WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.899 Well, great to see you. Yeah, if you don't know me, my name is Niels. I'm part of the staff team. 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:06.200 And yeah, I'll be preaching in a moment. 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:12.720 But I guess there's a lot of visitors here today from Young Life. It's really great to have you. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:15.099 But then you're kind of dumped in the middle of this series. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:16.940 And also last week we had a guest speaker. 00:00:16.940 --> 00:00:22.240 So I thought, let me just set the stage again and introduce where we are. 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:24.800 I thought that's helpful before we do the reading. 00:00:25.500 --> 00:00:28.240 Of course, the most helpful thing we can do before anything is pray. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:30.339 So why don't we first bow our heads and pray. 00:00:35.939 --> 00:00:39.019 Jesus said, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. 00:00:40.019 --> 00:00:42.099 Father, thank you that we have Jesus' words here. 00:00:42.759 --> 00:00:43.739 We pray that we would keep them. 00:00:43.739 --> 00:00:46.799 We pray that you would speak to each of our hearts today, no matter where we are at. 00:00:47.459 --> 00:00:53.799 No matter how far we are from you, would you speak to us and say, yeah, show us Jesus and give us life. 00:00:54.299 --> 00:00:56.099 In his name we pray. Amen. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:00:57.840 Great. 00:00:57.840 --> 00:01:02.400 Now, if you know me, I actually like fixing things. 00:01:03.100 --> 00:01:03.920 I'm a dad. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:05.020 Dads fix things. 00:01:05.100 --> 00:01:06.260 That's what I learned when I was young. 00:01:06.300 --> 00:01:07.659 My dad was always fixing things. 00:01:08.240 --> 00:01:09.219 It's very helpful, right? 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:11.500 So the vacuum cleaner, oh, it's broken. 00:01:11.579 --> 00:01:12.640 We need a new vacuum cleaner. 00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:13.359 Well, no, no, no. 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:14.420 Look, here's a fuse. 00:01:14.540 --> 00:01:16.719 And you just replace the fuse and it works again, right? 00:01:16.740 --> 00:01:17.500 That's all that happens. 00:01:18.020 --> 00:01:19.800 And that saves us a new vacuum cleaner. 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:20.500 That's really great. 00:01:20.500 --> 00:01:25.500 Or there's a fan and the fan doesn't work because the rabbit bit through the cable. 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:28.620 Well, you can put on a new cable and it works again, right? 00:01:28.620 --> 00:01:30.840 That's how I think. 00:01:31.579 --> 00:01:34.900 But sometimes I'm just too optimistic, right? 00:01:34.900 --> 00:01:36.439 Because I like a car. 00:01:36.500 --> 00:01:37.820 That's really beyond my expertise. 00:01:38.800 --> 00:01:40.200 And so maybe our car has trouble. 00:01:40.320 --> 00:01:46.939 And I go to the mechanic and, you know, he comes back to me and says, okay, man, this is going to be so expensive. 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:48.459 You need a new car. 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:50.780 And I always, oh, come on. 00:01:50.819 --> 00:01:53.200 Can't you just take it apart and put it back together, right? 00:01:53.259 --> 00:01:55.099 Clean it a bit and that should solve it. 00:01:55.459 --> 00:01:56.239 Isn't that enough? 00:01:57.519 --> 00:01:58.439 Well, what does he do? 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:00.459 Then he opens up the bonnet, right? 00:02:00.459 --> 00:02:02.299 He opens it up and says, okay, look at that. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:03.420 Look at that. 00:02:03.780 --> 00:02:08.000 Look at that until I kind of, okay, I accept the bad news, right? 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:13.379 I wish it was different, but now I can see, okay, I really need a new engine. 00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:18.159 Well, we're in John's gospel, and I think today is going to be a little bit like that. 00:02:18.259 --> 00:02:19.979 Now, John's gospel has been great, right? 00:02:20.019 --> 00:02:21.280 Because Jesus is here. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:22.740 The Christ is here. 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:26.620 He's offering eternal life to all who believe in him. 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:28.099 It's been wonderful. 00:02:28.359 --> 00:02:30.699 But, of course, it implies some bad news, right? 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:34.960 If he's offering us life, it's because we currently don't have life. 00:02:35.259 --> 00:02:37.319 Because we're going to die and we need life. 00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:38.719 That is the thing. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:40.019 And it can be hard to accept. 00:02:40.020 --> 00:02:44.000 Many people find the message of Christianity pretty hard. 00:02:44.180 --> 00:02:46.020 And you may wonder, is it really necessary? 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:48.500 Well, today, John will open up the bonnet. 00:02:49.040 --> 00:02:51.379 And are things really that bad? 00:02:51.480 --> 00:02:52.460 Yes, they are. 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:55.719 Now, we are in John chapter 7 and 8. 00:02:56.600 --> 00:03:00.000 And the thing is, there are kind of two chapters. 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:02.460 That is one section is a problem. 00:03:03.080 --> 00:03:05.540 So, you know, the Bible is different genres. 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:09.160 Sometimes, you know, you have a letter, and it's really a verse-by-verse thing. 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:18.259 Actually, these are just two chapters that give us a picture of, you know, Jesus meeting the Jewish people when Jesus was there. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:22.639 And it's not like, okay, this is one long argument that we go through verse-by-verse. 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:28.979 It's more like one big point that, you know, every paragraph makes the same point, just louder and louder and louder. 00:03:28.979 --> 00:03:33.379 And so that's why I'm not really going to go through everything verse-by-verse. 00:03:33.519 --> 00:03:35.639 We're certainly not going to read two chapters. 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:40.799 What I did is that two weeks ago, I kind of preached on Jesus, right? 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:41.699 Here's Jesus. 00:03:41.819 --> 00:03:42.719 He's from God. 00:03:42.859 --> 00:03:45.459 He is the one who can bring us eternal life. 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:47.539 So we need to hold on to his word. 00:03:48.519 --> 00:03:50.879 But then today, we're going to look at the other side. 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:53.680 We're going to look at, yeah, the Jewish people and how they respond. 00:03:54.019 --> 00:03:56.400 And, yeah, it's not going to be happy. 00:03:57.259 --> 00:04:03.780 If you were in, well, in chapter 1, when John kind of gives his prologue, he says this. 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:07.699 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 00:04:08.379 --> 00:04:08.560 All right? 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:13.819 That is kind of what we're going to see today, how Jesus was not well received. 00:04:14.259 --> 00:04:15.280 That's what we're going to do. 00:04:15.419 --> 00:04:21.839 So as we listen, don't, you know, it's not a verse-by-verse thing, but I hope you just feel the drama. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:26.459 I hope you feel the heat and the tension, as Oscar and Celeste will read. 00:04:27.079 --> 00:04:28.259 But also listen out. 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:30.079 Okay, what does Jesus think of these people? 00:04:30.579 --> 00:04:34.219 So Oscar, Celeste, yeah, I'd love to hear God's words. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:37.500 Good morning. 00:04:38.100 --> 00:04:42.439 This morning's reading comes from John chapter 8, verses 12 to 59. 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:46.639 If you're using the church Bible, it's at page 840. 