Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:08.150
John, Chapter Eight versus thirty to
thirty two. As he was saying these
2
00:00:08.310 --> 00:00:13.830
things, many believed in him.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had
3
00:00:13.869 --> 00:00:18.989
believed in him, if you abide
in my word, you are truly my
4
00:00:19.190 --> 00:00:25.940
disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
5
00:00:27.260 --> 00:00:31.539
Thus far God's holy, inspired and
inerrant word, you may be seated.
6
00:00:34.380 --> 00:00:38.969
I've been preaching through the Fourth Gospel
back home for the better part of
7
00:00:39.009 --> 00:00:43.329
the last two years. We've almost
made it to the end of Chapter Eight
8
00:00:48.609 --> 00:00:54.200
in the Fourth Gospel. There are
a number of themes that are important to
9
00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:57.520
recognize. Many of these, I'm
sure, will be familiar to most,
10
00:00:57.560 --> 00:01:02.159
if not all, of you.
If you were asked for a list of
11
00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:06.790
key words in the Fourth Gospel,
undoubtedly one of those words would be the
12
00:01:06.829 --> 00:01:11.989
word abide. It plays an important
part in our text this evening. Jesus
13
00:01:12.030 --> 00:01:17.670
says, if you abide in my
word, you truly are my disciples.
14
00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:23.260
This is the third time in the
English translation that I'm reading out of this
15
00:01:23.420 --> 00:01:26.099
evening, the English Standard version that
I think many of you also have.
16
00:01:26.739 --> 00:01:30.420
It's the third time that this Word
Bide appears in the Gospel, and it
17
00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:36.769
will be used seven more times in
Chapter Fifteen alone, where we most often
18
00:01:36.849 --> 00:01:42.010
think about this concept. But as
good as these English translations undoubtedly are,
19
00:01:42.170 --> 00:01:49.359
they do not adequately communicate how common
and important this word abide is in John's
20
00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:55.439
Gospel. The verb abide appears Thirty
Eight Times in the gospel of John in
21
00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:59.280
the Greek text, and even though
there are a few of these uses that
22
00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:04.590
do not carry great theological significance,
the majority of them, in fact the
23
00:02:04.670 --> 00:02:09.110
vast majority of them, do so. Even in Chapter Fifteen, where the
24
00:02:09.270 --> 00:02:15.819
ESV renders this verb abide seven times, the Greek text has it twelve times,
25
00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:22.099
and every one of those uses are
highly significant. Now, it's not
26
00:02:22.139 --> 00:02:25.580
our purpose this evening to discuss all
of the various ways that Jesus uses this
27
00:02:25.620 --> 00:02:30.250
term in the Fourth Gospel, but
it is very important for our text today,
28
00:02:30.650 --> 00:02:37.610
because Jesus uses it here in addressing
Jews who believed in him but whose
29
00:02:37.770 --> 00:02:44.560
confession of faith was questionable. And
that too is one of the recurring motifs
30
00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:49.759
in John's Gospel. It begins all
the way back in chapters one and two.
31
00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:53.639
The end of John Chapter two,
we find that during the Passover,
32
00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:57.919
many believed in Jesus, but he
did not commit himself to them, he
33
00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:02.069
did not entrust himself to them,
he did not apparently believe that their profession
34
00:03:02.150 --> 00:03:07.629
of faith was genuine. And the
text reminds us that Jesus did this,
35
00:03:07.069 --> 00:03:13.939
or did not do so in this
case because he knew all men and had
36
00:03:14.020 --> 00:03:16.819
no need for anyone to testify concerning
what was in man, for he knew
37
00:03:16.819 --> 00:03:24.860
it already. Abiding is the difference
between a professed faith and a proven one.
38
00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:30.090
Anyone can say at any given moment
of their lives, I believe in
39
00:03:30.129 --> 00:03:36.449
Jesus, but only those who abide
in that confession are truly disciples of our
40
00:03:36.569 --> 00:03:39.569
Lord, and this distinction, as
we said, is a very important theme
41
00:03:39.770 --> 00:03:45.400
in John's Gospel. John's Gospel,
of all the four Gospels, emphasizes the
42
00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:50.599
idea of faith, of believing in
Jesus. Although interesting, the noun form
43
00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:54.870
of faith is never used in this
book of the Bible. We Associate John's
44
00:03:54.909 --> 00:04:00.110
Gospel with faith, and yet the
word faith, the Noun faith, never
45
00:04:00.270 --> 00:04:04.909
appears here, but it often speaks
of believing or trusting, always using a
46
00:04:05.069 --> 00:04:12.580
verb form participle of come some kind, and verbs indicate action. Faith in
47
00:04:12.620 --> 00:04:15.779
Christ is not merely a possession,
like something we might put on a shelf
48
00:04:15.860 --> 00:04:19.420
at home, you know, unless
it's a book. Things on shelves at
49
00:04:19.459 --> 00:04:24.019
my house usually stay there, there
on a shelf, because they're not really
50
00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:26.490
an important part of my life.
