Most of us are familiar with the terms Baby boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Gen Z. All of these generations have a different way of looking at life and the world. Each has different priorities and set of values, and each thinks theirs’ is the best way to live and make sense of this world. Even if some of the values amongst the generations are the same it’s sometimes hard for them to relate to each other because of age and culture. When you hear the lingo and observe the way they live, you might think we are worlds apart.
This real-life illustration can perhaps help us to understand today’s passage in the gospel of John. In John 8, Jesus is talking to a large crowd of people including the religious Jews. Just imagine how the people reacted when the second Person of the Trinity literally came down from heaven, from a completely separate realm outside of this world, became fully human and lived among the people He created. He stepped into their world, into their staunch religious traditions and spoke about a better way, about another life, eternal life, a new way to live and a new and living way to God.
John 8:21-30
21 Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.” 25 Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I even been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He said these things, many came to believe in Him.
In John 8:21-30, Jesus was talking about:
Two destinations
Two worlds
One solution
Let’s look at the first point:
Two destinations
In His conversation with the Jews Jesus said 4 things (v. 21): (1) I am going away, (2) you will look for Me (3) you will die in your sin, and (4) where I am going you cannot come
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What did Jesus mean when He said all these things? For us today as we read the historical account, it’s obvious that after Jesus was crucified, buried, and risen that He was going to return back to His rightful place in heaven with His Father. But as the words were just coming out of His mouth in front of the people, the Jews were thinking, “maybe He’s talking about going to the Gentiles” others thought that He was referring to His death, but they didn’t believe that He would go to the extreme and kill Himself because for a Jew, suicide meant going to a place of judgment and damnation.
Jesus was speaking to them in a way they couldn’t comprehend. He was on a mission for His Father. He came to die for their sin, to be resurrected and then return to heaven because He knew that without Him, they would die in their sin and spend eternity in hell. But as we know, they were seeking for someone or something that fit their version of a savior, a warrior, a superhero, someone who would vanquish evil and set all things right in this world.
Is it any different today? Whether you are a baby boomer, generation x, a millennial, or gen Z, we are all seeking for something or someone that fits our version of truth for a solution to the world’s problems. Everyone wants to be connected in one way or another. But if you haven’t found the Truth, you are most likely on that quest to make sense of your world, to connect to some type of values to live by, to find your own way in your journey.
For the Jews, Jesus’ proclamation of Truth did not fit the bill and they rejected Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
In v. 21, Jesus was making it clear that one day their opportunities to believe would come to an end and they will die in their sin (singular) of unbelief. Only then, when they are in the permanent place of judgment, will they consciously realize the full gravity of their decision. Jesus makes no room for universalism, which is the belief that ultimately no one will go to hell because God will save everyone in the end. Jesus and the Jews were talking from two different realms, moving in two different directions, and going to two different destinations. This is why He said on several occasions, “where I am going you cannot come.” Not because He didn’t want them to come but because they had made their own decision of how they wanted to live and how they would save themselves. Jesus’ orientation was upward and theirs was downward. Jesus’ focus was on the things above, theirs on the earth and the things below. Jesus and this crowd were living in…
Two completely different worlds
Even though Jesus entered into the very world He created and totally identified with us, He never lost sight of where He came from and why He was here. Jesus said, “I am from above but you are from below, you came from this world, I came from Heaven.” Your attention is focused on “this world.” You are captivated by and caught up with this world. The Greek word for world is “kosmos.” This word for world isn’t talking about the world in a geographical sense but about an organized system of thinking, an ideology, attitude, a philosophy of life. It is an invisible, intelligent, and strategic system promoted by the prince and power of the air that exchanges the truth for a lie. Calling evil good and good evil.
It is a system that promotes the life from below – humanism, materialism, hedonism, pornography, pride, greed, selfishness, and all that is hostile to God, to Jesus, to His Word, and His people. It is a system that on many fronts seems rational, even moral but nevertheless sends people to hell. Jesus said, “You have embraced a world that is passing away and can’t see beyond its perspective.”
But in v. 23 Jesus tells them that He is from above and not of this world. What did He mean by this? That His origin wasn’t terrestrial but was from a timeless, metaphysical realm. He is pre-existent, meaning there is never a time He didn’t exist. Therefore, He is above all and supreme over all of His creation. Nothing and no one is greater than Jesus. He has authority over all things. The life He imparted, the words He spoke, the hope He gave came from above and are incorruptible, unchangeable, and eternal. This life would transform our thinking, ideology, attitude, and philosophy of life. In fact, this life from above is what we were created for. This is the life He willingly gives, not begrudgingly but freely. Jesus came to deliver people from the power of this world system.
