Who is Your Father?
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So if you’ve been with us for any length of time...
…but especially the past several weeks...
…a main theme we’ve been discussing is the reality that...
…whenever Christ spoke, mankind MISUNDERSTOOD...
And ALWAYS, without question, in a certain way.
Here’s how the Bible describes what we’ve been seeing the past several months...
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
We’ve been seeing this VERY text play itself out - in ALL of our passages the past several months...
And it’s something that - really - we’ve seen all throughout the Bible...
YET - this has been HIGHLIGHTED for us the past several weeks for sure...
BECAUSE - we have Jesus speaking directly to the Jews…mainly....in this book.
So think of the landscape of this book...
JESUS CHRIST - who was ALWAYS speaking spiritually,
And speaking to people - the Pharisees...
…who LIVED and BREATHED the LETTER of the law - the Physical world...
They EMPHASIZED the physical world!
So in a sense - we have this PERFECT storm brewing…swelling up....
And it’s going to continue today...
If you remember this dialogue that Christ has been having with these Jews...
You remember that Jesus started out back in chapter 4 saying...
14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
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.”
So in this - over the past couple of months, Jesus has been confusing these Jews (Pharisees)...
His truth has not been HITTING its mark - because it cannot...
They are UNABLE to discern spiritual things...
And last week - if you remember, Jesus looked at these Jews and said...
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.”
And the Jews responded by saying - “What? We are the offspring of Abraham, AND - we’ve never been enslaved to anyone!”
And - of course - Jesus corrects them - gives them the SPIRITUAL truth they didn’t understand...
…and let them know that they were SLAVES to SIN - that which SEPARATES them from God..
And goes on to finish out last week by saying this...
38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
And so in hearing this…These Jews continue to MISS the mark in understanding what Jesus was saying...
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.”
A consistent theme we see today in our text is this constant COMPARISON between...
The Devil as father
God as Father
And Christ gives repeated blows to the Jews in highlighting for them who their father truly was...
AS we’ll see - these men (Pharisees) - they were deceived. They thought they were ok...
But Christ - lovingly, showed them differently...
Let’s march through these comparisons in the text...
…and ALL THE WHILE - examining ourselves...
SLIDE: Who Is My Father? Examine My Actions
Who Is My Father?
Who Is My Father?
What does Jesus say?
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,
See - the Jews go back to what they feel is their SECURITY...
They were of the physical lineage of Abraham...
But that’s about as far as it went - in so much as their relationship to Abraham...
They believed their ANCESTRY brought with it - Freedom...
And Jesus says - Uh NO! - yes you are descendants of Abraham - but THAT’S IT!
As far as you - Looking to Abraham as a source of wisdom...
Learning from Abraham...
Living like Abraham…DOING what he did....
NO - you don’t DO what he did!
What did Abraham do?
Abraham’s life as SATURATED with FAITH in God...
By FAITH,
Abraham obeyed God by going out to a land he was to receive as an inheritance...
Abraham offered up his son Isaac on the altar, only to receive another sacrifice, and his son back
The Bible says -
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
So here we have Abraham - the guy that these Jews were pointing to and saying - Yeah - that’s our father...
And Jesus says - You don’t DO what he did...
You don’t LIVE by faith...
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 so Christ knows there is this connection between OUR FATHER - (whomever that is) - and the THINGS WE DO...
So - examine yourself...
Someone who has God as their Father will - DO … and LIVE like Jesus.
What do i DO in life? What do i prioritize?
Where does Christ go next?
SLIDE: Who Is My Father? Examine My Affections
Who Is My Father?
Who Is My 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.
“But now you [SEEK] (desire) to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God...”
We touched on it last week - The World in Bondage will WAR against the Truth!!
**Remember that analogy we walked through last week? (Universe is water)
Go back to that analogy in your mind...
Now - remember that the WATER was - SIN....right?
The air in your lungs - is TRUTH
When we go under the water - we do what? (big gulp of AIR)
That air - is TRUTH
That air in our lungs - is LIFE
What does water SEEK to do with the AIR in your lungs?
The moment you go under the water - that WATER is SEEKING to destroy that AIR…that TRUTH
If you’re under too long? And you open your mouth to BREATHE…?
Any AIR to be found? No!
No TRUTH (Life) to be found! The water SEEKS to kill!!
Jesus here - points to the reality that our AFFECTIONS will reveal who our father is...
