TEXT: John 8:30-38
INTRO: A remake of last week’s message from John 8:30-38 which is built around the remarkable statement, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
I.FAITH LEADING TO TRUTH MUST HAVE ENDURANCE.
A. READ Vss. 30-31. “many believed in Him.” The Lord’s caution: To claim faith can be easy, but to live it out takes more than words.
- Endurance is shown : “by continuing in [His] word.” . Real belief has a commitment to continue to grow in the knowledge of Christ. It endures!
- A disciple does not gain the truth for freedom without a faith that endures.
II. TRUTH LEADING TO FREEDOM IS REVEALED IN KNOWING THE LORD’S WORD.
A. Jesus said to “continue in His word” to what was He referring? To what they had heard and seen at the Temple as recorded in Matthew 7-8.
1.) His teaching came from the Father (Jn. 7:16-17). 2.) He taught that He would go away soon and the religious leaders could not follow (7:33-34). 3.) Jesus taught that whoever believed in Him would become the dwelling place of the Spirit (7:37-38). 4.) Jesus taught forgiveness and mercy (8:1-11). 5.) Jesus taught He was the Light of the world and that only by knowing Him could they know His Father (8:12,19). 6.) Again Jesus taught He was the way to know God and without Him, they would die in sin. (8:23-24).
B. If you were to pull all these together they simply point to Jesus as the Son of God through whom salvation comes.
III. FREEDOM IS LIVING IN TRUTH RATHER THAN FALSEHOOD.
- Jesus is saying, “If you will walk with Me and learn My ways and allow Me to live in you, you will be free.” Free from what? The bondage that is born of this fallen world: pride in things that don’t matter; from lust that will steal your joy; from greed that the worldly riches cannot fulfill; from guilt brought on by your own failures.
- Rom.6:16, “Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey – either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?” This can be seen all around: addictions, illicit relationships, greed, etc.
What is your prison and why do you stay there?
CONCLUSION
Do you wonder if you are a “real disciple” of Jesus?
Does your faith have endurance to keep growing?
Have you found truth is seen through the experiences of faith?
Have you been released from bondage by knowing the truth?
A real disciple is marked by these traits.