John Chapter 8:20-32

Using back, something that really went wrong. Let me ask you question. For that moment, you submitted to the truth of this Bible, or perhaps had to come out from under my answers the same come out from under biblical authority, experience bondage regrets welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Dave Brown is with us in the studio today is one of David's associate pastors glad to have your brother Bob excited be excited about John chapter 8, we were reminded following Christ is not enough to simply believe the truth of the Bible we must surrender to those very true in this situation, DA surrender is actually victory. Let's hear more about that as David McGee continues with part two of his teaching meekness is not so.

John chapter 8 verse 20 these words Jesus spoke in the treasury as he taught 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 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, you will dine your sense for you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sense, 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 Jesus said. There's one way in either you're a follower of Jesus, or you're not. And if you tell somebody or you represent that there's many ways that heaven and your misrepresenting Jesus who you claim to follow maybe said anything. Well, that's kind of judgmental, narrowminded to say that there's only one white look. I'm grateful there's one way God can judge you want, because he knows everything. You and I we don't know everything. So for us to try to sit in 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 out and you know when people want to talk about well and about the pygmies in Africa 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. Friedman slices hey what about the pygmies in Africa.

I don't know about the pygmies in Africa. I know that I'm sitting there talking you about Jesus.

So if you really got a heart to minister to 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. Jesus is saying you know what this is if you don't believe what I am he, you will die in your sins 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 might get 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 you who is Jesus to you.

All I know who Jesus is.

To me, but who is Jesus to you was a just a good man. Good teacher. That whole trip. Or, do you understand he was the son of God who die safe men and women from their sense. Who is Jesus to you 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. I speak to the world those things which I heard from St. Jesus could've sat there that they enlisted every cent every one of these guys in the audience whatever committed, but he didn't do it in a while because he knew there was no benefit there or listen. They weren't listening 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.

Listen, don't try to kick the door down were not as were not vacuum cleaner salesman that I mean if you sell vacuum's got bloodshot and make the 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. They did not understand that he spoke to them of the father and Jesus said to them when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and then I do nothing of myself, but as my father taught me, I speak these things is an amazing thing.

Here Jesus is speaking when he says when you lift up the Son of Man Son of Man was a messianic term describing the Messiah. When you hear that it's speaking about Jesus being the Messiah.

But he says here if I am lifted up an interesting thing guys this is a Jewish nation. Jewish people, how did they execute people usually they stone them with rocks they had with rocks. Until then that little bitty rocks of big rocks but see in about 20 A.D. they lost the right of execution.

In other words, the Jewish people were no longer allowed to put people on trial and judge him to the point of execution, but couldn't put somebody to death. Then your Jerusalem was under siege.

About 50 years later in 70 A.D. in the Jewish nation ceased to be auto talk about this because in the entire Jewish history of 3500 years. There was only a small span of 50 years or somebody that was a Jew would have been crucified between 20 A.D. and 78 and it was in this time. The Jesus was crucified. It's yet another amazing fulfillment of prophecy here and again. Remember, as we talked about before people sit with the Jews killed Jesus. Now our sins are what killed Jesus. Jesus also under the bondage of our sins and decided that he would rather die for us than for us to have no way out Jewish people didn't kill Jesus that in the Romans who actually physically crucified up they were really the responsible party for his death it was you and I know that's hard to take when you see depictions of the crucifixion, but that's that's the reality.

And Jesus is amazingly enough he sit here trying to win these people to the Lord, who he knows are going to play a part in his crucifixion, Jesus you are amazing. He's amazing. Verse 29 and he who sent me is with me. The father has not left me alone for always do those things that please. As he spoke these words, many believed in them. Verse 31 then Jesus said to those Jews who believed them. If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed verse 32 and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free also to versus this is another one that people quote and the truth shall make you free and think they quote that little snippet and and it's interesting when they usually when there quote that there talk about any truth whatsoever.

I've found if you use this in a generic sense it disqualifies verse in different points in my life I've come across some certain truth or something. And guess what it set me free. If a doctor comes and goes well or something wrong with you are some wrong with your brain there something wrong with your heart, all thanks that's true then it set me free seat that doesn't work, so obviously there is a classification here. There's a qualification there's a pre-requisite or are a requirement if you will for this passage, and Jesus gives it to us. He says emails is God's. We believe this is the book. This is the literal word of God.

This is our instruction manual me ask you some welcome input like this. I have appear my car instruction manual which to be honest of never read Jim Inman note. Okay, there's this light come on in my car. Okay we see with this is a thing in here soon. Look in the index idiot lights. Okay, that's page okay all says I need oil.