If they were important, they would probably
51
00:04:26.490 --> 00:04:30.250
be on my person or in my
messenger bag or or carried with me in
52
00:04:30.370 --> 00:04:33.529
the car every day. They stay
on my shelves because they're not really connected
53
00:04:33.569 --> 00:04:35.730
to who I am or what I
do, even though they may have some
54
00:04:36.449 --> 00:04:42.600
historical interest. Well, that's not
what faith should be. Faith is something
55
00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:46.959
we carry with us all the time. In John's Gospel, faith is something
56
00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:50.360
that we do in fact by God's
grace. Yes, not in our own
57
00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:56.949
power or strength, but nevertheless it's
something that we do because faith is active.
58
00:04:56.990 --> 00:05:01.709
It is trusting Jesus and intrusting ourselves
to him. And here in this
59
00:05:01.870 --> 00:05:06.660
passage we have what we might call
a test of true discipleship. Here are
60
00:05:06.699 --> 00:05:11.660
Jews who believe in Jesus. We're
ready to say praise God. Wonderful,
61
00:05:11.860 --> 00:05:16.300
isn't that exactly what Jesus wants?
But his next word seem to challenge their
62
00:05:16.699 --> 00:05:21.970
profession. What is this test of
true discipleship? That we see here.
63
00:05:23.089 --> 00:05:27.449
If you ask most Christians about their
religion, that is the name that they're
64
00:05:27.449 --> 00:05:30.970
going to claim. They're going to
say I'm a Christian, and that's perfectly
65
00:05:30.009 --> 00:05:34.649
appropriate. It's biblical, it's historical, it identifies us with Jesus Christ,
66
00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:40.240
it locates US within a rich and
glorious tradition. There is nothing wrong with
67
00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:45.000
the word Christian per se. The
only thing wrong with it is how superficially
68
00:05:45.160 --> 00:05:49.310
it is so often used, because
today in our society and cultural milieu,
69
00:05:49.829 --> 00:05:54.430
it's not only people that are Christians. We also have Christian stores, Christian
70
00:05:54.430 --> 00:05:58.790
radio stations, Christian bands, Christian
apparel, Christian jewelry, even Christian theme
71
00:05:58.910 --> 00:06:04.420
parks. And I don't object to
all of those designations and I do believe
72
00:06:04.420 --> 00:06:10.860
strongly in the propriety of Christian influence
in and on our culture. But you
73
00:06:10.939 --> 00:06:15.500
do have to admit that when every
everyone and everything goes by the name Christian,
74
00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:20.970
much of it probably isn't, at
least in any kind of substantive way.
75
00:06:21.009 --> 00:06:26.769
where I'm from, Back East,
there are a lot of Bible believing
76
00:06:26.850 --> 00:06:31.649
people, goodhearted Christian people, but
the reality is most people they are where
77
00:06:31.649 --> 00:06:35.959
Christianity. The same way that they
wear John Dear hats and their profession of
78
00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:40.279
faith in Jesus is often about as
tattered and grungy as their head where.
79
00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:46.040
The name Christian in the New Testament
appears three times, and it's interesting that
80
00:06:46.269 --> 00:06:51.269
it does not appear to come from
Christ himself or from the church. Instead,
81
00:06:51.310 --> 00:06:56.870
it appears to be given as a
designation for the disciples of Jesus by
82
00:06:57.110 --> 00:07:00.430
unbelieving critics, and this is pretty
common, by the way, in historical
83
00:07:00.699 --> 00:07:06.660
movements. Adherents to certain movements often
receive their names from their opponents and then,
84
00:07:06.779 --> 00:07:12.259
over time, they take ownership of
that name, they adopt it as
85
00:07:12.339 --> 00:07:15.850
their own, sometimes with a degree
of pride. You think about whose idea
86
00:07:15.009 --> 00:07:18.810
was it that we would be called
calvinists? It wasn't Calvin's idea. It
87
00:07:18.970 --> 00:07:24.649
wasn't originally any of ours. The
term Christian does appear three times, twice
88
00:07:24.810 --> 00:07:27.170
in the book of acts and once
in First Peter, Chapter Four, in
89
00:07:27.250 --> 00:07:30.319
Verse Fifteen, and if you study
the context of those references, which we
90
00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:34.040
will not do this evening, you
will see perhaps why I say that it
91
00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:39.680
does appear that this name comes from
outside the Church and likely from a critical
92
00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:46.470
context. By contrast, the New
Testament uses the terms disciple, saint and
93
00:07:46.790 --> 00:07:55.670
brethren hundreds of times to describe those
who believe in Christ and who endeavor to
94
00:07:55.870 --> 00:08:01.500
follow him. Each of the names
given to Christians in the Bible are descriptive.
