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John 8:12-20 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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If I decide it's true, then it must be true.
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Now, I want to say, there is some strength found here,
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and that is that postmoderns don't wholeheartedly accept everything that's thrown their direction.
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Postmodern thinkers, even if they see the experts say or the data shows,
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are still going to tend to go, yeah, but is that accurate?
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Like, show me the methodology at which we arrived at this given truth.
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So there is a strength to be found there, and whether or not you want to accept it,
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most of you, myself included, are postmodern thinkers.
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It's the way we tend to gather information and arrive at conclusions.
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Now, just as a little side note, there also is, people are talking now about the post-postmodern era,
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I told you everything revolves around modernism.
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Post-postmodern, I can't think of a possible strength to it, but time will tell.
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Post-postmoderns tend to think that no truth can possibly be arrived at.
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The internet and the way the internet functions feeds this type of thinking.
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Now, here is the case that I am seeking to make to you.
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Why?
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Spend any time thinking about this at all.
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If we are to know the things that matter most,
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all of these methods fail us.
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They all have a weakness.
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But what must we ultimately know?
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Now, if you were to compress, compress all classical apologetics,
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take all of the questions that classical apologetics ask,
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and compress them down, you could ask four questions.
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First, origin.
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Where do we come from?
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How did we get here?
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Second, meaning.
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Why are we here?
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What is the purpose for our existence?
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Third, morality.
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How are we to know right and wrong, right from wrong?
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And fourth, destiny.
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Where are we going?
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What happens after this life?
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Origin, meaning, morality, destiny.
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Four questions that need answers.
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In order to rightly answer any of these questions,
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here's what I'm saying,
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any of these ways of thinking,
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any of these epistemologies are going to fail us.
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What we need is revelation.
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What we need is revelation.
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Now, don't hear me arguing against classical apologetics.
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I'm a big fan.
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But, at the end of the day,
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we need spirit-discerned understanding of the Bible.
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We need the spirit to work in us to confirm that it is, in fact, God's Word,
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and that everything that it says is true.
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It's inerrant in that it doesn't err,
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and it's infallible in that it can't err,
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because it is God's Word.
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If you know the answers to any of my aforementioned questions,
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I hope that you did.
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I hope that your mind started accessing information to those questions.
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Praise God that you do.
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We have no reason to boast.
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God has taught us any meaningful, right answers to those questions.
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If you do not,
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pray that God would open the eyes of your heart to discern your origin,
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your worth,
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God's good commands,
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and your final destiny.
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I said that we live in a day of post-modernism.
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It's the water that we swim in,
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and too sadly we've seen lots of what's called deconstruction in the church.
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To be clear, the people who deconstruct their faith never really believed in Jesus to begin with.
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But this problem is partly a problem of their mind.
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They see something that they don't like about Christianity.
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Whether fair or not,
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there are some fair objections to the Christianity that we can observe,
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and they begin to walk it back and to unravel it,
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peace by peace by peace.
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Pray for spiritual discernment.
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Pray for spiritual discernment this morning,
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that we might rightly behold the Jesus of the Bible.
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So let's pray together to that end.
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Father God, we humbly recognize,
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that as I have laid out the way in which people have thought,
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that the curse of this world has also affected our thinking faculty.
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None of us think as clearly as we think we do,
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or ought to.
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But we also recognize that we need the revelation of your Spirit
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to help us understand the words of the Scripture,
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to believe that they're true,
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and to respond accordingly to them.
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We want this morning to rightly understand your Word.
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We humbly recognize it was written,
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ultimately, for your glory,
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and also for our good.
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And so pray that you would help us to this end.
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Amen.
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John 8, beginning in verse 12.
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Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying,
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I am the light of the world.
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Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
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but will have the light of life.
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So the Pharisee said to him,
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You are bearing witness about yourself.
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Your testimony is not true.
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Jesus answered,
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Even if I do bear witness about myself,
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my testimony is true,
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for I know where I came from and where I am going.
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But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
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You judge according to the flesh.
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I judge no one.
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Yet even if I do judge,
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my judgment is true,
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for it is not I alone who judge,
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but I and the Father who sent me.
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In your law it is written
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that the testimony of two people is true.
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I am the one who bears witness about myself,
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and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.
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They said to him,
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Therefore,
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Where is your Father?
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Jesus answered,
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You know neither me nor my Father.
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If you knew me,
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you would know my Father also.
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These words he spoke in the treasury
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as he taught in the temple,
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but no one arrested him
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because his hour had not yet come.
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Now let's first take a look
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at the setting of this passage.
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I made the case some weeks ago
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that I do not believe,
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and I am in good company
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in believing so,
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that chapter 7, verse 53,
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through chapter 8, verse 11,
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belong in the text
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as these verses are not
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in the early and most reliable manuscripts.
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I think they should be footnoted.
