Free Indeed | John 8:31-36
Notes
Transcript
Metaoutline
Intro
What the problem is; our contemporary cultural context: Here’s what we face.
Early Points
What the Bible says; the original readers’ cultural context: Here’s what we must do.
Middle Points
What prevents us; current listeners’ inward heart context: Why we can’t do it.
Late Points
How Jesus fulfills the biblical theme and solves the heart issue: How Jesus did it.
Application
How through faith in Jesus you should live now.
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[Kid’s Time]
Gospel Explanation?
>> 4. What now?
Jesus is going to talk about abiding in Him… How everyone who sins against God is a slave to it… The fix is faith in the Son!
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[Introduce Text]
Last week we introduced the basic formula of Explaining the Gospel
Explanation of the Gospel
The Facts
Bad News
Good News
What now?
(4) What Now?
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 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’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
[Pray]
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(1) What we should do
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Signs of True Discipleship
1) Abide in Christ
2) Know the truth
3) Be Freed by the truth
>> How often is it said, “IF you abide in me...”, IF is conditional…
abide (meno), used 78/118 times by John
If John named a church, he’d of named it Abide...lol
Jesus makes it clear:
Abide or Die
Those who believe
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
and
3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
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(2) What we do instead
>> Slaves to sin
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’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
This section we’re looking at today mentions slave/enslavement/freedom language 7 times…
The hinge point for the Jews in this conversation is given away in verse 33:
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’?”
It’s when Jesus told them they’d be “free” that they got fussy.
>> They want to point to their family tree as evidence of their “freedom”…
[Illustration]
When I was a nurse at the hospital, I had a patient telling me how much he regretted going to the doctor.
“I hadn’t been in years and as soon as I go in, they tell me I have all sorts of problems!”
We’re a lot like this, except, our illness isn’t heart problems or diabetes… It’s slavery to sin
As Blakely and I have been talking about the Gospel, it’s funny to talk to her about the “existence” of God.
>> She doesn’t need that argument fully like a teenager does
>> Teenagers in our cultural moment enter the developmental stage and social awareness of living in a post-modern age.
All that really means is, They’re old enough to question and the sciences and social comforts encourage them to question their faith.
>> Is there really a God out there?
>> Is Church and Bible and prayer and self sacrifice and worship really necessary for a good, true, and beautiful life?
>> Wouldn’t you rather sleep in or engage in that relationship your parents would disapprove of or spend your time for the one whose really important in this life — you?
If I told someone wealthy, healthy, and comfortable with the “you do you” philosophy of life that they were a slave to sin, disobedient to God, and on a trajectory toward eternal separation from God...
>> It’s going to be much more comfortable saying, “Hey, I’m a pretty good person… I don’t feel slave to anything! Your religion seems more restrictive than anything else!”
Instead of Abiding in Christ, we shirk the truth and lean on creature comforts. Paul says it best:
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
The elephant in the room is our slavery to sin.
RC. Sproul in his commentary writes:
This is the point that the great Augustine labored his entire life and his ministry. He argued that the fall left man morally impotent. Fallen man does not come to the Word of God because he has no taste for the things of God. By nature the things of God are foreign to him. He doesn’t want God in his thinking. He refuses to have anything to do with Him. He has no desire for the things of God. By nature his desires are only wicked continually. That’s why God has to change the disposition of a person’s heart before he will ever respond to the Word of Christ. The Spirit has to set him free.
— R. C. Sproul
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(3) Why we can’t do it
>> A Slave cannot remain in the house forever... (v. 35a)
The slave does not belong in the house forever
>> Most clear sign of this is with Hagar, the slave of Abraham and Sarah:
Over simplified timeline…
(1) God makes a covenant with Abraham to establish through his seed a People, Place, and Presence
(2) Abraham and Sarah attempt to fulfil the covenant with Hagar
(3) God gives the sign of His covenant, Circumcision
(4) God fulfills His covenant through Isaac
(5) Hagar is “cast out” from her master’s house
The Slave is born into the home a slave, and cast out a slave
Isaac is born a son into his father’s home, and remains a son
>> Ishmael doesn’t remain in the home any more… He was born a slave.
>> The only way for Ishmael to be a slaveless son is to be born again a son of Promise
Can you be born again?
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
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(4) How Jesus does it
>> ...but, the Son remains forever (v. 35b)
>> The Son prepares a place for us
[Illustration]
I still remember sitting with Blakely and Emily in El Salvador when Blakely started sharing the Gospel with a little girl from our party. She explained how, “Jesus is preparing his house for us. You’ll be a princess, I’ll be a princess, daddy will be a prince, mommy will be a princess...” and she kept pointing and naming people around the table who’d be family in the Kingdom of God.