95
00:08:01.100 --> 00:08:05.500
We're called Christians because we belong to
Christ. We're called brethren because we
96
00:08:05.540 --> 00:08:09.339
are part of the family of God. We are called saints because the Greek
97
00:08:09.379 --> 00:08:13.810
word for saint is just the same
Greek word that appears at the beginning of
98
00:08:13.850 --> 00:08:18.089
the name of the Holy Spirit.
It just means holy ones. We are
99
00:08:18.209 --> 00:08:22.329
called to be holy because we are
sanctified, set apart, devoted to God,
100
00:08:22.449 --> 00:08:26.759
and thus saints. And we're called
disciples because we follow Jesus Christ.
101
00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:31.840
A disciple is a learner, a
student, a follower of a teacher and
102
00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:37.559
of a teaching and that is to
be our identity, that we are not
103
00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:43.950
merely Christian in some kind of a
cultural way, but we are actively following
104
00:08:43.990 --> 00:08:48.549
after Jesus Christ and seeking to learn
from him. And so long as people
105
00:08:48.590 --> 00:08:52.870
think of Christian merely as a religion, just designation, they can easily overlook
106
00:08:52.909 --> 00:08:56.860
the practical implications of that kind of
confession, at least in theory. We
107
00:08:58.100 --> 00:09:03.179
can receive God's gift of Baptism and
recite the creed and partake of the consecrated
108
00:09:03.179 --> 00:09:07.220
elements at the Lord's table, and
then re enter the world largely unchanged and
109
00:09:07.299 --> 00:09:13.889
undistinguished except by our intermittent participation in
a corporate gathering like this one. But
110
00:09:13.009 --> 00:09:18.970
once we realize that to be a
Christian means to be a follower of Jesus
111
00:09:20.009 --> 00:09:24.159
Christ, to be a student of
Jesus Christ, to be a disciple of
112
00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:30.519
the way of God, then that
changes everything. At that point we can
113
00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:37.879
no longer separate our religious profession or
our religious identity from our personal identity and
114
00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:43.149
our practice. We're not merely to
be Christian by confession, but rather by
115
00:09:43.190 --> 00:09:48.230
the lives that we lead and the
way that we lead them. It's not
116
00:09:48.350 --> 00:09:50.909
merely a label that we wear.
It's to be who we are and it
117
00:09:52.029 --> 00:09:56.379
is to define what we do.
Now, what is it in our text
118
00:09:56.460 --> 00:10:00.620
that separates one who believes in Jesus
in verse thirty at least claims that he
119
00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:03.500
believes in Jesus. What is it
that separates that person from a true disciple?
120
00:10:05.340 --> 00:10:07.330
But we find the answer to that
in many places in the New Testament,
121
00:10:07.409 --> 00:10:11.289
not only the text that we're looking
at tonight. For instance in the
122
00:10:11.330 --> 00:10:15.490
epistle of James, James asked rhetorically, chapter two, verse fourteen. If
123
00:10:15.570 --> 00:10:20.250
someone says he has faith but does
not have works, can that faith save
124
00:10:20.330 --> 00:10:24.879
him? As a rhetorical question,
obviously no. We see, are we
125
00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:30.080
save by faith? Yes indeed.
Are we saved by faith and faith alone?
126
00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:33.519
Yes indeed. But can that faith
save him? The faith that James
127
00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:39.549
is speaking of cannot, because it
is dead and and this is not because
128
00:10:39.590 --> 00:10:45.029
we are justified before God by our
works or by faith plus works, or
129
00:10:45.070 --> 00:10:48.429
even by faith when it works.
No, we are justified by faith alone.
130
00:10:48.070 --> 00:10:54.980
But the faith that justifies, true
saving faith will never be alone.
131
00:10:54.220 --> 00:10:58.899
In the justified person, it will
always produce works. It will produce works
132
00:10:58.940 --> 00:11:05.330
of Repentance, works of Obedience,
works of perseverance. So look again at
133
00:11:05.330 --> 00:11:09.610
your text here in John, Chapter
Eight. Notice in verse thirty one Jesus
134
00:11:09.730 --> 00:11:15.049
uses in the original text, which
is correctly carried over here in our English
135
00:11:15.049 --> 00:11:20.360
translation. He uses an adverb in
describing the state of those who abide in
136
00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:24.679
his word. They truly are his
disciples. That is in reality, you
137
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:30.159
could translate it that way. Or
most certainly you are. My disciples in
138
00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:35.750
truth, in reality. If you
abide in my word, the reality of
139
00:11:35.789 --> 00:11:41.990
their faith is not in question.
Their commitment to Jesus. That is true,
140
00:11:41.029 --> 00:11:46.830
disciples. Their commitment to Jesus is
is real and abundantly clear. You.
