'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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