WEBVTT

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 Amen. Well, if you would please take your Bibles and open them up to John chapter 8.

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 And I do ask that you actually have a copy of the Bible open. We're going to be looking there at God's Word.

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 And I want you to see it with your own eyes as we walk through this passage, John 8, verses 31 through 59 this morning.

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 We've been walking through the Gospel of John together over the past several months,

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 and we've made our way here this morning to the end of chapter 8.

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 So chapter 8, verses 31 through 59.

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 And if you found it there in your Bibles, if you're able, let's stand for the reading of God's Word out of reverence.

00:00:42.340 --> 00:00:47.019
 And follow along with me as I read John 8, 31 through 59.

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 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him,

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 If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

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 They answered Him,

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 We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone.

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 How is it that you say, you will become free?

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 Jesus answered them,

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 Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

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 The slave does not remain in the house forever.

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 The son remains forever.

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 So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

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 I know that you are offspring of Abraham,

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 yet you seek to kill Me, because My Word finds no place in you.

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 I speak of what I have seen with My Father,

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 and you do what you have heard from your father.

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 They answered Him,

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 Abraham is our father.

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 Jesus said to them,

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 If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did.

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 But now you seek to kill Me,

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 a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.

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 This is not what Abraham did.

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 You are doing the works your father did.

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 They said to Him,

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 We were not born of sexual immorality.

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 We have one Father, even God.

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 Jesus said to them,

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 If God were your father, you would love Me.

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 For I came from God, and I am here.

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 I came not of My own accord, but He sent Me.

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 Why do you not understand what I say?

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 It is because you cannot bear to hear My Word.

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 You are of your father, the devil,

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 and your will is to do your father's desires.

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 He was a murderer from the beginning,

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 and does not stand in the truth,

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 because there is no truth in him.

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 When he lies, he speaks out of his own character,

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 for he is a liar and the father of lies.

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 But because I tell you the truth,

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 you do not believe Me.

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 Which one of you convicts Me of sin?

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 If I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?

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 Whoever is of God hears the words of God.

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 The reason why you do not hear them

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 is that you are not of God.

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 The Jews answered Him,

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 Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan

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 and have a demon?

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 Jesus answered,

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 I do not have a demon,

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 but I honor My Father,

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 and you dishonor Me.

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 Yet I do not seek My own glory.

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 There is one who seeks it,

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 and He is the judge.

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 Truly, truly, I say to you,

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 if anyone keeps My word,

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 he will never see death.

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 The Jews said to Him,

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 Now we know that you have a demon.

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 Abraham died,

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 as did the prophets.

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 Yet you say,

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 If anyone keeps My word,

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 he will never taste death.

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 Are you greater than our father Abraham,

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 who died?

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 And the prophets died.

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 Who do you make yourself out to be?

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 Jesus answered,

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 If I glorify Myself,

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 My glory is nothing.

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 It is My Father who glorifies Me,

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 of whom you say He is our God.

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 But you have not known Him.

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 I know Him.

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 If I were to say that I do not know Him,

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 I would be a liar like you.

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 But I do know Him,

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 and I keep His word.

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 Your father Abraham rejoiced

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 that he would see My day.

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 He saw it and was glad.

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 So the Jews said to Him,

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 You are not yet fifty years old,

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 and have you seen Abraham?

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 Jesus said to them,

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 Truly, truly, I say to you,

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 before Abraham was,

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 I am.

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 So they picked up stones

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 to throw at Him.

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 But Jesus hid Himself

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 and went out of the temple.

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 This is God's holy, inspired word

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 for you, for your good,

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 for your instruction this morning.

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 Please be seated.

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 Let's pray once more.

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 Lord,

00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:51.060
 reveal Your glory

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 through the preaching of Your word,

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 we pray.

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 Would You give us eyes to see

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 and ears to hear

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 and hearts to understand

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 and to love the truth

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 that You've given us this morning

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 in this passage.

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 We pray in Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 Well, there are

00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:08.079
 approximately

00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:09.680
 eight billion people

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 in the world,

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 give or take

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 a few thousand,

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 probably,

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 eight billion people

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 of the world.

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 And out of those

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 eight billion people,

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 there are exactly

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 two types

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 of people

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 in the world.

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 for all of the differences

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 that exist

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 in the world,

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 different cultures,

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 different countries,

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 different ethnicities,

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 different tastes,

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 different experiences,

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 different upbringings,

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 different generations,

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 different income levels,

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 different college football teams,

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 different reactions

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 to the Georgia-South Carolina game

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 yesterday.

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 For all the diversity

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 that exists

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 in the world,

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 there are

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 exactly

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 two types

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 of people.

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 you are either

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 in

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 or you are

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 out

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 of Christ.

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 You are either

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 in

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 or you are

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 out

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 of Christ.

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 This is

00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:03.180
 by far

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 the most significant

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 difference

00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:05.959
 that exists

00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:06.860
 in the world

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 and it has

00:06:07.459 --> 00:06:08.920
 everything to do

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 with how you

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 respond

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 to the words

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 of Christ.

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 Sometimes I go

00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:15.160
 into a crowd

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 of people

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 even just driving

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 up and down

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 Highway 17

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 and see

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 the number

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 of cars

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 that are

00:06:20.660 --> 00:06:21.300
 on the road

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 and I wonder

00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:23.020
 how many

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 of these people

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 are disciples

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 of Christ.

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 Do you ever

00:06:26.640 --> 00:06:27.020
 do that?

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 You are in

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 a crowd

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 of people

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 and just

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 look around

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 and wonder

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 how many

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 of these people

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 around me

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 right now

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 belong

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 to Jesus?

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 See,

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 the eyes

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 of God,

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 that distinction

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 of who is in

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 and who is out

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 is crystal clear

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 but to us

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 with our

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 limited perception,

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 our limited

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 understanding,

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 our limited

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 knowledge,

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 that distinction

00:06:48.180 --> 00:06:48.899
 is not

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 always so

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 clear,

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 is it?

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 And so we

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 have to ask

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 if we don't

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 have the eyes

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 to see the

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 invisible roots

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 of faith,

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 what do we

00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:00.319
 have?

00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:01.579
 Well,

00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:02.459
 we have the

00:07:02.459 --> 00:07:04.079
 visible fruit

00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:05.959
 of how someone

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 responds to

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 the word

00:07:07.720 --> 00:07:08.779
 of Christ.

00:07:09.860 --> 00:07:10.399
 What we see

00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:10.899
 in our passage

00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:11.360
 this morning,

00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:12.319
 John chapter 8,

00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:13.519
 is Jesus

00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:14.599
 laying out

00:07:14.599 --> 00:07:15.000
 for us,

00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:15.500
 describing

00:07:15.500 --> 00:07:16.240
 for us

00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:17.500
 the difference

00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:18.659
 between those

00:07:18.659 --> 00:07:19.259
 who are

00:07:19.259 --> 00:07:20.139
 his disciples

00:07:20.139 --> 00:07:21.639
 and those

00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:22.199
 who are

00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:22.699
 not

00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:23.879
 his disciples.

00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:25.379
 He's laying

00:07:25.379 --> 00:07:25.879
 out for us

00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:26.459
 those who

00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:27.459
 are in

00:07:27.459 --> 00:07:27.920
 Christ

00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:28.480
 and those

00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:29.000
 who are

00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:29.439
 out

00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:30.600
 of Christ.

00:07:30.719 --> 00:07:31.079
 And again,

00:07:31.219 --> 00:07:32.100
 the dividing

00:07:32.100 --> 00:07:32.759
 line between

00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:33.279
 the two

00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:34.560
 is his word

00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:35.500
 and how we

00:07:35.500 --> 00:07:36.560
 respond to it.

00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:37.839
 So how does

00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:39.180
 Jesus describe

00:07:39.180 --> 00:07:40.199
 his disciples

00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:40.800
 first?

00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:41.920
 How does

00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:42.879
 Jesus describe

00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:44.220
 his disciples?

00:07:45.460 --> 00:07:45.720
 Well,

00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:46.360
 we saw last

00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:46.780
 week as

00:07:46.780 --> 00:07:47.900
 Jesus preached

00:07:47.900 --> 00:07:48.300
 at the end

00:07:48.300 --> 00:07:49.000
 of his message,

00:07:49.139 --> 00:07:50.500
 John chapter 8

00:07:50.500 --> 00:07:51.360
 verse 30,

00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:52.600
 John told us

00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:53.259
 that some

00:07:53.259 --> 00:07:53.879
 of the Jews,

00:07:53.980 --> 00:07:54.259
 in fact,

00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:55.000
 many of the

00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:55.420
 Jews,

00:07:55.840 --> 00:07:56.620
 believed

00:07:56.620 --> 00:07:58.379
 his words.

00:07:58.620 --> 00:07:58.939
 You remember

00:07:58.939 --> 00:07:59.560
 that from last

00:07:59.560 --> 00:07:59.800
 week.

00:07:59.840 --> 00:08:00.019
 He said,

00:08:00.080 --> 00:08:00.540
 I'm the light

00:08:00.540 --> 00:08:01.000
 of the world.

00:08:01.100 --> 00:08:01.740
 Whoever follows

00:08:01.740 --> 00:08:02.460
 me will not

00:08:02.460 --> 00:08:03.360
 walk in darkness

00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.500
 but will have

00:08:04.500 --> 00:08:05.500
 the light of life.

00:08:05.620 --> 00:08:06.379
 Many rejected,

00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:08.319
 yet many believed.

