Sunday Worship 5/8 - Ultimate Authority
Xander who just graduated from Regent law school and from Jonathan, Becker and Audrey, Jones and Caitlin Moore has he just graduated from Regent Katelyn doing her a forest today after Michaela's fence. So, we just finished up at ODU and Stephanie, Branco just finished. You're welcome. See what works faithfulness in y'all's lives and we look forward to after work, dinner going to be doing next. Next for y'all. You may notice if you happen to go online to our website. We we moved it to a different location. So she's a little bit. It is pretty similar part of the changing over the coming months is, are giving platform and so Fellowship, one with you, we've been using is still up and running for the next couple of months. But if you want to go ahead and make the transition, we're transitioning to a platform called faithlife. And I'll follow up and tell you more about the different things that are available to you through that, and in subsequent week, but I just wanted to mention if you want to.
Go ahead and try this myself on Thursday. So it works. It was not real hard, but I want to be able to tell you and then I've done it myself. If you go under our website and click on, giving you'll notice on the page of the Shaded section that talks about the transition at the bottom of it. If you just click on where it says, click on here quick the here and you can go ahead and go to your recurring giving and cancel it if you want and then just set up new giving with Faith. Life will all the records will be retained and then we'll file to give me questions. Feel free to get in touch with us so we can help you walk through it. This will be over the next few months, but I just want to know that for you wear orange on chapter 8, this morning and back on January 5th at the beginning of the year, the first Sunday of the whatever, the first Sunday in January when we began in John, chapter 5 where Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and there was backlash to that and they said, how do you have the authority? Where do you get the authority to heal on the Sabbath? and, Basically the last 4 months in chapters 5 through 8. John shows us over and over again, where Jesus got this Authority East, he's teaching us about the authority and to this passes. Today is really the climax of where the authority that Jesus has lies. And it's, it's kind of the nail in the coffin. If you will learn where the Jesus, the Jesus, his authority comes from. So listen to, we're going to read verses 48 through 59. The last portion of the, of the passage number. Jesus has been in this conversation. We talked last week about the, the finicky heart, the fickle heart that it said, they were these people believe Jesus. They believe what Jesus said. And then we heard last week, they turned around on Jesus and Jesus said, you know what, your father is actually not Abraham's, brother's not guide. Your father is the devil and so we hear the continuation of that, he's Kind of got another face. I told him the father was the devil to listen to what Jesus says beginning of First 48. Fear the lord. The Jews answered him. Are we not right? And saying that you're a Samaritan and have a demon. Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor my father and you just answer me. Did I do not seek my own Glory? There's one who seeks it and he's the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you. If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. Did you said to him? Now? We know you have a demon Abraham died. As did the prophet that you say, if anyone keeps my word will never taste death. Are you greater than our Father? Abraham? We died and the prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be? Jesus answered, if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It's my father who glorifies me of whom you said, he's our God. But you have not known him. I know it. If I were to say that I do not know. I'd be a liar like you. But I do know it and I keep his word. Your father, Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad So did you said to him? You're not yet fifty years old. And if you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them. truly truly, I say to you before Abraham was I am. So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple. You heard from the Lord with prayer and ask him to pieces together. Think about Roi wise and in light of it, father.
Peaches. Thank you. The John who was there, wrote these things down. He captured this conversation. You retain it for the centuries, these millennia. Us to hear today, we pray that your spirit would give us hearing years. We ask this in Jesus name.
