Solely Jesus
Honor and Obedience
John 8:47-59
Let me bring you up to speed ...
These event happen in the last 4/5 months before Jesus' execution
His practice during this time is to teach in the Temple during the day and campout with the disciples at the Mount of Olives.
As He has been teaching -- more and more people are starting to believe that he is the Messiah.
Long discourse -We are at the end of one of those teaching times
On this occasion – Jesus is leaning hard into truth
Pushing against preconceived ideas of the religious leaders – professional ‘believers’
Corner … lean … squishing the person on the corner side of the seat …
That is what Jesus is doing here – every corner they go around he leans on them – until they are squished.
Jesus has called the people: liars, children of the Devil and slaves to sin
He’s challenged their honesty, their loyalty, their understanding and their devotion
Basically Jesus started stomping on their little toe on one foot – looked them right in the eye
Then he stomped on another toe, looked them in the eye – and kept doing so until he had stomped on every one of their toes.
Pray …
He’s going to challenge them about honor and obedience
“Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don't listen because you don't belong to God.”
He stomped on one of their toes again …blood is boiling, they are very angry
He just keeps pushing them.
The people retorted, "You Samaritan devil! Didn't we say all along that You were possessed by a demon?"
They start calling him names – “Samaritan!”
You don’t believe the truth
You are just like the Samaritans who we hate
That’s why you hang around them
Your father was probably a Samaritan
Haven’t we said all along that you are possessed with a demon?
Jr-Middle school crowd – Fight, fight, fight, fight! Edging the contestants to get busy hitting each other
If you want something to be angry about … I’ll give you something.
"No," Jesus said, “I have no demon in Me. For I honor My Father—and you dishonor Me. And though I have no wish to glorify Myself, God is going to glorify Me. He is the true judge. I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys My teaching will never die!"
Jesus, of course denies their accusation … leans into the corner about the subject of honor
- I honor the Father
- You don’t honor me
- The Father honors me
- He’s the judge – he’ll decide
Here’s the bottom line … Obey me and you’ll never die!
Stomp, stomp, stomp
The people said, "Now we know You are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but You say, 'Anyone who obeys My teaching will never die!' Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do You think You are?"
They respond --- you are demon possessed for sure
You are crazy
Abraham died
The prophets died
Who do you think you are?
People who obey you will never die – that’s crazy and you’re crazy!
Are you greater than Abraham?
Jesus answered, "If I want glory for Myself, it doesn't count. But it is My Father who will glorify Me. You say, 'He is our God, ' but you don't even know Him. I know Him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know Him and obey Him. Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to My coming. He saw it and was glad."
If this was about me … I would be guilty … what I’m saying would be a lie and you could just ignore me
But the father is the one who is honoring me …
If I told you I didn’t know him or that I hadn’t come from him … I would be lying
But I don’t lie
I tell the truth … I always obey … I only speak what is true
About Abraham, if you were really his descendants you would believe and obey
He looked down through time and saw me coming and he was excited.
During Jesus’ day - there was a school of followers of Rabbi Akiba – that believed that God had revealed to Abraham the secrets of the future
The people said, "You aren't even fifty years old. How can You say You have seen Abraham?"
You aren’t even 50 – what are you talking about that you’ve seen Abraham or that he’s seen you?
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!" At that point they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple. (John 8:47-59 NLT)
Jesus pulls out the God card
Nathan – 2.5/3 – swim across from Clinton to Mukilteo
Nathan goes to the biggest person he’d ever known
Ken could …
As time went on … Nathan moved from Ken can to end arguments with …
Oh yeah, well God can …
What is your problem … Why are you talking about me being 50 and not having seen Abraham
I was around before Abraham
He uses the name that was only used to refer to God
I AM
At that point they pick up pieces of stone from the continual construction of the temple in order to kill him
Leviticus instructed that a ‘blasphemer’ was to be stoned to death
This is one of those passages that CS Lewis referred to when he talked about Jesus claims.
C. S. Lewis, who was a professor at Cambridge University and once an agnostic, understood this issue clearly.
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -‑on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg ‑- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.
In another place Lewis writes this:
You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
In looking at this dialogue between Jesus and the people in the Temple
Some conclusions have to be drawn …
Either this is all a fairy tale – and this Jesus stuff is the greatest hoax ever pulled on the human race.
Jesus was a liar – why follow a liar?
Jesus was crazy or demon possessed – why follow a crazy demon possessed man?
How could the life and the accounts of -- a liar and a crazy demon possessed man impact the world in such profound ways?
Jesus was who he claimed to be – God in the flesh
Jesus claim is just as true today as it was 2000 years ago
Two characteristics of a true follower – are honor and obedience
They aren’t the only characteristics --- but they are important characteristics
Honor was first used in modern language – the idea that when someone had considerable land and holdings they were given a higher standing then others – they were held in respect and admiration, they were given preferential treatment
Honor a contract
Honor someone else’s wishes - secrecy
Honor is an important idea in the Scriptures
- 10 Commandments – Honor your father and mother
- God said to the prophet Samuel – I will honor those who honor me and I will despise those who ‘think lightly of me.’ – 1 Samuel 30
- Romans – Give honor to whom honor is due
This was the word/idea that was used by Bible translators to communicate an attitude towards Jesus and God the Father
Because of where Jesus had come from, what Jesus did, how he lived, who he was
He was to be given higher standing than any other
He was to be give respect, admiration and preferential treatment
Eugene Peterson wrote John 8:54-55 this way:
Jesus said, "If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn't amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor. You haven't recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn't know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says. (John 8:54-55 MSG)
The characteristic of honor – is perpetually shining the spotlight on Jesus
Jesus would be above all others …
Honor is characterized by obedience
A person can’t say that they honor God and yet not do what they request …
With all due respect … your honor … I’m going to do what I want to do …
Message: If you practice what I'm telling you, you’ll never die. (vs. 51)
What kinds of things?
Love, serve, honor, forgiveness
The challenge of life is to think ‘heavy’ thoughts of Jesus …
Have him always there …
How is this impacting Jesus work in my life?
How is this impacting Jesus work in their life?
Is this God honoring?
Is this conversation …spending… watching…