 Let's begin reading at verse 46. I'll read verses 46 and 47, get into our study. John chapter 8, beginning at verse 46, reading to verse 47. Jesus says, which of you convicts me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears God's words. Therefore, you do not hear because you are not of God. And so in our last study, I mentioned to you that I was going to pick up at this place here, and let me remind you of a few things. Jesus has been confronting some who have been listening to him. And I pointed out to you, if you look at verse 31, I point out that John had identified them as Jews who believed him. And that's an interesting way to put it. Jesus said to those Jews who believed him. And so that's basically who the conversation is as Jesus is speaking. That's who he is speaking with. So by saying that, John was pointing out that they'd shown an interest in him. It isn't that they were actually his disciples. They were people who had curiosity. And that's why Jesus made it clear that his disciples were those who remain or abide in his word. So that makes it obvious that curiosity alone doesn't constitute saving faith. There's a lot of people who have an interest in God. They have an interest in the Bible. You know, you can go to some colleges and you can actually take the Bible as literature. And there will be people there who will go and take that class because they see it as an interesting book. And there are those who want to know about God. There are those who speak and say, I'd like to know more about them. But that doesn't mean that they're willing to drop everything, pick up a cross and follow him. And that's basically what is taking place here. So John is making it clear that these whom he is speaking to right now are those who have shown an interest in him. They're not his disciples. They have curiosity. And again, that's why Jesus said his disciples are those who abide in or remain in his word. And as this is taking place in this chapter here, he went on to expose their lack of genuine faith by saying this to him. He said, you shall know the truth and the truth will make you free. Remember how they responded when Jesus made that statement? They got really upset at him. They responded immediately by saying, we've never been in bondage to anyone. And so Jesus was speaking to them about that because indeed, even as they were saying, we have never been in bondage to anyone, they were in bondage to Rome. And so the self deception is what's being dealt with as Jesus is speaking to them. And so Jesus went on to say to them in verse 32, that he's the one who makes people completely free. Now, all of this is serving to reveal that these are not genuine disciples. You see, when Jesus spoke of complete freedom, true believers would have rejoiced. How did you respond when you actually grasped that message? How did you respond when you heard that you could be free completely, that all of your sins would be completely washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ? I don't know what you responded like. I can tell you how I responded. I responded with amazement. I responded with this and it's like, you're kidding me. I was only 20 years old. It's not like I was the worst sinner in the world. You know, I reserve that for John Mata. I wasn't the worst sinner in the world, but I certainly was a sinful young man and laden with so much guilt and so much depression over the things that I'd done, just heavy. And so when the gospel is preached to me and I am told that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses you from all sin, not just some sin or a few sins or particular sins, all sins, every single one. I was amazed. What were you like? I was amazed. It can this be so? Can this be true? See, if the Son makes you free, you are free indeed. And there should be a response in the heart of a person, a response that you spend a lifetime just glorifying God for what he's done. You know, why do you serve God? Why do you serve God? I serve God because he set me free to do so. I serve God because he loved me. He gave his Son for me. And the gratitude of my heart is overwhelming. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for what Jesus did on the cross for me. Do I walk like that 24 hours a day, you know, every day? No, there are my moments where I sometimes seem to forget what he's done. But the overwhelming reality is what Jesus is saying is, listen, the Son will set you free. And the one who set free is free completely is free indeed. And again, those who are hearing this message should have rejoiced that the knowledge that they were no longer in bondage to sin ought to produce this great joy. The freedom given to us in our Savior brings such relief that we are overwhelmed by it. Remember when the angel was speaking to the shepherds who were approaching the Christmas season, you'll be hearing about this real soon. But remember how the angel told the shepherds on the night that Jesus was born, how the angel in Luke 2, 1st 10 said to them, do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. I bring you good tidings of great joy, mega-carous in the Greek, great unbelievably great joy, because that's what happens, guys, when you get right with the Lord, there's this joy. And so that's the response of somebody who's been totally forgiven, this amazing joy. Like it says in Romans 4, verse 7, blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, whose sins are covered. The word blessed speaks of joy, rejoicing. The one who knows these things has joy in their heart. And if you're not walking in the joy of the Spirit, remembering that the joy of the Lord is your strength, maybe you need to just rehearse in your mind what God has forgiven you from and how grateful you can be. It has a way of restoring joy. It has a way of reminding you, look at God has done. We live in such a society that is so dissatisfied with what they have. We always want a little bit more, just a little bit more. Like that millionaire who was asked, how much is enough? And he says just a little more. We're that way as a people. I want just a little bit more, more satisfaction, more whatever. You know what, God has already given to you more than you can even handle. We just don't realize it yet. And as you begin to walk in his Spirit and you begin to see what God does and when you begin to count