Couple years ago. My favorite football team is Chicago Bears after a play. One of the wide receivers that are playing against the New Orleans, Saints won a wide receivers took a swing at the defensive back who was guarding him. That process is dumb because I'm wearing helmets. It's not like you can do anything but not to mention. After the whistleblowing. You're not supposed to limit supposed to stop the worst part was they played again later in the playoffs and the coaches told the guys look this defensive back is going to get under your skin. He's going to call you and your mother all sorts of things. He did not her mother's day and turn off before the game was over. Another one of their wide receivers, turn out after the play and took a swing at this guy and nobody's real. Happy about it, is that he was just being a knucklehead feel sometimes. The fur just keeps flying and you just can't help but let go. And that's basically what you see happening here with the Jews. Okay, Jesus told them like we read last week. I mean he just he cut to the Chase. He cut deap went because they kept saying was Abraham's Our Father. We're good Jews. We got the flu got the DNA. They they didn't need ancestry.com anywhere, they came from and they said we are God's people and they said God is our father kept talking about. Well, you you are like your father you are like your father will finally at this point. It says actually your father is the devil. At that point that's what set them off. It would cause them to start swinging, even though he had a helmet on as it were. We learned about Jesus in the way. He responds to these this morning, but we also learn from Jesus. And the first thing we see is that Jesus did not live for his own Glory. And we shouldn't either K. Now. We're not told exactly why they called him a Samaritan. They said early right to knowing that you're a Samaritan and that you have a demon. And Jon doesn't tell us why they thought he was a Samaritan. I remember these were, these were the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem down in the southern part of Palestine. Jesus was Galileo in the northern part and in between before the Samaritans were so it could be, they just knew he was four Galilean, and they were just trying to throw shade on him by calling him at Samaritan and, and get under your skin by alleging, that he might be forced to marry a heart baby. Remember back in John, chapter 4, when Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman at the. Well, then she went off to the town and all these people came from town, cuz I think it was woman was like, if she was saying, happy think of nothing, but Sia, and they all came out and they all boot, all these Samaritan, people actually believe in Jesus. And so maybe they heard about that and that made him even more suspicious and skeptical. Either way, the Jews dismissed, Samaritans as half-breeds because hundreds and hundreds of years before, when Assyria came and attacked the northern tribes, the northern half of Israel day.
The way the Assyrians were trying to build their kingdom, was they would take their people and causing the going to intermarry and assimilate the people that they are just conquered so that they would become like them and and so that they were half Jewish and half of Syrian etcetera. So that usually just racial, it was down announcements, Adam racially, and so because this is their trying to put a racial dig on Jesus and then on top of that or trying to diminish
His authority by calling a demon-possessed. Are you? You're the one who's got the demon? You're calling me saying that our father is the devil, but you're the one who's got the demon.
Do verse 49 and 50. So I don't have a demon. But I honor my father and you dishonor me yet. I don't seek my own Glory. There's one who seeks it and he is the judge. See, Jesus says that he honors the father. And in other words, if he's living Donner's father, God, how can I have a demon in the same time? That would be a proper right after that, just wouldn't make sense in me. And in that culture, if you disarmed, if you Dishonored, the messenger them, that you're dishonoring. Who's the one, the one who sent you? Like like, like an ambassador and so he says, it will. If you're the ones who are actually just honoring, God than your contact me, more line with the Demons of the devil than I am. Because I'm honoring the father. But the important part is, he says, I'm not living for God's glory, and he shows why he's not living for God's glory. He says, I don't worry because God is the one who's responsible for giving me Corey. I don't see Corey, cuz I know. But my father is the one who's going to glorify me and give me Glory. Since I know where my praise comes from. I'm not telling you these things cuz I'm trying to prop myself up.
This is the way that it is, but I'm not. I know where my praise is coming up. So I'm not preoccupied. Preoccupied with trying to hurry your favor. I'm not trying to build my brand. I know who's got my back. And this is, I think this gives us a real clear. Takeaway. Yo, there's their wewe, we've talked and we sealed Praises. It's just a huge divide in our country. And it got exacerbated, even further this week, with the the political leak about the Supreme Court, draft it without getting political. Is it is Christian's the the Bible speaks about the unjust taking of life to help. Your religion is to care for the, the widows, and the orphans the little at the people who are weak and need to be protected, like like the child of a pre-born babies. That's that's not political. It's about letting the guy in a God's design. It. Commands, but the weather status you, or there's a whole host of others not even political political dividing their country, but there's also divide. In faith of either having faith or not having faith. In his Christians, were going to be getting pushed back. And how do you respond with pushback? Me? Jesus Promised it, right? They hated me. If you're in Union with me, if you're, if you're associated with me, standing with me, you're going to get the same push back. You're going to get ball back from people just because you're connected to me. Well, I like the first thing we see is like, Jesus. We need to let go of protecting our Glory. The biggest trouble, we get into is where we're living for the approval and the Adoration of others. Which was built in. All of us. We want, we want people to validate us.
and when we're getting, Message at the opposite, it is it's hard to take. You know, I can Jesus promise, if we're faithful, if we live following him.
