2021 03-07 Sunday Morning Service

This morning. We're going to look at John chapter 8. It's been challenging for Me 3 to prepare these I am messages and at the same time put into words what I've learned. So I always ask for the Holy Spirit to help in delivering the truth. Let me begin reading in verses 12 through 21. Then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said to him you bear witness of yourself. Your witness is not true. Jesus answered and said to them even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true for I know where I come from and where I am going but you do not know where I come from and where I am going you judge according to the flesh. I judge no one and yet if I do judge my judgment is true for I am not alone, but I am with the father who sent me it is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one who Bears witness of myself and the father who sent me Bears witness of me then they said to him. Where is your father and Jesus answered, you know, neither me or my father if you had known me you would have known my father all These words Jesus spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no one laid hands on him for his hour had not yet come then. Jesus said to them again. I am going away and you will seek me and will die in your sin where I go. You cannot come. This conflict is escalating and it will escalate fiercely through this chapter and John and through the final six months of Jesus life until he reaches the full flame in passion week and takes him to the cross in God's perfect time. But the things that Jesus said were the things that kept escalating the animosity of the religious leaders in one of those statements is found in verse 12 when Jesus said I am the light of the world They knew exactly what he was claiming. This is one of the seven I am statements in the Gospel of John. This is a notable one and a memorable one and one which we are all familiar, but I don't think we may fully understand the essence of this and the way those Jewish leaders received it and I'm going to help with that. I hope let's break the little narrative down into some subsections so we can hide the track our way. Let's start with the area. That would be the first point to consider before that. I want to take you to verse 20 when I say the area. I mean the exact location where these words were uttered these words you spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple and we'll start there because that sets up absolutely everything. These are remarkable words, but Jesus doesn't speak these words out of nowhere. He had a way of capturing the moment turning it to himself and he does it again here. It's really critical to know exactly where he is. He's in the temple and a section of the temple where the treasury existed now one of the things that people did when they came to the temple was give money and there was a massive Courtyard of the temple that had 13 receptacles around the entire area. It was in the courtyard called the court for women. There was a courtyard beyond that and that would be the court of the Gentiles were anybody could come but once you left the court of the Gentiles and came in it was for Jews the men and women for women could go no further. They couldn't go into the next Port so naturally they put all the places to give an offering for both the men and the women could come it was in that very place at the Widow gave her last two coins and around the porch of this massive Court of the women wear their would be tens of thousands of people at this particular time in the Feast of Tabernacles because they came from everywhere there were 13 allocated places to give money in according to historians. They were trumpet shaped which means they had a larger opening and funnel down in the money went into some kind of a container. They were very specific as to their connection number 1 and number 2 trumpet receptacle was designed for the half-shekel temple text. Everyone had to pay number 3 and number 4 where where women put up money to purchase the two pigeons if they needed to offer to purify themselves from childbearing. Number five was where the money went to purchase the wood for the fire on the altar number six also for the incense in the alter five and six then four things related to the sacrifices. Number seven was designated as the receptacle to keep up the golden vessels of the temple to hire the people to clean them and have money to replace them. Then you have 8 through 13 goes for for the general fund anything and everything else. There's where Jesus is. He's in the court of the women. It would be the most packed Court in the temple and just keep in mind. Let's go back 2 verse 12 then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. He didn't say I am a light of the world. He said I am v-light. He didn't say I am a light in Jerusalem. He didn't say I am a light in Judah. I am the light of the world. This is exclusive more importantly. This is a direct claim to be the Messiah and they knew it. They were very familiar with the Messianic promises and Isaiah 40 to 49 50 and 53 you have chapters in which the Messiah is called the servant of Jehovah, Isaiah 42:1 you have this prophecy where the father speaks of the Messiah is served. Behold my servant who I uphold my elect one in whom my soul Delights. I have put my spirit upon him. There is a Prophecy of the Messiah is coming and his empowering by the Holy Spirit. It goes on to speak of these things concerning him verse 5 does says God the Lord who created the heavens and stretch them out who spread for the Earth and that which comes from it who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it. He's speaking now to his Messiah verses 6 through 8. I the Lord have called you into righteousness and will hold your hand. I will keep you and give you the Covenant to the people as a light to the Gentiles to open blind eyes to bring out prisoners from the prison those who sit in darkness from the prison-house. I am the Lord. That is my name. He says that the servant of Jehovah the Messiah will be the light of the world again in Isaiah 49:6. It's too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and trees to restore the preserved ones of Israel. I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be my