A place to abide securely- Eldie (10/28/18)
Introduction: Recap: following the Light & submitting to authority
John 8:28–So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority,but speakjust as the Father taught me.
–In being “reflectors” of the Light of Christ-our influence hinges on submitting to His authority and letting Him be our guide–=how is God teaching you to reflect His Light in your current situation? Is that in my mind?=sober thinking
-A lack of influence or reflection to the light of Christ exposes our rebellion-not only for His authority but any authority!
-Rebellion extends beyond not wanting certain people to have authority over us-but extends to anyone having authority over us-(we like to make excuses why we don’t submit to authority-but the reality is, we might be the problem)
Ex: Submitting to certain people in authority, also doesn’t reveal a desire to submit to God-to not to submit to your boss would not be advantageous to you, because you lose your job and can’t get any money…(so it is possible to be very obedient to your boss because you love money, prestige, recognition-and rebel against whoever doesn’t benefit you)
-so in a society where everyone wants to be their own boss-fail to understand the reality of authority, and a need to learn submission for our own benefit, dies-(because the only way we think we can be happy-is by doing whatever we want, whenever we want!)-(think kids/anyone when they want their own independence)
-Now think about this concept of rebellion and how we relate to God-as someone we follow in reflecting His light, and submitting to His Word as authority?-(The Word/Truth is something we cannot manipulate and think we will reflect anything-but what we are naturally, rebellious & manipulative/controlling)
-So God says that the only way we keep from manipulating people to be under our authority-is to reflect Him by submitting under the Word/Truth as the authority…(because submission under you without God’s Spirit/truth, looks like control) Ex:if we know without God we are a mess, why would anyone have confidence submitting to us-we need authority/submission to God for our security and for others under our authority)
Like God, we want people to want tosubmit to what is right=that’s a “heart issue” that only God has control over, I must reflect His light and pray He changes their heart by my influence=The challenge is, how do I cultivate this influence?
Defending our freedom or rejecting it?
John 8:31-32–So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
-Jesus was speaking the truth and testifying to what was right, and some Jews believed-yet some Jews were rejecting Him as the truth and stayed in bondage to their own pride and denial of the truth...What is our relationship to God’s Word?-(To justify not looking to submit to or follow what the Word reveals-is this freeing you, or keeping you in bondage?
-because the promise that Jesus makes in reference to His Word is that submission to it leads to the truth/freedom-so we don’t have to create a lie around our life and image=re-defining freedom like the world
Ex: the word reveals in me what is right/wrong-and my submission to that affirms God as my authority,(so even my adherence to other people must be rooted in what affirms God’s revealed truth)
-the benefit of this is where true confidence, contentment and freedom with oneself stems from,–because if God has not riddled my conscience in my attitude, behavior, and thinking, the bible calls me blameless, free of guilt/shame=secure
1 John 3:20-22–for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
-if I am found to have confidence before God, than I am secure in who I am and what I am doing-this is why suffering occurs for the Christian, because a person won’t agree with our submission to the Word, fights us over their desire to persuade you in “their truth”-(your persecution comes from them fighting you in the pride of their own heart, if blameless)
-but if I am found blameless with great confidence before God-than I am not submitting to what you think, or how you feel, I may empathize-(I stand in the truth because it is beneficial for you to submit to the Lord!=wrong must come to right)
(This is exactly what Jesus was dealing with in their refusal to believe Him-He is seen as a liar and persecuted, because they are determined to be stubborn against the truth, defending their lie…)
The justifications we make in fighting against the Truth
John 8:33-34-They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone.How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
(vs.33)-The Pharisees are looking to establish a righteousness of their own-which keeps them from having to submit to Jesus as Lord, they want to keep their image and define it as right…they are convinced of something that is not right
Ex: this illustration is what we find in Christianity today that rejects the authority of the Word-yet tries to establish itself as godly. (Removing the authority of the Truth because it’s too offensive to people today-but in doing so we become the authority and no longer really a Church)
(vs.34-35)–Jesus is fascinating b/c He doesn’t deal with their argument, He deals with their reality.-That in removing His authority and submission to Him we remain slaves to sin…(Jesus is begging the question, how has doing things your own way (rebellion) and justifying your image benefiting you?)
-Jesus is never dealing with the surface of who they are, b/c they made justifications for that-but they can’t justify and hide from ultimately, is their bondage in sin
Ex: eventually whatever it is we are covering up and bound to, will come out for us to identify it-and the wrong temptation is to blame peoplefor bringing it out of us! (they will want to kill Him for bringing out of them their ungodliness)
James 1:13-14–Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
-this forces us to take responsibility for the sins & bondage people and situations bringout of us-so if certain situations and people tempt us to be jealous, prideful, arrogant, bias, etc.-(remove yourself or go to God, instead of blaming them!)
–This “rings” of freedom, because we are no longer victims in bondage of people and their actions-but we are free in Christ, ifwe are abiding in His Word/Spirit! (That I don’t need you to behave a certain way for me to be “godly”)
John 8:13-14-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 whereI come from or where I am going.
-When we don’t need people to testify to who we are, b/c God commends our walk-there is freedom there, that my life doesn’t hinge on your rejection/acceptance of me=freedom
-Otherwise we live making justifications for our bondage-and ultimately insecure b/c our heart condemns us before God. So we remain shallow and live off the image of who we say we are-and not accept the reality, a sinner in need of truth/freedom)
-they were living off the image and bondage of a lie, who they thought they were, “Abraham’s offspring”-Jesus was living off the truth/reality of Who He is, The Truth…so he could diagnose them as slaves to sin
Luke 9:20-Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
-the difference betweenliving to grow in the image of Christ-or justifying who we are while rebellious in bondage, is the answer to His question...(If Christ is God, than submission to His Word and authority is priority-over living to justify an image that I create and manipulate for value=so we are always struggling between the two, if He is Lord)
John 18:37-…For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.“
Conclusion: Why our perceived freedom is not enough
John 8:36-38-So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no placein you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
-Jesus rebukes them in establishing their own image that is not submitted to Him will not yield freedom-saying they are offspring of Abraham while rejecting Jesus proves they are not godly–which is why we cannot define freedom with being able to do whatever we want...that speaks to all of our nature to live in rebellion not submitted to anyone…
-What does our definition of freedom look like, to do whatever I want?-because I have no one telling me what to do, “I am my own god” I am free!
Ex: so you have children thinking that not having to listen to parents is freedom-or people getting divorces so they don’t have to answer to anyone…
-But it is these ideals of freedom that proves Jesus’ point, that our definition is about rebellious pride-whereas listening and subjecting myself to someone else and their desires is bondage…which is why selfishness reigns
-but it is this idea of doing whatever I want that has caused our bondage-whether that is how people raised us without God’s Word/Spirit, or our rebellion against being that way…we redefined freedom, living without submission to the truth
Had they lived submitted to Jesus as the Truth-they would repent, and find forgiveness-freedom from guilt, shame, condemnation-but because they listen to themselves, influenced by sin, rebellion, the devil they stay in bondage.
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