Who Are You...And Who Is Your Father?

John 8:25-59 (NET Bible)

So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus replied, “What I have told you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the Father who sent me is truthful, and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world.” (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.)

Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those things that please him.” While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.

Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, you are really my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “We are descendants of Abraham,” they replied, “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be really free. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. But you want to kill me, because my teaching makes no progress among you. I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father; as for you, practice the things you have heard from the Father!”

They answered him, “Abraham is our father!” Jesus replied, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would be doing the deeds of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth I heard from God. Abraham did not do this! You people are doing the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Jesus, “We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only one Father, God himself.” Jesus replied, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. I have not come on my own initiative, but he sent me. Why don’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot accept my teaching. You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me. Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God’s words. You don’t listen and respond, because you don’t belong to God.”

The Judeans replied, “Aren’t we correct in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?” Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father – and yet you dishonor me. I am not trying to get praise for myself. There is one who demands it, and he also judges. I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.”

Then the Judeans responded, “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.’ You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’ Yet you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching. Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Then the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!” Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area.

The Spectacle Of Grace.

During Sunday’s English-language sermons, Pastor Sam referenced the famous (or, perhaps, infamous) pericope adulterae.

Pastor Sam noted that the account of the adulterous woman is one of those passages in the Bible with a "disclaimer" of sorts. Most modern bibles will have the entire passage in brackets, along with a footnote indicating that this passage was probably not part of the earliest manuscripts. But, somewhere along the way, the passage became included in the canon. It is canon for us, this story of a woman scapegoated by religious leadership but rescued by Jesus. And the passage is not so much about her adultery: it is really about the incredible grace of our Lord and Christ, who imparted forgiveness and dignity to a disgraced, hurting soul. Our prayer, of course, is that we will follow His lead and become agents of grace—even in situations where condemnation seems appropriate.

Let’s revisit the passage, found in John 7:53 – 8:11, and reflect on a few points.

And each one departed to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery.

They made her stand in front of them and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women. What then do you say?” (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges against him.) Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straight and replied, “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground.

Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

• The experts in the Law and the Pharisees interrupted Jesus’s teaching and put the woman in front of the audience, making her the center of attention instead of Him. Are we making the mistake of turning people’s attention away from the truths of God in order to highlight the flaws of human beings?
• They brought the adulterous woman into the community of faith to attempt corporate condemnation. How are we relating to persons who, though sinful, have found their way into the community that can offer them new life in Christ?
• Jesus said to the woman, “I do not condemn you… do not sin any more.” Do our words, actions, and body language reflect hearts of compassion, or hearts bent on condemnation?

Lord Jesus, sinless One, uniquely qualified to throw stones, thank You for not stoning us though we deserve it! You have shown us that it is love, not condemnation, which transforms the hearts of men. Give us grace to love… Your grace, Your love, imparted to us and demonstrated through us, for the sake of Your great name. Amen.

Free Ride.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are really My disciples; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” (John 8:31-32)

We see in John chapter 8 that the teaching ministry of Jesus was met with skepticism, self-righteous posturing, and even rage. That chapter ends with a mob of hating believers, stones in hand, seeking to pummel Jesus to death. The temptation is to say that haters aren’t believers. But they are: it's just that they don't believe enough. Pastor Sam gave us a wonderful lesson via the old joke about a tightrope walker looking for a volunteer to go across the tightrope with him.

To continue with the analogy, the skill of the tightrope walker was never up for debate. Everyone could see that he knew exactly what he was doing. He was expert, fearless, ultra-competent. They all believed that he could do anything on that tightrope, even push another person across the tightrope in a wheelbarrow. But when the call came for volunteers to join him, no one volunteered.

Pastor Sam made an incredible statement in Sunday’s second service, and I will paraphrase it here: What if Jesus, the resident expert on life, wants to put your life in a wheelbarrow and push you across a tightrope? What if He rocks the wheelbarrow from side to side while you’re in it? What if you and Jesus come off of the tightrope and are falling through the air together? Do you love Him enough to put your life in His hands?

This is it. One can be a believer and a hater, or one can be a believer and a lover. Haters know that God is sovereign. But, according to Scripture, belief combined with hate creates a recipe for separation from God (John 8:34-37; Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus wants us to be believers and lovers, walking in joyful obedience to His commands and allowing Him to be Master of our lives.

Believe. Love. And have a seat in the wheelbarrow.