your blessings and you begin to think about what the Lord has done, you're just amazed. I can't help. I'm looking at my wife for a moment here and I'm thinking it was in a November. She may not even remember this. It was a November that she gave her heart to Jesus Christ. And so for you, it's your anniversary, 45 years of walking with Jesus Christ. Yeah. And I remember that. I remember that because she came to my Bible study hunting a husband and got me. No, she didn't. Okay, these people should have had great joy, but instead notice how they responded, anger and indignation. Verse 33, they claimed that they'd never been in bondage to anyone. So as we have seen, Jesus made it clear that even at that moment they were in bondage. They were in bondage to sin. And that drove them to reject him and even revealed a desire in their heart to kill him. Now they had claimed to send from Abraham, but Jesus makes it really clear. You're really children of the devil. Now they show that by the rejection of his word and his desire, their desire to kill him. Notice verse 43 where he said, why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word. You are of your father, the devil and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources. He is a liar and the father of it. This is coming from the mouth of sweet and gentle Jesus. There's so many people that don't have the full concept of Jesus in terms of his teachings. And you know, sometimes we wonder how, you know, how come people can be so pointed sometimes? How come they can point out sin sometimes? Isn't that cruel? Isn't that judgmental? Look at the words of Christ here. Look how strongly he's speaking to these people. It isn't a lightweight thing that he's saying at all. He's telling them, you are children of Satan. That's what he's saying. And that's a pretty heavy thing. You're revealing your rejection by rejecting my word. And the real desire is not to follow me, Jesus is saying. Your real desire is to kill me. Remember, Satan was a murderer and a liar from the beginning. And he says, and you're like your father. He lied to Eve. He lied to Eve. When he said something related to the fruit in the garden, she speaks to him and she says, God has said to us that we shouldn't eat of this. Neither should we touch it, lest we should die. And then Satan's first thing he says is, you shall not surely die. He's a liar from the beginning, from the very beginning. And it was Satan who provoked and encouraged Cain to rise up and to kill his brother Abel. So he's not only a liar, but he's also a murderer. In 1 John 3, 11 and 12, John says it like this. He said, this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. And so Jesus is saying, you are of your father, a liar and a murderer. And why do they refuse to believe him? He says it, because he said, I tell you the truth and you, you love the lie. As I've mentioned to you before, I say this fairly often enough to try and make that point indelible in our souls. The fact is, when you tell someone the truth, they don't always love you for doing so, do they? They don't always love you for doing so. One of the first things you hear today is, why are you judging me? Why are you judging me? You know, they don't always thank you for pointing something out, even if you do it with tears and a broken heart. And you can actually alienate them for telling them the truth. And that's, that's, that was the case with Jesus. And that's the, that's something that the Lord taught me as a minister of the gospel a long time ago. As a matter of fact, Galatians 416 became a very important scripture to me very early in my walk with the Lord, where Paul said to the church of Galatia, have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? Because people would prefer a lie over the truth very often, and that's just a fact. And so as that goes on, verse 46, he asks the question, which of you convicts me of sin? Well, they couldn't convict him of sin, but they still rejected him. Now think about that for a moment when Jesus asks the question, which of you convicts me of sin? If, if you said that in your home, if you were just sitting there in thanksgiving and, you know, could you pass the mashed potatoes, got to have some corn, please? And oh, by the way, which of you can convict me of sin? Forget about it. That's the end of thanksgiving meal for you. Where do you want me to begin? You know, this, this, this, all of us are that way. But think about it. Think about Jesus. I mean, Jesus is raised. I mean, he must have been an unusual brother to have anyway, because the Scripture tells us he had brothers and sisters. He must have been unusual. Think about it. How would you like to be raised in the home with a perfect kid? I mean, Mary never even had to tell him make your bed. He just couldn't know. Mary, he never lied. He never did anything, never got a lecture, never got in trouble. Really. You know, he did get one lecture. Now that I recall when, and he had remained behind in Jerusalem during the feast and, and Mary and Joseph had gone and they had to turn around and come back and then Mary was upset with him. And she said to him, your father and I, you know, looking for you. And then Jesus rebuked her for that because he had done nothing wrong. I'm about my father's business. When you speak of my father, it's not Joseph, my father's God. And so Jesus even rebuked his mother in a mile away, but it was a rebuk nonetheless, because she tried to lecture him once it's in Scripture. And well, a second time, I know I'm thinking about Mary. I didn't prepare this, but I'm thinking about it again. You know, when John do they have no wine. Woman, what's that got to do with me? You know, thank you, Jesus. Teach me to disrespect. No. He's saying you are not the one who gives me the timetable of my activity. My father is. I'm not under your orders. I'm under his. And so you'll see those rebukes even to his mother because she tries sometimes to insinuate herself into his life. But even so, who could, who could say Jesus sinned? And he could say that in front of everybody. Imagine that everybody, everybody. And you know, he was without sin, let him be the first to cast stone at this woman. He had said he's the only one who could have done that. And he didn't because Jesus Christ is perfect. And so we ask that question in verse 46, which of you convicts me of sin? Verse 47, he who is of God hears God's words. That word here in the original language, the New Testament was written in the Greek language. It's called Coine Greek. Coine Greek speaks of the language of the average person at that time. It was just the language that they spoke common Greek. And it says he who is of God hears. So I looked up that word here. I wanted to know what word was used for that translation. And that word that is used speaks of understands. When Jesus said he who is of God hears God's words, the literal word would be understands or gives heed to. And so a person who knows the Lord values what God has to say. And when that person values what God has to say, they're listening with an inclination to obey. It's like what it says in Jeremiah 1516, where Jeremiah the prophet said, your words were found and I ate them. Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts, your words were found and I ate them. They were sweet to the taste, pleasant to me. I desire them greatly. I hunger for your word. I desire your word. And that's what Jeremiah was saying. It's like what Psalm 119-103 says, how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. And it's our desire to do those things that are pleasing to the Lord, to desire like Job said his word more than our daily food. And so if you have a relationship with God, you don't avoid his word. You desire his word. And when you read his word, you don't argue with it. There are quite a number of believers I encounter on a regular basis who like to argue with God. They say, I never argue with God. But we do. We do when we're reading the Scripture and begin to debate whether or not we'll do that, whether or not we're willing to do that. Sometimes I'll read your Bible and say, well, that's very convicting. I'm reading the wrong, you know, that's really not to me. That's my wife. I wish she was in here right now so I could show her what God is saying to her. You know, we have this tendency of wanting to kind of like push it off on other people. The things that he says that are pleasant to us to hear are the things that we will grab hold of and want to hear. The things that cut to our heart are convictions of sin are the ones we're uncomfortable with. And so one of the ways for us to discover if we really have a relationship with the Lord is how hungry are we for him and how hungry are we for his word. And Jesus is making it very clear that the one who was of God hears God's word. He says in verse 47, you do not hear because you're not of God. Now that is a very strong statement. I use various commentators when I prepare my studies in one of the commentators named as Alakot. And he said this. He said rabbis and priests, teachers of the law, judges of truth, offerers of sacrifice, keepers of feasts, worshipers in synagogues and the temple. They were all these things. But Jesus made it clear they weren't of God. They were very religious, went to temple, made their sacrifices, did all of these things. Is it possible for a person to do all these religious things and not have a relationship with God and some in this room would say absolutely because you did that, because you went to your catechism classes, because you went to church regularly, because you received whatever kinds of of identifications of your church. I did. I can speak as a Catholic. I can say that I received baptism. I can say that I had the sacrament of confession and penance and first communion and confirmation. And all of those things, if you were to look at it on paper, I would have been regarded as a good Catholic boy. But none of those things made me any different. My mom took me to a small church. Many of you are aware of this church. It's in Alvera streets. It's a little church there in Alvera Street. When I was in December, I would have been four months old at the time. My mom told me the story. She said I went to the little church there in Alvera Street. She says I found a priest and there's a little alcove. I've been in the church, perhaps some of you. It's an old church in LA. And you go in there and there's this little alcove and it's got the little baptismal there. And that's where my mom at the age of 20 took me and had me baptized in that little place. So my heritage religiously started when I was four months old. And my family, I have an uncle who's long been dead, who was I believe if he was an Archdeacon or a Bishop. He was very high in the Catholic church in Jalisco. And he actually came from Jalisco to California to baptize my eldest aunt because she was born in Mexico and he would have been a great uncle to me. So our religious history was steeped in Catholicism. That was my background. So I was baptized. I received communion. I received confirmation and all of that. I did those things. And had you argued with me or discussed with me religion because I'd gone to Catechism and I knew the rudiments of my own quote and quote faith. I was able to argue those points because I memorized them at the age of seven or eight years old. But I didn't want to hear God's word. I wasn't hungry for them. I didn't want to hear people preach to me about how to live or what to do. I refuse those things because that's what a person who professes religion is all about. They don't have a real relationship. They just hide themselves in regulations and hope that those things are going to make them good in the day that they stand before God. Jesus is speaking to people who have all of those things who've done so many things. Again, the rabbis are priests, the teachers of the law, judges of truth, their authors of sacrifice, keepers of feasts, worshipers and synagogues, worshipers in the temple. They were all of those things and yet Jesus is saying you are not of God. They could hear but they refused to act upon. They heard but they failed to give heed to his words. And so verse 48 the Jews answered and said to him, do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? And Jesus answered and said, shut your mouth. No, Jesus answered, I do not have a demon but I honor my father. You dishonor me. Now when it says, and I want you to notice this, the Jews answered and said in verse 48, do we not rightly or do we not say rightly that you're a Samaritan? This is the only place that this is actually found. This statement here, but it was common knowledge