Sermon Central
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"who's Your Father" Series
Contributed by Gordon Weatherby on Jun 8, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: It was a battle of wits when Jesus Jesus made it clear we are either Children of God or Children of Abraham
“WHO’S YOUR FATHER?”
Message # 19 In Gospel of John 2021
Greenmount and O’Leary Churches of Christ
June 07, 2021
Video Link to The message: https://youtu.be/XOcR4B6mikY
INTRODUCTION:
1.) In many ways PEI, is a large family community, and people at one part of the island are connected to and often related to people in almost every part of the island.
A.) This strong island wide connection means there is a question I have often heard on this island: “Who’s your father?”
B.) Even with myself, I am from Deer Island, and though that was my home, I have now lived more years away from the island than I have ever lived on the island.
ba.) When I come home, I will see young people who look familiar, yet are people I do not know.
bb.) I have found myself also asking the question “Who is your father?” At times now I also have to ask “who are your grandparents?
C.) In John 8 there was also an emphasis on family genealogy, especially as to how they were related to Abraham.
I. THE JEWS CLAIMED TO BE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM. (John 8:31-41)
• It was in the midst of this that Jesus said:
1.) “if you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” (8:31)
A.) “You will know the truth” (8:32a.)
aa.) In the context of last week’s Scripture and message, Jesus had been speaking of himself as the “Light of the World”, another term for being the Messiah.
ab.) Jesus challenged them to be His disciples, and to learn from him.
aba.) True disciples of Jesus would know the truth of God, as children of Abraham, and ultimately Children of God.
B.) “And the truth will set you free.” (8:32b.)
ba.) Through Jesus, they could come to spiritual freedom from the law, sin, and their former ways of life.
bb.) These people could experience the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ.
2.) We are children of Abraham. (8:33a.)
A.) There was a pride in their Jewish heritage.
aa.) The Jews rejoiced in being able to trace their lineage back to Abraham.
ab.) Yet sadly, there was a spiritual ignorance that came with being children of Abraham.
aba.) Every Jew could show you his or her genealogy and pedigree charts proving a blood connection to Abraham.
.01) Had this been today, they would likely be using DNA testing to prove this connection.
abb.) The error of their understanding was in looking to a physical connection to Abraham rather than a spiritual connection.
abc.) Certainly, the world would be blessed through Abraham, and yet the blessing was not through Abraham, but through his descendant, Jesus the Christ.
.01) The question was not if they could prove a connection to Abraham, but rather that they had come in an obedient saving faith to Abraham’s descendant, Jesus the Christ.
.02) The fullness of that message would not be understood until after the resurrection of Christ when Peter delivered God’s plan of salvation on the Day of Pentecost.
B.) “We have never been slaves of anyone.” (8:33a.)
ba.) These Jews completely missed the message Jesus was giving and became defensive to the words of Jesus on freedom, looking only at physical freedom, and not spiritual freedom.
bb.) Even in their statement of freedom, they were showing their ignorance of Jewish history.
bba.) We recall the Jewish people had been slaves in Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, yet they were now claiming they had never been slaves to anyone.
C.) Jesus said: “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (8:34)
ca.) Our Lord was speaking of something far worse than physical bondage.
caa.) As terrible as it is to be a physical slave, it is that much worse to have our spirits in a state of bondage.
cab.) Physical bondage can affect us in this life only.
cac.) Spiritual bondage goes further to the very core of our souls and being.
.01) Spiritual bondage if not rectified in Jesus Christ will also be experienced in eternity.
cb.) Perhaps like these Jews of past generations, we would never recognize that sin brings with it a slavery.
cba.) And yet at the same time we know it is true.
.01) We have seen that a drunk is a slave to the next bottle, and a drug addict will focus his entire life around his or her next fix.
.02) Those who are addicted to pornography eventually come to need even greater stimulation to make them happy.
.03) A gambler with squander even his money for food or lodging because the next bet will solve his financial problems.
.04) Certainly these are but a few examples. Whatever sin, or addiction a person can have, will eventually become his or her slave master.
.05) To put it another way, several years ago there was a Christian song that came out I believe by the Cathedral Quartet that included the following words:
