LONGINGS TO BE FOLLOWED-I—John 8:12
Attention:
VBS Theme this week: ‘Following Jesus, The Light of the world.’
There are many things we long for...
Things that may or may not be Christ honoring, such as...
Personal recognition, Power over others, Overly expensive vehicle(s), Expansive house(s) & lands, Personal comfort, Statement clothing, Fine clothing, Prejudicial relationships, ...
When the brilliant undiminished light of Christ shines upon your longings, what is actually revealed about them...about your own heart?
Jesus invited His audience to accept Him as the Light that everyone/all should follow.
Jesus is the Light that all should follow.
What should we follow?
OR
Why should we follow Jesus?
4 longings worthy of being followed...
4 longings to follow...
1—A Longing to be followed, fulfills the need for...
REPETITION Of TRUTH(:12a)
Explanation:(:12a)Restatement/Reiteration/Re-Emphasis
8:12—“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.””
This statement to “them” 'could' & 'most probably' refer to Jesus’ previous day’s(See 8:1-2) invitation to come to Him & drink(7:37-38). That verse sets 8:12 within the context of the Feast of Tabernacles(cf.—7:2).
“Them” 'could' also involve, or refer to exactly, His most recent conversation as the teacher of the people in the temple(8:2).
“Them” 'could' also refer to His encounter with the scribes & Pharisees regarding the woman caught in adultery(8:3-9). In that encounter, the scribes & Pharisees had approached Jesus as He taught the people, so the people evidently were still there to witness the humbling of the scribes & Pharisees who had come to test Him(:6).
Jesus speaks “to them,” but He speaks to them “again.” Thus He had spoken to them previously regarding certain truths(particularly as it relates to Himself).
The truth must be restated to us in both the same terms as well as in other terms. We need this for the sake of clarity & as reminders.
“Spoke”—Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To utter a voice or emit a sound; 2) To speak—2a) To use the tongue or the faculty of speech, 2b) To utter articulate sounds; 3) To talk; 4) To utter, tell; 5) To use words in order to declare one's mind & disclose one's thoughts—5a) To speak. Strong—a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; To talk, i.e. Utter words.
“Again”—palin—Adverb—1) Anew, again—1a) Renewal or repetition of the action, 1b) Again, anew; 2) Again, i.e. further, moreover; 3) In turn, on the other hand. Strong—probably from the same as palh(through the idea of oscillatory repetition); adverbially--Anew, i.e. of place--Back, of time--Once more, or conjunctionally--Furthermore or on the other hand.
“Saying”—legw—Present Active Participle Nominative Sing. Masc.—1) To say, to speak—1a) Affirm over, maintain, 1b) To teach, 1c) To exhort, advise, to command, direct, 1d) To point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say, 1e) To call by name, to call, name, 1f) To speak out, speak of, mention. Strong—a primary verb; properly--To "lay" forth, i.e. figuratively--Relate (in words) by implication--To mean.
Argumentation:
2Pet. 1:12-15—“For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know & are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.”
2Pet. 3:1-4, 11-14, 17-18—“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, & of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord & Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, & saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.””.....“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct & godliness, looking for & hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, & the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens & a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot & blameless;”.....“You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now & forever. Amen.”
Rom. 15:14-16—“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”
Php. 3:1—“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.”
Php. 4:8-9—“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue & if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned & received & heard & saw in me, these do, & the God of peace will be with you.”
Jude 1:3-5—“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness & deny the only Lord God & our Lord Jesus Christ. But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.”
Jude 1:17-19—“But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.”
Heb. 10:32-37—“But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches & tribulations, & partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, & joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better & an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come & will not tarry.”
1Jn. 2:18-21—“Little children, it is the last hour; & as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, & you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, & that no lie is of the truth.”
Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm & is entirely concerned with the importance of God’s word. It is a standing Repetition of Truth!
Ps. 119:11, 27-28, 40, 42, 48, 49-50, 81, 88-93, 99-104, 105, 114, 120, 124, 137-138, 147-148, 155, 160, 165-168—“Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!”.....“Make me understand the way of Your precepts; So shall I meditate on Your wondrous works. My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.”.....“Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness.”.....“So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.”.....“And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts.”.....“My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, Which I love, And I will meditate on Your statutes.” “Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.”.....“My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.”.....“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, & it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life.”.....“I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.”.....“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”.....“You are my hiding place & my shield; I hope in Your word.”.....“My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.”.....“Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, And teach me Your statutes.”.....“Righteous are You, O LORD, And upright are Your judgments. Your testimonies, which You have commanded, Are righteous & very faithful.”.....“I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word. My eyes are awake through the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.”.....“Salvation is far from the wicked, For they do not seek Your statutes.”.....“The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”.....“Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble. LORD, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments. My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts & Your testimonies, For all my ways are before You.”
*The entirety of the Bible is a ‘restatement’ of God’s truth & is a constant ‘reminder’ to us...It is the written revealing of God to man...It is a settled statement to God’s glory to which we can return & refer to over & over again!
Illustration:
Ask the congregation, “When you were a kid, What are some things your Momma & Daddy told you to do or not to do, or there would be consequences?”[Brush your teeth, Make your bed, Take a bath, Do your homework, etc.] How often did they tell you not to play in the road ....Not to play with certain people(because of the way they were raised)...Or not to play in certain areas(because they were dangerous)?/REPETITION Of TRUTH
Some snakes are dangerous & should be avoided/I have learned to recognize many(but not all) poisonous snakes/We lived in a cookie-cutter neighborhood in Wesley Chapel, FL & there was a large pond behind our house/I used to walk the dog there/Our teenage kids would walk & fish there too/However a couple of times we went, we would occasionally see small snakes disappear in the surrounding swampland/I had an idea what they were but wasn’t sure/So I consulted my snake identification books to be certain/It was a pygmy rattlesnake!/The pictures & information from the book enabled me to walk in wisdom & caution!/REPETITION Of TRUTH
Application:
?Has your Longing fulfilled the need for A REPETITION Of TRUTH?
?You Longing for Jesus, the Light for this World?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
VBS Theme: 'Following Jesus, The Light of the World.’
Action:
A Longing to be followed, fulfills the need for...
1. REPETITION Of TRUTH(:12a)Repetition/Reiteration/Re-Emphasis
Pt. 1 only!-presented 07/10/2016am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. ‘A’)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