00:08:08.580 --> 00:08:09.160
 And so here

00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:10.340
 in verse 32

00:08:10.339 --> 00:08:11.179
 and 31

00:08:11.179 --> 00:08:11.719
 and 32,

00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:12.859
 Jesus turns

00:08:12.859 --> 00:08:13.459
 his attention

00:08:13.459 --> 00:08:14.379
 to those Jews

00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:14.859
 who have

00:08:14.859 --> 00:08:16.379
 professed belief

00:08:16.379 --> 00:08:17.399
 and look what

00:08:17.399 --> 00:08:18.119
 he says to them

00:08:18.119 --> 00:08:19.139
 in verse 31.

00:08:20.259 --> 00:08:20.679
 He says,

00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:22.139
 if you abide

00:08:22.139 --> 00:08:23.679
 in my word,

00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:25.479
 you are truly

00:08:25.479 --> 00:08:26.359
 my disciples

00:08:26.359 --> 00:08:27.779
 and you will

00:08:27.779 --> 00:08:28.679
 know the truth

00:08:28.679 --> 00:08:29.479
 and the truth

00:08:29.479 --> 00:08:30.259
 will set

00:08:30.259 --> 00:08:31.459
 you free.

00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:33.879
 It's a condition

00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:34.500
 here.

00:08:34.579 --> 00:08:35.259
 He gives them

00:08:35.259 --> 00:08:35.819
 a condition,

00:08:36.139 --> 00:08:38.120
 if you abide

00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:39.220
 in my word,

00:08:39.220 --> 00:08:40.019
 not just

00:08:40.019 --> 00:08:41.740
 profess belief

00:08:41.740 --> 00:08:42.580
 in my word,

00:08:42.700 --> 00:08:43.620
 but if you

00:08:43.620 --> 00:08:45.660
 abide in my word,

00:08:46.180 --> 00:08:47.139
 you are truly

00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:49.040
 my disciples.

00:08:50.139 --> 00:08:51.500
 A true disciple

00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:52.060
 of Christ,

00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:52.920
 according to Jesus

00:08:52.920 --> 00:08:54.060
 here in this passage,

00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:55.279
 is characterized

00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:57.019
 by abiding

00:08:57.019 --> 00:08:58.519
 in the words

00:08:58.519 --> 00:08:59.540
 of Jesus.

00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:01.139
 How can we

00:09:01.139 --> 00:09:01.639
 look around

00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:02.440
 and tell

00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:04.100
 by our best judgment

00:09:04.100 --> 00:09:04.940
 who disciples

00:09:04.940 --> 00:09:05.759
 of Christ are?

00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:06.420
 Well,

00:09:06.700 --> 00:09:07.960
 disciples abide.

00:09:07.960 --> 00:09:09.420
 How can we

00:09:09.420 --> 00:09:10.100
 tell if we

00:09:10.100 --> 00:09:10.860
 are a disciple

00:09:10.860 --> 00:09:11.360
 of Christ?

00:09:11.540 --> 00:09:11.680
 Well,

00:09:11.780 --> 00:09:12.900
 we abide

00:09:12.900 --> 00:09:14.240
 in the words

00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:14.700
 of Jesus.

00:09:14.900 --> 00:09:15.360
 Apparently,

00:09:15.660 --> 00:09:16.480
 to Jesus,

00:09:16.980 --> 00:09:17.660
 abiding

00:09:17.660 --> 00:09:18.639
 in his words

00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:19.820
 is a greater

00:09:19.820 --> 00:09:20.540
 indicator

00:09:20.540 --> 00:09:21.639
 of belonging

00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:22.639
 to Christ

00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:23.600
 than our

00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:24.120
 initial

00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:25.120
 professing

00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:26.000
 faith

00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:27.040
 in Christ.

00:09:28.060 --> 00:09:28.759
 So what

00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:29.320
 does it mean

00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:30.379
 to abide?

00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:30.620
 Well,

00:09:30.700 --> 00:09:31.700
 that word abide,

00:09:32.040 --> 00:09:32.800
 we see it all

00:09:32.800 --> 00:09:33.280
 through the

00:09:33.280 --> 00:09:34.120
 gospel of John.

00:09:34.220 --> 00:09:34.740
 It simply

00:09:34.740 --> 00:09:35.440
 means stay

00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:35.840
 there.

00:09:36.700 --> 00:09:37.860
 Don't leave.

00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:39.379
 Take root

00:09:39.379 --> 00:09:40.240
 there for the

00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:41.160
 rest of your

00:09:41.160 --> 00:09:41.700
 life.

00:09:42.040 --> 00:09:42.740
 It's an important

00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:43.660
 concept in the

00:09:43.660 --> 00:09:44.440
 gospel of John.

00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:45.759
 He's the only

00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:46.580
 gospel writer

00:09:46.580 --> 00:09:47.280
 that uses that

00:09:47.280 --> 00:09:47.980
 word abide,

00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:48.600
 and we see it

00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:49.200
 time and time

00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:49.740
 and time again.

00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:50.220
 We saw it in

00:09:50.220 --> 00:09:51.000
 chapter 5,

00:09:51.280 --> 00:09:52.060
 where he said,

00:09:52.180 --> 00:09:52.700
 you do not

00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:53.519
 have his word

00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:54.620
 abiding in you,

00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:55.700
 for you do not

00:09:55.700 --> 00:09:56.720
 believe the one

00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:57.540
 whom he has sent.

00:09:57.639 --> 00:09:58.320
 Chapter 6,

00:09:59.040 --> 00:09:59.759
 whoever feeds

00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:00.480
 on my flesh

00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:01.519
 and drinks my blood,

00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:02.240
 Jesus says,

00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:03.379
 abides in me

00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:04.500
 and I in him.

00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:05.780
 Lord willing,

00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:06.420
 by the time we get

00:10:06.419 --> 00:10:07.459
 to chapter 15,

00:10:07.719 --> 00:10:08.740
 the whole chapter

00:10:08.740 --> 00:10:09.639
 is about abiding

00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:11.479
 in Christ 11 times.

00:10:11.819 --> 00:10:12.719
 That word comes up

00:10:12.719 --> 00:10:13.659
 in chapter 15,

00:10:13.779 --> 00:10:14.879
 that glorious chapter

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:16.759
 about abiding in Christ.

00:10:17.240 --> 00:10:18.620
 It is clear that

00:10:18.620 --> 00:10:19.879
 in the mind of John

00:10:19.879 --> 00:10:21.000
 and in the mind

00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:21.579
 of Jesus,

00:10:22.379 --> 00:10:24.059
 a disciple of Christ

00:10:24.059 --> 00:10:26.259
 is not just someone

00:10:26.259 --> 00:10:27.419
 who has heard

00:10:27.419 --> 00:10:28.299
 and responded

00:10:28.299 --> 00:10:30.059
 to his word once,

00:10:30.059 --> 00:10:31.839
 but someone

00:10:31.839 --> 00:10:34.279
 who right now,

00:10:35.219 --> 00:10:35.879
 presently,

00:10:36.439 --> 00:10:37.159
 is abiding

00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:38.719
 in the word

00:10:38.719 --> 00:10:40.000
 of Christ.

00:10:40.079 --> 00:10:40.639
 In other words,

00:10:41.419 --> 00:10:41.959
 here is what I think

00:10:41.959 --> 00:10:42.759
 Jesus is saying

00:10:42.759 --> 00:10:43.919
 here for us.

00:10:44.779 --> 00:10:45.619
 What makes

00:10:45.619 --> 00:10:46.459
 a Christian

00:10:46.459 --> 00:10:48.439
 is not just

00:10:48.439 --> 00:10:49.519
 their one time

00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:50.779
 initial profession

00:10:50.779 --> 00:10:52.299
 of faith in Christ,

00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:54.319
 but that one time

00:10:54.319 --> 00:10:55.659
 initial professing

00:10:55.659 --> 00:10:57.559
 and their ongoing

00:10:57.559 --> 00:10:58.500
 abiding

00:10:58.500 --> 00:10:59.839
 in the word

00:10:59.839 --> 00:11:00.500
 of Christ.

00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:02.259
 Let me say that again.

00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:03.819
 What makes

00:11:03.819 --> 00:11:04.679
 a disciple

00:11:04.679 --> 00:11:05.600
 of Christ,

00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:06.500
 what makes a Christian

00:11:06.500 --> 00:11:07.500
 is not just

00:11:07.500 --> 00:11:08.339
 that one time

00:11:08.339 --> 00:11:09.259
 initial profession,

00:11:09.500 --> 00:11:11.120
 but that profession

00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:11.839
 paired

00:11:11.839 --> 00:11:13.240
 with ongoing

00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:14.240
 abiding

00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:15.539
 in the words

00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:16.159
 of Christ.

00:11:16.339 --> 00:11:18.600
 The genuineness

00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:19.439
 of a disciple's

00:11:19.439 --> 00:11:20.159
 professing

00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:21.539
 is demonstrated,

00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:22.620
 is lived out,

00:11:22.699 --> 00:11:23.539
 is seen

00:11:23.539 --> 00:11:24.919
 in their ongoing

00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:26.319
 abiding.