Even on that last day when he's going to be the judge. He says he will say Well done. Like Faithful servant. If if if that is secure if I'm trusting the fact that I'm relying on him and whatever I'm hearing now, I'll just be faithful to him trusting in Him. He will have my back. And if that is secure that, I don't need to be ruffled by the disapproval and I might get from other people, and Jesus promise, the world hated him and we will be persecuted. You give me light about your going to be shouted, down. You're going to be to cry and so it's You know, we're not Jesus. Okay, his relationship with his father was In a sense different than ours because he's the one. He's the only troops on. but the parallel is, We we have promises from God as well that which we can, we can stand it's hard. What if if we're looking at the father's promises promises of Jesus. He will give us appraised, then we need to wait and it's hard when you're getting barrage tired, when all your hearing is negative feedback. that it is hard to say, I've got to trust with the father's going to say because Approval, Junkies.
And believe that my identity who I am and thanking which he is, then his approval is the one I'm going to hope for, that's what allows me to to take all the disapproval. I'm getting for the people. When you have the king's favor, you don't worry about what the serfs think.
I'm always struck by Paul's admonition to Timothy. This is what they must not be quarrelsome. What kind everyone? Patiently enduring evil cuz you don't endure easy things right blowback. Correcting his opponents, with gentleness patiently, corrected, with your points. You can only do if your anger in your heart. And the fact that God promised that the favor he's given you and Jesus will come, you don't see it. Now. You don't hear it. Now, you've got in the word. He's got the whole. The first thing is Jesus in with his glory and neither. Should we? The second thing we see, is that Jesus? Have great trust in his word and we should to he goes on. He says, and this was a huge statement. It says truly, truly. Whatever. Jesus says, truly truly. I say to you. That's that says, this is really serious. Is a solemn statement. If anyone keeps my word, he shall never see that.
Earth shattering. That's why they reactivated. Okay. Now we know. You got a demon. They were hearing exactly what he was saying. I mean, somebody said to you, if you listen to what I say, you'll never die.
I meant sounded strange in our day, is it did to them in their day? Because they, you know, that they're there, looking back in the history. They said, wait a minute. God made all sorts of promises, and he says, if you keep my word, you'll have a long life. We don't say never going to see if anybody kept God's word. It was our Father Abraham, he died. All the profits. They were, they kept God's word. And they died.
Can you come with us? And you're saying, you're greater than that who you think you are? What what what what do you have? That's what they're, that's what they're reacting to, what Jesus says to that. The first 5455. He says, if I go or I find myself by Glory's nothing. It's my again. He goes back to this. It's my father who glorifies me, the one that you said, he's our guide said, but it, but if you'd known him, you, you haven't known it. I know. If I were to say, I didn't know I'd be a liar, like, you, but I do know and I keep his word. And what Jesus, again, Jesus to say. I'm not saying is to glorify myself. I'm not trying to prop myself up. Make myself look like I keep my father's word. I pass on my father's work. The reason I say this with confidence, you will not see death. The way I can say something and found some nuts is because I'm just telling you what I heard the Father's Day. My confidence in my words cuz it's really boring. I'm passing on his word to you. That's what my conferences I can trust my father. The problem is, I know him if you don't. A toy draw for what? Here's our take away. We need to have confidence. In his words are worth his worth. As well, that that what will give you confidence in life as you live your life, just like we talked about. If you get pushed back from people is your confidence in what God has set brand new start by. Knowing the word know know what it is. You're trusting know what it is. He said that is so life-giving cuz you got to know what to keep it. So start by spending time in the word and read a chapter today. I would recommend you start in Jennifer's working way through cuz it has been pretty rough parts. Let's start in the New Testament with Matthew and maybe chapter in Genesis and chapter Matthew, what you went through to get you the backstory as well, as well as heading with with Jesus and it as you read it, ask God before you read it. Ask. They let you give me the Holy Spirit. Help me, help me understand. This, don't help me here. Here, what it is. You're you're saying it. Give me some spiritual eyes, spiritual ears as I read it. And I would also suggest having pain with, you got down some notes, underline things. Maybe highlight things that you see in there. If you get questions, right? I'm down. If you run into stuff cuz you're reading it. You're thinking it's just kind of sounds kind of off to me or just pretty strange. We will follow this in there which was talking about exciting for us. If you're if you're interacting with an engaging with what it says, so if you have confidence and if that's what you like, you got to know what he says. Billet Compass, but the second thing I want to hear you confidence in the word prefer talking to other people.
