I AM SAYS IT ALL
John 8:48-59
S: Jesus
Th: Deity
Pr: WE MUST EITHER ACCEPT OR REJECT JESUS.
?: What? What must be either accepted or rejected?
KW: Claims
TS: We will find in our study of John 8:48-59 four claims made by Jesus in regard to His identity.
The _____ claim Jesus made was in regard to…
I. EXALTATION (48-50)
II. ETERNITY (51-53)
III. EXPECTATION (54-56)
IV. ESSENCE (57-58)
Version: ESV
RMBC 01 Jun 03 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Notebook: Rejection (just visiting)
The tall, handsome, confident gentleman walked over to the girl and made a disparaging remark about the men who had been chatting her up. She laughed cheerfully, "When I don’t want a man’s attentions," she confided, "and he asks where I live, I just say, ’I’m visiting here’."
"Ha-ha," he laughed, relishing her humor. "Where do you really live?"
"I’m just visiting here."
No one enjoys rejection.
Yet, it is a fact of life.
At one time or another we all face it.
Today, though, our time is not to be spent considering the rejection we have felt.
Rather, our attention is on whom we might accept or reject.
TRANSITION:
As we come to our final study in John 8, we learn this…
1. WE MUST EITHER ACCEPT OR REJECT JESUS.
Jesus demands that we respond.
And as we will see, there is no middle ground when it comes to Him.
ILL Notebook: Jesus (Overwhelming Influence)
Historian Philip Schaff described the overwhelming influence which Jesus had on subsequent history and culture of the world:
“This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science…he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.”
The success of Jesus through history did not come easy.
As we have studied chapter 8, the Jewish leaders and Jesus have been in considerable disagreement.
2. We have observed conflict in…
2.1 “The woman caught in adultery”
It was quite the scene that started this chapter.
The Jewish leaders have sought to pit Jesus against the Law of Moses.
So they created a set-up with a woman that is caught in the act of adultery (we know this is a set-up because the man is nowhere to be seen).
If Jesus chooses to let her go, they will charge Him with going against the Law.
If He goes along with them, then they can get Him in trouble with Rome.
Their trap was flawed, though.
Instead, it was the Jewish leaders that were caught.
They were the ones that were found guilty.
As they pointed at the woman, they discovered that the fingers were pointed right back at them.
And, Jesus made sure that they all walked away, convicted of their own sin.
In the next study, we studied the familiar proclamation by Jesus…
2.2 “I am the Light of the World”
This was a truth that the Jewish leaders certainly had difficulty facing.
When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” he insinuated that they were lost.
They were in darkness.
Therefore, they needed Jesus.
Not only that, and even more importantly, when He said, “I am,” they were confronted with His claim of deity.
He kept them off guard.
They had to be wondering, “Did He really mean to say that?”
In the following study, we considered another familiar saying of Jesus…
2.3 “The truth shall set you free”
When Jesus spoke about the truth that is so freeing, He was speaking about more than just knowing what was true and what was not.
He was talking about the true freedom that comes in knowing the One that embodies truth.
Just knowing facts wasn’t enough.
What really matters is that you know the One who is the truth.
Last week, we understood that Jesus does not hold in His criticism of them…
2.4 “You are doing what your father did.”
Jesus made it clear that He knew what the Jewish leaders’ problem was.
Their father was neither Abraham nor God.
Instead, they had a devil of a problem.
They were following the Father of lies who was a murderer from the beginning.
As we come to today’s passage, we see that…
3. Jesus has been establishing, without compromise, His identity.
While the setting of this passage was 2000 years ago, the identity of Jesus is still an issue that we face today.
Many people agree that He was a good man and a good teacher.
Many agree that He was a holy man, unique in so many ways.
Many agree that His teaching on the Sermon on the Mount was even revolutionary.
But the things that He said in today’s text are what one person has said as “The most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.”
So…
4. We will find in our study of John 8:48-59 four claims made by Jesus in regard to His identity.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first claim Jesus made was in regard to EXALTATION (48-50).
[48] The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” [49] Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. [50] Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.”
1. When Jesus keeps refuting their arguments, the Jewish leaders resort to the insult.
It has been said that when foes begin to insult you rather than address you, you have won the debate.
We certainly get that impression here.
It has turned into an angry verbal attack.
They accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan, a Jewish half-breed, and a demon.
They were pulling out all the stops.
Jesus was a non-Jew.
He was a heretic that had no respect for the teaching of the leaders.
Therefore, He was demonic.
Since, He didn’t agree with them, it was Him, not them, that was under the diabolical system of Satan.