But you know there's so many different versions of oil and it's also confusing about versions of oral you know I'm not going to listen to that, you know, because really there's there's diving 10 W. 405035 W. all at the summit who can know what the right oil is I know I'll just cut a little piece of tape and stick it over the light in that way the light won't bother me anymore is its own doesn't sound right but people say that about the mileage resume cover versions of the Bible who can know this is inaccurate representation of the original manuscripts which date back Hebrew Scriptures go back 2300 years ago. We know that all that there's another like this going on what that line is all so July says they are in the dance that is so narrowminded shall lay coming empty. To want is not necessarily empty to somebody else I'm just going to keep driving, and if I run out of gas. I'll just call on this call Pastor to help me even though I didn't look at the light and listen would like to say we don't treat any other instruction manual. The way we treat the Bible. Why is that because there's parts of the Bible. It is quite frankly, they convict is not auto like that part. See that's that's part of the thing. Here we go through the Bible verse by verse.

If you don't like up our chances are working to get to it and I'm not picking on you. That's the cool things you can't sit there and go heat. He picked this sermon just for me because I you know he asking for his help and look what he does not know that not picking on antibiotics redo the book but it's as is, what is to see if this is is you continue or abide or stay in my word whose word his word.

Now your word. Not many words but his words and word you found his words find them in this book, you cannot reliably find the words of Jesus in any other book in the other manuscript will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now is a word from associate pastor DA Brown and Bob were excited about God's word, going forth with Pastor David and want to pray for some people in the cities world broadcasting today. Beaufort, Gainesville, Macon, Milledgeville savanna, Snellville, Thomasville, Georgia God, we thank you for the people listening today in these areas. We pray that they will be encouraged in your word, they would realize that you want to bless them. Lord, you have a good plan for them God. We pray for those who are sick in the area that you would please heal them and low. We pray for the pastors and the churches that they would be ignited and all the good plans you have for them and sharing your word throughout their city.

In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse.

New living translation has us versus Jesus said to the people who believed in them. You are truly my disciples, if you keep obeying my teachings to one of the keys to being free is staying in the word and obeying the teaching so that's our next life lesson stay in the word and obey the teachings of Jesus stay in the word and obey the teachings of Jesus. What is that mean if you don't range not a disciple that's on my definition at this definition.

If you don't do the sayings of Dan about live in a perfect life. None of us live a perfect life but that's should be our goal is to be obedient to Scripture and follow Jesus. And if you're not interested in that than you're not a disciple all you have you died and went if you died, you go to heaven and just barely, but you could have, but is that all you want. I want I want more. I want this freedom. This maximum freedom that Jesus is speaking here. I want this and if you not operate in this.

Guess what, you're not really free, you're not operate in the freedom that God was to provide for you and to you.

So the second prerequisite is if you do this in your disciple. We spoken of the stages of spiritual growth about being unsaved and then getting saved, and then move them to be in a disciple. So if you stay in the word and you are a doer of the word, then you shall know the truth. Does this mean that you can't know the truth until you do the these other things. Apparently you make it partial revelation, but God is not in us. Keep speaking truth to you deeper and deeper and deeper deeper truth why you're not listen up here, God wants to speak to you. He wants to give you truth he wants you to act on that truth in an biblical truth is a lot like baby food you know and and and some of us need insurer milk and some of us need the little baby food stuff, and some of us are eaten T-bones God desires progress is so cute to see little baby with a bottle in the nursery and I become a weird if somebody on the next row over from you had about a bottle in here when it go get me some great here. It's got a lead, they said. That got a tablet that would be weird because resource be maturing were not supposed to be staying on milk or on drink milk for season and it says know the truth. Now this is interesting work is the same Greek word Denise go that you used in Matthew chapter 1 verse 25 senses and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son and he called his name Jesus and same word in Luke 134 then said Mary under the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man, just knowing guys this is where some of us might've missed the curve is not just knowing about the truth it's snowing in the intimate way, the truth, so you can go out here in the road and stand in the middle the road and you can know that you get hit by a truck. If you don't move, but your knowledge.

If it doesn't affect your behavior is not can affect the outcome. See if you know that a truck is, and what should that lead you to do. It should lead you to get out of the road, when you know the truth of the Bible, he should begin to affect your behavior and what is this book to you.

