'THE HEART-SEARCHING IFS OF CHRIST'



"THE HEART-SEARCHING IFS OF CHRIST"

JOHN 8:30-59

SCRIPTURE READING: JOHN 8:30-32

INTRO: The English language is a wonderful language, in that, even a small

word can have tremendous impact on something said or written.

Such is true of the little word "If". "If" is a word of just one syllable,

but yet the impact it can place on a quotation can be enormous.

According to Webster's Dictionary, "If" means “on the condition that."

In our text, six times Christ, Out LORD begins a phrase with "If." In

vv. 31, 36, and 51the Greek word Jesus uses for "If" means "provided

that." In vv. 39, 42, and 46 Our LORD uses a Greek word means

"forasmuch as." I want us today to examine "The Heart-Searching Ifs

of Christ." On these "Ifs" are the hinges on which the life of the soul

may swing in or out of fellowship with God! 1 John 1:7 says—“But if

we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with

another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all

sin.”

In John 8 Jesus, after the Jewish Feast Of Tabernacles, has declared

that He is the Light of the world and whosoever will shall have the

light of life! Many of the Jews believed on Him because of His words.

To those who had just believed Christ spoke of discipleship.

Discipleship depends upon a personal and permanent application of

God's Word. James 1:22 says—“But be ye doers of the word, and not

hearers only, deceiving your own selves." It does little good to hear the

Word of God, if we don't act upon what we hear! Jesus said

concerning the knowing and doing of His commands, "If ye know

these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13:17).

Let us look at the soul-searching "Ifs" of our Lord! Let us see…

(1) THE "IF" OF DISCIPLESHIP

JOHN 8:31—“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye

continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed"

A. THE FOCUS OF A DISCIPLE. The word disciple means “a learner.”

Friends, we are to learn more about our Saviour and His Word each day.

Jesus said—“If ye continue in my word…”. Our word "continue" is

translated from a Greek word that means "stay, abide, remain." Jesus said

in John 15:5—“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me,

and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do

nothing.” A disciple MUST be FOCUSED on THE WORD! Why is focusing

on the Word so important? Because James 1:23-24 tells us—“For if any

be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his

natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and

straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” If we only hear the

Word but do not continue in the Word through faith and obedience we are

“Like a man who looks in the glass and soon forgets the impression, so the

impression of the word on such a man is soon forgotten. The word must be

impressed by the doing of it.” (B. W. Johnson. The People’s New Testament.

e-Sword. Version 7.8.5. Copyright 2000-2007. Rick Meyers. All Rights

Reserved Worldwide).

B. THE FAITHFULNESS OF A DISCIPLE. Jesus said—“… If ye continue in

my word, then are ye my disciples indeed". Once we make our commitment

to Christ THERE IS NO TURNING BACK! Jesus said, "…No man, having put

his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke

9:62).

ILLUS: One night a man coming home from a masquerade party in a devil's

costume ran into a nearby Church, scaring them to death. He

announced, "I’m the Devil, I came to get you!"

This one lady, a little overweight, got wedged in the nearest door. As

the “devil” ran toward her, she said, "Wait a minute! Before you get

me, let me say something. I have been coming out here every Sunday

morning and Sunday night for years. I have been singing in this

Church and shouting with the rest of them. But I want you to know I

have been on your side all the time! "

We read in Hebrews 10:38-39—“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any

man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of

them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of

the soul.” Friends, to be His disciples WE MUST GIVE OURSELVES

TOTALLY TO HIM (Romans. 12:1-2). A disciple has a responsibility to

continue in the Word and live in faith and obedience to God! In Luke

14:26-27, 33 Jesus give us 3 TESTS OF DISCIPLESHIP:

• YOU MUST LOVE CHRIST MORE THAN YOUR FAMILY (v26). Jesus said—“ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” As much as we treasure our spouse and family, and even our own life, there should be no one whom we love and value more than God, no one who takes precedence in our life. To place love for another (including ourself) above God is idolatry. (The Evidence Bible. e-Sword. Version 7.8.5. Copyright 2000-2007. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide).

