John Chapter 8:12-26

Question should be the one we have, which can still do a review process. We should be leaving those things dark understand. It's uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable in the white shell style, dark place in your life that I didn't know that was still there and I didn't know that was still a struggle but you know when the board illuminates an area of your life. He also gives you the power to be overcome.

Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, Dee Brown is with us in the studio today is one of the associate pastors to have your brother Bob excited be here excited about John chapter 8 reminded we follow Jesus. We should leave the darkness behind sounds good brother. Here's David McGee with his teaching weakness is not John chapter 8 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. Now understand the backdrop to this member. We talked about the feast of Tabernacles. We talked about there was water involved in that feast. We also remember I alluded to the fact that there was also fire involved no the feast of Tabernacles was remembering the journey through the desert and so was part of that they had the water that flew from the rock that they were remembrance and and they also will remembering the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night in support of what they would do as they would light the menorah every night of the feast of Tabernacles which occurred when there wasn't a full moon so was rather dark and you're out in the desert, and the like these in and keep in mind if you're thinking of the menorah.

It is a little thing this tall that sits on your bookcase.

That's cute but it's not really accurate menorah was taller than I am. As a matter fact. They have one in Jerusalem today and I've seen it in the cargo that they've rebuilt it cost about $2 million is made out of gold. It's a beautiful thing but it's taller than I am and so they lit this and so the as they celebrated the Lord him being the light him leading them by the fire by night and in the midst of this, and remember guys, this is the day after.

This is the day after, because verse eight or Chapter 8. Sorry. Starts out as is now early in the morning, what morning good morning after the feast of Tabernacles which it happened the night before in chapter 7, so it was of significance of Jesus that I am the light of the world act after they had been celebrating around this menorah. Jesus said on the light. I am the light of the world and say I am the light of the Jewish people. He didn't say I am the light of the church. I am the light of the Christians.

He certainly is loosing but he says I am the light of the world the whole world that's an awesome thing.

This is an opportunity for the world to know the light and and they won't stumble in the darkness Revelation chapter 2 verse five reminds us of something says remember therefore from where you have fallen repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent that lampstand spoken of. There is the menorah the seven candlesticks. It talks about that revelation. Remember the first works return to your first love. When you follow Jesus you should leave the darkness behind. It's interesting sometimes and talking to people he they ask and I used to ask questions similar, but you know when it question starts out cannot be a Christian cannot still be a Christian and fill in the blank cannot be a Christian and still drink a sixpack every night.

Cannot still be a Christian and smoke dope cannot still be a Christian and this and that the other against meekly to those questions, such as the STILL be Be a Christian still see movies or whatever.

I guess technically the question is yes. But that's not even the question we should be asking is how much can I get away with and not lose my salvation.

That's another way to say it. It is really question we should be asking. I don't think so.

We should be saying you know what Lord you love me so much of God's glory. What can I do for you, not how much can I get away with.

How long will you be gone got a good God knows us. God knows our hearts and he understands that the heart behind a question like that is not a pure heart. It reminds me when Ashley was little she came into the living room one day and she was just like three years old or so when she came into the living room and mentor were sitting there talking and she came in there and she came out of her bedroom came into the living room and said you guys wait right here and went back to her bedroom and it was pretty obvious something was going on that we weren't supposed to see your be doing our inner and sure enough there was crayons and walls and different stuff involved with that question should be the one we ask what can I still do and be a Christian we should be leaving those things of darkness understand it's uncomfortable.

It's uncomfortable, and the light sounds down on her, dark place in your life and you go all that I didn't know that was still there and I didn't know that was still a struggle but you know when the board illuminates an area of your life. You also gives you the power to be overcome to be in overcome her to be victorious in that area. So when you follow Jesus leave the darkness behind walk-in walk in the light verse 13 the Pharisees therefore said to you, bear witness of yourself your witness is not true. And Jesus answered and said to them, even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true from nowhere.

I came from and where I'm going, but you do not know where I come from and where I am going what they were talking about is in Jewish law.

You could not testify for yourself. In other words, if you were to appear, because you'd been charged with a crime or you would stand before him and you were not allowed to defend yourself because obviously you know you're you're going to say you didn't do it or you were in the center you'd been framed or whatever it was.

There was some wisdom in this situation with Jesus harassing you, my witness is true because Jesus can't live and he says you know and I know where I came from where to come from.

He came from heaven, and I know where I'm going. Where is he going he's going to the cross.

Make no mistake early on in Jesus ministry. He told people what was going to happen. Jesus knew from before the time he came here that the cross wasn't an accident. It wasn't some political scandal or are necessarily even a tragedy. It was much, much more than that it was God reaching down demand and offering himself to forgive man of his sentence. Jesus knew it was part of the plan and they didn't understand they didn't understand that verse 15 you judge according to the flesh, I judge no one now the word of God tells us that if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

But if we don't judge ourselves then we will be judged and what we use to judge ourselves, we use the word of God as kind of a mistaken thing that this and everybody runs around Coconino Matthew chapter 7 verse one judge IDB judge is one of the Scriptures.

