and to conspire with who ever they need to in order to get Jesus killed.

and we half to remember Jesus is peaking to Jewish people who have watched Him do and say some relly big things and not all that long ago the Scripture says “They Believed in HIM”

Watch the conversation:

VSS49

Jesus lays down the Paradigme - I honor my father and you dishonor me.

Remember Jesus has said to them “I come from the father”

VS50

Jesus continues - I am not seeking my own glory but there is one who does and He is the Judge -

Jesus is clearly implying His father in Heaven - God.

VSS51

Then the Set up-

John 8:51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.””

This is so very important loved ones -

Truly Truly - means “Pay attention” what I am about to say is eternally important!

IF - ANYONE?

Who - ANYONE!

If ANYONE KEEPS MY Word! Keeps in the original language of the New Testament means “To continue to obey - To Keep Commandments to Obey Commandments.

Keeping your word in our culture means to DO what you said you would do.

Keeping HIS word means to Do what He said we must do.

Jesus said “DO THAT” and the promise is you will never taste death.

VSS52

The Jewish leaders hearing this go absolutely nuts!

John 8:52 “The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’”

We though you might be crazy before but now we know for sure you have a demon.

and they confront Jesus with what they think is a total logic trap.

VSS53

John 8:53 “Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?””

Who do you think your are speaking to us like that?

They are accusing Jesus of making big of himself. Jesus replies:

VSS54

John 8:54–56 “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.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.””

Jesus ended this reply to them by saying “Your father Abraham rejoiced that He would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

In this Jesus - The gospel was given to Abraham in advance -

God’s covenant with Abraham was that through His offspring all the people groups of the world would be blessed.

That covenant made is a covenent kept by the sending of Jesus.

That Jesus was a witness to Abrahams Response when God made the covevent with Him.

and that Abraham had not only a vision about the coming messiah, but had not tasted death and witnessed Jesus arrival.

VSS57

The Jewish leaders that through all of this are no longer showing fruit of believing in Him, try once again to catch Him in a trap

John 8:57 “So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?””

VSS58

Jesus makes the third of 9 definitive “I am” statements

And Jesus begins it in a way that is like no other of the “I am” Statements

Jesus begins with “Truly Truly” meaning “Pay attention to what I am about to say because it has “Extreme Importance”

Jesus says it:

I say to you, before Abraham was, “I AM”

What Jesus has just said to these Jewish people in the Temple, Jewish leaders who once broke protocal with their commrads to believe in Jesus.

The same ones whom He is confronting that they are in agreement with Him and that Has only revealed they are still slaves.

He says to them -

I am eternal and I am God.

To a group of Jewish people - who know the proper name of God - A name so precious to them that they wont even utter its sound -

The Name that came from the historical account of Moses being called by God to be the instrument of God that God would use to free God people from the Enemy of God and his people.

Moses - Sent by the very presence and voice of God at the burninig bush - being told to GO and set the people free from slavery -

Moses in a daring move ask “who is sending me” The answer “I am that I am”

Jesus has just said - Its me “I am”

This is the one thing He said that motivated and compelled the Jewish leaders to do what every they needed to to make sure Jesus got killed.

IN fact they waned to do it right then?

THE GOSPEL CONNECTION

Loved ones -

The Gospel - The Good news of Great joy is that Jesus - The one who says and Is “I am”

was sent by the father - Who is the Bread of Life - Who is the Light of the World - Who is “I am”

came to this world that He himself created - , Born f a virgin, Lived a perfect life suffered and died on the cross of calvary, satisfying the wrath of God for all who would follow Him, and Was raised form the dead on the third day validating what He had done, the severity of what He had accomplished and the claims of who He is.

Loved one - If you are here this morning and you have never known that Jesus has done the work to make you right with Go no matter what you have done in your past - The Blood of Jesus is the perfect precious price that was paid and loved ones it has been paid in full.

and you have never heard of following Him, Keeping his Word in obediance so that you would never taste death but rather be with him as a recipient of His love and affection for all eternity.

This is your day - Come to him, surrender your life to him, completely and totally give your self to Him - Receive the life that He has come to give you.

Be set free from the slavery and obligations of SIN

his promise is sure - his life that he has for you is more beautiful and abundant that you can ever imagine or create for yourself.

This is also good news of Great joy for those of us who have heard this news - and maybe just maybe we claim that we “believe in HIM”

This is our chance to hear the word and put the word of Jesus into actions - Submitting ourselves totally and completely to Jesus - An act that the Bible calls Repentance.

Loved ones - Never never never should we think to our selves - I repented once, I’m in the Club, I don’t have to do that - I am saved.

Loved ones this morning let us let the words of Jesus penetrate our hearts and ask ourselves the question.

Am I obiedient to His commands?- DO I read His word and Keep it through obediance?

Have I surrendered totally and completely my life and my will to HIM alone - or am I trying to still hang on to the life I want?

Loved ones, Repentance is never once and Done - We never stop.

How beautiful and amazing life would be and how much would we change what we did if all we did in following Jesus is be obiedient to his commands.

When we realize that our agreement with Jesus and about Jesus has brought slavery -

And we decide to fully and completely trust Jesus in obedience to His commands and we are truly set free By the Son who has the authority to set us free from the debts we could not pay - Because he died to set us free

 PRAYER TEAM