• YOU MUST BE WILLING TO SUFFER REPROACH FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST (v27). Jesus said—“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” We should so love the Lord that there are no lengths to which we will not go to serve HIM! Jesus said in Matthew 10:38—“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” Jesus said, “he that doth not willingly, and cheerfully, and patiently bear and undergo those trials, and afflictions, and persecutions, which God in the way of his providence shall lay upon him, and bring him into, for my sake and my gospel, is not worthy of the name or reward of my disciples.” (Matthew Poole. Matthew Poole’s Commentary. e-Sword. Version 7.8.5. Copyright 2000-2007. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide).

• YOU MUST BE WILLING TO FORSAKE ALL FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST (v33). Discipleship is a matter of being will to forsake anything that the Lord would have us to lay aside that would hinder our service for HIM. Jesus said—“… whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

IF speaks of DISCIPLESHIP but also let us see…

(2) THE "IF" OF FREEDOM

JOHN 8:36—“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free

indeed."

A. THE BASIS OF OUR FREEDOM. I want you to notice Jesus’ words—“If

the Son therefore shall make you free…”. We are NOW "Free IN Christ"

because He died for us and we believed in Him!

ILLUS: Sin has a way of enslaving us, controlling us, dominating us, and

dictating our actions. It manifests itself in self-centeredness,

rebelliousness, possessiveness, dysfunctional love, and addictive

behaviors. Jesus can free us from this slavery that keeps us from

becoming the person God created us to be. Even if sin is restraining,

mastering, or enslaving us, Jesus can break its power over our life.

Jesus himself is the truth that sets us free (8:36). He is the source of

truth, the perfect standard of what is right. He frees us from the

consequences of sin, from self-deception, and from deception by Satan.

He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God. Thus Jesus does

not give us freedom to do what we want, but freedom to follow God. As

we seek to serve God, Jesus’ perfect truth frees us to be all that God

meant us to be. (Life Application Bible Commentary: John. Copyright ©

1993 by The Livingstone Corporation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Wheaton, Illinois. All rights reserved. Life Application is a registered

trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP

Files Copyright © 2002, , Inc).

B. THE BLESSINGS OF OUR FREEDOM. Someone has said, "Freedom is not

the ability to do what you want to do. Freedom is the ability to do what

you know you should do!” Because of the blessings of Christ’s freedom we

are now free to do the will of God. What are some of the blessings of

FREEDOM? We have the:

• FREEDOM FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. We read in Galatians 3:10-13—“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Because He has taken our curse upon Himself, we are free to live in Christ.

• FREEDOM FROM THE GUILT OF SIN. The Bible tells us in Romans 8:31-34—“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

• FREEDOM FROM THE POWER OF SIN. Romans 6:6-7, 14 tells us—

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin

might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is

dead is freed from sin… For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye

are not under the law, but under grace.” Friends, if you and I are brought

under the power of sin it is because we allow ourselves to be. Romans

6:11-12 tells us—“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed

unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin

therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts

thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness

unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the

dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” The

word reckon means “to count”. It is not enough merely to know our new

position in Christ; we must, by faith, reckon it to be true in our own

individual lives. Reckoning is simply that step of faith that says, “What

God says about me in the Bible is now true in my life. I am crucified with

Christ.” If believers truly reckon themselves dead to sin, then they will

prove their faith by yielding themselves to God. Notice that stern “Let

not!” in v. 12. This yielding is an act of our own wills, a step of obedience

to the Lord. It is not enough to know this wonderful doctrine, or even

reckon on it; we must take this final step of yielding the members of our

bodies to Christ…The Christian who deliberately yields himself to sin will

commit sin and reap sorrow. Why should sin be our master when we

have died to sin? Why must we be obedient to a master that has already

been defeated by Christ? Christians who deliberately sin are people who

have yielded themselves to the old nature instead of to the Holy Spirit.

