WEBVTT 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:13.359 This podcast is a ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:18.399 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:23.359 Amen. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:24.000 Amen. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:25.120 Let's pray together. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:28.719 Lord, we just kind of confess and we agree with what the Bible says. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:31.920 That when you died, you died, our death in our place. 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:34.560 And so we've been raised to walk in a newness of life. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:47.280 The Bible tells us in the book of Ephesians that the same power that you used to raise Jesus from the dead was the exact same power you used to raise us from being spiritually dead, spiritually incapable of doing things that the Bible talks about. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:51.359 And so, Lord, we don't do those things in our own power today. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:01:08.959 All of us in this room that know Christ, that follow Jesus, we do that because the power of God was expressed in our life, was used to exert influence over us, to change our heart, not just to forgive our sins, but to empower us to live the life that the Bible talks about. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:11.120 So we're not cocky or arrogant. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:13.280 We don't think we're better than anybody else. 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:19.760 We have just been uh uh had an experience with the merciful power of God, and that changes everything. 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:28.480 It's why Paul says in Romans chapter 1, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, because it's the power of God to anyone who believes, to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:30.159 So, Lord, we're not ashamed today. 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:34.319 There's nobody in this room that is outsend the powerful gospel of God. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:37.680 And so, Lord, anybody here that thinks, man, I've screwed up so bad. 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:38.400 There's no way. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:40.079 I'm just here to go through the motions. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:41.120 That's not true. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.359 We just silence that voice in Jesus' name. 00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:44.959 We say, that's not the voice of God. 00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:47.519 That's the voice of the accuser that wants to beat us down. 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:49.280 We don't receive that today. 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:51.040 Lord, we receive the truth. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.120 Holy Spirit, lead us into the truth. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.439 You said you would, Jesus said you would do that. 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:59.040 And Jesus, you said that the truth would be the thing that sets us free. 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:00.879 Set us free today, Lord. 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:03.599 Wash off of us anything that's unnecessary. 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:06.000 We pray and we listen now in Jesus' name. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:08.080 And everyone said, Amen. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:09.599 You can have a seed if you've got a Bible. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:10.639 I invite you to take it. 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:12.240 Open up to John chapter 8. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.159 If you don't have a Bible, there's one on your row. 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:16.080 I'm on page 894. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:19.759 And a guy asked me recently, he said, Hey, do I have to look at the Bible when you're talking? 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:22.159 Because I feel like you look at me and I don't reach for a Bible. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:24.080 And I said, No, you don't have to look at it. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:25.199 It comes up on the screen. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:27.360 I said, We just put those there in case you'd like it. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:32.719 And if you like it, if you don't have a Bible and you like it a lot, take it home with you today as our gift to you. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:33.759 We'll get another one. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:34.400 Amen? 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:38.800 Uh, we are preaching through the book of John, and so we're up to John chapter 8. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:40.080 I'll start reading verse 12. 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.879 I want to talk to you today about following Jesus. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:44.159 About following Jesus. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:51.520 We talk about a lot of things uh in the church, and I think sometimes it's easy to forget to talk about the main thing, and that is following Jesus. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:53.919 You say, well, that's that's no big deal. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:03:04.159 Actually, when you get into what the Bible, how the Bible describes it, and the language the Bible uses to say this is what it means to follow Jesus, it actually does become a really big deal. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:09.199 Now, by the way, there's a difference in following Jesus and believing in Jesus. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:12.639 Uh because we'll start reading in verse 12, we'll read down to verse 30. 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:17.599 And verse, right at verse 12 or 13, he says, you know, all those who follow me, that's what Jesus says. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:21.680 And it ends with some of these people there listening to him saying, We believe. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:23.199 And then next week we'll get into this. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:27.280 Jesus starts unpacking it, and they're kind of like, uh, we well, we don't, we're not gonna do that. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:29.039 We believe, but we're not gonna do that. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:31.919 No, people that really believe, they follow. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:33.280 They follow. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:34.080 Let me say that again. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:35.439 Thank you, one lady out there. 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:37.680 People that really believe, they follow. 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:40.159 And when it gets hard, they keep following. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:43.680 Uh when it when it when it gets easy and it gets really good, they keep following. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:50.400 Because some of us, the worst thing we could do is be blessed because we will spit the bit and trust ourselves. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:57.599 And and and and so you gotta you gotta distinguish between following Jesus and believing in Jesus. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:03:59.840 Think of it like this: it's like a diet. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:05.120 Most people would say, I believe a diet is a good thing, but I don't follow one. 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:07.680 That's the way it is with Jesus. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:09.919 Hey, hey, a diet's a great thing. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:15.439 But with that kickoff today, when I watch that game today, I'm not gonna be thinking about a diet, okay? 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:16.879 And so why do I say that? 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:19.040 Because I want you to hear the way Jesus describes. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:27.839 Now, by the way, Jesus is gonna say some things about himself, and Jesus is modeling in his relationship with God the Father what our relationship with God should look like, okay? 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.959 John chapter 8, starting verse 12. 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:34.160 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:38.160 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:44.079 So the Pharisees said to him, You are bearing witness about yourself, and your testimony is not true. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:54.959 Jesus said, Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I have come from, where I am going, but you do not know where I am come from or where I am going. 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:56.879 You judge according to the flesh. 00:04:57.040 --> 00:04:58.160 I judge no one. 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:01.199 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true. 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:05.279 For it is not I alone who judge, but I am the Father who sent me. 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:08.720 In your law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:13.439 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:16.079 They said to him, therefore, Where is your father? 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:19.600 Jesus answered, You know neither me nor my father. 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:22.319 If you knew me, you would know my father also. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:28.399 These words he spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple, but no one arrested him because his hour had not yet come. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:33.120 So he said to them again, I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:35.279 Where I am going, you cannot come. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:37.600 So the Jews said, Will he kill himself? 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:40.480 Since he says, Where I am going, you cannot come. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:42.800 He said to them, You are from below. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:46.800 I am from above, you are of this world, I am not of this world. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:53.199 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:55.439 So they said to him, Who are you? 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:58.800 Jesus said to them, Just what I've been telling you from the beginning. 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:06.480 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world that what I have heard from him. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:09.759 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:21.519 So Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing of my own authority, but I speak just as the Father taught me, and he who sent me is with me. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:25.839 He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:29.600 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:37.920 Now it starts off with Jesus saying, way back up there in verse 12, hey, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, will have the light of life. 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:42.720 And it ends with people saying, Hey, many people that that that heard him, they believed in him. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:47.920 So it's incumbent upon us today to understand what does it mean to follow Jesus? 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:49.519 It means four things from the text. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:52.000 It means, first of all, that you don't walk in darkness. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:53.199 You don't walk in darkness. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:54.399 Here verse 12 again. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:58.879 And I want to give you a little bit of the text, and then I want to give you the context in which it happens. 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:03.920 In other words, when I say context, what it means, what's going on when Jesus stands up and says these words. 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:06.480 He says in verse 12, I am the light of the world. 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:11.199 Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:13.680 What is he saying and where is he saying it? 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:15.120 He is standing at the temple. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:30.720 Remember, we started back in chapter 7, the the Feast of Tabernacles is going on, or what the Jews called Sukkot, where they built these little, little, little, not like, like little huts and they lived in them for a week to kind of remind themselves that even though we've made it into the promised land, we still depend on God for everything we have. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.639 Even though, like George and Weezy, we moved on up to a bigger house. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:36.319 God, it still depends on you. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.759 The mortgage payment comes from you, everything we have comes from you. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:49.759 Because if you're not careful, you can live in Fort Bean County and you get that house you've always wanted, and you're rigging around in that vehicle you've always wanted, and you're kind of like, yeah, we have made it. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:50.959 Be careful. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:54.800 Be careful because it's so easy just to kind of forget. 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:59.439 So that's why they observed the Feast of Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:07.360 They lived in a little hut that they would build outside of their house, just to say, hey God, we're in the promised land, but this all still depends on you. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:08.720 We haven't forgotten that. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:10.560 We were born on third base. 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:12.319 We didn't hit a triple, amen? 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:14.079 And so this is what's going on. 