012 - Who's Your Daddy?

You pick up your Bible and wonder, is there more here than meets the eye. Is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right well it may look like just print on a page, but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our own. As we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than Inc. is there greater than we know we know they're not but today in John 830 and asked Jesus requesting who you are, Johnny today on more than Inc. so we are enjoying just exploring your way through John and we hope you took the opportunity to go through John eight as it gets pretty testing.

Really fat is probably one of my very favorite chapters in the Gospel of John yeah because of the progression of the conversation you last week. In fact we had.

We saw conversations from just do the people in and the Pharisees. The leaders today is pretty much the leaders of the Pharisee well Johnson was more a scattergun little catches and little snippets in different statements but John a pretty much one continuous conversation between Jesus and the religious leaders and watch as the intensity and they get mad.

Oh, they get so angry and his responses become more and more pointed is that as the thing develops what they don't get mad because Jesus is trying to make them mad. In fact, he's doing this will seem just a second, because they are in desperate need and they don't even know it well and he just continues to press deeper and deeper into what the real issue is being sin and can you recognize the one the father sent so so he's talking to them out of the need before we get into that I wanted to make a few comments about the opening section in chapter 8 it's about the woman caught in adultery with her favorite love yeah you know I tell it to use all the time and just really a stunning story, but what most people don't know is that almost everyone who's a Bible scholar who understands original languages, agrees that this was not in John's original manuscript the whole story goes from verse one up and verse 11, chapter 8, almost convinced that the science of textual analysis is. It's a huge study and all reputable Bible translators will always flag this passage not because it's not consistent with who Jesus is and what we know he taught. But simply because it's not in some of the earliest may scream yeah and and you know we we pick up manuscripts that have been laying around for a long time.

We can date them and we can look at the earlier ones that come out of John's Gospel, and this is not included in those and is well if you look at the fundamental Greek about how these sentences are formed to realize doesn't really quite sound like John so there convinced that this is not John's original manuscript. So the question can't tells us that this is consistent with what Jesus ministry would be like so so we included.

If you have a modern Bible modern translation Bible, though usually do include these verses, but to put a little side note on it says you. This is not earliest manuscripts which tells us that maybe this is not John's original manuscript but the fact that everyone includes, it is. Everyone says this does have extraordinary value and we are convinced because of just its own content that this fits into your ear and accurate.telling a one of a piece of Jesus ministry so that when actually took place at this precise moment in the sequence between John seven and John 81.

Jesus is teaching during this this week of the feast of booths that we don't know we don't know right but at some point it was inserted at this point in the text right so it so if you're if you're at all technically minded dive into the technical issues of textual criticism and how do you square old old papyrus's that have different things on them. It's a fascinating study but it is very technical and when you know we rely on experts to help us figure out you know why we should include stuff or not.

And we have so much evidence in no manuscripts if if you're interested, I'll just give you one book that I recommend people all the time. The whole discussion is called how we got the Bible and is by Neil Lightfoot.

It's been published is been published as the 1960s. I think Eddie's been adding to and stuff. So it's really a great introduction.how do you figure out whether not you can trust what's there. And in what fits and what doesn't fit. So take a look at how we got the Bible by Neil Lightfoot. There's a whole bunch of other books as well, but I think this is probably the best intro to the topic about how to accessible yeah it is very accessible. So when I can talk about that woman caught in adultery. Our favorite story will jump into verse 12 and on in the chapter for Johnny and and and move ourselves toward this very contentious discussion that he ends up having with the Pharisees, so I'm miffed if you get your Bible and jump into verse 12 and Jesus starts off, but this very provocative statement on the light of the world and he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Well, the Pharisees respond in a funny way, how do they respond now they're saying what you're testifying about yourself and your testimony is back in chapter 5 Jesus had talked about the testimony, the works that he does testify to him. The father has testified to him.

John the Baptist is testified to him, so it's like they have just thrown all of that out as in Jewish culture.

You know, the court router you have to have we have to have witnesses so it's like they just decided that anything Jesus says the testifies of his own. We are iffy gives testimony of himself that they can disqualify that disregard all of this is nobody I should normally do what he should normally do. If he's like the rabbis in speaking publicly, he would start referencing all his the great teachers that have taught him. He'll quote them and put all these great rabbi voices together in saying so this is what I, but you never really basically quote yourself you quote other experts. But here Jesus is clearly quoting himself. So much so that he saying that I am the light that everyone understands everything by I am it and so it's it seems almost narcissistic. If he's not who you think I do answer the challenging him for who buddy who are you to be able to make such a bold claim and and you know quoting anybody else write what he says. Even if I do testify about myself, my testimony is true for I know where I came from and where I'm going. You know where I come from or where I'm going you judge according to the flesh, I'm attending anyone.

