Who’s Right?
John 8:42-47, 14:3-6
11-1-98
INTRO: I have been corresponding with young man by E-mail who sent me a question about the trusting the Bible. He was writing a paper for school and wanted my perspective on the matter. I wrote him giving him the evidence that the Bible is the Word of God. He, however, kept writing back, quoting his professors who denied that the Bible was infallible and inerrant word of God. His final conclusion was that I was wrong, the Bible was defective. He ignored the evidence.
Is it not interesting that he chose to ignore all the evidence I presented him and rather decided to believe a professor who knew nothing of the Bible, its history, or authenticity. He decided to believe a lie and is quite proud of his intelligence and reasoning.
Prov. 4:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Note what "scholars" have had to say about the Bible:
The Israelites were more history-conscious than any other people in the ancient world. Probably as early as the time of David and Solomon, out of a matrix of myth, legend, and history,. . .Thus the Pentateuch took shape over a long period of time" (Introduction to the Old Testament, New Oxford Annotated Bible). Who can argue with the Reader’s Digest! Surely, that popular magazine knows the truth or things:
Genesis: "Nearly all modern scholars agree that, like the other books of the Pentateuch, [Genesis] is a composite of several sources, embodying traditions that go back in some cases to Moses" (Introduction to Genesis, Reader’s Digest Condensed Bible). Here we have two scholarly sources which who in essence are saying the first five books of the Old Testament are only myth and legend, which means not the inspired revelation direct from God.
Did you know that Christ quoted from every part of the Pentateuch. Seems He thought it was the Word of God, written by Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Genesis (Mt. 19:4-6; 24:37-39); Exodus (Mark. 12:26 citing Ex. 3:6); Leviticus (Mt. 8:4 citing Lev. 14:1-32); Numbers (John. 3:14 citing Nu. 21:8,9); Deuteronomy (Mark. 10:4-5 citing Deut. 24:1). But who should we believe, Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, or the Reader’s Digest?
A recent pole found that most United Methodist Church pastors don’t believe the Bible. Polls have shown that at least 30 percent of UMC ministers do not believe Jesus Christ is God, and 82% say they do not believe the Bible is the perfect Word of God. As early as 1968 a widely publicized scientific survey by Jeffrey Hadden which was published by the Washington University showed that about 60% of the Methodist clergy did not believe in the virgin birth and at least 50% did not believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ. A Gallup survey in 1982 revealed that 34% of Methodists believe community service is more important than proclaiming the Gospel. ( ’Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity", David Cloud)
Anglican bishop David Jenkins is typical of the clergy of his church and openly questions every major teaching of the Bible including Christ’s resurrection. This Church of England bishop says, "The Christian is not bound up with freak biology or corpses getting up and walking around." Of Christ’s virgin birth, Jenkins says, "As for the virgin birth, they’re the sort of stories that get told after you already believe somebody is very important. You don’t have to believe in the virgin birth..." ("Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity", David Cloud)
J. Kincaid Smith testified of his experiences with Modernism in Lutheran seminaries.
"When I graduated in 1973, to the best of my knowledge, none of my classmates, nor I, believed in any of the miraculous element in the Bible, in anything supernatural, no 6 day creation, that Adam and Eve were real historical people, that God really spoke to people, the flood with Noah and the Ark, the Red Sea parting. We believed that no Old Testament Scriptures foretold of Jesus of Nazareth, that Jesus was not anticipated in the Old Testament. No virgin birth." ("Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity", David Cloud)
Lets me ask you a couple of question? If you were God, would you call a man to the ministry to declare that your Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who declared "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but by me" is a liar!
If you were God, would you chose a man and call him to the ministry who said you, God, is a liar?!
Let me ask you folks here another question. What would you call a man who denies what God has said?
I. Jesus proclaimed that He was the light of the world. John 8:12.
A. The context of Christ’s statement is that the scribes and Pharisee had just brought before Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery. (John 8:1-12) They were trying to trick Him into condemning the women to death and defying Roman law or not condemning her and violating Jewish law.
1. Jesus at first did not respond and just stooped down to the ground and began to write something in the dirt. They pressed him and then he stood up and said. "He that is without sin among you let him cast the first stone."
2. Jesus then again stooped down and began to write once again in the dirt.
3. The people there were convicted in their hearts and beginning with the oldest to the youngest they each one all left.
4. Jesus then lifted himself up again and ask the woman where were those that accused her and was there anyone to condemn her? She replied, ’No man, Lord."
5. Jesus then said "I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of the life."
B. The Pharisee who heard him, replied, "Thou barest record of thyself, thy record is not true."
Read John 8:13-19.
1. Yes, speaking to men who held the highest position in Judaism, He said they did not know God the Father and therefore did not know Him.
2. Jesus said that God the Father bare witness of Him and He bare witness of himself and under the Law that was enough. He was referring to the fulfillment of every Old Testament prophecy concerning the promised Messiah being fulfilled to the smallest detail. He was also referring to the miracles He performed before them proving without any question that He was from God.
