Knowing God:

John 8:19 “...They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also...”

Who did Jesus say didn’t know God?

• The Pharisees.
• Probably the most prominent religious people of the time.

How can religious people not know God?

• Religion can take on a life of its own.
• Discipline does not guarantee closeness to God.
• Mankind is notorious for making false gods that suit personal preferences.

What did Jesus suggest as a way to know the Father?

• Knowing Jesus, who was God incarnate.

Why didn’t the Pharisees know Jesus?

• They were too busy defending their religion.

Based on John 8:19, what do you think is a proper way to get to know God the Father?

• Get to know God the Son.

How can a person get to know God the Son?

• The scriptures reveal the Son.
• The Red Letters are the very words of the Son.
• Know the Son and you will know the Father also.

Light in the Darkness:

John 8:12 “...Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life...”

John 1:4-5 “...In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...”

Is there darkness in our world? How would you describe it?

• This comment about light comes at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.
• The Israelites lived in tents as God was taking them to His promises.
• The good and perfect will of God is life and light.
• To stray from the good and perfect will of God is to move into darkness.
• Our world is in darkness because self-indulgence prevents people from following God’s good intentions for His created world.
• The further we go from God’s intentions, the darker our existence becomes.

What is the answer for darkness?

• To avoid walking in darkness, a person must follow Jesus.

Why can’t darkness “overcome” the light of the world?

• Darkness is the absence of light.
• Light isn’t overcome by darkness. Darkness disappears in the presence of light.

What happened when Jesus was crucified, resurrected, and ascended?

• John 9:5 “...As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world...”
• Matthew 5:14 “...You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden...”
• The light is still in the world if people are abiding in Christ, and He in them.

How did the Pharisees receive the statement by Christ?

• John 8:13 “...So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true...”

How does our world receive the statement by Christ?

• People in darkness are convinced that Christ’s testimony is not true.

John 8:14-18 “...Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me...”

Why is Christ judged incorrectly, both then and now?

• He is judged according to the flesh.
• 1 Corinthians 15:50 “...I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable...”
• John 6:63 “...It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life...”
• Philippians 3:3 “...For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh...”

Do we prefer to walk in darkness, or in light?

Do we prefer to follow Christ, or our self interests?

Do we recognize the significance of our decisions?

John 8:19 “...They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also...”

Whom is Jesus accusing of not knowing God the Father?

• The religious elite.
• The group of people on the planet who claim to know the Father.

Can a person be sure they know the Father?

• To follow Jesus is to walk in the light.
• To follow Jesus is to know Jesus.
• To know Jesus is to know the Father.

Will I walk, will I walk with Him today?

Will I walk or will my wants cause me to stray?

Will my sin and my shame keep me from being who I am?

Or will I walk, will I walk with Him today?

Can You be the Judge?

Context:

• Jesus came to the temple early in the morning.
• The Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery.
• The Mosaic Law stated that the woman was to be stoned.
• Jesus is asked what He has to say.
• NOTE: The earliest manuscripts don’t include John 7:53-8:11

John 8:6 “...Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground...”

Would it be helpful to know what Jesus wrote on the ground?

• Some think He wrote the sins of the accusers. 
• Some think He might have written Exodus 23:1 “...You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness...” 
• Some think He was just doodling while preparing to answer. 
• Most think if we needed to know, we would have been told.

John 8:7 “...And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her...”

What was their response?

• They went away one by one, beginning with the oldest.

Who is qualified to pass judgment on sin?

• The one who is without sin. 
• God alone has the right qualifications.

John 8:10-11 “...Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more...”

What concern does Jesus have with sin?

• He doesn’t quickly judge and punish sin. 
• He doesn’t condone sin. 
• He wants people to “sin no more”.

Which is easier, pointing out sin in others, or helping people to not sin?

How do religious people view sinners?

• Tendency is toward judgment, not toward assistance.

How is it possible to rebuke sin but give hope for a new life?

• Accepting sin doesn’t lead to new life. 
• Condemning sinners doesn’t lead to new life. 

Can people escape sin?

• Romans 3:23 “...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...”

• Romans 6:12-14 “...Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace...”

• Grace prevents sin from having dominion. 
• Sin should not reign in our mortal bodies.

Jesus at the Feast:

In John Chapter 5:

• Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, causing considerable distress among the Jews.

In John Chapter 6:

• Jesus fed the five thousand.
• Jesus walked on water.
• Jesus warned his followers to NOT work for that which perishes, but for that which endures.
• Jesus claimed to be the living bread that came down from heaven.

• John 6:63 “...It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life...”

Now in John Chapter 7:

• It was time for the Feast of Booths in Judea.
• Jesus wanted to avoid Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.
• Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe in Him and challenged Him to show Himself to the world.

What was the Feast of Booths?

• Also known as Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Tents.
• Started on the 15th of Tisri (mid September).
• To commemorate their living in tents in the wilderness.

John 7:6-8 “...Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come...”

What is the difference between ‘My time’ and ‘your time’?

• Jesus time was scripted by the Father, and required careful attention to follow.
• The disciples time would not initially attract the same attention, so they could go to the feast.

Is ‘your time’ scripted by the Father, requiring careful attention to follow?

• Ephesians 5:15-17 “...Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is...”

Did Jesus stay in Galilee? (John 7:9-16)

• Jesus avoided publicity by going in private.
• In the middle of the feast, He went into the temple and began teaching. 
• The Jews marveled at his learning, because He hadn’t been formally taught.
  

 John 7:16 “...So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me...”

What teaching was Jesus giving?

• Teaching from His heavenly Father?

Teaching from heaven?

John 7:17-18 “...If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood...”

According to Jesus, who will recognize when teaching is from God?

• Those who wish to do God’s will.

• John 10:3 “...The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out...”

• John 10:27 “...My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me...”

Who then, do you think will have difficulty recognizing teaching from God?

• Those who don’t wish to do God’s will.

What additional distinguishing feature did Jesus say identifies truth speakers?

• The one getting the glory.
• Those seeking their own glory are speaking their own manipulative words.
• Those seeking God’s glory don’t carry falsehood.

John 7:19-24 “...Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment...”

Jesus is challenging the Jews because of their frustration with Him healing on the Sabbath (John 5).

What is the challenge that Jesus leaves for all people?

• Avoid judging by appearance, and judge rightly.