Kaleo San Diego Church

Introduction

Tonight we will be continuing through the Gospel of John, returning to our study of this Gospel in chapter 8.

Last week we looked at the astonishing claim of Jesus Christ as He called Himself the “light of the world.” He does so in the midst of the court of the treasury, where 4 massive lamps burn so bright they light the entire Temple and the surrounding houses.

In verses 13-20 Jesus enters into a dialogue with the Pharisees, who being hard hearted, questioned His authority to make such a claim. Jesus responds clearly by saying that not only does He have the authority of His own testimony, but He also has the Father’s testimony as well.

Jesus even says that He is with the Father who sent Him and because they don’t know Him according to His this testimony, they cannot claim to know the Father either. In 1st John 2:21-23, John writes: 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

This undoubtedly irritated the Pharisees and stirred their hatred for Jesus, but we see in verse 20 that no one laid hands on Him because His appointed time to be taken to the cross had not yet come.

So this week we turn to verses 21 through 31 for our study this evening. Please open your Bibles, if they are not already open, to the Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 21.

We are going to be focusing on the sin of the Pharisees in this continued dialogue with Jesus. In doing so, I would like for us to ask ourselves whether or not we could be counted guilty for committing these same sins, whether knowingly or not.

Let’s pray…

I. The Sin of Unbelief

21 Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come." 22 So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?" 23 And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

Jesus refers to His earlier statement in Chapter 7 verse 33, 34, where He states, “I go my way” which means He will leave shortly on His own volition.

Jesus gives these men of hard unbelieving hearts a solemn warning, “and you will seek me, and will die in your sin.” Christ addresses these Pharisees as the ones that represent the nation, realizing that Israel would suffer affliction far greater than what they have previously experienced; and when the time came, they would look for the delivering help of the Messiah, but it would be in vain.

Having refused the light, they would stay in darkness. Having despised the Savior, they would “die in their sin.” Having rejected the Son of God, it would be impossible for them to come to the place He will go.

As if the Pharisees didn’t hear the condemnation from Jesus, they ask a question, “Will He kill Himself.” This profane insult to Jesus, by assuming that a pious Jew would kill himself, was an insult from defeat. They knew Jesus would not commit such an act. This would be unacceptable for a man who claimed He was “one with the Father.”

Jesus continues the attack: “You are from beneath, I am from Above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you don not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

His posture was offensive and cutting to the Jews. He basically says; if you don’t believe in everything that I have claimed about myself, you are going to hell.

The Father has sent the long awaited Messiah into this world, and the very group that should have recognized Jesus for who He was, did not believe.

This sin of unbelief had and has eternal consequences. Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, speaks truth to these unbelieving men. He warns them about their sinful condition, and He ultimately tells them of their fate, that they “cannot come” where He is going. Not, “will not” but “cannot,” they are not able to come to the Fathers presence with Christ because they don’t believe in Christ.

Jesus tells this same group of men in chapter 5 verse 39 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”

Their search for the Messiah is not an honest search. They are looking for what they want to find, and will only find what they are looking for, this did not include the very Christ that stood before them.

Their unbelief has the same characteristics as the father of lies. Jesus will later refer to them as being children of the devil. Why?

This sin was and is the fountain for all others. It was found in our first mother as Satan begins his lies to God’s creation. He says to Eve, after God had clearly commanded Adam not eat of the true of the knowledge of good and evil for the day that you eat of it, you shall die, “Has God indeed said?” He plants the seeds of doubt in Eve, and unbelief gives birth to original sin, the willful transgression of God’s command.

This sin is not only a historical sin, but a contemporary sin as well.

This sin is committed by two groups of people:

A. Committed by unbelievers today.

Those that join the ranks of the Pharisees of the days of Christ, who after being given more than enough information about themselves and their state before God, and God’s only remedy for sin, continue in unbelief. They trample the blood of Christ under their foot as they remain in their sin. God’s remedy, is not the remedy they prefer.

Perhaps the answer is in their pride. A pride that would rather they are able to contribute to a good standing before God, than to simply trust God at His word, trust in the free grace He offers in love found only in His son.

