A Solemn Warning - John 8:21-30

John 8:21-30

©March 21st, 2021 by Rev. Rick Goettsche SERIES: John

Many of you remember when you were learning to drive and had to take the driver’s ed class in school. The class taught you the rules of the road, how to drive safely, and maybe even some important tips about vehicle maintenance. One of the hallmarks of most driver education courses is a video (or maybe more than one) designed to show you the dangers of driving recklessly. They often tell the stories (and sometimes show photos) of people who were in terrible accidents as a result of drunk or distracted driving. The idea is to instill in these teenagers the gravity of the task before them. While driving is fun and offers a 16 year old a new sense of freedom, they also need to understand that driving a car is very dangerous, so they should not take it lightly.

In our passage this morning, Jesus issues a similarly solemn warning to the religious leaders and others gathered around him. He clearly lays out the gospel message and reminds them that if they choose not to believe in Him, the consequences will be great. Unfortunately for many who were there that day, Jesus’ warning fell on deaf ears.

The warning Jesus gives was not merely for the religious leaders of His day, however. It is a warning that echoes down through the ages, to our very own time. I hope today you will consider the warning Jesus gives for yourself—and choose to devote your life to Him as a result.

The Warning

Jesus offers this warning beginning in verse 21,

21 Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.” 22 The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?” 23 Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:21-24, NLT)

Jesus told the religious leaders and others gathered around that he was going away and that they would search for him, but would die in their sin, because they could not go where he was going. When Jesus said he was going away, he was referring to his death and resurrection. But what did Jesus mean when he said the religious leaders would search for Him? Did they look for Jesus after he had risen from the grave?

They didn’t search for Jesus, but they did continue to search for the Messiah! They did not believe Jesus was the One who was promised, so they continued to look for the day the Messiah would come. Even today, devout Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to be revealed. But they won’t find him as long as they look for someone other than Jesus.

Jesus continued by saying they could not come where he was going. Where was Jesus going? He was going to Heaven. Jesus said the religious leaders could not go where He was going and would instead die in their sin. The leaders, however, didn’t understand (or at least didn’t like) this. They asked if He was planning to commit suicide (we’ll come back to that in a minute) and asked where He was going.

Jesus responded by telling them they belonged to this world and would die in their sins. This was a bold statement, but one they needed to hear. The gospel message has two significant parts. The first is that every one of us is a sinner, and left to our own devices, we will all perish as sinners. Because of our sin, each of us stands condemned before God, and we deserve to spend eternity in hell. This is what Jesus was telling the religious leaders. Because of their sin, they would not be able to go to heaven to be with Him. Without some sort of outside help, they all stood condemned.

And that leads to the second part of the gospel message—that there is still hope. Jesus said that unless they believed in Him, they would die in their sins. The corollary of this is that if they did believe in Him, they would be forgiven! Neither you nor I can erase the sin in our lives. Jesus, however, provides a way for us to be forgiven of our sin and go to heaven to be with Him. Jesus says that if we will recognize Him for who He is and follow Him as such, then He will forgive our sin and we will spend eternity in heaven with Him. This is the good news of the gospel message—there is hope, even though we deserve condemnation.

The gospel is good news, but only for those who believe. Jesus’ statement reminds us of another important truth: not everyone goes to Heaven. The general consensus among non-believers seems to be that pretty much everyone goes to Heaven when they die unless they are really bad people. Most people define a “really bad person” as someone like Hitler or a serial killer. As such, they believe most everyone goes to heaven, because we’re all basically good.

Even more insidious are those who claim to be Christians but teach that everyone will go to heaven because God loves everyone, and Jesus will ultimately save everyone. These people completely deny the existence of Hell.

Both of these mindsets are proven false in these verses. Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders of the day. These would have been the people everyone would have seen as “good people.” They knew the scriptures, they lived exemplary lives, and people respected them. Yet Jesus said they could not go where He was going. He was saying they would be excluded from Heaven.

Contrast this with what Jesus said to His own disciples just a few chapters later in the book of John.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:1-6, NLT)

Jesus told His disciples He was going to prepare a place for them in Heaven. He said they would be with Him in Heaven. They could go where He was going. That is the opposite of what He told the religious leaders. What was the difference? The difference was that His disciples knew the way, while the religious leaders did not. Jesus told both groups the same thing: the way to Heaven is through Him alone. But only one group chose to embrace that truth. Those who did not could not go to be with Jesus. They would spend eternity separated from Him in Hell.