141
00:11:46.029 --> 00:11:50.179
You know disciples because of who they
are. Well, if they do,
142
00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:52.779
how they live, the choices that
they make, it's not because they're
143
00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:56.980
sinless, it's not because they're perfect, it's not because they are holier than
144
00:11:58.019 --> 00:12:00.820
thou. In fact, that might
be a sure sign that someone is not
145
00:12:01.049 --> 00:12:07.250
a disciple of Jesus. But nonetheless, you will know who is a follower
146
00:12:07.289 --> 00:12:11.769
of Jesus because they will be actively
following him and not merely going by a
147
00:12:11.929 --> 00:12:18.799
culturally religious designation. Some people like
to talk about following Jesus and some people
148
00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:22.240
like to follow him. It's only
the latter who are really his disciples.
149
00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:28.840
Verbal confession is of crucial importance in
the Christian faith, but real faith is
150
00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:33.629
more than just a verbal affam affirmation. Anyone can say I believe in Jesus,
151
00:12:33.350 --> 00:12:37.269
but anyone who says that and does
not continue to walk with him does
152
00:12:37.389 --> 00:12:43.230
not belong to God. That's not
what I say, that's what John says
153
00:12:43.429 --> 00:12:46.259
in First John, Chapter Two,
verses three, two, six. Abiding
154
00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:52.980
in Jesus's Word is the proof of
true discipleship. So let's talk about what
155
00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:56.179
that means then. What does it
mean to abide in Christ's word? Now?
156
00:12:56.220 --> 00:13:01.490
I think it's significant here that Jesus
does not say if you abide in
157
00:13:01.610 --> 00:13:07.009
my words plural and the original text, as in our English translation, he
158
00:13:07.129 --> 00:13:11.929
says if you abide in my word
singular. And that's not to say that
159
00:13:11.210 --> 00:13:16.120
the use of the plural here would
be wrong. It wouldn't teach any false
160
00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:20.279
doctrine. There's undoubtedly a sense in
which we ought to abide in and endeavor
161
00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:24.879
to live by all the words of
Jesus. But our Lord did not use
162
00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:28.350
the plural here, and I believe
he did not in order to highlight the
163
00:13:28.870 --> 00:13:33.990
breath of his revealed will. He
uses the singular to suggest a central idea,
164
00:13:35.110 --> 00:13:39.909
a central word, that a key
teaching that summarizes and encompasses the whole
165
00:13:39.950 --> 00:13:45.299
A. John Develops this, by
the way, in his second epistle,
166
00:13:45.460 --> 00:13:48.980
second John, verse nine. I'll
let you figure out what chapter it's.
167
00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:52.500
See, in he said all who
are transgressing and not abiding in the teaching
168
00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:58.610
of Christ singular in the original text, the teaching of Christ do not have
169
00:13:58.769 --> 00:14:05.090
God. Whoever's transgressing, not abiding
in the teaching of Christ does not have
170
00:14:05.690 --> 00:14:09.279
God. Somebody says, well,
which teaching? What specific teaching? That
171
00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:15.919
misses the point. The reference here
is not to individual ideas per se,
172
00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:20.519
but it's rather to the doctrine of
Jesus. We're either abiding in the doctrine
173
00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:24.350
of Christ or we're not. We're
either abiding in it or we're transgressing it.
174
00:14:24.549 --> 00:14:30.149
were either abiding in it or we're
departing from it. And what does
175
00:14:30.190 --> 00:14:33.029
it mean to abide in it?
Well, fundamentally, this is not a
176
00:14:33.190 --> 00:14:39.179
statement about our obedience to Christ in
specific acts. It is a statement of
177
00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:46.259
our commitment to the faith that we
confess. That's what's highlighted by the use
178
00:14:46.299 --> 00:14:50.779
of the singular here. If you
confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord,
179
00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:54.330
Paul says, you will be saved, but you must abide in that
180
00:14:54.409 --> 00:14:58.330
confession. This is the good word, this is the good news. Christ
181
00:14:58.370 --> 00:15:05.730
Jesus died for sinners. Christ Jesus
Saves Sinners and if you believe, your
182
00:15:05.809 --> 00:15:09.039
sins are forgiven, but you must
abide in that. You can't say at
183
00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:11.440
a moment in time I believe in
Jesus, and then go on about your
184
00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:16.240
business as if nothing has changed,
as if you've checked the box, you've
185
00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:20.470
paid up your eternal insurance policy and
now you go on with the rest of
186
00:15:20.509 --> 00:15:26.070
your life as it was before.
No, you must abide in that confession,
187
00:15:26.230 --> 00:15:28.669
not by saying it over and over
again, but by living it.
