Know Him and Keep His Word:

Context:

• Jesus had explained the need to Abide in His Word and Live in His Truth.
• The traditions of men rather than kingdom truth made people slaves to sin.
• Jesus accused the Jews of failing to hear.
• The Jews then accused Jesus of having a demon.

John 8:49-50 “...Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge...”

What characteristic identified Jesus as one who honored His Father?

• He didn’t seek His own glory.

What characteristic identified Lucifer?

• He sought his own glory.

What characteristic identified the Jews if they indeed were “...of your father the devil...”?

• They sought their own glory.

Whose glory do we seek? Who knows for sure?

• God is a judge who judges rightly, not just by appearances.

• John 7:24 “...Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment...”

John 8:51-53 “...Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?...”

Why would the Jews having difficulty with “...he will never see death...”?

• They were thinking in physical, not spiritual terms.
• They weren’t hearing, or keeping the Words of Jesus.
• They were slaves to untruth.

• John 6:50 “...This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die...”
• John 5:24 “...Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life...”
• John 11:25 “...Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,...”

Why do people have difficulty with Jesus?

• They think in physical, not spiritual terms.
• They don’t hear, or keep the Words of Jesus.
• They are slaves to untruth.

John 8:54-59 “...Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple...”

Why did the Jews pick up stones to throw at Jesus?

• The “...I am...” reference was considered blasphemy. Jesus was equating Himself with God, and this was strictly forbidden.

How would you feel if you were accused of not knowing the God you professed to serve?

What did Jesus claim as the difference between Himself and the Jews?

• He knew the Father.
• He kept the Father’s word.

Do we know Him and keep His word?