In this sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia finishes examining John 8:31-59, Jesus’ final public discussion with the Jews at the Feast of the Booths. John reports this discussion in his Gospel so that you will recognize your true spiritual state and turn to Jesus with perseverant faith.
In the third part of Jesus’ discussion, John 8:48-59, Jesus raises the question: do you give God’s Son ultimate contempt or ultimate glory?
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let’s pray Lord Jesus Christ we pray that you would be honored in the preaching of your word we haven’t come to hear man we’ve come to hear you come to hear your words given by the spirit so God help me to be able to speak it help us to be able to hear it as a congregation and Lord help us to obey it Jesus name amen well if there’s one social custom then I am glad has fallen out of fashion it might be the practice of dueling can you believe that it was once widely considered normal even gentlemanly if you had received some offense or insult from another person to challenge that person to a one-on-one battle that could result in either or both of your deaths this was dueling I recently looked more into the practice of dueling the custom apparently emerged in the late Middle Ages and peaked in popularity in the 1600s and 1700s before falling out of favor in the late 1800s though both government and religious leaders repeatedly forbid the practice of dueling men of the noble classes nevertheless felt compelled to duel one another from time to time duels could be fought in various ways depending on the region and the preferences of the participants which weapon could you use usually it was a sword or a pistol if using a pistol how far apart would you stand and who would shoot first in America it was common for men to take Paces from one another and then turn and fire simultaneously in other places the Duelists customarily started far apart and stepped closer to one another until someone took the first shot what constituted the end of a duel you could duel until first blood that is until either participant merely began to bleed even if from a scratch you could duel until someone was too injured to continue or you could duel to the death until someone was mortally wounded but with all dueling’s variance and in every place the central motivation for the duel was the same what was the goal or actually let me say this first the Challenger could call off a duel at any time if he deemed his goal achieved what was the goal for initiating or continuing a duel the term that they used was satisfaction I must have satisfaction what do they mean by that well satisfaction in the preservation and restoration of my honor you see honor respect Glory even proper treatment of your illustrious person was the reason and motivation for dueling you challenge someone to a duel because your sense of honor and worth had been slighted and by dueling someone by challenging someone to a duel you indicated that your worth was so great that you were willing to fight for it and to risk your life for it meanwhile the other accepted the challenge in order to preserve his honor he is no coward he is also willing to risk his life to Showcase his worth now many people including one of America’s founding fathers died as a result of dueling so we should be glad that this silly custom of fighting and killing one another for one’s honor is gone but is it really how many conflicts in the world today how many even of your own conflicts how much anger how many insult how many acts of violence and even murder are the result of slighted honor and a determination to vindicate your own worth you will risk your happiness your friendships your marriage your Christian testimony even your own health and freedom to teach someone a lesson you can’t disrespect me like that you can’t mistreat me like that you better honor me or else this Fallen drive to exalt and protect our own honor we see it all across Humanity yet How Deeply it contrasts the attitude and actions of God’s own son indeed in our next passage of the Gospel of John we will see a profound irony the Eternal Word the son of infinite worth will not fight to protect his own honor but he will only speak an act so that his Heavenly Father may be honored meanwhile religious Hypocrites true sons of the devil they will not only fight for their own honor but they will try to kill the Son of God when he reveals himself to be the Eternal deity of all glory the consequent the consequent question for us will be do you properly honor Jesus the son of God or do you fundamentally treat God’s own son with contempt because you’re concerned about your honor please take your Bibles and turn to John 8 the sermon title is before Abraham was I am before Abraham was I am we’re looking at John 8:48 to 59 today but once again I want to show you the whole context so follow along with me as I read John 8:31 to 59 John 831 to 59 page 170 if you’re using the Pew Bibles starting vers 31 so Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed him if you continue in my word then you are truly Disciples of mine and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free they answered him we are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone how is it that you say you may you will become free Jesus answered them truly truly I say to you everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin the slave does not remain in the house forever the son does remain forever so if the son makes you free you will be free indeed I know that you are Abraham’s descendants yet