But when Jesus confronted Jews with the reality of their bankrupt, religious system, their sinfulness, their need for a real change, deep cleansing from within and their need for a living relationship to God, they rejected Him and stopped following him. Jesus made the gospel message clear - unless you believe in Me, in Who I truly am, you will die in your sins. (Here “sins” is plural.) Unless you cry out to Me to save you - this world system will drag you down with it. When the Jews heard Jesus make this declaration their first reaction was, “You? (v 24) Who are you to be saying these things? In v. 25, Jesus responds, “I am who I have said I am from the very beginning. I am the Messiah, the Light of the world. What I have told you from the beginning I am speaking to you now. In fact, there are many more things that I need to say to you, many things need to be brought into the light, as hard as they may be to receive, my Father wants me to tell you the reality of your situation, which is the truth, and not only to you but to the world. Why? I am the only one who can change your destination and deliver you out of darkness, out of this dark and corrupted world system.” The answer to your sin is the Son. There is a better way, there is only…
One solution
Jesus said:
When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.
Various scholars believe this verse has two meanings: (1) He would be lifted up on the cross, crucified in our place paying the full payment for our sins. After 3 days He would be resurrected from the dead as the victorious One. Victorious over sin, over death, hell, and the world system. The second meaning for lifted up refers to His ascension to heaven, where he sat down at the right hand of His Father. Jesus was saying there is a better way to God, a new and living way to God and that is through Him, only through me can you be delivered from the power and the pull of this world system.
One thing Jesus kept reiterating throughout John is He never walked His journey alone. His Father was always with Him, always talking to Him, always leading Him, He was never out of step with His Father’s plan, they did everything together. He always knew where He was in relationship with His Father. How does this apply to us?
As Christian we are inundated with messages that promote the “below” behavior. If we listen to social media, overhear conversations at work, read billboards, watch the news, flip through a magazine at the doctor’s office, stream movies, etc., we will constantly be directed to embrace the values that are clearly from this world system and ideology. Even if the messages we receive are good or not overtly immoral, the perspective is one that often excludes God and prioritizes self, the material world as though life on earth is all that exists. The power and the pull from the world below can literally choke out the life of God, getting us out of sync with the Lord and the rest follows.
What should we do? John said in 1 John 1:12 Love not the kosmos, the world, or anything in the world. Because everything in that world is passing away, it's doomed, it's a sinking ship. John was not talking about not loving the beauty of God’s creation, the times we have with our family and friends, our work, or the food we eat. We enjoy the Austrian mountains and nature, we enjoy our vacations, the times we have with our friends and family. We enjoy a great meal. John was saying don’t embrace or hold onto those ever-changing ideologies and philosophies that take us far from the truth and bring us down. Rather as God’s children we are to embrace and focus on the life that comes from above, this is the life that never passes away. The life that comes from the Spirit of God is characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, humility, gentleness, forgiveness, and gratitude. It is the life that lifts us up.
Paul says in Col 3:1-2 AMP
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].
This is how we are to cultivate the values that are from above while living below. By setting your heart on things above, receive God’s mind about it, being teachable through His Word, through prayer and godly counsel. To set our minds on things above, put into practice those things that direct our hearts to God, read and meditate on Scripture, be part of a living church.
In Isa 26:3 God tells us that He will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Him, all whose thoughts are fixed on Him.
Jesus graciously reminds us that we are definitely in this world, we are finite, and limited and can be easily affected by all that happening around us. It is very possible to be pulled down into the life below by your friends and peers. It’s very possible to pulled down by everyday circumstances and take on the mindset of the world. Don’t sacrifice the eternal on the altar of the immediate. Don’t trade in your eternal inheritance for something that in reality is so insignificant. The key is to never lose sight of who you are, where your life comes from, the ultimate reason why you are here and where you are going. How quickly we forget we have an eternal purpose. Secondly, we are reminded that were not created to do life alone. We cannot make it without Him and others.
At times, God will test our faith, in order to show us what our faith is in, where we need to grow, where we need to change. It doesn’t have to be some big trial that reveals it, it could be when little things come, a misunderstanding, hurt, maybe its disappointment, maybe it’s a situation that causes a lot of stress and pressure, maybe you lose or break something of value to you. How do we respond? With confident joy, with peace? With a life from above? Most likely not. First comes our natural response, anxiety, panic, anger, fear, fight, or flight. We think we can handle life, but it is amazing how little things can bring us down in a moment. Setting our hearts on things above is a daily discipline. Even if the situation never changes, the quicker you do that the quicker your perspective about that situation changes. The quicker you bring God’s mind into your situation you bring the life from above into you situation below. You can bring God’s life, life from above into your generation.
Just like Jesus brought a complete paradigm shift into the thinking of the people, God has called us to bring that perspective, that wisdom from above into whatever generation we happen to be in. You can try to live the life on your own, you can try to serve the Lord in your own strength and wisdom, but Jesus came to show a better way, a living way and it comes from above, it comes from Him.
