Sermon Nuggets Weds June 4, 2008
Theme- Spiritual Heritage
Verses- John 8:33-47 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father."
39 "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did.
40 As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.41 You are doing the things your own father does."
"We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
TRUE DESCENDANTS
Mother Teresa said, "By blood and origin I am all Albanian. My citizenship is Indian. I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the whole world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to Jesus." That illustrates what Jesus is saying about being a true descendant.
The Jews defended themselves by stating they were descendants of Abraham, not slaves. They believed they were sons of God because they were born of the right nationality. So they asked Jesus, "How can you say that we shall be set free?"
Jesus told them they were slaves to sin. A slave has no rights in the household of its master. But a son has full rights in the household. They would have no rights to God's inheritance because they were slaves. Jesus however is the Son of God. He has the power and the right to free them from that slavery. No one but the father and the son have that right. Since He paid the price for our ownership on the cross He could be the one to set us free.
Was it any wonder that Jesus was not well received when he accused them sin? Jesus made a careful distinction between "Abraham's seed" or physical descendants, and "Abraham's children" as spiritual descendants by personal faith (see Gal. 3:6-14). If they really were spiritual descendants of Abraham they would have the same spiritual desire as Abraham did.
I was talking with a lady who reflected on the relationship she had with her father. He told her he loved her. But since her parents divorced when she was young, she had very little contact with her father. She seldom received Birthday or Christmas cards or presents. She never got any letters or phone calls. He would only take her out when she tried to initiate getting together with her dad. His words said one thing to her; his actions showed something else.
Jesus told the people that they wouldn't act the way if they really were children of God. You would want to have God's will first in your life. That is how Abraham was counted as righteous. It was his faith, his heart, his obedience, his love that was the character of a righteous man.
Notice their response "We are not illegitimate children. The only Father we have is God Himself. Perhaps they were aware of the rumors that surrounded Jesus' birth, that Jesus was not biologically Joseph's son. Of course, He was born of God and of Mary, but that is not how some of the community looked at it. There was the rumor that Mary was unfaithful to Joseph and the baby was out of wedlock. In their defensiveness, they verbally attacked.
Jesus responded that if they had God has their father they would love Jesus. He was God's revelation to the world. God the Father, sent Jesus, Jesus is under the authority of His Father. The very fact they are opposed to Jesus is the key to realizing they are not open to listening to the Father.
In fact, their father is really the Devil. Their actions were the actions that Satan has toward Jesus. Satan wants to kill Jesus, Satan wants to keep people from Jesus; Satan wants to tell lies about Jesus; Satan wants to steal disciples from Jesus; Satan wants to do anything in his power to keep people from believing in Jesus even if it is lots of religious activity. That is exactly what the Jews were doing. Satan is their father not God, for their efforts are directed in killing, destroying his testimony, telling lies about him, and keeping people from being his disciples.
When they accused Jesus of being demon possessed He asked them to point out where he is guilty of any lying. Where is He guilty of any sin? A true disciple of Jesus does not remain in his sin. A true disciple of Jesus desires to correct it and confess it and get it behind them. A follower of Jesus is not covering up their short comings, but desirous of repentance and growth.
What is your reaction when confronted with sin, or sinful attitudes? I suspect the response is one of three ways. First, is to pass it off as being human and continue in your ways unconcerned.
Secondly, I suspect is to become defensive. Deny any accusation with anger and then attack the others. The best defense is offense. That is what the Jews were doing with Jesus revelation of the truth.
A third response is to repent of the sin and desire with a sincere heart to confess it, seek forgiveness and change.
Pastor Dale