Remember Paul’s dealings with the Jewish nation...
The Jewish Nation pursued FAVOR with God through the law.
Their obedience was not founded on joy in God, but rather out of duty to the Law.
They were viewing the law as an Obstacle course
(that if they made it through the obstacle course, then they could EARN the reward of heaven)
So what did they do?
They tried to conform their behavior externally, to the Law...
...and so Paul was calling them to be TRANSFORMED on the inside by faith alone in Christ alone.
That they would join Paul on faith alone, and then look back at the Law and say - "ohh...i never saw it that way before!"
The law just went from being an OBSTACLE COURSE - to - a Playground!
And that’s what happens when we PLACE our trust in Christ - our FAITH in Christ...
We receive NEW AFFECTIONS for Christ!....and His law (it’s a process)
And so - if you want to know who my father is - examine my AFFECTIONS!
It’s INCOMPLETE to say - I know about Jesus Christ
The question to ask is - do you LOVE Jesus Christ?
Our affections will display who our father is...
And Jesus confirms this...
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.
If God were your Father - you would - LOVE Me!
Our Affections point to who our father is...
But not only that...
SLIDE: Who Is My Father? Examine My Pride
Who Is My Father?
Who Is My Father?
43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
Think through this...
The same truth that saves a soul by faith, condemns another without it.
The same truth that saves a soul due to faith, condemns another due to pride
Jesus says - Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you CANNOT bear to hear my word!
Meaning - the truth of Christ CONDEMNS, and therefore - ENRAGES those who are too prideful to submit!
Listen to Jeremiah...
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.
They cannot listen…and it takes us back to 1 Cor 2:14
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
PRIDE - hears the truth of Christ and says:
Foolishness!
NOT FOR ME!
The TRUTH of Christ ENRAGES Pride!!
Why do you think Christ was nailed to a cross?
Pride DEFENDED - points to the Devil as the father.
Christians are those who have - SUBMITTED to the truth of Christ...
Submitted to the reality of their WICKEDNESS...
REPENTED of their sins..
And so HUMILITY points to - God as Father!
What else does Jesus point to...
SLIDE: Who Is My Father? Examine My Will
Who Is My Father?
Who Is My Father?
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.
Here Jesus explicitly says that the Jews WILL was to do their father’s desires...
THEIR FATHER - being the devil
And i think most times we probably think - Well, then THAT must mean their desire was to:
murder people
torture people
That the Devil’s desire must be the MOST EVIL and VILE things we could think of...
I actually don’t think that’s the case...
Here’s a question I need to ask myself as a human being...
Is it my will that God be glorified at the peril of my pride, or is it my will that my convictions only run skin deep, only hearing Christian things too dull to pierce the heart?
You get the question?
I’m basically asking myself - Do I live my life DEFENDING my pride, or forsaking it in order to glorify God?
Let’s look back at v44 again...
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.
Jesus here points to the Jews WILL - and says - SEE - your desire is to do your father’s desires…AND HE was a murderer from the beginning!
Jesus points back to the garden of eden - Where the devil DECEIVED Eve, causing mankind to plunder into SIN...
What was the result of that?
DEATH!
The devil is a murderer - and so NO WONDER these Jews want to KILL Jesus…!
Jesus is = THE TRUTH - and the devil HATES the truth!
BUT - the devil isn’t stupid - He’s SUBTLE...
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
**phone calls from machines trying to sound like real people
Satan disguises himself as an angel of light...
WHY?
To deceive us!
LISTEN - as Christians - yes - we need train our WILLS to avoid - SIN (murdering people, raping people, torturing people, committing adultery)
The OBVIOUS SINS in this world… We need to (repeat)
BUT...
We also need to train our WILLS to avoid ANYTHING that’s NOT a sin that still HINDERS our pursuit of Christ!
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
You see?
It says LAY ASIDE every weight - - AND - - sin
There are things in this world that are NOT SIN (Morally neutral) - that still HINDER our pursuit of Christ!
Is your computer evil?
No - but can it hinder your pursuit of Christ?
Is your job evil?
Unless you work for the Pittsburgh Steelers - no - but can it hinder your pursuit of Christ?
Is your TV evil?
No - but you get the point...
We’re called to train our WILLS to lay aside EVERY [NON-SINFUL] weight which clings so close...