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:52.339 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, 00:04:53.060 --> 00:04:54.300 I am the light of the world. 00:04:54.860 --> 00:04:58.860 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:04:59.579 --> 00:05:00.920 So the Pharisee said to him, 00:05:01.220 --> 00:05:03.139 You are bearing witness about yourself. 00:05:03.379 --> 00:05:05.139 Your testimony is not true. 00:05:06.180 --> 00:05:07.220 Jesus answered, 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:11.699 Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true. 00:05:11.699 --> 00:05:15.139 For I know where I came from and where I am going. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:18.719 But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:21.259 You judge according to the flesh. 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:22.899 I judge no one. 00:05:23.379 --> 00:05:25.980 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true. 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:30.219 For it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:35.139 In your law, it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 00:05:35.139 --> 00:05:41.639 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me. 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:45.459 They said to him, therefore, where is your father? 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:47.099 Jesus answered, 00:05:47.740 --> 00:05:49.479 You know neither me nor my father. 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:52.839 If you knew me, you would know my father also. 00:05:53.180 --> 00:05:56.279 These words he spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple. 00:05:56.500 --> 00:06:00.060 But no one arrested him because his hour had not yet come. 00:06:00.060 --> 00:06:02.639 So he said to them again, 00:06:03.280 --> 00:06:07.939 I am going away and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. 00:06:08.339 --> 00:06:10.560 Where I am going, you cannot come. 00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:15.280 So the Jew said, will he kill himself since he says where I am going, you cannot come? 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.959 He said to them, you are from below. 00:06:19.539 --> 00:06:20.859 I am from above. 00:06:21.299 --> 00:06:22.599 You are of this world. 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:23.959 I am not of this world. 00:06:24.459 --> 00:06:30.359 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:33.299 So they said to him, who are you? 00:06:34.359 --> 00:06:37.979 Jesus said to them, just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 00:06:37.980 --> 00:06:46.460 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:50.860 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the father. 00:06:52.140 --> 00:07:03.020 So Jesus said to them, when you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the father taught me. 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:05.480 And he who sent me is with me. 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:10.080 He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him. 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:13.660 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:24.840 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:30.879 They answered him, we are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:33.759 How is it that you say you will become free? 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:41.920 Jesus answered them, truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:44.439 The slave does not remain in the house forever. 00:07:44.980 --> 00:07:46.420 The son remains forever. 00:07:47.099 --> 00:07:50.259 So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 00:07:51.099 --> 00:07:56.360 I know that you are offspring of Abraham, yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 00:07:56.360 --> 00:08:02.759 I speak of what I have seen with my father, and you do what you have heard from your father. 00:08:03.379 --> 00:08:06.220 They answered him, Abraham is our father. 00:08:07.180 --> 00:08:13.160 Jesus said to them, if you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did. 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:19.379 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. 00:08:19.379 --> 00:08:22.060 This is not what Abraham did. 00:08:22.459 --> 00:08:24.740 You are doing the works your fathers did. 00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:29.560 They said to him, we were not born of sexual immorality. 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:31.939 We have one father, even God. 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:36.720 Jesus said to them, if God were your father, you would love me. 00:08:37.019 --> 00:08:39.100 For I came from God and I am here. 00:08:39.659 --> 00:08:42.480 I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:44.720 Why do you not understand what I say? 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:48.480 It is because you cannot hear, you cannot bear to hear my word. 00:08:48.759 --> 00:08:53.519 You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. 00:08:54.680 --> 00:09:00.480 He was a murderer from the beginning and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. 00:09:00.940 --> 00:09:06.019 When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:09.500 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 00:09:10.180 --> 00:09:11.940 Which one of you convicts me of sin? 00:09:11.940 --> 00:09:14.880 If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 00:09:15.560 --> 00:09:18.200 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:21.860 The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:28.640 The Jews answered him, are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? 00:09:29.860 --> 00:09:35.860 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor my father and you dishonor me. 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.040 Yet I do not seek my own glory. 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:41.180 There is one who seeks it and he is the judge. 00:09:41.179 --> 00:09:47.139 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:50.579 The Jews said to him, now we know that you have a demon. 00:09:51.139 --> 00:09:53.319 Abraham died, as did the prophets. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:57.259 Yet you say, if anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:00.359 Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:01.719 And the prophets died. 00:10:02.179 --> 00:10:03.919 Who do you make yourself out to be? 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:09.539 Jesus answered, if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.879 It is my father who glorifies me, of whom you say he is our God. 00:10:14.319 --> 00:10:15.899 But you have not known him. 00:10:16.620 --> 00:10:17.519 I know him. 00:10:18.059 --> 00:10:22.179 If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. 00:10:22.439 --> 00:10:24.599 But I do know him and I keep his word. 00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:28.519 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. 00:10:28.959 --> 00:10:30.599 He saw it and was glad. 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:35.519 So the Jews said to him, you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham? 00:10:36.560 --> 00:10:42.940 Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:45.120 So they picked up stones to throw at him. 00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:48.279 But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. 00:10:48.740 --> 00:10:49.940 This is the word of God. 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:53.180 Great. 00:10:57.340 --> 00:10:59.820 Thanks so much, Oscar and Celeste, for reading so well. 00:11:00.940 --> 00:11:01.920 The dialogue. 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:04.840 I hope you enjoyed that. 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:05.160 Right. 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:07.160 You can feel the tension. 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:08.540 It's a drama. 00:11:08.840 --> 00:11:12.240 But I hope you also can see that it's a bit of an ugly picture. 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:12.600 Right. 00:11:12.700 --> 00:11:18.380 The people who are confused and divided and more and more hostile to Jesus. 00:11:18.379 --> 00:11:23.500 And I think, well, what is the big point that we should get? 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:24.439 The big truth. 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:29.519 Well, is that the Jews can't believe because they are from the world. 