John Ch8v12-20

Giving us a little bit of information about who he is and what you're doing and how we can be praying for him.

!

John chapter 8, and we're going to be reading from verses 12 to 20 just in a moment.

John 8 · chapter mention

But as Alex said, my wife and I, Monica, we are privileged to serve as members at Carrig Tool Baptist Church.

And we're super thankful for the partnership that we have with you guys here at Carrig Align.

And super thankful for all the churches we're privileged to partner with in the Court Carry Project.

Some ways you can be praying for us.

So you can pray for Monica and I as we just moved over in January.

So we continue to adjust and it's been an awesome experience.

But still just getting some logistical things worked out with visas and that sort of thing.

You can pray for us as we'll be both starting as students at UCC in the fall.

I think two weeks.

I should probably check on that.

See what time we actually start.

But yeah, you can pray as we begin our studies there at UCC.

And ultimately pray for us at Carrig Tool Baptist Church as we seek to shine a light into a rapidly growing community.

But a community that is in great need of the gospel.

And so please pray for those things.

But like I said, we're going to be in John chapter 8 this morning, verses 12 to 20.

John 8 · chapter mention

So let's read together.

John records,

So the Pharisees said to him,

You are testifying about yourself.

Your testimony is not valid.

Jesus said,

Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true because I know where I come from and I know where I'm going.

But you don't know where I come from or where I'm going.

You judge by human standards, but I judge no one.

And if I do judge, my judgment is true.

Because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.

Even in your law, it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.

I am the one who testifies about myself.

And the Father who sent me testifies about me.

Then they asked him,

Where is your Father?

You know neither me nor my Father, Jesus answered.

If you knew me, you would also know my Father.

He spoke these words by the treasury while teaching in the temple.

But no one seized him because his hour had not yet come.

Let's pray together.

God, this morning, I ask that you would speak to us through your word.

God, you know better than anyone my fears, my anxieties, my inability to do this task, God, of preaching your word.

But I ask that you would, by the power of your spirit, empower me to speak with clarity.

And God, these truths we encounter, would you help us to leave this place with a greater understanding of who you are.

That you are the Messiah.

That you're God in human flesh.

And that we can trust you with every ounce of our being.

God, would you give me clarity of thought and clarity of speech.

And make all of this this morning more like your son, Jesus.

And we ask all these things in his name.

Amen.

Now, when I was a child, there was a popular Christian children's song.

You may know it.

It was called, I Just Want to Be a Sheep.

Does anyone know that song?

Okay, perfect.

Two people.

Awesome.

Well, I know it's a little silly, but just bear with me here.

One of the verses goes something like this.

I don't want to be a Pharisee because they're not fair, you see.

I know.

I know.

It's a little silly.

It gets a few points for creativity with the play on words.

But still, it's a little ridiculous.

There's actually another verse, which is even worse, if you can believe it.

It's about not wanting to be a Sadducee because they are so sad, you see.

You can save that away for later.

I'm not going to share the whole thing with you.

But while the song, it's a little ridiculous, it's a little silly.

It does serve to illustrate a reality that we find in our text today.

The Pharisees have not been fair, you see.

They have not seen Jesus for who he truly is.

In response to his proclamation that he is the light of the world, the Pharisees question Jesus.

And Jesus, as we're going to see, he defends himself by grounding his teaching in his own identity

and in the witness of God the Father.

But before we can unpack Jesus' teaching and the response from the Pharisees,

it's important that we situate this exchange in its proper context.

In the previous chapter, chapter 7, Jesus made his way to the temple

and he began to teach some of those gathered there for the Feast of Booths,

which is also called the Feast of Tabernacles.

Now, this feast was rich with symbolism.

Part of what would happen during the feast is that individuals,

they would live in these small shelters that were built to remember God's provision

during the days when their ancestors had wandered in the wilderness.

There was also the pouring out of water by the priest,

which was meant to represent God's ultimate provision of a Messiah

and the knowledge of God that that Messiah would bring.

So Jesus' teaching in chapter 7, verses 37 and 38,

where he offers living water to the spiritually thirsty,

it speaks with special significance.

You can imagine this incredible scene,

the pouring out of water meant to anticipate the coming of the Messiah,

and here he is in the flesh.

He's offering living water.

Now, in our modern copies of the Bible,

if you were to look down, you'll see that in between Jesus' teaching,

which ends at chapter 7, verse 52,

in our passage today,

you'll find the account of a woman caught in adultery.

But when the Gospel of John was first written,

there would have been no separation between Jesus' teaching,

which ends at chapter 7, verse 52,

in our passage today.

The events in our passage, verses 12 to 20,

they would have followed immediately after chapter 7, verse 52.