00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:28.659
 There's been

00:11:28.659 --> 00:11:29.579
 a shift

00:11:29.579 --> 00:11:30.659
 in thinking

00:11:30.659 --> 00:11:32.740
 in cultural

00:11:32.740 --> 00:11:34.379
 American Christianity

00:11:34.379 --> 00:11:35.120
 over the past

00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:36.779
 200 years or so

00:11:36.779 --> 00:11:37.959
 where the emphasis

00:11:37.959 --> 00:11:39.000
 has shifted

00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:39.659
 to where

00:11:39.659 --> 00:11:40.699
 churches

00:11:40.699 --> 00:11:41.639
 and pastors,

00:11:41.740 --> 00:11:42.779
 we tend to

00:11:42.779 --> 00:11:44.419
 place more emphasis

00:11:44.419 --> 00:11:46.079
 on our professing

00:11:46.079 --> 00:11:46.980
 faith in the word

00:11:46.980 --> 00:11:47.480
 of Christ

00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:48.259
 than we do

00:11:48.259 --> 00:11:50.079
 in our abiding

00:11:50.079 --> 00:11:51.159
 in the word

00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:51.759
 of Christ.

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:53.639
 And I just want

00:11:53.639 --> 00:11:54.220
 to offer

00:11:54.220 --> 00:11:55.600
 a humble

00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:56.620
 and gentle

00:11:56.620 --> 00:11:57.919
 course correction

00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:58.819
 here.

00:11:59.700 --> 00:12:01.059
 Jesus is speaking

00:12:01.059 --> 00:12:01.580
 to those

00:12:01.580 --> 00:12:02.659
 who have professed

00:12:02.659 --> 00:12:03.779
 belief in his words.

00:12:04.220 --> 00:12:04.899
 And we see this

00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:05.179
 here.

00:12:05.340 --> 00:12:06.059
 He's speaking

00:12:06.059 --> 00:12:06.379
 to those

00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:07.439
 who have professed

00:12:07.439 --> 00:12:08.340
 belief and he says

00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:09.399
 that is wonderful.

00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:09.919
 You know how

00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:10.960
 I know how

00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:11.580
 you're truly

00:12:11.580 --> 00:12:12.659
 a disciple of Christ?

00:12:13.500 --> 00:12:14.299
 You stay there.

00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:15.960
 You abide

00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:17.539
 in my word.

00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:20.500
 The sad truth

00:12:20.500 --> 00:12:22.120
 is that there

00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:23.120
 are many

00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:24.399
 who at some

00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:25.440
 point in their

00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:26.820
 life profess

00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:28.000
 faith in Christ.

00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:29.159
 They will say

00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:29.679
 a prayer,

00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:30.480
 walk an aisle,

00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:31.419
 raise a hand,

00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:32.779
 do something

00:12:32.779 --> 00:12:34.059
 to profess belief

00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:34.500
 in the word

00:12:34.500 --> 00:12:34.940
 of Christ,

00:12:35.059 --> 00:12:35.779
 but over the

00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:36.759
 course of time

00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:38.379
 fall away.

00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:39.940
 And I'd be willing

00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:40.500
 to bet that

00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:41.580
 most of us

00:12:41.580 --> 00:12:42.100
 in the room

00:12:42.100 --> 00:12:43.539
 could right away

00:12:43.539 --> 00:12:44.679
 if we asked you

00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:45.840
 to think of somebody,

00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:46.720
 to name somebody

00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:47.940
 who fit that description,

00:12:47.940 --> 00:12:48.840
 all of us

00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:49.200
 in the room

00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:49.740
 could think

00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:50.720
 of someone

00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:51.660
 who fits

00:12:51.660 --> 00:12:52.340
 that description.

00:12:52.500 --> 00:12:52.880
 And oftentimes

00:12:52.880 --> 00:12:54.040
 it's painful

00:12:54.040 --> 00:12:54.920
 for us to think

00:12:54.920 --> 00:12:55.360
 about that

00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:55.740
 because these

00:12:55.740 --> 00:12:56.060
 are people

00:12:56.060 --> 00:12:56.960
 who we love

00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:57.680
 and these

00:12:57.680 --> 00:12:57.980
 are people

00:12:57.980 --> 00:12:58.440
 who we grew

00:12:58.440 --> 00:12:58.980
 up with,

00:12:59.060 --> 00:12:59.840
 these are people

00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:00.360
 who are members

00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:00.840
 of our own

00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:01.300
 family,

00:13:01.420 --> 00:13:01.900
 people who are

00:13:01.900 --> 00:13:03.000
 close to us.

00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:05.640
 It may be

00:13:05.640 --> 00:13:06.700
 and our prayer

00:13:06.700 --> 00:13:07.480
 would be that

00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:08.580
 these individuals

00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:09.560
 are genuinely

00:13:09.560 --> 00:13:10.780
 regenerate,

00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:11.840
 that they are

00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:13.120
 genuinely born again,

00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:13.920
 that they genuinely

00:13:13.920 --> 00:13:15.000
 belong to God

00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:16.320
 and have temporarily

00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:18.059
 fallen into sin.

00:13:18.700 --> 00:13:19.779
 And if that's the case,

00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:20.720
 then we can know

00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:21.340
 with confidence

00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:22.559
 the Lord will bring

00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:23.360
 them back.

00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:25.019
 But our posture

00:13:25.019 --> 00:13:25.940
 towards them

00:13:25.940 --> 00:13:27.860
 shouldn't be one

00:13:27.860 --> 00:13:29.720
 of assurance

00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:31.419
 based on some

00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:32.240
 past profession.

00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:33.940
 Our posture

00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:34.519
 towards them

00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:35.279
 ought to be one

00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:36.860
 of urging them

00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:37.940
 to repent

00:13:37.940 --> 00:13:39.059
 and believe

00:13:39.059 --> 00:13:40.059
 the gospel.

00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:42.299
 It may be

00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:43.580
 that they genuinely

00:13:43.580 --> 00:13:44.100
 belong

00:13:44.100 --> 00:13:45.820
 or it may be

00:13:45.820 --> 00:13:46.820
 that whatever

00:13:46.820 --> 00:13:47.779
 happened years

00:13:47.779 --> 00:13:48.700
 and years ago

00:13:48.700 --> 00:13:50.340
 was a false

00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:50.940
 profession

00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:52.399
 of faith.

00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:54.460
 We need to have

00:13:54.460 --> 00:13:55.420
 this category

00:13:55.420 --> 00:13:56.300
 in our mind

00:13:56.300 --> 00:13:57.320
 of false

00:13:57.320 --> 00:13:58.360
 profession

00:13:58.360 --> 00:13:59.560
 of faith.

00:13:59.680 --> 00:14:00.200
 I think of

00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:00.840
 Jesus' words

00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:01.379
 in Matthew

00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:02.700
 chapter 13

00:14:02.700 --> 00:14:03.279
 in the parable

00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:03.940
 of the sower.

00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:05.399
 Such a helpful

00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:06.040
 illustration

00:14:06.040 --> 00:14:07.120
 for us.

00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:07.680
 The sower

00:14:07.680 --> 00:14:08.540
 goes out

00:14:08.540 --> 00:14:09.740
 and he spreads

00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:10.500
 seeds

00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:11.500
 which represent

00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:12.500
 the word of God.

00:14:13.040 --> 00:14:13.680
 He spreads it

00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:14.459
 on different

00:14:14.459 --> 00:14:15.519
 types of soil.

00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.099
 Some seed

00:14:16.099 --> 00:14:16.739
 falls along

00:14:16.739 --> 00:14:17.339
 the path.

00:14:17.459 --> 00:14:17.839
 The birds

00:14:17.839 --> 00:14:18.379
 come and

00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:19.339
 they devour

00:14:19.339 --> 00:14:19.939
 the seeds.

00:14:20.659 --> 00:14:21.299
 Other seeds

00:14:21.299 --> 00:14:22.159
 fell among

00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:22.679
 thorns.

00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:23.179
 The thorns

00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:23.739
 grow up.

00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:24.559
 They choke

00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:25.479
 out the seeds.

00:14:25.620 --> 00:14:26.459
 They prove

00:14:26.459 --> 00:14:27.219
 unfruitful.

00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:28.679
 Other seed

00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:29.779
 falls on rocky

00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:30.299
 ground.

00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:31.479
 They didn't

00:14:31.479 --> 00:14:31.879
 have much

00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:32.699
 depth of soil.

00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:33.719
 Immediately

00:14:33.719 --> 00:14:34.659
 they sprang

00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:35.219
 up and it

00:14:35.219 --> 00:14:35.939
 looked like

00:14:35.939 --> 00:14:36.219
 they were

00:14:36.219 --> 00:14:36.979
 going to grow.

00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:37.439
 It looked

00:14:37.439 --> 00:14:37.819
 like they were

00:14:37.819 --> 00:14:38.319
 going to have

00:14:38.319 --> 00:14:38.679
 life.

00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:39.000
 It gave

00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:40.219
 brief appearance

00:14:40.219 --> 00:14:40.879
 of life

00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:41.539
 but they had

00:14:41.539 --> 00:14:42.359
 no root.

00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:43.379
 So when the

00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:44.060
 sun came

00:14:44.060 --> 00:14:44.539
 out it

00:14:44.539 --> 00:14:45.240
 scorched

00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:46.259
 the growth

00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:47.220
 and it

00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:47.519
 withered

00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:47.960
 away.

00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:49.419
 But still

00:14:49.419 --> 00:14:50.259
 others fell

00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:51.180
 on fertile

00:14:51.180 --> 00:14:51.879
 soil and

00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:52.639
 they took

00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:53.240
 root and

00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:53.700
 they bore

00:14:53.700 --> 00:14:54.980
 much fruit.

00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:55.419
 What does

00:14:55.419 --> 00:14:55.779
 this tell

00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:56.139
 us?

