John 8:29-57

Christ thus spake to his adversaries.

John 8:29. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone: for I do always those things that please him.

Brethren, what Christ could say, I trust many of his servants can also say in a like manner. «He that sent me is with me.» What power, what pleasure, must the presence of God give to his servants! «The Father hath not left me alone.» Oh! how blessed to feel that behind us is the sound of our Master's feet, and that in us is the temple of his presence! We cannot, however, say, as Christ did, «I do always those things that please him,» for, alas! we have the remembrance of sin this morning, and have to confess it in his sight. But let us also remember that he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

John 8:30. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

It is not a mere profession that makes a man a saint; there must be a continuance of well-doing. We bind lads apprentice for a little time, but no man belongs to Christ unless he belongeth to him for ever. There must be an entire giving up of one's self, in life and unto death, to the Lord's cause.

John 8:32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

There is this in the original, «Whosoever maketh sin.» It is not exactly, «Whosoever committeth it,» because if so, all would be the servants of sin, and God would have no sons at all. But it says in the original «Whosoever maketh sin,» that is, whosoever makes it his choice, and makes it the delight of his soul, whosoever doth this is the servant of sin, and is no son of God.

John 8:35. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

He may be in the house, and have slender privileges for a time, but these soon go away.

John 8:36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

And give you the privileges of sons.

John 8:37. I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

Men always act according to their natures. We shall find the polluted fountain sending forth filthy streams. We do not expect to hear sweet singing from a serpent, nor, on the other hand, do we expect hissing from the bird, but every creature is after its own kind. Christ, coming from the Father, reveals God: ungodly men, coming from the devil, reveal the devil.

John 8:39. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham but now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him. We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

You would see in me a brother; you would perceive in me the attributes of God, and, being made like unto God as his sons, would, love the God-head in me.

John 8:43. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.

Christ doth not speak very gentle words at all times. A deeply-rooted disease needs a sharp medicine, and he gives it. He uses the knife sometimes, and if there be a deadly ulcer that must be cut away, he knoweth how to do it with all the sternness of which his loving heart is capable.

John 8:44. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him.

The first murder was committed by his suggestion. Cain was guilty of it, but Satan instigated it. He hath ever been a man-killer, and so Christ says that inasmuch as they sought to kill him, they were worthy sons of their parent. «There is no truth in him.»

John 8:44. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:

It is his own idiom. You may always know him by it.

John 8:44. For he is a liar, and the father of it.

The father of all liars, and of all lies.

John 8:45. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Oh! matchless argument! Now were they silent indeed. His whole life was before them; he had not lived in secret and yet he could appeal to his whole life, from the first day even to this time, and say, «Which of you convinceth me of sin?» It is this that weakens our testimony for God that we are so imperfect and full of sin. Let us seek to imitate the Master, for the more clean we are from these imperfections, the more shall we be able to shut the mouths of our adversaries.

John 8:47. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil.

Always abuse your adversary if you cannot answer him: this is always the devil's tactic. When he cannot overthrow religion, then he seeks to append opprobrious titles to those who profess it. It is an old and stale trick, and has lost much of its force. Our Saviour did not answer the accusation of his being a Samaritan, but inasmuch as what they said about his having a devil would touch his doctrine, he answered that.

John 8:49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you. If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

The sting of it shall be taken away; he may fall asleep; he will do so, but he shall not see death.

John 8:52. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil Abraham is dead, and the prophets: and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say that he is your God: yet ye have not know him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.

There is a great force in the original language here, «He was glad.» There was an excessive joy which holy men had in looking forward to the coming of Christ. I do not think that we give ourselves enough room for joy in our religion. There are some persons who think it the right thing to restrain their emotions. They have no burstings forth of joy, and seldom a shout of sacred song. But oh! my brethren, if there is anything that deserves the flashing eye, and the leaping foot, and the bounding heart, it is the great truth that Jesus Christ has come into the world to save sinners, even the chief. Let us be glad so often as we make mention of his name.

John 8:57. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

Why, he was hardly thirty, but sorrow had made him appear old.

John 8:58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was I am.

Here he claims his Deity to the fullest extent, and those who can read the New Testament, and profess to believe it, and yet not see Christ as a claimant of Deity, must be sinfully blind.

John 8:59. Then, took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

This is always the sinner's argument against the right: first, hard words, and then stones.

This exposition consisted of readings from John 8:29; Mark 14:1; John 12:1.