TRUE DISCIPLES

Set up

Place - Open Word Fellowship (Community Church of Myrtle Point)

Time - Sunday Morning

Date - August 19, 2018

Scripture -

Text - “Then you will know the truth and truth will set you free.”

Topic - True Disciples

Theme - Jesus is teaching those that followed Him that to be true disciples was to be free in the Son. Some were so filled with hate and pride that they could not and would not hear Him. To be His disciples we must put aside all our notions and follow Him in everything.

Introduction to the Scripture

Our Being

Who's Child are You?

Our reading today is . Here Jesus clearly teaches us about Discipleship/Sonship

True Disciples

INTRODUCTION

Sonship

In these scriptures we have two distinctive subjects. Who are the children of Abraham and who are the children of the devil. As Jesus unfolds the teaching there is an emphasis that comes in about being free, about being the children of God and about even really being the children of Abraham.

Pride and arrogance had lead the Jews to believe that being part of Israel was the same as being Children of God and of Abraham. As they argue with Jesus it become apparent that Jesus is really talking about Discipleship of more specifically of Sonship. Being a real child not just in name only. All Gods real children are called to obedience, faith and commitment. Anything less than that is bondage not true freedom. It is slavery not sonship

1.Two divisions

V. 31-41 The Abraham of Children

V. 42-47 The Children of the Devil

3. Misconception about being slaves

They were in Captivity for 70 years

4. Filled with contrasts - Freedom and Bondage

The Father and Satan

Children and Slaves

Hearing and Understanding

Abraham and the Devil

Truth and Lies

5. The term "the truth will set you free" suggests more than freedom from ignorance, error, philosophical, politician or cultural differences but rather has to do with spiritual light as seen in the prologue to this Gospel. the light shines in the darkness

6. The term "practices" is a continuous action. A person that continues to go on sinning shows by these continual acts that they are a slave to sin.

INTRODUCTION V.31-32

People - To the Jews

Specific - who had believed

Him

Act - Jesus said

Condition - "If

Quote - you hold My teaching,

you are really My disciples.

Condition - Doctrine = the teachings of Jesus

1."then" Disciples

The point of this teaching seems to be directed toward those that believed in some of the things Jesus did and said but did not believe in Him as the Messiah, the son of God. The proof of conversion is seeking the truth, persevering in the truth and at last growing and becoming mature in the truth.

:32 Prediction - Then you will know the truth,

AND

the truth will set you free."

Freedom Vs. Slavery Promise Vs. Pitfall

2. Discernment = know the truth

3. Deliverance = be made free

This is Illustrated by the escape from Egypt

See ;

Coming to know the truth that is Jesus is the pathway to real freedom. It may take some time to get their but this whole process is what Jesus is setting before these people. Those that receive and follow will become disciple and find true freedom.

V. 33-41 Linage Abraham's Children

:33 Response - They answered Him

Quote - "We are Abraham's descendants

AND

have never been slaves of anyone.

Question - How can you say that we shall be set free?"

Human Linage Vs Eternal Linage

Bondservant Vs Free in Christ

Our human linage even if it is as lofty as that of the Jews does not make us spiritually free. Our parents, grandparents or even all of our ancestry may have professed to be christian and done many good and glorious things but that does not make us free in Christ. Once again they have missed Jesus point and in doing so make not only a mistake but tell a lie. They thought that because they were of the chosen race they were automatically children of God. Jesus is here to help them understand that was never true and they needed to discover real freedom from the truth that Jesus was telling them.

:34 Response - Jesus replied,

Quote - "I tell you the truth everyone who sins is a slave to sin

The ESV says practices sin. Live a life of sin. A continuous habit or practice. Doing continual acts of sin, is contrasted with doing the truth, following His teachings. The greater slavery is to sin not to a political force or nation.

:35 Contrast - Now a slave

Position - has no permanent place in

the family.

BUT

a son

belongs forever.

Human Linage Vs. Eternal Linage

Bondage to sin Vs. Obedience to God

Jesus here is drawing a clear distinction between being sons of Abraham and sons of God. Their tradition made them proud and arrogant because they believed that simple by birth that had spiritual privilege of sonship, but that privilege comes only through faith, obedience and trust in Jesus. There is here as well the concept of the Son of God - Jesus and the sons of men - Human beings. Verse then amplifies that thought by telling us that we can only be free through the Son of God not by being born into a particular family.