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I said when we talked about it,
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you are welcome to disagree with me,
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but I told you why
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we would not preach that text.
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I only preach the Bible.
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So,
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that purpose,
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but also because
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the literary structure
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of John's gospel
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trends me off
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in this direction.
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So,
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note with me just for a moment
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what is happening.
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Early in chapter 7,
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Jesus has traveled to Jerusalem
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and taught in the temple,
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causing a stir
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amongst the people.
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So,
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notice in John 7,
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and verse 30,
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So,
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they,
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this is the Jews,
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John refers to,
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were seeking
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to arrest him,
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but no one laid a hand on him
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because his hour
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had not yet come.
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We see this repeated
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as the fervency
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of this conflict
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over who Jesus is
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rises.
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There's these attempts
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to arrest him,
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but his hour
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had not yet come.
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If you doubt
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at any moment
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that God governs
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over the affairs
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of man,
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doubt it no more.
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Read through John
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and see how often
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there's a divine timeline
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taking place
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in the text.
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And you can read
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a little bit further down
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in verse 32,
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The Pharisees
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heard the crowd
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muttering these things
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about him,
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and the chief priests
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and Pharisees
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sent officers
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to arrest him.
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And it's in this setting,
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they're seeking him,
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we read in verse 37,
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On the last day
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of the feast,
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the great day,
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Jesus stood up
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and cried out,
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If anyone thirsts,
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let him come to me
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and drink.
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And so a division arises
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amongst the people
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over him,
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verse 43.
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Some of them
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wanted to arrest him,
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but no one
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laid hands on him.
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And we know
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contextually why,
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because his hour
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had not yet come.
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But in verse 45,
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those officers
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that were sent
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back in verse 32
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come to the chief priests
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and Pharisees
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who said to them,
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Why did you not
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bring him?
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And their response is,
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Because no one speaks
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like this man.
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They're not sure
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what to do
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with him.
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Now remember,
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I'm making the case
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that the internal evidence,
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the context of what's going on,
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I think places Jesus
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still in this setting.
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This report has gone
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to the chief priests
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and to the Pharisees.
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And then we pick up
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verse 20,
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These words,
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He spoke in the treasury
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as he taught
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in the temple.
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But no one arrested him
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because his hour
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had not yet come.
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Verse 12,
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Again Jesus spoke
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to them,
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saying,
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Now we do not get
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any indication
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of how much
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time has passed
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from this
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last day of the feast
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Jesus cries out,
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If anyone thirsts,
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let him come to me
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and drink.
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And then verse 12
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where he makes
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this other statement.
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But I think that we are
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meant to read it
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tightly connected
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to all that has
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happened previously.
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And so,
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I want to spend
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a little bit of time
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reminding you
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how culturally charged
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this week was.
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I don't think
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that we need to hear
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Jesus saying,
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I am the light
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of the world
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far removed
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from this week,
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the week of
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the Feast of Booths.
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So briefly,
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this is what I shared
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with you previously
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about the feast.
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The Feast of Booths
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was one of three
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great pilgrimage
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feasts of Israel.
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Every Jewish male
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was expected
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to go up to Jerusalem.
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It occurred in the fall
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after the harvest
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and it lasted
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seven days
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followed by
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a solemn
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eighth day.
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During his feast,
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the people of Israel
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lived in temporary
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shelters or booths,
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some of your Bibles
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may say tabernacles,
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made of branches.
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They did this
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to remember
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how their fathers
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had lived in tents
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during the wilderness
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wanderings after the Exodus.
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But this feast
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was more than just
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a history lesson.
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It was a celebration
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of God's provision,
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God's presence,
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and God's promises.
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It looked backward
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to the wilderness
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where God provided
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food from heaven
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and water from the rock.
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It looked upward
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in thanksgiving
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for the harvest
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God had just given,
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this present provision.
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And it looked forward
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in hope to the day
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when God would again
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dwell with his people
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in glory.
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It was a week
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just packed full
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of meaning.
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The Old Testament
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gives few instructions
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for what this feast
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must look like,
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but they had developed
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some tradition
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that had rich
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ceremonial meaning.
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Two rituals
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in particular
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dominated
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the celebration.
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First,
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there was the water
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ceremony.
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Each of the first
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six days,
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a priest would draw
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water from the
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pool of Siloam
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and lead a procession
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back to the temple.
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As they approached
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the water gate
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on the south side
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of the inner court,
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a shofar would be
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blown three times
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as a pronouncement
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of joy,
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and the people
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would recite
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Isaiah 12,
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verse 3.
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With joy,
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you will draw water
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from the wells
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of salvation.
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Significant text.
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While the people
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watched,
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the priest would
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march around the
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altar while the
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singing of the
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Hillel was led
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by the temple
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choir.
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And this is
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Psalm 113
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through 118.
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And back when we
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were in that text,
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I read the entirety
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of that to you.