00:11:29.980 --> 00:11:32.399 They can't believe because they're from the world. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:34.360 That is the big thing that I hope we've heard. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:37.740 And from the world, that means they're not from God. 00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:43.360 Now, from the world, I don't know what you think when you hear that they're not from the world. 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:45.279 They're from the world. 00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:46.899 It sounds like, oh, they're not aliens. 00:11:46.899 --> 00:11:48.399 They're not extraterrestrials. 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:50.759 That's not what it means. 00:11:50.959 --> 00:11:52.679 So the world in the Bible. 00:11:53.860 --> 00:11:54.259 Yeah. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:12:00.500 And especially in John, the world is kind of, you know, humanity in rebellion against God. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:00.939 Right. 00:12:01.579 --> 00:12:02.679 Here is God. 00:12:02.740 --> 00:12:07.240 And here is, you know, mankind that ever since Genesis three has been rebelling against him. 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:10.700 But where would you think the Jews are? 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:13.960 I say the Jews, by the way, sometimes it means the Jewish people. 00:12:14.139 --> 00:12:15.659 Sometimes it means the Jewish leaders. 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:18.539 I'll just say the Jews because that's what John says. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:21.299 But why would they be? 00:12:21.299 --> 00:12:21.740 Yeah. 00:12:22.379 --> 00:12:23.459 But they're from the world. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:24.519 But you wouldn't expect that. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:24.740 Right. 00:12:25.299 --> 00:12:28.039 Because God has rescued them from the world. 00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:28.279 Right. 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:30.219 He made them his own and he gave them his law. 00:12:30.299 --> 00:12:31.319 He gave them his words. 00:12:31.859 --> 00:12:36.620 He, you know, he gave them a land and they had him living with us. 00:12:36.979 --> 00:12:39.500 They should be, you know, here's the world and here's God. 00:12:39.500 --> 00:12:44.019 You'd expect them to be with God, except that they are, they are not from God. 00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:46.159 They are in the world. 00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:46.799 Right. 00:12:47.659 --> 00:12:50.220 That's a very unusual thing. 00:12:50.220 --> 00:12:56.200 In a way, we should have already noticed that when back in chapter seven, which was a very weird verse. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:02.980 I mean, if you go all the way back to seven, verse seven in your Bibles, you know, this is at the start of these chapters. 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:07.059 It's happens at a feast, something, a feast called the feast of booths or tabernacles. 00:13:07.059 --> 00:13:10.319 And Jesus brother say, hey, let's go to the feast. 00:13:10.439 --> 00:13:11.659 That'll be good for your ministry. 00:13:12.099 --> 00:13:13.339 And seven, verse seven. 00:13:13.419 --> 00:13:14.079 What does he say? 00:13:14.619 --> 00:13:20.619 Well, the world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that his works are evil. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:24.739 Now, we read over that, but we don't think about it. 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:26.979 Actually, it's a very weird thing for Jesus to say. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:27.199 Right. 00:13:27.219 --> 00:13:29.179 Because he is not going to the world. 00:13:29.419 --> 00:13:37.039 He is going to God's city where God's people are in God's temple celebrating God's festival to remember God's rescue. 00:13:37.819 --> 00:13:39.879 And yet he says, well, the world hates me. 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:41.899 It's weird, right? 00:13:41.979 --> 00:13:43.639 But that is what we see. 00:13:43.859 --> 00:13:48.239 And yeah, as you read through these chapters, I guess Jesus is a bit like a doctor. 00:13:48.419 --> 00:13:52.179 There's the diagnosis, sorry, the symptoms and the diagnosis. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:52.959 Right. 00:13:52.979 --> 00:13:54.059 What is the big symptom? 00:13:54.579 --> 00:13:56.459 It's that they reject his words. 00:13:56.819 --> 00:13:58.039 Again, in seven, verse seven. 00:13:58.099 --> 00:13:58.239 Right. 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:03.059 They hate his words because, yeah, he says that they are evil. 00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:07.279 But, yeah, in so many other places. 00:14:07.459 --> 00:14:07.559 Right. 00:14:07.619 --> 00:14:08.759 Eight, verse 37. 00:14:08.959 --> 00:14:09.739 You will notice. 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:10.899 What does he say? 00:14:11.019 --> 00:14:12.759 Well, end of verse 37. 00:14:13.219 --> 00:14:17.139 You seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 00:14:17.479 --> 00:14:18.119 That's the problem. 00:14:18.199 --> 00:14:19.019 Verse 43. 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:21.759 Why do you not understand what I say? 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:24.399 It is because, yeah, chapter eight, verse 43. 00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:26.519 Why do you not understand what I say? 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:28.899 It's because you cannot bear to hear my words. 00:14:29.379 --> 00:14:30.059 That's what we see. 00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:30.299 Right. 00:14:30.340 --> 00:14:32.960 Whenever Jesus says something, they do the X factor thing. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:33.159 Right. 00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:34.639 And you have a demon. 00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:35.779 And you. 00:14:36.019 --> 00:14:36.299 Right. 00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:37.600 That's how they respond. 00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:39.100 It's very tiring. 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:42.220 But, of course, what's the diagnosis behind that? 00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:44.139 Well, they are. 00:14:44.259 --> 00:14:45.420 Well, they're from the world. 00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:46.899 And they're not from God. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:47.440 Right. 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:49.540 I mean, eight, verse 23 is very explicit. 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:52.560 You are from below. 00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:53.960 I am from above. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:55.720 You are of this world. 00:14:56.200 --> 00:14:57.519 I am not of this world. 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:04.060 And all those times where he says, well, I'm going to God and you cannot come there because, you know, there's this chasm between world and God. 00:15:04.059 --> 00:15:06.559 And, well, you can't come to God because you're part of the world. 00:15:06.719 --> 00:15:08.819 And, yeah, they're not from God. 00:15:08.979 --> 00:15:14.319 You see both together, in a way, in verse 47, right, at the end of that paragraph. 00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:17.819 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:23.959 The reason why you do not hear them, why do you keep rejecting my words, is that you are not of God. 00:15:24.599 --> 00:15:26.379 They are not from God. 00:15:26.579 --> 00:15:28.419 They don't know him. 00:15:29.339 --> 00:15:31.379 You know, knowing God is a relational thing. 00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:33.419 It's not knowing about him, but having a relationship. 00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:35.039 And he says that all the time. 00:15:35.159 --> 00:15:36.600 I mean, I'll put them here quickly, right? 00:15:36.659 --> 00:15:37.600 He who sent me is true. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:39.220 And him, you do not know. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:41.360 You know neither me nor my father. 