If you want to help somebody you can counsel or advice or maybe you're talking to somebody who's exploring. Just want to learn about Jesus or considering Jesus.
Have confidence. In his words years ago. I was meeting with a young guy and we would meet periodically and he commented to me since you know, every time I ask you a question, like the first thing to do is just open your Bible turn to something and just help me read it and go there. And I didn't realize I was doing that but I was kind of glad I noticed that because I have no confidence. Then my advice is worth a bucket of spit, you know, but
I got a little confidence in me, but I got a lot of confidence in him. In the end that pointed to to what, what he said, effect on the 20th and 21st when there's that seminar framework, if I give any advice to use, comes on the framework of what he said cuz that's what truth is. That's what life is this?
the word of God is the sword of the The spirit uses the word. The magical potion.
Believing believing that that promise. and, But Jesus wasn't done. He he said he have confidence in his father's work, but he also
Wait, when you press the issue, these people, he got blow back when he said that he was God. And we will 2K that these people have made reference over the course of the conversation in like we saw last week to Abraham being their father. And so Jesus brings it back to that verse 56. When he says your father Abraham Rejoice that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad but of course, it's freaking out cuz Abraham lived almost two thousand years before this 1850 years before this. They're saying Wait, like you're you're not real. They said you're not even fifty. He was actually like 30 something but you're not even retired. I know what's wrong? And they cut this short, but they are so you're not even retirement age Abraham. What, what are you talking about, and that setup? A big one. Does a 58. Jesus said to them again, truly truly, I say to you, this is really important. This is really serious issues before Abraham was, I am. He didn't say before Abraham was I was?
He said, before Abraham was. I am.
How's Mike drop moment? Is the end of the discussion? They said they turned around and started picking up Rocky reason. They're picking up rocks. That was a typical form of execution. They would Stone somebody that they knew God and His law. Set of somebody blasphemed, you should Stone them to death. They heard Jesus say before, Abraham was I am, and then I'll grab the Rock.
Because it's tied to Stone him to death.
We don't know exactly what Jesus was referring to when he says Abraham saw my day and he rejoices didn't mean it, taters and all sorts of different ideas. Jesus puts a stake in the ground. He says, I am equal to God when Jesus says, I am a lot of your familiar with us, but if you're not, God's name it. When Quinn God came to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob the first generation to call them to be his people. He's reverting to himself as God. When he came to Moses after the people at work, been in slavery in Egypt, for 400 years and God was calling Moses. And an order for Moses to pay any attention, Moses to, why would that? Cuz you need to deliver my people. You need to bring them out of Egypt to Moses of the saying. Why would they listen to me? And God says to him, you tell them that the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? With the name. Yahweh said his neck. His title is. He's God. His name is Yahweh. Ben. Yahweh is Hebrew. Meaning, I am who I am. So when you hear Yahweh or Jehovah, when you read in your Bible, it's got Ward and small-caps. That means it's translating the word that says Galway, and that means I am. So when Jesus said that he's Jewish leaders before Abraham was I am That's why the picture of stones. Is it woke?
Across every Redline. It's ever been written.
We know who you think, you are, always going to kill you.