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It was quite an
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ordeal that they
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went through.
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At the conclusion
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of the singing,
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the people would
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all cry out
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three times,
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give thanks to
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the Lord,
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and the water
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was poured
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onto the altar.
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This ceremony
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commemorated the
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water God
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provided in the
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wilderness and
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expressed hope
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for the coming
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messianic age
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when God would
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pour out his
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spirit.
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Second,
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there was an
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illumination ceremony.
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Massive lamps
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were lit in the
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temple courts,
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casting light
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over the city,
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and people would
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dance in the
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temple.
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This recalled the
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pillar of fire that
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guided Israel through
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the wilderness and
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symbolized the hope
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that God's glory
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would again shine
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upon his people.
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So the Feast of
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Booths was a
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celebration of
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light, life,
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provision, and
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divine presence.
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And it's into
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this setting,
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charged with
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expectation,
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saturated with
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symbolism,
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overflowing with
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religious meaning,
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that Jesus
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steps.
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Jesus.
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What makes all of
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this so striking
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is that Jesus
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does not merely
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attend the
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feast, as his
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brothers requested
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of him at the
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beginning of the
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chapter, but he
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interprets the
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feast.
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He says, this is
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what all of this
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really means.
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He takes the
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central symbols of
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Israel's hope and
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claims to be their
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fulfillment.
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He says, I, I am
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actually the hope
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that this is all
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about.
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So, with all of
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that, for our
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text, I've got a
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three-point outline
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for you.
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Number one,
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Jesus is the
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light.
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We see this in
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verse 12, and
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we will spend
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most of our
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time here, so
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if you're a
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clock watcher,
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don't fret.
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First point will
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take up the
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majority of our
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time.
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Again, Jesus
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spoke to them
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saying, I am
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the light of
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the world.
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Whoever follows
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me will not
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walk in darkness,
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but will have
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the light of
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life.
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Can you just
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imagine him
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saying that with
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everything that
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would have
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happened in the
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preceding week?
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Once again, I
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don't think we're
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very far away
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from that.
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So, these
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people have been
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thinking about
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light in a very
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particular way,
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thinking about
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God's presence,
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the hope that
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will come, and
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then Jesus says
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this.
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This is the
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first time that
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Jesus has used
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the light
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metaphor to
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speak of
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himself in
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John's gospel.
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This is the
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second of
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Jesus' seven
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I am
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statements in
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John.
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He has
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declared, I am
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the bread of
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life in chapter
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six, and
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here he says,
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I am the
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light of the
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world.
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Now, I want to
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read to you
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something brief
16:52
from D.A.
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Carson's
16:54
commentary on
16:55
this.
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If you like to
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study things
16:58
deeply, I would
16:58
really recommend
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this particular
16:59
commentary to
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you.
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He says this,
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the light
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metaphor is
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steeped in
17:08
Old Testament
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allusions.
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I'm reading
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this to you
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because their
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minds would
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have been very
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alive as he
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says this.
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The glory of
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the very
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presence of
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God in the
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cloud led
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the people in
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the promised
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land, Exodus
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13, and
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protected them
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from those who
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would destroy
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them, Exodus
17:27
14.
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The Israelites
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were trained
17:31
to sing,
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The Lord is
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my light and
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my salvation,
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Psalm 27,
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verse 1.
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The word of
17:39
God, the law
17:40
of God, is a
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light to guide
17:42
the path of
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those who
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cherish
17:44
instruction,
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Psalm 119,
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Proverbs 6,
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23.
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God's light
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is shed
17:52
abroad in
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Revelation,
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Ezekiel 1,
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verse 4,
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verse 13,
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and verse 26
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through 28,
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and salvation,
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Habakkuk 3,
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verse 3
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through 4.
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Light is
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Yahweh in
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action,
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Psalm 44,
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verse 3.
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Isaiah tells
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us that the
18:11
servant of the
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Lord was
18:12
appointed as
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a light to
18:13
the Gentiles,
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that he might
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bring God's
18:15
salvation to
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the ends of
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all the earth,
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Isaiah 49,
18:20
verse 6.
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The coming
18:22
eschatological
18:23
age would be
18:24
a time when
18:24
the Lord
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himself would
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be the light
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for his
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people.
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Isaiah
18:28
chapter 60,
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Revelation
18:30
chapter 21.
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Perhaps
18:33
Zechariah
18:34
14 is
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especially
18:36
significant with
18:37
its promise
18:37
of continual
18:38
light on
18:39
the last
18:39
day,
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followed by
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the promise
18:41
of living
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waters flowing
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from Jerusalem.
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This passage
18:46
probably forming
18:47
part of the
18:48
liturgical
18:48
readings of
18:49
this feast.
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Christ.
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The great
18:53
burning lights
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of the
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feast of
18:55
tabernacles
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resonate with
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such
18:58
strains.
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It's into
19:02
that that
19:02
Jesus
19:02
says this.