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:44.179 You say he is our God, but you have not known him. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:46.360 They don't know God. 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:49.399 In fact, he says they're children of the devil. 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:51.679 And you might think Jesus is a bit of a bully. 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.059 He never apologizes, right? 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:55.639 They prove me wrong. 00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:58.320 And instead, they just shout abuse at him. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:03.320 Yeah, Jesus seems to be right as the chapter goes on. 00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.740 Now, let me just talk you through one passage. 00:16:06.920 --> 00:16:08.500 Because, I mean, this is kind of high level. 00:16:09.020 --> 00:16:12.180 But just, you know, let's see this worked out. 00:16:12.340 --> 00:16:15.980 As we, you know, that famous passage, verses 31 to 47. 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:16.879 Right? 00:16:17.280 --> 00:16:19.660 I mean, we see all these themes come together. 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:23.200 So, Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him. 00:16:23.660 --> 00:16:25.120 So, again, it's worth thinking, right? 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:26.300 These are not just the Pharisees. 00:16:26.299 --> 00:16:28.459 These are people who've heard his miracles. 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:30.019 They've seen his miracles. 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:30.919 They've heard his teaching. 00:16:31.339 --> 00:16:32.919 You know, hey, I'm going to follow Jesus. 00:16:33.459 --> 00:16:36.419 And now he has a discipleship follow-up meeting. 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:38.059 So, verse 31. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.319 If you abide in my words, you're truly my disciples. 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:44.079 That's what we saw two weeks ago, right? 00:16:44.099 --> 00:16:45.519 We need to hold on to Jesus' words. 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:46.439 So, that's what Jesus says. 00:16:46.479 --> 00:16:47.379 Hold on to my words. 00:16:47.979 --> 00:16:49.159 And then, right? 00:16:49.219 --> 00:16:50.159 You will know the truth. 00:16:50.219 --> 00:16:51.419 And the truth will set you free. 00:16:52.359 --> 00:16:53.939 Now, you expect them to write down notes. 00:16:53.940 --> 00:16:55.600 Okay, Jesus, please tell us more. 00:16:55.680 --> 00:16:56.380 I want to follow you. 00:16:57.020 --> 00:16:57.880 Now, what do they say? 00:16:58.680 --> 00:17:03.060 Hey, we are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. 00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:05.759 How is it that you say you will become free? 00:17:06.600 --> 00:17:06.799 Right? 00:17:06.860 --> 00:17:09.259 Hey, you're saying we will become free. 00:17:09.360 --> 00:17:11.220 Well, then you're saying we're currently not free. 00:17:11.360 --> 00:17:13.320 Well, almost how dare you, right? 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:15.200 We are Abraham's children. 00:17:15.340 --> 00:17:16.259 We've never been enslaved. 00:17:16.259 --> 00:17:20.960 I mean, I thought they just celebrated that God rescued them from slavery in Egypt. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:22.000 I know. 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:25.879 And, you know, there's been the Babylonians and the Persians and the Greeks and the Romans. 00:17:26.180 --> 00:17:29.119 They've spent a lot of time being oppressed by others. 00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:33.259 But, of course, Jesus says, hey, I'm talking spiritually, right? 00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:34.839 So, verse 34. 00:17:35.140 --> 00:17:42.180 Jesus answered them, truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 00:17:43.140 --> 00:17:44.279 That's what I mean. 00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:47.720 But, you know, hey, you say you're from Abraham. 00:17:47.880 --> 00:17:50.039 Actually, well, verse 37. 00:17:50.220 --> 00:17:52.580 I know you're Abraham's. 00:17:52.580 --> 00:17:54.080 I know you're offspring from Abraham. 00:17:54.580 --> 00:17:56.019 I mean, you have Abraham's DNA. 00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:56.700 Absolutely. 00:17:57.799 --> 00:18:00.240 But Jesus says, I see a problem, right? 00:18:01.180 --> 00:18:04.560 You seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:08.480 And so he says, you have a different father, right? 00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:09.720 Abraham is our father. 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:13.539 Well, if you're Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did. 00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:17.960 And the big thing in the Bible is often that children are like their fathers. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:22.519 Like I mentioned at the start, I fix things because that's what my father did, right? 00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:25.680 Sometimes my kids, they say to me, you sound just like granddad. 00:18:26.120 --> 00:18:28.680 I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but, right? 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:31.860 I'm like my father. 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:37.279 Back then, certainly, if your dad was a farmer, you would be a farmer. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:39.460 Children are like their parents. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:45.700 But he says, well, you don't seem to be acting like Abraham, right? 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:48.660 Maybe genetically you're from Abraham, but, right? 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:50.200 You're not doing the works Abraham did. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:50.859 Verse 40. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:51.859 You seek to kill me. 00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:54.700 Emmanuel has told you the truth that I heard from God. 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:56.920 This is not what Abraham did. 00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:59.019 You're doing the works your father did. 00:18:59.019 --> 00:19:03.859 And again, they said to him, we were not born of sexual immorality. 00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:06.519 Maybe that has something to do with Jesus' birth, right? 00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:08.220 Hey, you know, your mother. 00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:12.400 But we have one father, even God, right? 00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:13.980 You know, God is our father. 00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:18.819 And again, Jesus, if God were your father, you would love me. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:20.759 For I came from God and I'm here. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:22.240 That's quite a statement, right? 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:24.299 Do you dare say that to anyone? 00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:24.779 Right? 00:19:24.859 --> 00:19:26.839 Hey, if you're from God, you would love me. 00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:28.059 But you don't. 00:19:29.459 --> 00:19:30.939 But, yeah, they don't love him. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:35.740 And now instead, right, you are of your, verse 44. 00:19:35.879 --> 00:19:37.240 You're of your father, the devil. 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:38.240 Why? 00:19:38.419 --> 00:19:43.899 Well, he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth. 00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:45.959 Because there's no truth in him, right? 00:19:46.399 --> 00:19:48.019 What are your actions showing? 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:49.819 You're not from Abraham, right? 00:19:49.859 --> 00:19:50.859 You are from the devil. 00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:53.299 The devil tries to kill people, get people killed. 00:19:53.439 --> 00:19:54.419 And that's what you're doing. 00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:57.300 And he is a liar and he hates the truth. 00:19:57.380 --> 00:19:58.340 And that's what you are doing. 