Jesus speaks about God's true children
John 8:32-47Intro Questions
Text Graphic
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
- Where did your ancestors come from? How did they get to this country?
- Who is one of the more colorful characters in your family tree?
- Who, in your family tree, do you look to as a spiritual patriarch or matriarch?
- What does Jesus want to emphasize to the people who believed him? What does he mean by disciples? Truth? Freedom?
- What false assumptions confuse the issue of spiritual freedom for Abraham's descendants? How does Jesus undermine their base of confidence? What issues does he force them to confront (John 8:34-41)?
- How does Jesus undermine their claim in John 8:41? What does he say is the ultimate test to show who "belongs to God" (John 8:42-47)? How does he account for their misunderstanding of him (John 8:37, 43, 45, 47)?
- Why does Jesus continue to address his relationship with the Father?
- What is the critical question raised by his claim in John 8:51 (also John 8:24)? How is this issue central to the whole argument in John 7:4-8:58? How does Jesus use their loyalty to Abraham against them? Why does Jesus' final claim cause such outrage (see Exodus 3:14)?
- What are you proud of in your religious heritage? In what ways has it been a handicap?
- What has knowing the truth set you free to do? How can you be sure that there is room in your life for his Word? What needs to be cleaned out so there is room?
- Of the four claims Jesus makes in this chapter (John 8:12, 32, 51, 58), which means the most to you? Why?
- What does Jesus' association between the devil and telling lies mean to you? From this passage, what can you do for someone who is honestly seeking God? What in your spiritual journey might help?
Knowing The Truth by Chris Stinnett
In 1892, in Ashburn, Virginia, a one-room schoolhouse opened for the education of black students, who were denied education at the local school. Over a hundred years later, the shuttered building was being restored to serve as a museum. From 2014 to 2016, volunteers raised money and labored on the structure. Then in October 2016, five rowdy teens spray-painted racist slogans over the little building. The five were soon identified, arrested, charged and convicted of the vandalism—but the judge decided to take a different approach to sentencing.
Judge Alejandra Rueda decided that this kind of activity was the result of ignorance, so she hit upon a unique “punishment” for the youths. She provided them a list of 35 authors and their works that dealt with racism and class hatred. She sentenced them to read one book per month for a year and to write a 3,500 word essay over the book’s contents. She also ordered them to visit the Holocaust Museum and a historical exhibit on Japanese-American internment during World War 2. And apparently it worked. The teen essays indicated genuine remorse for their actions and attitudes, and none of them have reoffended. Exposure to the truth opened their minds and made them different and better people.
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31-32 NIV).
Over a generation, we’ve watched as fewer and fewer people are taught about God. The Holy Scriptures have been neglected and character education is now the product of entertainment and a few socially enforced rules. Since people don’t know the subject matter of the Bible, they think they can dismiss God as a fairy tale and Jesus as an irrelevant character from ancient history. And they are left without fixed morals and no way to determine what is truly right or wrong. As society shifts, redefining good and evil, they are swept along in a fog, accepting what the loudest voices proclaim is true.
Yet there actually is unchanging right and wrong woven into the very fabric of the universe. Truth will remain true forever, even if millions call it a lie and dash themselves to pieces against the rock of reality. On all sides we see the aftermath of rejecting the eternal righteousness of God; again and again we hear stories of redeemed lives when people turn to His will once more. Nobody could possibly accept God’s Word if he or she never read any of it. And when people open and read and hear the stories of God’s actions with human beings, they begin to see what is truly good and what is truly evil and why it truly matters, forever. The truth cuts through the fog of unknowing and charts a course to a meaningful life. God’s people are then set free from the tyranny of ever-changing human opinion and live genuinely good lives.
Who’s Right?
I like to be right. Who doesn’t? The alternative is not a good one. Getting the right answer on a test or making the correct choice at a fork in the road is a good thing. Making the wrong choice is an inconvenience and an irritation. As good as it is to be right, there is more to being right than being right. What? Let’s look closer.
Being right demands being in possession of truth. Despite modern philosophical debates, the Bible affirms that truth can and must be known (John 8:32; 2 John 1). As Christians it must abide in us and we must walk in it (2 John 2, 4). Can a person be right apart from the truth? Hardly, but there’s more to being right than just that.
Being right demands a right attitude. Wisdom teaches that truth must always be accompanied by kindness (Prov. 3:3-4). Truth is always to be spoken in a spirit and attitude of love (Eph. 4:15). I can be right and still be wrong if I fail to be kind and caring with others.
Being right demands a right heart. Peter condemned Simon, a recent convert to Christ, because, Peter said, “your heart is not right before God.” (Acts 8:21). Simon had been right in his appropriate response to the gospel (Acts 8:13). But it was what resided in the heart of the man that determined if he was right.
Being right demands being in a right relationship with God. Simply put, our relationship with God is measured in terms of Jesus. We are either in Christ or outside of Christ. I can’t really be right is this most crucial relationship isn’t right.
The old hymn asks, “Is thy heart right with God, washed in the crimson flood, cleansed and made holy, humble and lowly, right in the sight of God?” (Elisha A. Hoffman). An excellent question.
Like Father . . .
