Words of Jesus Part 54

John 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

The law condemns those that sin. The wages of sin is death. Jesus came to bring us grace and redemption from the curse of sin. Before Christ, there was no hope for any that had sinned and all have broken God's law at one time or another, except of course for small children under the age of accountability. According to the law, the woman deserved the death penalty for she had sinned. Jesus, gave her a new life, a new hope and freedom from her past sin and power to resist any future temptation to sin.

John 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

These men sought occasion to accuse Jesus. They must have watched Him closely and noticed that He never condemned sinners only helped them get free from sin, sickness and the curse of the law.

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

What words of wisdom. This woman committed adultery but the accusing men were most probably guilty of worse crimes than that one woman.

John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

What beautiful words of compassion the Lord had for her. I want to make sure to include all His words and not just a few. Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee." Jesus also said, "Go and sin no more."

To another person He said, "Go and sin no more lest a worse thing come upon you."

I believe Jesus would not tell the woman to go and sin no more unless He gave her the power to resist any future sin. There is a warning here to not return to the bondage of sin once Christ has set us free. If we do, turn around and make it right as soon as the Holy Spirit convicts us of that sin.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

Actually we can't reject Jesus and claim to know God. Jesus is the way to God and there is no other way. We can't know the Father and not know the Son. We can't know the Son and not know the Father.

This is a bad example but if the Hoover Company sent their representative to my house in the name of the company, and I slammed the door in the face of the representative, I would not be rejecting just the man himself but the company he represented also.

Jesus was the Son of God who came in the flesh to become a man born of woman. He had to become one of us to save us. He had to live among us and never break the law of God given by the hand of Moses. He had to live sinless in order to be the perfect spotless sacrifice to pay for our sins. He was a lamb without spot or wrinkle.

The wages of sin is death. Jesus came to pay the death penalty for us so that we could escape eternal death in hell. When He was resurrected, that gave us assurance that through faith in Him we also will be resurrected. How can we even think of returning to the sin Jesus saved us from? We should be so grateful that we refuse any appearance of sin.

John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

God has His own time table and no one could take His life until the Father in Heaven allowed it to be taken from Him.

John 8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

This is the part we need to take heed to. If we reject Jesus Christ and what He did to save us from sin, we will die in our sins. If we die without having our sins removed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we will spend eternity in hell.

John 8:22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 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.

We must not explain these verses away. If we do not believe, we shall die in our sins.

John 8:25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

Every word Jesus spoke was a message from the Father in Heaven.

John 8:27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then said Jesus unto them, 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.
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

All who believe these words shall never be left alone. Jesus knew ahead of time that He would be lifted up and would die for our sins.

John 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

We can't claim to be His followers or disciples if we do not continue in His word. We must abide in Christ continually. However, this should be something we want to do. Imagine continuing in His precious word. How awesome is that?

The secret to knowing truth is to continue in the word.

John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

"Born again, Free from sin." Jesus came to make us free from sin. If we continue in sin, we are not free but a servant of sin.

John 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
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.

We can't hold onto our ancestor's religion or faith, we must have faith in Christ ourselves. Abraham looked forward to the time of Christ and according to these words, He saw Jesus.

John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
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.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

They could not find true fault in Jesus though they tried to trip Him up many times. They could not prove that His words were not true. "convinceth me of sin" in the above verse means that they were trying to convict Him of sin.

John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

One way to tell whether or not someone is a true follower of God is the fruits they bear, whether they love one another and whether they keep the word of God.

John 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

We will truly pass from this life into the next without actually seeing death. The only ones that think we see death are the ones who view our body after God takes us home.

John 8:52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Jesus existed before Abraham. When Abraham died, he saw Jesus.

John 8:59 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.

Jesus Christ had to be one of two things. He was either a great impostor and deceiver or He was who He said He was, the Son of God sent from God. There is no way He could have been just a good man who helped people or even just a prophet. He had to be God or a fake. To have said these words meant that He was truly a man telling the truth. He could not have been just a good person or a great teacher. He had to be the Son of God.

Words of Jesus Part 55

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