00:19:58.519 --> 00:19:59.279 You are, right? 00:19:59.320 --> 00:20:00.100 You are from the devil. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:10.640 And instead of any kind of conviction, verse, right, again, verse 47, summarizing it, hey, the reason you don't hear them, my words, is you're not from God. 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:14.640 And they say, well, aren't we right in saying that you were a Samaritan and have a demon? 00:20:14.800 --> 00:20:16.039 They just don't listen, right? 00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:19.519 But it's so clear, right? 00:20:20.399 --> 00:20:21.639 There's something wrong with them. 00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:22.920 They're not from God. 00:20:23.420 --> 00:20:26.079 They can't hear his words. 00:20:26.659 --> 00:20:27.720 And it's ugly. 00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:29.559 But it's also so desperate, right? 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:32.960 Because the thing is, people need Jesus' words. 00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:35.119 We thought about that two weeks ago, right? 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:36.960 Jesus' words bring life. 00:20:37.139 --> 00:20:38.799 Jesus' words save. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:42.039 But they are just repelled by Jesus' words. 00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:45.079 I mean, what I think is, I think of two magnets, right? 00:20:45.139 --> 00:20:47.500 You have two magnets and you try to bring them together. 00:20:48.919 --> 00:20:50.859 Two North Poles or two South Poles. 00:20:50.919 --> 00:20:51.740 That doesn't work, right? 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:54.960 You put them together and one just repels the other. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:57.039 And you just can't bring them together. 00:20:57.399 --> 00:20:59.480 That's almost what seems to go on here, right? 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:04.379 Whenever Jesus comes close to them with his message, they just get repelled. 00:21:04.380 --> 00:21:09.880 Which means that the thing they need drives them away, right? 00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:12.420 And these are good moral people. 00:21:12.580 --> 00:21:15.840 And yet confronted with Jesus, this is what they do. 00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:19.400 And it's quite a depressing picture. 00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:23.860 Although the question is, so what are we supposed to do with that? 00:21:24.560 --> 00:21:26.020 You know, it is pretty hard to apply. 00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:31.580 Okay, the Jews that we see here, they are from the world and not from God. 00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:32.060 So what? 00:21:32.059 --> 00:21:36.579 I want to apply that in two different ways. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:38.659 I want to connect it to us in two different ways. 00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:44.839 I guess one thing that John is doing, let's go back to his purpose statement, right? 00:21:44.879 --> 00:21:46.639 Why is John writing this whole book? 00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:55.480 Well, 20 verse 31, he tells us, he says that these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. 00:21:55.559 --> 00:21:59.000 And that by believing, you may have life in his name, right? 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:03.140 But I'm writing this so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. 00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:11.759 My guess is if you're a Jew and someone tells you about Jesus, that it's pretty, it can be a bit of a hard sell, right? 00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:13.980 Because John says, well, here's the Messiah. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:16.599 And really, the guy they crucified. 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:19.240 The guy that all the religious leaders rejected. 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:24.099 The guy that the people that who knows the Old Testament knew and they didn't believe in him. 00:22:24.659 --> 00:22:26.339 That's very hard to believe, right? 00:22:26.859 --> 00:22:27.879 Who are God's people? 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:30.980 Yeah, it's those little groups of Christians in homes worshiping Jesus. 00:22:31.259 --> 00:22:33.359 It's not all those people in the temple over there. 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:36.139 It can be a bit of a hard sell, right? 00:22:38.099 --> 00:22:49.759 Well, if you see these chapters, if you see Jesus here, you know, I think one thing that John wants to say to some readers is, you know, don't let Jewish unbelief make you doubt. 00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:52.500 Don't let that make you doubt. 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:55.420 Because, hey, Jesus, he is here. 00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:58.720 He came to them and, you know, but they rejected. 00:22:58.900 --> 00:23:00.119 Look at their rejection, right? 00:23:00.140 --> 00:23:00.920 It's not rational. 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:06.680 This is not, this is, you know, there's something wrong with them. 00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:08.180 Can't you see that, right? 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:11.160 The fact that Jesus, that many of them don't believe. 00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:13.440 That's not, this shouldn't be a problem, right? 00:23:13.460 --> 00:23:14.220 It's not God's fault. 00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:15.000 It's not Jesus' fault. 00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:16.119 He really is the Messiah. 00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:17.420 Jesus makes it very clear. 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:20.819 It's just that they can't believe, right? 00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:22.500 So that's why it's like this. 00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:28.179 I guess in the first century that that was, you know, Christianity was very small and Judaism was very big. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:30.399 And so people needed to hear that. 00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:37.679 I guess for us now, 2000 years later, it doesn't really have the same impact because we can see how, you know, there's Christians in every nation in the world. 00:23:37.679 --> 00:23:41.679 And, you know, the impact it's had, I guess for us, it's much clearer. 00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:42.679 Okay. 00:23:42.779 --> 00:23:44.359 What's the real religion? 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:49.159 But I think this passage hits close to home in another way. 00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:53.400 And I want us to think about this question. 00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:57.180 Does John think these people are worse than anyone else? 00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:01.180 I don't know if that makes a question, right? 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:03.759 Are these people worse than anyone else? 00:24:03.900 --> 00:24:04.759 Does John think that? 00:24:04.820 --> 00:24:09.460 Because some people, they read these chapters and they think, you know, John is anti-Semitic. 00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.700 John just hates Jews, right? 00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:16.160 He's so negative about these people and how they hate Jesus. 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.220 Jesus, I think it's two slides more. 00:24:19.820 --> 00:24:21.340 Are they worse than everyone else? 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:21.640 Right? 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:23.440 I mean, of course, John is Jewish. 00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:25.120 Jesus is Jewish. 00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:26.080 I don't think so. 00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:28.400 But think about it. 00:24:28.440 --> 00:24:29.880 Are they worse than anyone else? 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:32.880 Well, the answer is no. 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:34.440 Why not? 00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:37.620 Because they are from the world. 