00:14:57.060 --> 00:14:57.659
 It tells

00:14:57.659 --> 00:14:58.279
 us that

00:14:58.279 --> 00:14:59.220
 professing

00:14:59.220 --> 00:14:59.779
 faith in

00:14:59.779 --> 00:15:00.779
 Christ could

00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:01.899
 be the

00:15:01.899 --> 00:15:02.440
 beginning of

00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:03.279
 a lifelong

00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:04.519
 fruit bearing

00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:05.360
 relationship

00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:06.320
 with Christ

00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:08.340
 or it

00:15:08.340 --> 00:15:09.279
 could be a

00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:10.220
 tragically

00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:11.200
 short lived

00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:12.379
 response.

00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:13.700
 It gives

00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:14.200
 the appearance

00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:15.560
 of fruit.

00:15:15.680 --> 00:15:15.840
 It gives

00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:16.320
 the appearance

00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:17.140
 of life but

00:15:17.140 --> 00:15:17.780
 it has no

00:15:17.780 --> 00:15:18.520
 root and so

00:15:18.520 --> 00:15:19.400
 over time it

00:15:19.400 --> 00:15:21.120
 withers away.

00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:24.620
 Church we

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:26.920
 long to see

00:15:26.920 --> 00:15:27.879
 professions of

00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:28.360
 faith in

00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:28.780
 Christ.

00:15:29.160 --> 00:15:29.340
 Amen?

00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.759
 We long to

00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:33.600
 see non-believers

00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:35.120
 profess faith

00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:36.240
 in Christ.

00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:37.620
 but we

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:38.259
 long to see

00:15:38.259 --> 00:15:38.960
 that profession

00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.120
 be genuine.

00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:41.279
 Amen?

00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:44.480
 And here

00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:45.100
 Jesus tells

00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:45.680
 us the way

00:15:45.680 --> 00:15:46.299
 we know

00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.000
 whether or

00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:47.399
 not that

00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:48.159
 professing of

00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:48.759
 faith is

00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:49.460
 genuine is

00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:50.019
 whether or

00:15:50.019 --> 00:15:51.120
 not it is

00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:52.360
 joined together

00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:53.620
 with ongoing

00:15:53.620 --> 00:15:55.039
 lifelong

00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:56.799
 abiding in

00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:58.019
 the word of

00:15:58.019 --> 00:15:58.480
 Christ.

00:15:59.500 --> 00:15:59.820
 Genuine

00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:01.539
 professing is

00:16:01.539 --> 00:16:03.039
 demonstrated by

00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:03.659
 present

00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:04.779
 abiding.

00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:07.719
 We have to

00:16:07.719 --> 00:16:08.459
 ask ourselves

00:16:08.459 --> 00:16:09.139
 don't we?

00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:10.939
 Are we

00:16:10.939 --> 00:16:11.860
 abiding in

00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.459
 the words of

00:16:12.459 --> 00:16:12.819
 Christ?

00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:14.799
 Are we

00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:16.339
 abiding in

00:16:16.339 --> 00:16:17.579
 the words of

00:16:17.579 --> 00:16:17.919
 Christ?

00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.439
 And what does

00:16:18.439 --> 00:16:19.439
 that even look

00:16:19.439 --> 00:16:20.419
 like for us to

00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:21.519
 abide in his

00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:21.860
 word?

00:16:21.939 --> 00:16:22.299
 Well Jesus

00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:22.719
 throughout the

00:16:22.719 --> 00:16:23.120
 rest of this

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:23.839
 passage he gives

00:16:23.839 --> 00:16:24.839
 us a pretty

00:16:24.839 --> 00:16:26.059
 good picture of

00:16:26.059 --> 00:16:26.879
 what abiding

00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:27.679
 looks like.

00:16:27.779 --> 00:16:28.339
 Look here to

00:16:28.339 --> 00:16:29.399
 verse 42.

00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:31.240
 He says if

00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:31.899
 God were your

00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:32.519
 father you

00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:33.340
 would love

00:16:33.340 --> 00:16:33.720
 me.

00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:34.600
 Verse 42

00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:35.600
 abiding looks

00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:36.639
 like love.

00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:38.200
 Verse 47

00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:39.080
 whoever is of

00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:40.080
 God hears the

00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:40.919
 words of God.

00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:41.680
 It looks like

00:16:41.680 --> 00:16:42.360
 hearing.

00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:43.299
 Looks like

00:16:43.299 --> 00:16:43.940
 receiving.

00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:44.460
 Looks like

00:16:44.460 --> 00:16:45.440
 listening to

00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.139
 the words of

00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:46.399
 God.

00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:46.860
 Not just

00:16:46.860 --> 00:16:47.840
 once but for

00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.759
 the rest of

00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:49.500
 your life.

00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:50.879
 Verse 51

00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:51.799
 if anyone

00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:52.740
 keeps my

00:16:52.740 --> 00:16:53.419
 word he will

00:16:53.419 --> 00:16:54.279
 never see

00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:54.919
 death.

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:55.580
 It looks like

00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:56.759
 keeping the

00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:57.779
 word of God.

00:16:57.899 --> 00:16:58.840
 Obeying the

00:16:58.840 --> 00:16:59.659
 word of God.

00:16:59.820 --> 00:17:00.899
 Following the

00:17:00.899 --> 00:17:02.059
 word of God.

00:17:02.139 --> 00:17:02.819
 You put this

00:17:02.819 --> 00:17:03.399
 together I

00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:03.759
 think we have

00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:04.819
 a pretty good

00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:06.259
 picture of a

00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:07.139
 disciple of

00:17:07.139 --> 00:17:07.519
 Jesus.

00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:09.019
 A true

00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:09.759
 disciple of

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.039
 Jesus hears

00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.700
 the word,

00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:13.160
 believes the

00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:14.519
 word, loves

00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:15.819
 the Christ of

00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:16.400
 the word and

00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:16.980
 because he

00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:17.579
 loves the

00:17:17.579 --> 00:17:18.059
 Christ of

00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:18.639
 the word he

00:17:18.639 --> 00:17:19.660
 abides in

00:17:19.660 --> 00:17:20.700
 that word and

00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:22.099
 he keeps that

00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:22.480
 word.

00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:25.019
 Does this

00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:25.759
 describe you?

00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:28.220
 Does this

00:17:28.220 --> 00:17:30.160
 sound like

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:30.980
 you?

00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:32.000
 Of course

00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.420
 none of us

00:17:34.420 --> 00:17:35.920
 abide in the

00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:36.420
 word of

00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:36.860
 Christ

00:17:36.860 --> 00:17:37.779
 perfectly.

00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:39.480
 Right?

00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:41.100
 Am I the

00:17:41.100 --> 00:17:41.940
 only one that

00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:43.160
 fails to

00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:43.700
 abide in the

00:17:43.700 --> 00:17:44.040
 word of

00:17:44.040 --> 00:17:44.360
 Christ

00:17:44.360 --> 00:17:44.900
 perfectly?

00:17:45.120 --> 00:17:45.580
 No, I

00:17:45.580 --> 00:17:46.040
 hope not.

00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:47.400
 Which simply

00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:47.779
 means that

00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:48.400
 there's room

00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:49.360
 for all of

00:17:49.360 --> 00:17:49.880
 us to

00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:50.700
 grow here.

00:17:51.700 --> 00:17:52.320
 How can

00:17:52.320 --> 00:17:53.080
 you grow to

00:17:53.080 --> 00:17:53.900
 abide in the

00:17:53.900 --> 00:17:54.300
 word of

00:17:54.300 --> 00:17:54.540
 Christ?

00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:55.900
 What area of

00:17:55.900 --> 00:17:56.540
 your life

00:17:56.540 --> 00:17:57.440
 specifically

00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:58.940
 has yet to

00:17:58.940 --> 00:18:00.039
 submit to

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:01.259
 the word of

00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:01.759
 Christ?

00:18:03.140 --> 00:18:03.320
 And you

00:18:03.320 --> 00:18:03.700
 know, wouldn't

00:18:03.700 --> 00:18:04.519
 it be great

00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:06.840
 if there was

00:18:06.840 --> 00:18:07.860
 some sort of

00:18:07.860 --> 00:18:08.759
 community, some

00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:09.480
 sort of

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:10.880
 gathering maybe,

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:11.759
 some sort of

00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:12.519
 group of

00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:13.480
 people, maybe a

00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:14.220
 family of

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:14.740
 people.

00:18:15.120 --> 00:18:15.700
 I'm just

00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.380
 thinking off the

00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:16.720
 top of my

00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:17.259
 head right now.

00:18:17.340 --> 00:18:18.180
 Some gathering

00:18:18.180 --> 00:18:20.000
 of people who

00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.200
 could help us

00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:22.460
 abide in the

00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:23.140
 word of Christ.

00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:23.500
 Wouldn't that

00:18:23.500 --> 00:18:23.920
 be great?

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:27.840
 look around at

00:18:27.840 --> 00:18:28.460
 your brothers and

00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:29.259
 sisters to your

00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:30.019
 left, to your

00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:30.680
 right, behind

00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:31.880
 you, in front

00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:32.300
 of you.

00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:34.779
 The church is a

00:18:34.779 --> 00:18:36.220
 family of

00:18:36.220 --> 00:18:37.560
 disciples of

00:18:37.560 --> 00:18:38.019
 Christ.