They are living beneath their exalted position in Christ. They are living

like slaves when they could be reigning like kings. (Wiersbe’s Expository

Outlines on the New Testament. 1992 by SP Publications, Inc. All rights

reserved. Printed in the United States of America Electronic Edition

STEP files Copyright © 2003, Quickverse, a division of , Inc).

• FREEDOM FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH. (Hebrews 2:14-15).

• FREEDOM FROM THE FEAR OF MAN. (Acts 4:18-20; Hebrews 13:5-6; 2 Timothy 1:7).

Paul encourages us in Galatians 5:1—“Stand fast therefore in the liberty

wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the

yoke of bondage.” Someone has said, "To obey God is perfect liberty "—

Seneca (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary & Classical.

p. 28).

IF speaks of DISCIPLESHIP, FREEDOM, and also let us see…

(3) THE "IF” OF SERVICE

JOHN 8:39—“They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father.

Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham."

GALATIANS 3:6-9—“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was

accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

A. THE REALITY OF OUR SERVICE. Jesus said, “If ye were Abraham's

children, ye would do the works of Abraham." In other words, they had the

position—children of Abraham but they did not have the performance to

back it up—the works of Abraham. Many today claim the position of a

Christian but they do not have the performance to back it up! The

evidence of our faith is the works we do! We read in James 2:14-16, 20—

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have

not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute

of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed

and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to

the body; what doth it profit?... But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith

without works is dead?” Our Service to the LORD is a clear indication of

our love for the Lord!! (John 14:15, 21, 23).

B. THE REFLECTION OF OUR SAVIOUR. Friends, everything we do in the

service of the Lord is to bring glory, honor, and praise to His holy name. It

is all about HIM not us! The Pharisees were notorious for trying to make a

name for themselves and for trying to make themselves look good. The

Lord spoke much about the vanity and pride of their service. Service is all

about making God look good not us! (Psalm 115:1). Our purpose is to

through our life reflect our Saviour. Gordon MacDonald said, “You can tell

whether you are becoming a servant by how you act when people treat you

like one.” -- Gordon MacDonald at a Mastering Ministry Conference

(January 1993). Christianity Today, Vol. 37, no. 5.

IF speaks of DISCIPLESHIP, FREEDOM, SERVICE, and also let us consider…

(4) THE "IF" OF SONSHIP

John 8:42—“Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would

love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me."

A. OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE FATHER. There is no way to the Father but

by the Son (John 14:6). We read in Romans 8:14-17—“For as many as

are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not

received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of

adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness

with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs;

heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that

we may be also glorified together.”

B. OUR RESPONSE TO THE FATHER. I want you to see what the Lord said

in v42—“ Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love

me…”. The true test of our "sonship" is our love for Christ! In 1 John 5:1

we read—“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and

every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”

Our sonship rises or falls on our response to the Father’s loving sacrifice of

His Son! Someone has said, "To love man you must know him; to know

God you must love Him"--Blaise Pascal (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring

Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. p. 33).

(5) THE "IF" OF RESPONSIBILITY

John 8:46—“Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth,

why do ye not believe me?"

A. OUR RESPONSE TO THE TRUTH. In John 8:12-24—Jesus spoke the

truth about Himself, His Father, and the needs and responsibility of the

people, but they didn't believe Him! The sad part was that they just did not

believe the Lord but they willfully chose to not believe (v45). The truth is

not always pleasant to hear but the truth must be proclaimed!

ILLUS: John the Baptist's message from the wilderness was not, "Smile, God

loves you." It was "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee

from the wrath to come." Jeremiah was not put into a miry pit for

preaching, "I'm OK, you're OK." It was for crying against the adultery,

idolatry and other wickedness of his nation. Noah's message from the

steps of the ark was not, "Something good is going to happen to you."