But their accusations are stilled once again, because they do not fit Jesus.
For…
2. Jesus is not seeking fame and glory.
It is interesting that He does not even answer the accusation about being a Samaritan.
It probably didn’t bother him as much as they had hoped.
The successive accusation He quietly dismisses.
And then He moves on to His theme.
The Father sends him and He honors the Father.
They, on the other hand, don’t.
ILL Notebook: Jesus (amazing that you should come…)
A Jewish father was concerned about his son. He had not truly raised him to be grounded in the faith of Judaism. So, hoping to remedy this he sent his son to Israel so the boy could experience his heritage. A year later the young man returned home.
He said, "Father, thank you for sending me to the land of our Fathers. It was wonderful and enlightening. However, I must confess that while in Israel I converted to Christianity."
"Oh (groan) what have I done?" the father thought. So in the tradition of the patriarchs he went to his best friend and sought his advice and solace.
"It is amazing that you should come to me," stated his friend, "I too sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian."
So in the traditions of the Patriarchs they went to the Rabbi. "It is amazing that you should come to me," stated the Rabbi, "I too sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian. What is happening to our sons?
“Brothers, we must take this to the Lord," said the Rabbi. They fell to their knees and began to wail and pour out their hearts to the Almighty.
As they prayed, the clouds above opened and a mighty voice stated, "Amazing that you should come to Me. I, too, sent My Son to Israel..."
Jesus is keenly aware that He is sent.
He is supremely aware of His high dignity.
And while He is aware of these things, He consistently speaks in terms of obedience and service.
For Jesus is not in this for Himself.
This will be abundantly clear at the Garden of Gethsemane and Calvary.
And when He prays, “Not My will, but Yours be done,” He exalts the Father.
II. The second claim Jesus made was in regard to ETERNITY (51-53).
[51] “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” [52] The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ [53] Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”
1. We will never die when we are followers of Jesus.
When the word of Jesus is in us, and we do it, Jesus says that we will not even notice death.
Literally, “Death he will not see.”
The believer takes little notice of death.
Why?
Death is a non-issue.
This is why when we hold memorial services, they have a celebratory aspect to them.
Physical death is a promotion to eternal life.
As He talks about death…
2. Jesus directs our attention to His timelessness.
The Jewish leaders cannot fathom Jesus’ statement.
For Jesus implies that He has what the ancients do not have – power over death.
So their response is, “Can you truly be greater than Abraham?”
“Come on now!”
“That is truly unbelievable.”
What is truly difficult for them is that Jesus is aware of the implications and He still makes the claims.
For what Jesus implies here is that He is greater.
He is bigger than the ancients.
He is superior over death, so much so, that He can prevent it.
This means that if He is superior to death, He is timeless.
He is eternal.
III. The third claim Jesus made was in regard to EXPECTATION (54-56).
[54] Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ [55] But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”
1. Jesus establishes confidence in the relationship.
Jesus acknowledges that self-glorification is to be discounted.
It means nothing.
But this doesn’t mean He goes without praise.
He does receive it from the Father.
Jesus has confidence about His relationship with the Father.
He has faith in the relationship, for He knows that the Father is with Him.
Jesus makes it clear that this is not true for the Jewish leaders.
They do not know the Father.
They have not known Him in the past.
They do not know Him now.
Jesus now brings back the subject of Abraham and He boldly states that He is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant.
For…
2. Abraham knew that “God would provide a lamb.”
What Abraham was asked to do, God has now done.
He has offered His only Son.
Abraham believed in the One God would send.
He trusted God’s promise.
He rejoiced in the knowledge that the Messiah would come from his descendents.
Abraham rejoiced to see that day, and it had arrived.
The truth of the matter is that Jesus met the expectation of the entire Old Testament, not just Abraham.
ILL Stedman quote
Pastor Ray Stedman puts it this way:
“He can be seen in every king of Israel; he is prefigured in every prophet who spoke; he is spoken of in every sacrifice on every Jewish altar; he is described in every ritual which they performed; he is foreseen in the Tabernacle and the Temple; he is anticipated by every longing and yearning expressed in the Old Testament for something better than men already had.”
IV. The fourth claim Jesus made was in regard to ESSENCE (57-58).
[57] So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” [58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
The Jewish leaders don’t quite know what to do with this thing about Abraham.
For Jesus was implying that He was before Abraham; that…
1. Jesus preceded Abraham.
How can Jesus claim to be an elder?
He is not even 50.
But Jesus does precede.