00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:39.600 I mean, what is the world? 00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:41.779 Again, it's not planet Earth. 00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:43.799 It is mankind. 00:24:44.259 --> 00:24:49.019 It is, you know, this is humanity in rebellion against God. 00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:50.860 They are, they're from the world. 00:24:50.940 --> 00:24:54.220 Which means in a way, they are the same as us. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.759 And we are the same as them, right? 00:24:56.779 --> 00:24:57.640 They are from the world. 00:24:57.640 --> 00:24:59.680 You see them, you see the world. 00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:05.820 When I say us, I mean by nature, you know, without a miracle, without the grace of God. 00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:07.160 What are people like? 00:25:07.300 --> 00:25:08.620 What are we like? 00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:10.259 Well, we are like this. 00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:13.980 And that bites in a certain way, right? 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:18.320 Because these people were the most religious, right? 00:25:18.520 --> 00:25:19.980 The most privileged people. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:21.140 They had the true scriptures. 00:25:21.380 --> 00:25:22.620 They had the true religion. 00:25:23.080 --> 00:25:24.820 They had God with them. 00:25:25.120 --> 00:25:27.240 They had the true God rescue them from Egypt. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:30.559 And yet, they still were from the world, right? 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:32.759 That's not what you'd expect, right? 00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:36.500 All of this that they had was not enough to bring them to God. 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:39.700 They were still in the world, right? 00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:41.620 And that's kind of the point, right? 00:25:41.620 --> 00:25:44.480 All these things don't bring them there. 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:46.779 And that is, I think, a difficult message for us, right? 00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:50.019 I mean, it's a little bit like Nicodemus in chapter 3, right? 00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:51.579 Here's the most religious man in Israel. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:53.640 And you must be born again. 00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:54.640 Even Nicodemus. 00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:55.700 Yes, even Nicodemus. 00:25:55.700 --> 00:25:58.480 I don't know if you were here last week. 00:25:58.539 --> 00:26:03.960 Last week, Alex McCoy, he had this great illustration about swimming to Macau, right? 00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:08.460 He wanted to say that, look, some of us are better than others, but none of us are good enough. 00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:15.799 So imagine you're trying to swim to Macau, and there's two people, and one person swims a kilometer, but then he drowns. 00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:17.640 And then there's someone else. 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:22.380 Well, actually, he makes it all the way to Lantau Island, which is a few kilometers further. 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:25.040 But he still drowns. 00:26:25.860 --> 00:26:28.840 But my guess is you hear that and think, well, actually, I can do that. 00:26:29.180 --> 00:26:30.580 Maybe some of us think I can do that. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:40.500 How about we take one of the top swimmers in Hong Kong, and we give them a special wetsuit, right, that regulates body temperature and removes friction. 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:46.579 And they swim on a day that, you know, the current is flowing to Macau, and the wind is blowing to Macau. 00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:47.160 Sorry, this way. 00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:48.480 The wind is blowing to Macau. 00:26:48.579 --> 00:26:50.240 The current is flowing to Macau. 00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:52.140 And everything is in their favor. 00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:53.980 And they still drown. 00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:58.799 Well, now you know that, okay, no one can swim to Macau, right? 00:26:59.140 --> 00:27:05.120 Now it's very clear no one can swim to Macau because even these people, you give them everything, they still can't do it. 00:27:06.360 --> 00:27:06.579 Right? 00:27:07.079 --> 00:27:10.160 That is, I think, part of the point, right? 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:15.980 We see these people, actually, they are the same of us, even though we wouldn't expect that. 00:27:17.120 --> 00:27:20.960 And so here's a few statements I think we can make. 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:25.100 One is, if they don't know God, no one does. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:26.259 Right? 00:27:26.420 --> 00:27:29.660 By ourselves, by nature, no one does. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:35.420 If they're from the world, they're in the world basket, well, that means all of us are in that basket, right? 00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:39.539 And no one, by nature, has a relationship with God. 00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:41.900 I mean, I don't know what you think brings someone to God. 00:27:42.700 --> 00:27:43.360 It's so easy. 00:27:43.819 --> 00:27:50.000 You know, we have religious devotion and temples and sacrifices and good works and all these things. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:51.660 Do they bring us to God? 00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:57.759 Well, these people, they had, you know, they had the right religion and the right festival and they still didn't know God. 00:27:57.819 --> 00:28:02.000 And they knew the scriptures from childhood and they still didn't know God. 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:02.200 Right? 00:28:02.599 --> 00:28:07.059 And they were, they had God's law and they were really moral people and they still didn't know God. 00:28:07.400 --> 00:28:07.660 Right? 00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:09.180 They still had no relationship with him. 00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:13.380 Clearly, all these things don't do it. 00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:13.599 Right? 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:13.679 Right? 00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:18.659 I mean, Jesus makes it, I mean, this is quite a scary verse, right? 00:28:18.699 --> 00:28:26.959 In 8 verse 54, he says to them, it is my father who glorifies me of whom you say he is our God. 00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:28.599 But you have not known him. 00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:32.019 They really thought they knew God and they really thought we belong to God. 00:28:32.339 --> 00:28:32.679 Right? 00:28:32.719 --> 00:28:33.459 He is our God. 00:28:33.699 --> 00:28:35.119 And Jesus says, you don't know him. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:37.019 You have no relationship with him. 00:28:37.199 --> 00:28:37.459 Right? 00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:40.880 I mean, for some of us here, right? 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:48.579 We think, hey, we, you know, I'm a Christian because I'm a good person and I go to church and all those things. 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:50.400 And actually, that's not the case. 00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:55.740 Other religions, you know, oh, they're very similar to Christianity. 00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:58.840 And people always think, well, surely is that enough? 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:03.539 Well, these people, they were not just similar to the truth. 00:29:03.620 --> 00:29:03.740 Right? 00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:04.620 They had the truth. 00:29:04.619 --> 00:29:08.099 They had the true God rescue them and they still didn't know him. 00:29:08.179 --> 00:29:08.319 Right? 