3. Question: How did God the Father bear witness that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and was true?
4. Answer: The Old Testament which was God’s Word said He was.
5. Second Question: "How did Jesus testify of Himself? He had performed the miracles of God for almost three years. In John 3:2, Nicodemus, the Pharisee who later was saved, understand this and said, "We know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that though doest, except God with be with Him."
C. Jesus in verses 24 and 28 proclaimed He was God.
1. Verse 30, records that some believed. If you are saved you will see these folks in heaven someday.
2. Jesus then proclaimed, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."
3. Jesus then told them what the hard hearted scribes and Pharisees knew in their hearts....they wanted to kill Him because Jesus said He was the only way to eternal life and they as unrepentant sinners would never see Heaven.
4. In Verse 40, Jesus said He had told them the truth and that was why they wanted Him dead and silenced.
5. In Verse 44, He proclaimed they were of their Father the Devil.
6. In verse 45, Jesus again says He told them the truth, and they would not believe. They were antagonistic and they called Jesus Christ, God incarnate in flesh a liar.
7. In other words Jesus said, "I speak the truth, why then do you not believe it?" It is because you a not of God."
ILLUS: A pastor reported that he had a friend who was appointed to head up a missions committee in his church. The committee was made up of twelve members. They studied on just what they would recommend their church do for a whole year. The pastor’s friend’s committee came to the conclusion that "Peoples in other countries have their religions and culture and why should their church meddle in their culture and religion. By the way it was not a Baptist church, and certainly not an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church.
The pastor looked up straight in the eye and said, "You don’t believe in Hell do you. . . . . . . . . . . !?" No answer was necessary. Clearly the missions committee did not believe the Bible and clearly not the Lord’s teaching of Hell.
Folks believe in Heaven, but not in Hell . Did you know that was have the same source for Heaven as we do for Hell. That source is God, and He recorded that truth in the Bible which is His Word.
A young insurance salesman came to my office at the church wanting to sell me some insurance and in our discussion said he believed there were many ways to heaven other than that what this Bible. It did not matter to him what God’s word says. The question is God in the Bible lying about this?
Would you say that Jesus was a liar? Do you know that He said in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Note that He said you cannot come to God the Father but by Him. He is the only way.
D. Do you think that God is a liar?
1. I’ll ask you another question: Do you know any man who has not lied?
2. This then is the next question: Who will you believe? God or men?
II. Conclusion: Have you honestly sought the answer?
A. Have you tried the Word of God to see if it is true or false? Have you tired with God’s grace to obey God?
B. Or have you joined in with the scribes and Pharisees and reasoned that you know more than God who created the Universe saying, "Your record is not true." Do you think any man knows more than God? Do you know any man who could judge God? The cream of Jewish society thought they could!
1. I want to ask you a another question if you would be honest enough to admit you do not really believe: If you have trouble believing the Bible and God word you need to ask the question? Why do you not believe?
2. On what do you base your unbelief and denial that the Bible God’s word is not true?
3. That is one most important question you will ever have to answer and you had better know the right answer. This is one question test: Pass or Fail! You will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell based on your decision....believe it or not it is a fact.
C. There in no one of the face of this earth that can convince me that God lies. I know better. I have studied this Bible for twenty six years. I hold a degree in Theology and that means I have spend many years in earnest studying what God has said in His word the Bible. I am not a novice, my belief is not based un No part of the Bible have I not studied. I also have studied the "religions" of the world. I too know their doctrines. They are all liars.....this Bible shows them to be so.....God our Creator declares them so....God is no liar.
D. A well known preacher once said, "It will never be popular to follow Christ. But it will always be right!"
E. Do you really believe God? You say you do. Does that include at work, or at the grocery store, or among your family, relatives or friends.
It boles down to this: Remember the young man I told you about at the beginning of the message? He heard the truth, God’s truth, yet he refused to believe it. He concluded God is a liar. He concluded that he was more intelligent and had greater reasoning powers than the Bible believing Christians. He chose not to believe. If he does not change his thinking he will absolutely spend eternity in Hell. That is a fact based on what God who made heaven and hell said. Who are you going to believe?
I quoted to him Prov. 14:12, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man be the end thereof are the ways of death."
It was his choice...he will bear the responsibility for it. You too...each one here has a choice....we too will bear the blessing or curse of whether we choose to believe God or believe a lie.
God says that He sent His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to this earth. God tells us that Jesus was God incarnate in man, He was wholly God and wholly man. He proved He was God because He lived a sinless life and by preforming great miracles and preaching the truth showed He was God and He was the truth, the way and the life and because God proclaimed Him His son in His Word.
He let sinful men take Him and nail Him to an old rugged cross, the symbol of suffering and shame. There on that cross he suffered fully and paid the total payment for your sin and mine.
He then offers to you and I, that if we will believe, if we will repent of our sins, He will save us from our sins and hell, give us eternal life.
But it is a matter of faith. It is a matter of believing in what is the truth. It is a matter of accepting God’s Word on the matter or rejected Him.
It is up to you to whether you want to believe God to be a liar or truth.