The situation has not changed in the last 2,000 years. Every person on the face of the earth is sinful. We have all violated God’s law and have earned for ourselves a just punishment. God is just, He is fair, and He will punish sin once and for all. Unfortunately, that means each one of us deserves to spend eternity in hell separated from God.

There is one hope, however. And it is the same hope Jesus held out to both the religious leaders and his disciples. It is to trust in Him alone for forgiveness and salvation. If we will trust in what Jesus has done on our behalf and will follow Him with our lives, recognizing Him as Lord, then He will prepare a place for us in Heaven and take us there to be with Him when we die. This is the good news of the gospel.

Each of us face a choice. We must decide whether we will trust in Jesus or not. You must decide whether you will take Him at His word, or whether you will reject Him. Those are the only two choices available to you.

A Strange Question

Let’s come back to the strange question from the religious leaders in verse 22. When Jesus told them they could not go where He was going their response was to ask if he was planning to commit suicide. This seems to come out of nowhere, but I think there’s a reasonable explanation for why they asked this.

When Jesus said they could not go where He was going, they understood that He was talking about His death. In their minds, they were obviously going to Heaven, so if Jesus was going somewhere they could not follow, then He must be going to Hell! Why would Jesus end up in Hell? After all, He was a good person, right? This was the problem the Jewish leaders had. But they had an idea. In Jewish thought, a person who took their own life would be relegated to the lowest depths of Hell. There was no hope for them, as no sacrifice could be made for their sin. So, according to the Jewish leaders’ warped way of thinking, the only explanation for why they couldn’t go where He was going was that Jesus must be planning to kill himself.

I think it’s also possible that they understood exactly what He was saying, but were mocking Him, saying that the only way they couldn’t go where He was going was if He went to Hell, because they certainly weren’t going there. Regardless, it shows the hardness of these religious leaders’ hearts.

I do think it’s important to talk briefly about suicide, however, because this is a question we get asked a lot. Were the Jewish leaders correct in their thinking that a person who takes their own life is automatically sent to Hell?

I don’t believe that is the case. Nowhere in scripture does it say that suicide is the unforgiveable sin. Jesus consistently says that anyone who trusts in Him will be forgiven of their sins. I believe this forgiveness even extends to a Christian who, in a moment of weakness, takes their own life. Our eternal destiny is not determined by the circumstances surrounding our death, but on whether we trusted Jesus in life.

With that said, please understand that I have seen first-hand the effect suicide has on those who are left behind. I honestly believe that if those who chose to take their lives had gotten to see how badly their actions hurt so many around them and the ripple effect their lives had, they would have reconsidered their actions. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please know that both Dad and I are always here to talk to. I would far rather have someone wake me up to talk because they need help than have the funeral director or sheriff wake me up to tell me my friend was dead. You are not alone, even if you feel that way. That is a lie Satan tells us to deceive and hurt us. You aren’t alone, and this world is better with you still in it—no matter what lies Satan may be whispering to the contrary.

Jesus was not suicidal. He knew He was going to die, but He was giving His life for a very important purpose. He did not plan to take His own life, and He was not going to Hell. The people simply were unwilling to hear the message He was preaching. We should be careful not to make the same mistake.

A Bold Declaration

In verse 24, Jesus said, “Unless you believe I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” The original language literally says, “Unless you believe I Am, you will die in your sins.” The New Living Translation adds the other words for clarity. The fact that Jesus refers to Himself as I Am again shows that he was making a claim of divinity. His point was that they must believe in Him as God and trust in Him if they were to have any hope of eternal life. Once again, the people’s response shows their stubbornness.

25 “Who are you?” they demanded. Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be. 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” 27 But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” 30 Then many who heard him say these things believed in him. (John 8:25-30, NLT)

The people’s response was to ask Jesus who he was! His “I Am” statement made it pretty clear who He was claiming to be, and He had made that fact clear throughout His ministry. They knew exactly who He claimed to be. They simply refused to believe. Jesus responded by essentially brushing them aside, telling them He has always made the same claims about Himself—in essence, you know exactly who I claim to be!