Perhaps the answer is found in their apathy. They falsely assume that God is obligated to grant them more time to “check out the facts” before they “make a decision for God.” Not realizing that each man has been given a set, appointed, time that God will call each of us into account before Him.

Perhaps the answer is found in their fear of a God that is so mighty and powerful, so sovereign and pure, so holy and just, so good and loving, that the thought of stepping out in faith, in utter desperation before a God that has seen all of their disease, is more than they can bear emotionally. Not realizing that fearing God is what He requires from those that are His and that His love has extended so deep and so far that He was willing to sacrifice His own son for the very sins they are afraid to confess.

Jesus’ own words testify to God’s acceptance of them if they believe. John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned…” The author of this Gospel even states in 1st John 5:12 “He who has the son has life. He who has not the Son of God has not life.”

B. Committed by believers today.

This unbelief manifests itself in a variety of shapes and forms. It can be a lack of belief in God’s goodness and faithfulness towards those that He loves. Whether we are found in prosperity or poverty, sickness or health, hungry or satisfied, God is there and He is not silent. Our Father has spoken to His children and has given them the promise of His great love and eternal faithfulness. Through every tear, every disappointment, every hurt, every weary soul that is His, Jesus declares “come to me all that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls.”

This unbelief can be found theologically. It can be found in those that would rather they acquire, maintain, and are responsible for their own salvation, rather that to let God be God and trust His word that promises His faithfulness. John 10:26-29, Jesus declares 26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”

Why remain in unbelief to the God that gives us such a great promise and hope?

Martin Luther said, “The greatest insult to God, is to not believe His promises.” Amen to that.

God must be believed as God if we are to lay claim to being His children. God must be believed as God if we are to live the kind of lives that are free from the grip and dominion of sin in our lives. God must be believed as God if we have any hope of a better future.

Are we acting as the Pharisees, blinded by our own agenda and criteria for acceptance, or do we believe in God and His word as the only one that is able to keep us from stumbling?

Verse 25-

II. The Sin of Ignorance

25 Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 "I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him." 27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

Here we see the Pharisees continuing to ignore the direct speech of Christ, by asking a question that has already been given an answer. “Who are you?” is not an honest, polite question. It is a question that has with it the same tone as “who do you think you are to tell us where we are going?”

Jesus answers their rhetorical question by claiming that He is the very one that He has spoken of this entire time. He is the Son of God, and the Son of Man. He is the God/Man of the Holy Scriptures, prophesied and now demonstrated before their ignorant eyes.

Once again Jesus shows us His obedience to the Fathers missional plan of salvation that was determined before time began. Jesus speaks the very words that have been given to Him by the Father.

Unfortunately, the language that He speaks is foreign to them, because its origin is Divine, not fleshly.

The fact that they do not understand that He spoke to them of the Father shows their ignorance.

This is not just a “lack of facts” it is a willful neglect and refusal to acquire the very “knowledge” that would help them to understand.

So was the case of unbelief, this sin can be found in both unbeliever and believer alike.

A. Committed by unbelievers today.

Like unbelief, this sin is found in various forms, from a neglect of acquired truth, to a refusal of biblical knowledge.

Like the Pharisees, the unbeliever may be given truth but neglect its warnings. The unbeliever may have heard the call of the Gospel to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus, and yet they willfully neglect the warning of the very words we speak today.

Why one would disregard the very answers and truth that are promised to free them is nothing short of an eternal tragedy. God has provided His truth in His written word and in Christ. One can “know” God in a way that is real and authentic according to His own self-description given to us by Him, but not if we are to remain willfully ignorant.

To remain ignorant of God is to remain ignorant of the only thing of any value in the entire universe. It is to be ignorant of the only truth, the only way, and the only life that is worth knowing and living.

There are some that believe if they refuse to listen, the truth will go away and not bother them with its pressing claims. We read in Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 13:10 'This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.

God declares that the refusal of hearing His words, the refusal to acquire divine knowledge, will amount to a life that is profitable for nothing. It has no anchor, no substance, and no direction, worth anything of eternal profit in the eyes of an infinite God.

