Tonight, we continue with Jesus’ discussion with the Pharisees.
READ v. 25. Man asks a very basic question. Now Jesus had just made a phenomenal claim that He was the Light of the world. Of course, His claim shocked the Pharisees as well as others.
And when you recap what Jesus had told these guys, it’s pretty clear why they didn’t understand or believe what He had said.
• Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness. (v. 12)
• I am not alone, I stand with the father who sent me. (v. 16)
• You do not know me or my father. (v. 19)
• I am from above and you are of this world. (v. 23))
• If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, then you will indeed die in your sins. (v. 24)
So, with all these claims that Jesus has made, we find that people of every generation blurt out the same question, “Who are you?” Well, Jesus answers that question. He says: I am just who I claim to be. I am who I have claimed to be from the very beginning.
The Greek text of Jesus’ words in v. 25 is difficult to translate and so it has been translated in various ways. How does your translation say what Jesus said?
READ v. 26-27. It’s hard for man to grasp that Jesus is God’s Spokesman and Judge. Jesus was the One who brought the message of God to the world. He claimed to be God’s Spokesman to the world when He said, “What I have heard from him I will tell the world.”
And what Jesus was speaking of was what He had heard from God. His message, His words, were given to Him by God. Jesus was sent by God to speak God’s words. He was on earth for the very special mission of proclaiming the message of God. Again, He came from the very presence of God and it was God Himself who appointed and sent Jesus into the world. Jesus said that God’s message is reliable. It’s not false, or evil. Man can trust it and depend on it.
We need to note also that Jesus was sent to the whole world. This means at least two things: His message was for the whole world, and His message was the only message for the world. Jesus claimed to be the Judge of the world. As the Spokesman of God, He had the duty not only to say many things, but to judge many things. His first mission to earth was to proclaim the message of salvation. His second mission to earth will be to judge men. Note that man didn’t understand and he still doesn’t understand that Jesus is God’s Spokesman and Judge.
READ v. 28. So, at this point, and we still see evidence of it today, man doesn’t grasp that Jesus is the Son of Man. He is the One who was to be lifted up. The point of His claim is that He was making reference to the cross and the exalting of Jesus.
We also see in v. 28 another of Jesus’ “I AM” statements. Some just don’t grasp that Jesus is the great “I am,” the Son of God. Note that it was His being lifted up—the cross and the resurrection and the ascension—that was to convince men that He is the great “I AM.”
And when we think about the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension, we can see that it is convincing of who Jesus is.
1. The cross clearly shows us the glorious love and salvation of God.
2. The resurrection declares Jesus to be the Son of God with power.
3. The ascension allowed the Holy Spirit to replace Christ on earth. It brought about the pouring out of the Spirit.
4. The cross proves that Jesus is the great “I AM”—that He is deity, God Himself incarnate in human flesh. The cross proves that Jesus is One with God—that He doesn’t act alone nor do anything of Himself. The cross proves that Jesus is the Spokesman of God and speaks only as His Father taught Him.
READ v. 29. It’s hard sometimes for us to grasp that Jesus was the One who God never left alone. And this is critical in Jesus’ ministry. He claimed three things.
1. He claimed that His Father had sent Him.
2. He claimed that His Father was with Him and had never left Him alone. The idea and claim was that His Father had never abandoned Him so what Jesus said and did was always the message of God to men.
3. He claimed that He had not failed. He always did the things God said, He obeyed God perfectly and completely, never sinning. So, in that, men could trust and depend upon Him.
READ v. 30. Now we see something positive. The result of Jesus’ words was that many believed, many put their faith in Him. Some finally came to believe that Jesus was what He claimed to be.
Now lets’ switch gears for a minute. Man is enslaved by sin and all the consequences of it. Man cannot keep from sinning so he has to bear the consequences of sin: the guilt shame, hurt, pain, and judgment. And man needs to be set free from sin, and delivered from its bondage. Well, as we know, we CAN be set free from sin, but our freedom is conditional.
READ v. 31. There are two conditions for being delivered from sin, two conditions for salvation and discipleship.
1. The first condition is belief. In verse 30 it says “Many put their faith in Christ.” As the gospel was proclaimed, they listened. They didn’t sleep through the sermon. They didn’t allow their minds to wander. They heard and put their faith in Christ so in doing that, their hearts were stirred.
Well, as a result of their hearts being stirred, they sensed a need, an emptiness, a hunger or thirst. They realized the darkness they had been in. They felt guilt and shame but at the same time they felt that they had a hope. They reached out for Jesus. What they were experiencing was the beginning and the infancy of faith. They were like lambs or like newborn babies. The point is this: the very first condition of deliverance and salvation is belief, faith in Christ.
2. But there is a second condition—a condition that completes the experience of deliverance and salvation: It is that of continuing or abiding in the Word. The idea is that of dwelling. The Word of the Lord is the believer’s dwelling place. He continues and abides in God’s Word. Very simply, what Jesus was saying is this:
A person who really begins to believe will abide in the Lord’s Word. He will continue to study and to do the Word. Do you fit into that plan? A person who doesn’t really believe will not continue in the Lord’s Word. The proof and the evidence that a person really believes is that he does continue to abide and dwell in the Lords’ Word. The proof and the evidence that a person has made only a false or superficial profession is that he does not continue in the Lords’ Word. These statements sound redundant but sometimes we have to hear as plainly as we can possibly put it. Now, do you see why I am always trying to encourage you to read your Bible?
READ v. 32. There are two results of being delivered from sin, two results of salvation and discipleship. The first result is that the true believer will know the truth. The second result is that the true believer will be made free.
Free from what? What does the truth set us free from? Prejudice, hate, division, bitterness, crime, injustice, Emptiness, loneliness, Fear, death, Selfishness.
I’m talking about moral truth, saving truth, working truth, living truth. This truth is not something to be known, it’s something to be done. God’s Word is the truth. Jesus is the truth.
And Jesus is the truth that will set man free from doubt and despair, free from the bondages of sin and death and judgment and hell. He is the truth that sets men free to be saved to the uttermost.
You’ll never experience the true depth of existence, of love, joy, peace, satisfaction, pleasure or hope until you accept the truth of God, Jesus Christ.
Jesus is able to save man completely, perfectly, finally, and eternally. All a person has to do is to come to Christ for that salvation, and Christ will intercede for every one of us.