at that time that that is what they were saying. So they call him first a Samaritan. Now when they call them a Samaritan, when they say, do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan? You need to remember something we've already looked at and I'll touch on it lightly. The Samaritans and Jews had nothing to do with one another because the Samaritans were what would have been referred to as a hybrid race, meaning that the Assyrians had brought in people who had been conquered by Assyrians and brought them into the area of Samaria. When you think of the map of Israel, think of the map of California because Israel is a west coast kind of country. So picture it is similar in configuration to California. So you have northern California, central California and you have southern California. Well, the north of California, the north of Israel is called the Galilee, the center which would be central California for us. The center is Samaria and then the southern would be Judah. And so what they did is they brought people from foreign lands and populated the area that is referred to as Samaria with people who brought in their false gods. And so over time what happened is the false gods that they had brought in with them, their faith in and practice of worship of these false gods began to be intermingled with the Jewish faith. And the Jews very early began to regard Samaritans as pagans and had no dealings with them. And that's why when a Jew would travel from the south to the north or from the north to the south they would normally cross over the Jordan to their east and would travel south or go north but first traveling across the Jordan then go up bypassing Samaria and then coming back in and going to whatever destination they were going to. The Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. So it would be referred to as a Samaritan was a very terrible kind of a slam if you will, it was a slur. So it's interesting in spite of this I wanted to touch on a couple of things that I didn't touch on last time. It's worthy of note that the Samaritans are mentioned a few times in the Gospels. We've seen them already in John's Gospel for example the Samaritan when we looked at the woman at the well which was we were told that this woman was a woman of Samaria. So the Samaritans have already been introduced to us. When you look into the Gospel of Luke, Luke records how Jesus went through a village and was approached by 10 lepers. We're all used to call them lepers. 10 lepers and remember how these lepers had approached it and asked for mercy and Jesus had cleansed them of their leprosy. It's recorded in Luke 17 because it says in Luke 17 verses 15 and 16 after they had been cleansed one of them when he saw that he was healed returned and with a loud voice glorified God and fell down on his face at his feet giving him thanks and then Luke adds these words and he was a Samaritan. There were 10. Nine of them were Jews. One was a Samaritan and yet Jesus says were there not 10 of you cleansed and yet only one came back to give thanks and praise and they're pointing out one the Samaritan woman at the well two you have this cleansed leper who was Samaritan. It's given us an insight into some things about the Samaritans and then once again all of us know the story of the good Samaritan and so it's a that good Samaritan is recorded in Luke chapter 10 but in the midst of all of this where somebody falls among thieves and they beat him left him on the side of the road and a priest and a Levite came by Jesus made sure to point out that they stepped across the street walked around him and then here comes a Samaritan and the Samaritan ministers to him and all so this compassion that he had was pointed out by Jesus so what he was doing was exposing the religious hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders so when they're saying to Jesus are we not speaking the truth when we call you a Samaritan it's interesting to see how the Samaritans really show up in the New Testament as not being as evil as these people here are claiming them to be what they were is people in need of the gospel and so Jesus ministered to them they also say that he's in league with and empowered by Satan do we not say rightly that you're a Samaritan and have a demon a demon well this is an accusation they had casted him Luke 11 18 says if Satan is divided against himself how will his kingdom stand because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub the prince of demons so once again what they're doing here is they're not dealing and this is an important point I want to make this very clear as I say this this is a very important point I want to make here I want you to notice something in all of this they are not arguing against Lord Jesus Christ's message what they choose to do is attack him as a person and that's called an ad hominem argument if you can't beat a person on the strength of your arguments in contrast to theirs just attack them just call them a name try and make them look as bad as possible tie some very negative thing that has occurred tie it into their character and people will stop stop taking into consideration the strength of argument and what they will do is just attack the person that is so common is one of the things I learned about ad hominem arguments when I was in elementary school it is a very common thing to not deal with the argument just attack the person and that's what they're doing here they're attacking him they're not listening to the words he's saying he said you can't hear them they're ignoring the things he's saying because they are so bent on destroying him they can't hear a word that he's saying so he says in verse 49 I do not have a demon I honor my father and you dishonor me so Jesus ignores the charge that he's a Samaritan denies that he's demonized he's being attacked and his response is to give his response actually gives us insight into how we should respond he dealt with the attack clearly and he rebunded their unjust statements over the years it depends on how long you live you're going to have this happen more than once you will have people who will attack you I guess everyone of us in this room have had that more than once in a lifetime maybe many times you know if you're in ministry that's a very common thing for people to you know to attack you and that you