:36 Conclusion - So

Condition - if the Son sets you free,

you will be free indeed.

This is not freedom to do what I want but freedom to do what I ought. Our freedom is not free. First, it was bought at a great price - the blood of Jesus. Second it is maintained by being a bondslave to Jesus. I am not my own. As a child of the King I have loyalty and allegiance to the King. Jesus told us that He did not come to please Himself but to please the one who sent Him. Our rights in Christ are bound up in our slavery to Him, we are His bondservants

:37 Experience - I know

Specific - you are Abraham's

descendants.

Contrast - YET

you are ready to kill me,

Reason - because you have no room for My word.

Not a Jew because of birth or circumcision

Being Abraham's descendants does not make them truly Abraham's seed. That distinction is spiritual not biological.

:38 Speech - I am telling you

Specific - what I have seen in the

Father's presence,

AND

you do what you have heard

from your father."

The words here suggest the possibility of two different "fathers" In Jesus we gladly accept the Father He is talking about to be The Father in heaven. When Jesus refers to their father it could be either on and we will not conclusively know at this point. The point is that our actions reveal our true "father"

:39 Reply - "Abraham is our father," they answered

Condition - If you were Abraham's children" Jesus said,

"then you would do the things Abraham did."

False Security Vs. Real Security

Reliance on Parentage Vs. Obedience to God

The seed of Abraham but not the children of Abraham because of their deeds.

III V. 40-47 Children of the Devil

:40 Time - As it is

Act - you are determined to kill me,

Specific - a man who has told you the

truth that I heard from God.

Denial - Abraham did not do such things.

This is another case of actions speaking louder than words

:41 Fact - You are doing the things your own father does"

Denial - "We are not illegitimate children,"

Response - they protested.

Stand - "the only Father we have is God Himself."

The situation here is like trying to assert who you are positively by casting doubt on the speaker rather than looking at your own actions. They have been unjustly accusing Jesus as to His origins and His teachings and Jesus is telling them that they have allowed their national bride to blind their spiritual eyes.

:42 Response - Jesus said to them,

Condition - "If God were your Father, you would love me,

Reason - for I came from God

AND

now am here.

I have not come on My own;

BUT

He sent Me.

See

The conditions set down here are clear

1. Incarnation - I came from God

2. Manifestation - Now am here

3. Mission - He sent Me

There were still tripping over how He came and what He taught. Since it was not centered in them they rejected it and Jesus. Having rejected Jesus and His teaching they could not hear Him

:43 Question - Why is My language not clear to you?

Reason - Because you are unable to hear what I say.

Language/say - meaning the style or manner of expressing

Understand/not clear - get the meaning of something

Words - the specific content of a communication

You do not get the meaning of my words because you cannot hear what I am saying. You have decided I am wrong and you refuse to see other wise therefore you cannot and will not hear.

:44 Status - You belong to your father the devil,

AND

you want to carry out your father's desire.

He was a murderer from the beginning,

not holding to the truth,

Reason - for there is no truth in him.

for he is a lair and the father of lies.

Act - When he lies he speaks his native language

Ignorance Vs. Knowledge

1. you would have loved me Jesus speaks truth

2. You don't understand my speech Those of God

HEAR the WORD

3. Your desires are the desires of

Satan

Harsh language but needed to clearly put in place the difference between the truth and falsehood

:45 Contrast - Yet

Reason - because I tell the truth you do not believe Me!

The contrast here is between Jesus and these Jewish leaders. Jesus is truth and they have given themselves to lies. AS tells us, "People like darkness rather than light because there deeds are evil.

V.46 Question - Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?

Condition - If I am telling the truth,

why don't you believe me?

logical question but no turning just more hate until death is proclaimed.

:47 Fact - He who belongs to God hears what God says.

Reason - The reason you do not hear is that you do not

belong to God."

The people can not and do not respond because they know what they are doing is wrong and Jesus has found them out.

CONCLUSION

This subject is covered in other places in the New Testament.

1.Paul in Rom. 3:38 called it Justified by faith

2. Peter in calls it Partaking of the divine

nature

3. James in calls it wisdom that comes down

from heaven

4. John in call it being freed from our sins