Video teaching coming soon
There is no online teaching for this study yet, but the written notes and any available study resources are still below.
These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
Review…
- John 8:1-11 – The woman caught in adultery…
- The Religious Leaders brought a woman to Jesus – caught in adultery – to be stoned…
- Jesus said – he who has no sin cast the first stone – then wrote in the sand…
- From the oldest to the youngest they all left – only the woman remained…
- Jesus looked up – where are your accusers – ‘neither do I accuse you – go and sin no more.’
- John 8:1-11 – The woman caught in adultery…
- On another day Jesus stood up in the Temple – I Am the Light of the world…
- Those who follow Jesus – will not longer be in darkness / sin…
- Jesus came to light the way to heaven – to show us how to live our lives for God!
- The Religious leaders rejected the light – questioned Jesus claim…
- It takes two or more witnesses – who did Jesus have to verify what He was saying…
- Jesus is God – He did not need anyone to verify His claim!
- But He told them His Father was the 2nd witness – the leaders thought He meant Joseph!
- Jesus told them He was going away – and where He went they could not follow…
- He was speaking of His citizenship – he belonged to heaven / they belonged to the earth…
- Only when Jesus was up on the cross – then they would believe His words!
Who is your father… (3 things)
- 1st – Freed from sin… vs. 30-36 (2 things)
- 1st – As Jesus taught – many believed (Aorist) Him – that day… vs. 30-32
- But it was not just about them believing that day – they needed to continue to believe…
- I have met many people who will raise their hand when you present the Gospel…
- But afterwards they go right back to their old lives – no lasting effect…
- Believing in Jesus is not about a momentary decision – it is a life long commitment!
- Jesus encouraged them to abide in His Word – then they would be His disciples…
- They would know the truth – and the truth would set them free…
- It is only when we continue to be in the Word – continue to believe in Jesus…
- That we are going to discover the truth – life is about knowing God – John 17:3
- That God gave us this life to choose – make a decision about our eternity…
- When we make that choice – we are free cause we know where we will spend eternity!
- 2nd – Upset by Jesus words ‘need to be set free’ – the ‘believers’ argued with Jesus… vs. 33-36
- We are the children of Abraham – and have never been in bondage…
- But their argument was a lie – at that very moment they were slaves to Rome…
- And before that they had been conquered by Greece / Babylon / Assyria…
- In fact the Jews had not been free for over 400 years!
- But that was not the freedom Jesus was talking about – He was talking about sin…
- ‘I tell you the truth’ – whoever practices sin (habit) – is a slave to sin…
- Sin is like a drug – the most addictive kind of drug – and it will take over your life…
- The same way a drug dealer gets a new client – giving them a free sample…
- Sin can seem to be enjoyable – but it sucks us in and we are trapped!
- In the end we find we are in bondage to sin – morally and spiritually bankrupt!
- The slave does not abide in the Master’s house – only the son does…
- A slave is not a permanent member of a family – they can be fired at any time…
- But a son will always have a home – no matter where he goes he is always welcome…
- We either choose to be a slave to sin – or we choose to be a child of God…
- We choose be either living for sin – or abiding in the Word of God…
- Romans 6:16 – “You become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God…”
- The result of which is either we are a slave – and do not belong in the house of God…
- Or we are a son – and therefore an always welcome into the presence of our Lord!
- If the Son sets you free – you are free indeed!
- I heard a story about a young boy who was learning to ride a bike…
- The only way he knew how to stop was by running into things…
- His father had told him about the brakes – but he refused to use them…
- The point being – Jesus has set free from sin – if we choose to use the brakes…
- We no longer have to sin – we have the choice of being free – do we choose to use it…
- Do we choose to live in bondage to sin – or do we choose to be free!