become aware of those things I was speaking to my pastor Chuck Smith one time a long time ago now and I said to Chuck something like pastor I said you you've been around for a long time and God has used you in great ways um but I have to ask you a question I said to Chuck I said do you uh were you born with a naturally thick skin or did you develop one over time I wanted to know because he received so many attacks I mean I can still remember there's so many I mean he introduced a Maranatha Christian music the music that we're used to hear was unheard of some of you may be old enough to remember that you didn't have guitars on an altar or a stage occult at the altar you you didn't have guitars you didn't have drums as I mentioned recently there were there were articles that were written about Calvary Chapel introducing what they called voodoo music voodoo music that's so crazy you can't believe it but that's the truth you know these hippies who have come in and have introduced pagan rites that was resurrected when Chuck died sad to say somebody that I admire very much man by the name of John MacArthur resurrected that when Chuck died and said that we were offering an unholy profane fire and that that it was the hippies through the Calvary Chapel that has been the reason that the church is is is in a bad place now John said something to that effect and I felt sorry that he had done that because I've admired him for many years I respect him highly and for him to take that route but that that was common we've heard that many times many times Chuck Smith is a simple minded preacher and he just gives simple sermons to simple minded students you know Haster Chuck had a photographic memory I have a photographic memory problem is the film never develops but he had he had a photo he had a photographic memory you know and he could read something one time I've been with him many times where he would hold this Bible I'm thinking right now when we were in the Sermon on the Mount and I was sitting there with him and my dad as he was giving a message he had his Bible and he always held it closed on his lap and he quoted verse by verse word for word chapters five six and seven out of the gospel of Matthew he was not a simple minded man by any means he's a man who was going to be a doctor and he had the brains for it and he loved science but God called him to minister and he took that magnificent mind of his and put it into the word and that's why we today to this day I am blessed by his ministry for what he did and yet the accusation was against him and then later on it's been against us people like myself and Raul and so many guys you guys are simple minded guys give simple Bible studies but Chuck said I would rather speak a few words that are easy to understand than 10,000 words that people can't understand and I remember when my dad first got saved how I was sitting inside a Bible study in in 1973 my dad was one of the people sitting in the Bible study just a handful of people and I still remember using a word I still remember the word I used as I was teaching tetragrammaton and I was speaking I said you know that's the tetragrammaton the tetragrammaton is is the name of Jehovah J H V H and the tetragrammaton and my dad just looked at me and he was beaming with this big smile in his face when I said tetragrammaton and I was using my college vocabulary and the spirit of the Lord spoke to my heart I've never forgotten this and he said your father is so proud of you but doesn't understand a word you're saying I've never forgotten that it was true because I was using words my dad had an eighth grade education he was proud of his son he wasn't a stupid man my dad was very intelligent but at the age of 13 during his day he had to quit school so he could go out to the fields and work that's what my dad and all my uncles did that was common at that time they didn't all graduate my dad didn't he read the readers digest every night that was his book but dad didn't know big words and there he is smiling at me as I'm using them and I'm thinking yeah this college vocabulary comes in handy and the spirit says he doesn't understand what you're saying and that's what I began to learn not that like not like I'm so superior forgive me if it sounds that way that that's when I began to learn that you can have many words that are not understandable so for you who are teachers always remember that a child in the room should understand what you're saying they should be able to grab what you're saying it has to be that plane not because you're less or greater not because that's how it is and people have a tendency of of attacking and Chuck was attacked and they're attacking Jesus here and it's because they won't hear his words they refuse to listen as plainly as he's speaking they will not listen to him and so what he does is he rebuts their unjust statements in first Peter 2 23 the apostle said this when they hurled their insults at him he did not retaliate when he suffered he made no threats instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly so he said I honor my father in what I say and all that I do but you verse 49 but you dishonor me now on a certain level the things that they're saying they do have the capacity of wounding and their unbelief and their attacks and accusations have a wounding effect Psalm 69 verses 7 through 9 reads it like this reads like this because for your sake I have borne reproach shame has covered my face I've become a stranger to my brothers and an alien to my mother's children because zeal for your house has eaten me up and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me and that's what it's taking place here and he's saying in your dishonoring of me the fact is you're dishonoring my father in John 5 23 he had said all should honor the son just as they honor the father and he who does not honor the son does not honor the father who sent him he says in verse 50 I do not seek my own glory there is one who seeks in judges so Jesus didn't come to seek his own glory but to bring glory to his father and the glory he brought to his father was related to redemption you see in yielding himself up as a sacrifice he satisfied his father's righteous commands he also paid the ultimate price he appeased his father's wrath and he provided salvation for those who would follow him so when I say you