>> Jesus says it most clearly in Ch. 14:
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
>> Paul, addressing men who were set on the sign of circumcision as a necessity for the covenant of Christ, states,
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Jesus redeems us from slavery, and makes us sons of Promise
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
The yoke of slavery is to accept a gospel that is different from the one received by Jesus!
>> His Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension
Do not buy the lie that you need to justify yourself before God
>> Your works are like filthy rags
>> Aside from Christ, trusting in Him, Faith in Him, you will only be “submitting again to a yoke of slavery”
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(5) How through faith in Jesus you should live now
>> The Son sets us free, and when free, freed completely, surely, eternally (v. 36)
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
>> Free to be sons
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
Maybe the most beautiful piece to the Gospel is the “freeness” of the Gospel.
God pays His Son:
To redeem for Himself enemies of God to be sons of God
To inhabit a place prepared for them
To abide forever in His presence
The Gospel leaves us with no other response than
Humble Acceptance and Total Surrender
To do anything else is to accept again the yoke of slavery that has hung on our necks
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[Worship Band come up]
My prayer for our church is that we would be a church who knows and proclaims the Gospel regularly to ourselves and to each other
Matt mentions picking it up on Family Worship
Some of the single men and women in this Church serve families and friends in this Church body
Your pastors and deacons and fellow members give generously their thought, time, resources, toward Abide Church
All of this should be done because
the Son has set you free to do so
The slave to sin says, “Let me do whatever pleases me!”
The son says, “Let me do whatever pleases my Father.”
The slave to sin says, “Boundaries are to be broken!”
The son says, “I am kept in my Father’s house.”
The slave to sin says, “I have no master!”
The son says, “I am my Father’s.”
The slave to sin says, “By my works, I am whole!”
The son says, “By His works, I am healed.”
[Pray]
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Communion
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
“23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
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Sermon Prep Outline
Sermon Prep Outline
STEP 1: DISCERN THE GOAL OF THE TEXT
STEP 1: DISCERN THE GOAL OF THE TEXT
Round One — First Reading
Read the English text at least twice
Begin writing a running commentary
Your Text:
John 8:12–59
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“12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus addresses the people, we know, from the Treasury of the Temple (v. 20). This is presumably still at the tail end of the Feast of Booths, if we follow that the Adulterous Women story be removed.
Jesus makes an “I am” statement. This is unique, as we know John spends much of his gospel presenting an answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?”. What better source than the man Himself?
Jesus uses imagery, the “light of the world”, drawing our attention back to John ch. 1. The statement insinuates many things: His revelatory nature, His opposition to darkness/confusion/chaos, His position to the world (kosmos)… What follows is a bit of an “if/then” statement >> “IF you follow Me, THEN you will not walk in darkness...” and “IF you follow me, THEN you will have the light of life”
13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”
Now the Pharisees are on the scene. They’ve come guarded, ready to deal with this rabble rouser themselves.
They’re first offense is to question His credibility, drawing back to the necessity for “two or more witnesses” for a testimony to hold. It wasn’t enough to make statements or claims about yourself if it couldn’t be corroborated. Jesus confirms this in Jn. 5:31
14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
Jesus begins His response in a unique way… He doubles down, speaking about his own integrity for His testimony.
15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
They judge according to fleshly, observable things… But Jesus says He doesn’t judge that way. (Divine Judgement)
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.
Here, Jesus explains that He judges WITH the Father as His witness and fellow judge (Credible Judgement)
17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true.
Jesus references their Law, Numbers 35:30.
18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
Jesus claims that His secondary witness is His Father. This would have been inferred from the Law/Scriptures.
19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
“Because” Jesus said this, the Pharisees ask about the location of His Father, probably to question Him too… Jesus’ response is not answering their question, but, points out their knowing His Father. Jesus points out that knowing Him would be the equivalent of knowing the Father.
John writes this to demonstrate Jesus’ credibility, the Pharisee’s lack of credibility, and here, WHO Jesus really is! He is the revelation of God, because He IS God!
20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Again, Jesus is preserved from being arrested because the timing, the divine appointment, had not yet come.
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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.”
Jesus is telling them the Gospel. It starts by telling them the “bad news”.
22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
Judging, again, “by the flesh”. They seem to pay no attention to what Jesus is saying of their state…
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
Jesus describes their “alienation” from each other.
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.”
Jesus hits the point home again. Like a doctor, circling back to the significance of the terminal diagnosis, when the patient is focused on the doctor’s testing methods…
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25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.
Finally, the ask the right question. And Jesus reiterates, stating He’s already given the info needed for them to know the answer to this question.
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 pointing the magnifying glass back at them. They want to look at Jesus, question His credibility, question His judgement, question every iota of what He says… without ever asking the truly relevant questions.