In order that we can - RUN with ENDURANCE…in this life of Christianity
And that’s the point Jesus is making - He’s saying - Your WILL points to who your father is!
Your will displays who your father is!
But that’s not all…we press on...
SLIDE: Who Is My Father? Examine My Discernment
Who Is My Father?
Who Is My Father?
What does Jesus say next?
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.
The father of lies - PROMOTES - the lie
The father of lies - embraces the lie
Question for you: If I was to say something that is NOT true, but I BELIEVE it to be true - would you label me - A LIAR?
No - why?
Because I would believe what I’m saying is TRUE...
But what does the term LIAR - imply?
It implies - that the motive behind it - is to DECEIVE!
So LIARS know that what they’re saying - is NOT true!
This sheds light on who Satan really is.
He’s the FATHER of lies…He speaks out of his own character...
But why does he LIE?
He lies - because his motive - is to DESTROY YOU!
His ULTIMATE goal is to eternally DESTROY you - therefore he - MUST lie to you!
In order for you to be a LIAR - you must - by default - KNOW TRUTH!
Satan KNOWS truth!
He just hates it - and he wants you - DEAD
So he lies!
WHICH MEANS - can we discern the lie from the truth?
Even more so...
Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.
Wow - can be the fine line between heaven and hell...
This is why we NEED each other...
Our Discernment can point to who our father is....either God…or the devil!
But Christ isn’t done yet....He keeps going!
SLIDE: Who Is My Father? Examine My Verdict
46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
How did the Jews miss the Messiah?
How did they MISS - Jesus?
Here’s why - their eyes were FIXED on themselves...
They wanted PHYSICAL freedom!
They wanted increased status...
They wanted a sitting king...
And....instead they got Jesus - WHO POINTED a SPOTLIGHT on their sin!
VERDICT? Kill Him!
But here’s the thing - even today...
We all RENDER a VERDICT against Christ!
For some - the verdict is - SAVIOR!
For others - the verdict is - DEATH to Him!
And for still others - the verdict is - Indifference!
And even INDIFFERENCE points to the devil as father!
The Bible says that we are either FOR Christ - or AGAINST Him!
Our verdict displays who our father truly is!
Is He our SAVIOR?
Or are we indifferent to Him? Is our Verdict: Who cares...
But there’s still one more...
SLIDE: Who Is My Father? Examine My Spiritual Pulse
Who Is My Father?
Who Is My Father?
Meaning: Am i Spiritually ALIVE, or DEAD?
What does Jesus say?
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.”
Ok, let’s focus in on this word “OF” in this verse...
It says - Whoever is [of] God
this word OF here… it refers to being “FROM” God...
So I’m going to read this verse by replacing the word [of] with the word FROM...
The 2nd [of] is not the same as the 1st [of], but the 3rd [of] is the same...
here we go:
Whoever is [from] God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not [from] God.
Puts a little different angle to this verse doesn’t it...
OK, let’s go to another verse that uses this same [of]…I’ll highlight all the [of]s that mean “FROM”...
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Do you see....?
This word [OF] can mean [FROM] - and it gives us the sense that GOD DOES something IN US...
AND - that His NOT DOING this thing....is the reason people DO NOT hear/understand the word of God!
Listen to how this verse explains this..
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
and THIS CALL here in v24 is the same call we see in Romans
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
This call - brings LIFE…Spiritual LIFE to a spiritually dead soul...
That’s why - if we want to truly know who our FATHER is…is it the devil or is it God...
we need to examine our spiritual pulse..
Are we spiritually ALIVE?
HAS GOD moved in our lives…Has He awakened us to Him and who He is?
OK - wow - we’ve seen a lot of characteristics today of someone who has God as their Father...
There’s 2 types of people in this world...
Those who have God as their Father…and the rest - who have the devil as their father...
What have we seen?
SUMMARY:
Actions
Affections
Pride
Will
Discernment
Spiritual Pulse
LORD’S TABLE
Which brings us now to the Lord's Table...
Lord's Table:
This brings us to the Lord’s Table…a time for each of us to reflect on our lives, to examine ourselves spiritually, and to remember the cost of our faith. We were bought with a price, and these elements remind us of this.
Have you experienced the Saving Power of Christ at the cross?
We are however, not to take this lightly. Scripture says – “ whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
Take time now and examine yourself before the Lord.
22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”
23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.
24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
“do this…in remembrance of me.”