00:29:10.399 --> 00:29:11.759 I mean, I know what you think. 00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:12.039 Okay. 00:29:12.099 --> 00:29:13.719 Hey, I'm not like this. 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:14.019 Right? 00:29:14.099 --> 00:29:15.519 I'm a nice person. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:16.619 These people aren't nice. 00:29:17.159 --> 00:29:21.159 The thing is, they, well, they met Jesus. 00:29:21.719 --> 00:29:22.379 Jesus isn't here. 00:29:22.479 --> 00:29:23.659 Remember those two magnets, right? 00:29:23.699 --> 00:29:27.559 This magnet is perfectly still unless till we bring that other magnet close. 00:29:28.159 --> 00:29:28.599 Right? 00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:36.219 If Jesus was here in person and he'd do a few miracles, like the magic show later, that would be, okay, we would think, wow. 00:29:36.579 --> 00:29:40.339 But then he starts to talk about our sin and then we probably chase him out. 00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:41.379 No. 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:46.159 None of us know God by nature, by ourselves. 00:29:46.879 --> 00:29:47.939 It's very humbling. 00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:50.680 If you call yourself a Christian, right? 00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:52.680 It's nothing that you've done. 00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:57.340 It's not your religion or your good works or anything you've done. 00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:58.080 Right? 00:29:58.140 --> 00:30:01.779 These people are far more moral than us, I think, and they didn't do it. 00:30:03.080 --> 00:30:03.180 Right? 00:30:03.320 --> 00:30:05.640 And if you're here, you wouldn't call yourself a Christian. 00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:09.019 I don't know if you think, you know, I know God. 00:30:09.259 --> 00:30:10.480 I'm a good person. 00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:12.360 I go to church. 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:20.719 Again, this passage would say, no, you're, you're, I'm sure you're a better person than I am, but, you know, you're, it's not enough. 00:30:20.919 --> 00:30:22.479 No one can know God by themselves. 00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:25.679 No one can make their way to God. 00:30:25.819 --> 00:30:28.799 In a way, in a way, of course, for some of us, that's encouraging, right? 00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:33.359 Some of us here and actually my life is terrible and I can't do anything right. 00:30:33.719 --> 00:30:36.539 It's good to know that actually that's not the thing that gets you to God. 00:30:38.459 --> 00:30:40.219 Because what's the other side of that? 00:30:40.219 --> 00:30:40.859 The flip side. 00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:44.259 Well, if they need Jesus, everyone does. 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:47.459 If these people need Jesus, everyone does. 00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:52.319 John is, he's opening up the bonnet and, you know, he's saying you need a new engine. 00:30:52.679 --> 00:30:52.839 Right? 00:30:53.079 --> 00:30:55.339 He's showing the true state of humanity. 00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:57.259 This is what we're like. 00:30:57.299 --> 00:30:58.079 We need Jesus. 00:30:58.179 --> 00:30:58.299 Right? 00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:00.219 They don't know God, so they need the truth. 00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:00.979 Right? 00:31:01.139 --> 00:31:02.219 They're slaves to sin. 00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:03.319 They need to become free. 00:31:03.699 --> 00:31:04.819 They are in the darkness. 00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:05.919 They need light. 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:09.899 They, you know, they, they will die in their sin. 00:31:09.899 --> 00:31:10.679 They need life. 00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:11.880 They're children of the devil. 00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:13.320 They need to become children of God. 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:15.340 They need someone who can defeat the devil. 00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:15.580 Right? 00:31:16.180 --> 00:31:19.000 It's so, you know, they are so needy. 00:31:19.140 --> 00:31:20.700 And only Jesus is the answer. 00:31:20.860 --> 00:31:23.480 And again, that's the same for each one of us. 00:31:24.039 --> 00:31:24.480 Right? 00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:25.920 We are no better than them. 00:31:26.680 --> 00:31:28.420 And you see how much they need Jesus. 00:31:28.539 --> 00:31:29.660 That's the same for us. 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:30.320 Right? 00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:31.179 Whoever you are. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:32.259 This is you. 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:34.319 Maybe all the people we know. 00:31:34.639 --> 00:31:37.200 All the people we live and work with here in this great city. 00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:39.480 Everyone needs Jesus. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:41.759 There's no one who doesn't need Jesus. 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:42.659 Right? 00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:48.019 There's no one in the world, in any of the countries where you guys are all from, who doesn't need Jesus. 00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:49.560 Every single person. 00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:54.420 Which means that if you, of course, if you have Jesus, you want to hold on to him. 00:31:54.580 --> 00:31:54.700 Right? 00:31:55.120 --> 00:31:57.860 As Jesus said, you know, abide in my word. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:58.779 Hold on to my word. 00:31:58.900 --> 00:32:02.040 If you, if you've received Jesus, you don't want to let him go. 00:32:02.100 --> 00:32:02.259 Right? 00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:04.839 Because you see how desperate it is without him. 00:32:06.700 --> 00:32:09.839 But, of course, I guess that raises the last question. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:12.200 We know, yes, they need Jesus. 00:32:12.299 --> 00:32:13.359 But does Jesus want them? 00:32:14.879 --> 00:32:19.019 Well, I think one final statement we can make, actually, if we step back. 00:32:20.259 --> 00:32:23.220 If Jesus loves them, he loves everyone. 00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:28.599 Because the amazing thing is that Jesus still, I mean, if you see these people, would you love them? 00:32:29.339 --> 00:32:30.619 Would you want to be with them? 00:32:30.619 --> 00:32:32.079 And would you want to, you know? 00:32:32.679 --> 00:32:33.899 But Jesus does it, right? 00:32:33.939 --> 00:32:35.379 He goes to this festival. 00:32:35.579 --> 00:32:39.059 And he, he proclaims himself the Messiah, even though they want to kill him. 00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:39.619 Right? 00:32:39.659 --> 00:32:42.419 And he, he keeps offering them eternal life. 00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:45.639 And come in, come to me and drink and believe in me. 00:32:45.719 --> 00:32:48.239 And if you hold to my word, you will never see death. 00:32:48.619 --> 00:32:49.459 All those things. 00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:49.679 Right? 00:32:49.719 --> 00:32:51.239 He, he keeps offering them. 00:32:51.379 --> 00:32:52.819 And, and that is not a joke. 00:32:52.879 --> 00:32:53.719 He is sincere. 00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:55.419 And how do we know it's sincere? 00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:58.119 Well, because later he goes to the cross. 00:32:58.119 --> 00:33:03.679 And he dies this agonizing death, bearing the penalty for our sins. 00:33:03.719 --> 00:33:05.299 And he prays, Father, forgive them. 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:06.199 Right? 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:08.739 Jesus, he loves them. 00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:13.559 And then again, if he loves them, if they're the same as us, he loves everyone. 00:33:14.059 --> 00:33:14.299 Right? 00:33:14.859 --> 00:33:17.919 And here's the most famous verse in John or maybe in the whole Bible. 