He condemned the world and was a preacher of righteousness. Jesus

Christ was not crucified for saying, "Consider the lilies, how they

grow," but for saying, "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites

... children of hell ... fools and blind guides ... whited sepulchers ...

generation of vipers." (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f.

Copyright 1990-1998. Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved).

Jesus said in John 8:32—“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall

make you free.”

ILLUS: Jesus said: "I am the Truth-the Way to the Truth and the Life of the

Truth." It is not enough to say that Jesus speaks the Truth or brings

the Truth. The fact is that Jesus is the Truth. He is the Truth

personalized. If we wish to know the truth we must get to know Christ.

When we know Christ we know everything that is worth knowing. If we

see Christ, we shall see God. "If ye had known Me ye should have

known My Father also." If we learn of Christ we shall know what sin is

and what righteousness is and what salvation is and the means of

salvation. We shall understand eternal life if we know Christ. "This is

eternal life, to know Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom

Thou hast sent" (John 17:3). All we need to know about the Church

and the judgment and the future we shall understand in the teaching

of our Lord. (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f. Copyright

1990-1998. Parsons Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved).

B. OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE TRUTH. We are all responsible for God's

Word! What will we do with His Word once we hear it? There is something

we must not do according to Hebrews 3:7-8a—“Wherefore (as the Holy

Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the

provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.”

In Luke 6:46 Jesus asks—“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the

things which I say?”—This heart-searching question deserves an answer of

ALL OF US! We must be about our Father's business!—Serving Christ by

serving others!

Christ continually loves, cares, intercedes for, and ministers to His people;

is not He due the same service from us? The psalmist said in Psalm

116:12—“ What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward

me?”

IF speaks of DISCIPLESHIP, FREEDOM, SERVICE, SONSHIP, RESPONSIBILITY, and finally let us consider…

(6) THE "IF" OF ASSURANCE

JOHN 8:51—“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he

shall never see death."

A. THE CHALLENGE. When the brightness of the WORD OF GOD shines on

men’s hearts, men must either accept it and be saved or reject it and be

lost. Look at how these religious Jews hated the Lord and sought to kill

Him! It says in v59—“Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid

himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so

passed by.” This was indeed proof that they were the children of Satan, the

murderer (v44). Jesus claimed to be Jehovah God when He said in v58—

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” In v24 Jesus

said—“ I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye

believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” The challenge laid out by

our Lord was either: “receive, believe and live,” or “reject, disbelieve, and

die”. Romans 6:23 makes it plain—“For the wages of sin is death; but the

gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It all comes down

reception or rejection of the TRUTH—JESUS CHRIST! (John 11:25-26).

B. A CERTAINTY. When something is a certainty that means it is a known

fact! We shall not see death because Christ our Saviour "tasted" death for

every man” (Hebrews 2:9). Jesus said here in v51—“Verily, verily, I say

unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." By faith we

escape the "second death" because we are made alive in Christ! (Ephesians

2:1-10).

CLOSING: “IF” is just a little word but we have seen its importance in these

verses before us today. “IF” speaks of DISCIPLESHIP, FREEDOM,

SERVICE, SONSHIP, RESPONSIBILITY, and ASSURANCE. This

little word places requirements on us and challenges our

preconceived ideas and notions.

Friends, I have a couple of questions for you today as we prepare

for invitation:

• Do you have assurance that if you should die today you'd be instantly in the presence of God? or Would you lift up your eyes in torments of the Hell? You can have assurance by placing you trust in Him today!

• Child of God, Are you faithfully serving Christ out of love and devotion for Him or Just mere duty?

Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples

indeed.” (v31). Friends, are we doing that?

Prepared by Brother Bryan L. Browning, Pastor of Beechmont Baptist Church, Beechmont, KY for Sunday Morning, September 2, 2007.

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