19:05
But this
19:06
is not the
19:06
first time
19:07
that we have
19:08
heard this
19:08
metaphor in
19:09
John's
19:10
writings.
19:12
Turn back
19:12
to John
19:13
chapter 1.
19:15
John begins
19:16
this work.
19:18
In the
19:18
beginning
19:18
was the
19:19
Word,
19:19
and the
19:20
Word was
19:20
with God,
19:21
and the
19:21
Word was
19:22
God.
19:23
He was in
19:23
the beginning
19:24
with God.
19:26
All things
19:26
were made
19:27
through him,
19:28
and without
19:28
him was not
19:29
anything made
19:30
that was
19:31
made.
19:32
In him
19:33
was life,
19:35
and the
19:36
life was
19:37
the light
19:37
of men.
19:39
The light
19:40
shines in
19:41
the darkness,
19:42
and the
19:42
darkness has
19:43
not overcome
19:45
it.
19:45
light.
19:47
Our minds
19:48
ought to be
19:48
full as
19:50
we hear
19:51
Jesus say
19:52
that he
19:53
is the
19:53
light of
19:55
the world.
19:57
The word
19:58
light appears
19:58
24 times in
19:59
John's
20:00
gospel.
20:01
Light by
20:02
its nature
20:03
causes
20:04
darkness
20:05
to scatter.
20:08
Darkness
20:08
cannot be
20:09
quantifiably
20:10
measured.
20:11
It is
20:11
merely
20:12
the absence
20:13
of light.
20:16
Now,
20:16
we tend
20:18
to take
20:18
light for
20:19
granted,
20:20
but if you
20:21
lived in a
20:21
time when
20:22
the only
20:23
source of
20:23
light was
20:24
from a
20:24
flame,
20:25
and it
20:25
was dangerous
20:26
to not
20:27
have light
20:28
at night,
20:29
this is
20:29
when children
20:31
were snatched
20:31
out of tents
20:32
by wild
20:32
animals.
20:33
This is
20:34
when the
20:34
marauders
20:34
came at
20:35
night.
20:38
We have
20:39
a property
20:40
north of
20:41
Dahlonega,
20:41
and it is
20:42
really,
20:43
really dark
20:44
out there
20:44
at night.
20:46
And these
20:47
days,
20:48
I've got
20:48
a flashlight
20:49
in my
20:49
back pocket
20:50
all of
20:50
the time.
20:52
But I can
20:52
remember
20:52
earlier days
20:53
when my
20:54
parents owned
20:54
the property,
20:55
being out
20:55
there and
20:56
having to
20:56
get from
20:57
the driveway
20:57
to the
20:58
top of
20:59
our driveway
20:59
where I
21:00
typically
21:00
park,
21:01
and I
21:01
had to
21:01
do it
21:02
by shuffling
21:02
my feet
21:02
on the
21:03
gravel,
21:04
and if
21:04
my feet
21:04
stopped
21:04
making
21:04
gravel
21:05
sounds,
21:05
I knew
21:05
I was
21:06
off into
21:06
the woods,
21:06
and I
21:06
had to
21:07
go back
21:07
to the
21:07
gravel
21:08
and shuffle
21:08
my feet
21:08
and just
21:09
stumble
21:10
toward my
21:10
vehicle until
21:11
I ran
21:11
into it.
21:12
It would
21:12
be that
21:13
dark.
21:14
And I
21:15
must admit,
21:15
there were
21:16
times that
21:17
things snapped
21:17
in the woods,
21:18
and I
21:19
got a little
21:19
scared and
21:20
moved a
21:21
little quicker
21:21
up that
21:22
dark,
21:22
dark
21:23
driveway.
21:25
It would
21:25
have likely
21:26
been more
21:27
felt than
21:28
it maybe
21:28
is felt
21:29
for us.
21:31
Where there
21:32
is light,
21:33
there is
21:34
not
21:34
darkness.
21:36
The two
21:37
are opposites,
21:38
and one
21:38
has expulsory
21:40
power over
21:42
the other.
21:45
Now,
21:45
if we
21:45
back up
21:46
in a
21:46
bit from
21:48
our text,
21:49
but go
21:49
forward from
21:50
John 1
21:50
to chapter
21:51
3,
21:52
we can
21:52
see this
21:52
idea at
21:53
work in
21:54
the negative.
21:55
John 3
21:56
in verse
21:56
20.
21:58
For
21:58
everyone who
21:58
does wicked
21:59
things,
22:01
hates the
22:01
light,
22:02
and does
22:02
not come
22:03
to the
22:03
light,
22:04
lest his
22:05
works
22:06
should be
22:07
exposed.
22:10
Wickedness
22:10
is associated
22:11
with darkness
22:13
in this
22:14
text.
22:15
A darkness
22:15
that does
22:16
not want
22:17
the exposure
22:18
of light.