do not honor me he's saying ultimately I'm not seeking glory from you you see my father's the judge and my father is the one who will glorify me one of the things again that we remember as believers in Christ and as followers of him is as we don't seek glory from man if you do if you're seeking glory from man that's the wrong thing to seek what you want to hear is the well done from the Lord because when you seek glory from man you'll have a tendency of changing things to make it more appealing to people you might modify what you're saying and Jesus didn't do that he spoke and we've seen this he spoke very up front and and so did his apostles you know the people didn't want to hear it they wanted you know him to stop speaking the way that he did I was sharing with somebody just the other day when God called Jeremiah he said do not be afraid of their faces and it's not because they were so ugly he was saying because when you speak to people especially in groups because you can be intimidated by them you can be intimidated by the way they look at you and their body language and the things that they may even whisper to one another you can see it you know you're looking at one person right now but I look at a group of people and sometimes there'll be people on over in one place or over in another and I'm telling you you know you're sharing something you know and and they're not responding with a smile you know they're they're scowling at you angrily and and I tell Marie honey don't do that in church people are watching you it makes me look bad I mean I told you it wasn't that long ago that somebody from church uh yelled out and called me a liar while I was teaching they do that I had some I I can't even tell you some of the things that have happened in the church I was going to tell you something and I thought probably shouldn't tell you well I'll tell you it in a delicate way I had somebody get up and give me the California Howdy while I was teaching yeah I I if you know what that is if you don't ask your mom okay you know I this sounds self-serving I'm trying to make a point forgive me but I I know I've given over 8000 Bible studies that's a lot of Bible studies to stand up at least 8000 times it's a lot of Bible studies and there's a lot of faces and a lot of responses that I've seen over the years and if you're afraid of how they're going to respond you have no place in ministry because you have to think the one that you want to respond is in heaven Jesus and you want to hear the well done and the most important thing guys always remember this speak the truth speak it in love but again have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth I memorized that one over 40 years ago because I was raised by a mother who was very plain speaking you always knew where you sit with my mom anybody here who knows my mom or remember sir she was a plain speaking woman she raised me and so I'm a plain speaker I don't know that it's insulting sometimes I don't honestly don't I don't know that sometimes it may be harsh I don't realize that I just think it's true right so over the years God gave me a beautiful woman who said be nice and it's helped me because I thought I was I thought the best thing I could do is tell you the truth I thought the church wants to hear truth doesn't it I did I didn't want to hear some evangelists tell me how nice I am and I'm going to have the greatest day I've ever had I didn't need that I already knew I was a miserable lying thief I only knew I was a doper and a drunk that I was everything evil I knew that already so some guy coming up and telling me no you're you're wonderful just the way you are that guy's nuts he doesn't know me and I really felt that so when they said you're a sinner you're lost you're going to go to hell but Jesus Christ loved you and died on the cross for you and he'll change your life and forgive you of your sins that's the gospel I needed to hear that message not that I'm good but that he's good and that's how it works and don't be afraid I'm not I'm really not one of these guys who's afraid why because my fear is of the Lord not men and that's why Jeremiah said God said don't be afraid of their faces tell them what I told you and they're not going to like it and you're going to get kind of tired of it after a while and you're going to go through some things that you wish it didn't go through but I called you to this because they need to hear truth do it with love love for God and love for people but always tell the truth and what happened here is they were not responding well to it and so he said I'm not I'm not seeking glory from you in verse 51 most assuredly I say to you if anyone keeps my word he shall never see death what do you mean he shall never see death well believers in Jesus presently possess spiritual life because we're born again and because we have new life in Christ we live in fellowship with his father we know that God is the author of life and though our body will perish our spirit never does so in this way for the believer there cannot be death that lasts forever or eternally and John 11 we'll see this in a while verses 25 and 26 where Jesus is speaking he says I am the resurrection in the life the one who believes in me will live even though they die whoever lives by believing in me will never die and then the question is asked do you believe this now what we think of as death in scripture is really portrayed as sleep it's not that our soul sleeps there's no such thing as soul sleep but it's that our body appears to be asleep you see that in chapter 11 of John how Jesus speaks of the death of Lazarus when Lazarus died Jesus spoke of him as being asleep in John 11 verse 11 he said our friend Lazarus sleeps but I go that I may wake him up well when Jesus said this his men said well Lord if he's sleeping he'll get well they thought Lazarus was resting recovering but Jesus cracks him in John 11 14 he said to them plainly Lazarus is dead now sometimes people think of death as a friend Bible doesn't call death a friend the Bible says it's an enemy in 1st Corinthians 1526 the last enemy that will be destroyed is death so in Christ believers live and death has no victory over us in 1st Corinthians 15 55 through 57 oh death where is your sting oh Hades where's your victory the sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and