At the beginning of the month, my team and I started studying John. I had never read the whole thing through so I was indifferent about it, but only until my teammates talked so highly about it.
Today was the day of John 8 – a Woman Caught in Adultery; Jesus, the Light of the World; The Unbelieving People Warned; and Jesus and Abraham.
God spoke so much truth, that I couldn’t help but be excited to share.
A Woman Caught in Adultery
John 8:7 “…All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”
The Pharisees wanted to throw a stone at a woman who committed a sin, yet they didn’t believe they deserve a stone to be thrown at themselves.
Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!’”
This story is about the Pharisee vs. the woman vs. God. Who am I in this story? Am I the one that is judging someone else for their sin, while I have sins of my own? Am I the one that is being judged? Or am I the one that is loving no matter what, no matter how many sins someone does against me?
God gives grace. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.
Teach me to have grace, in all things.
Jesus, the Light of the World
John 8:12 “…’I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’”
Jesus overpowers Satan, because light overpowers darkness.
Jesus reminds the people that we judge from human standards. We live in a world of judgment, because we live in a world of hurt; a world that is lost.
When we bring our sins to light, when we bring our doubts to light – God overpowers that darkness and Satan flees.
Satan flees when we speak truth, when we speak light, when we speak life.
Teach me to be a light in this dark world.
The Unbelieving People Warned
John 8:23 “Jesus continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be,* you will die in your sins.’”
*unless you believe that I Am [Exodus 3:14 “God replied to Moses, ‘I Am Who I Am.’…I Am has sent me to you.’”
I started digging into the meaning of God’s name I Am.
There is known to be at least seven implications behind God’s name I Am Who I Am.
- God Exists – He’s alive.
- No Reality Exists Behind God – He’s Everlasting, No beginning and no end.
- God Does Not Change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; Hebrews 13:8)
- God is an Inexhaustible Source of Energy – Power (Isaiah 40:28)
- Objectivity is Crucial – He is Who He is, No one can say different
- We Must Conform to God, Not He to Us – Learn His Ways
- This God has Drawn Near to Us in Jesus Christ – (John 8:56-58)
http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/i-am-who-i-am
We serve an all powerful, all knowing, all satisfying, all consuming God.
Teach me Your Ways. Consume me with You.
Jesus and Abraham
John 8:31-32 “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will now the truth, and the truth will see you free.’”
WOAH, that hit me hard. Remaining father in ALL things. It is black and white, no middle ground. We are either following God, or following Satan.
Revelation 3:16 “But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
God doesn’t want us to be lukewarm to Him and His truth. He wants us to be in the light, to be His true disciple. He wants us to remain faithful in ALL things, to be reminded who He is – I Am Who I Am.
John 8:31-32 coincides with John 8:12 – If you remain faithful in God’s teachings you will be in the light; which light leads to life, as the truth sets you free.
John 8:47 “Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
It is so easy for us to listen to God, and not follow through. Being on fire for God, means doing the “crazy” things for the Kingdom – whatever that means!
He speaks truth, He speaks life that sets us free – yet it’s still hard to believe the words He tells each of us personally.
John 8:58 “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am! *’”
Sometimes we as Christians put God in a box, because we only expect so much – although we know He is the all knowing, all consuming, all-powerful God. Putting a limit on Him, hinders us and how He wants to use us for the Kingdom. We often forget that we have that same power in us, the power that raised Jesus from the grave.
God challenged me, and so I am going to challenge you with the same – What are you going to do with the power that resides in You? Will you remain faithful in whatever life throws at you – remain faithful that God, the I Am, is sheltering you, and is on your side?
