Sermon Tone Analysis

possibly start with Myers Briggs tests and over time adjusting closer to each other.

adjusting behaviors after hanging out with people.

new school

want to fit in

sambas

pegged pants

kswiss

skateboards

even learning to like soccer because I wanted to be with my friends.

As we spend time with people we begin to shift and adjust our behaviors.

Jesus understands that and so as people begin to express belief in him, he urges them to listen to what he has been teaching and abide or remain in that teaching.

He knows that doing this has several outcomes.

First of all…

Abiding in Jesus’ Word...

Marks a True Disciple (8:31)

This comes on the heals of our conversation last week, where Jesus was teaching at the Feast of Tabernacles.

He made some bold claims to the Jews who were debating with him about being the light of the world and even being the anointed one - or the Messiah.

In spite of all of the controversy, John tells us that...

So Jesus seemed to turn to these people, the believers, and gave them some insight into what it means to truly believe - what it means to truly be a disciple.

His charge is for people to “abide in his word.”

But what does that mean?

The word “abide” can be translated to remain or to continue.

Part of the connotation is not only remaining but obeying.

Acting on what we have heard.

In John 15:1-11, on the night before Jesus was crucified, Jesus used similar language with the 12 disciples, or apostles.

He did so referencing an agricultural metaphor:

Think about that idea of a branch remaining or abiding in the vine.

In order for it to have health and life, it must allow the nutrients that come from the vine - up from the soil - to flow through.

It must be obedient and take on the character of the vine.

It’s important that we remain connected to the Word of God - in personal Bible study, in family devotions, in group Bible study and in corporate worship.

As we spend time reading, reflecting, and applying the word of God - we abide and are transformed.

We can certainly supplement our time in the word with good podcasts, books, devotionals, and other biblically oriented things, but they are no replacement for the word of God.

It makes sense, we have to spend time with Jesus in order to be like Jesus - which, simplistically speaking, is exactly what a disciple is - someone who follows and learns from a teacher.

But, as Jesus makes this comment to these new believers, he expands his comments because...

Abiding in Jesus’ Word...

Reveals Truth (8:32)

John 8:31–32 (ESV)

...“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Truth is a topic that has become very subjective lately.

Many people want to define truth by personal preference or experience.

There is an element where experiences - what has happened to us or what we’ve gone through - are very personal, factual, and truthful.

But there is a sense in which truth requires a standard.

(need some sort of example or illustration here)

The Lexham Theological Wordbook describes truth in this way:

Truth refers to what is real, trustworthy, dependable, genuine, or valid.

It carries the sense of real-world dependability and genuine disclosure—showing things as they really are.

We could spend time delving into all sorts of applications of this truth, but in order to be consistent with the text, we need to consider what Jesus means - what truth he is revealing In context.

In his conversation with these so-called believers - he has struck a cord, because some of them retort:

There are a few problems with their response.

If they are referring to all Jews throughout history up to that point, then they are inaccurate (untruthful), because Jews had been enslaved on multiple occasions - by Egypt prior to the exodus, in the exile as prisoners of foreign leaders.

If they are referring to the present time - many Jews at that time were living in Roman occupied territories without the privileges and rights of Roman citizenship.

They were basically slaves - even as they were speaking.

They missed Jesus’ point.

You see, in Jesus’ comment about truth and freedom, he was not referring to political or even individualistic freedom, he was referring to spiritual freedom.

As we abide with Jesus, we gain knowledge about...

The Painful Truth of Our Slavery to Sin (8:31-38)

Jesus responded to his questioners this way:

There are times when the truth hurts.

This is one painful truth - that we have a sin problem.

Elsewhere in our study of Scripture, we’ve learned that because we are human, we have a sin problem from birth (Rom.

3:23; 5:12; 1 Cor.

15:21-22).

But, beyond simply having an inherited sin problem, we have a wilful sin problem.

Jesus clearly calls out these followers (and by extension, us) as people who practice sin.

Even the Apostle Paul, a man who was gloriously transformed by the power of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, struggled with sin:

What is he saying?

He struggled with sin!

But he also called sin “sin” - he didn’t rationalize it, he didn’t justify it, he didn’t excuse it.

As we spend time with Jesus, as we allow the Holy Spirit to have more and more reign in our lives, we will regularly have to face our own fallenness - even when we are eternally freed from sin.

As we spend time in the word and in fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ, we will be confronted with attitudes, habits, actions, language - that is sinful.

Sure, it’s been paid for by Jesus, but it still gets to be rooted out in each of us.

Abiding with Jesus reveals this painful truth of our initial slavery to sin, but it also reveals...

The Sobering Truth of Our Corrupted Nature (8:39-47)

As Jesus and his interlocutor’s continue to debate, they bring about claims of holy ancestry.

One group claims to be children of Abraham - the father of all Jews (and Muslims) - assuming that family might heritage might make a difference.

They then accuse Jesus of having a questionable or illegitimate birth and even call him a Samaritan (which was basically the equivalent of using the “N” word for African Americans today) (John 8:39-48).

Because their conversation is going nowhere, Jesus calls them out for their true heritage:

As painful as this is, think about how we naturally respond when accused.

Often our first response is to be defensive - to lie or justify our actions and then to retort.

personal story or illustration

So, Abiding in Jesus’ word marks us as a disciple, but also reveals truth to us - even painful and sobering truth.

Finally, abiding in Jesus Word...

Brings True Freedom (8:32)

When we think of the differences between freedom and bondage, so often we look at physical, mental, emotional, political, and even contractual boundaries that limit our freedoms.

———-— skip?

Physically - I am not as free to run as fast or as far as I used to because of physical fitness - which of course, I have freedom to change my fitness - now I just need the will.

But I also don’t have freedom to go into any house that I want to or drive any car that I want.

I would be trespassing or even considered to be stealing - which would further restrict my physical freedoms with iron bars.

We could go on to consider a variety of ways that we can experience freedoms.

———————

But, when it comes to considering freedom, we often think of it as being very individualistic and personal.

What you want to do may be different from what I want to do.

In fact, the phrase “you do you” is often touted as a way to express your personal take on individualistic freedom.

To that end, maybe we could learn something from a train.

Where is a train most free?

When it’s on the rails.

Maybe our lives and our culture are most free when we have some “rails” to keep us on track and allow the greatest flourishing.

I believe the Word of God has the best rails for us - after all they are God’s rails.

While we may think of freedom in these ways, this is not the freedom that Jesus is talking about.

In the context that we’ve already considered, Jesus is talking about a freedom from the slavery of sin - the bondage.

Abiding with Jesus, helps us to know that truth but also brings us true freedom from the truth of that bondage.

Sin has a clear consequence - that is death.