Now, you're probably thinking to yourself,

why in the world is Tyler telling us all of this?

Well, it helps to set the stage for the exchange that we see in our passage today.

Jesus' teaching in our text today

would also have taken place during the Feast of Booths.

And the significance of Jesus' teaching,

it's going to be best understood in that context,

the context of the celebration of the feast.

So now that I've thoroughly confused everyone,

let's turn to our text today.

looking again at verse 12.

Jesus spoke to them again.

I am the light of the world.

Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life.

To those who are gathered in the temple,

Jesus presents two options.

He presents belief leading to light and to life,

and by implication, disbelief leading to darkness and to death.

Now, if you were to flip briefly through John's gospel,

you would find that this language of light is quite common.

In the opening chapter of the book that we actually read this morning,

chapter 1, verses 1 to 4,

we're told that all things were created through him.

And apart from him, not one thing was created that has been created.

In him was life.

And that life was the light of men.

And in our passage today,

this theme, which runs throughout John's gospel,

it's going to find new expression.

Because remember that Jesus is teaching here.

It's occurring during the Feast of Booths.

That commemoration of God's provision,

where the people would live in those small shelters,

and the priest would pour out the water

in anticipation of the Messiah.

Another interesting element of the Feast of Booths

that I haven't yet mentioned,

it was a ceremony where torches and large lamps would be lit

as a reminder of the pillar of fire

which guided the people of Israel

during their wanderings in the wilderness.

These lights and torches, which were lit during the feast,

they wouldn't have been tiny flames.

It would have been a massive blaze,

and it would have been something

that could have been clearly seen

both inside and outside the temple grounds.

So for those who have just heard Jesus' teaching

that he is the light of the world,

the light associated with the ceremony

would have surely been called to their mind.

And again, this is an incredible image

because during a festival

where the ceremony of light unfolds,

a ceremony serving as a reminder of God's presence

and his provision during the wilderness wanderings,

here is Jesus, God in human flesh,

dwelling among his creation

in order to make provision for humanity's sin.

And Jesus still offers this choice to each and every one of us.

Light and life for those who believe,

for all those who would believe,

or darkness and death to those who reject him.

So how is it that the Pharisees respond to Jesus' powerful proclamation?

Let's look again at verse 13.

It says,

So the Pharisees said to him,

You are testifying about yourself.

Your testimony is not valid.

Now, you probably don't find the Pharisees' accusation

in response to Jesus all that shocking.

Because if you're familiar with the relationship

between the religious leaders and Jesus,

as it's described throughout the Gospels,

the response probably doesn't strike you as anything out of the ordinary.

But once again, in today's text,

we find these religious leaders walking the same well-worn path.

And what's more, they drum up this objection

that Jesus has actually already addressed before.

In a previous exchange in chapter 5.

In chapter 5, verses 31 to 47,

Jesus lays out several reliable witnesses.

John the Baptist, Jesus' works themselves,

and God the Father,

they have all testified to Jesus' identity and his mission.

But in our passage today,

the Pharisees respond to this teaching

by saying to him in verse 13,

You're testifying about yourself.

Your testimony is not valid.

Now, in one sense,

what the Pharisees say,

it's not all that unreasonable.

Because we find in places like the book of Deuteronomy,

in chapter 1915,

one witness cannot establish any iniquity or sin against a person,

whatever that person has done.

A fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

And Jesus himself,

he's referenced this sort of command in John chapter 5.

John 5 · chapter mention

But the problem is these Pharisees,

they've either ignored or are unaware of the fact

that there are others vouching for Jesus.

Jesus isn't the only one who has been giving testimony

in support of his identity and his ministry.

So, at the outset,

there's a sense in which

the foundation of the Pharisees' accusation towards Jesus,

it's just wrong.

But look at how Jesus responds.

At least to begin with,

Jesus shows that even if it were the case

that he's the only one bearing witness

to his identity and to his ministry,

it wouldn't matter.

How is it that he does this?

He responds to this accusation from the Pharisees,

first by grounding the truth of his testimony

in his own identity.

To say it another way,

Jesus' testimony is true because of who Jesus is.

Let's look again at verses 14 to 16.

We find in verse 14,

even if I testify about myself,

Jesus replied,

my testimony is true

because I know where I came from

and where I am going.

But you don't know where I come from

or where I am going.

You judge by human standards.

I judge no one.

And if I do judge,

my judgment is true

because it is not I alone who judge,

but I and the Father who sent me.

Jesus says to these Pharisees,

listen, even if what you're saying is true,

it doesn't matter.

What I am saying is true because of who I am.

Jesus is the Messiah.

He's God in human flesh,

and God does not lie.