Got Siri for that cuz he was saying that he was God unequip.
Like to pick up the stove.
Exactly what you say? Look at the same way today. People pretty chill. If you say you like Jesus and teaching this alley. I love one another and it's all good stuff. If you say Jesus is God, and therefore, he has all authority. And that every person Every Creature should bow down to him his worship and in full absolute submission.
Whatever. She says that just like him, you're going to get more back. That you're honest with your own heart. We tend to give him. Make that the deity of Christ at the Divinity of Jesus is the most significant. Doctor, the distinctive Doctrine Christianity and makes it unique. Long, all the religions in the world.
You can sit down and have a conversation with a Muslim about what they believe in what you believe. But as soon as you if you, if you put a stake in the ground, if you plant a pilate saying that Jesus is God, you can't hold to see any what, they believe they're they're done and the discussion.
The Mormons, believe anybody, who follows Jesus, you can eventually become a god. Jesus as the unique three and one guy that God, there's one God who has Person of the father and the son in the spirit, but it's one God.
Is exclusive.
There's not a diversity by God and you like Jesus, you'll get pushed back on that. But think about it being divine. That's why when he was healthy teeth. Cook on Humanity. He was fully God and he became fully in man and puts but when he was tempted, he he he didn't send. They got this full record of righteousness of God. Love the God, with all his heart. What self forget the love to all the other people. Anybody came into contact with you built this. And if you've turned from your own self, reliance to full Reliance on him, and he credits you with that handsome, cute that to your account and God now treat you as you as as having his record. We always say he copies his got copies, his through his record, in his file and paste it into your files and treats you.
Same. It has a blessing that he treats Jesus. Jesus being God, the one and only ddlc and keep perfectly knows all things. Now. Looking in enrollment date. It says, he intercedes for us. It says Christ. Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised his at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for who shall separate us from the love of Christ. He's interceding for you. If you belong to Jesus, and it says, his love is a god-sized. Love it because he has Infinite Power and Light. If he's interceding, then that means because of his intercession or the sabre 35 in Romans 8 who shall separate us from the love of Christ shell, tribulation or just stress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake. We are being killed all the day long with being regarded, as sheep to be slaughtered, what he saying is we're going to go through that stuff is it was written that way. It was written. It's promise. We're going to go through tribulations of stress, persecution famine. Nakedness, he says, but no, in all these things. We are more than conquerors through him, who loved us. So I'm sure that neither death. Your wife. Angels, nor rulers nor things present nor things to come. Powers nor height or depth, anything in all creation will be able to separate us. A love of God. Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Nothing is so any. God Jesus Is God. He's got that might to make sure there's nothing that separates us cuz he and God are the same page there. If it would Jesus intercede for you, he intercedes for you knowing everything. The father knows all his intention. All his plans until his interceptions for you are perfect.
That doesn't mean it's all stages and roses and a wife, right? But he said you've got that to hang onto because it's written. There were being killed all the day long regarded as sheep to be slaughtered while you're saying. I feel like a sheep being slaughtered. He says. Yeah, but I'm interceding for you. 37 Peter, Satan asked to sift, you like wheat? Andy done saying, I stopped for you.
As Satan working you over. I am with. Good to know that he is with us.
That's our hope. That's all we come. Remember what he's done for us. He showed his love the first time so we can Bank on him with whatever. He's going to bring a car pass this week. Let's pray. Father. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That Jesus is God. Did he was not? Talking junk to these people that he was telling the truth. He was telling what you would said in that. Everything. He said was truth and is true, and he is truth and it's true. And that he is God and that you have given us life in him. We pray that you give us years to hear his word hearts that love and respond and it breaks his word and that we would
Not a person in this room, not a person on this planet will perfectly keep your word. But if you or Ian, our hearts to keep your word to seek, you keep you everything it says about you Jesus. You will never taste. Ultimate judgment. It was believed that stand in their remind us this week, if we're going through. Stop, you're going to drag us through. Telephoto fires near memories. Reminder that. You are God. That you are interceding. We are there for him would help feed our souls. Now, to come to your table.
A man.