'A Case Of Mistaken Identity' - Sermon Outlines. Org
"A Case Of Mistaken Identity"
John 8:12-59
INTRO. Things and people are sometimes not what they seem to be. The old saying that says, "If it looks like a dog, and barks like a dog, then it must be a dog," doesn't always hold true. There are many in our world today who claim to be Christians and even act like a Christian should act, but if they have never experienced a life-changing transformation through Christ Jesus, then they are still lost in their sins! The BIBLE describes these as, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof..." (2 Timothy 3:5). PLAYING SOLDIER
Imitation Christianity has dangerous consequences. Putting on an
appearance of faith often leads people to believe a person is a true
believer. In an actual incident during the Korean War, a lieutenant
inspecting a new platoon over which he was about to take command
reported that several soldiers carried rifles that had rusted shut. Yet
they were scheduled to go into battle the next day! They looked like
soldiers; they carried weapons. But they were unprepared and
unable to fight. Some churchgoers rely on superficial appearances.
Many people today carry Bibles, attend church, mouth the right
words, yet evidence no spiritual power in their lives. They have no
direct, personal, intimate connection with God. —(Life Application
Bible Commentary. WORDsearch 7.0. Copyright 2005. WORDsearch
Corp. All Rights Reserved).
Jesus, Himself said in Matthew 7:17-20—“Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” I want to title the message, "A Case Of Mistaken Identity." In John 8:12-59, we see the LORD Jesus, after the Jewish Feast Of Tabernacles, proclaiming to the Jews that, “I am the light of the world." (John 8:12).
To His claim, the Pharisees respond that He is a liar. They know Him as the son of Joseph, the carpenter, not the Messiah. Jesus claims that His Father that has sent Him bears Him witness. To this the Jews respond, "Where is thy Father?" Jesus responds that, "If ye had known me (the Son of God) You should also know my Father (God)." They still misunderstand He is the Son Of God. But in v28, Jesus says, "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things."
Many believed because of His Words. To these who believed Jesus said, "If you continue in my Word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (vv. 31-32). This is the reality of true discipleship--"If ye continue in my Word...". WHY? Because the Truth shall make you free!" To this the unbelieving Jews respond, "We are Abraham's Seed, and were never in bondage to any man..." (v33a). But the Jews are mistaken in who they think they are and in their liberty. Let's see the mistaken identity that the Jews had. They were mistaken in their idea of who Jesus was and in who they thought they were!
(1) Their Trite Claim
John 8:33-39
A. THE HERITAGE THEY CLAIMED (v33a). “We be Abraham's seed... "--
They had Abraham's blood in their veins, but Abraham's Faith was not
in their hearts! Barnes wrote about the Jews’ claim: “We are the
children or descendants of Abraham. They meant that they were the
direct descendants of Abraham by Isaac, his heir.” (Albert Barnes’ Notes
On The Bible). B. W. Johnson in The People’s New Testament wrote:
“They trusted in their blood, rather than in obedience to the God of
Abraham.”
B. THEIR HOPELESS CONDITION (v33b-39). “We …were never in
bondage to any man... "--What about the Egyptians, Babylonians, the
Syrians, and even now the Romans? Barnes writes: “This is a most
remarkable declaration, and one evidently false. Their fathers had been
slaves in Egypt; their nation had been enslaved in Babylon; it had
repeatedly been subject to the Assyrians; it was enslaved by Herod the
Great; and was, at the very time they spoke, groaning under the
grievous and insupportable bondage of the Romans.” (Albert Barnes’
Notes on The Bible).
Bondage. Is this not true of every soul without Christ? In bondage to
sin and Satan? (Romans 6:16). They thought because of their physical
heritage that they enjoyed a rich spiritual heritage, but like all without
Christ, they were blind to their true condition. V39--They say,
"Abraham is our father"-- To which Christ replied, "If ye were Abraham's
children, ye would do the works of Abraham." What are the Works of
Abraham? :
1. Submission (Genesis 12:1-3; Hebrews 11:8-10).
2. Steadfastness (James 2:23--Abraham--"The friend of God"; Matthew 7:24-25).
(2) Their Terrible Condition
John 8:40-41a, 43-45
A. THEIR ACTIONS BETRAYED THEM. V4Ob—“This did not Abraham"-
-Their conduct was exactly opposite of what Abraham would have done
if he were living then (Matthew 7:20). Jesus said in v41a—“Ye do the
deeds of your father." Adam Clarke in his commentary on John wrote:
“You have certainly another father than Abraham - one who has
instilled his own malignant nature into you; and, as ye seek to murder
me for telling you the truth, ye must be the offspring of him who was a
murderer from the beginning, and stood not in the truth” (Adam
Clarke’s Commentary On The Bible) . We have many today whose
actions betray them. They say they are Christ’s yet they live like the
devil! Romans 8:9-16 tells us, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body
is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal
bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are
debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh,
ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body,
ye shall live. 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.”