in 1st Corinthians 15 54 when this corruptible has put on incorruption this mortal has put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the same that is written death is swallowed up in victory so death has been swallowed up in life physical death is thought of in its true sense as entering into life and life comes by abiding in the word that Jesus gives and hits his word that preserves us from judgment in John 5 24 most assuredly I say to you he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life has everlasting life shall not come into judgment but has passed from death into life and that's the kind of stuff that I like to read to you when I first got saved I would tell my friends oh I hope I go to heaven I hope I go to heaven I because I've been raised to believe that you can't know that that only self-righteous people would ever say they're going to heaven and it took a long time in the first several weeks of my walk with the Lord for my friends to finally show me enough scripture to say no you passed from death into life your name is written in the Lamb's book of life it's not something you try to get by earning and working for is something you receive by faith through Jesus Christ and Jesus forgave you of all of your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness and his holy spirit dwells within you and your name is written in the Lamb's book of life and one day he's going to call you and say come up here and you're going to leave this place and be in his presence immediately where there is no and no death there's no fear there's no tears there's no sorrow there's nothing but joy that's what you have through Jesus Christ you see and that was what really changed my life is the knowledge that it's not works of righteousness which I've done but according to his mercy he saved me by the washing of regeneration the renewing of the holy spirit and so that's what Jesus is speaking about and so that's powerful what he just said so how do they respond well verse 52 now we know you have a demon and that's sweet Abraham's dead and the prophets and you say if anyone keeps my word he shall never taste death are you greater than our father Abraham who's dead and the prophets are dead who do you make yourself out to be so that's pretty direct isn't it now again remember who's saying this those Jews who believed him but they're being exposed right now for the real lack of faith not true faith now Abraham they're saying Abraham and the prophets heard the word of God yet they're dead if God's word keeps you from dying then how is it that they died you've got to be crazy and then in verse 53 are you greater than our father Abraham who's dead prophets are also dead in other words death comes to all men no matter what they believe even the greatest men die Psalm 89 48 says what man can live and not see death can he deliver his life in the power of the grave so who do you think you are anyway and so Jesus responds in verse 54 if I honor myself my honor is nothing it is my father who honors me of whom you say that he's your god yet you have not known him but I know him and if I say I do not know him I shall be a liar like you but I do know him and keep his word your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad did you said you're not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham Jesus said to them most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am and they took up stones to throw at him but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple going through the midst of them and so passed by verse 54 it's my father who honors me and it's his honor that matters most and and my father is the one by the way that you call your god and this is because he is the god of Israel so you automatically call him your god but he's not your god because your actions are canceling out your words in verse 55 he says you have not known him but I know him they don't know god on the basis of their rejection of his word and in his proof that he knows god is that he says I know him and keep his word which is by the way proof that you know him also in 1st John 2 4 and 5 he who says I know him and does not keep his commandments as a liar the truth is not in him whoever keeps his word truly the love of god is perfected in him by this we know that we're in him he says in verse 56 your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day he saw it was glad it may mean that Abraham looked forward earnestly to the messiah and his appearing he may have had a spiritual revelation by the way when he was about to sacrifice his son Isaac remember how he'd gone to the mountain and was about to sacrifice his son Genesis 228 reads Abraham said my son god will provide himself a lamp for a burnt offering and so it may be that he got a revelation at that time well in verse 57 the Jews said to him you're not yet 50 years old now that's interesting we know that Luke 3 23 tells us that Jesus began his ministry at around 30 why did they use the number 50 you're not yet 50 because that would be the age where maturity began to blossom um when you read your bible uh the uh like when with Timothy when Paul's writing to Timothy he says though he says to them that uh him that he needs to live as an example to the believer why because people did not receive deep knowledge from the young and Timothy was a young man when Paul was writing to him so he said be that one example to the believer in word and faith in conduct and gives to him a variety of things we were in Israel and um Chuck Smith we were with Pastor Chuck and his son Chuck Jr we were at a place called Shiloh and when we were at Shiloh junior opened up the book of Jeremiah junior is around my age and I was in my 30s at this time and I was standing next to some of the Jewish bus drivers and I heard one of them when he turned and he said that young man what right does he have to open up the prophets because in the Jewish religion the youth do not touch the prophets until they're of a certain age so that 2000 years ago is still today that's still mentality is still in Israel to this day and so that's why they say you're not yet 50 years old they're saying you don't have the maturity even speak in the way that you are because we know that your ministry started earlier and what this is is simply a contrast of your lifespan with the centuries