Text: John 8:31-41
Theme: Son Sets You Free
Greetings: The Lord is good and his love endures forever.
For the first time, John puts the word freedom for salvation. But the teaching on freedom offended Jesus’ hearers, they thought they have always enjoyed freedom though they lived under Roman rule. Many have this misconception in their lives even today.
But Jesus reminded them that they live as slaves without Christ. True freedom does not consist in the word “freedom,” but in relationship to Jesus Christ, through abiding in His Word, and being His disciple.
We will meditate from this passage on three realities. Admit who you are, admire who Jesus is, and advocate what Jesus does.
1. Admit who you are (John 8:31-33)
This passage commences with the commendations that Jesus taught the Jews who had believed in Jesus Christ. But they did not accept his entire teaching. “This is a most dangerous spiritual state.” (Morris).
Jews had the mindset that they were good. “The power of self-deception in the unconverted man is infinite.” (Ryle). Proverbs 28:13 warns with an exhortation for the blessings. ‘Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.’
Jews had the pride that they were the children of Abraham than the children of God. They exalted the name of Moses more than the name of God. They lived in the fallacy of their traditions rather than realizing the need for their repentance and reformation.
They had more overconfidence in the teachings of their Rabbis than in the Holy Spirit. They were rebellious people, stiff-necked people, trouble makers, disobedient to God and his messengers. They were proud and arrogant. Their religious practices prevailed over the love of God.
They claimed their genealogy to Abraham. Abraham accepted the Angels who came from heaven (Genesis 18:10), but these Jews try to kill Jesus who came from heaven. So, they were children of murderers. Their father was Devil. They neither had value for the scriptures nor searched for the Truth.
Their history reveals that they were slaves in rotation to the neighboring countries at the time of Judges. They were captives of Assyria and Babylon. They were slaves to the Romans and their systems. Unfortunately, Jews never admitted to their generation who they were.
Jesus’ hearers were proud of their heritage. Their history gave them entitlement. Instead of growing in gratitude and generosity, they became proud and judgmental, suspicious of what might challenge them (refer: Sacred space).
Whoever has admitted and accepted their spiritual stature, spiritual status, and capacity had come back to the Lord for his blessings. Accept who you are. Accept your attributes, including the positive and negative aspects of you. Remember that you can't win over anything until you admit your reality.
Judges 7:20-21: Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel.” I coveted them, took them, hidden in the ground inside my tent. Too late admission of self wouldn’t help a person to receive the blessings of God.
2. Admire who Jesus is (John 8:34-38)
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Light. He was named Jesus because he came to save his people (Matthew 1:21). He was called Immanuel because he is present always (Matthew 1:23).
People admired the simplicity of Christ. They admired the humility, compassion, accessibility, and reachability of Jesus. As a young man, he was a charismatic, revolutionary leader of his times. While reading Revelation 1:12-16, we can see the attraction of Jesus.
Just recall the visit of Queen Sheeba to the kingdom of Israel during the regime of Solomon. She admired Solomon and said, ‘Blessed are your wives, servants, and people near you because they hear you always.’ (I Kings 9:6-9). But Jesus is greater than Solomon to admire and hear the words (Matthew 12:42).
Jesus was a friend of prostitutes, sinners, and outcasts of society. Jesus was with the poor and needy. Jesus never spotted with kings and the rulers of his days. John spots Jesus with Samaritan Woman, the man at the Bethesda, a man with chains at Gennesaret, and people with sorrows, he reached the blind, deaf and dumb, he reached the rich and poor alike, he reached the learned and unlearned alike. But the kings and rulers wanted to see Jesus, and they were looking for an appointment with Jesus.
Gospels project Jesus as the Friend of all who was not recognized by the popular world. The message of love, gentleness, generosity, and forgiveness of Jesus attracted many towards him during the regime of Romans. Jesus was genuine among the hypocritic religious leaders.
“A slave of sin cannot by himself change his status. He cannot convert himself, nor can he be converted by any fellow sinner. The liberator from our bondage must come from outside the ranks of enslaved humanity.” (Tasker)
The freedom comes from dwelling with him, not from just believing. All professors in Christianity are not freed. Jesus speaks to people who are apparent insiders, people drawn to Jesus, people who believed, today resist discipleship and Jesus’ gift of unqualified freedom.
3. Advocate what Jesus does (John 8:39-41)
The world lives under the clutches of Sin, under the clutches of delusion, and advocates for that. Religions are under the influence of evil people. Christians live with hypocrisy. Many do not have born-again experiences. Satan as a deceptive person deceives many.
Remember that even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).
He is a deceiver from the inception of the World. He deceived Eve, he deceived Sodom and Gomorrah, he deceived the children of Israel during the wilderness Journey, and he deceived Judas. He deceived Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:3). So, give no opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4: 27).
This passage starts that the Jews who had believed Jesus (John 8:31, 8:31) but resist him, and eventually the passage ends that they are not of God (John 8:47). They are of Satan, the Devil (John 8:44). So, they will advocate only Satanic devices and plans.
Many are looking for good news and relief. We have the message of love, hope, and freedom as promised by Jesus (Luke 4:17-19).
Jesus sends out his disciples in batches of 12, 70, and all. “Therefore, go into the world and preach the Gospel” (Matthew 28:18-20). It’s amazing to understand that there is no other name given on the earth for our Salvation except Jesus (Acts 4:12). Jesus took the form of the flesh, and shared the flesh of men (Philippians 2:1-11).
It is the Good News, that assures us that God cares for us and loves us as we are, whatever our situation. Jesus promises that the truth will make us free.
‘It is first and foremost a personal relationship of trust and obedience to the Lord and his word. The Lord is worthy of our complete trust and wholehearted devotion because he is utterly reliable, just, and true, and he is faithful to his word. That is why we can entrust our lives to him and submit to him without reservation.’ (Max Peji, DLSMHSI – LFSAO).
‘There is nothing like the freedom we can have in Jesus. No money can buy it, no status can obtain it, no work can earn it, and nothing can match it. It is tragic that not every Christian experiences this freedom, which can never be found except by abiding by God’s word and being in Jesus’ (Enduring Word).
Conclusion:
“Lord, I do want to be free, so let me listen to those who tell me the truth about myself. Let me listen also to your word which tries to reach into my heart and liberate me. Let me start with the great truth of which you try to convince me: that I am endlessly loved by you.” (Refer: Sacred space).