In Numbers 23, 19,

the author tells us

that God is not like his human creation

when it comes to matters of trustworthiness.

For God is not a man that he might lie

or a son of man that he might change his mind.

Does he speak and not act?

Does he promise and not fulfill?

And of course,

the implied answer to those rhetorical questions

is absolutely not.

Or you can consider Titus 1, verses 1 to 3,

Titus 1:1–3

where Paul introduces the epistle this way.

Paul, a servant of God

and an apostle of Jesus Christ,

for the faith of God's elect

and their knowledge of the truth

that leads to godliness,

in the hope of eternal life

that God, who cannot lie,

promised before time began.

There's no need to worry about

whether Jesus is telling the truth or not.

He's not been lying to these Pharisees.

In fact, he cannot lie.

Now, I want to stop for just a moment

because for those of us who are in Christ,

this truth should be a point of great comfort.

In Romans 8, 28,

it tells us that in every single circumstance,

God is working for our good.

That is a certainty.

Or when we're told in 1 John 1, 9,

that the person who confesses their sins

will be met with forgiveness,

you can rest in that truth.

That is a certainty.

Jesus is God incarnate,

and God will never,

indeed, he can never lie.

His testimony is trustworthy always.

In Jesus, he continues his response

to the Pharisees in verses 15 and 16.

It says,

You judge by human standards.

I judge no one.

And if I do judge,

my judgment is true,

because it is not I alone who judge,

but I am the Father who sent me.

Now, if you're anything like me,

you probably found verses 15 to 16

a bit confusing,

at least at first glance.

Is Jesus saying he does judge here,

or that he doesn't judge,

or is John just sort of contradicting himself?

Well, I don't believe so,

but I need to be clear on my starting point.

I think, I believe that the Bible is God's word.

And as we've already discussed,

God cannot lie.

And so, I don't believe that

when we properly understand

what a text is saying,

the Bible ever contradicts itself.

But those considerations aside,

I think we can probably give

the human author of the Gospel of John

the benefit of the doubt,

because it seems unlikely

that in the span of just a few verses,

he would fail to notice

if he were actually contradicting himself.

So, what is he saying here?

Well, I think rather than understanding

Jesus' words here

as a general claim to the effect

that he never judges under any circumstances,

I think they're meant to communicate

a particular kind of judgment

that Jesus never engages in.

And we can begin to see this

with greater clarity

when we look at how he describes

the judgment of the Pharisees.

He uses this phrase

by human standards.

Or some translations,

they use the phrase

according to the flesh.

The Pharisees are way off base

in their evaluations of Jesus.

And I love the way

this one scholar puts it.

He says,

they see his flesh,

as it were,

but they never contemplate

the possibility

that he could be the word made flesh.

Jesus sees things

as they truly are.

And he judges rightly.

The text tells us

that his judgments are good

and they're right

and they're made in unison

with the Father.

And again,

in this truth,

you and I can be thankful.

We live in a fallen world.

A world where,

because of sin,

things are not

as they should be.

As we mentioned this morning,

if you watch or listen

to the news for an hour,

this will become

abundantly clear.

But in the midst of a world

so often marked by injustice,

we can trust that God

is seeing things

for what they are.

And one day,

he will exercise

final judgment.

This is the way

the Apostle Paul

describes it.

He,

God the Father,

has set a day

when he is going

to judge the world

in righteousness

by the man

he has appointed.

He's provided proof

of this to everyone

by raising him

from the dead.

And you can rest assured

that when he judges,

he will judge correctly.

Not in a human

or fallible

and fleshly way.

So to take stock

of where we've come so far,

so thus far,

Jesus,

he's grounded

the truth

of his testimony

in his identity.

But now,

he's going to bring

an outside witness

to his defense.

Jesus teaches

those gathered

in the temple

that his testimony

is also affirmed

by God the Father.

Again,

in verses

17 and 18,

John records

that even

in your law,

it is written

that the testimony

of two witnesses

is true.

I am the one

who testifies

about myself

and the Father

who sent me

testifies

about me.

Jesus says to them,

By the way,

it isn't just me

who's saying

these things.

Again,

we've already seen

that in chapter 5,

Jesus had presented

several reliable witnesses

!

who have vouched

for his identity.

But in our text today,

he mentions

just one witness,

God the Father.

So how is it

that the Father

has testified

and vouched

for Jesus'

identity?

Well,

one way

was his affirmation

of Jesus

and his ministry

that took place

at Jesus' baptism.

This is how

the Gospel of Matthew

records those events.

When Jesus was baptized,

he went up

immediately

from the water.

The heavens

suddenly opened

for him

and he saw

the Spirit of God

descending like a dove

and coming down on him.

And a voice

from heaven said,

This is my beloved Son,

with whom

I am well pleased.