you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you I speak the things which I have seen from my father therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father they answered and said to him Abraham is our father Jesus said to them if you are Abraham’s children do the Deeds of Abraham but as it is you are seeking to kill me a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God this Abraham did not do you are doing the Deeds of your father they said to him we were not born of fornication we have one father God Jesus said to them if God were your father you would love me for I proceeded forth and have come from God for I have not even come on my own initiative but he sent me why do you not understand what I am saying it is because you cannot hear my word you are of your father the devil and you want to do the desires of your father he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him whenever he speaks a lie he speaks from his own nature for he is a liar and the father of Lies but because I speak the truth you do not believe me which one of you convicts me of sin if I speak truth why do you not believe me he who is of God hears the words of God for this reason you do not hear them because you are not of God the Jews answered and said to him do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon Jesus answered I do not have a demon but I honor my father and you dishonor me but I do not I do not seek my glory there is one who seeks and judges truly truly I say to you if anyone keeps my word he will never see death the Jews said to him now we know that you have a demon Abraham died in the prophets also and you say if anyone keeps my word he will never taste of death surely you are not greater than our Father Abraham who died the prophets died too whom do you make yourself out to be 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 and you have not come to know him but I know him and if I say that I do not know him I will be a liar like you but I do know him and keep his word your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad so the Jews said to him you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham Jesus said to them truly truly I say to you before Abraham was born I am therefore they picked up stones to throw at him but Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple we have returned once more to this bonus round of public debate between Jesus and the Jews taking place in the temple in Jerusalem during the Feast of booths about 6 months before Jesus crucifixion as we’ve seen previously what begins here as a loving exhortation from Jesus to the Jews who have newly believed in him to persevere in believing and following his teaching ends with those same Jewish Believers trying to kill Jesus yet this horrid outcome was no surprise to Jesus who knows the hearts of all men Jesus spoke his exhortation partly so that his fickle and ultimately false disciples might be exposed for what they truly are and one sense this exposure was a mercy to these fake Believers since Jesus showed them their hypocrisy and thus their true need for Jesus and for his salvation but in another sense this exposure served as an explanation and a warning for others an explanation as to how it is God’s holy and righteous people could reject God’s Messiah and a warning lest we we might consider ourselves religious even believing people could end up doing the same I gave you the main idea of this whole section before allow me to give it to you one more time our author John reports Jesus final public discussion at the Feast of boo so that you will recognize your true spiritual State and turn to Jesus with persevering faith as you may remember this climactic round of argument precedes in three parts each part raising a central question to get Jesus listeners to get us to see our true spiritual State the question of part one verses 31 to 36 is are you experiencing spiritual slavery or spiritual Freedom the question of part two which we looked at last time verses 37 to 47 is do you demonstrate devilish parentage or Divine parentage remember that shows up in your deeds and then how you respond to Jesus but today we encounter the question of the third part verses 48- 59 which is do you give God’s son ultimate contempt or ultimate Glory do you give God’s son ultimate contempt or ultimate Glory let’s look at at this final part and take seriously this question from the spirit of God we’ll organize our investigation of the text under three subheadings each subheading encapsulin encapsulating an amazing assertion regarding Jesus honor the first subheading that appears and covers verses 48 to 51 is this I’m labeling this 3A despite dishonor Jesus honors God and waits for vindication ation despite dishonor Jesus honors God and waits for Vindication let’s reread verse 48 the Jews answered and said to him do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon what is this I’ll tell you what this is this is retaliation retaliation for what for all that Jesus has said to the Jews up to this point his Jewish disciples after all Jesus has suggested to the Jews and we’ve seen all this that without him and without perseverance in his teaching they are slaves of sin Jesus has based on their allegedly wanting to kill Jesus denied that these Jews are true sons of Abraham Jesus has also based on their lack of love for Jesus and for his word denied that these Jews are true sons of God in fact Jesus has told these Jews who they really are they are sons of the devil who like their spiritual father prefer murder over obedience and Lies Over the truth in short Jesus has declared that the Jews