Ann Stephens was at work in her office last month when she got a phone call from somebody claiming to be a law enforcement officer with the Social Security Administration. Her office is in Apex, North Carolina, a suburb in the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area. The caller identified himself as “John Black,” and claimed there were a number of bank accounts fraudulently opened in her name, using her Social Security number. He began pressing her for personal information “to verify her identity.” When she balked, he got even more aggressive, threatening to send a sheriff’s deputy to arrest her within 45 minutes for “drug trafficking and money laundering.”
Of course, it was all a scam—and Ann Stephens knew it instantly. And she should; she’s a police captain with the Apex Police Department. So, when the scammer demanded her current address, she calmly repeated the street address of the police department. The scammer “transferred” her to his “superior officer,” another scammer claiming to be “Jason Brown.” This one realized quickly that she was not cooperating, so he hung up. Captain Stephens had recorded the exchange on video and uploaded it for public viewing. She reminded viewers never, ever to offer or to verify any personal information over the phone since some details can be found on the internet. It was a lie from end to end in attempt to frighten her into handing over her money. And we are reminded again that evil people will say anything for their own benefit.
“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NIV).
When Jesus was teaching in the Temple, Jewish leaders sent representatives to oppose Him. They argued with Him and accused Him of wrongdoing but it was clear to all that He had done nothing wrong. In their determination to get rid of Him, the opponents began to accuse Him of being demon-possessed and not actually Jewish at all. They never seemed to reflect on the fact that they were deliberately violating God’s law by their lies. Of course, the only thing that mattered to them was getting rid of Jesus and His annoying insistence on truth, righteousness and obedience to God.
It is obvious that if a person has to lie to advance his interests, his cause is not right. Jesus always told the truth and acted truthfully. He calls His people also to tell the truth and act in truthful ways. We don’t have to listen to lies and “give the benefit of the doubt” to those who deliberately try to deceive us. They are acting in the service of the devil and we want nothing to do with him or his servants. However, we must always tell the truth and be people of truth. We want our actions to reflect well on our Father! He is good and calls all of His children to be the good people He created us to be!
Series: Our Struggle “Engaging in Spiritual
Warfare”
We are in a battle. Not a battle of politics
or militaries or nations. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood; it is
against the powers of darkness that confront us daily. You don’t need to feel
defeated or discouraged. God has made a way to redeem your struggle and give
you victory!
Title: “The Evil One” (John 8:31-47)
Bookmark: Click Here
Opening Thoughts: Our
struggle is often a battle between truth and lies. Satan, known in scripture as
the father of lies, employs and arsenal of lies, deception and falsehoods
against us. But victory is found in the Truth that sets us free.
v What do you picture or think about when you
think about the devil?
o Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this
dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
o 1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
v Is it possible we are losing because we don’t
know we are in a fight?
===============================================================
Text: John 8:31-47
Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’
Opponents Are
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus
said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then
you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s
descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall
be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you,
everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no
permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So
if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know
that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,
because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you
what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have
heard from your father.”
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“We are not
illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God
himself.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your
Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my
own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you?
Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to
your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was
a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth
in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the
father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not
believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am
telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever
belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do
not belong to God.”
===============================================================
Summarize
the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.
v Review and
retell the story.
Reflections
for applications:
v
If you know
Jesus, you know TRUTH
v
John 1:14;
John 14:6; John 18:38 “What is truth?”
v
“Our fight
with the devil is first and foremost a fight to take back control of our minds
from their captivity to lies, and liberate them with the weapon of truth.” John Mark Comer
v Three Realities:
o
DEVIL = The evil
one is real
o
DEATH = The
devil’s end goal is destruction
o
DECEPTION = The
devil uses lies
v Jesus said:
o
“You have no room
for my word.”
o
“You are unable
to hear what I say.”
o
“You don’t
believe me.”
v
What lies is
the evil one telling you?
o
It doesn’t matter
what I believe
o
I’m better than
other people
o
I need other
people’s approval
o
If I don't do it
right I will lose my salvation
o
I am defined by
my past struggles
o
Short-term
pleasure is worth it
o
I've tried and
I've tried I'm just not good enough
o
There would be no
suffering in this world if God were real
o
Nobody cares
o
All paths lead to
God
o
That person
doesn't deserve to be forgiven I don't deserve to be forgiven
o
The Bible is
outdated and not relevant for my life
o
Everything has to
be perfect
o
I am only as good
as I am successful
o
I am defined by what
I do or what I have or what others think of me
o
Everyone and
everything exists for my happiness
o
It's not sinful
Behavior if I was born this way
o
These people
don't care
v Truth will
defend you against Satan’s lies
==============================
Digging
Questions:
·
How will you
respond to God’s “In Our Struggle”? What transformative move needs to be made?
·
What do
these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?
·
What is
God calling us (me and you individually) to do?
Take
Away Challenges
·
What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage?
How will you apply it to your life this week?
·
Whom do you know who needs to hear this?
·
What is
God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or
actions need to be addressed or changed?
Hashtags #Struggle#Truth#Devil
Sunday sermon link https://youtu.be/NDNVkQeD4S0
Kevin’s
Blog Link to more resources: Click here
for Kevin’s Blog Notes
Comments
and resources with some more resources:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A31-47&version=NIV