- Deuteronomy 30:19 – “I have set before you life and death, therefore choose life…”
- 1st – As Jesus taught – many believed (Aorist) Him – that day… vs. 30-32
- 2nd – Who is your Father… vs. 37-47 (3 things)
- 1st – The children of Abraham… vs. 37-40
- The Jews were the descendants of Abraham – but they also sought to kill Jesus…
- The reason was because they were full – and had no room left in them for His Word…
- Jesus was giving them the Word the Father / they were full of the things of their father
- There is only so much room in our hearts – we choose what we fill that room with…
- If we fill our lives with everything but God – work / food / entertainment / sin…
- Then we are not going to have any room / time left to give to Jesus!
- They argued – Abraham is our Father…
- Jesus pointed out – if they were the children of Abraham – they would act like Abraham
- But instead they sought to kill Jesus – because He told them the truth from God…
- Abraham never did anything like that – showing they were not his children!
- Just because someone goes to church – does not make them a Christian…
- We can say all the right things to sound like a Christian – come to church every Sunday…
- But it is not about what we say – it is about the actions from our lives…
- Not that we will not make occasional mistakes – we are all sinners…
- But if we live a life that is defined by sin – then we show we do not know God…
- I John 3:6 – “Anyone who continues to live in Jesus will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know [Jesus]…”
- 2nd – The children of satan… vs. 41-44
- In anger the people replied – ‘We were not born of fornication – we have one Father – God’…
- Likely a reference to miracle of the virgin birth – something we believe today…
- But it would not have been the same in Jesus’ day – He was considered illegitimate…
- Jesus grew up with the stigma of a questionable birth – ‘who is your father?’
- This is the first of two insults the Jews threw at Jesus – because they were convicted…
- It you throw a rock into a dog pound the one who yelps got hit…
- You know when someone is convicted – because they react to what you say…
- The more upset the get at the Word of God – the more convicted they are by the Word!
- If God were their Father – they would love Jesus…
- Jesus came from God – He was sent by God – but still they rejected Him…
- They did not understand what Jesus said – because they had no power to hear His Word
- Why were they unable to hear the Word of God – because of their sin…
- When we choose to sin – we become ashamed – we knew better – we become ‘huya’…
- Anything that has to do with God – reminds us of our sin – we try to avoid…
- Sin keeps us from wanting to read our Bible – go to church – fellowship with believers…
- Sin will keep us from fellowship/growing in the lord – but the Lord keeps us from sin!
- You are of your father – the devil (diablo – the accuser)…
- The proof was in their actions – they followed the example of their father…
- The devil is a murdered – from the very beginning…
- It was through the temptation in the garden – the devil brought death into the world!
- If we like to tempt others to sin – then we are acting like the devil…
- God does not play around when it comes to stumbling His children…
- He is a VERY protective Father – and will deal with anyone who threatens His kids!
- A sobering thought – something to keep in mind next time we ‘invite’ someone to…
- Have a drink – go to the party – play the game – have a boyfriend/girlfriend…
- The devil is a liar – he is the father of lies…
- Nothing that the devil says is true – everything that comes from him is a lie…
- He lies and tells you sin is fun – just give it a try – get you hooked like a drug dealer…
- He lies and tells you once you have sinned – you cannot go back to God…
- If we try and keep people from coming to God/church – we are acting like the devil…
- And if we are acting like the devil – then it shows we are the children of the devil…
- I John 3:8 – “When people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil.”
- 3rd – The Love of the Word… vs. 45-47
- Jesus told the truth – but they would not listen…
- He had done nothing wrong – no one could make a single accusation against Him…
- And yet they refused to listen – revealing they did not belong to God…
- The person who refused to listen to the Word / come to church…
- Not even noticing if they have read the Bible – care nothing for the Word…
- Shows their true colors – they are not a child of God / they are a child of the devil…
- II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you.”
- The person who belong to God – listens to the Word of God…
- In fact the Love of the Word is the key proof that we are the children of God…
- Do we light up when someone is teaching a Bible study…
- Do we look forward to those moments when we get a chance to read the Word…
- It is because we are the children of God – and we love to hear from our Father!
