You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace.
Join us.
We've been studying John's gospel to encounter Jesus, to know who he is, what he says, what
he does, how he impacts us.
This is someone that nearly everyone agrees is one of the most influential people in all
of human history.
What does that mean for me, for my family, for my neighbors?
We're going to encounter Jesus again today in Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths.
He's been there, as we've studied, offering himself as the solution to the thirst of the
hearts of the people there, as the light of the world shining in their darkness, the deliverer
to set them free from their bondage to sin.
And the response has been split.
Some talking of killing him.
Others, we're told, believing in him at some level.
Now he's finishing up this interaction with people in many ways like us.
People interested in Jesus, gathered in the temple talking about God.
And Jesus has some really challenging words for them, for us.
We're going to pick up the reading of God's holy word in John 8 at verse 39, reading just
the first portion of this now and the rest of the chapter later.
The people have just said, Jesus, we are children of Abraham, so we don't really need to be set
free.
And Jesus has responded, I know you come from Abraham, but you're trying to kill me.
You're doing what you have heard from your father.
Verse 39, they answered him, Abraham is our father.
Jesus said to them, if you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did.
But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.
This is not what Abraham did.
You are doing what your father did.
They said to him, we were not born of sexual immorality.
We have one father, even God.
Jesus said to them, if God were your father, you would love me.
For I came from God and I am here.
I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
Why do you not understand what I say?
It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.
He was a murderer from the beginning and has nothing to do with the truth because there
is no truth in him.
When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
Which one of you convicts me of sin?
If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
Whoever is of God hears the words of God.
The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.
Pray with me.
Father, would you give us ears to hear?
To hear your voice.
To hear words that could even feel like words of death to us.
Would they be by your spirit this morning?
Words of life.
Speak, Jesus.
And help us to listen.
We ask in your name.
Amen.
I was getting my hair cut a few months ago when it came out that I was a pastor.
Happens sometimes.
My stylist asked, what kind?
I love that question.
The kind that needs Jesus a lot.
That kind.
It's awkward, yeah.
Yeah, but like do you have a church nearby?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, it's just over the hill.
Southwood Presbyterian.
Oh, that was the answer he was looking for.
You know, my grandfather was a Methodist pastor for many years.
Several different churches here in Alabama.
In fact, I was just at one of them not long ago.
So I said, oh, that's so cool.
You're a Christian too?
He looked at me as though I had three heads.
I think that what he was thinking was, are you not listening to me?
I just told you that I lived in Alabama, that my grandfather was a pastor, and that I've been in a church building recently.
What are you not hearing?
How could I make it any clearer to you that I'm a Christian?
I think the crowds in this passage are feeling something very similar.
Jesus, are you not listening?
Abraham is our father.
We're good.
And then Jesus presses more, and they say, okay, listen, we have one father, even God.
It's another version of what we'll call this morning natural Christianity.
I'm good with God because of my proximity to the things of God.
Near the temple, being near the promises, near the people of God.
Abraham doesn't get any closer than that, right?
I came by this naturally.
I'm born into it, they're saying.
Natural Christianity claims God by association.
We run in the same circles, so to speak.
It's a cultural Christianity based largely on being around the right sorts of things and the right kinds of people.
And I don't think I have to tell you, this is all around us still today in Huntsville, Alabama.
How did you become a Christian?
Just naturally because you started hanging around some church people?
How would you describe your relationship with God?
Has it just been in the family for generations?
Listen to what they say to Jesus, verse 41.
Hey, it is your heritage, not ours, that's questionable.
Do you hear what they're saying?
We are okay on our own with God.
Just like we don't need to be set free, we don't need help to get in with God.
We are already associated with Him.
Maybe you just don't know us well enough.
Maybe when I ask how you are a Christian, you think,
I'm connected to the right political party.
I mean, I send my kids to the right school.
Listen, pastor, of course I'm a Christian.
I'm not a Muslim or a Hindu.
I don't even look like...
Watch out.
Watch out, Jesus says.
Being in with God is not about appearances.
It's not about associations.
It's about your heart.
Verse 42.
Jesus said to them,
If God were your father,
here's what would happen.
You would love me.
