John 8:37-59

John 8:12-20

November 10, 2024 • Bill Keogh

John’s Gospel @ CF! John 8:12-20  Sermon notes – BK November 10, 2024 GOOD MORNING!  WELCOME to all you visiting here and online…  THANK YOU to all who helped yesterday for the OCC packing party!  -      Thank you to Kathy for heading it up! Special thanks also to Chris Hill who has done a tone of behind-the-scenes electrical work… -      We have AWESOME people!  Well – I would be remiss in not acknowledging that we are post-election. Emotions run deep for many… on both sides. While I have my opinions and personal convictions, I must acknowledge that my primary role as pastor here is to point us to Jesus.  -       HE is the only true savior.  -       HE is the only leader we can place the full weight of our trust in -       HE is the only one that can save, heal and set free. That said, I also want to be there for working out these difficult times. Not with all the answers, but in how we walk out living as followers of Jesus in these days… I will admit, it is difficult to walk the line at times when you see the culture going into a downward spiral – -      Deeper into confusion of how God made us -      Deeper into a place we fight for the right in deciding who lives and dies in the womb -      Deeper into a mindset that our individual rights are supreme– making themselves their own god…  None of this is new by the way.  It is times like this, as a Pastor and part of the leadership team here that we need to know when we speak and when we do not. -      Not because of “political correctness” -      It is because we, as the CF leadership are called to: o  Live as Jesus followers and seekers of His truth o  Compel the church to do the same o  Keep centered on Christ o  Keep His mission as most important THIS is what we must (all) do.    HOWEVER… -      IF there comes a time when we are called to: o  Be loyal to government first over the Word o  Turn a blind-eye to sin - Or in any way, required be partners in darkness -      If there ever came a time to choose Government over Jesus… I CHOOSE JESUS.  -      We see in the book of Acts how the early church was opposed and they DID disobey when it came to sharing their faith… -      THAT’s when we must clearly address it.   I pray our President elect… will be for-thoughtful in his respect for God and for his role as President.   SHALL we pray together over all of this?  PRAY… ROD…   I thought it was important to address that… TODAY however… we have some AMAZING verses we need to get into. LAST WEEK – while we were “in” the Gospel of John, we hit on verses that were not likely in John’s OG Gospel        The verses likely happened – just likely not here.               Get the details from last week online  Today however…  We have to go back just a bit to remember where we are in the Gospel         (Context is always a big deal…)  To get us all on the same page here in John… o  Jesus went to the Feast of Tabernacles a few days or so into it o  Jerusalem is full for the festival o  People were hoping something of significance with Jesus was going to play out o  While some were wanting Jesus to do miracles and “prove Himself” – this was NOT what Jesus came to do o  Jesus came to teach and to proclaim who He was o  We have come to the last day of the feast…  -       Significantly, there was a practice of the priests at the feast of Tabernacles that they would take a golden pitcher and fill it with the water from the pool of Siloam (water flowing from under the Temple) and in procession, pour it out at the altar as a drink offering o  Here, on the last day, day 7, they would do this seven times.   -       It was on THIS day that Jesus “cries out,” John 7:37b-38  “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”  Jesus gave an open invitation…        If anyone thirsts… They were looking for the Messiah to come…                THERE HE WAS… right in their midst.  WE SEE… -      Jesus cries out with a SOLUTION for OUR LACK! -      Jesus is the ONLY one who can satisfy your deepest thirst.  We talked about last time - Water is a common theme for John in this Gospel… Jesus’ proclamation here fits perfectly in with what the people could fully identify with, tying it right into the ceremonies of this Feast…  We see the same in today’s verses from John…  Though it seems as if a lot has taken place between these words of Jesus, it was likely the SAME DAY…   Jesus identifies with the water ceremony as the one who quenches spiritual thirst… Now, He identifies with another practice of the priests and helps people to see who He is even more…  Let’s read on (Then talk about see what it is)... John 8:12-20 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. As Jesus uses the practices of the priests to proclaim the truth that He is the source of true water… So here, we see Jesus taking advantage of a major tradition to speak to who He is…  Here it is with LIGHT… Jesus proclaims His second “I Am” statement…  John 8:12… “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  JUST as there are many references to WATER in John, there are many references to LIGHT as well! Anyone guess where the first one is in John’s Gospel?  YEP… Chapter 1! John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Before Jesus proclaims this of Himself here in chapter 8, John speaks of this truth right out of the gate at the beginning of his Gospel account! As with the water, there was something that the priests performed at the temple… in the Court of Women John 8:20a These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple This is not obvious by any means, so you need to do some digging…  -       The Temple Treasury was in the Cort of Women (easy access to give their tithe).   In the Court of Woman, there were four huge lampstands. Each stand had four large bowls. The priests would go up the ladder and would fill the bowls with oil and light them (using priests cloths as wicks).  This was said to be quite a spectacle – it gave off major light! It was said to light the whole city of Jerusalem… without electricity, I’ll bet it would seem that way! Here are some possible renderings to help us picture this… (From http://bible-scenes.com) THIS  is why John notes  where  Jesus is when He makes this statement…           This is certainly significant for Jesus to proclaim, “I am the light of the world.”     Go back with me to John 1 for a moment…  John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. Remember the first created element listed in Genesis 1 that God made(knowing Jesus was right there too)? Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Along with this, we remember they were celebrating the feast of Tabernacles – while they were dwelling in the wilderness in tents… How did God lead them at night?         A pillar of fire… Ex.13:21 This was the obvious sign God was with them, God was leading them… they could trust in God.                         Psalmist David proclaimed –  Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation;     whom shall I fear?” Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet     and a light to my path.” Where would we be without light? WE WOULD BE IN DARKNESS.  THIS is what it is for those without the light of JESUS.  -      Darkness -      Stumbling -      Confusion -      Unnecessary… JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD! John 8:12… “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  I Pray this gives us compassion over judgment for those who are in the dark.  PRAY How did the Pharisees respond?  John 8:13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” I do appreciate they are testing what they are hearing – this was an important part of their role…  BUT – the MOST important part is that they lead people to God.                            THIS they are not doing.                            THEY are only interested in NOT losing power. Jesus responded with understanding of the demands of the Law, as Jesus did earlier in John 5… John 5:30-31 30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.    Jesus then says He HAS witnesses  -  -       John the Baptist -       His works -       His Father -       The Scriptures These Pharisees may not have been there for that message from Jesus… or they just weren’t listening!          Here in John 8, Jesus does not take the time. He simply says… John 8:18-19 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” These, the Shepherds of Israel are walking in darkness.  How does that change?          They turn their face to Jesus  2 Corinthians 3:12-18 12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. They do not see the light because they are under a veil.  -       The veil of religion -       The veil of power -       The veil of pride THIS kept the Pharisees form knowing the Father AND from hearing Jesus.      Same for anyone today…     The same DARKNESS remains, till they turn to Jesus.  Walking in the dark is not fun -       Stumble over things -       Stub your toe! -       Feel vulnerable -       It can be very scary! Yet even today – Jesus would say to us… John 8:12… “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  What is the Lord saying to you this morning?