salvation to the ends of the Earth. This is from God Messiah will be the light of the world. When Jesus says I am the light of the world he is making the claim to be the prophesied Messiah. John even begins his gospel with reference to this. So John 1 1 through 5 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God all things were made through him. And without him nothing was made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of men in the light shines in the darkness and the Darkness did not comprehend it. So right at the very outset of this gospel, he identifies the coming Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ as the light in the life. The light of course is a great metaphor light is the active power that dispels darkness and Jesus Christ is the light of truth that dispels the darkness of the falsehood. Jesus Christ is the light of wisdom that dispels the darkness of ignorance. Jesus Christ is the light of Holiness that dispels the darkness of impurity. Jesus Christ is the light of joy that dispels the darkness of Sorrow, Jesus Christ is the light of life that dispels the darkness of death to say I am the light of the world is to identify yourself as God Psalms 27:1. The psalm has said the Lord is my light and my salvation Whom Shall I Fear 1st John 1:5 says this is the message we have heard from him and declare to you that God is light and in him is no Darkness at all. They understood what he was saying. He was claiming to be God. He was claiming to be the Messiah the light but the question comes up. Why here and why now? Why does he save say that what's really important to understand another ritual at the Feast of Tabernacles. He could have said I am the light just out of nowhere and of course it would have made sense in the world of Darkness. We all understand that all of us are characterizing the unfruitful works of darkness. We walk in darkness The Way of the Wicked is Darkness. The scripture says the Foolish Heart Is darkened We are dark and adore understanding and excluded from The Life Of God scripture talks about that frequently. It's a common description. We have been delivered out of the domain of Darkness. So there was certainly theological understanding of the notion of Darkness even Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament said the fool walks in darkness, Isaiah said men substitute Darkness for light. So I suppose Jesus could have just popped up and said I am the light of the world and it would have had some impact because people use the metaphor of Darkness for the disastrous reality of The Human Condition even then, But there's far more going on here than that when the Feast of Tabernacle began candelabras were set up all around the court of the women as far as historians say they literally filled the court of women with the capability of light every night. They would go around and they would like these large candles and they would burn all night. This was actually called by the Jews the illumination of the temple and the reason they did was because they're celebrating the 40 Years of they wandered in the wilderness and they were led by a pillar of fire at night and a lighted cloud in the daytime. This was the light that led them in the wilderness to commemorate that they have this illumination of the temple and they lived all these candles and let them burn all night. There's some interesting descriptions of it by historians who described it as a stunning Vision like a diamond in the midst of the city of Jerusalem. The temple was like flood lights coming up across its perimeter walls every night. They would let the temple became a flashing Diamond a symbol of the pillar of fiery light and Cloud that led them in the wilderness. I can visualize Jesus standing there and saying I am the light of the world and I can never go out if you follow me the light will never go out. You will never walk in darkness, but you will have the light of life. It's a profound moment. I'm the light that is never extinguished and is the pillar of light in the day and the night let Israel to the promised land. I am the light that will lead you to the kingdom. I will lead you to God to heaven to everlasting life. It's not a light to be looked at not a light to be admired. It's a light that he followed it moves. Its to be followed. Jesus said If any man will come after me let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me. He said you was disciples follow me. They followed the cloud. They followed the pillar and they were led to the promised land the whole generation died. Of course in only the next were able to go in. Jesus said if you follow me, you will go in you follow me. This will light you all the way through rather powerful and effectively does Jesus capture the crowd in the stunning Temple ritual turns to him. He says I know the way out of the darkness of ignorance. I know the way out of the darkness of sin. I know of the way out of the darkness of Sadness and Sorrow, I know the way out of the darkness of death follow me and I will lead you to eternal life. What does that mean to follow the way it's used here? It's like a soldier following his Commander as the believer Flawless Christ as his sole Commander like a slave following his master as the believer is to do the same. It's used of someone following a wise counselor. That's what it means to follow Christ as a soldier follows his Commander as a slave follows his master as a person and ignorance follows a wise counselor. To be a follower is to give yourself totally to Christ to say with the song. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Where is it also says in the Old Testament the Lord shall be an everlasting light Follow Me. Jesus said and I will lead you to the Heavenly Promised Land. I'll be the True Light. So Jesus is claiming not only to be the I am not only to be God who is the true light but to be the Messiah prophesied? So we go from the area to the assertion and that's what he asserts. It's a powerful moment captivating the people and they understood certainly the leaders understood because you see the antagonism that rises immediately the antagonism appears in verse 13 the Pharisees. Therefore said to him you bear witness of yourself and your witness is not true. They accuse Jesus of an invalid claim because he's making it for himself. You're just boasting. Why should we believe you? There are no witnesses to confirm this. This is another calculated attack. And of course they were saying essentially that this is an illegal claim because you cannot claim anything and we cannot confirm it to be true. Less. It is confirmed by at least two witnesses. And that's exactly what Jesus refers to later in the discussion and verse 17. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true so that go into that legal aspect of this calculated attack its biblical law. You have to have at least two witnesses. You can't possibly think that just because you say it it's true. In fact, it's invalidated because there are no confirming Witnesses. This is how unbelief operates by the way unbelief never has enough. His words alone should have been convincing enough. They had enough hearing of his words to know that he spoke like no other person ever spoke and that's exactly what was reported by the soldiers they sent to arrest him in the last chapter. Is works of healing power over disease demons death nature is a fact but unbelief never has enough proof. Go back to John 7:17. If anyone Wills to do his will he shall know concerning the doctrine whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority? If you're willing to know the truth, you'll know the truth. If you're not willing you will know the teaching they were willing their unbelief became ignorance that you can be an unbeliever because you're ignorant. That's a better situation because if we can just remove the ignorant, perhaps you'll believe but the worst possible scenario is to be ignorant because you're an unbeliever so that when you're given the proof your unbelief locks you into your ignorance. They were ignorant because of unbelief. They didn't process anything. He said they didn't connect any of the evidences. They just wanted him dead and I would just say generally speaking that she want to be very careful. If your rectum rejecting Jesus Christ and unbelief, that's terminal because of ignorance has been met with truth and you're unwilling to see it. You were locked in the kind of ignorance that is hopeless. If you're willing the truth. Is there are you willing When somebody says I don't believe the gospel, I don't believe Jesus is the son of God. I don't believe in him as the Savior. There's usually only two things say that such an amazing conclusion. You must have studied the Bible intensely for years to come with that conclusion because the world is full of people and it's been for centuries who study too deeply their whole lives and are convinced. He is who he says he is. So for you to return that you must have made some kind of extensive effort understand everything in scripture. That's not true. That's a very humiliating thing to say to someone who probably hasn't even read the New Testament. The second thing you might want to say is are you willing? Is your unbelief because of ignorance so that if that ignorance is removed, you're willing these work these Pharisees these leaders they weren't so you go from the antagonism to the answer in verse 14 Jesus answered and said to them even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true. Deuteronomy talks about two or three Witnesses. That's for people who are liars that works for us because we're all liars. We all live in a world full of lies and deception. We go to confirm things with several people hoping to get the truth, but that doesn't apply to God. Jesus said even if I testify about myself, my testimony is I'm not subject to those laws that are meant for World of liars. I know where I came from and I know where I'm going and he's saying there I'm Eternal the law was made for man. Not for God Sabbath was made for man. Not for God. I speak the truth because of who I am. So his answer is first of all, my claim is valid because of who I am and where I'm from and where I'm going We know where he's from. The word became flesh and dwelt among us, but it was Eternal Word. It was with God and I know where I'm going John 17:5 and now will father glorify me together with yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was I came from the father. I'm going back to the father, but you don't know where I came from or where I'm going. In fact, they didn't even know what county was from they thought he was from Nazareth. They never bothered to check. Why would they their unbelief can find them to a willful ignorance? They never looked at the records to see that he was born in Bethlehem where Messiah was said to be born? If he was of the line of David both father and mother, so first of all, he says you don't know anything about me even temporarily you don't even know what townmen from back and John 7:28 and then Jesus cried out as he taught in the temple saying you both know me and you know where I am from not come with myself, but he who sent me is true. You do not know he's saying that sarcastically we know where your from your you're from Nazareth. The Messiah doesn't come from there and they were trying to seize him and kill him and he's saying again when he says I know where I came from they know he means god, and I know where I'm going back to God, I'm Transcendent. I'm Eternal. I am God and there denial of his testimony is willful. Ignorance ignorance is cheap ignorance is common and ignorance in the face of evidence is terminal. Jesus says in verse 15 you judge according to the flash. I judge. No one your judgment is superficial by the way, they judge everyone. That's what Jesus referred to when he said judge not lest. Ye be judged stop the Judgment the final judgment is that your rendering with the leaders were doing to everybody they but they judged according to the flesh. You don't know me. You don't know me at all and yet you sit in judgment on me and judgment on my testimony. All you know is external all you know is physical and you don't even know the town I came from you haven't even check the temple records and you're the judge of me like you're the judge of everybody else. Vs15 event says I judge. No one what he is saying is I don't judge in the flesh Apostle Paul and 2nd Corinthians 5:16. He says I judge no man in the flesh. What did he mean by that he meant I don't judge people superficially if