2.10.13 2.27.2022 Transforming Truth John 8.31-59

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Entice: During the last 18 months one of the focal points of my preaching has been truth. In an age of information density, propaganda, and manipulative advertising we need to be focused on how to evaluate what is truthful, manipulative, exaggerated, or deceptive in everything we hear. The time and place in which Jesus lived and served had less information density than our own but was also filled with self-serving and deceptive messages. The people of Judea and the Galilee were often unable to respond to Him because of all the clutter. Just like today.

Engage: Lying or being lied to ties a person up in all kinds of knots. Untruth not only impacts how we speak to others it also impacts our understanding of the world . Admittedly, there are different kinds of lying, deception, and untruth. This is not a scientific analysis, more of a seat-of-the pants evaluation from personal experience.

We encounter Denial.

We are also familiar with an information Deluge (Flood the zone. Enough small lies clog the system.)

And we all are familiar with outright Deception

Much of our text this morning is an account of what happens when people are tied up in knots of deception, selfishness, narcissism, nationalistic pride.

Jesus promises us truthfulness, which is absolute, concrete, personal, and transformational.

Expand: Exegesis has some basic rules but there are times when a passage of scripture requires subtle tweaking of the process. Sometimes a completely different strategy directs the effort.

This week my exegetical strategy for this section of scripture is like picking strawberries. You have to make several passes through the patch so that you don’t miss something juicy.

That can make the process a little more drawn out. These multiple passes are subtle changes of perspective that tease out guidance we might otherwise miss by being less subtle or moving too quickly.

Excite: Jesus wants us to see that ultimately the thing we can get set free from, the thing we need set free from, the thing that entangles us in webs of deceit is our self. The lies we tell ourselves collectively and individually are the very untruths that Satan exploits to divide and harry us. It's easy to blame the arch deceiver. However we each hold the key to our own release from the prison of untruth in which we are locked.

Explore:

For the truth to set you free you've got to make a decision about who you trust and why.

Explain: This decision will require us to listen carefully to the voice of Jesus

Body of Sermon: First of all, careful listening means we must...

Evaluate the Alternatives to Truth.

There are two: Receive the truth or reject the truth.

Receive the Truth

Abide in the Word

John 8:31 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

Does the works of Abraham

(Trust & Obey)

John 8:39 ESV

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,

Love the one whom God has sent

John 8:42 ESV

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.

Hear the Word.

John 8:47 ESV

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.”

Keep the Word

John 8:51 ESV

51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

Reject the Truth

Oppose the Word.

John 8:37 ESV

37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.

Does the work of Satan

John 8:38 ESV

38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

Hates the one who God has sent.

John 8:42–44 ESV

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.

Rejects the Word.

John 8:44–47 ESV

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.”

Next, careful listening means that we have to honestly

Examine the Attributes of Truth.

Truth is Liberating.

John 8:32 ESV

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:36 ESV

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Truth is Personal.

John 8:43–47 ESV

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.”

Truth is Enduring.

John 8:56 ESV

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

Finally, we must Listen to Jesus and

Embrace His Affirmation of the Truth.

Words of Transformation.

John 8:31 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

Words of Freedom

John 8:32 ESV

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:36 ESV

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Words of Revelation.

John 8:58 ESV

58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Shut Down:

Jesus tells us the truth. He tells us the truth about what we need and what we must do. The truth is like that. You are not required to like it. You will, however, respond to it. One way or another.

We can receive the truth or reject it. We can be transformed by the truth either way. The most transforming truth of all? Jesus.