Natural, okay on my own Christianity,
talks about God,
but doesn't love what God loves,
especially whom?
Jesus.
You can't even bear to hear His word, He says.
To submit to His direction.
You're not doing the works of Abraham.
What did Abraham do?
He believed God.
Right?
And he followed after God,
even when he was called to go to an uncertain future
in a land that he'd never seen,
he believed and followed God,
even when it seemed crazy.
Do you love following Jesus,
even when it's hard?
Finding comfort and life in God's word.
See, it's not merely a natural association.
Something has to change about what you love.
Kids, I want to talk to you
for a couple of minutes this morning.
You can listen the whole time,
but I especially want you to listen right now.
Especially if you've grown up in the church.
Many of you have been baptized
like little Jimmy was here this morning.
A whole bunch of you have just recently
finished the communicants class.
And so you're spending a lot of time right now
thinking about your own relationship with God.
And that is awesome.
I'm so excited about that.
You need to remember that Jesus loves you.
And Jesus wants a relationship with you
where it doesn't just happen in one moment,
but where it continues growing every day
the rest of your life.
You learn more of how he loves you.
And he grows in you a love for him.
That's what Jesus wants for you this morning.
But that's not just automatic.
That doesn't just happen automatically
because you sit in this church building
or because you get water poured on your head
or because you know lots of information
and sit in a class and learn stuff about God.
I want you to imagine that you're born
into an Auburn family, okay?
Some of you don't even have to imagine.
Your parents love Auburn
and they tell you stories of the kick six
and how great Auburn is
and they teach you to say war eagle.
But then as you grow up,
you become an Alabama fan
and you start yelling roll tide
during the Iron Bowl.
Can you imagine?
That can happen, doesn't it?
Just growing up around Auburn stuff
doesn't automatically make you love Auburn, does it?
Being born into a Christian family
and around Christian stuff
doesn't automatically make you love Jesus.
Okay?
Kids, you have been brought up
in the story of the God who loves you so much
that he sent his only begotten son
to save you
so that you could be with him forever.
What a great gift it is.
Praise Jesus
that you've been born into this family
where you don't have to wonder
what to do when you fail
or does anyone love me
or is there a group that I can really belong with?
Is there any hope in this world?
You've been living in that your whole life.
You know someone loves you.
You know you belong here in the family of God.
But being born into this family
doesn't automatically make you love Jesus.
God doesn't have a relationship with you
because of how many times you've gone to Sunday school
or how many answers you can give to Bible questions.
That's not how it works.
He is calling you, not your parents,
he is calling you to trust him,
to follow him
and we celebrate when you follow Jesus yourself,
when you trust him,
when you confess your sins
and receive his forgiveness,
when you read his word,
when you shine his light,
we celebrate that with you.
You know that?
Oh, Father,
keep working in our children.
Keep working in their hearts
that they might see you and love you
and know more tomorrow than they do today
how much you love them.
Please, Father,
for Jesus' sake,
show them more of yourself.
Give them joy in following you.
Sorry, I didn't mean to pray that long
and a false end to the sermon
tricked some of you.
No matter how old you are,
Jesus is not trying to scare you off from him
with strong words this morning.
He is about to tell the same crowd
hearing these hard words
how they can know life forever.
So language like,
verse 44,
you are of your father,
the devil,
should never be weaponized
against Jewish people specifically
as it sadly has been.
It is about any
who reject Jesus,
who lie about him
in order to kill him.
That's what he's talking about.
It's just in this conversation
they also happen to be Jews
that he's talking with.
What we need to hear
is that Jesus is actually calling
all of us
to consider our hearts.
That's my desire this morning.
It's not to create crippling doubt
in those of you
who already know
and love and trust Jesus,
but to push all of us
to Jesus
so that we talk with him honestly
about whether or not
we are Christians.
He and I are pushing us
not to be good enough
or to check our associations with God
and see if they're strong enough
and up to date,
but rather to come to Jesus
and look at what he says
is true Christianity.
The strong warnings here
that we need to hear
are to expose false hope.
And so when they do that,
they show us how much we need
the real thing,
which is what Jesus offers.
Okay, that's why he speaks
so directly.
