Woman caught in Adultery - John 8:1-11
As usual large crowds gathered around Jesus.
Religious leaders brought an adulteress.
This was a test on Jesus' morality / law keeping.
He had already broken the Sabbath according to them.
Would she be stoned as the law commanded?
They were not concerned about the woman - they wanted to corner Him.
Writing on the ground - This simply means He was not going to play their mind
games.
They did not need His authority to stone her.
Those without sin could execute her.
Would they make a public declaration of absolute sinlessness?
They were sinners even in their own eyes.
No one left to point the finger.
Was Jesus breaking the moral code?
We've all been set free from sin.
Nobody can condemn a saved person.
But this does not mean we should continue in sin.
The Saviour does not overlook our sin.
I Am The Light of the World - John 8:12
This outline first appeared in The Tabernacle Messenger November 1945, author unknown.
We readily accept that Jesus will be the Light of the New Jerusalem
(Revelation 21:23-24), but hardly realise that He is "The Light of the
World" today.
What a terrific claim for any man to make - "the Light of the world" -
it is the claim of deity.
Here we have:
1...A Revelation of Christ's Person -
a) Absolute Purity - light cannot be soiled
Christ's character as spotless as God's
Psalm 104:2 refers not only to invisibility but purity.
Have you considered the miracle of Jesus?
A man unsoiled from cradle to grave.
He had our petty irritations, etc., as well as our
temptations in larger issues.
Yet never a shadow of sin.
He is the Light.
b) Absolute Unity - light is all the innumerable tints of
earth and sky brought together into one sovereign harmony.
In Him, all truth, all grace, all wisdom is concentrated.
He is all that God is.
At the same time all that man can be at his best.
c) Self Attested - no need to argue about it, it can be seen
and used.
Christ is seen by all men who have eyes.
Only the blind say there is no light.
With them we cannot argue, only declare our experience.
2....An illustration of our own experience.
a) Christ is our guide.
These words were spoken in the Temple where two lamps were
lit each evening to symbolise the pillar of fire which led the Israelites in the
wilderness.
Perhaps our Lord was referring to these.
At any rate Christ is our guide through life's wilderness.
b) First effect of the Light to reveal the dirt.
In Spring we feel the need of new decorations, new clothes
etc.
The sun shows up the shabbiness.
Vermin love the dark.
When Christ first comes to us He shows us our sin.
Often the result is misery until ....
c) The Light dispels the gloom.
Darkness, fear and sin must go when Jesus comes in.
d) The Light brings out the beauty.
The difference between a well lit and a poorly lit
picture.
What unexpected beauty floodlighting has revealed.
So Christ draws forth the best in men.
As light gives colour to the flowers,
So Christ gives colour and beauty to character.
The Light can only be appreciated by those who have sight. Are your eyes open to
behold in Jesus your light of life?
The Curse of Unbelief - John 8:21-30
Sin kept these people from believing in Jesus.
Sin leads to Hell and eternal damnation.
These men were spiritually blind (:22).
Jesus revealed their true spiritual condition:
a) They were of Hell - their destination.
b) They were of earth - minds like gutters / sewers.
What kept them in that condition?
Unbelief - Determination not to believe.
Unbelief - Rejection of Christ.
They ignored all that He said ):25).
They would not understand.
Proof of Jesus' Messiahship? = Crucifixion / Resurrection.
Faith is found at the Cross (:28).
This is the only way of salvation (:29).
How few are convicted today (:30).
The majority remain in unbelief.
Unbelief curses the soul.
Faith sets the sinner free from the curse.
God accepts and justifies the repentant sinner.
The Rise Of The Counterfeit - John 8:24
An important Scripture to note ... 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.
Many talk about Jesus.
They present His person in various ways.
Was He a teacher, prophet, angel or a god?
Many are happy to acknowledge the historical Jesus.
Few know Him as the Great I Am.
Few believe the way the Bible presents Him.
Therefore, everything else is a false gospel.
Counterfeit faith is at work in false religion.
True Christianity has the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-14).
The Holy Spirit always points us to Jesus.
Salvation is by the Blood not works.
No other place of true salvation.
Someone who does not know the true Jesus will be fooled by the fakes.
The Door Can Be Opened - John 8:31-32
Houdini could escape from any locked cell.
The only door he failed to unlock was the open one.
He tried hard to pick the lock - he did not realise it was unlocked.
We can be bound up because of Satan's power.
But Jesus came to open every door.
Sin imprisons our minds - but Jesus sets us free.
The key that opens every door is the TRUTH.
Sin enslaves, controls, and shapes our behaviour.
It warps minds - makes them worse than animals.
Jesus sets us from from all such enslavements.
He renews our minds through His word.
Truth sets us free from sins burden.
It reveals Jesus as the answer for our every need.
It removes the guilt and condemnation.
It shows us the forgiveness of God.
Only God can offer the way of escape.
None other can open the door!
Spiritual Genealogy - John 8:44
See Matthew 5:16.
There are only two spiritual genealogies.
Who begat us?
Remember, like father like son!
Who have we chosen to be our spiritual father?
Imagine if the devil were really your dad!
Those who choose him become like him.
Those who follow the Lord are meant to become like Him.
God created man in His image - to be like Him.
Our conduct reveals who we are really like.
What would we find in our family tree?
Murderers, robbers, famous lords, or kings?
But our spiritual genealogy is more important.
The Gospel assures us that God is the Father of those who follow Jesus.
It is possible to have His nature.
We then can glorify Him with our lives.