It is even people who don't know anything else about the Bible tend to memorize that one and the usually quoted out of context, but it also goes to say in verse five that you know were supposed to remove the beam out of our own so we can do what help our brother with the spec that's in his. I don't think that this just saying never judge anybody because were also told the spiritual man judges and discerns all things but don't condemn people and realize that if we judge ourselves according to the word of God. We won't stand condemn, but if we never take a look at our lives and how our lives. Line up with the word of God. Don't line up with the word of God, then we shall receive the judgment of God and also Jesus is a judge no one here. This is the first coming. This is is coming as a lamb when he comes as a lion Scriptures very clear that in his second coming. There will be judgment and is given the right and the authority to judge everyone in the coming ever 16th 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 seducing to our bearing witness myself in the father then they said to him, where is your father. Jesus answered, you know neither me nor my father. If you'd known me, you would have known my father also got your attention please. Don't miss what these people are saying when they asked Jesus where is your father. You see, everybody kind a new that the upbringing of Jesus, his background, if you will, was a little questionable, but a whisper and probably going on. When have you heard his she got pregnant before she was actually Mary Joseph was going to leave her but decided not to. And so part of the rumors of that day is that Jesus was the illegitimate child and that's that what they were insinuating here when they said where is your father I keep in mind as Jesus never calls Joseph his father. Not one time in Scripture. In Scripture, every time it refers to God as his father, but how hardhearted for men to say yeah we've heard about you. We know about you, and as we look at that guys realize that sometimes we act the same way we judge people we can demo oftentimes on rumors and misunderstandings you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them.

You need someone to present God's word to them every day were present in God's virtual here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well. Just by simply going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button.

All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love, that need to know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your love ones to Jesus.

Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown Bob want to take a minute to pray for our listeners and a few cities in Florida, Panama City, St. Mark's, Tallahassee, West Palm Beach, and also in Georgia, Athens, Blue Ridge and Brunswick God, we thank you for those listening today we know that you have a special word just for them and God.

We pray that they would be encouraged in following you do today they would put their trust in you with no holding back an Lord that they would be an encouragement to others with what you're doing in them. Lord, we pray for the pastors in the cities that you give them wisdom and discernment and that you will be honored in the mitts that in Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. We've got to sanitize this part of Christianity had wake the virgin birth, I mean it sounds really cool.@virgin birth. That certainly believe in the virgin birth, but practically, have you ever really stopped to consider what happened. I mean, here's a teenage girl who goes to her betrothed that that means it more than engage state that it was they were, but it's a matter fact, if you broke the betrothal you had to get rid of divorce. She comes to Joseph and says Joseph I'm with child and you know Joseph, I'm sure is freaking out, She's pregnant.

I can't believe this, and she goes but don't worry, don't worry, we don't worry, who's the father asked the Holy Spirit. I mean with that was put that freak you see, we don't think of that stuff.

We just think back and we think all you know that was a net nine but it wasn't that big of a town. People were talking about was at the guy that's the guy you know nobody knows who his father really is.

You know the amazing thing in this close mama. Jesus chose to come to this earth.

Under those conditions, he chose to come that way. That is so unlike humans that is so unlike me, that's probably so unlike you, you know, the Angels probably were really taken by surprise that they probably got all excited all you know God sending his son, Georgia. This is just going to be fabulous work practices in the choir practice and rehearsal. This is going to be great. The curtains partners three shepherds that what happened, who's in charge promotion. Here we got keener. There's not even a rat father sees three guys in there. Shepherds are not even braised or anything amazing how would you do it would come up with a completely different plan. I would we need a big venue, even larger than here. Maybe the Greensboro Coliseum are large dome or borrow something and gather the crème de la crème of the religious make sure they were all there. Make sure the press was there in a somehow I did not.

Amazing.

Philippians chapter 2 verse seven tells us this is put made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. What an amazing thing became that way so that he would be approachable to us. She's came as a king and a Coliseum are in the temple. The people would've felt that he was so approachable. He did this for us and he came Mark chapter 10 verse 45 tells us free came not to be served but to serve and to give his life, his life a ransom for many. Is work, but to serve there in the Greek is Deacon Neo's is where we get our word for deacon and interesting venues even use the word for elder use word for deacon Lisa came to serve as we came to do and you know what that should be part of our church life.

You should be serving not just coming to be served with the inactive part of serving in a something amazing here to say. Where's your father GG understand who they were talking to.

They were talking Jesus. Jesus sitting there with the power to do whatever the power to have the ground open up and swallow a mole the power to have fire come down from heaven and consume. They didn't do it.