00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:40.120
 The church is a

00:18:40.120 --> 00:18:41.560
 family of

00:18:41.560 --> 00:18:42.539
 disciples who

00:18:42.539 --> 00:18:43.440
 are gathered

00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:44.180
 together to

00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:45.140
 lock arms

00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:45.800
 together to

00:18:45.800 --> 00:18:46.640
 help one

00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:47.940
 another abide

00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:49.259
 in Christ.

00:18:49.660 --> 00:18:49.900
 You know, it

00:18:49.900 --> 00:18:50.340
 may be that we

00:18:50.340 --> 00:18:50.880
 need to kind of

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.259
 rethink our

00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:53.000
 definition of

00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:53.900
 church a little

00:18:53.900 --> 00:18:55.039
 bit, how we

00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:55.619
 thought about

00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:56.279
 church in the

00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:56.599
 past.

00:18:56.680 --> 00:18:57.819
 It's not just a

00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:58.480
 gathering of

00:18:58.480 --> 00:18:59.880
 loosely identified

00:18:59.880 --> 00:19:00.799
 individuals who

00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:01.559
 happen to be in

00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:02.359
 the same place at

00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:03.140
 the same time,

00:19:03.420 --> 00:19:04.099
 hearing the same

00:19:04.099 --> 00:19:05.119
 guy speak the

00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.200
 same message, and

00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:06.880
 then we go off

00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:07.420
 on our own.

00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:09.420
 The church is a

00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:11.039
 family of

00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:11.759
 disciples.

00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:13.079
 We lock arms to

00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:14.380
 help one another

00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:15.099
 abide.

00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:16.759
 And we need

00:19:16.759 --> 00:19:17.740
 one another.

00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:19.940
 So we commit to

00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:20.619
 one another to

00:19:20.619 --> 00:19:21.680
 say, I will

00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:22.900
 gather with my

00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:23.420
 brothers and

00:19:23.420 --> 00:19:24.000
 sisters for

00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:24.320
 worship.

00:19:25.040 --> 00:19:26.360
 I will encourage

00:19:26.360 --> 00:19:27.180
 my brothers and

00:19:27.180 --> 00:19:27.440
 sisters.

00:19:27.580 --> 00:19:29.000
 I will pray for

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.720
 my brothers and

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.080
 sisters.

00:19:30.860 --> 00:19:32.320
 I will meaningfully

00:19:32.320 --> 00:19:33.140
 engage in my

00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:33.580
 brothers and

00:19:33.580 --> 00:19:34.360
 sisters' life.

00:19:35.080 --> 00:19:36.400
 I will send

00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:38.440
 notes of prayer

00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:39.120
 and encouragement

00:19:39.120 --> 00:19:39.660
 to them.

00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:40.860
 I will help

00:19:40.860 --> 00:19:41.400
 them obey.

00:19:41.660 --> 00:19:42.740
 I will call

00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:43.620
 them out if

00:19:43.620 --> 00:19:44.680
 they are falling

00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:45.360
 short, and I

00:19:45.360 --> 00:19:46.100
 invite them to do

00:19:46.100 --> 00:19:47.019
 the same for me.

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:48.940
 We'll gather to

00:19:48.940 --> 00:19:50.060
 sing songs of

00:19:50.060 --> 00:19:50.860
 worship that are

00:19:50.860 --> 00:19:52.259
 preaching truth,

00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:52.759
 not just that

00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:53.519
 make us feel a

00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:54.720
 certain way, but

00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:55.700
 that equip us to

00:19:55.700 --> 00:19:56.359
 abide in the

00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:56.579
 word.

00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:57.299
 We'll gather and

00:19:57.299 --> 00:19:58.259
 we'll sit under the

00:19:58.259 --> 00:19:59.059
 preaching of the

00:19:59.059 --> 00:20:00.079
 word every week.

00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:01.700
 We'll make a

00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:02.819
 priority of prayer

00:20:02.819 --> 00:20:03.359
 gatherings.

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:03.799
 We'll make a

00:20:03.799 --> 00:20:04.819
 priority of Bible

00:20:04.819 --> 00:20:05.259
 study.

00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.000
 We'll make a

00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:06.680
 priority of

00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:07.240
 gathering for

00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:08.279
 Sunday school so

00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:09.539
 that we can

00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:10.940
 abide in the

00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:12.500
 word together.

00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:14.539
 That's what church

00:20:14.539 --> 00:20:15.259
 is meant to be.

00:20:15.259 --> 00:20:18.839
 Are you abiding in

00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:20.019
 his word?

00:20:20.539 --> 00:20:21.819
 A true disciple of

00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:23.359
 Jesus is one who

00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:24.740
 abides.

00:20:24.859 --> 00:20:25.960
 Well, how does he

00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:26.759
 describe those who

00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:28.379
 are out of Christ?

00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:28.940
 We have the whole

00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:29.720
 rest of the chapter

00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:31.019
 here to deal with.

00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:31.980
 How does he

00:20:31.980 --> 00:20:33.160
 describe those who

00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:34.900
 are out of Christ?

00:20:35.019 --> 00:20:35.980
 And he does so in

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:37.619
 three ways here,

00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:39.039
 three descriptions of

00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:39.980
 those who are outside

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:41.480
 of Christ, and it is

00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:42.640
 not pretty.

00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.380
 He says first,

00:20:46.180 --> 00:20:47.100
 those who are not

00:20:47.100 --> 00:20:48.380
 in Christ are

00:20:48.380 --> 00:20:50.020
 slaves of sin.

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:53.120
 They're slaves of

00:20:53.120 --> 00:20:53.480
 sin.

00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:56.620
 The Jews, they did

00:20:56.620 --> 00:20:57.540
 not like what Jesus

00:20:57.540 --> 00:20:58.280
 had just said in

00:20:58.280 --> 00:20:58.840
 verse 32.

00:20:59.800 --> 00:21:01.340
 He said, the truth

00:21:01.340 --> 00:21:02.920
 will set you free.

00:21:03.800 --> 00:21:04.460
 And that set them

00:21:04.460 --> 00:21:04.680
 off.

00:21:04.800 --> 00:21:05.680
 They said, well, we

00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:06.940
 are offspring of

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:08.040
 Abraham, and we've

00:21:08.040 --> 00:21:09.060
 never been enslaved

00:21:09.060 --> 00:21:09.759
 to anyone.

00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:11.560
 How can you say

00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:13.179
 that you will

00:21:13.179 --> 00:21:14.379
 become free?

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:16.059
 See, they didn't

00:21:16.059 --> 00:21:17.419
 understand that the

00:21:17.419 --> 00:21:18.519
 slavery he was

00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:19.279
 talking about was

00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:21.279
 not physical slavery.

00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:22.559
 He was talking

00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.859
 about spiritual

00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:25.899
 slavery to sin.

00:21:27.179 --> 00:21:27.980
 Now, despite what

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:28.779
 you may have been

00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:31.599
 told, sin, living

00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.279
 life outside of

00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.859
 Christ, outside of

00:21:34.859 --> 00:21:36.139
 God, is not

00:21:36.139 --> 00:21:36.819
 freedom.

00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:38.579
 The way that the

00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:39.599
 world would talk

00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:40.500
 about Christianity,

00:21:40.500 --> 00:21:41.920
 the way the world

00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:42.460
 would talk about

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.720
 the Bible, is, well,

00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:45.200
 that's so restrictive.

00:21:46.299 --> 00:21:47.099
 I just want to live

00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:48.180
 life on my terms,

00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:49.200
 make my own choices,

00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:50.500
 live how I want to

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:50.740
 live.

00:21:50.819 --> 00:21:52.019
 Maybe I'll come to

00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:52.799
 church when I want

00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:53.539
 to, read the Bible

00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:54.359
 when I want to, but

00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:56.339
 ultimately, I call the

00:21:56.339 --> 00:21:56.880
 shots here.

00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.099
 That's true freedom.

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:59.799
 Well, Jesus says, no.

00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:00.880
 No.

00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:03.720
 You are enslaved to

00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:05.039
 sin.

00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:05.720
 Romans 6.

00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:08.599
 Paul tells us, no one

00:22:08.599 --> 00:22:09.939
 is truly independent.

00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:10.959
 All of us, we're

00:22:10.959 --> 00:22:12.599
 either slaves of sin

00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:14.159
 or slaves of

00:22:14.159 --> 00:22:14.799
 righteousness.

00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:16.279
 There's two types of

00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:17.179
 people in the world.

00:22:18.719 --> 00:22:19.779
 They didn't understand

00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:21.219
 this, so Jesus told

00:22:21.219 --> 00:22:22.159
 them in verse 34,

00:22:22.379 --> 00:22:23.539
 truly, truly, I say

00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:25.659
 to you, everyone who

00:22:25.659 --> 00:22:28.459
 practices sin is a

00:22:28.459 --> 00:22:29.839
 slave to sin.

00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:31.699
 The slave does not

00:22:31.699 --> 00:22:32.539
 remain in the house

00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:32.899
 forever.

00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:34.179
 The son remains

00:22:34.179 --> 00:22:34.619
 forever.

00:22:34.619 --> 00:22:36.819
 So, if the son sets

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:38.339
 you free, you will be

00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:40.259
 free indeed.

00:22:41.699 --> 00:22:42.979
 Everyone who is

00:22:42.979 --> 00:22:45.039
 outside of Christ,

00:22:45.859 --> 00:22:47.599
 Jesus says, is

00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:49.899
 enslaved to the

00:22:49.899 --> 00:22:51.559
 powers of sin.

00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:53.619
 He says, everyone who

00:22:53.619 --> 00:22:56.159
 practices sin is a

00:22:56.159 --> 00:22:57.899
 slave to sin.