B. THEIR ATTITUDES BETRAYED THEM. The attitude of our hearts
will determine the actions of our lives. The Lord Jesus said in v43—
“…Ye cannot hear my word." B. W. Johnson in The People’s New
Testament wrote that Jesus told the Pharisees, [ye] “cannot receive it
because Satan has your hearts, and is your father.” (The People’s
New Testament). Unless we surrender our stubborn wills to the Holy
Spirit, Who can open minds and hearts to the Word Of God, We
cannot hear! In Matthew 13:15 Jesus says, “For this people's heart
is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they
have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear
with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should
be converted, and I should heal them.” Unless a person has been born
again from above he cannot receive the Word of God (1 Corinthians
2:11-12). Unbelievers hate the truth! Jesus said in v45—“I tell you
the truth, ye believe me not"--Christ is Truth (John 14:6) and when He
speaks of Himself, IT IS TRUTH! John Gill wrote concerning this
claim of Christ when HE speaks HE speaks “the whole truth of the
Gospel, and particularly the truth of his divine sonship” (John Gill’s
Exposition of The Entire Bible). Their attitudes which revealed
themselves through their actions “showed them to be the children of
the devil, and under his power and influence. (John Gill’s Exposition
of The Entire Bible).
(3) Their True Character
John 8:41b-42, 46-59
A. THE DEFENSE OF THEIR TRITE CLAIM. V41b—“We be not born of
fornication; We have one Father, even God”--The Jews didn't
misunderstand the LORD'S statement. True they were Abraham's
seed, but the question was: "Who was their spiritual Father?" "From
whom did they derive spiritual character?" That is the ESSENTIAL QUESTION to all mankind today and the theme of the message, "What is your true spiritual identity?" (Romans 8:14).
B. THE DISPLAY OF THEIR TRUE CHARACTER. The True Character of
a Child Of God is: Love, Joy, Peace, Faith, Meekness, and Long-
suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Temperance (Galatians 5:22-23)
BUT NOTE THEIR CHARACTER:
1. They were Without Affection. V42—“If God were your Father, ye
would love me...” “Their hatred of the Son was proof that they were
not God's children.” (The People’s New Testament). Jesus said in
John 14:15, 21, 23—“ If ye love me, keep my commandments. He
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth
me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love
him, and will manifest myself to him. If a man love me, he will keep
my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him.” And 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.”
2. They Were Accusers. V46—“Which of you convinceth (Gr.
"convict" or "prove") me of sin… "--No one spoke, because Christ is
the only One who ever lived who didn't sin! (Hebrews 4:15). "Why
do ye not believe me?"--The Answer--V47. Jesus said in John
10:27—“ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me.” John Gill wrote concerning Jesus’ word in v47—“ He that is of
God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are
not of God,” “because God was not their Father, or they were not
born of him, as they boasted; therefore they had not eyes to see,
nor ears to hear, nor hearts to understand: and it may as fairly be
inferred, that because they did not hear the words of God, therefore
they were not of God; for these two necessarily imply each other; it
looks very dark on such persons, who neither hear the doctrines of
the Gospel externally nor internally.” (John Gill’s Exposition Of The
Entire Bible).
Their response in vvs. 48-59—“Say we not well that thou art a
Samaritan and hast a devil?" Accusers become defensive when an
accusation is brought against them. On the spur of the moment in
their rage and fury they can think of no meaner things to say. They
know, of course, that Jesus was not a Samaritan, but he had acted
like a Samaritan in challenging their peculiar spiritual privileges.
(Robertson’s Word Pictures). They acted completely opposite of the
character of Christ and those who belong to Him. When accused
Jesus didn't seek to justify Himself, but committed his judgment
to God (vvs. 15-18, 54). Matthew Henry wrote: “Christ and all that
are his, depend upon God for honour.” (Matthew Henry’s Concise
Commentary).
3. They Were Angry. V59 tells us, “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.” The claims of Christ
caused their anger to boil! We have a “Vivid picture of a mob ready
to kill Jesus, already beginning to do so.” (Robertson’s Word
Pictures). What so incensed this mob? Jesus said in V56—“Your
father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”
Jesus said, “Abraham believed in me, you do not!” Abraham, by
Faith, saw afar off the day the Messiah would come and his seed
would be blessed (Romans 4:3). Jesus claimed to be God: “Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (v58). A solemn
and official declaration, preceded by "Verily, verily." The utterance is
a remarkable one. It does not merely assert that he was before
Abraham, but before Abraham was, I AM. It identifies with the I AM
of the Old Testament. Divinity has no past tense, no future tense,
but always the present.” (The People’s New Testament). Jesus
makes it clear who He is! He leaves no doubt. This incenses the
people to the point they pick up stones to stone Him. It appears
that the Jews understood him as asserting his Godhead; and,
supposing him to be a blasphemer, they proceeded to stone him,
according to the law. Lev_24:16. (Adam Clarke’s Commentary On
The Bible).
CLOSING: In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the BIBLE says, "Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new.” True Repentance always involves
Change! A change in Affections, Attitudes, and Actions; if there is
no change, nothing has changed.
Are you facing an identity crisis? From whom can you claim your spiritual character? No one is a Christian by birth, heredity, or will of man, but by new life in Christ! (John 1:11-13). Is God your Father?
Christian, are you, by your life, pleasing your heavenly Father?
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