evident spiritual slavery and satanic fraternity are the only reasonable explanation for why they refused to believe in Jesus and persevere in his teaching Jesus knew Jewish disciples have heard all this and you know what they are offended Jesus has in their minds terribly insulted them he has unjustifiably condemned them and imputed their honor as religious God-fearing Jews and they’re not going to take this line down therefore these Jews prepare some of the most vicious words they can think of in reply to Jesus notice they frame their answer to Jesus as a rhetorical question do we not rightly say or in other words shouldn’t it be obvious to everyone based on what you’ve said to us Jesus that the following is true about you what is it that they allege is true about Jesus first that you are a Samaritan they might say where’ that idea come from well remember the Samaritans were people that the Jews viewed as having corrupted excuse me I don’t know why I keeps doing that corrupted ancestry the Samaritans were descendants of Jewish and Gentile intermarriage and corrupted religion the Samaritans wanted to worship God at a different Temple and according to different scriptures also the Jews and Samaritans had some bad history together so they generally hated one another why call Jesus a Samaritan well it could be that the Jews here are suggesting that Jesus must be of Samaritan Heritage to assert what he has about the Jews only a deluded jealous and unclean Samaritan would say that we are not true sons of Abraham and not religious or not righteous inheritors of God’s blessing Jesus you must be a Samaritan if you’re going to say these things but then again the label Samaritan doesn’t necessarily have to make sense if you think about the worst insults that people sling today in our society these insults don’t usually make any logical sense they’re just expressions of unrighteous anger and contempt the Jews could think of fewer persons worthy of scorn and disgust than Samaritans so when they want to hurt and dishonor Jesus that’s what they call him a Samaritan but that’s not all notice second they say that you have a demon that is the only explanation Jesus for your outrageous words is that you are demon-possessed now in Jesus day demon possessed was a a label a person might put on others who are seeming to act or speak insanely so the Jews are basically asserting that Jesus is clearly out of his mind but the idea of demon possession connotes more because let’s face it demons are evil spirits minions of the Devil Himself so if Jesus is possessed by one of Satan’s Demons What are the implications that what Jesus says is evil what Jesus does is evil and what Jesus is in himself is evil ultimately these Jews assert with this description that Jesus and his teaching are fundamentally satanic now what an assertion for these disciples to make about the teacher in whom they supposedly believe or at least did moments ago what an obvious repudiation of Jesus merciful diagnosis of their own spiritual condition we aren’t the ones under the sway of the devil Jesus you are and what an ugly arrogant Blasphemous assertion to make about God’s son and the Living Word it’s hard to imagine how these Jews could have Dishonored Jesus more with their reply but how does Jesus respond will Jesus do as Sinners often do go tit fortat respond to their insults with insults of his own I bet he’s got some good ones well look what Jesus says in verse 49 Jesus answered I do not have a demon but I honor my father and you dishonor me wow only God and those Changed by him could respond to such dishonor with such restraint notice Jesus does not insult the Jews back at all though they are worthy of his fiercest denunciations Jesus merely tells the truth and he contrasts himself with his revilers I myself am not demon-possessed like you allege I am not insane I am not under the sway of the devil but I honor my father I seek his will and glory and you yourselves dishonor me do you notice a connection between those last two statements if Jesus honors the father and you dishonor Jesus whom else have you Dishonored you’ve Dishonored God the Father for how could it be otherwise if you oppose the one who seeks the father’s will and Glory will and Glory how could you also not be opposing and dishonoring the Father Here Again Jesus mercifully exposes the true spiritual state of his listeners but how is it that Jesus is able to respond without Vengeance merely telling the truth that the people need to hear Jesus gives the explanation in verse 50 but I do not seek my glory there is one who seeks and judges do you see here the secret to Jesus amazing patience and restraint he does not seek his own Glory that is Jesus is not terribly concerned about promoting or protecting his own honor let that truth land in your mind for just a second because when it does you should be perplexed wait a second doesn’t the bible teach that Jesus is God and isn’t God fundamentally concerned about his own Glory does not God say in Isaiah 428 in Isaiah 4811 that he acts for his own glory and will not share his glory with another so how can Jesus as the Son of God say that he is not concerned about or seeking his own Glory the answer has to do with the special relationship of Father and Son within the the Trinity notice back in verse 49 whose honor did Jesus say he seeks his fathers and then in verse 50 Jesus says he doesn’t have to seek his own honor because someone else does someone else already is who’s that the father just as Jesus will clarify further in verse 54 thus Jesus seeks the father’s Glory while the father seeks Jesus Glory