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Jesus came to die to free me from my slavery to sin! John 8:31-47 31 . . ., Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NIV84) 2 2

When a group of people agree to read, study and talk about the same Bible passage on a particular day or during a particular week, that text becomes that group’s “Common Text.” 3

It is possible for us to. have very natural. conversations It is possible for us to have very natural conversations with each other in ordinary settings about spectacular truths from the Scriptures when we are committed to read and study the “Common Text.” 4

A “Common Text”. truly simplifies. and removes. the awkwardness A “Common Text” truly simplifies and removes the awkwardness some of us feel in trying to turn our otherwise mundane conversations to the glorious truths about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 5

The meaning of Christian freedom 1. How we gain our freedom 2. How we live in that freedom 3. How we express to others that we are living in that freedom 6

Point 1: Our freedom as Christians is rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ. 7

I am a credible witness to testify to the kind of man my dad was and the kind of woman my mom still is. 8

This is in essence what Jesus is saying to us in John 8:12-47. 9

Jesus to these Jews These Jews to Jesus The problem! Neither Jesus nor these Jews claimed that the other were from the same family. Jesus to these Jews 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. These Jews to Jesus 48 The Jews answered Him, “Aren’t we right in saying that You are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” 10

Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God the Father John 8:14 (NIV84) 14 My testimony is valid. John 8:14 (NIV84) 14 I know where I came from and where I am going. John 8:16 (NIV84) 16 . . . I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent Me.

Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God the Father John 8:18 (NIV84) 18 I am one who testifies for Myself; My other witness is the Father, who sent Me. John 8:25 (NIV84) 25 “. . . He who sent Me is reliable, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.” John 8:28 (NIV84) 28 “. . . I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on My own but speak just what the Father has taught Me. 29 The one who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.”

Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God the Father John 8:38 (NIV84) 38 “I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, . . .” John 8:40 (NIV84) 40 I am “. . . , a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.” John 8:42 (NIV84) 42 “. . . for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on My own; but He sent Me.

Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God the Father John 8:49 (NIV84) 49 “I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor My Father . . . .” John 8:50 (NIV84) 50 “I am not seeking glory for Myself; but there is one who seeks it, and He is the judge.” John 8:54 (NIV84) 54 . . ., “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies Me.

Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God the Father John 8:55 (NIV84) 55 “. . . I know Him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.” John 8:56 (NIV84) 56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing My day; He saw it and was glad.” John 8:58 (NIV84) 58 “I tell you the truth, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

Point 1: Our freedom as Christians is rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ in a manner similar to the relationship Jesus has with His Father. 16

Overriding Theme of John 8 John 8:12 (NIV84) 12 . . ., “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Point 2: When Jesus shines His light on us, He is providing us with the opportunity to come into relationship with Him. 18

Jesus stood up at the conclusion of the eight-day Feast of Tabernacles

Jesus stood up at the conclusion of the eight-day Feast of Tabernacles John 8:12 (NIV84) 12 . . ., “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Point 3: Refusing Christ’s light keeps us in darkness and bondage to sin. 21

Feast of Tabernacles Two Daily Ceremonies God’s provision Water Light The Water Ceremony Mornings

The Water Ceremony John 7:37-38 (NIV84) 37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

Feast of Tabernacles Two Daily Ceremonies God’s provision Water Light The Lighting Ceremony Evenings

The Lighting Ceremony John 8:12 (NIV84) 12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,”

John 8:31-32 (NIV84) 31 To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Our hearts and minds need to dwell in His word. John 8:31-32 (NIV84) 31 To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “If you abide in My word.” ESV Our hearts and minds need to dwell in His word.

Point 4: Holding to, abiding in, or obeying God’s words is evidence of being Christ’s genuine students who are living in freedom. 28

John 8:31-32 (NIV84) 31 To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The truth that is experienced is a truth that sets us free from enslavement to sin and empowers us to walk in obedience to Christ. 30

John 8:33 (NIV84) 33 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?”

Point 5: The darkness of sin blinds our eyes to our bondage to sin. 32

John 8:34-38 (NIV84) 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.”

“Freedom consists not in the absence of external constraints, but in the animal in us being governed by the will, for when the flesh is free the man is a slave.” Alexander MacLaren

Christ, the Son, sets people free to dwell in or abide in the Father’s house permanently. That’s another meaning of the truth setting a person free. 35

Point 6: Our true father is revealed by whom we obey, Jesus or the devil. 36

John 8:39-41 (NIV84) 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.”

John 8:41 (NIV84) 41 … “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God Himself.”

John 8:42 (NIV84) 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. “If we really had the same father, we’d be brothers and we would love each other.” (Jesus)

John 8:43-47 (NIV84) 43 Why is My language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me! 46 Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe Me? 47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

These Jews can’t hear Him because they live in a different house and they have a different father.

John 8:48-51 (NIV84) 48 The Jews answered Him, “Aren’t we right in saying that You are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” 49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor My Father and you dishonor Me. 50 I am not seeking glory for Myself; but there is one who seeks it, and He is the judge. 51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

Jesus is relating to the (His) Father in the same manner in which He is telling His followers how they are to relate to Him (Jesus) – namely, with honor and obedience.

abiding in and obeying His words, His truth, our testimony will be By remaining in Christ, abiding in and obeying His words, His truth, our testimony will be that we are living in freedom from bondage to sin and freedom to enjoy our personal and saving relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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