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Sunday Sermon Outline STUDIES IN THE GOSPEL OF
JOHN – PART 49
Feb.28, ‘07 Chap.8,
verses 45-59- this conflict continues with Jesus asserting that
those in the audience do not believe Him (vs.45), although He has told the
truth. He is evidencing their
resistance to His words rather than their response (positive) to His words. That men refuse to harken to wisdom is an ancient problem
(Prov.1:29-30). He now challenges his listeners
with “Which of you convicts
Me of sin?” His life has been above reproach
and that stands as a “witness” (vs. 13) for Him that He now uses. His second question is “why do you not believe
Me?” Their persistence in unbelief shows
the darkness of their hearts (vs.44).
Jesus then (vs. 47) sets forth a critical principle: “He who is of God hears
God’s words”. Clearly,
when a person has the source of their spiritual life with God in truth, then
such a person will likely respond to further truth! That is, one who walks with God will
accept God’s Messenger (Christ).
He further explains that their failure to hear and respond to Him
proves their spiritual life is NOT from or out of
God. ****We might ask “why are these
accounts of conflict in scripture?”—the answer may lie in appreciating John’s
proposition: Jesus is truly human,
but just as truly God and came bearing God’s message to be believed
( Vs. 48- they continue accusations; “did we not rightly say
You are a Samaritan…have a demon?” This is deliberately derogatory! It is intended to impeach His credibility
and may be the equivalent to “You’re crazy!”. Yet, this remark about demons (see
often thought when viewed in the light
of Mark 3:28-30. Accusing Him of
having a demon is close to the blasphemy of vs.30 in Mark and if it is, then
they have committed the unpardonable sin!
It is a peculiar dispensational sin only committed by the generation of
Jews who personally clashed with Him. Jesus responds with a straightforward
denial of having a demon adding that He honors the Father (something a demon
would not do). In vs.50, Jesus adds
that He does not seek His own glory – inferring that He seeks the Father’s glory
and the Father will seek and judge.
In vs.51, Jesus asserts that those who keep His word shall never see
death. “Death” here
is likely referring to operational death as seen in the life of the
carnal believer—see
Such a declaration prompts these Jews to
say, “Now we know that you
have a demon” in their reaction against His statement. The accusations continue in vs.53 “Are you greater than
our father Abraham…?” Page 2 Jesus states in the next verse that
the Father honors Him—the One that they claim as their God. He returns to the motif of
contrast in vs. 55 with “you have not known Him,
but I know Him” then declaring they are “liars”. Jesus then returns (vs.56) to the
subject of Abraham declaring Abraham “rejoiced to see my day”
(vs58)- just when this occurred in Abraham’s
life is impossible to state. Most
commentators view it as how Abraham appreciated the truth of Gen. 12:3 “in you
all the families of the earth shall be blessed”. Taking Jesus literally, the Jews
denounce such an statement with “you are not yet fifty
years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus then replies with authority (“most
assuredly..”) that He existed before Abraham, using the distinct, “I
am”. This
immediately moved His listeners to realize He was asserting deity and they
reacted with the intent to stone Him. Notes: 1) The use of “I am” by Jesus,
without a predicate (example: I am the light of the
world), sets this remark off as a deliberate public acknowledgement of His equality
with the Godhead. 2) “I am” positions Him as Jehovah
God in Ex.
unpronounceable
name. 3) As God, the Son, He had self-existence
from eternity, co-equal and co-eternal with
Father and Spirit. See
4) Recognition of this fact is displayed
through several in John’s gospel: 1:34, 41, 49, 4:42, 11:27, 14:9-10,
20:8, 28, 21:24 |