you see the love and submission of the perfect Son of God to his father is so deep that even though the son desires and ought to receive Divine Glory he will not grasp after it himself rather he will remain humbly obedient to the father trusting and waiting for the father to glorify the son at the proper time notice also Jesus says here in verse 50 that not only does the father seek the son’s Glory but the father judges that is the father provides the true assessment and those who do not properly honor the son will one day consequently be justly recompensed while the son can be confident that he will one day be glorified as he ought to be even if men don’t judge Jesus correctly God does and his final judgment will be just do you realize that something is similar something similar is true for you if you are a Christian you who by faith and God’s spirit have been made a child of God and a fellow he with Christ you too have been promised Glory but you are not to seek it now nor should you seek Vengeance for yourself rather you do as your lord does you seek the honor of your God by continuing to do his will while you wait for God’s judgment God’s verdict God’s assessment understand that in this you will many times have to suffer righteously in the meantime that’s what Jesus is doing here but this is actually the pattern Jesus purposefully laid out for you to follow as his true disciple we hear this explicitly taught in another scripture 1 Peter 2 21-23 1 Peter 2 21-23 for you have been called for this purpose since Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps who committed no sin nor was any deceit found in his mouth and while being reviled he did not revile in return while suffering he uttered no threats but kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously now intriguingly it’s at the mentioning of the Judgment of God that Jesus says what he does next in verse 51 verse 51 truly truly I say to you if anyone keeps my word he will never see death why does Jesus suddenly say this well he is underscoring he is underscoring the shity of the Father glorifying the Son and also of the father making sure that those who refuse to glorify or honor the son are appropriately recompensed notice Jesus begins this statement with the attention grabbing phrase truly truly I say to you we’ve seen this before what Jesus is saying is here is an incredible statement of God’s true Revelation that you must believe what’s the Revelation if anyone notice how inclusive that term is if anyone keeps my word that is continually learns believes and obeys the gospel and teaching of Jesus this is similar to what he said in the beginning part of this section if anyone keeps my word he will never see death and I love this because this phrase contains the most emphatic denial possible in New Testament Greek grammar seen this a few times in the Gospel of John but we see it again here another translation of the Clause here at the end of this statement from Jesus would be he could not possibly see death forever it’s if you’re curious about the Greek it’s two negative words plus the subjunctive which indicates possibility so it not not could every possible not not could ever be possible now what does it mean to see death well to see death is to experience death especially in all its bitter pain the phrase taste death in verse 52 is an equivalent expression in other words the father is pleased to glorify the son by making perseverance in the son’s word the only way a person can be freed from The Sting of death and the Everlasting Judgment of God for the one who honors God’s son by believing in him and persevering in obedience to the son’s word that one could not possibly see death forever but for the one who dishonors God’s son There Is No Escape there is is no way of escape from Death or God’s Wrath because the father is determined to glorify the son here then is another implicit invitation from Jesus to his Jewish hearers yes even the ones who have just viciously mocked him moments ago of course the invitation is also for us for all of you listening today this could be true of you if you will believe and persevere in the word of Jesus Jesus now how do the Jews in that original setting respond to a renewed gracious offer from Jesus what we find out as we move to the second part of this last section second subheading which covers verses 52 to 56 we can label this as 3B despite dishonor Jesus knows God and declares God’s truth despite dishonor Jesus knows God and declares God’s truth look at verses 52 and 53 the Jews said to him now we know that you have a demon Abraham died and the prophets also and you say if anyone keeps my word he will never taste of death surely you are not greater than our Father Abraham who died the prophets died too whom do you make yourself out to be you see here that the Jews do not pay attention to Jesus merciful invitation or to Jesus restrained rebuke of their dishonoring him the Jews merely respond to Jesus words with more contempt and with especially incredulity they simply cannot believe what Jesus has just proclaimed now we know that you have a demon they say that is we are sure now more than ever that you have lost your marbles due to demonic influence why do they say that because you a mere man promis that your teaching will deliver people from Death utterly deliver people from Death the Jews think this is ridiculous this is a ridiculous claim since even the greatest and most honored men of God in times past Abraham the prophets they could not finally deliver themselves or anyone else from Death May notice the last question they posed to Jesus whom do