you're a Christian, you don't judge people superficially you judge them. Spiritually Pharisees judge. Spiritually. Jesus said, I don't judge that way with verse 16 and yet if I do judge my judgment is true, but I am not alone that I am with the father who sent me and by the way, he will Judge John 5:22. For the father judges no one but has committed all judgement to the son. He will judge. But according to verse 30 I can of myself do nothing as I hear I judge in my judgment is righteous because I do not seek my own will with the will of the father who sent me. Next time he comes he will come as the judge. And then he goes to the second Point not only because of who I am from Heaven going back to heaven sent by God going back to God in perfect coordination in harmony with God then there's a second reason and at this point the exceeds to their expectation. Okay, even in your own law, it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. I'll give you that I am he who testifies about myself in the father who sent me testifies about me. There's two you want to you have to myself and the father this again is an infuriating playing my father is working and I am working and they wanted to kill him because he was making himself equal with God. Says I judge and my father judges, I testify and the father testifies two reasons that my claim is valid number one who I am and number to the testimony that my father corroborates and of course their response is predictable. Verse 19 they were saying to him. Where is your father scorn ridicule sarcasm mockery. I don't know whether they were throwing some slow him as an illegitimate child. I don't know whether they were mocking the fact that no one knew his father because his father was long dead by that time in his ministry. I don't know really what they were saying, but it was intended as a scornful mockery. Where is your father Jesus answered, you know, neither me nor my father if you had known me you would have known my father also, you don't know me. You don't know my father. You wouldn't know God if he came up for you. You don't know him. You don't know me later. He'll say to the disciples if you seen me you've seen the father. But this is the final insult. They prided themselves on knowing god. They knew God better than anyone. He says you don't know him at all. Matthew 11:27 says all things have been delivered to me by my father and no one knows the sun except the father nor does anyone know the father except son in the one to whom the son Will's to reveal him. You don't know God. You don't know him at all. This is a devastating statement. This is a characterization of the leadership of Judaism in the time of Christ. They don't know God at all still true of those who reject the Savior. So that was the devastating answer verse 20, then these words Jesus spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no one laid hands on him for his hour had not yet come. They are no now so infuriated that again they want to seize him and to kill him but they can't they tried three times and chapter 7 unsuccessfully they can't because it's hour is not yet come he's on a Divine schedule and they can't do a thing. Final statement is the avenging the avenging and verse 21. Then Jesus said to them again. I am going away and you will seek me and will dying your sin where I go. You cannot come that's final earlier. He said I'm not going to be around long and just going to be here a little while as if there's still some time here. We are only hours later that most days your ignorance is confirmed. It's willful and it's the product of your unbelief in the face of the revelation. We know the account stream the rejection was because they attributed what he did to Satan, so he said I go away Not six months and then but as far as they were concerned, he was gone. You will seek me, you know, that's the horror of lostness hell is where you know, he'll finally who you need and you seek but never find that's why there's weeping and gnashing of teeth where I go. You cannot come you will die in your sin and want to close we just to look at John 12 because I think it ties it all together. Chapter 12 verses 35 and 36 and this is a good concluding point. Then Jesus said to them a little while longer the light is with you walk while you have the light less Darkness overtake you He Who Walks in the darkness does not know where he is going while you have the light believe in the light, but you may become sons of the light these things Jesus spoke and departed. It was hidden from them. That's the cry, isn't it? It's the same thing. He says in chapter 8 it was so stunning is immediately and verse 36 and says these things Jesus spoke and departed and was hidden from them. They didn't have much time to leave now or I'm gone and he hit himself. Verse 37 explains why but although he had done so many signs before them. They did not believe in him. Is that a shock to God know it was a fulfillment of Prophecy verse 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke Lord who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed for this reason, they couldn't believe they would believe now what verses 39 and 40 Brasilia said therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again, he has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest. They should see with their eyes less. They should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should heal them. These things Isaiah said because he saw his glory and he spoke of them Isaiah's prophecy is a prophecy of Jesus being rejected and then God rejecting the rejectors, but thankfully and verse 42 and 43 nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not trust him lest. They should be put out of the synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. What is sad reality? He is light of the world the only Light walk in the light or experience Darkness forever. Sprite is the light shine on Hearts today May Christ Be The Light of Life. Father we now ask that you would use these things. We've learned today to open the hearts of some who perhaps have been and still are in the darkness and the make us all aware of how important it is to be lights in the world. Use us Lord to be the light. We thank you for that. Great privilege ice name.

Thank you. You are.