But even if I do judge my judgments true friend not alone in it, but I am the father who sent me right. Also, if you're not quoting other known and reputable sources for your truth then you have to claim that you come from a special place you have to claim that you yourself are special and has everything to do with where you come from.

That's why the whole discussion shifts.

He, like who are you and where you come from, like in our day. We would say to somebody you just made a very bold claim. What did you come from Harvard or Yale or make what was your leisure tell me that I should tell you your content so that dental hearers were did you come from. So he says the father who sent me testifies about me verse 18 and so their response as well. Where is your father where is your father talking fathers know daddy Jesus you know neither me or my father and and then this statement always astonishes me. You knew me you would know my father also need know my father also John tells us very specifically. He spoke these words in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no one seized him because is our not yet, but that statement was enough to make them angry. Yeah well yeah she's claiming that his credential is the fact that he comes from a particular family as a fine writer who's particularly notable right and this is the first of several kind of. If this then that statements that he makes in this conversation. And they grow in intensity and I and pointed nests. If you knew God you'd recognize me if you believe me certain things would be true if you believe God then you would believe me so soon as the first one. If you knew me, you know, my father also the same way. If you are seeing me father trying to decide whether to believe what he's claiming based on his credentials and his credentials he's claiming is his family is, but they're still not quite catching the father he's talking about and might be confused thinking about Joseph is always talk about rental it will come back that a second, but then in the next breath and 21 Jesus tries to give them what I think is an honest warning. The issue here isn't just Jesus in the Pharisees, debating, and they're having kind of a popularity contest with the people whoever wins gets to have all the marbles. That's not digital.

Jesus is something very important, critical, very important steak and he says and 21 and this is relating to the Pharisees.

Look I go away and you will seek me and you and and will die in your sin, where I am going, you cannot come so is basically saying to dine your sin and time is short. I'm going away and at that point, you're not to be able to follow me. It's like you saying you need to take advantages while I'm here and you can't get where I'm going because sin you yeah right ends. Of course, is confusing, and 22, you know, surely he will not kill himself as every single commit suicide much longer.

They're still trying to figure this out. What you where I'm going, you cannot come. What is that mean and so Jesus again. He's he has to bring this warning really down to earth and 23, he was saying to them, look your from below.

I'm from above clearly meeting him and you are of this world, which is fallen, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you, he's unwinding this nicely.

Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he sends so he's giving them an honest warning Bella for not messing around here.

You guys are in deep need.

Because of your sin and I'm going someplace you soon.

That'll make it impossible for you to take advantage of this this offer, you gotta respond right now and you gotta believe who I am because I'm from above your from below. I'm uniquely qualified, wake up or you'll die in your sins are. Now we need to remember at this point John three when Jesus had said to Nicodemus, just like Moses race that bronze serpent on the pole in the wilderness.

Anyone who believes that I give life that I am the remedy for their scent will have eternal life. I'm I dismantled the quotation but back in John three Jesus says, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes making him have eternal life.

So he's likening himself to that image of the snake on the pole where the people who were dying because of their rebellion yeah is look to the snake on the pole and believe this is just delivered intellectual. This is an issue of dealing with the scent of sin and death, leaving that there is one remedy for it and it is the son who will be lifted up, and breath. So Jesus puts himself right in the center of that problem and 24. He says unless you believe that I am he actually was.

That is, before it's the words are unless you believe that I am right in your sins there's a lot at stake here guys.

So wake up but but in a contentious response.

Again, they're trying to ask him why should we listen to you right well. Who are you who are you trying to get him to say I am right which, by the end of the chapter he's going to if this is like them saying who you think you will think you are saying that we are going to dine or send it by the way the Pharisees were pretty sure they were not going to die in their sins because they were the failing bad and if you and chosen one to satisfy the lawn. They did Reading right right. The they were literate enough to even know what the laws were little they did them all.