22:20
Wickedness
22:21
produces shame,
22:22
and it
22:23
produces
22:23
death.
22:25
It is the
22:26
opposite,
22:26
the antithesis
22:27
of the
22:28
light of
22:29
life.
22:32
Let's
22:32
push the
22:33
metaphor just
22:34
a bit
22:34
further and
22:35
a bit
22:35
clearer.
22:37
Note
22:37
especially
22:38
who the
22:39
light
22:40
is.
22:41
It's in
22:42
our text
22:42
that Jesus
22:43
says he
22:44
is the
22:45
light
22:45
of
22:47
the
22:48
world.
22:50
Then go
22:50
forward to
22:51
John chapter
22:52
11,
22:52
verse 9 and
22:53
following.
22:54
Jesus said,
22:55
are there not
22:56
twelve hours in
22:57
the day?
22:57
If anyone
22:57
walks in the
22:58
day,
22:59
he does not
22:59
stumble because
23:00
he sees the
23:01
light of this
23:02
world.
23:02
But if anyone
23:04
walks in the
23:04
night,
23:05
he stumbles
23:06
because the
23:07
light is
23:08
not in
23:10
him.
23:11
I suggest
23:12
to you that
23:12
the stumbling
23:13
that Jesus
23:14
here refers
23:14
to is not
23:15
a slight
23:16
trip,
23:16
but a
23:16
stumble that
23:17
causes one
23:18
to fall
23:18
headlong
23:20
and not
23:21
rise again.
23:24
Back to
23:25
John chapter
23:25
1,
23:26
verse 9 and
23:27
following.
23:28
John there
23:29
writes,
23:29
the true
23:30
light which
23:30
gives light
23:31
to everyone
23:31
was coming
23:32
into the
23:33
world.
23:34
He was in
23:35
the world
23:35
and the
23:36
world was
23:36
made through
23:37
him,
23:37
yet the
23:37
world did
23:38
not know
23:39
him.
23:40
He came
23:40
to his
23:41
own and
23:42
his own
23:42
people did
23:42
not receive
23:43
him.
23:44
But to
23:44
all who
23:45
did receive
23:45
him,
23:46
who believed
23:46
in his
23:47
name,
23:47
he gave
23:48
the right
23:48
to become
23:49
children of
23:50
God,
23:51
who were
23:51
born,
23:52
not of
23:53
blood,
23:53
nor of
23:54
the will
23:54
of the
23:54
flesh,
23:55
nor of
23:55
the will
23:56
of man,
23:57
but of
23:58
God.
24:00
John at
24:01
the outset
24:02
sets forth
24:03
the problem
24:05
of
24:05
humanity.
24:07
Jesus
24:07
Christ came
24:08
into the
24:08
world,
24:09
he is
24:09
the light,
24:10
and yet
24:10
he will
24:11
be rejected
24:12
by some
24:13
and received
24:14
by others.
24:16
I'm positive
24:17
to you that
24:17
we see this
24:18
pattern exist
24:18
all throughout
24:19
John.
24:20
Those who
24:20
receive and
24:22
those who
24:22
reject.
24:25
One to
24:26
eternal
24:26
damnation,
24:27
one to
24:27
eternal
24:28
glory.
24:29
He sets
24:30
it out
24:31
as a
24:33
dichotomous
24:34
problem,
24:35
as one
24:35
or the
24:36
other.
24:37
No shade
24:38
in between.
24:39
We have
24:40
light and
24:40
we have
24:41
darkness.
24:45
So Jesus
24:46
asks people
24:47
to come
24:48
to him,
24:48
and he
24:49
gives us
24:49
the ability
24:50
to come
24:51
to him.
24:52
He births
24:53
in us,
24:53
born not
24:55
of blood,
24:55
or will
24:56
of the
24:56
flesh,
24:56
or the
24:57
will of
24:57
man,
24:58
but of
24:58
God.
24:59
He makes
25:00
these things
25:00
spiritually
25:01
discernible
25:02
to us
25:02
that we
25:03
would receive
25:03
Jesus as
25:05
he presents
25:05
himself here
25:06
in John's
25:08
gospel.
25:09
He says
25:10
in verse
25:10
12,
25:11
whoever
25:12
follows me
25:14
will not
25:15
walk in
25:15
darkness,
25:16
but will
25:17
have the
25:18
light of
25:20
life.
25:21
And this
25:22
is what
25:22
Jesus'
25:23
words are
25:23
pressing us
25:24
to,
25:25
as original
25:25
hearers
25:26
hear,
25:26
and us
25:27
today,
25:28
that we
25:29
would follow
25:30
him,
25:31
that we
25:31
would walk
25:32
in his
25:33
ways,
25:34
that we
25:35
might not
25:35
walk in
25:36
darkness,
25:37
but have
25:37
the light
25:39
of life.
