WTTW: God's Word

SUNDAY


GOD'S WORD: "Freedom in Jesus, Not Tradition"

John 8:31-59

PARAPHRASE

When Jesus told those who had believed him that by embracing his teaching they were his disciples and would know the truth which sets them free, they told him as Abraham’s descendents they didn’t need to be set free because they have never been anyone’s slaves.

Jesus told them that anyone who sins is a slave to sin and unlike a slave who has no place in the family, a son has a permanent place. Therefore whoever is set free of sin by the Son of God is part of God’s family. He told them even though he knew their ancestral father was Abraham they weren’t acting like it by wanting to kill him for saying he was the light of the world as instructed by his Father to do and how instead of basing their actions on what he was telling them they were doing so based on what their father the devil was telling them.

When they claim Abraham as their father a second time, Jesus tells them if they were really his descendents they would do what he did instead of trying to kill the one God sent into the world to tell the truth about the light of the world. He told them Abraham didn’t reject God the way they are and didn’t follow the devil the way they are. Rejecting what he said, they claimed not to be illegitimate children and claimed their only Father was God, not the devil.

Jesus told them that if God were their Father they would love him because God was the one who sent him. He told them the reason they don’t believe what he says is because their father is the devil. The devil being a murderer, having no truth in him and speaking his native language of lies, he told them they want to carry out the desires of their father instead. Jesus tells them that whoever belongs to God hears what He has to say and therefore the reason they are unable to grasp the truth of what he has been telling them is because they do not belong to God.

When they tried to discredit Jesus by asking him if he was a Samaritan and demon possessed, he told them he wasn’t demon-possessed and that while he honors his Father they are dishonoring him by what they are calling him. He told them that while he wasn’t seeking self glory the One who does is the judge of the world. Jesus told them whoever obeys his word will live forever.

Offended, they renewed their accusations that Jesus was demon-possessed stating that despite Abraham and the prophets dying he claimed anyone who believed his word would never die. They asked him who he thought he was and if he thought he was greater than Abraham or the prophets?

Jesus responded by telling them self-glory means nothing in contrast to glory from his Father who they claim as their God and even though they don’t know the Father, he does and if he said he didn’t when he did he would be lying like they do. He told them how their father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing the day he came.

While they pronounced wonderment at his not being 50 years old and yet having seen Abraham, Jesus told them that he was in existence before Abraham was even born at which point they picked up stones to stone him although he hid himself and slipped away from the temple grounds.


PRINCIPLES

Central Idea of the Text (CIT)
Interrogatory (INT)
Answer (ANS)

A. Meaning for 1st Century Readers


I.CIT: John told his 1st Century Readers that believing in Jesus, not claiming lineage to Abraham, sets them free from sin, and leads to eternal life.

II. INT: Why doesn’t claiming lineage to Abraham free John’s 1st Century Readers from sin?

III. ANS: Claiming lineage to Abraham doesn’t free them from sin because it is:

1. Denial of Slavery to Sin. vv 33-35

(a) Wanting Jesus Dead. vv 37

(b) Attempting to Kill Jesus. vv. 59

2. Kinship with the Devil. vv 38, 41

(a) As a Murderer vv. 44

(b) As a Liar vv 44.

3. Rejection of God. vv 45-46

(a) Not Hearing Him.. vv. 47

(b) Dishonoring Him. vv. 48-49, 52-53, 57



B. Meaning for 21st Century Readers

I.CIT: John tells us today that believing in Jesus, not claiming Christian heritage, sets us free from sin and leads to eternal life.

II. INT: Why doesn’t claiming Christian heritage free us from sin?

III. ANS: Claiming Christian heritage doesn’t free us from sin because it is:

1. Denial of Slavery to Sin. vv 33-35

(a) Wishing Jesus was Dead. vv 37

(b) Attempting to Kill Jesus. vv. 59

2. Kinship with the Devil. vv 38, 41

(a) As a Murderer vv. 44

(b) As a Liar vv 44.

3. Rejection of God. vv 45-46

(a) Not Hearing Him.. vv. 47

(b) Dishonoring Him. vv. 48-49, 52-53, 57


PRAYER

Our Father, we confess that when we deny our slavery to sin we really wishing that when you died you were never raised from the dead.

Our Father, forgive us when we deny our slavery by claiming we can set ourselves free through our Christian heritage.

Our Father, forgive us for the kinship we have with the devil as a murderer and a liar when we claim that our Christian heritage is all we need to set us free from our sin.

Our Father, forgive us for rejecting You, for not hearing You, for dishonoring You through out claims that our Christian heritage is what saves us.

Our Father, we praise You for the Light of the World You have given us to set us free from the slavery created by our sin.

We pray to You in the Name of this Light,

Amen.