John 8:33–36 (ESV) 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
The reaction of the religious leaders wasn’t, “That’s wonderful! Tell us more about what it means to be free by trusting in Your word.” Instead they reacted, we don’t need this. We’re good.
· The word of God ought to have a place of high honor.
· The word of God ought to have a place of trust.
· The word of God ought to have a place of rule.
· The word of God ought to have a place of love.
· The word of God ought to have a permanent place.
Our Family
Everyone came from somewhere, some group, some background.
Two Families
Everybody’s in one of two families.
- Either in God’s family or in the devil’s family.
Everybody sees themselves as children of God.
- “We are all just one of God’s children” is a common saying
- You could just about ask anyone if they’ve believed they’re a child of God, and most would be likely to say yes.
Why was Jesus So Blunt?
- Why doesn’t He talk about making your life better, healing you, your “best day” and fixing everything wrong in your life?
As people hear the Gospel and reject it, and as time gets short for us all, the urgency and focus changes.
The message changes and the intensity grows as the danger becomes imminent and/or ignored.
They concluded that Jesus Himself was from the devil.
- The more they show Him hatred, the more He strikes at their hypocrisy.
- He never tries to patronize them. He never uses “Jesus will improve your life” arguments or good marketing techniques, or ear tickling
John 8:33 (ESV) 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
- There’s no security in religion. There’s no security in good works.
- There’s no security in your heritage
- Only in Christ can sin be forgiven, and hell escaped.
- Only by saving belief and saving faith in Christ.
We Are of Abraham Our Father
That’s what a Jew would say to claim acceptance by God. What do people say today:
- I’m a good person
- I was born in a Christian family
- I’m American, of course I’m Christian
- I go to the right church
- My parents are Christians
- I’ve gone to church all my life
- I go to Church every Sunday
- I’ve said a prayer, walked an aisle, responded to an altar call
- I was baptized, confirmed, took Communion, had a priest pray for me
All these things in spirit were true of the Jews who claimed the right ancestry, the right heritage, and the right religion, and yet Jesus said “44 You are of your father the devil,”
Religious people in false religions never see themselves the way they really are.
Jesus Shatters Those False Securities.
- When Jesus said you’ll die, and your sins, and where I go, you can’t come, He was saying in spite of what you believe and have been taught, you aren’t going to heaven where I’m going; you’re going to hell.
Three Claims
- their claim to be Abraham’s physical children,
- their claim to be Abraham’s spiritual children,
- their claim to be God’s children.
How do you know when someone’s a child of God?
- They love the truth; they love the Savior.
- Insisting that you’re a child of God because of some qualification like we’ve talked about doesn’t change the fact: you are NOT a child of God just because you claim to be.
If God is Not Your Father, Who Is?
John 8:44–45 (ESV) 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
- You don’t believe the truth.
No one had any dirt on Jesus, if they did it would be known by all because He was the most scrutinized person in history.
John 8:47 (ESV) 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
- Everybody you meet is either of God or of the devil.
- Its not helpful to whitewash, dilute or avoid this truth.
1 John 3:8 (ESV) 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
- No one who is born of God goes on continually practicing sin because His seed abides in him. He can’t sin. He’s born of God.
Children of God practiced righteousness.