you make yourself out to be they’re implying something the question is not who are you or who are you really it is whom do you make yourself out to be you’re hearing the implication there the implied assumption there the Assumption in their question is that Jesus is trying to pretend to be someone who he is not or to he’s trying to glorify himself with Glory that does not belong to him him he’s making himself out to be something actually the Jews use this phrase consistently with Jesus and they will use it again before they put him to death they say this one made himself out to be the Son of God Jesus detects the Jews assumption about him and he thus replies as he does in verse 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 notice once again Jesus does not viciously pounce on the Jews for their dishonoring him with again dismissive words but Jesus does speak the truth and he contradicts their assumption about him putting on HS if I glorify myself my glory is nothing Jesus says in other words Jesus admits that if he were pretending greatness and merely trying to exalt himself his glory would be worthless and his person would indeed be contemptible Book of Proverbs actually teaches that self honoring does not work and should be avoided Proverbs 27:2 let another praise you and not your own mouth a stranger and not your own lips that’s truth that’s good advice of course even the honor of men whether you’re waiting for other people to praise you even the honor of men is vaporous true and Lasting honor only comes from God yet Jesus insists that such is the honor he receives for he says it is my father who glorifies me and just in case there’s any doubt about whom Jesus means as his father remember that was an issue in previous discussions Jesus says explicitly of whom you say he is our God the Father God glorifies me I don’t glorify myself s the father glorifies me now you may detect something implied in Jesus words when he says of whom you say what’s Jesus getting at well he says directly in the next sentence and you have not come to know him as Jesus has said before Jesus again asserts here that his religious hearers very religious hearers they’re in the middle of a holy Feast they do not in fact know God which really is the explanation as to why they misconstrued Jesus as inappropriately glorifying himself and what Jesus declares they don’t understand because they don’t know God Jesus goes goes on in the rest of verse 55 to say something else provocative he says but I know him and if I say that I do not know him I will be a liar like you but I do know him and keep his word h why does Jesus say this what’s going on here well Jesus is again dramatically contrasting himself with his Jewish disciples these Jews show themselves to be Liars if they say they do know God and if they say they do keep God’s word Jesus has already pointed out the evidence shows clearly that is not true if they say it is they are liars but Jesus would only become a liar if he says that he does not know God or does not keep God’s word because Jesus has already proven again and again that he does he knows God and does keep God’s word Jesus is the perfectly obedient Son of God he is not ashamed of the truth he will always Faithfully declare whatever is given to him by his father to declare if that word from the father ends up glorifying Jesus like Jesus statement in verse 51 does that’s fine but that’s not why Jesus says it Jesus does not seek his own Glory nor does he seek the glory approval and honor of men Jesus only seeks the glory of his father which necessitates Jesus keeping and Faithfully teaching his father’s truth in verse 56 Jesus again shows himself faithful to declare his father’s Truth by a surprising response to the Jews assertion that Jesus surely is not greater than Abraham look at verse 56 your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad what is Jesus talking about here to which event with Abraham does Jesus elude the answer is not entirely clear some think that Jesus is referring to a Jewish tradition that God and giving Abraham a prophecy of Israel’s future in Egypt in Genesis 15 also gave Abraham a vision of the Messianic age Jesus is referring to that but if so there is a slight problem that Jewish tradition does not mention anything about Abraham rejoicing after seeing that age or seeing the Messiah something that Jesus is referring to God’s personal visit to Abraham in Genesis 18 which God confirmed the birth of Abraham’s son within one year and warned of sodom’s Doom though there’s nothing explicit in that passage about the future age or day of Jesus some think that Jesus is referring to the now dead Abraham rejoicing in heaven over Jesus Incarnation and Ministry he’s watching it on fold and he’s rejoicing but this interpretation doesn’t fit very well with the context of Jesus and Abraham knowing each other in the past most of the commentators that I read think that Jesus is referring to Abraham ‘s glad anticipation of the Messiah Jesus based on the Promises given to Abraham in Genesis 12 the promises that include most importantly that God would make Abraham into a great nation and bless all families of the earth through Abraham and through Abraham’s seed Abraham of course did not live to see this see these promises fully realized but he did see them realized in seed form when at 100 years old old Abraham got to witness the birth of Isaac his son Abraham therefore rejoiced not only over the birth of his son but over the chain of events coming from the birth of that son leading to the Advent and age of the Messiah Jesus if this is what Jesus means then the