If we're going to call ourselves
Christians,
what does Christ say that means?
I'll call it supernatural Christianity
in contrast with the born into it
by association version
that we've been talking about.
Listen to the rest of this interaction
as the crowd turns its focus on Jesus
and his identity.
Verse 48.
The Jews answered him,
Are we not right in saying
that you are a Samaritan
and have a demon?
Jesus answered,
I do not have a demon,
but I honor my father
and you dishonor me.
Yet I do not seek my own glory.
There is one who seeks it
and he is the judge.
Truly, truly, I say to you,
if anyone keeps my word,
he will never see death.
The Jews said to him,
Now we know that you have a demon.
Abraham died,
as did the prophets.
Yet you say,
If anyone keeps my word,
he will never taste death.
Are you greater than our father Abraham
who died?
And the prophets died.
Who do you make yourself out to be?
Jesus answered,
If I glorify myself,
my glory is nothing.
It is my father who glorifies me,
of whom you say,
He is our God.
But you have not known him.
I know him.
If I were to say that I do not know him,
I would be a liar like you.
But I do know him
and I keep his word.
Your father Abraham rejoiced
that he would see my day.
He saw it and was glad.
So the Jews said to him,
You are not yet 50 years old
and have you seen Abraham?
Jesus said to them,
Truly, truly, I say to you,
before Abraham was,
I am.
So they picked up stones
to throw at him.
But Jesus hid himself
and went out of the temple.
Two key questions there
in verse 53,
from the crowd.
Are you greater than the prophets?
Who do you make yourself out to be?
It's a good question.
Supernatural Christianity
focuses on Jesus.
Jesus.
His association with,
even we'll see,
identification with God.
And says,
that's what it's all about.
That's how Jesus can say
in verse 51
that anyone
connected to him
is connected to God.
Listen, friends,
please don't miss this.
This is such good news,
especially if you're not
particularly religious
or churchy.
If that's how you wouldn't
describe yourself,
you don't even need
association with God
by birth,
by culture,
by morality.
That's not what's required.
Christianity,
focused on Jesus,
says if anyone,
anyone,
keeps my word,
believes in me,
he will never see death.
What a promise.
What amazing hope
if you came in with none
and thought you were going to
have to find some somewhere,
some relative
who used to do something for God.
No.
You find Jesus
to be the only one
you need.
See, what Jesus is saying
is that supernatural Christianity,
Christianity focused on Jesus,
claims God only
by adoption.
We don't deserve to be in.
We don't naturally belong
in God's family,
even if we hang around a lot,
but he graciously
welcomes us in
because of our relationship
with his one and only
true son.
That's how it works.
This true Christianity
not only focuses on Jesus,
but also loves the Jesus
that the Father loves.
What I mean by that
is a Jesus
who is the divine,
eternal son of God.
It's not just
who he makes himself out to be,
it's who he is.
Friends, look at the miracles,
the signs,
the loving,
pure,
righteous
life.
He says,
you can't even
convict me of sin,
so why would you
suspect that I'm lying
to you now
when I say these things?
He's so good.
Whom else
could the Father
himself
seek
to glorify?
Verse 54,
can you believe it?
The Father
and the Son
here are clearly
not the same,
but clearly
equal
in glory.
The Father
is glorifying
the Son.
That's how
Jesus can say
that Abraham
rejoiced
at seeing his day.
He's the promised
seed
to bless the nations.
Abraham heard about him.
This is the one
to fulfill
all of God's promises.
And Jesus says,
let me tell you
how that's possible.
Before Abraham
was,
not
I was,
he could have said that,
but what?
I
am.
As the crowd
clearly recognizes,
Jesus has taken him
all the way back
to Exodus,
to Exodus 3,
the name of Yahweh,
God's personal name
by which he introduced
himself
to his people.
This guy
is claiming
equality with God
and the crowd
says,
blasphemy.
They're now hearing
Jesus clearly,
aren't they?
He is tying together
everything that he's
been telling them
at this feast
that we've been talking
about the last few weeks.
This feast
where they have gathered
to celebrate
God's deliverance
in the past,
to celebrate
God's promise
of a deliverer
coming in the future.