What is this book to you see we as a as a group of believers. We believe this is the literal word of God. God breathed thethis has the power to change lives and that's why here we give it such a place of prominence in our teaching and in our lives. But what is it to you as it is. Do you think about is a good book filled with good stories and good morals and stuff like that. Or is it the final authority on life of love on live and on given on marriage on child raising and all these things you have to decide. But if you say you believe it in your actions don't line up with those beliefs and some I should challenge you friend some I should challenge you on the I would challenge on that you find freedom in God's word like you never have before. Jesus himself had freedom. Freedom like we can even understand the freedom that Jesus had. And yet he said you know what I don't do anything that father doesn't want me to do. That's amazing in it because I do so contrary to what we think and what we in the way we act Jesus had such freedom. He said you don't decide where I lay my life down. Nobody takes it from me. I lay it down and then I will decide when to pick it up again asked that something none of us can say. But Jesus could say, but you know wants a foreign is because from the time we wake up in the morning to the time we go to bed at night.

We are hampered by propaganda that says freedom is entirely something different than what it really is. We are hammered with freedom that only it. It's this to be free. It's that to be free or you gotta come out from all that you know all the legalism of the Bible. That's where you experience true freedom get out from under that and then you experience true freedom friends, family, your attention please. I've done that for us come out from under the truth of the Bible not experienced a lot of things but let me tell you, freedom was not one of the world is we do this, do what you want to sexually experience freedom do what you want to with drugs with alcohol, but you know what doesn't lead to freedom. You know what it leads to bondage beyond belief three B's bondage beyond belief you talk to people you talk to people that have done drugs or been promiscuous sexually or are drank all night, and I'm not talking about young people not talk about other young people who may be flirted with the lives of talk about people who gave themselves over to ask him. They were free to feel freedom know you felt bondage is what you feel is you no longer even decide what your day looks like, but the bondage that your under and that your end decides what you do that day. That's not freedom holding your lot to were allowed to control that's freedom get out from under their you know as a parent I want my kids to be free and also know that certain things will hurt him and I don't want to them to experience those things.

So we have rules in the house and don't do this and don't do that because I want you to be free. I don't want you to come up under bondage will if I is a earthly father does this. Don't you think your heavenly father wants to do this in her life.

He wants to give us freedom. The question is are you taste in this freedom and guises of Vicenza as a church we come out from underneath this book. All because it's an old book right and it's at in why don't hit everything and there's old, was avoiding a why should churches still teach it because it's God's truth to us. This is the greatest message that humans have ever heard. And if we no longer share in this book were useless. All you know what were worse than useless if a church is no longer share in this book, there are not neutral. Now they're working against us because of your no longer helping the hurting.

Guess what, you're hurting the helping. If you're no longer helping the hurting, you're now hurting the helping in the moment we get away from this book we don't have anything to offer if we get away from this book.

Friend, I can't present Jesus and God's truth with you out from underneath this book.

Life lesson here is it's not enough to believe the truth of the Bible, you must surrender to the truth of the Bible is not enough to believe the truth about what you must surrender to the troops of the Bible and if you say that you believe the Bible but you're not surrender to it. I challenge that I don't think you believe it because if you believe it, you will surrender to this is another one of those times where I say hard things in a loving way because this is what we need to hear this is what we need to understand is a churches that were about this book is God's truth and you can experience maximum freedom.

Applying these truths to your life and some of you may have been saved but your operate in bondage and you going where's the joy where's the peace where's the love because you haven't surrendered to the truth in this book. Do you want to live in freedom. You can do you want to live a life with no regrets. You can sit here this morning. If you think back, or on something that really went wrong that really something bad happen. Let me ask you question at that moment in time were you submitted to biblical authority. Were you walking and being surrender to the truth of this Bible are perhaps had you come out from under my answers the same when I come out from under biblical authority, experience, bondage and regrets the Lord desires you to live in this freedom. Starting today, not tomorrow, not next week. Today don't harden your heart. Surrender to the truth of God's word and experience freedom like you've never experienced before in your life. Don't run from God wants you to be free. God desires for you to be free. Picking up the chains. You know the truth.

By then the word be in the disciples and you'll be set free. If you're not sure that you asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins. Or maybe you've been wandering or running. This could be your morning. If you've been running you may have experienced a lot of things, but freedom probably hasn't been one of see the thing about Jesus. The thing about God's word is it demands a response.

You can't just hear it in not respond because if you don't respond that's turning down the freedoms that Jesus paid such precious precious price for you to have friends, you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now own 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 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 life.

10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link. There you will experience 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 John