Walking In the Light 2
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As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
We discussed last week that Jesus was the true light and that the reason these Pharisees could not understand and see this fact was because of the blind nature of their flesh. We all have a flesh nature. We are born into this word as children of darkness and it is only through the light of Jesus Christ that we can be made to see.
These Jews again accused Jesus of lying because he bore witness of himself and according to Jewish law everything was established by two witnesses.
They failed to see Jesus for who he was - Messiah
They failed to see who his true father was - God the Father
Jesus accuses these Pharisees of being blind! He plainly stated you are blind because you have failed to discern who I am, you have failed to discern where I have originated from and you have failed to understand where I am going! You claim to be teachers but you are really inept. RELIGION BLINDS MEN!
While he was pointing out these glaring deficiencies in the hearts of these self righteous Pharisees many others who were listening to his teaching believed on him. So his command to “follow me” was really a call to his saving grace!
More to the story
But there is more to the story than just coming to Jesus for saving grace. While we do not want to minimize the importance of such an important decision, we want to emphasize the importance of moving forward from this point.
We could say that following Jesus certainly involves coming to the light for that is certainly what he is calling men to do. However, we can also say that following Jesus involves continuing in the light!
Continuing in the light
Notice what the Lord says in verse 31
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
From this verse we learn several truths.
1. Being a disciple involves a continual effort in the Word of God.
2. The result of this is knowing truth
3. The result of knowing truth is freedom!The freedom of being a disciple!
The freedom of being a disciple! What does that mean?
But What does that mean? What kind of freedom is our Lord referring to?
Right after this statement by our Lord the Pharisees immediately contend that freedom is not necessary since they were never in bondage to any man.
They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
It means to trust him as Lord and Savior
It means to place him in the position of authority in our lives - He is Savior and he is Sovereign
Who are some bible characters that followed God?
David- The Bible tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart - it means that he, at least to some degree understood what was important to God and determined to adopt the same priorities in his own life
Review Last Week:
Review Last Week:
Enoch- We are told that Enoch was translated - basically raptured to God without death (a picture of the rapture), this was a result of his walk with God.
What was the result in their life?
What was the result in their life?
What was the result in their life?
Where is Jesus Going?
Where is Jesus Going?
Last week we discussed the fact that there are really 2 types of people in this world. Those walking in darkness and those walking in the light.
Pastor, how can I follow Jesus?
Pastor, how can I follow Jesus?
Pastor, why should I follow Jesus?
Pastor, why should I follow Jesus?
People walking in darkness
I am saved from hell and I will spend an eternity in heaven am I now free to live the rest of my life under my own direction and course? Well, you are free to do whatever you want but let me encourage you to choose a different path. The path of self direction is filled with empty lies and unfulfilled desires.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
The Command to Walk in the Light- Commanded of God:
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the Lord require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God?
The Compelling Response to Walk in the Light- A Natural Response to what God has done for us:
This lame man was healed as Peter and John where headed to the Temple to worship God. His natural response to the healing he had recieved was to go into the temple and praise God. Something far greater happened when you and I were saved. The miracle of salvation that redeemed our ever dying soul ought to ellict a response in our heart to go forward and follow Jesus!
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
The Conditional Promise of our Walk in the Light- “and ye shall know the truth”
What truth will we know?
A. The Truth we will know
It is the only way to experience Joy
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
B. The Freedom we will Experience
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Every problem we encounter in this life is really a sin problem. Think about it… You have financial problems, relationship problems, problems with your home, your job .... whatever the problem is, it can be traced back to sin.
We are not talking about temporary happiness, we are talking about a settled peace in our hearts and lives. A genuine satisfaction that can only be described as “the joy of the Lord”
Jesus died to deliver us from the penalty of sin and the power of sin. Sin past present and future in terms of our standing before God but sin now as it tries to derail our purpose. What other distraction is there in this life but the deceitfulness of sin.
This is our instinct - we are born in darkness and we are directed by our flesh nature- our natural man
Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
2. People walking in the light
These are those who, by faith, follow Jesus Christ
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Contained in this verse was a Precept, a Promise and a Protection.
A. The Precept - God is light
B. The Promise - If we follow the light (continually) - we shall posses the “light of life”
C. The Protection - We will have protection from darkness
Context
Context
Jesus declares that he is the Light of the World
The religious crowd debates with him & they are completely blind to his deity (RELIGION BLINDS MEN)
Jesus rebukes them for their blindness & tells them they will “die in their sins”
Jn
Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
As Jesus preaches many believe on him (vs 30 “…many believed on him”)
Jesus turns his attention from the disagreeable & doubtful Pharisees to those that have believed
As he speaks to them he gives them further truth on the matter of what it means to follow Jesus or we could say walk in the light
As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Illustration: It is very easy to start something, it is quite another to see the job through to completion.
Growing up I would always hear my dad start talking about some great new thing he had discovered.
Amway
Quickstar
Juices, Potions, Lotions, Whatever......
None of it ever really amounted to much, he was quick to start but lacked the follow through and persistence
The Christian life is no different. It is full of starters but far fewer finishers, far fewer that will continue in the word!
The Christian life is no different. It is full of starters but far fewer finishers, far fewer that will continue in the word!
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I. A Compelling Challenge
I. A Compelling Challenge
“if ye continue in my word”
There was no guarantee that they would continue. Many do not! The essence in “following Jesus” is a continuance in his word!
How important is God’s Word to you?
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
MEM. O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
A. The Preaching of the Word- we must stay under it!
A. The Preaching of the Word- we must stay under it!
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
B. The Promotion of the Word- we must be involved in it!
B. The Promotion of the Word- we must be involved in it!
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Not a command just for preachers!
C. The Practice of the Word- we must live it!
C. The Practice of the Word- we must live it!
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Ja 1:22
A disciple is one that continues in the word of God
II. A Choice Calling
II. A Choice Calling
“then are ye my disciples indeed”
A disciple is simply a follower, one who is committed to the teachings of another - in this case the teachings of Christ!
If we want to be more than just a Christian in name only, then we must grasp the concept of a “disciple indeed”.
A. We are called Christians - a given label
A. We are called Christians - a given label
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
B. We are called Ambassadors - a given label
B. We are called Ambassadors - a given label
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
C. We are called Servants - some are called “faithful servants”
C. We are called Servants - some are called “faithful servants”
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Ma 25:23
We should desire the label “disciple indeed”
III. A Complete Consequence
III. A Complete Consequence
“and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”
Illustration: Don’t you hate it when you are trying to explain something to someone and they are clearly ignorant and they keep saying “oh.. I know that” ....all I can think is NO YOU DON’T KNOW THAT!
There is a difference in knowing about something and actually knowing something!
A. The Promise of Knowing -
A. The Promise of Knowing -
This promise is only for “disciples indeed”
B. The Power in Knowing -
B. The Power in Knowing -
This freedom is a result of knowing - truly knowing
Conclusion
Conclusion
Why would a person come to Jesus for the light of Salvation only to live their life in darkness directed by the dictates of their flesh?
I. A Compelling Challenge - “if ye continue in my word”
II. A Choice Calling - “my disciples indeed” - A Title we should desire
III. A Complete Consequence - “ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” - The Guaranteed Result (only for disciples)
DISCIPLESHIP is a life of Continuance!
DISCIPLESHIP is a life of Continuance!
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Paul had endured....tears, trials, temptations, bonds & afflictions but he had determined that none of “these things” were going to move him.