25:43
Spurgeon
25:44
once said
25:44
this,
25:44
this is in
25:45
your bulletin
25:45
if you
25:45
care to
25:46
follow along,
25:47
as a
25:48
preacher,
25:49
Jesus
25:50
was
25:50
luminous.
25:53
He
25:54
expounded
25:55
the spirituality
25:55
of the law,
25:56
light
25:57
penetrated
25:59
the precept
25:59
through and
26:00
through as
26:00
he made
26:01
the very
26:01
essence
26:02
of purity
26:03
apparent.
26:05
His light
26:05
cleared the
26:06
law of the
26:06
mist and
26:07
fogs that
26:08
the rabbinical
26:08
writers had
26:09
gathered around
26:10
it.
26:11
He shed
26:11
light,
26:12
too,
26:12
upon the
26:12
covenant
26:13
of grace.
26:14
He
26:15
promulgated
26:15
the gospel
26:16
of peace
26:17
among the
26:17
sons of
26:18
men.
26:19
He told
26:19
of God
26:20
the Father
26:20
willing to
26:21
receive his
26:22
prodigal
26:22
children back
26:23
into his
26:24
bosom.
26:25
His
26:25
parables
26:26
threw
26:26
wondrous
26:27
light upon
26:28
the
26:28
dispensation
26:28
of the
26:29
kingdom of
26:29
heaven.
26:31
His
26:31
counsels
26:32
and his
26:32
cautions
26:33
brought the
26:33
final
26:34
destinies
26:34
of the
26:35
righteous
26:35
and the
26:36
wicked
26:36
into
26:37
full
26:38
view.
26:41
Jesus
26:42
says,
26:43
I am
26:44
the light
26:44
of the
26:45
world.
26:47
Whoever
26:47
follows me
26:48
will not
26:49
walk in
26:49
darkness,
26:50
but will
26:50
have
26:51
the
26:52
light
26:52
of
26:53
life.
26:56
Secondly,
26:57
we see,
26:57
and briefly,
26:59
Jesus is
27:00
the
27:00
trustworthy
27:00
witness.
27:03
We see
27:03
this in
27:03
verses
27:03
13 and
27:05
14 as
27:06
well as
27:06
verses
27:07
18 and
27:09
19.
27:10
If you
27:11
are new
27:11
to our
27:12
study of
27:12
John,
27:13
the reason
27:13
we're
27:14
seeing this
27:14
point split
27:15
apart like
27:16
this is
27:16
because the
27:16
text is
27:17
a
27:17
chiasm.
27:19
It sure
27:20
is.
27:20
We won't
27:20
spend a
27:21
lot of
27:21
time on
27:21
that today.
27:23
But you
27:23
know,
27:23
verse 13
27:24
and 14,
27:24
so the
27:25
Pharisees
27:25
said to
27:25
him,
27:26
you are
27:27
bearing
27:27
witness
27:27
about
27:28
yourself.
27:29
Your
27:29
testimony
27:29
is not
27:30
true.
27:30
This is
27:31
their
27:31
response
27:32
to him
27:32
saying,
27:33
I am
27:33
the light
27:33
of the
27:34
world.
27:34
Whoever
27:34
follows
27:35
me
27:35
will
27:35
not
27:35
walk
27:35
in
27:36
darkness,
27:36
but
27:36
will
27:36
have
27:37
the
27:37
light
27:37
of
27:38
life.
27:38
The
27:39
place
27:39
that
27:39
he's
27:39
doing
27:40
this
27:40
would
27:41
have
27:41
been
27:41
one
27:42
of
27:42
the
27:42
outer
27:42
parts
27:43
of the
27:49
country
27:49
and
27:49
they
27:50
could
27:50
likely
27:50
overhear
27:51
him.
27:52
The
27:52
council
27:52
that's
27:53
meeting
27:53
and
27:53
gathering
27:54
can
27:54
overhear
27:54
him
27:55
make
27:55
this
27:55
claim.
27:56
And
27:56
their
27:56
response
27:57
has
27:57
nothing
27:58
to do
27:59
with
27:59
what
27:59
he's
27:59
saying
28:00
except
28:00
that
28:00
he
28:01
has
28:01
said,
28:02
I
28:02
am
28:03
claiming
28:04
equality
28:04
with
28:05
God.
28:05
They
28:05
say,
28:06
you
28:06
are
28:06
bearing
28:06
witness
28:07
about
28:07
yourself.
28:08
Your
28:08
testimony
28:08
is
28:09
not
28:10
true.
28:11
And
28:11
Jesus
28:11
answers
28:12
them,
28:12
even
28:12
if I
28:13
do
28:13
bear
28:13
witness
28:13
about
28:14
myself,
28:14
my
28:14
testimony
28:15
is
28:15
true,
28:16
for I
28:17
know
28:17
where
28:17
I
28:18
came
28:18
from
28:18
and
28:19
where
28:19
I
28:19
am
28:19
going,
28:20
but
28:20
you
28:21
do
28:21
not
28:21
know
28:22
where
28:22
I
28:22
come
28:22
from
28:22
or
28:23
where
28:23
I
28:24
am
28:24
going.