188
00:15:28.830 --> 00:15:33.950
What do you believe? We confess
the ancient creeds. We believe in God,
189
00:15:35.149 --> 00:15:37.340
the Father Almighty, and in One
Lord, Jesus Christ, The only
190
00:15:37.419 --> 00:15:41.059
begotten Son of God, and we
believe in the Holy Spirit. That's what
191
00:15:41.179 --> 00:15:46.100
we believe, and we say it
again and again and again. It must
192
00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:50.970
be true. Believing this is more
than just reciting the words. It must
193
00:15:50.970 --> 00:15:56.529
be a true confession of what we
trust ourselves to and that which we trust
194
00:15:56.690 --> 00:16:00.610
in. It's trusting in this blessed
truth, it's living in the holy light
195
00:16:00.730 --> 00:16:04.360
of it, it's orienting our entire
lives in full view of it, it's
196
00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:11.600
aiming all of our endeavors every day
in the hope of it. We tend
197
00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:17.480
to measure ourselves in the wrong ways. We are not human doings, we
198
00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:22.029
are human beings, and yet we
tend to measure ourselves and identify ourselves by
199
00:16:22.029 --> 00:16:29.230
what we do. And so two
men meet each other within forty five seconds,
200
00:16:29.549 --> 00:16:33.740
someone is going to say not,
that's a great haircut, I love
201
00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:38.340
the color of your shirt, really
appreciate you shining your shoes. They're going
202
00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:42.899
to say what do you do?
What do you do? And we're going
203
00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:47.809
to measure each other. That's what
men do. You See, what we
204
00:16:47.929 --> 00:16:51.889
do is not what defines us.
It's who we are. Who Am I
205
00:16:52.049 --> 00:16:56.649
in Christ? I can glorify God
with a prestigious career. I can glorify
206
00:16:56.690 --> 00:17:03.320
God clean it out, Porta John's
and digging ditches. It's not what I
207
00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:08.759
do that that is important in terms
of my spiritual identity. My reality is
208
00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:15.440
to be found in Christ. My
true identity is by virtue of my union
209
00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:22.109
with Christ. We live our lives
in view of that word of Jesus that
210
00:17:22.269 --> 00:17:29.670
we believe and continue to believe.
We don't simply confess it one time and
211
00:17:29.750 --> 00:17:34.380
then move on. We live,
walk and one day die by that same
212
00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:41.059
faith. Our Church has been blessed
and the last you're and a half to
213
00:17:41.180 --> 00:17:51.970
watch two women in our congregation die. Well, very well, so important.
214
00:17:53.369 --> 00:17:59.359
Visiting with one of them just several
weeks ago now. The last time
215
00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:03.720
I saw her before she died not
long several hours before she died, I
216
00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:08.480
told her I will see you again, and her eyes got big and she
217
00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:11.910
said, oh no, she thought
I meant I was I was going to
218
00:18:11.950 --> 00:18:17.109
come back and she was going to
survive for another home call. And then
219
00:18:17.150 --> 00:18:19.430
suddenly there was peace on her face
and she said, Oh, you mean
220
00:18:19.509 --> 00:18:25.190
up there? That's what she was
longing for. She wanted to go be
221
00:18:25.309 --> 00:18:30.420
with the Lord. Everybody else was
weeping. She was eager, looking for
222
00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:37.059
and hastening the coming of the day
of the Lord. I don't think it's
223
00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:41.099
wrong to have things that you'd like
to do before you die, but I
224
00:18:41.140 --> 00:18:45.569
have to admit I'm not a big
fan of bucket lists, because it seems
225
00:18:45.609 --> 00:18:49.289
to measure the significance of our earthly
life by the experiences that we have,
226
00:18:51.089 --> 00:18:53.009
the things that we get to do. Paul says, to depart and be
227
00:18:53.089 --> 00:18:56.559
with Christ is a far better thing, far better, not at the end
228
00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:00.920
of your life but right now.
Jesus could return this evening. Wouldn't that
229
00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:04.839
be grand? Yesterday would have been
better, but today would be spectacular as
230
00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:11.910
well. Our whole life is to
be oriented by this hope that we have
231
00:19:11.309 --> 00:19:18.190
in him. That confession of faith
defines who we are and whose we are,
232
00:19:18.509 --> 00:19:21.269
and it tells us what is real. It grounds us in why we
233
00:19:21.349 --> 00:19:23.269
are here. It helps us to
know where we are going. And you
234
00:19:23.380 --> 00:19:30.460
have two options with regard to that
word abiding or apostasy. You're either abiding
235
00:19:32.019 --> 00:19:37.299
or you're departing. And understand when
we talk about apostasy, we're not talking
236
00:19:37.339 --> 00:19:41.609
about some big Haina Sin. It
is a big Haina Sin, but it's
237
00:19:41.650 --> 00:19:48.450
a particular sort of sin. King
David committed murder and adultery in the same
238
00:19:48.930 --> 00:19:56.480
event, in his sin with Bathsheba, but he never committed apostacy. APOSTACY
239
00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:03.680
is departing, it's walking away from
Christ. An apostate can't be saved unless
240
00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:08.630
he is brought to repentance, because
only those who abide the long that's what
241
00:20:08.670 --> 00:20:14.750
Jesus says here. Now what are
the promises of abiding? Jesus gives us
242
00:20:14.829 --> 00:20:18.829
too here in verse thirty two,
in Verse Thirty One, he gives us
243
00:20:18.829 --> 00:20:23.779
this categorical condition. Only those who
abide in my word are truly my disciples.