Jesus

and his ministry

had received

the Father's stamp

of approval,

a visible

and audible

affirmation

that Jesus

is the Son

of God,

God

in human flesh.

And we see

another incredible

example

of this

historically

verifiable

event

of the resurrection

where God

raises Jesus

from the dead

and he vindicates

his claims.

But sadly,

despite these things,

we find

the Pharisees

unwilling

or unable

to accept

what Jesus

is saying.

In verse 19,

they ask Jesus,

Where is this Father

that you've been

saying so much about?

Now,

the text,

it doesn't say

whether this is

a genuine question

on the part

of the Pharisees

or whether

they're attempting

to mock

Jesus' teaching

in some way.

And I can certainly

see them asking

this question

to sort of

poke fun

at Jesus.

But either way,

this question

represents a failure

to understand

Jesus'

very nature

and the closeness

of the relationship

that he shares

with God,

the Father.

And we can see

this in Jesus'

response to

their question

in verse 19.

He says to them,

You know neither

me nor my Father.

If you knew me,

you would also

know my Father.

How is it that

Jesus can say

something like that?

Well,

John tells us

in John chapter 1,

John 1 · chapter mention

18,

that no one

has seen God,

the one

and only

Son

who is

himself

God

and is

at the

Father's

side.

He has

revealed

him.

Another

translation

says that

Jesus is

in closest

relationship

with the

Father.

How close

is this

relationship

between Jesus

and the

Father?

Well,

let's flip

forward,

if you would,

just briefly

to John

John 14 · chapter mention

chapter 14.

John chapter

John 14 · chapter mention

14,

and we're

going to be

looking just

really briefly

at verses

8 through

11.

John records

this interaction

between Jesus

and Philip.

In verse 8,

it says,

Lord,

said Philip,

show us the

Father,

and that's

enough for

us.

Jesus said

to him,

have I been

among you

all this

time,

and you

still don't

know me,

Philip?

The one

who has

seen me

has seen

the Father.

How can

you say,

show us

the Father?

Don't you

believe that

I am in

the Father

and that

the Father

is in me?

The words

I speak

to you,

I do not

speak on

my own.

The Father

who lives

in me

does his

works.

Believe me

that I am

in the

Father.

And the

Father

is in

me.

Otherwise,

believe because

of the

works

themselves.

We have

to remember

that yes,

there is a

distinction

between the

persons of

the Trinity,

between

Father,

Son,

and Holy

Spirit.

But each

person partakes

of the divine

nature and

is fully

God.

Sharing a

closeness and

an intimacy

that is

impossible for

you and I

as finite

humanity to

fully grasp.

As John

says,

the Son is

in closest

relationship

with the

Father.

How is it

that Jesus

can say to

these Pharisees

that if they

knew him,

they would

know the

Father?

It's because

the Father

and Son

share a

relationship

such that

Jesus can

say,

to see me

is to see

him.

God's

love

and

so in

this

exchange

with the

Pharisees,

we've seen

Jesus defend

the truth of

his teachings

by appealing

to his own

identity in

the testimony

of the

Father.

But now

as we come

to the

final verse

of this

passage,

we find

John's

affirmation

of God's

sovereign

control

over all

things.

If you

look with

me one

more time

at verse

20,

John makes

a point

here to

tell us

where it

is that

Jesus has

been teaching.

He says,

he, that

is Jesus,

he spoke

these words

by the

treasury

while teaching

in the

temple,

but no

one seized

him because

his hour

had not

yet come.

It's

important for

us to

remember that

this is a

public place

where Jesus

has been

saying these

things.

And Jesus,

he's saying

some things

that if

they're

understood

by the

people

listening

to them,

they're

likely to

put them

in some

pretty hot

water.

But John

reminds us

again that

Jesus was

being guarded

by God

for arrest

until the

proper time.

The time

would come

for Jesus

to be

arrested

and handed

over to

the authorities,

but not

quite yet.

There was

work yet to

be done,

and nothing

and no

one could

thwart

God's

plan.

And

brothers and

sisters,

this is

true not

only of

the events

surrounding

Jesus'

life and

ministry,

but our

lives as

well.

Over

every

intimate

detail of

your life,

over every

intimate detail

of my

life,

God is

in control.

God is

working his

perfect plan,

a plan

that will

result in

your good

and his

glory.

Let's pray

together.

God, thank

you so much

for the

opportunity

to open

your word

today.

God, I

just want

to thank

you for

who you

are.

And as

we leave

this place,

would you

instill in

us a

greater

understanding

of your

nature and

your kindness

to us in

Jesus Christ?

And would

you make us

more and more

like him

each and

every day?

Amen.