28:26
The
28:26
first
28:27
reason
28:27
that
28:27
Jesus
28:27
is
28:28
the
28:28
trustworthy
28:28
witness,
28:30
this may
28:31
be
28:31
unsatisfying
28:32
to some
28:32
of you
28:32
who
28:33
may
28:33
not
28:33
yet
28:33
believe
28:34
in
28:35
Christ,
28:36
but
28:36
yet
28:37
it's
28:37
here.
28:38
The
28:38
reason
28:38
is
28:38
he
28:39
is
28:40
God.
28:42
He's
28:42
a
28:42
trustworthy
28:42
witness
28:43
because
28:43
he
28:44
is
28:44
God.
28:45
He
28:45
originated
28:46
in
28:46
heaven
28:46
and
28:47
he
28:47
was
28:47
going
28:48
to
28:49
heaven.
28:51
Fully
28:52
aware
28:52
of
28:52
who
28:52
he
28:53
is.
28:53
He
28:53
can
28:54
bear
28:54
witness
28:55
to
28:56
himself.
28:59
He
28:59
says
28:59
this,
29:00
I am
29:00
the
29:00
one,
29:00
verse
29:00
18,
29:01
who
29:01
bears
29:01
witness
29:02
about
29:02
myself
29:03
and
29:04
the
29:05
father
29:06
who
29:06
sent
29:06
me
29:06
bears
29:06
witness
29:07
about
29:08
me.
29:09
This
29:09
is
29:09
in
29:09
response
29:10
to
29:11
what
29:11
they
29:11
were
29:12
asking
29:12
of
29:12
him,
29:12
right?
29:13
You
29:13
can't
29:13
just
29:13
say
29:14
this
29:14
about
29:14
yourself.
29:15
You
29:15
need
29:15
at
29:15
least
29:15
two
29:15
people
29:16
to
29:16
say
29:16
this
29:16
about
29:17
yourself.
29:17
Jesus
29:17
affirms
29:18
this
29:18
in
29:18
verse
29:18
17.
29:21
So I
29:21
do
29:21
bear
29:22
witness
29:22
about
29:22
myself,
29:23
but also
29:23
the
29:23
father
29:24
who
29:24
sent
29:25
me
29:25
bears
29:26
witness
29:26
about
29:28
me.
29:29
This is the
29:30
second
29:30
reason.
29:31
God the
29:32
father
29:32
is the
29:33
second
29:34
witness.
29:36
God the
29:38
to
29:39
God the
29:41
man
29:41
to
29:42
God the
29:43
man
29:43
to
29:44
make
29:44
a
29:44
convincing
29:45
argument.
29:47
I
29:48
want to
29:48
twist
29:48
somebody's
29:49
arm
29:49
up
29:49
behind
29:49
their
29:50
back
29:50
and
29:50
say
29:50
accept
29:51
Jesus
29:51
as
29:52
the
29:53
Christ.
29:55
But
29:55
here
29:55
is
29:56
Jesus'
29:56
answer
29:56
and
29:57
it's
29:57
where
29:57
my
29:57
mind
29:57
goes
29:58
epistemological.
30:01
How do
30:01
we
30:01
arrive
30:02
at
30:02
the
30:02
truths
30:02
that
30:02
we
30:02
know
30:03
we
30:03
must
30:04
must
30:05
spiritually
30:06
discern
30:07
them.
30:08
The
30:08
evidence
30:09
is all
30:09
here
30:09
but we
30:10
need
30:10
help
30:10
to
30:10
see
30:11
it
30:11
and
30:11
faith
30:12
to
30:12
grab
30:12
hold
30:12
of
30:13
it
30:13
in
30:14
a
30:14
saving
30:14
way.
30:17
His
30:17
father
30:18
is
30:19
the
30:19
second
30:19
witness.
30:22
Last
30:23
week
30:23
Zachary
30:23
preached
30:24
from
30:24
Matthew
30:24
chapter
30:25
3
30:25
concerning
30:26
Jesus'
30:27
baptism.
30:28
If
30:29
you
30:29
missed
30:29
it
30:29
I
30:30
really
30:30
encourage
30:30
you
30:31
to
30:31
give
30:31
it
30:31
a
30:31
!
30:31
listen.
30:32
I
30:32
think
30:32
you'll
30:32
really
30:32
appreciate
30:33
it.
30:33
You
30:33
did a
30:33
great
30:33
job
30:34
with
30:34
that
30:34
text.
30:35
He
30:35
spoke
30:36
well
30:37
of
30:38
God
30:38
the
30:38
father's
30:39
confirmation
30:40
that
30:40
Jesus
30:41
is
30:42
the
30:42
Christ.