thought does align well with another scripture Hebrews 11:13 Hebrews 11:13 where we see this statement given right after mentioning the birth of Isaac to Abraham all these died in faith without receiving the promises but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance and having confessed that they were strangers and Exiles on the earth so which one of these interpretations is correct I lean toward the last interpretation but whatever Jesus means three claims from Jesus are clear one Jesus is greater than Abraham because after all Abraham rejoices over Jesus rather than Jesus over Abraham two Jesus is the Messiah Abraham anticipated by faith one way or another that’s the implication and three Jesus amazingly has personal knowledge of Abraham and Abraham’s Joy what are the already aggravated Jews going to think about these claims from Jesus we find out as we look at our final subheading and the ending of the whole discussion in verses 57 to 59 this is 3C despite dishonor Jesus is also the Eternal glorious God despite dishonor Jesus is also the Eternal glorious God look at verse 57 so the Jews said to him you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham well once again the Jews do not understand what Jesus is saying do not understand or believe though notice a subtle shift in their response in verse 56 Jesus says Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus day but the Jews in verse 57 they ask an exasperated disbelief whether Jesus has really seen Abraham you see what they did there do you see the reversal even in their reply the Jews seemingly put Abraham above Jesus honing on the honing in on the idea that Jesus has personal knowledge of Abraham the Jews cannot see how such a claim could be anything but absurd not least based on Jesus age Our Father Abraham lived centuries ago and you clearly are not even 50 years old how can you say that you’ve seen Abraham or know that he rejoiced over you personally well to make the truth of his greater position than Abraham absolutely clear to clarify how approximately a 33-year-old Jesus could see and know Abraham and be seen and known by Abraham though Abraham lived and died two Millennia earlier Jesus then makes a mind-blowing declaration in verse 58 Jesus said to them truly truly I say to you once again there’s that attention grabbing formula something incredible is about to be revealed you’ve got to believe it truly truly I say to you before Abraham was born or more literally before Abraham was I am what did Jesus just declare doesn’t even make good grammatical sense shouldn’t Jesus have said before Abraham was was I was if he wanted to assert pre-existence to Abraham that he’s older than Abraham ah but Jesus is interested in asserting something more than pre-existence thus he invokes a phrase and description which all the Jews would recognize as only applying to one being the one true Eternal glorious God we read EX 31-15 earlier in our service that famous Old Testament passage in which Moses asks God for God’s name to present to Israel but in asking God’s name Moses wasn’t merely asking for an identifier to report to the Jews to the Hebrews but for instead a fundamental explanation of who God is after all the name Yahweh was apparently known by the people of God before Exodus 3 before Moses we hear Abraham using it for example in Genesis 14:22 he addresses or he speaks of Yahweh and he addresses Yahweh as Yahweh in Genesis 15:2 so it’s not as if nobody knows who this God is nobody knows what his name is Yahweh has been used before but no one before Moses at least as far as the scriptures reveal no one before Moses had ever heard God explain his name and thus fundamentally explain his nature and character but that lack of Revelation changed in Exodus 3:14 which just to read it to you again Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses I am who I am and he said thus you shall say to the sons of Israel I am has sent me to you what does the name I am who I am or in shorter form I am what does it reveal about God a lot we see in that name that God is eternal and immutable God didn’t come into existence it doesn’t change in his existence and he doesn’t go out of existence he simply is we see in the name I am that God is independent he is self-sufficient he is omnipotent he is self-satisfied God is not dependent on anything or anyone for his existence or for his happiness he simply is we see in that name I am that God is Holy completely set apart from everything else in the universe because everything else in the universe is dependent on God God for their existence and even for their happiness only God fundamentally is so he’s fundamentally holy set apart we also see in the name I am that God is faithful for what possibly in God’s created Universe could thwart the Eternal Sovereign unchanging God whenever he gives his word he is it’s no accident that the name Yahweh which is a derivative of the Hebrew I am Yahweh sounds like the Hebrew for he is it’s no accident that the name of God Yahweh becomes most associated with God’s keeping Covenant even Covenant with Israel for truly Israel and the world can expect that The Great I Am will always keep his promises now as I said I am is fundamentally a name and explanation for God and for God only no one who’s created can claim that name can rightly claim that name only the one true Eternal glorious God can say fundamentally I am yet that is what Jesus says that is the claim that Jesus makes before the Jews in John 8:58 he says truly truly I say to you before Abraham was I am by by purposefully violating grammar rules and saying what would