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:21.920 It's a part of that feast of Sukkot is in the in at the temple, which is kind of like the this symbolized where God dwelled for the Jewish people. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:24.800 And it had this big open park called the court of the women. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:26.319 That's where everybody could come. 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:29.360 And at there they had these four huge menorahs. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:32.240 Uh, that they look like a modern-day candelabra. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.919 And on each four, on each menorah they had four prongs going up. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:37.679 They were 70 feet tall. 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:43.440 It would be like having 70 feet, like a lampstand made out of telephone poles. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:44.639 70 feet in the air. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:45.759 There were four of them. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:50.080 16 blazing torches on the temple, which was built on the temple mount. 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:52.879 So it's up on a uh up on a hill outside the city. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:57.759 And I mean, there's this glowing fire, all firelight all around the city. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:08:59.840 I mean, it is just kind of like this basking. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:06.799 Now, devout men would take their old clothes, their shirts, and tear them up and take them into strips, wrap them around a stick and make a torch out of that. 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:17.600 And they would dance all night and sing worship songs to God, basking in the light of these torches coming off of these 16 flaming oil-fueled torches that are going on at the temple. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:19.440 And they had this big thing going on. 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:23.679 And Jesus stands up and says, I am the light of the world. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.639 And by the way, here's the significance of this statement. 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:36.240 One thing I forgot to tell you these torches and this fire, it symbolized and represented the pillar of fire by which God led his people in the wilderness. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:38.480 Back, remember when we preached the book of Exodus? 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:39.200 I don't know if you remember. 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:41.360 We took about six years, went to the book of Exodus. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:44.720 Y'all, how much longer are we gonna be in the book of Exodus? 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:48.240 Until we get all the way out of the promised land and into the tabernacle. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:50.799 Y'all were like, shut up, I don't know what that means. 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:52.720 Preach on marriage or something. 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:55.600 Oh, come on, put your big boy pants on, grow up a little bit. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:59.840 And the reason we do that is to lay a biblical foundation so you can understand things like this. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:04.000 Because for those of you who weren't here when we went to the book of Exodus, God got these people out of exile. 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:04.639 They were slaves. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:08.559 God said his affection on Israel and said, Hey, you're the littlest among the nations. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:12.000 There's nothing about you that makes me want you, but I want you anyway. 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:14.320 That's the way you propose to a woman, men. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:16.240 No? 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:17.840 Of course you wouldn't. 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:23.840 None of you would say to your wife, you'd walk up to your wife at a party in college and kind of go, hey, you're not really much to look at. 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:28.559 Matter of fact, every woman in this room is better looking than you, but I want you anyway. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:32.240 She'd be like, move away, loser. 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:35.120 But he's not making fun of Israel. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:38.799 God's just kind of saying, Hey, I didn't choose you based on anything inside of you. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:45.519 And by the way, even that statement is God kind of winking, saying, Hey, it's the same way with you and me, Neil. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:49.600 There's nothing about Neil that made God kind of look and go, hey, there's some potential there. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:50.080 No. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:11:00.960 So they built these, they like these torches to symbolize, hey God, we're still looking to you to guide us because when the children of Israel were, they was like, hey God, how are we going to know where you are? 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:02.080 Because God said, follow me. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:03.759 And they said, How do we know where you're going? 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:04.799 Are you kidding me? 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:08.000 And he said, I'll tell you what, during the day, I'll have a pillar of cloud. 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:09.759 And at night a pillar of fire. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:11.279 How hard can that be? 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:14.480 Don't you wish God would make it that obvious nowadays? 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:17.919 What if I told you the Bible says he does? 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:21.200 Because they light these fires. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:23.519 And Jesus stands up and listen to this. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:25.919 He says, I am the light of the world. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.840 What is he saying by saying that? 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:31.200 He's saying to these very religious people, I'm God. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:34.159 And they're like, So what? 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:39.120 Unless you understand what Jesus is saying, you don't understand people's reaction to him. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:44.080 So because Jesus says these things, this is why the Pharisees say what they say in verse 13. 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:47.279 So the Pharisee said to him, You are bearing witness about yourself. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:48.879 Your testimony is not true. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.039 Jesus said, Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true. 