Over against Abraham’s fleeting span of life Jesus places His own timeless present.
And in so doing…
2. Jesus makes the claim that He is the “Self-Existent One.”
As we have noted with our earlier Scripture reading in Exodus 3, Jesus used the Holy name of God to refer to Himself.
When the Jewish leaders said, “Who do you think you are? God?”
Jesus said clearly and unashamedly, “Yes, I AM.”
“I am who I am.”
He stated that He was not dependent.
He was not created.
In His being, His essence, there was eternity.
He was deity.
APPLICATION:
[59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
1. The Jewish leaders finally had the charge that they were looking for: blasphemy.
If for some reason you don’t believe that Jesus meant to say that He was God, then believe the Jewish leaders.
They become so aroused by His claim that they are ready to take the law in their own hands.
The charge is blasphemy.
For the Jewish mind, this was the ultimate insult against God.
Blasphemy is creature claiming to be Creator.
It is the height of irreverence and impiety.
What is interesting to note is that Jesus made no effort whatsoever to correct their “misconception.”
He does not attempt to placate.
He does not look to compromise or calm them down.
Instead, He enrages them deliberately, claiming things He knows they will not accept.
And then He leaves.
They cannot find Him, because He is not done yet.
But they will have their evil day, but it will be according to God’s timing, and not their own.
Just as the Jewish leaders were faced with choices about Jesus, so are we.
2. The choices before us remain…
2.1 Liar
If Jesus knew that His claim to be God was not true, then He was a liar.
He was a deceiver trying to pass Himself off as something he was not.
2.2 Lunatic
If Jesus did not know that His claim to be God was not true, then He was a lunatic.
He was nothing more than a madman who was suffering from delusions of grandeur.
2.3 Lord
If Jesus did exist and His claim to be God is true, then He is nothing less than Lord.
He is the Lord of life, holding all life in His hands.
Thus, the testimony of Paul in Philippians is correct:
[5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, [8] he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It is your choice.
Call Him Lord now or call Him Lord later.
You are going to call Him Lord, either as a choice now or in judgment later.
Jesus is to be our Master and the Lord of all our life.
Including…
…Our business life
…Our sexual life
…Our recreational life
…Our family life.
All of who we are comes under His lordship.
For He is not be a mere figurehead.
He has the right to rule.
He has the right to control all our affairs.
Therefore…
3. If we recognize Him as Lord, it is time to worship.
We are to give Him the reverence and honor He deserves.
We are to be gone with the idea that God is our “pal.”
We must take into account all that we owe Him.
When we do so, we will realize that He deserves more than the half-spirited praise we offer.
For realize that getting excited about sports and not Him is an insult.
Pursuing profit and not eternity is worse than spitting in His face.
Investing time and money for our own recreation while neglecting what is eternal is offensive to God’s heart.
For we are called to love Him with all our heart, soul mind and strength.
This is true worship and the evidence of a choice that accepts and receives Jesus as Lord.
COMMUNION:
As we come to the table today, let us remember that we come because of Jesus.
It is Jesus that said…
I am the Bread of Life.
I am the Light of the World.
I am the Door.
I am the Good Shepherd.
I am the Resurrection and the Life.
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
Before Abraham was born, I AM.
It is the deity of Jesus that we recognize today.
It is the deity of Jesus we acknowledge, accept and hold on to this day.
He is God in the flesh.
He is the With-Us God.
If you know Jesus today, you are invited to share in the elements of the table.
You do not have to be a member of our church, but we do ask that you know Jesus and have a relationship with Him.
If you do not know Jesus, that is, you have not received Him as your Savior and Lord, or you are just unsure, just let the elements pass by.
Please wait until the time comes when you are confident that you do have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.
We practice “communion” because we are to remember the death of the Lord Jesus.
We take the bread to remind us that it was by the body of our Savior that our salvation came.
He died in our place.
He became our substitute.
We take the cup to remind us that it was by the blood of our Savior that our salvation came.
He died for our sins.
He became our sacrifice.
Being led in prayer by ..., let us take a moment and thank Him for giving us the very thing we needed most.
The apostle Paul writes, "The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
Let’s partake together.
... will now come and lead us in prayer.
Again, the apostle Paul writes, "In the same way, after supper he took the cup saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Let’s partake together.
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Hear and accept the claim of Jesus…He is the With-Us God, God in the flesh; and so, when we keep His Word, we will not even notice death as we are ushered into glory.
Hear and accept the claim of Jesus…for it is by Jesus that God has provided the Lamb; He is our Lord, and He is our Savior.
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