Jesus responded that He could say a whole lot more about them, thus condemning them, but He would not, because that’s not what the Father had told Him to do. The people still did not understand.

So Jesus made one final declaration—they would understand who he was when they had lifted up the Son of Man on the cross. The original language does not include the words “on the cross”, though the religious leaders at that time understood the phrase “to be lifted up” to refer to crucifixion. So the fact that the New Living Translation includes these words is likely appropriate. Jesus often used the term Son of Man to refer to himself. So he was predicting he would be crucified, and that through this, they would see who he truly was (and is).

This says something about Jesus, doesn’t it? He knew what lay ahead for Him. He knew He was going to be crucified. He had the ability to stop the whole thing because He was God, but He didn’t, because this was His plan from the beginning. Jesus came into the world to make it possible for our relationship with Him to be restored.

There are some who look at the crucifixion story as gruesome, even going so far as to call the idea that God the Father allowed God the Son to be crucified for our sins “cosmic child abuse”. But that shows a misunderstanding of the power and position of Jesus. Jesus went to the cross willingly. The cross was His plan as well. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate picture of love. He loves us enough that He was willing to take on the penalty we owed in order to save us. God the Father never abandoned Jesus. This was the plan from before the creation of the world. As we understand this truth, it should boggle our minds. It is a reminder of just how much God loves us.

Fortunately, it seems that some of the people standing there did have some measure of understanding, for John says many who heard him say these things believed in Him.

Today, we have a benefit that those standing there did not have. We have the benefit of hindsight. We have seen Jesus’ words fulfilled. He was indeed lifted up in crucifixion. Even more than that, Jesus was lifted up in His resurrection. Every other religious figure in history has died and stayed dead. Jesus is different. Jesus said He was going to die but would also rise again. And He did. This is the greatest evidence we have that what He was saying was true. He proved the truthfulness of His statements by doing exactly what He said He would.

Conclusion

These verses record a short conversation, but one that is incredibly important. In these verses Jesus lays out the essence of the gospel message. He points to our sinful condition and our need for a savior. And he reminds us that He alone is the Savior we need. As we conclude, I have a few take-home points for us to remember.

First, Heaven is real, and so is Hell. Jesus does not mince words when He talks about condemnation. The doctrine of Hell is an unpopular one, because we imagine our sin isn’t a big deal. But it is. Sin sets us up as adversaries, enemies of God. That is a huge deal. People think the doctrine of Hell is close-minded, barbaric, and unloving. But they miss the bigger picture. Every person deserves to be condemned, and yet God has made a way for us to be saved. He has made it possible for us to spend eternity in Heaven, even though we don’t deserve it. We need to recognize the reality of both Heaven and Hell, because if we misunderstand either one, we will misunderstand the character of God.

Second, everybody needs Jesus. Jesus promises that there is a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and spend eternity in Heaven with Him. But there is only one way, and that is through Him. Lots of people declare all sorts of things about what happens when we die. Some deny the existence of eternal life entirely. Others believe everyone will go to Heaven. Jesus says otherwise. So who should we believe? Jesus has proven His reliability by dying and rising again. Those who contradict Him have no credibility whatsoever. When Jesus says our only hope is to trust in Him, we should take Him at his word. This is important for you and me to understand and believe, but it is equally important for every person on the planet. So make it a point to talk to those you love and ensure they understand this truth. Don’t allow people to continue along thinking everything is ok, without knowing that they need a relationship with Jesus. If we love people, we’ll make sure they know they need a savior and Jesus is the only One who can save them.

Finally, Jesus loves us. As we look at Jesus talking to these religious leaders, remember that He knew what lay ahead. He knew He would be crucified at their hands. He didn’t have to let that happen. But He allowed it because He loved us. Whenever you feel alone or that God doesn’t care about you, remember that Jesus went to the cross willingly—for you…because He loved you.

These truths are sober reminders for us as we walk through life. Jesus wanted to make sure the people understood what He was saying, because His words were of utmost importance. They are still important today, and we should heed His words, because if we don’t, the consequences will be severe.

©March 21st, 2021 by Rev. Rick Goettsche SERIES: John