00:22:57.979 --> 00:22:58.599
 Now, we had better

00:22:58.599 --> 00:22:59.379
 understand what that

00:22:59.379 --> 00:22:59.739
 means.

00:23:00.899 --> 00:23:01.099
 All right?

00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:01.799
 Because we all just

00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:03.480
 admitted that all of

00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:05.119
 us struggle to abide in

00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:05.859
 the words of Christ.

00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:06.500
 All of us just

00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.859
 admitted that we fall

00:23:07.859 --> 00:23:08.779
 short, that we are

00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:09.099
 sinners.

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:10.460
 I'm here to confess to

00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:11.279
 you, your pastor

00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:12.299
 struggles with sin.

00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:14.779
 Your pastor is a

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:15.079
 sinner.

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:16.119
 All right?

00:23:16.819 --> 00:23:18.339
 We'd better understand

00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:19.519
 what it means to be

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.339
 enslaved, to practice

00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:23.519
 sin.

00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:24.960
 We don't believe in a

00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.859
 perfectionist theology,

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:28.599
 that when you come to

00:23:28.599 --> 00:23:29.980
 Christ, you are free

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.079
 from the presence of

00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:31.799
 sin in your life.

00:23:32.599 --> 00:23:33.819
 We do not hold to a

00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:35.579
 perfectionist theology

00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:37.819
 that says that all of

00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:38.819
 us here, we are in

00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:39.140
 Christ.

00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:40.160
 That means we don't

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.539
 sin.

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:44.279
 I remember in college

00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:46.299
 every now and then, a

00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:47.160
 street preacher, when

00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:47.680
 the weather started

00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.579
 getting nice, a street

00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:49.339
 preacher would come.

00:23:49.420 --> 00:23:50.860
 He'd set up shop on the

00:23:50.860 --> 00:23:52.400
 front lawn, and as

00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.180
 students were walking

00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:54.480
 to and from class, he

00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:55.779
 would shout into a

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:57.579
 megaphone to everybody

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.620
 who walked by.

00:23:58.619 --> 00:23:59.659
 And I remember, he

00:23:59.659 --> 00:24:00.619
 would quote scripture

00:24:00.619 --> 00:24:02.399
 out of 1 John.

00:24:02.459 --> 00:24:03.819
 He would quote 1 John

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:04.619
 5, 18.

00:24:05.399 --> 00:24:06.339
 It says, we know that

00:24:06.339 --> 00:24:07.359
 everyone who has been

00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:08.759
 born of God does not

00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:09.739
 keep on sinning.

00:24:10.859 --> 00:24:12.399
 And he would quote 1

00:24:12.399 --> 00:24:14.059
 John 3, 8, and 9.

00:24:14.179 --> 00:24:15.219
 Whoever makes a

00:24:15.219 --> 00:24:16.639
 practice of sinning, same

00:24:16.639 --> 00:24:18.479
 language there, whoever

00:24:18.479 --> 00:24:19.639
 makes a practice of

00:24:19.639 --> 00:24:21.599
 sinning is of the devil.

00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:23.319
 For the devil has been

00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:24.159
 sinning from the

00:24:24.159 --> 00:24:24.500
 beginning.

00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:26.500
 The reason the Son of

00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:27.500
 God appeared was to

00:24:27.500 --> 00:24:28.700
 destroy the works of

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.059
 the devil.

00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:30.200
 No one born of God

00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:31.240
 makes a practice of

00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:32.480
 sinning, for God's

00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:33.599
 seed abides in him, and

00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:34.880
 he cannot keep on

00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:35.819
 sinning because he has

00:24:35.819 --> 00:24:37.380
 been born of God.

00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:39.539
 He would take these

00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:41.460
 verses and shout them

00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:43.099
 into the megaphone to

00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:44.799
 say that true Christians

00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:45.779
 don't sin.

00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:47.880
 He would say, I don't

00:24:47.880 --> 00:24:48.220
 sin.

00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:50.119
 True Christians don't

00:24:50.119 --> 00:24:50.519
 sin.

00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.799
 And all you heathen

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.799
 college students on your

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:54.680
 way to class are sinners

00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:56.400
 and you need to be born

00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:56.860
 again.

00:24:58.420 --> 00:24:59.780
 I struggled with that.

00:25:01.040 --> 00:25:02.320
 I had to wrap my mind

00:25:02.320 --> 00:25:03.880
 around that because I

00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:05.140
 was a believer.

00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:06.680
 I had been born again,

00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:08.560
 but I still struggled

00:25:08.560 --> 00:25:09.180
 with sin.

00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:12.540
 I wasn't equipped enough

00:25:12.540 --> 00:25:14.000
 to debate him at that

00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:15.240
 point, so I just ignored

00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:16.440
 him on the way to class.

00:25:17.220 --> 00:25:19.160
 But if I could go back,

00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:20.460
 I would have told him,

00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:22.280
 just would you flip like

00:25:22.280 --> 00:25:23.560
 two pages over in your

00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:23.899
 Bible?

00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:26.759
 First John chapter 1,

00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:27.759
 do you know what it

00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:28.079
 says?

00:25:30.399 --> 00:25:32.480
 John says, if we say we

00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:34.559
 have no sin, we deceive

00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.980
 ourselves and the truth is

00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:36.679
 not in us.

00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:40.379
 If we confess our sins, he

00:25:40.379 --> 00:25:42.819
 is faithful and just to

00:25:42.819 --> 00:25:44.460
 forgive us our sins and to

00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:45.859
 cleanse us from all

00:25:45.859 --> 00:25:46.819
 unrighteousness.

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:48.779
 If we say we have not

00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:51.000
 sinned, we make him a liar

00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:52.579
 and his word is not in

00:25:52.579 --> 00:25:52.920
 us.

00:25:52.920 --> 00:25:54.599
 My little children, I am

00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:56.160
 writing these things to

00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:58.380
 you so that you may not

00:25:58.380 --> 00:25:58.740
 sin.

00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:02.960
 But if anyone does sin, if

00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:06.359
 anyone does sin, we have

00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:08.200
 an advocate with the

00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:11.000
 Father, Jesus Christ, the

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:11.319
 righteous.

00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:15.140
 The point is this, the

00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:16.920
 difference between believers

00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.859
 and non-believers.

00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:20.599
 the difference between

00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:22.259
 those who are in Christ

00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:24.039
 and those who are out is

00:26:24.039 --> 00:26:26.319
 not that they sin and we

00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:26.919
 don't.

00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:29.379
 It's that by the grace of

00:26:29.379 --> 00:26:31.259
 God through faith in Jesus

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:33.039
 Christ, we have been set

00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:35.399
 free from the enslaving

00:26:35.399 --> 00:26:38.199
 power of sin in our lives.

00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:42.279
 The Son has set us free and

00:26:42.279 --> 00:26:43.899
 we are free indeed, which

00:26:43.899 --> 00:26:46.419
 means the rest of our life on

00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:48.019
 this side of glory is going

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:51.039
 to be marked by war against

00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:52.539
 the presence of sin in our

00:26:52.539 --> 00:26:52.880
 lives.

00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:55.220
 It's not freedom from the

00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:56.279
 presence of sin in our

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:56.519
 lives.

00:26:56.580 --> 00:26:57.580
 It's not freedom from the

00:26:57.580 --> 00:26:59.320
 pain of sin in our lives.

00:26:59.380 --> 00:27:00.240
 It's freedom from the

00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:02.740
 power, enslaving power of

00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:03.740
 sin in our lives, which

00:27:03.740 --> 00:27:05.500
 means we now go to war

00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:06.660
 against it with the

00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:08.039
 confidence that we have

00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:10.600
 been set free by the power

00:27:10.600 --> 00:27:12.860
 of Jesus Christ in us.

00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:16.619
 It is so easy for us to be

00:27:16.619 --> 00:27:19.519
 discouraged, isn't it, by the

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:21.379
 presence of sin in us

00:27:21.379 --> 00:27:25.059
 lingering, coming out of us

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:27.899
 day in, day out, week in,

00:27:27.959 --> 00:27:28.319
 week out.

00:27:28.399 --> 00:27:30.459
 We wrestle against these sins

00:27:30.459 --> 00:27:32.199
 that we just wish would go

00:27:32.199 --> 00:27:32.579
 away.

00:27:32.719 --> 00:27:34.559
 We thought for sure by now

00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:36.159
 they would be done and gone

00:27:36.159 --> 00:27:36.439
 with.

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:37.459
 We might have grown up a

00:27:37.459 --> 00:27:38.399
 little bit more and we're

00:27:38.399 --> 00:27:39.379
 not dealing with this old

00:27:39.379 --> 00:27:40.079
 stuff anymore.

00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:41.779
 But we want to get rid of it

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:42.240
 completely.

00:27:42.359 --> 00:27:43.299
 We don't know why it's

00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:43.879
 still there.

00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:47.139
 Can I just suggest to you,

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:51.039
 believer, that the very fact

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:54.700
 that you see it, you hate it,

00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:57.379
 and you're fighting against it

00:27:57.379 --> 00:27:59.519
 is evidence of the grace of

00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.139
 God in you.

00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:03.920
 The very fact that you are

00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:06.559
 waging war against it, that

00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:07.819
 you're in the fight, that you're

00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:10.279
 in the battle, means that you

00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:13.039
 have spiritual life in you to

00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:15.139
 see sin for what it is and to

00:28:15.139 --> 00:28:16.859
 work by the grace of God to put

00:28:16.859 --> 00:28:17.379
 it to death.