How like them we are?! When we share the Gospel, when we receive it, we are blind to our sin and so focused on others, like a kid giving the excuses of their failure to follow through by pointing at their siblings…
Jesus is a herald Himself, declaring all he hears from the Father.
27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
They still haven’t connected the dots. Once they do, they would reject it (v. 59).
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 spells out the ultimate revelatory moment… the moment of total irony.
Jesus would be high and lifted up on the cross.
Jesus would be declared the King of the Jews in mockery.
Jesus would be told to come down if he is who he says he is… He would stay because He is who He says He is.
Jesus would ask of His Father, “forgive them, for they know not what they do”. Luke 23:34
Jesus would declare to His Father, “Into your hands I commit my spirit”. Luke 23:46
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 claims unity with the Father
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
At this, many believe in Him. As we will see, their belief wont last long…
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31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
Here’s the “Whatcha gonna do about it?/What now?”…He addresses those who “believed” and delivers a condition. Obedience is a fruit of true discipleship.
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Discipleship is marked by 1) Abiding in Christ 2) Knowledge of the truth and 3) Freedom by the truth.
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’?”
They’re response shows their hearts; They cannot fathom their freedom because they cannot recognize their slavery. They associate their kinship to Abraham as evidence of their “status”.
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
Jesus begins with, “Truly, truly, I say to you...”. It was typical for our Lord to begin by drawing in the attention of the hearers, so that they might cling to His word and live.
John quotes Jesus uses absolute language, especially “everyone”. There is no exception; ALL who practice sin are slaves to sin. Jesus appears to be insinuating to these Jewish believers that they occupy this camp as well.
35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
The slave is property, expendable, good for his use to his Master. A son remains forever; the “house” is his inheritance, along with the slaves of the house.
Because Jesus is fully God, His inheritance and presence in this house is eternal, forever, never losing or abandoning His post.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
So = Therefore, in light of this… Another “IF” statement. With the previous point in mind, Jesus makes clear that, although the problem of slavery to sin and slavery as a status limit the slave from his freedoms, the Son is Master over His house. No slave set free by the Son will lose this freedom; it is a part of the inheritance the Son grants those He frees. “Indeed” insinuates “completeness”, “confidence/certainty”.
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37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.
38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,
40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.
41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.”
42 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.
43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. 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.
45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
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48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.
51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
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.’
53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”
54 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.”
57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”
Note anything that strikes you or raises a question:
Notes:
Is “Abiding” the strongest theme here?
Why do these Jews bring up Abraham?
Round Two — Second Reading (Look for 3 categories)
Repetitions (words, ideas, grammatical forms):
Notes:
Connector words (therefore, because, for, since, if, then):
Notes:
Metaphors or images:
Notes:
For each one ask:
Why did the author use this?
What was he conveying?
How would the meaning change if this weren't here?
Round Three — Original Language & Commentaries
Determine the meaning of each significant word:
Notes:
Check for repetition masked by English translation:
Notes:
Use commentaries to answer puzzling things:
Notes:
Examine images and their use elsewhere in Scripture:
Notes:
Look for allusions/quotes from other parts of the Bible:
Notes:
Round Four — Context Questions
Within the book:
How does this passage fit with the rest of the book?
What is the message of the whole book?
How does this passage contribute to it?
Why is it here?
How would the book be diminished without it?
Notes:
Within the whole Bible:
What doctrines does this text touch on?
What themes run through the whole canon?
How do the biblical themes in this text point to or find fulfillment in Christ?
Notes:
Goal Question (choose one or write your own):
(Motyer)"What is the one thing that all the other things are about?"
(Robinson)"Subject: what is this talking about? Complement: what is it saying about that?"
"What did the author want his original listeners to learn, feel, and/or do?"
Your answer (1–2 sentences — the "freshly-squeezed essence" of the passage):
Passage title:
Section titles (if longer passage):
STEP 2: CHOOSE YOUR THEME FOR THE SERMON
STEP 2: CHOOSE YOUR THEME FOR THE SERMON
What central idea of the text do you want to present?
How does this address your specific listeners?
Sermon Theme Statement:
STEP 3: DEVELOP YOUR OUTLINE
STEP 3: DEVELOP YOUR OUTLINE
Theme fits the passage ✓
Each point raises insights from the text ✓
Movement toward a climax ✓
Point 1:
Point 2:
Point 3:
(Add points as needed)
STEP 4: FLESH OUT EACH POINT
STEP 4: FLESH OUT EACH POINT
For each point, gather:
Element
Arguments
Illustrations
Examples
Images
Supporting Bible texts
Practical
Application
"The goal is not just to explain the text but to minister to your specific listeners."— Timothy Keller