244
00:20:23.859 --> 00:20:26.859
But then there's this blessed promise verse
Thirty Two. Two promises in fact,
245
00:20:27.619 --> 00:20:30.460
he says first, those who abide
in his word will know the truth.
246
00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:36.009
That's a blessed thing. And secondly, those who abide in his word
247
00:20:36.049 --> 00:20:37.930
and therefore come to know the truth
will be set free by it, they
248
00:20:37.970 --> 00:20:42.369
will be delivered by it. Think
about the first promise for a moment.
249
00:20:42.970 --> 00:20:47.450
What does Jesus mean when he says
you will come to know the truth?
250
00:20:48.049 --> 00:20:52.920
This isn't just cognitive knowing. It's
relational, it's personal, it's experiential knowledge.
251
00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:56.720
This is having the truth of God
living and active in our lives.
252
00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:02.640
It's having the light of God's truth
enlightening our hearts and directing our footsteps.
253
00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:07.309
Those who abide in Jesus's word will
not only be educated in right ideas,
254
00:21:07.670 --> 00:21:14.750
they will know personally and intimately the
truth about this world and about the God
255
00:21:14.829 --> 00:21:18.309
who made it. And they will
know the US because they will know him.
256
00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:29.140
Remember that no in the Bible oft
carries this relational significance. Adam knew
257
00:21:29.339 --> 00:21:32.420
eve, his wife. Of course
he knewer, they were married to one
258
00:21:32.420 --> 00:21:34.569
another. Know that. That what
that means. This is a personal,
259
00:21:36.329 --> 00:21:45.890
intimate relationship. God knows those who
are his, and Jesus is sheep.
260
00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:56.000
Know Him notice also the consequence of
knowing the second aspect, the second promise.
261
00:21:57.079 --> 00:22:04.269
The truth that you know will set
you free. You will know Jesus
262
00:22:04.309 --> 00:22:15.190
Christ and you will live in covenantal
freedom and communion with him forever. The
263
00:22:15.269 --> 00:22:19.619
truth will set you free. That
phrase has been adopted into our western vernacular.
264
00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:22.579
You can hear it in movies and
on TV shows, and sometimes in
265
00:22:22.660 --> 00:22:26.740
profound ways, but oftentimes in kind
of superficial and irreverent ways. The truth
266
00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:32.210
will set you free. Well,
that's true. You can't be free as
267
00:22:32.329 --> 00:22:36.529
long as you are deceived. You
cannot be free so long as you believe
268
00:22:36.569 --> 00:22:41.410
a lie. Truth is freedom.
Freedom from deception, freedom from the tyranny
269
00:22:41.450 --> 00:22:47.279
of false ideas, freedom from confusion, freedom from the uncertainty that is born
270
00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:49.119
of not knowing what is real and
what is not. See, that's the
271
00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:59.509
problem here. Truth in scripture is
reality. The Bible adopts what philosophers call
272
00:22:59.549 --> 00:23:04.630
a correspondence theory of truth. Truth
is reality. God's word shows us what
273
00:23:04.910 --> 00:23:12.259
is real, and Satan pulls the
world over our eyes to blind and confuse
274
00:23:12.299 --> 00:23:18.700
us. Immediately after our text this
evening, the Jews, to whom Jesus
275
00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:21.500
is speaking, will dispute that they
need to be set free. They'll say
276
00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:23.579
this is we've never been in bondage
to anyone. You're thinking, are you
277
00:23:23.619 --> 00:23:27.569
kidding me? You've been in bondage
to everyone. It's only their pride and
278
00:23:27.650 --> 00:23:33.769
their selfdeception talking. The saving work
of our Lord will be of no value
279
00:23:34.049 --> 00:23:40.569
for those who deny their need for
it. You cannot learn if you are
280
00:23:40.690 --> 00:23:47.200
convinced that you already know, and
you cannot be saved if you don't know
281
00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:52.799
that you are lost. Those who
say we've never been in bondished to anyone
282
00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:57.670
are the most enslaved of all,
and the sad reality is that so long
283
00:23:57.750 --> 00:24:03.230
as they say that, they will
remain in that slavery. Back in verse
284
00:24:03.309 --> 00:24:07.109
thirty one, when Jesus said,
if you abide in my word. In
285
00:24:07.309 --> 00:24:11.500
Greek he uses an emphatic form of
the Pronoun. This is something you can
286
00:24:11.500 --> 00:24:15.299
do in Greek and you can't do
the same way in English. In Greek
287
00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:21.339
you have different forms of the pronouns
and and there is a particular form that
288
00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:26.930
will be expressed verbally or in written
text that that has the verbal effect of
289
00:24:27.170 --> 00:24:32.609
putting something in bold faced type and
underlining it. So when he says this
290
00:24:32.809 --> 00:24:36.049
to the Jews. What he says
is if you believe in my word,
291
00:24:37.490 --> 00:24:42.559
not just my word, but my
my word. The emphasis is on the
292
00:24:42.599 --> 00:24:48.359
fact that it belongs to Christ,
it concerns Christ, it comes from Christ.