00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:22.500
 No one has been more helpful to

00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:23.940
 me in understanding this than

00:28:23.940 --> 00:28:25.639
 John Owen.

00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:28.740
 Listen to this quote.

00:28:29.539 --> 00:28:30.299
 He says,

00:28:30.299 --> 00:28:33.480
 To kill sin is the work of living

00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:33.819
 men.

00:28:35.579 --> 00:28:37.879
 Where men are dead, as all

00:28:37.879 --> 00:28:39.339
 believers, the best of them are

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:43.319
 dead, sin is alive and sin will

00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:43.899
 live.

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:46.619
 In other words, if you are

00:28:46.619 --> 00:28:49.379
 battling sin this morning, don't

00:28:49.379 --> 00:28:51.019
 be discouraged.

00:28:51.659 --> 00:28:52.659
 Keep battling.

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:56.299
 Follow the words of 1 John and

00:28:56.299 --> 00:28:59.159
 confess your sin, knowing that God

00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:00.800
 is faithful and just to forgive

00:29:00.800 --> 00:29:02.620
 you of your sin, knowing that you

00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:04.440
 have an advocate before the

00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:06.320
 Father, Jesus Christ the

00:29:06.320 --> 00:29:06.720
 righteous.

00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:09.720
 Don't be discouraged, but continue

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:12.220
 pressing on in the fight against

00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:12.740
 sin.

00:29:14.100 --> 00:29:14.820
 Christ says,

00:29:15.560 --> 00:29:17.900
 Everyone who practices sin is a

00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:19.660
 slave to sin, but the good news of

00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:22.220
 the gospel is that the Son can set

00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:22.700
 you free.

00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:26.640
 The Son can set you free.

00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:29.620
 Not only this, Jesus says those who

00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:31.060
 are outside of Christ, they're

00:29:31.060 --> 00:29:33.920
 slaves to sin, and they are sons

00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:35.820
 and daughters of Satan.

00:29:36.780 --> 00:29:39.400
 I told you this wasn't pretty, right?

00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:41.640
 They are sons and daughters of

00:29:42.280 --> 00:29:42.660
 Satan.

00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:44.180
 Jesus says in verse 37,

00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:46.620
 I know that you are offspring of

00:29:46.620 --> 00:29:49.320
 Abraham, yet you seek to kill me

00:29:49.320 --> 00:29:51.900
 because my word finds no place in

00:29:51.900 --> 00:29:52.200
 you.

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:54.720
 I speak of what I've seen with my

00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:55.160
 father.

00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:58.579
 You do what you have heard from

00:29:58.579 --> 00:29:59.440
 your father.

00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:01.500
 So they answered him.

00:30:01.559 --> 00:30:04.299
 Verse 39, they said, well, Abraham

00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:05.299
 is our father.

00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:08.980
 In other words, we're Jewish.

00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:11.220
 What are you talking about?

00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:13.360
 We belong to God.

00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:15.100
 We're children of Abraham.

00:30:15.339 --> 00:30:17.980
 They're putting all of their stock in

00:30:17.980 --> 00:30:20.559
 their physical lineage, in their

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:23.460
 physical heritage, that they belong

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:25.500
 to God because they're a part of

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:27.579
 the physical line of Abraham.

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:29.220
 But Jesus says, not so fast.

00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:32.819
 If you were Abraham's children, you

00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:34.619
 would be doing the works that Abraham

00:30:34.619 --> 00:30:35.059
 did.

00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:39.399
 But now you seek to kill me, a man who

00:30:39.399 --> 00:30:41.259
 told you the truth that I heard from

00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:41.579
 God.

00:30:41.619 --> 00:30:42.659
 That's not what Abraham did.

00:30:43.460 --> 00:30:45.980
 You're doing the works that your

00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:47.619
 father did.

00:30:47.619 --> 00:30:50.479
 They said, oh, we only have one

00:30:50.479 --> 00:30:50.819
 father.

00:30:51.399 --> 00:30:53.219
 We're not born of sexual immorality.

00:30:53.339 --> 00:30:55.619
 We have one father, even God.

00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:57.859
 God is our father.

00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:59.619
 And here's where Jesus draws the line.

00:31:00.479 --> 00:31:03.379
 Because that claim, it was not backed

00:31:03.379 --> 00:31:03.979
 up.

00:31:05.159 --> 00:31:07.379
 So Jesus said to them, if God were your

00:31:07.379 --> 00:31:08.939
 father, you would love me.

00:31:09.379 --> 00:31:11.319
 For I came from God and I am here.

00:31:12.059 --> 00:31:14.679
 I came not of my own accord, but he sent

00:31:14.679 --> 00:31:14.899
 me.

00:31:14.900 --> 00:31:16.560
 Why do you not understand what I say?

00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:19.320
 It's because you can't bear to hear my

00:31:19.320 --> 00:31:19.800
 word.

00:31:20.920 --> 00:31:23.920
 You are of your father, the devil, and

00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:26.240
 your will is to do your father's desires.

00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:28.960
 He was a murderer from the beginning and

00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:30.880
 does not stand in the truth because

00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:32.340
 there's no truth in him.

00:31:32.420 --> 00:31:34.600
 When he lies, he speaks out of his own

00:31:34.600 --> 00:31:36.860
 character, for he is a liar and the

00:31:36.860 --> 00:31:37.780
 father of lies.

00:31:37.860 --> 00:31:40.160
 But because I tell you the truth, you do

00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:41.280
 not believe me.

00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:44.360
 Which one of you convicts me of sin?

00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:46.779
 If I tell you the truth, why do you not

00:31:46.779 --> 00:31:47.459
 believe me?

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:52.579
 Whoever is of God hears the words of God.

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:56.119
 The reason why you do not hear them is

00:31:56.119 --> 00:31:58.799
 that you are not of God.

00:32:00.379 --> 00:32:02.979
 They claimed to be of God.

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:07.959
 They claimed to belong to Abraham.

00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:08.039
 Abraham.

00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:10.779
 You all know the children's song.

00:32:11.860 --> 00:32:12.840
 Father Abraham.

00:32:13.539 --> 00:32:14.500
 Many sons.

00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:17.079
 Many sons had father Abraham.

00:32:17.620 --> 00:32:19.860
 I am one of them and so are you.

00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:22.039
 So let's just praise the Lord.

00:32:22.120 --> 00:32:22.660
 Right arm.

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.460
 Left arm.

00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:27.140
 I don't think the Jews knew that song.

00:32:27.140 --> 00:32:30.460
 But they believed what the song says.

00:32:31.600 --> 00:32:32.920
 I am a child of Abraham.

00:32:33.220 --> 00:32:33.960
 So are you.

00:32:34.120 --> 00:32:35.080
 We are children of God.

00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:36.060
 We are children of Abraham.

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:37.520
 Everything is just great.

00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:39.500
 Let's just praise the Lord and get on with it.

00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:43.320
 But Jesus says not so fast.

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:47.220
 You are not children of Abraham.

00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:50.700
 And you are not children of God.

00:32:50.700 --> 00:32:51.360
 How do I know?

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:55.380
 Your works show that you don't belong to God.

00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:57.580
 You are doing the works of Satan.

00:32:57.720 --> 00:33:00.420
 Your heart shows that you don't belong to God.

00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:02.240
 You are rejecting the Messiah.

00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:05.500
 And your ears show that you don't belong to God

00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:09.220
 because you can't bear to hear the word of God.

00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:16.100
 You know, in our day, I have never heard anyone say,

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.319
 but I'm a child of Abraham.

00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:20.140
 But I belong to Abraham.

00:33:21.420 --> 00:33:22.519
 But you know what I have heard?

00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:26.940
 Well, I've been going to this church for 30 years.

00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:30.360
 My dad was a deacon.

00:33:31.259 --> 00:33:33.920
 But my granddad was a deacon.

00:33:34.100 --> 00:33:35.620
 I grew up in the church.

00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:37.940
 I have this religious heritage.

00:33:38.120 --> 00:33:40.360
 Are you telling me I don't belong to the Lord?

00:33:41.580 --> 00:33:46.840
 Those things are wonderful, wonderful graces, wonderful gifts.

00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:50.720
 But that does not make you a disciple of Christ.

00:33:51.899 --> 00:33:55.899
 Jesus tells us here that a true disciple of Jesus,

00:33:56.799 --> 00:33:59.519
 a true disciple, a true son of Abraham,

00:33:59.679 --> 00:34:02.480
 is not a matter of physical lineage,

00:34:02.939 --> 00:34:05.240
 not a matter of physical birth,

00:34:05.339 --> 00:34:07.519
 not a matter of spiritual heritage,

00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:13.860
 but spiritual rebirth by the power of the Holy Spirit in you.

00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:17.739
 And to belong to God, to be a child of God,

00:34:17.780 --> 00:34:22.340
 means the Holy Spirit has opened up your ears to hear his word.

00:34:22.340 --> 00:34:24.380
 And as you hear the word,

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:27.079
 you trust and accept Jesus as the Messiah.

00:34:27.240 --> 00:34:29.840
 Your heart is changed so that you love him.

00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:32.180
 And as you grow to love him with all your heart,

00:34:32.260 --> 00:34:34.900
 then you go and you do his works.

00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:39.000
 These are the fruits of someone who has God as their father.

00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:42.039
 But all of it,

00:34:42.460 --> 00:34:43.840
 all of it,

00:34:44.780 --> 00:34:49.079
 hangs on how you receive the word of God.