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:55.519 For I know where I come from and where I'm going. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:57.840 You do not know where I come from or where I'm going. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:11:59.360 You judge according to the flesh. 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:00.639 I judge no one. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:04.799 Yet, even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:09.200 For I for it is not I alone who judge, but I am the Father who sent me. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:10.399 Hear this part. 00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:13.919 In your law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:18.559 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:23.360 Now, in the law, and that's true, before you could accuse somebody of something, you had to have two eyewitnesses. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:30.159 Can you think of anything going on in the news headlines today on Fox News or CNN that would be helpful if we had two eyewitnesses? 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:32.799 We could just clear some things up right now. 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:36.879 All this legalese back and forth, and he said and she said, and blah, blah, blah. 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:46.000 And Jesus says, by the way, I'm a witness, and my father is a witness to the fact that I am not just a prophet, a good moral example, a good teacher. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.840 I am God in the flesh. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:50.000 And this is what the people went crazy about. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:54.240 Later here in this section we just read, Jesus uses this phrase two or three times. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.639 Ergo I mean I am. 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:58.559 I am that I am. 00:12:58.799 --> 00:12:59.440 What do you mean? 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:01.120 What does he say again? 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:07.200 Jesus, if you do away with the Old Testament, you have no historicity for the Christian faith. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:12.080 Way back in Exodus, when God told this guy, Moses, hey, I want you to go tell Pharaoh, let my people go. 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:15.200 And Moses is like, hey man, that's the most powerful cattle on the planet. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.759 He'll kill me and then eat lunch and forget about me. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:19.120 Who do I tell him sent me? 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.600 And God said, You tell him I am sent you. 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:37.759 And so when Jesus says to these folks here in John chapter 8, see, the Bible's not 1142 one-off stories, it's one story told over thousands of years with one central theme and one main character and one purpose. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:39.679 It all fits together. 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:43.519 And so Jesus comes not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:44.799 What does it mean to follow Jesus? 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:46.159 It means you don't walk in darkness. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:48.720 He says, Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness. 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:54.399 Then by the way, you don't walk in, you don't not walk in darkness through effort or determination, but because of identity. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:59.600 He says, Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:01.600 Will have the light of life. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:04.799 Now, if you've been with us since the beginning, we started preaching through the gospel of John. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:06.399 That should sound vaguely familiar. 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:10.399 Let me just take you back to John chapter 1, verses 1 to 5. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:13.919 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.279 He was in the beginning with God, and all things were made through him. 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:21.120 And without him, there's not anything made that was made. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:27.440 Now notice the way the Bible separates those words because we jam things together for the sake of pace and expediency. 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:28.720 And we say anything. 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:30.399 The Bible says slow down. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:32.159 This is like a verbal speed bump. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:34.879 Slow down, let your brain go over this and drink it in. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:35.759 Hear it again. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:38.399 Without him was not anything. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:42.799 No thing was made that was made. 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:46.559 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:51.519 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:55.759 Now, here the Bible's already in chapter one of John's Gospel. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:15:00.480 The Bible's already inviting us to think about this things in terms of light and darkness. 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:07.600 Now John writes the Gospel of John, but he also writes what's called epistles, the shorter book that the end of the New Testament, 1, 2nd, and 3 John. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.320 They're right before the book of Jude and then Revelation. 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:16.000 So if you ever want to find those, but in that epistle, he's explaining to people how to live out the Christian life. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:26.960 And in 1 John chapter 1, verse 5 to 7, he says this this is the message we have heard from him and proclaimed to you that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:32.559 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:40.000 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his son cleanses us from all sin. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.679 Hear that last sentence again. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:46.000 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:51.120 If you want to have fellowship with God, you have to walk in the light because God does not dwell in darkness. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:54.799 Because the Bible says, what fellowship does light have with darkness? 00:15:54.960 --> 00:16:02.960 So I want you to begin to think about your Christian life and lit and following Jesus, not in terms of right and wrong, because that can be so subjective. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:06.159 Think of it in terms of light and dark. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:08.159 Light and dark. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:13.200 And as a Christian, you should be able to sense and feel when you're kind of getting close to darkness. 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:15.679 Does anybody understand what I mean when I say that? 