293
00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:57.509
You have to believe his word,
not someone else's. Everyone believes someone's
294
00:24:57.670 --> 00:25:00.950
word. He realize that there's some
people that would deny that. They would
295
00:25:00.950 --> 00:25:07.259
all pastor. That's not true,
obviously. Well, I'm afraid that those
296
00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:11.099
who are certain of their rational objectivity
and the empirical validity of all of their
297
00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:15.220
conclusions are the most woefully deceived of
all, and they're deceived by their own
298
00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:19.339
arrogance. All of us believe someone's
word. It may be our parents,
299
00:25:19.380 --> 00:25:23.410
it may be our pastors, and
may be our professors and maybe simply our
300
00:25:23.450 --> 00:25:29.890
own our own wisdom, our own
enlightened ideas, but none of these voices
301
00:25:30.009 --> 00:25:37.279
in themselves can provide the truth which
brings deliverance. The only truth that is
302
00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:42.440
true, the only truth that can
set you free, is Jesus's word.
303
00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:47.119
You have to hear his voice,
you have to believe what he says.
304
00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:52.230
You cannot trust your own heart.
The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.
305
00:25:53.390 --> 00:25:59.190
You should never trust an earthly authority
with blind, irrational faith. Even the
306
00:25:59.309 --> 00:26:03.779
best authorities are fallible. I'm sure
that your parents want what they think is
307
00:26:03.940 --> 00:26:07.819
best for you, but their voice
can only be relied upon in so far
308
00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:11.539
as it speaks to you the word
of Christ. Sure your pastor, who
309
00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:15.819
I love dearly sincerely, wants to
teach you what is true as best he
310
00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:19.329
understands it, but he is prone
to error, both in his doctrine and
311
00:26:19.450 --> 00:26:29.329
his life. The voice you must
trust completely is Jesus's. His word is
312
00:26:29.410 --> 00:26:34.960
the word which speaks undiminished and unadulterated
truth. All other voices, all other
313
00:26:36.039 --> 00:26:41.640
authority, every other word and idea
must be tested by, and ultimately subordinated
314
00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:48.069
to, the word of Christ,
the word of truth revealed in and by
315
00:26:48.109 --> 00:26:52.309
him. What is it that holds
us in bondage in this world? Say
316
00:26:52.470 --> 00:26:56.589
seein obviously, most fundamentally, that's
exactly right. It's sin that holds us
317
00:26:56.670 --> 00:27:00.509
in bondage. It's sin that we
need to be delivered from. That the
318
00:27:00.630 --> 00:27:03.859
deliverance Jesus promises in verse Thirty Two. But understand something. It's not only
319
00:27:04.019 --> 00:27:08.019
acts of sin, it's not only
temptations to sin, it's not only the
320
00:27:08.140 --> 00:27:15.619
general curse of sin on this world. It's also sinful ideas which blind and
321
00:27:15.769 --> 00:27:22.089
deceive us. You know that the
world is constantly teaching us. We're talking
322
00:27:22.130 --> 00:27:25.849
about this at lunch a little bit
today. Chestertown wrote about this at some
323
00:27:25.970 --> 00:27:29.609
length. The world's constantly educating us. You don't have to go to school
324
00:27:29.609 --> 00:27:33.279
to get an education. You may
describe yourself as an uneducated person, but
325
00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:38.039
it's not true. There's no such
thing. All of us are educated from
326
00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:41.519
the moment we come out of the
womb. The world is teaching us,
327
00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:47.990
but it's not teaching US truth.
It begins educating us how to think about
328
00:27:47.990 --> 00:27:51.430
ourselves and others in the world in
which we live long before we are aware
329
00:27:51.470 --> 00:27:53.990
of it, and some people sadly
never become aware of it, and they
330
00:27:53.990 --> 00:28:00.259
are the most thoroughly educated of all. It's not the sort of teaching that
331
00:28:00.339 --> 00:28:03.859
conveys truth. It mostly communicates lies, and it weaves them into our hearts
332
00:28:03.900 --> 00:28:08.980
and minds so stealthily that we are
unaware that they began as lies outside of
333
00:28:10.099 --> 00:28:17.170
ourselves. I love in Pilgrim's progress
when Christian loses the ability to distinguish the
334
00:28:17.289 --> 00:28:26.329
devil's whisper and his own heart.
How many Christians suffer the same? Let
335
00:28:26.369 --> 00:28:30.200
me give you some examples. You
hear the world teach US ideas like this.
336
00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:33.000
If you haven't got your health,
you haven't got anything. That's a
337
00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:36.319
lie from the pit of Hell.
Should never come out of Christians mouth.
338
00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:40.240
Do you hear people in the Church
say it? If you haven't got your
339
00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:45.230
health, you haven't got anything.
All lies. What about this one?