that have passed since Abraham but here's where I want to close with you because this is very important and I'm going to do it anyway because I didn't take you here last time I can't stop again verse 58 very important verses and I'm going to run through them Jesus said to them most assuredly I say to you notice before Abraham was I am this is what is called the third I am statement there are seven I am statements in the gospel of John the first I am statement was John 635 when he said I'm the bread of life the second we saw in John 812 when he said I am the light of the world but he is saying here before Abraham was I am now I want to point this out and and develop it a bit with you I want you to notice he is saying I am he is not saying I have been and he is not saying I was he is saying I am this is very important theology for you if you ever speak to somebody who denies the Trinity they will tell you that Jesus Christ is not God in the flesh they will tell you that the Jehovah's Witness organization which I think all of us are familiar with I'm certain we are will come to your door and we'll tell you that I have had those conversations with them I've had the discussions concerning the deity of Christ they have what is called the watchtower of the new world translation rather the new world translation of scripture and they will use what is called the new world translation they bring it they used to use the king James so when they've come in the early days of my ministry when they would come to my door I would say you guys use the king James before you had the new world translation they said yes so I said good you recognized it and honor did it one time yes we did okay then I'm going to use the king James and why did I do that I this this is something I could take a long time to talk to but I'm trying to jowl it down to something very quick they translate they created a Greek tense that does not exist and in the new world translation translate this I have been not I am there is a version of the Old Testament called the Septuagint version the word the Septuagint version is related to the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures it's called the Septuagint I went to the library got out a Septuagint open it up to John 8 58 in John 8 58 in the Greek when he says I am the word is Ego Emi E-G-O-E-I-M-I Ego Emi you open up the Septuagint version of the Old Testament and you go to Exodus chapter 3 verses 13 through 15 and when the Lord is speaking to Moses God said to Moses I am who I am you shall tell the children of Israel I am has sent you you open that up in the Septuagint Ego Emi the Old Testament repeated in the New Testament people will say Jesus never claimed to be God he just did he just did before Abraham was I am taking right out of Exodus chapter 3 verses 13 through 15 and saying I am the all existing ever existing one in scripture Jesus is revealed as God in the flesh we've seen it in John John 1 1 in the beginning was the word the word was with God the word was God John 1 14 in the beginning was the word the word was with God the word was God John 5 18 this was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him because not only was he breaking the Sabbath he was even calling God his own father making himself equal with God John 10 30 the father and I are one that's not they'll tell you oh one in agreement no that word one in the original language speaks of one of in essence not of purpose but in essence he is saying we are of the same essence he's claiming to be God in the flesh in John 20 27 and 28 Jesus said to Thomas put your finger here see my hands reach out your hand put in my side stop doubting and believe and Thomas said to him my Lord and what my God well I spoke to a jovis witness I pointed this out to him I said Thomas called him my Lord and my God well that's because he was surprised that's their answer well that there's he was shocked oh my God I said no no wait a minute I said you know would you say that Jesus is a rabbi and they said well of course he's a rabbi okay if Jesus is a rabbi what does a rabbi do when someone theologically is incorrect they correct them but what does Jesus go on to say you guys know what he's he went on to say you believe because you see blessed it is he who doesn't see and yet believes I said instead of bringing a rebuke he gave him a blessing and he gave us that same blessing does the Bible say that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh absolutely absolutely Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 and 6 you must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had though he was God he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to Colossians 2 9 and 10 in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily and in Christ you have been brought to fullness Hebrews 1 verse 3 who being every existing who being the brightness of his glory in the express image of his person upholding all things by the word of his power when he had himself purged our sins sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high they understood what he was saying and it became the charge that led to his death in John 19 7 the Jews answered him we have a law according to our law he ought to die because he made himself the son of God their response verse 59 they took up stones to throw at him that Jesus hit himself and went out they immediately desired to enact capital punishment for the sin of blasphemy under Jewish law capital punishment was enacted against adultery murder incest sodomy rape witchcraft disobedience to parents preaching false doctrine blasphemy they understood what Jesus was saying they desired to kill him he stated he's God in John 10 33 the Jews answered him saying for a good work we do not stone you but for blasphemy because you being a man make yourself God did Jesus ever say he's God in the flesh yes did it lead to the charge that had him place on a cross absolutely yes he claimed to be God so they're collecting their stones and Jesus blends in with the crowd and he leaves that reminds me of what he did in the city of Nazareth by the way he had spoken in their synagogue and they didn't like what he said and they took him to the brow of a cliff and they wanted to push him off but Luke 4 30 says passing through the midst of them he went his way why because it was not his time to die