Exercising freedom with Jesus in John 8:
The freedom to be Patient
Start
Here's the plan:
We are going to walk through the rest of John 8 and observe the conversation Jesus has with the people in the temple. It's...fascinating.
NEXT
John 8:12-13
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
- The book of John, in general, gives real insight into the minds and hearts of the teachers of the law & Pharisees as they dealt with Jesus. The day before this, they sent guards to try to arrest him. Today, they challenge him and he teaches them. Tomorrow (John 9) they'll have even more conflict.
- Jesus is now starting the teaching he intended for the day.
- Jesus is going to spend this entire conversation laying breadcrumbs that the Pharisees is going to pick up exactly as he intends. He's a great teacher.
- This is the second of 7 "I am..." statements that John's retelling of Jesus' story records. It gets the least explanation.
- We have a lot of chapter left, but one quick question:
- Can you see light? What is light for?
NEXT
John 8:14-18
14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
- Jesus takes their criticism in stride. He doesn't have to justify himself - if he wanted to, he could, but it's not necessary.
- He also lays the first breadcrumb: judgment.
- Notice what Jesus says in vs 15. How was that shown in the interaction with the woman caught in adultery?
- Every step of this conversation, Jesus lays these sort of breadcrumbs (think Hansel and Gretl) for them to follow.
- In this exchange he also lays the breadcrumb of "the Father." That will payoff later, as will judgment.
NEXT
John 8:19-20
19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
- No payoff to the "Father" breadcrumb yet. We'll get there.
- Verse 20 is interesting. It's here to invite you into the story as an onlooker.
- How is John showing how very tense the situation is?
NEXT
John 8:21-26
21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” 22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?” 23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” 25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”
- New breadcrumb: dying. They bite.
- How does Jesus explain that the kind of death we're talking about is not the physical kind they have in mind?
- What do you think it means to "die in your sins"? (It may help to consider the opposite: "Dying not in your sins."
NEXT
John 8:27-30
27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
- Let's follow the dying breadcrumb: What is Jesus referring to when he talks about "lifting up the Son of Man"? (It's what you probably think...)
- Why will the fact that the Son of Man (Jesus) allows himself to be crucified show that he is not acting on his own accord?
- In verse 26, Jesus said, "I have much to say in judgment of you..." which is interesting considering that back in verse 15 he said, "I pass judgment on no one."
- So...Jesus has the capacity to judge, but he doesn't pronounce it or use it because he doesn't act on his own behalf. On whose behalf does he act?
NEXT
John 8:31-33
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
- Some believed him! This leads to FREEDOM.
- Freedom is a new crumb to follow.
- What is wrong with the insistence that descendants of Abraham have "never been slaves of anyone"?
- So why do it?
- Jesus is exposing something about how these people think - their MO. He's trying to free them from it. Keep going to see how he does.
NEXT
John 8:34-41
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
- "Very truly I tell you" is like saying, "PAY ATTENTION."
- "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." This connects the FREE and FATHER breadcrumbs. Twice, here, he pushes them on who their father is. Before you read on, who do you think he'll say it is?
NEXT
John 8:42-47
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
- Who is their father?
- This is the core of the conversation; the teaching moment Jesus has been leading toward.
- Judgment, Father, Death, and Freedom combine for this.
- He wants to show them the lie they believe. What lie do you think that is? (Guess first. Answer on the next page.)
NEXT
They believe they need to defend and justify themselves.
Learn More
NEXT
John 8:48-51
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” 49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
- This is the closure of the "dying" breadcrumb.
- Jesus uses an interesting phrase: "obeys my word." What do you think is the difference between obeying a command and obeying a word?
NEXT
John 8:52-56
52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” 54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
- Notice: Jesus does say Abraham is their father in verse 56. A bit of grace there!
- Jesus obeys the word of his Father. Yet, he will taste death.
- If you don't try to justify yourself, defend yourself, or - as Jesus calls it here - glorify yourself...does that mean there won't be any glory for you?
NEXT
John 8:57-59
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
- Where'd those stones come from? Maybe...
Alright. Why walk all the way through this chapter to finish this "On Letting Freedom Ring" series? Because "letting freedom ring" is what Jesus does here. He's so patient with them. He sees their slavery and premeditates on how he can lead them out of it. He leads them on this wild goose chase of a conversation to bring them there. Their response? Stone him. Freedom gets messy. Treating people who have been freed but think they're still enslaved is messy. Be ready!
NEXT
Thank You
You can move on to the next portion of the Spotlight.
1_14_4-3 The Freedom to be Patient
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Transcript
Exercising freedom with Jesus in John 8:
The freedom to be Patient
Start
Here's the plan:
We are going to walk through the rest of John 8 and observe the conversation Jesus has with the people in the temple. It's...fascinating.
NEXT
John 8:12-13
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
NEXT
John 8:14-18
14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
NEXT
John 8:19-20
19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
NEXT
John 8:21-26
21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” 22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?” 23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” 25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”
NEXT
John 8:27-30
27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
NEXT
John 8:31-33
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
NEXT
John 8:34-41
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
NEXT
John 8:42-47
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
NEXT
They believe they need to defend and justify themselves.
Learn More
NEXT
John 8:48-51
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” 49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
NEXT
John 8:52-56
52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” 54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
NEXT
John 8:57-59
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
- Where'd those stones come from? Maybe...
Alright. Why walk all the way through this chapter to finish this "On Letting Freedom Ring" series? Because "letting freedom ring" is what Jesus does here. He's so patient with them. He sees their slavery and premeditates on how he can lead them out of it. He leads them on this wild goose chase of a conversation to bring them there. Their response? Stone him. Freedom gets messy. Treating people who have been freed but think they're still enslaved is messy. Be ready!NEXT
Thank You
You can move on to the next portion of the Spotlight.