You can be probably grateful that I will have the gift of calling down fire from heaven because I you know I would be a handy gift to have right you could spiritualize it. You could know when you are out witness and you could say come to give you one more chance here, you really ought to pray this prayer you could find ways to use it would spiritualize up, it would still be wrong. I'm so glad that I don't have some of the I would not do well with others. But Jesus hinders, gives, and you know what, sometimes we confuse meekness with weakness life. Listen here, meekness is not weakness. Meekness is courage and strength under control. That's what meekness this meekness is courage and strength under control is not weakness. We make the connection with weakness. Absolutely wrong. There's a word picture there if it's a stallion that has been broken but is very still very, very strong, but expended. He spent his will towards his master. That's what meekness is not weakness. It's not you know a George McFly kind of thing that we all get in her head in reality is, God has given us some powers are we using those powers you have the power to speak to somebody and to present words of life and mercy and truth in liberty and freedom are those the words you speak and the people the power that you been given how are you using the gifts that you've been given. How are you using those. Are you using those for earthly gain or using those to bless others. Verse 20 these words Jesus spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple. No one laid hands on him for his hour had not yet come and Jesus said to them again. I'm going away and you will seek me and will die in your sin, where I go you cannot come out this anger don't end part because they didn't think of themselves as sinners. Sinners were there were other people. They were the nonreligious people. It's interesting how much bearing that has on us today on the church.

People think that they forget their sinner saved by grace because religion is. It is so in the way of getting people to Jesus and some of you have you had to overcome so many obstacles just to come here so many bad memories. So many bad experiences and then let me meet. I appreciate you being here. I appreciate you overcoming so much stuff to sit here and and learn about the Lord and it really shows that there's a hunger in you, and keep in mind I've had to overcome some of the same thing. I remember sitting in a chapel service one day and in the pastor and I was like nine or 10 years old. The pastor said do you know what people are who don't ask God to bless your food who don't give thanks over their meal. Do you know what those people are unthinking welders must be some technical name Ezio Tellis Erie and or and and I'll never forget. Then he held up a picture of a pig and at the young age. I remember thinking you know I understand a little bit of this right and wrong thing that just looks wrong. So far cry from what Jesus intended and it so that you said will he kill himself because he says where I go you cannot come in he said to them you are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins, for you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.

There is again that Jesus is representing himself as the exclusive way to heaven is only one way folksy as a Christian. If you're a follower of Jesus, and you believe in Jesus.

It's not up to you to say will there's many ways to have. You can't say that because Jesus didn't say that you said there's one way and either you're a follower of Jesus, or you're not. And if you tell somebody or you represent that there's many ways the heaven in your misrepresenting Jesus who you claim to follow maybe is there anything well it's kind of judgmental, narrowminded to say that there's only one way, click I'm grateful there's one way I am grateful. There's one way to get is God can judge a lot because he knows everything.

You and I we don't know everything. So for us to try to set the place of going well that's wrong and that's wrong and this is right next you know outside of the Bible. He can't do that you can do that, God's merciful God.

God's loving God.

I don't know how this works. Alvin and you know when people want to talk about oil and about the pygmies in Africa.

You know you ever notice people always want talk about a lot of weird things when you start talking about them in Jesus. What about the pygmies in African God make a rock he can't move, and then they get in the hollies but you know what, that's not even the question when people you know I got a good reply footman slices hey what about the pygmies in Africa. I don't know about the pygmies in Africa. I know that I'm sitting here talking you about Jesus. So if you really got a heart to minister to the pygmies in Africa. You go ahead and accept Jesus get saved and then you can go over intelligent you got such a burden for praise God. But Jesus is saying you know what this is if you don't believe what I am he, you will die in your sins. See sometimes.

And Jesus knows or to play a part in his crucifixion, but you know it. Sometimes being a Christian means you gotta say things that you might not even want to say but people need to hear. They need to hear this difficult sometimes my job as a pastor puts me in that place frequently when I know what somebody needs to hear and also know they make it madly my codefendant, but they need to hear.

So I gotta say I've had some wonderful experiences doing that some rather hard experiences but is still the truth that I have to Telemann should describe you to verse 25. Then they said to him, who are you and that's the question then who are you who is Jesus the was a just a good man. Good teacher. That whole trip or are do you understand he was the son of God who die safe men and women from their sins. And Jesus said to them, just what I have been saying you from the beginning. I have many things to say in the judge concerning you, but he who sent me is true, and I speak to the world those things which I heard from since Jesus could've sat there that they enlisted every cent every one of these guys and that audience is ever committed. But he didn't do it in a while because he knew there was no benefit there or listen understand when you're talking to somebody about the Lord keep the main thing the main thing and if they're not listening or not listed.

Don't try to kick the door down were not as were not vacuum cleaner salesman don't don't kick the door down. As you may ruin it for the next person is a spirit of God can convict and open that door for you friend, you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God want you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous to congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day.

You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day.

From the heart of David McGee.

That sounds good pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday.

Why not join us for our lifestream.

10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night.

Seven. This visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link there is a live service from David's home church. The bridge North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God