- Psalms 119:97 – “Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long…”
- 1st – The children of Abraham… vs. 37-40
- 3rd – Obey the Word… vs. 48-59 (3 things)
- 1st – In pure anger the Jews said – ‘You are a Samaritan – and have a demon’… vs. 48-50
- They had no answer to Jesus test – all they could do was hurl insults…
- To the Jew there was no worse thing than to be called a Samaritan…
- Except perhaps to be called a demon possessed Samaritan…
- When you confront people with who their father is – expect them to be angry…
- Jesus patiently countered – I do not have a demon….
- Note He did not even dignify the Samaritan comment with an answer…
- Everything Jesus did was to honor the father – yet the people dishonored Jesus…
- By dishonoring Jesus – they dishonored the Father – and the Father would judge them..
- We ultimately share the fate of our ‘father’ – for good or for bad…
- Either we experience the infinite wonder of heaven with God – I Corinthians 2:9
- Or we suffer the unspeakable horrors of hell prepared for the devil – Revelation 20:10
- That is why we tell people about Jesus – give them the Word – not to attack them…
- We share cause of the very real danger that comes with rejecting Jesus Christ…
- Hell is not temporary – hell is the 2nd death – eternal separation from God – no hope…
- Keeping people from Hell is worth a little ridicule – worth being made fun of…
- 2nd – ‘I tell you the truth’ – whoever keeps the Word – will never die… vs. 51-55
- The Jews answered – now we know you have a demon…
- Abraham / Prophets are all dead – yet You say if someone listen to You they will not die
- Are you greater than Abraham or the Prophets – who do you think You are!
- When you tell people there is only one way to get to heaven – the Bible – faith in Jesus…
- They will want to know what gives you the right to tell them who their father is!
- They will challenge you – who do you think you are – what makes you an authority!
- Jesus answered – ‘I know the Father’…
- To say Jesus did not know the Father – would make Him a ‘liar like the Jews’ (slam)…
- The people did not know (ginosko) – have a personal experience with the father…
- But Jesus knew (eido) / had seen the Father personally – and kept His Word (logos)!
- So absolutely Jesus was greater than Abraham or the Prophets…
- The reason why we have authority – is because we know Jesus / His Word!
- The Gospel is not our opinion / it is the Word of God – it is THE fact!
- We are not giving people our opinion – we are giving them the TRUTH!
- 3rd – Abraham saw Jesus – and rejoiced… vs. 56-59
- When did Abraham see Jesus – 2 thoughts…
- When Melchizedek (Jesus) came out and blessed Abraham – Genesis 14:18-19
- Hebrews 7:1-3 – “Melchizedek… [is] like the Son of God…”
- When the Lord appeared to Abraham and told Him he would have a son – Genesis 19:1
- Both times Abraham rejoiced when He heard the Word of God…
- In fact the name of the son God promised to give was ‘Isaac’ – meaning laughter!
- You are not even 50 years old – and you say Abraham…
- They were pointing out the physical impossibility of Jesus’ claim because of His age…
- Abraham had lived some 2000 years before the time of Jesus…
- Before Abraham was – ‘I Am’!
- The ‘I AM’ – is one of the titles given by God to Moses (burning bush) – Exodus 3
- There can be no mistake to what Jesus is saying – He saw Abraham – because He is God!
- We can further be sure because in response the people took up stones to kill Him!
- But Jesus was hidden from them – passed by them and left the Temple…
- Life comes down to one very simple decision we must make – who is our father…
- Do we choose to live our lives in bondage to sin – unwilling to hear the word…
- Acting just like satan – showing that we are the sons of the devil…
- Or do we choose to abide in the Word of God – set free from sin – a child of God!
- 1st – In pure anger the Jews said – ‘You are a Samaritan – and have a demon’… vs. 48-50