CENTRAL THOUGHT
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).
HYMN: AMAZING GRACE! HOW SWEET THE SOUND
TEXT: John 8:28-36, 17:14-21
INTRODUCTION Any person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ is made free. He is ordained and sent as a messenger to the world- Matt. 28:18-20. A messenger is known by the message he receives and gives others. The message he gives also indicates the source of the message, the authority and power behind him. No messenger can give a message when he is not made free, chosen and sent for a specific purpose, with a specific word that would turn the hearts of his audience to God. His life is a further proof of the truth of the message he received. This will help his listeners to take his message serious or otherwise. By the reason of imitating Christ, he has become an example to all the Christians. The word of the Lord will be ringing out from his mouth to people everywhere he goes. People will bear witness of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But a messenger without a message is a hireling, a thief and a robber (Jn 10:1). A messenger knows that he is not alone he has been sent (John 17:18); that gives him boldness and authority to speak that which he hears and sees the sender speak and does.
Four times in this discourse (John 8:16, 18, 26, 29). Jesus declared He had been sent by the Father. He did not originate His message. He was simply conveying the truth the Father had given Him to bring to the human race. He was indeed ministering to human need, the way of salvation which is the greatest need. If any person says he is made free but cannot speak about Jesus his freedom is not real. A true Christian who is made free must proclaim Christ in season and out of season because he is free to speak that which he knows, believes, sees and hears (John 3:11; 2 Cor. 4:13). “Continue” is the key word in Jesus’ description of discipleship and the phrase “Go ye” is the long life commitment to carry the gospel to the entire world. It is not a hit-miss-run profession. Jesus calls for a continuous teaching and preaching of the truth.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
1.) To know who is a true Christian 2.) To examine how people misinterpreted freedom 3.) To understand what the right attitude to the truth should be 4.) To know how love for God is made manifest
BIBLE TRUTH
Q1. WHO IS A TRUE CHRISTIAN? JOHN 3:3, 17:14-21; 2 COR. 5:17 Any person who is born again (John 3:3) is a true Christian. He is chosen to carry our a specific work here on earth. The person should be a teacher under the chief teacher wherever he goes. He must also be a preacher under the chief preacher, proclaiming the good news of God’s unfailing love, explaining our experience, about our faith on the Lord Jesus as the only Way to the Father, the only Truth about God and as the very Life of God to mankind. As such, we reveal His truth to others and give life to them. We teach others to know Jesus (John 14:6).
Q2. HOW DO PEOPLE MISINTERPRET FREEDOM? John 8:33-36 Just as the Jews wrongly took up Jesus’ statement about freedom so also many people do today. The Jews did not agree that they were not free, because they were descendants of Abraham. They insisted that they did not need any teaching about freedom because they were free and always had been. This kind of freedom so often sought by some today is the freedom that destroys the person completely.
Majority of men and women, boys and girls want to be “free” to indulge in harmful habits and sinful practices. They resent any suggestion to curb their desires and exercise discipline on their actions. They do not realize indulging in such habits is not true freedom. This type which lead to destruction of lifestyle only lead to hurt and disappointment. We must recognize that Jesus was enunciating a truth that applies not just to the group He was then addressing, but to the whole human race, that sin enslaves. Secular minds have sometimes applied this statement of Jesus to other kinds of truth. He was referring specifically and exclusively to the truth as it is found in Him. Knowing the Truth (Jesus) will make men free. This truth will loose man from bondage. Jesus was not speaking of the civil freedom His audience understood Him to mean, but of spiritual freedom.
Q3. WHAT SHOULD BE THERIGHT ATTITUDE TO THE TRUTH? John 8:37-44 The people Jesus addressed had the wrong attitude to the truth whereas God’s children welcome His word and live by it, these people completely shut their ears to His word. God is the creator of all, but spiritually He is not the Father of all. Jesus sought to impress these Jews with the truth that one’s spiritual father is more important that the natural. He declared they were motivated by their relationship to a father other than Abraham (i.e. the devil). Not only did they reject the truth, they sought to silence it by seeking opportunity to kill the One who is Truth. They were grouping themselves against the message which came directly from God. This crowd thought their relationship with God was secure because of their lineal descent from Abraham. Jesus corrected this impression with these comments. “Ye do the deeds of your father” (John 8:41). “Ye are of your father the devil” (John 8:44). If any nation had the right to call God their Father it was Israel, because of His covenant with Abraham. However, Jesus declared they did not have this right because they had rejected the One the Father sent to earth. Jesus said to them if God were your Father, “Ye would love me” Do you know Him? Do you love Jesus? Show it by telling others about Him.
Q4. HOW IS THE LOVE FOR THE FATHER MADE MANIFEST? John 8:42, 14:15 Love for the Father is manifested by loving His Son and declaring the Son’s mission to others. This is important because Jesus was sent by the Father to redeem mankind. Loving Him means loving the One who sent Him (John 8:42). Furthermore, our love for God is made manifest when we obey His
word, let it be the rule that guides and directs our lives. (John 14:15). Loving God is also expressed in our love for others especially the brethren (Gal. 6:10, 1 John 4:20).
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION The Lord Jesus is the truth that cannot be ignored; He is the core and center of the Christian’s life. He is actually the truth the world is seeking but are unwilling to embrace, because they do not want their freedom to sin or do as they choose curtailed. Ultimately, all of us, whether believers or otherwise will have to answer to Him. This being so, let us as believers continue to live for Him. It is our duty to persuade those who do not know Him to believe and be saved.
MEMORY VERSE John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday: A true Christian John 3:3, 17:14-21, 2 Cor. 5:17 Tuesday: The way, the truth and the Life. John 8:33-36 Wednesday: The right attitude to the truth. John 8:37-44 Thursday: Love for the Father John 8:42, 14:15 Friday: Manifesting love for God. Gal. 6:10, 1 John 4:20 Saturday: By grace are you saved. Eph. 2:1-10