otherwise be absurd for any human to say who lived 2,000 years after Abraham lived and died with both those things true being true what must Jesus be declaring that everything that was true and revealed about God in Exodus 3:14 and other places is also true about Jesus Jesus Jesus also is the one true Eternal glorious God yes the man Jesus is that there’s a lot more we could say about this but I’ll at least tell you this this is the mysterious Majesty of the Trinity revealed once again in this gospel just like it was in the beginning John 1 1: three in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and was God he was in the beginning with God all things came into being through him and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being this Eternal Word who became incarnated as the man Jesus he was in the beginning with God because he was God and everything that is created was created by this word the Eternal God he could not be created because he created everything it’s because he is God he also is the one true glorious Eternal God we cannot fully wrap our minds around the Trinity of course but we accept it as true because the Bible declares it and we know we have come to know that the Bible is God’s Own breath it’s trustworthy so what an astounding declaration what an obvious revelation of Jesus glorious and eternal Divinity to these Jews they’ve been going back and forth Who who how great are you Jesus whom do you make yourself out to be well there can be no question now not after that there can be no question about whether Jesus is greater than Abraham or whether Jesus might be a Samaritan or have a demon no because Jesus as I am he’s not wrong about anything he’s not worthy of Dishonor in any way rather he is completely worthy of all glory and of your own persent faith and obedience he is I am do Jew do Jesus Jewish disciples get this do they understand the claim Jesus is making and its implications well in one sense they do but look what it causes them to do in verse 59 therefore they picked up stones to throw at him but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple what just happened well when Jesus reveals himself to be God God’s people the Jews try to kill him how can that be why would that be the reaction well on a surface level though it’s not stated here the implication from their picking up stones and they probably found those in the temple construction area remember there’s still Renovations of the temple going on at this time the implication in their picking up Stones is that the Jews conclude that Jesus is blaspheming specifically blaspheming God’s name Leviticus 246 to 17 says whoever blasphemes the name should be stoned to death and so that’s what they do but this is not merely some overzealous Jews misunderstanding Jesus and accidentally trying to kill them trying to kill him Jesus tells us what’s really going on it is because these Jews are fundamentally slaves of sin and Sons of the devil who prefer murder over obedience Lies Over the truth and their own glory to the glory of God that when they realize Jesus Is God they try to kill him actually their evil is compounded by the fact that they believe themselves to be righteous in doing it to the end even though Jesus has exposed thoroughly their hypocrisy and unrighteousness to the end they pretend that they are the truly righteous ones in putting God’s son to death so very obviously then they have shown that everything that Jesus has said about them in these verses is true slaves of sin Sons of Satan committed to show God’s son contempt rather than honor their effort to kill Jesus is in vain of course for it is not yet Jesus hour the text says Jesus hid himself or it could possibly be translated he was hidden the father sovereignly protected and hid his son from The People’s satanic purpose so the Jews don’t succeed in Killing Jesus though they do succeed in one way they forced Jesus to leave the temple but this success really is a judgment on them for all they’ve accomplished is that they drove out the one who who has the words of eternal life and the only one who can give the Living Water thus in seeking to destroy Jesus they only succeed in spiritually destroying themselves that’s how the section ends so now it’s time for us to ask what about us what about you how will you respond to this latest revelation of Jesus in your life Christ Spirit through the word has given you three questions over the last three weeks to help you understand your own TR true spiritual State before God and respond accordingly are you experiencing spiritual slavery bondage to sin or spiritual Freedom life joy and peace through your persevering obedience in Jesus are you demonstrating devilish parentage or divine parentage look at your Deeds look at the way that you treat Jesus is it with love and obedience or do you show the deeds in heart of your devilish father and now this do you give God’s son ultimate contempt or ultimate Glory do you realize who he is what are you giving him as a result and don’t think you have to do exactly as the Jews do here to qualify as giving Jesus ultimate contempt you don’t have to literally try to put Jesus to death apathy mocking hypocrisy trying to honor Jesus while you honor yourself at the same time these also count as fundamentally and ultimately showing Jesus contempt truly since the father seeks the glory of the son and judges based on that anything less than yours and my total love and commitment to Jesus anything less than our whole beings being given over to Jesus is not good enough we must wholly worship Jesus we must wholly give ourselves to the glory