John 8:12-59

John 8:12

What significance do you see in this verse?

There are many OT verses that compare God to a light (Ps 27:1; 119:105; Is 9:2; Is 60). This is one of Jesus’ ‘I am’ statements that John uses to help demonstrate Jesus’ claim of divinity.

With some OT references to light, what does it mean for Jesus to be the light?

Notice also that we have the light of life. When we choose the light and leave the darkness, we not only walk in the light, but we have it.

What does it mean that we “have the light of life?”

Read Matthew 5:14-16. Having the light is equated to our good works being displayed. Again, walking in the light is associated with behavior modification.

John 8:15-16

What does it mean to judge according to the flesh?

Read John 7:17-24. Jesus equates right judgment to seeking “the glory of him who sent him.” We are able to better discern God’s will (and, therefore, judge rightly) by aligning our will with God’s.

How do we avoid wrong judgment? How do we align our will with God’s?

Read John 14:21

John frequently ties together relationship and obedience. See the verses below. He instructs his disciples to obey him as he obeyed the father.

John 14:23, 31; 15:7, 10, 14

What’s more important? Obedience or relationship? I think the answer is yes, that is, both. It is not an either/or situation, but an each/and situation. We can see this in human relationships. We treat those we love differently (think of our spouse).

Another example, how much easier is it to work in a class you care about?

When we deepen our relationship with God, we are better able to remain inline with his will. We will then discover that we are judging with right judgments.

Think about a time before you knew Christ. Think about some of the things you thought were right or fair. Now think about those things. Do they still seem right or fair?

How many of us have heard the phrase, look but don’t touch? Pre-Christ, would any of us have thought that this was wrong?

John 8:30-32

This sets up the second dialogue, this time between Jesus and believers. We need to keep this in mind as Jesus is critical of these believers. They are not set up initially as shallow believers or fake believers (cf. John 2:23-25).

John 8:33

See how quickly these believers struggle? They are even lying to themselves about being enslaved. The Jews had spent the better part of the last 500 years being enslaved to various different empires (Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Syria, Greece, Rome).

Where in our own lives do we lie to ourselves?

DISCUSSION

John 8:34-36

Jesus doesn’t even bother correcting them here, but instead points out that all who sin remain slaves to sin. Romans 6:16-18.

What in our lives are we a slave to? is it the same thing that we lie to ourselves about?

DISCUSSION

John 8:48

Already, those Jews that believed in him are starting to turn on him. They are being called on their lies and their character, and they are too afraid to step out of the darkness and into the light.

What stops us from stepping from the darkness and into the light?