So when Jesus is you. You actually know your sinful and their conflict on this point. They were already plotting to murder him right which she had brought up in the previous conversation, you know, you claim that year following the law, but you're seeking to kill me. Yeah, exactly. So Jesus wants of pushing forward. He says looking this is been going on from beginning. I'm trying to speak to you there's there's problems coming up here, but he who sent me is true, what you're hearing is truth it's truth, you're going to dine your sins and the things which I heard from him. These are the things I speak to the world, he says, and 26 is I'm not and will not lien to this is important stuff but is that John tells us in 27 explains they did not realize you speak to them about the father followed by God himself and so they were making the connection about what the problem is and what the solution is and Jesus is trying to save them there just debating there in the crowd.

Are the religious leaders who were not believing him. There were many standing in the crowd who were believing him so he's speaking to both groups here so Jesus says in verse 28. When you lift up the Son of Man know that I am and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak these things as the father taught me, and he who sent me is with me. He is not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him and as he spoke these things.

Many came to believe in him.

So there it is that many will hearing him.

He's he's answering straight up there challenge the rounds about who are you places this is who I am not making stuff up on telling you what the father say so easy to wise up but he knows now that that in the crowd are those who are believing what he says in verse 31 he says to those Jews who had believed in him and this is a statement everybody knows a Frank famous for don't always put the whole thing together. Here's what he says in verse 31. If you continue in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine and you'll know the truth and the truth will make you free. We all know that truth will make you free. Part but the F is the continuing in his word. Continue to believe and take it to the next step and become a learner that we incorporate what he has said and make it a reality within us and then we will know what is true and then we will begin to experience the freedom of believing that he does. He is the remedy for our sin. Yes it Jesus really raises, raises again that he puts himself in the center conversation dine your sins unless you believe who I am and what I'm saying message comes from the father.

So I'm not making this up, you know, and my credentials are I come from the father and the issue really is. If you hang on to what I teach like a disciple truth will set you free. Right if you grasp it and internalize the center of the religious leaders are staying on the surface here. Hey are Abraham's descendents. We've never been enslaved to anyone how is it you sale become free play. Not true, but Abraham's own immediate descendents did become slaves in Egypt at the time of this writing is really an occupied country in charge enslaved. Yeah so they're just debating the job right here but it is. I mean, sort of an insult to say you know my words Jesus. My words will set you free in the wall. We don't need to be freaked right will you sort of do, but they don't really understand free from what Jesus moves on to what is the freedom rally brings back sin sin again you dine your sins, truly, truly, I say to you everyone who commit sin is the labor which means you can't you can't stop yourself. If you send your center you going to die in your sins. Jesus bring this home pretty powerfully the slave does not remain elsewhere with the son does remain forever talking about who has influence in the house so the son makes you free.

You'll be free indeed that talking about himself to be free in reality yesterday and today it will actually happen in the and then he addresses their kind of sidestep I know your Abraham's descendents. And yet you seek to kill me because my word has no place in a while, and then he goes on to you.

Your standby neighbor him and then 30 that I speak the things I've seen with my father.

Therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father 90s is moving in another direction you get getting pretty personal, but he said about as much as he can say about his personal credentials. No, he's the son of the father is not making this stuff up, but they are also the sons of another father and they respond respond will Abraham is our father, which is it's more of an entitlement statement father. So now we have Abraham as our father, meaning where the children of the covenant, where the children of the promise. We are the heirs of everything that God has again get in an over entitled logs don't but ranking and Gentiles. Forget it. They don't get and read it in and were not will have some problems Gentiles to but we don't children so Jesus says hey in verse 39. If you are children of Abraham's children deeds of Abraham, but as it is you're seeking to kill me and man is told you the truth, which I heard from God's.

Abraham did not do well what did Abraham do the Scripture says Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Will that comes right back into this conversation. When Jesus says I am telling you the truth if you leave me, you'll be saved from your sin in the center the fact that would be such a welcome message such good news. You would love and that's what goes on to next. If you know of God.

If God were your father. Let me you love me like I proceeded for that come from God and I haven't I haven't even come on my own initiative, but he sent me I'm here I'm here to save your gonna die in your sins guys. You're in a die in your sins, you need to believe that and you need to love me and my words are central to understanding and taking advantage of that fact is that you don't understand what I'm saying right.