of the son or we haven’t given ourselves to him at all and we are calling out for the Judgment of God there is no middle ground when it comes to honoring Jesus you either are glorifying him with your whole being or you are dishonoring him with your whole being which is it for you what does your heart say and what does your life testify what do the people around you testify your family members your co-workers your classmates when they look at your life and look at the way that you act and even the way you treat them do they see this is a person who is fundamentally committed to honoring God yeah he doesn’t do it perfectly but I can tell he is committed to God’s honor rather than his own or is it the opposite say oh yeah he talks a lot of religious stuff he says a lot about honoring God but it’s obvious he’s committed to his own honor that’s his Drive do you strive for God’s glory or your own if the answer is to all these questions is that you’re not experiencing spiritual Freedom you aren’t demonstrating Divine parentage and you’re not giving Jesus the ultimate Glory with which he deserves and the time to repent is now don’t trust in mere Religion Don’t Trust in praying prayers show yourself to be a true child of God by turning from your sin believing in Jesus and persevering in obedience to Jesus word that’s what Jesus has been saying throughout this passage isn’t it if you will persevere in my word you are true Disciples of mine if you will remain if you will abide if you will stay even when other people are ridiculing for it even when you’re suffering for it if you will stay and you are truly Disciples of my mine and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free and Jesus is added another part in this passage a fresh reason for you and I to take encouragement and giving up everything to follow after Jesus truly truly I say to you Jesus says if anyone keeps my word he will never see death could not possibly see death forever do you believe that do you want that Jesus is ready to give it to you but you must repent must give up yourself must give up your sins must give up your own efforts to please God you must take Jesus take Jesus to be the only one who can make you right with God by his life death and Resurrection take him as your lord say wherever Jesus goes I will follow no turning back whatever it cost me oh Lord I will not be able to do this without your help without your empowerment but you’ve promised you’ll give it by your spirit so Jesus I give up all to follow you remember by Jesus very obviously declaring I am he has reminded us that whatever promise he gives he is able to keep take him up on his promise take him up every day on his promise until you see him because he will receive you into his kingdom let’s close in prayer Jesus Lord Jesus I cannot preach a message like this we cannot hear a message like this without us all realizing and confessing that we have not honored you as you deserve oh Jesus if it weren’t for your own sacrifice what a fearful place we would be in you are the Eternal God you are The Great I Am you are the Glorious one who existed does exist will exist as the Timeless Eternal God but what have we been committed to for so much of our Lives even as Christians Lord we fall into it we have been committed to our own glory god that is why we get angry with others that is why we become hopeless because we say my little scheme at glorifying myself is not working out oh Lord that is be that is why we become anxious because we say what about my little kingdom what about my rights what about my honor will they be upheld God we have not been concerned with your glory we confess we’ve been concerned with our own own and what a crime what a crime against the great one the Son of God whom even the father is committed to glorifying so God we freely and fully confess this and we ask for your pardon and forgiveness and Lord the amazing truth is as we see implied In this passage but said explicitly in other places when we cry out to you for Mercy like this we know we will receive it indeed we know we have received it if we have already believed and repented in Jesus Christ there is no condemnation for us we have been completely forgiven completely saved and cleansed by the Glorious Lord nevertheless God because we love you we can’t help but want to admit once again Lord we have not done as we ought but God we want to do differently and Lord we are committed to doing that your word refreshes it instructs us it REM motivates us to say yes I want my life to be about the honor of Jesus not my honor Jesus honor so God whatever that means for us whatever suffering we must endure so that we may honor Jesus whatever persecution we must endure so that we may honor Jesus whatever of our own dreams and desires God we must let go so that we may honor Jesus Lord we are willing because you are worthy of it and because simply knowing you being your disciple that’s where we find true life it is not in those other things Lord that we find life escaping suffering seeing our desires and dreams fulfilled escaping persecution no there’s no life there and how many would be disciples missed out on life because they overvalued those things I pray that that not be true for anyone here Lord who’s heard this message today God I pray that your people would believe your word they would not do as these Jews do show themselves sons of Darkness rather than sons of Light because they would not persevere Lord by your spirit I pray that you’d help us to persevere so that we may know you and your life forever all glory to Jesus Christ not to us oh Lord in Jesus name amen