John 8:44 NIV

• You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Who’sYour

Daddy?John 8:31-47

What can you give to the dad who has everything?

The Gift of Time The Gift of Time

The Gift of Time The Gift of Time

The Gift of Time The Gift of Time

John 8:31-36

• To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. (32) Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

• Some "believe" without commitment

• Commitment is the sign of discipleship

John 8:31-32 NIV

Truth that sets us free

• The perfect standard of what is right• Frees from the consequences of sin• Shows the way to eternal life• Not free to go our way, but follow

God• Free to be what God meant us to be

• They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

• Roman slaves – claimed to be free• No sense of their bondage to sin

John 8:33 NIV

• Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (35) Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

• Sinning shows we are slaves to sin

• Paul used the same illustration:

John 8:34-35 NIV

• Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.

Romans 6:16-17 NIV

John 8:36 NIV

• So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

• Jesus is the true seed of Abraham– Galatians 3:16 NIV The promises were spoken to

Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.

• We become free by becoming sons of God– Galatians 3:26-27 NIV You are all sons of God through

faith in Christ Jesus, (27) for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

You’reJust Like

Your Father!

Not A Good Thing!

John 8:37-46

John 8:37 NIV

• I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.

• Physical descendants of Abraham

• Yet seeking to kill Abraham's true Son

• Not Abraham's spiritual descendants

Abraham’s True Descendants• Romans 2:28-29 NIV A man is not a Jew if he is only

one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. (29) No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

• Romans 9:6-8 NIV … For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. (7) Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. … (8) In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.

• Galatians 3:29 NIV If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

John 8:38 NIV

• I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.“ (39) "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did.

• John warned against trusting their lineage– Luke 3:8 NIV Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

John 8:40 NIV

• As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.

• They wanted to thwart God• Unlike Abraham, who obeyed God

– Age 70, left civilization and moved to a desert – because God said to (Genesis 12)

– Age 85, trusted that God would give him and his barren wife a son (Genesis 15:1-6)

– Age 115, obeyed God’s command to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 22:1-19)

John 8:41 NIV

• You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

• The claim is not the reality– Claim – hereditary children of Abraham

– Reality – actions revealed children of Satan

• Church membership and family connections do not make you a true child of God– Your father is the one you emulate & obey

John 8:42-43 NIV

• Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. (43) Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

• 1 John 5:1 NIV Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

John 8:44-45 NIV

• You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (45) Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

John 8:46 NIV

• Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?

• Accusations against Jesus never stuck

• He was committed to doing God's will

• Jesus proved himself by his sinless life

• John 8:47 NIV He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

• Belonging - the basis for hearing God

• Hearing - not just listening, but obeying

• Rejecting Jesus - shows they did not belong to God

• Jesus challenged his listeners to test him

• He welcomed those who questioned his claims and character as long as they would commit to him when he passed their test

• Two mistakes when encountering Jesus:– Some never accept his

challenge to test him

– Some test him but will not commit to him

• Have you tested him?

• Are you committed to him?

Who’sYour

Daddy?John 8:31-47