There may even be some here that believe that if they remain ignorant of the things of God, He won’t judge them or hold them accountable to their ignorance. This doesn’t work in the court of law, nor does it work in God’s justice system.

We read in the book of Leviticus: Chapter 5:17 "If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.

God does not wink at the sin of ignorance. God has revealed more than enough of Himself to His creation. It is a sad truth that many will find themselves cut off from God and His beauty because of the sin of ignorance. We must pray that in our lives we would see few that would exit in such a condition.

B. Committed by believers today.

This sin is so prevalent in the Church today that it grieves a Pastor who is responsible for spurring the flock of God to holiness.

For those that have been saved by the one that claims He is the very sum total of all truth, and to not desire more of this truth should cause us to fall on our face and ask the Lord who saved us to forgive us of our laziness.

Peter tells those who are in Christ to “grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” How much clearer does this need to be for us to understand?

How great this sin is. Those called the royal priesthood, a chosen generation, a holy people, don’t desire to know the king they are claiming to serve.

As one would neglect their health or appearance, so a Christian may fail to care for their spiritual health, and appearance before almighty God.

We neglect our loving duty as a disciple of Christ to: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

So many of us are broken and floundering in what seems to be a loosing cause. Yet, often times the cause is our own ignorance.

God’s desire is “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,” Ephesians 4:14.

He tells us that to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind,” Ephesians 4:23.

Our minds and hearts must be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, because our minds were “at enmity with God” before we were saved.

1 Peter 2:1-3 1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Have you tasted that the Lord is gracious? Do you want to grow from a babe to maturity in Christ? Then desire His pure milk, which is His word.

Verse 28-

III. The Sin of False Profession

28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." 30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

Jesus responds to their unbelief and ignorance by telling them that they will be part of the group that crucifies the very Messiah they claim they are searching for.

As they lift Him up to die on the cross, they will realize that Jesus was in fact the very one He claimed all along to be. That He speaks the very words of God, and that the Father was with Him while He walked among them.

How then do the Pharisees respond to Jesus statement of their future deicide?

It seems as if it is a positive response, maybe they have their minds about Christ. Unfortunately this is not the case.

As we read through the rest of the chapter in subsequent studies we will see that this was only a temporary impression. It was not a saving faith. It was nothing more than a group of men that had lost at their intellectually match and are so impressed with Jesus demeanor, character and answers, they assent to believe.

This is also a sin. It is a sin of false profession. Claiming you believe something you really don’t. Claiming you know someone you really don’t. Claiming you agree, when in reality you have nothing more than words to back up those claims.

It’s not necessary to distinguish between unbelievers or believers for this sin, because the sin already categorizes all that commit it as unbelievers.

This type of belief is a façade; it is not true or legitimate.

Believing in the historical, intellectual, moral or spiritual attributes of Christ does not mean you believe in the Christ of the Bible.

The Christ of the Bible is one that is all that He claims to be. He is to be a prophet that reveals our ignorance, a priest that has made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and king that protects and governs our life in all things, or He is not the Christ of the Bible.

One can desire a cafeteria plan of Jesus identity to satisfy their imagination, but only the true Jesus can make good on His promises, because only the true Jesus exists.

I pray that none of us here commit this sin. This sin is difficult to point out because many can play the role of a Christian, all the while denying Him in their walk without anyone knowing other than God and themselves.

Whatever your particular point of pain is this evening. Whether it be unbelief, ignorance or false profession, God is able to save to the uttermost.

God has faithfully proclaimed His love towards us in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Do we understand how amazing this grace of God is? How deep in penetrates a hard heart and how comforting it is to those broken and desperate because of sin? God sent His son, not only to die for us in our place, but also that we might for the first time be truly loved. A pure, holy, perfect love that heals and mends and restores those things that sin has all but destroyed.

May we be spurred on to a deeper belief, may we be no longer ignorant of the God who saves, and may our profession be true before our King.

Let’s pray..

Communion

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