340
00:28:45.670 --> 00:28:49.390
You must learn to love yourself to
be able to love others. No lie
341
00:28:49.470 --> 00:28:53.910
from the pit of Hill. I
know, I understand. I've heard before
342
00:28:55.029 --> 00:28:59.059
people try to explain that if you
love your neighbor as yourself, you first
343
00:28:59.059 --> 00:29:00.059
have to love yourself, and so
you have to love yourself in order to
344
00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:03.539
be able to know. That's not
what that means. Is Now what that
345
00:29:03.619 --> 00:29:06.299
means? I'm sorry. If you
think that it is, ask your pastor
346
00:29:06.339 --> 00:29:10.329
about it. What about this one? You must learn to forgive yourself.
347
00:29:11.170 --> 00:29:14.130
One of that one's got some truth
in it. I mean there are people
348
00:29:14.130 --> 00:29:18.170
who are so paralyzed by guilt and
despair because of their evil deeds that they
349
00:29:18.250 --> 00:29:22.890
just can't move on. But the
reality is the problem is not that they
350
00:29:22.890 --> 00:29:25.720
need to forgive themselves. The problem
is that they need to believe the Gospel.
351
00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:33.200
Because if that's you, your issue
is not forgiving yours. I just
352
00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:34.640
can't. I just can't forgive myself. No, no, no, let's
353
00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:38.029
just call that what it is.
You are saying that when God says your
354
00:29:38.109 --> 00:29:44.390
sins are forgiven, he's not telling
the truth. You're saying that when he
355
00:29:44.589 --> 00:29:49.150
says Christ sacrifice is sufficient to save
your soul, that's not true. What
356
00:29:49.269 --> 00:29:53.220
you're doing is you're disbelieving God.
You say, boy, that's pastoral.
357
00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:57.019
That'll make him feel better, for
sure, but it's true. It's true
358
00:29:57.299 --> 00:30:00.700
and it needs to be gently but
firmly said. What about this? When
359
00:30:00.740 --> 00:30:03.819
all this business about an invisible God
and spiritual life as well, and good
360
00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:07.089
in its place, but we have
to all act like grown up sometimes.
361
00:30:07.210 --> 00:30:11.450
I don't want to act like a
grown up when act like a disciple of
362
00:30:11.490 --> 00:30:17.329
Jesus on a live in light of
eternal spiritual truths that the world doesn't even
363
00:30:17.890 --> 00:30:21.799
recognize, doesn't even know a real
they think it's a fantasy. Well,
364
00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:26.400
sign me up for the fairy tale. This is the world that God made,
365
00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:33.000
this is the world that is not
the world that lies under deception.
366
00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:37.029
So long as we believe the word
of this world, we will not be
367
00:30:37.430 --> 00:30:41.509
free, we will remain in bondage. We will be slaves of a system
368
00:30:41.549 --> 00:30:45.789
that we do not even see.
And who can set US free? Only
369
00:30:45.829 --> 00:30:49.500
Christ. How does he set US
free? Through faith, by abiding in
370
00:30:49.619 --> 00:30:55.579
his word. Only then will we
know the truth, the truth about this
371
00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:59.460
war world, which lies under God's
curse and under the powerful influence of the
372
00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:03.529
devil, the truth about ourselves,
that we are poisoned by sin and powerless
373
00:31:03.569 --> 00:31:07.930
to know or do anything good on
our own, and the truth about the
374
00:31:08.049 --> 00:31:17.809
being who made us and sustains us
and will redeem this creation. God does
375
00:31:17.890 --> 00:31:21.640
not save us apart from the truth. He saves US through the truth.
376
00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:26.519
But this truth is not merely knowledge
of facts. It's not simply a matter
377
00:31:26.599 --> 00:31:29.880
of having right ideas in contrast to
the wrong ideas that are held by the
378
00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:33.869
rest of the world. This truth
is personal. More specifically, it is
379
00:31:33.950 --> 00:31:40.990
a person, it's Jesus himself.
This knowledge is relational, not merely information
380
00:31:41.150 --> 00:31:45.269
in our heads, but an intimate
relationship which transforms our lives. This freedom
381
00:31:45.309 --> 00:31:51.140
Jesus promises is spiritual, not merely
releasing us from a position of bondage,
382
00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:56.740
but setting our souls free to finally
experience the joy and comfort and peace that
383
00:31:56.900 --> 00:32:00.859
comes through knowing God, who made
us as his image bearers and who loved
384
00:32:00.940 --> 00:32:04.730
us from the foundation of the world. Jesus said, if you abide in
385
00:32:04.769 --> 00:32:08.130
my word, you truly are my
disciples and you will know the truth and
386
00:32:08.690 --> 00:32:15.369
the truth will set you free.
Do you believe this? Even so,
387
00:32:15.690 --> 00:32:21.119
may God, the God of truth, give us the grace always to believe
388
00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:22.759
it and abide in it. Let's
balance, pray,