There was this continuing sense of speaking at cross purposes. Jesus was good at arriving the conversation into deep spiritual territory and they were staying on the surface of what they can see which actually he had sent the beginning of the conversation. You guys judge according to the flesh. I'm not talking about the flesh. Talk about the spirit member. He had said that the flesh profits nothing but the words that I speak our spirit or life back in chapter 6 he said that but he says that they actually have an inability to hear inability to care not connected with the father.

They don't they don't resonate with Jesus words are speaking the words of the father because they themselves the father which raises a very interesting thing is, can we can we come to Jesus unless God draws less God gives us some kind of understanding beforehand and the answer that is exactly yes that's the way it works on how we can do without members. We talked about it we did. John five and six but Jesus said no one can come to me unless the father is 70 Ron right and here's a real case in point with the Pharisees have not been drawn and there just there, just argue it Jesus in their argue about his credentials argue about his origins and juicing look guys have come from above your from below your clueless about what's going on. You got send you dine your sins, you think that being a son of Abraham to say this not going to save you guys got you need to wake up, which is why the original.

The first message that Jesus and John the Baptist were preaching as they want to cross country side is repent to repent again extending at a sin problem and it's going to get you killed.

And so Jesus trying to Sam bring you this message and all they're doing is argue with. Well, what are your credentials to say that and then he comes back and says in verse 30, 45, but because I speak the truth you don't believe me, which one of you convicts me of sin. I speak truth, why do you not believe me he is of God hears the words of God. For this reason you don't hear them because you are not of God. Pretty pointed you're not of God. And so they kind of throw it back in his face and say well you're not either you're seeking to kill me because my word is just bouncing off right you don't believe word has no place in you, and then he says you don't understand what I'm saying because you can't hear my words. Essentially, in verse 47 he says here's why you don't hear them because you're not of God.

In other words, you don't even years to hear this kind of truth because you're so intent on listening to your father, the first and final and ultimate liar.

Yeah that's that's quite an offense to them all because of a difference to me. The people of God and Jesus just said you're not of God right in and that's why say they came. They came right back at him and for needs will need you your Samaritan. You have a demon assess their answer just yet a demon uses don't have a demon and honor the father so but you dishonor me. So you know it's really kind of interesting tit for tat were Jesus is not got all wrong. Got it all wrong from the father.

You're not in, then 50, when he comes back to the neutrality of his role with the word look I say to you, if anyone keeps my word he will never see death member. He says to die in their sins. What they're never going to see death if they if they stay on his word, by the way that that word keeps my word, it doesn't mean obeying necessarily can apply that. But what it more strongly means is being attentive to it and treasure it guarded to recite the guards keep their eyes fixed on something that's what's talk about pay attention, pay attention and and stay on that and you will not die. And then that's a will that we demon you know Abraham died.

Profits also die. Everybody dies and you're saying if anyone keeps my word. He'll never taste of death over right that makes a whole lot of sense do you make yourself out to be.

Are you greater than Abraham, who died right and you got more power than Abraham himself. The prophets die. Do you send your bigger than all those guys whom do you make yourself out the reason for are you claiming to be Buddy youth who you think you are here to the end of the chapter. Jesus lays home who is until finally he says, is jump to 58 Jesus said to him, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I now that really take them off.

Well they picked up stones to throw why because that was utter blasphemy unless it was true because he was claiming for himself the personal name of God right. I am so here these quote unquote sons of Abraham would not recognize who Jesus was and so they decided the guy was is blaspheming and will just kill him will just kill him, which is what the want to do along well that's what the law I had told them to do you have anyone who claimed another God, then God had revealed himself to be in Deuteronomy Leviticus describe how they should actually stoned to death.

Anyone who is guilty of blasphemy and so they are ready to execute right now right and Jesus throughout this whole section for their benefit is trying to save them from dying in their sin and all they can do is just resist him and try and kill him because he's not God clearly he's being blasphemous. Let's kill them and then they cleaned all along to be the experts on knowing God. That's right, according to the law. But Jesus had said to them back in verse 57 which was skipped over Jesus answered if I glorify myself, my glories.

Nothing is my father glorifies me of who you say he's our God, you have not come to know him, but I know but I know if I say that I don't know him I'll be a liar like you, I Jesus is no longer being caged. You know who he is I in there and they just need it. They just hated next week were going to go to John nine Jesus going to heal a blind that's going occupy the entire chapter and its blind born blind. You know, someone rightly never been recorded that ever happened. Entire chapter test. Make yourself go public and serve most everybody I am right to his next