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:24.580 For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 00:33:25.820 --> 00:33:28.600 Now, we read it and we think he loves planet Earth. 00:33:28.900 --> 00:33:29.039 No. 00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.320 He loves the world. 00:33:30.900 --> 00:33:31.680 What is the world? 00:33:32.340 --> 00:33:33.140 People like this. 00:33:33.860 --> 00:33:36.660 People who insult and abuse and don't want to listen. 00:33:36.660 --> 00:33:42.519 And, you know, these people, that's the people that God loved so much that he sent his son to die for them. 00:33:42.580 --> 00:33:46.980 These obnoxious people that are, well, that's what we are like. 00:33:47.759 --> 00:33:49.360 And so maybe you're here again. 00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:50.800 You wouldn't call yourself a Christian. 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:55.540 Jesus, he loves you and he's offering you eternal life. 00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:56.400 Right? 00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:58.519 He says you have very big problems. 00:33:58.620 --> 00:33:59.340 You're in the dark. 00:33:59.820 --> 00:34:00.440 You will die. 00:34:01.080 --> 00:34:02.060 You're enslaved. 00:34:02.640 --> 00:34:04.580 But he is the solution to all that. 00:34:04.579 --> 00:34:05.919 And so he says, come to me. 00:34:06.759 --> 00:34:08.259 I want to save you. 00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:08.500 Right? 00:34:09.259 --> 00:34:11.099 Now, you may wonder, could he ever love me? 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:12.559 Again, he loved these people. 00:34:13.940 --> 00:34:15.900 He died so he could offer you forgiveness. 00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:18.960 Of course, you may wonder, how can I believe? 00:34:19.059 --> 00:34:19.179 Right? 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:20.539 These people couldn't believe. 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.860 In some way, that's true. 00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:22.099 Right? 00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:23.559 If they couldn't believe, no one can. 00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:23.779 Right? 00:34:23.799 --> 00:34:31.259 Despite all their growing up in the scriptures and all their culture engineered by God, they still couldn't believe. 00:34:31.260 --> 00:34:40.880 In some ways, yeah, no book, no speaker, no great preacher, no message, no course is going to save people. 00:34:41.520 --> 00:34:42.560 People need a miracle. 00:34:43.520 --> 00:34:45.720 But the thing is, God loves to do miracles. 00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:47.060 Right? 00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:50.100 Back in chapter one, we saw that verse. 00:34:50.220 --> 00:34:53.120 He came to his own and his own did not receive him. 00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:54.660 That's weird. 00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:56.480 But, there's a but, right? 00:34:56.480 --> 00:35:02.699 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. 00:35:03.820 --> 00:35:06.360 And there were people who receive him, who believe in him. 00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:11.519 Of course, they were, verse 13, they were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.659 God did a miracle. 00:35:12.760 --> 00:35:13.639 They were born of God. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:15.860 But, we'll think about that more next week. 00:35:17.639 --> 00:35:19.059 For you, it's very simple. 00:35:19.059 --> 00:35:23.759 Jesus, if you can believe him, you can receive him. 00:35:24.119 --> 00:35:24.259 Right? 00:35:25.219 --> 00:35:26.559 Jesus says, just come to me. 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:27.279 Just pray. 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:28.099 Right? 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:28.840 Receive him. 00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:30.159 Believe his death. 00:35:30.840 --> 00:35:31.380 Trust him. 00:35:31.860 --> 00:35:32.980 And you can be saved. 00:35:34.279 --> 00:35:37.539 And then again, praise God that he loves you. 00:35:38.279 --> 00:35:44.380 I guess for all of us here, for whom this is a reality, for whom this is something, you know, we used to be like this. 00:35:44.699 --> 00:35:47.079 We are, by nature, we are like this. 00:35:47.139 --> 00:35:48.099 We're so obnoxious. 00:35:48.099 --> 00:35:49.119 These people are terrible. 00:35:49.279 --> 00:35:49.839 We all are. 00:35:51.139 --> 00:35:54.000 And yet, God loves you and sent his son to die for you. 00:35:54.739 --> 00:35:54.920 Right? 00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:56.559 He made you born again. 00:35:56.739 --> 00:35:58.739 You were blind, but now you see. 00:35:58.900 --> 00:36:00.500 And you were lost, but now you're found. 00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:05.319 I mean, in a way, I don't want us to leave here depressed how terrible we are by nature. 00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:12.079 I want us to know the more terrible we are, the more it amazes us at how that God loves us. 00:36:12.839 --> 00:36:16.679 And so, let's, you know, we heard last week we're all debtors. 00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:20.159 Today, we can see how great a debtor we are. 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:21.000 Right? 00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:21.739 This is us. 00:36:21.779 --> 00:36:23.279 And doesn't that make you thankful? 00:36:23.419 --> 00:36:24.639 Doesn't that encourage you? 00:36:25.299 --> 00:36:27.639 That God loves you so much that he did this. 00:36:28.279 --> 00:36:31.460 I know many of us, we have some big things going on in our lives. 00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:34.280 And we need the assurance that God loves us. 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:40.400 And I think from a chapter like this, and we step back and we see what Jesus would do in the end, going to the cross. 00:36:40.900 --> 00:36:42.480 He loves us. 00:36:43.159 --> 00:36:44.159 That's amazing grace. 00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:44.360 Right? 00:36:44.420 --> 00:36:48.780 God demonstrates his love for us in that while we are still sinners, Christ died for us. 00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:49.860 Romans 5.8. 00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:51.119 Right? 00:36:51.139 --> 00:36:51.880 Isn't that wonderful? 00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:57.300 And wouldn't we want to share that, right, to anyone we know, anyone we see, anyone in all the nations in the world? 00:36:57.820 --> 00:36:58.559 It's wonderful. 00:36:59.539 --> 00:37:01.460 So, why don't we reflect on that? 00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:05.119 Why don't we take 30 seconds just to reflect? 00:37:06.019 --> 00:37:06.860 And then I'll pray. 00:37:07.680 --> 00:37:10.700 And then we're going to have communion by taking the Lord's Supper. 00:37:10.699 --> 00:37:14.019 So, maybe the stewards can come forward. 00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:14.279 Thank you. 00:37:40.699 --> 00:37:53.899 Let's pray together. 00:37:56.899 --> 00:38:03.699 Our Father, it's not easy to see the bonnet opened and see what we are like by nature. 00:38:03.839 --> 00:38:07.799 But thank you for the good news that there is life in Jesus. 00:38:08.319 --> 00:38:09.299 That there is hope. 00:38:09.300 --> 00:38:11.380 There is light in the darkness. 00:38:12.860 --> 00:38:15.720 And, yeah, we want to hold on to him. 00:38:15.940 --> 00:38:19.000 We want to see again our sin and his love. 00:38:19.280 --> 00:38:20.200 We want to hold on to that. 00:38:20.800 --> 00:38:24.720 And for some of us, maybe we want to accept that for the first time, Father. 00:38:24.740 --> 00:38:27.180 For each of us, help us to take these truths home. 00:38:27.180 --> 00:38:35.480 Would they not just be things in a book, but would they be something that is real for us, that is true in our hearts, and that drives us to Jesus? 00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:41.380 And as we, in a moment, take the Lord's Supper again with you, and speak to our hearts. 00:38:41.480 --> 00:38:42.199 In Jesus' name. 00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:42.879 Amen. 00:38:42.879 --> 00:38:42.779 Amen. 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.779 --> 00:38:42.779 00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:42.920 Amen.