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:19.360 Like, this doesn't feel my spirit feels a little bit vexed here. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.279 I feel a little bit grieved here. 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:22.799 I don't know if I should be doing this. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:29.840 Now, if you've ever been around anybody that is done with right and wrong, but they speak about it in terms of light and dark. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:31.600 It's a very convicting thing. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:43.519 For example, I was an eyewitness to a situation where a guy was trying to kind of convince a girl to go out with him, and he was smooth talking, and he had a low bear white voice, and blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:49.360 And she was being gracious, and she was being nice, and she was saying, Hey, you know, I don't, that's not a priority for me right now. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:50.799 I'm kind of focused on other things. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:54.320 And the guy would back up, correct two degrees, and come again. 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:59.679 And she was being gracious, and I noticed she began to run out of graciousness. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:06.000 And about five minutes into his persistence, I'm not a bad guy, you know, you're judging me, you hating me, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:15.920 She said very calmly, hey, listen, here's what I'm not trying to say, but I think spending time with you for me would be a step towards darkness, and I'm not willing to do that. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:20.480 And smooth talking brother ran out of words right there. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:24.160 It was like hee-haw, hee-haw, he ha, hee-ha. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:27.519 I was like, hey man, I'll play and you clog, okay? 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:30.880 Because she was just like, and I'm not doing that. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:32.640 I was stained by that. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:34.799 I was just like, say, what? 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:36.880 She's right. 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:44.960 She was saying what John says in 1 John, if we walk in the light as he and then the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:47.119 See, she's so valued, look at this. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:49.440 She's so valued fellowship with God. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:54.960 See, she wasn't willing to lay down that to have fellowship with this man that was walking in darkness. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:57.680 So I'm not saying right and wrong are bad. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:04.960 I'm saying what's more intimate and personal is you you have the light of life inside of you, the Holy Spirit as a Christian. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:12.799 And so you need to be thinking about your life, not in terms of right and wrong, and that that's true, right and wrong do exist, but light and dark. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:15.359 That requires more intimate discernment. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:16.240 That's what it means. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:18.720 First thing it means to follow Jesus is we don't walk in darkness. 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:20.720 Now, by the way, does that mean we're perfect? 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:24.480 He's talking about what you sense and what you respond to. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:27.920 Second thing it means is this is that you believe all the truths about Jesus. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.599 You believe all the truths about Jesus. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:31.279 Verse 21 to verse 28. 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:36.720 It's basically the Pharisees kind of saying to Jesus, hey, we don't believe what you're saying. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:37.680 You don't have witnesses. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:39.920 Here verse Hear it again in that context. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:43.119 Listen for how often Jesus says, I am He. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:44.240 I am He. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:45.039 I am He. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:46.400 Ergo I me. 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:47.759 I am He. 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:48.880 I am that I am. 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:49.759 Verse 21. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:53.680 So he said to them again, I am going away, and you will seek me and you will die in your sin. 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:56.160 How'd you like to have a conversation like that with somebody? 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:57.920 That's a downer right there. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:18:58.559 Where am I? 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:00.720 Where I am going, you cannot come. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:04.960 So the Jews said, Will he kill himself since he says, Where I am going, you cannot come? 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:07.039 He said to them, You are from below. 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:08.240 I am from above. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:10.720 You are of this world, I am not of this world. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:14.319 I told you that you would die in your sins unless you believe that I am he. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:15.279 There it is. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:16.319 Hey, look at me. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:19.200 Jesus is saying something very central about himself. 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:20.160 Hear it again. 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:24.799 Unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:30.720 See, when you follow Jesus, it means that you believe all the truths about Jesus, not just the convenient ones. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:31.759 Verse 25. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:33.839 So they said to him, Who are you? 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:43.599 Jesus said to them, Just what I've been telling you from the beginning, I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:45.359 They did not understand. 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:47.599 He had been speaking to them about the Father. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:52.720 So Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He. 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:53.920 Let me stop right there. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:59.039 Anytime the Bible says, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, he's talking about the cross. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:05.039 He's saying, When you have lifted, when you've nailed me to a cross and lifted me up for all the world to see. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:07.119 Now, this is way before the cross. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:10.720 Jesus says in verse 28, it's right there in your Bible, you're smart people. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:12.400 Jesus knows what is coming. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:19.200 He tells these people, hey, when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:26.559 Now, if you read on in the Gospels, you'll see when Jesus dies on the cross, there's a Roman centurion standing at the foot of the cross. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:32.079 And when Jesus finally dies, he looks up and says, Surely this was the Son of God. 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:34.960 Translation, R-Ro. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:36.960 Yes. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:42.319 Jesus foretold that happening right here, way back in John chapter 8, verse 28. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:43.440 We'll keep reading. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:53.519 He says, I do nothing of my own uh he says, uh, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing of my own authority, but I speak just as the Father taught me. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:56.480 Twice, Jesus says, then you will know that I am he. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:58.240 Unless you believe that I am he. 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:00.079 Draw your attention back to verse 24. 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:05.200 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:09.119 This is what I mean to follow Jesus means you believe all the truths about Jesus. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:12.880 The problem with the Pharisees is they didn't believe that Jesus was he. 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:15.519 They did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:20.880 He represented God, he was a sinless Savior sent to die for the sins of the world. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:22.960 And this whole section is all about that. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:27.440 Now, it's easy to point to the people in the Bible and say, Yeah, can you believe they didn't believe that? 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:34.559 Hey, beloved, you're sitting around people right now in this room that don't believe some of the same thing, or they believe some of the same things about Jesus. 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:39.920 You can't follow Jesus and then kind of pick and choose the things you're willing to believe about Jesus. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:43.920 Here's the top three things that are hardest for Americans to believe about Jesus. 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:46.400 Number one, that he was born of a virgin. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:49.920 We're just kind of like, I mean, there's no such thing as a virgin anymore. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.039 I mean, you can't, much less. 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:52.079 How does one get pregnant? 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:54.400 So that's the first thing people have a hard time believing. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:58.079 Secondly, that he really was God, that he was the Son of God. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.759 The Bible says that Jesus wasn't just a good. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.640 Man, a moral teacher, he was born of a virgin, that he was the Son of God. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:09.119 Just like the Bible prophesied a long time ago, a virgin shall conceive and give birth. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:13.359 Thirdly, and here's the most the third most popular one that he was sinless. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:16.000 There's a lot of people that say there's no way he can be sinless. 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.279 I mean, who can be sinless? 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:20.240 Because you think America and the world's messed up now. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:24.880 You know, back in the biblical times, it was probably more immoral than it is nowadays. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:29.680 I know y'all are like, they didn't have the internet and smartphones. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:39.039 Yes, but they had temples, huge edifices, these big buildings that were dedicated to these shrines to immorality. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:41.680 I'll just say it like that, because there's little ears in the room. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:46.000 And see, it's easy to look back and kind of go, it was so much easier to be a Christian back then. 00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:46.640 Oh, really? 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:50.240 When they buried you in the ground and cut you in half if you profess Christ? 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:54.720 All your parents do is kind of go, we don't want to talk about religion and politics. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:59.200 So, what do I mean when I say you have to believe all the truths about Jesus? 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:01.680 Here's why we don't believe Jesus was born of a virgin. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:03.920 Here's why we don't believe that Jesus was the Son of God. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:06.000 Here's why we don't believe that Jesus was sinless. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:07.759 We look to the wrong lens. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:12.799 Remember this: when you get in a discussion with somebody about spiritual things, do not try to win an argument. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.200 Just change the lens through which they look through. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:16.480 You ever been to the eye doctor? 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.759 What do I mean when I say change the lens? 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:18.799 You ever go to the eye doctor? 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:20.559 They set you down, they swing that thing around. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.799 It looks like the navigation device for a land speeder from Star Wars, and they start flipping the things. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:27.599 One or two. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.240 Which is better? 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:29.039 One or two? 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:29.839 One or two? 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:30.640 One or two. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:35.599 My eye doctor goes 14 lenses down the road, and I'm like, the third one and the seventh two. 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:38.400 He's like, Neil, I've got a lot of patience today. 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:40.960 Well, how some patience I mean, not that kind of patience. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:42.480 I mean, I got people patience. 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:43.440