00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:50.780
 It's our last description here.

00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:58.340
 Those outside of Christ are scoffers and skeptics of the word of Christ.

00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:02.079
 Jesus told them,

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:06.480
 you don't hear my words because you don't belong to God.

00:35:07.619 --> 00:35:08.860
 How did they respond?

00:35:09.960 --> 00:35:11.079
 You have a demon.

00:35:12.219 --> 00:35:14.039
 You are a Samaritan.

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:17.320
 Look how Jesus responds to that in verse 49.

00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:17.739
 He says,

00:35:17.860 --> 00:35:19.320
 I do not have a demon,

00:35:19.820 --> 00:35:23.059
 but I honor my father and you dishonor me.

00:35:23.900 --> 00:35:24.059
 You know,

00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:25.539
 I do not seek my own glory.

00:35:25.659 --> 00:35:27.980
 There is one who seeks it and he is the judge.

00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:29.159
 Truly,

00:35:29.300 --> 00:35:29.500
 truly,

00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:30.420
 I say to you,

00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:32.800
 if anyone keeps my word,

00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:36.039
 he will never see death.

00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:36.760
 Did you hear that?

00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:38.699
 Did you hear that?

00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:41.820
 If anyone keeps my word,

00:35:42.360 --> 00:35:45.280
 he will never see death.

00:35:45.380 --> 00:35:45.900
 What a claim.

00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:49.400
 What a claim that he just made.

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:54.539
 This is the same claim that he's been making all through the gospel of John.

00:35:54.539 --> 00:36:01.019
 This is the same offer that Christ has made again and again and again and again.

00:36:01.019 --> 00:36:05.380
 This is the offer of the gospel and he could not be any clearer.

00:36:05.380 --> 00:36:07.619
 We saw it in chapter 3.

00:36:07.619 --> 00:36:10.179
 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

00:36:10.699 --> 00:36:16.759
 so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

00:36:16.760 --> 00:36:25.740
 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish,

00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:27.480
 but have eternal life.

00:36:28.040 --> 00:36:31.760
 Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty.

00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:38.040
 That water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:40.219
 Truly, truly, truly, I say to you,

00:36:40.279 --> 00:36:45.840
 whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.

00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:48.920
 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

00:36:49.079 --> 00:36:50.779
 but will have the light of life.

00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:52.159
 This is the will of my Father,

00:36:52.259 --> 00:36:57.480
 that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.

00:36:57.579 --> 00:36:59.860
 I am the living bread that came down from heaven.

00:36:59.860 --> 00:37:02.920
 If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.

00:37:03.740 --> 00:37:06.400
 The bread that I'll give the world is my flesh.

00:37:06.559 --> 00:37:07.740
 I am the light of the world.

00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:10.860
 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:13.400
 but will have the light of life.

00:37:13.460 --> 00:37:18.559
 Just over and over and over and over again,

00:37:18.760 --> 00:37:23.820
 Jesus has offered eternal life to sinners like us.

00:37:24.280 --> 00:37:28.440
 If we would only repent and believe his words.

00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:37.579
 Now, the good news of the gospel is that sinners don't have to stay on the outside of Christ.

00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:39.140
 Amen?

00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:45.559
 We don't have to remain as slaves of sin.

00:37:46.320 --> 00:37:52.539
 The good news of the gospel is that we don't have to remain as sons and daughters of Satan.

00:37:53.400 --> 00:37:58.360
 We don't have to continue to scoff at Christ and his word.

00:37:58.360 --> 00:38:04.740
 Lord, Jesus Christ offers eternal life through faith in his life-giving word.

00:38:04.820 --> 00:38:07.940
 If only we would listen and believe.

00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:10.539
 He says, my sheep hear my voice.

00:38:11.559 --> 00:38:16.120
 But those who don't belong to him scoff at the offer.

00:38:17.579 --> 00:38:20.000
 Look how they responded in verse 52.

00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:24.619
 The Jews said to him, well, now we know that you have a demon.

00:38:26.039 --> 00:38:28.000
 Abraham died, as did the prophets.

00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:32.699
 Yet you say, if anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.

00:38:32.760 --> 00:38:35.059
 Are you greater than our father Abraham who died?

00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:36.340
 They had no idea, did they?

00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:38.880
 And the prophets died.

00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:41.960
 Who do you make yourself out to be?

00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:46.480
 Jesus said, if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.

00:38:46.599 --> 00:38:50.440
 It's my father who glorifies me, of whom you say he's our God.

00:38:50.579 --> 00:38:52.800
 But you have not known him.

00:38:53.340 --> 00:38:54.300
 I know him.

00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:58.360
 If I were to say I do not know him, I would be a liar like you.

00:38:58.420 --> 00:39:01.159
 But I do know him, and I keep his word.

00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:05.280
 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day.

00:39:05.820 --> 00:39:08.059
 He saw it and was glad.

00:39:08.059 --> 00:39:12.619
 So the Jews said to him, you're not even 50 years old.

00:39:13.179 --> 00:39:14.039
 Have you seen Abraham?

00:39:15.179 --> 00:39:23.980
 And Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.

00:39:25.460 --> 00:39:33.579
 And finally, after all this time, what he's been saying all along, they got it.

00:39:33.579 --> 00:39:38.980
 This is the clearest I am statement in the Gospel of John.

00:39:39.059 --> 00:39:40.179
 We've seen it throughout.

00:39:40.279 --> 00:39:45.460
 These I am statements where Jesus claims his identity to be equal.

00:39:45.659 --> 00:39:48.679
 He is God in the flesh.

00:39:49.659 --> 00:39:50.719
 Not just a teacher.

00:39:51.460 --> 00:39:52.860
 Not just a prophet.

00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:57.079
 He is I am here to give life to the world.

00:39:57.219 --> 00:39:59.400
 The Jews knew exactly what he was saying.

00:39:59.500 --> 00:40:00.420
 And how did they respond?

00:40:00.420 --> 00:40:05.920
 They picked up stones to throw at him and to kill him.

00:40:07.300 --> 00:40:11.500
 But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

00:40:11.700 --> 00:40:17.380
 You know, this is an ugly picture of those outside of Christ, isn't it?

00:40:19.159 --> 00:40:20.320
 Slaves to sin.

00:40:20.460 --> 00:40:22.320
 Sons and daughters of Satan.

00:40:22.720 --> 00:40:27.480
 Skeptics and scoffers and murderers of the Son of God.

00:40:27.480 --> 00:40:28.119
 Why?

00:40:29.539 --> 00:40:33.280
 Why do we need to hear this this morning?

00:40:35.559 --> 00:40:42.519
 For one, church, we need to remember who we were before the grace of God saved us.

00:40:43.860 --> 00:40:49.460
 We need to remember the ugly picture of what we were.

00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:52.179
 Do you remember what it was like to be a slave to sin?

00:40:53.380 --> 00:40:57.519
 Do you remember what it was like to be sons and daughters of the enemy?

00:40:57.659 --> 00:41:00.960
 To scoff and to laugh, to ridicule the Son of God?

00:41:01.019 --> 00:41:04.039
 Do you remember what you have been saved from?

00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:21.119
 The result of remembering the darkness of our life before Christ ought to be gratitude and thanksgiving and praise and glory to God who saved you by his grace through his life-giving word.

00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:23.519
 Not only that, church.

00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:37.000
 We need to understand this picture of those who are outside of Christ so that we might be motivated and moved to share this word with those who remain in darkness.

00:41:38.779 --> 00:41:44.400
 Who do you know right now who remains outside of Christ?

00:41:44.400 --> 00:41:47.900
 This is a description of them.

00:41:49.420 --> 00:41:50.920
 This is a description of them.

00:41:52.220 --> 00:41:57.180
 Who do you know that needs to hear this offer of Christ?

00:41:57.240 --> 00:42:09.059
 If you would come to me, listen to me, hear my word, abide in me, and you will live, be forgiven, and have eternal life.

00:42:09.059 --> 00:42:20.480
 The response for all of us this morning, whether for the first time or for the millionth time, abide in the life-giving words of Christ.

00:42:21.719 --> 00:42:25.980
 Turn from your sin and believe in the message of the gospel.

00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:35.820
 Turn from your sin and believe that Christ is God in the flesh, crucified and risen for your sin and for your justification.

00:42:35.820 --> 00:42:45.080
 Repent and believe the gospel again and again and again and again and again, clinging to his word until he comes.

00:42:45.860 --> 00:42:46.720
 Let's pray.

00:42:52.120 --> 00:42:56.900
 Lord Jesus, we believe that you are God.

00:42:58.039 --> 00:43:00.820
 That you have come to save sinners like us.

00:43:00.820 --> 00:43:11.820
 We thank you, Lord, for your grace that you've poured on us who don't deserve it, who are your enemies, who belonged to the devil, Lord.

00:43:11.880 --> 00:43:14.640
 But yet you saved us by your grace.

00:43:15.700 --> 00:43:20.059
 We pray that we would respond to that fact with praise and gratitude.

00:43:20.300 --> 00:43:23.500
 Help us never to grow tired of that truth.

00:43:23.660 --> 00:43:27.760
 Lord, remind us again and again and again of the saving power of the gospel.

00:43:27.760 --> 00:43:33.840
 that you might be glorified and that we might share that message with those who need to hear it.

00:43:34.480 --> 00:43:35.240
 We love you.

00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:36.940
 We pray this in Jesus' name.

00:43:37.860 --> 00:43:38.100
 Amen.