And Jesus stands
and says,
not only am I
the bread of life
more fulfilling
than anything
your fathers ate
in the wilderness,
not only am I
the source
of living waters
pictured by the water
flowing out of that
rock that Moses struck,
not only am I
the light of the world
to guide you
like the pillar of fire
in the dark wilderness,
but also
I am
Yahweh
himself.
God
has come
to be
with you.
The one who
appeared in the burning bush
to Moses
who powerfully
delivered his people
across the Red Sea
who tabernacled
with them
as they wandered
who finally brought
them all the way
to the promised land.
I am the one
you're gathered here
to celebrate
Jesus says.
God
come to you
tabernacling now
in the flesh.
Do you hear
what I'm saying?
truly, truly
I am the one
who gives life.
God
the Father
is glorifying
me.
Truly, truly
before Abraham
was,
I am.
The divine
claims
Jesus is making
could not
be clearer.
Are you hearing
what he's saying?
What he's telling you
is that he existed
in perfect relationship
with the Father
and King
of the universe
before the world
began,
before time
began.
He's telling you
that he is the one
who spoke the universe
into existence,
who shaped the sun,
who called the stars
out by name,
who breathed life
into mankind.
And then
he entered
this creation
so that anyone
who believed
in him
would become
a child
of God,
brought into
the family
not by natural
association,
but by
supernatural
intervention,
born,
remember,
of God.
Not by human
achievement,
but by divine
adoption.
There is now
no other name
under heaven
given to men
by which we
must be saved.
Praise
the name
of Jesus.
There's
something about
that name,
the only
name
whereby
we must
be saved.
Give
me
Jesus.
Oh,
how I love
Jesus
because he
first loved
me.
Without
his love
I am
lost.
I am
lost.
What Jesus
does here
intentionally
is leave us
with very few
options
in regard
to him.
His claims
to deity
are so
clear
and so
fantastical
that the
response of
this crowd
is what?
Kill him.
And he slips
away.
We already
know when
his hour
comes he
will be
lifted up
to die.
But as
Pastor Tim
Keller
often said
echoing
centuries
of
theologians
it's
kill him
or crown
him.
There is
no middle
ground
with Jesus.
No
natural
cultural
Christianity
option
remaining
to us
because
cultural
Christianity
rejects
this
Jesus.
Remember
we don't
need him
there.
We're in
naturally
by association.
So at
best we're
kind of
okay with
Jesus.
But thinking
about him
is mostly
a Sunday
activity.
Only
fanatics
would follow
after him
in daily
sacrifice.
Oh yeah
and if you
want to find
God and
hope and
life some
other way
with other
religious
associations
that you
have more
naturally
no problem
Jesus is
cool with
that.
No big
deal.
No.
That is
not a
Christianity
that Jesus
or the
Bible
recognizes.
If we
don't
kill Jesus
for his
blasphemy
we must
crown him
king.
Bow at
his feet
and in
humble
worship
live by
his word
for his
glory.
That is
the first
difference
that
supernatural
Christianity
makes.
It removes
the option
of our
being okay
on our
own
finding the
God of
the Bible
apart from
Jesus
some other
way.
Now if we
stop to
think about
that question
what difference
does it
make?
I'm
gods by
association
versus
I'm gods
by adoption.
The answer
is all
the difference
in the
world.
It's
life or
death
difference.
There's
so many
ways that
we could
talk about
the difference
it makes
but Jesus
highlights
one in
this passage
that I
want to
reflect on
briefly
as we
close.
It's
verse 51.
Truly
truly
I say
to you
if anyone
keeps my
word he
will never
see
death.
What's
Jesus
promising
those who
come to
him?
that what
we think
of as
death
life
ending
will
never
happen
to those
who receive
the life
that he
gives us.
The life
he's been
talking about
because that
life is
now defined
by Jesus
as knowing
God.
Living in
relationship
with him
being free
from the
power of
sin to
live the
way that
we were
created to
live and
when our
hearts stop
beating
here in
this world
that life
doesn't
stop.
Instantly
that life
continues with
Jesus forever
absent from
the body
present with
the Lord
alive forever
never more
to die.
And that
makes all the
difference in
the world
now
because we
know what
it's like to
live with the
fear of death
don't we?
to be anxious
about the
next cancer
scan
to worry
about gun
violence
to try
desperately
to forestall
aging in a
hundred ways
anything we
can come up
with.
The Bible
says we
all fear
death
and
Jesus
frees us
from it.
Hebrews
2.14
Jesus
took on
flesh
he actually
came so
that through
death
he might
destroy
the devil
and deliver
all those
who through
the fear
of death
were subject
to lifelong
slavery.
Lifelong
slavery
because we
fear death
all of us
specifically
so sweet
in light of
our passage
the offspring
of Abraham
need to be
set free
us
listen
it is the
truth of
Jesus
that sets
us free
when the
son sets
you free
you are
free
indeed
that is the
only way
to true
freedom
from this
universal
fear
because Jesus
conquers
death
on our
behalf
you got
that right
in Hebrews
2
the only way
is that
through
death
he could
conquer it
naturally
on our
own
death
haunts
us
the only
way
he can
guarantee
that we
won't see
death
is that
he takes
it
for us
so that
we can
live
with the
confidence
of people
who know
that no
matter what
happens
our life
our true
life
our
abundant
life
our eternal
life
goes
on
oh
death
where is
your
victory
oh
death
where is
your
sting
now listen
of course
we also
grieve
the loss
of loved
ones
here
so does
Jesus
by the way
we're getting
to that
in a few
weeks
but what
he's saying
is that
those
left
behind
are the
ones
who
grieve
the one
who dies
keeps
living
with me
forever
you will
never
see
death
you'll
see the
lamb
who is
the
light
of the
heavenly
city
you'll
taste
divine
delight
and a
perfectly
restored
creation
you'll
see a
restored
body
and all
those
tears
will be
wiped
away
forever
by the
hands
that stretched
out on the
cross
to conquer
death
to free
you
from the
fear
of death
forever
so look
what he's
offering
us
freedom
from that
big
fear
the fear
of death
and therefore
all the
smaller
fears
beneath it
today
now
I am
freed
from
safe
self-centered
self-protective
living
where I cling
desperately
to every
day
I can keep
myself
safe
and alive
and looking
young
freed
to live
boldly
and
adventurously
and risk
taking
for Jesus
to fail
and still
find hope
I'm
freed
to slow
down
with God
and be
with him
since
he made
me
to live
with him
I don't
have to
rush
around
to find
something
else
before it's
too late
and I miss
out on
real life
no
I've
got it
freed
to sacrifice
in ways
that inspire
to give
generously
to others
it's two
for one
orphan year
Southwood
did you
forget
if the
father has
adopted
you into
his family
your resources
of life
are endless
you will
never
taste
death
your resources
of time
are
endless
it doesn't
feel
that way
but it
is true
and you
can use
some of
your time
to listen
to
to love
to point
others
to this
glorious
divine
eternal
Jesus
see if
you know
Jesus
then you
find yourself
as a part
of his
church
whether you
like it
or not
and so
you're going
to find
yourself
surrounded
at times
by people
who know
Jesus
only by
association
they see
themselves
as Christians
by association
and they're
going to keep
showing up
in your life
all the time
and you can
point them
to the one
who truly
sets us
free
and gives
us life
can't you
what a joy
friends
some of you
here today
need
to be set
free
by this
supernatural
Jesus
there's a
life or death
distinction
between
being
assuming
that you're
in God's
family
by association
and being
in God's
family
by adoption
a distinction
so significant
that the only
one who ever
earned
life
tasted
death
himself
so that he
could give
us
life
those of us
facing
death
fearing
death
could actually
live
forever
he has
already
been
killed
lifted
up
to die
he's
already
been
crowned
risen
to the
highest
place
won't you
bow
and be
free
and live
let's pray
amen
to the
Lord
oh Jesus
help us
hear your
voice
calling to
us
calling us
out of
darkness
into your
marvelous
light
setting us
free
from the
bondage
of sin
and fear
of death
oh we need
you
we love
you
work that
love in our
hearts afresh
we ask in
your name
amen
for more
information
visit us
online at
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