30:43
We
30:43
see
30:43
in
30:43
that
30:43
text
30:45
the
30:45
spirit
30:45
of
30:46
God
30:46
descends
30:47
like
30:48
a
30:48
dove
30:49
rests
30:50
on
30:50
Jesus
30:51
and
30:52
then
30:52
from
30:52
heaven
30:53
the
30:53
father
30:54
says
30:54
this
30:55
is
30:55
my
30:55
beloved
30:55
son
30:56
with
30:56
whom
30:56
I
30:56
am
30:57
well
30:58
pleased.
31:00
We
31:01
find
31:01
that
31:01
similarly
31:03
in
31:03
John
31:03
although
31:04
not
31:04
the
31:04
details
31:05
of
31:06
it.
31:06
There
31:06
we
31:06
see
31:06
John
31:07
the
31:07
Baptist
31:07
in
31:08
verse
31:08
32
31:09
of
31:09
chapter
31:09
1
31:10
bearing
31:11
witness
31:11
I
31:12
saw
31:12
the
31:13
spirit
31:13
descend
31:14
from
31:14
heaven
31:14
like
31:15
a
31:15
dove
31:16
and
31:16
it
31:16
remained
31:17
on
31:18
him.
31:19
So
31:20
Jesus
31:20
makes
31:20
this
31:21
claim
31:21
the
31:22
father
31:22
who
31:22
sent
31:22
me
31:22
bears
31:23
witness
31:23
about
31:24
me
31:24
and
31:25
you
31:25
may
31:26
find
31:26
some
31:26
sympathy
31:26
here
31:27
with
31:27
the
31:28
Pharisees
31:28
he
31:29
!
31:29
can
31:29
say
31:29
anything
31:29
he
31:29
wants
31:30
to
31:30
about
31:30
himself
31:30
but
31:31
this
31:31
had
31:31
happened
31:32
the
31:32
spirit
31:33
had
31:33
descended
31:34
God
31:34
had
31:35
spoken
31:35
from
31:36
heaven
31:37
about
31:38
Jesus
31:38
and
31:39
this
31:39
was
31:39
known
31:40
this
31:40
was
31:40
traveling
31:41
around
31:41
in
31:42
the
31:42
day
31:43
they
31:43
were
31:43
aware
31:44
of
31:44
this
31:45
event
31:45
that
31:46
had
31:46
happened
31:46
Jesus
31:48
is
31:48
trustworthy
31:49
witness
31:50
to
31:50
who
31:50
he
31:50
is
31:51
and
31:52
he
31:52
should
31:52
be
31:53
trusted
31:54
notice
31:56
lastly
31:57
that
31:57
Jesus
31:57
is
31:58
the
31:58
righteous
31:59
judge
32:00
verses
32:00
15
32:01
through
32:02
17
32:02
he
32:04
says
32:04
you
32:04
judge
32:05
according
32:05
to
32:05
the
32:05
flesh
32:06
I
32:08
judge
32:08
no
32:08
one
32:08
yet
32:10
even
32:10
if
32:10
I
32:10
do
32:11
judge
32:11
my
32:12
judgment
32:12
is
32:12
true
32:13
for
32:13
it
32:13
is
32:13
not
32:14
I
32:14
alone
32:14
who
32:14
judge
32:15
but
32:15
I
32:15
and
32:16
the
32:16
father
32:17
who
32:18
sent
32:19
me
32:19
now
32:22
you
32:22
may
32:22
find
32:23
some
32:23
trouble
32:24
with
32:24
this
32:24
on
32:25
first
32:25
glance
32:26
in
32:26
fact
32:26
I
32:26
hope
32:27
you
32:27
do
32:27
I
32:27
hope
32:27
you're
32:27
thinking
32:28
I
32:28
hope
32:28
you're
32:28
engaged
32:28
enough
32:29
to
32:29
go
32:29
wait
32:29
a
32:29
second
32:30
he
32:31
just
32:31
said
32:31
he
32:31
judges
32:31
nowhere
32:32
but
32:32
yet
32:32
even
32:33
if
32:33
he
32:33
does
32:33
judge
32:34
he
32:34
has
32:34
a
32:35
true
32:35
judgment
32:36
here's
32:37
what's
32:37
happening
32:37
he
32:38
says
32:39
to
32:39
them
32:39
you
32:40
judge
32:40
according
32:41
to
32:41
the
32:42
flesh
32:42
you're
32:42
looking
32:43
at
32:43
the
32:43
outward
32:43
appearance
32:44
you're
32:46
not
32:46
spiritually
32:47
discerning
32:47
who
32:48
I
32:48
am
32:50
and
32:50
I
32:51
have
32:51
no
32:51
part
32:52
in
32:52
that
32:52
kind
32:53
of
32:53
judgment
32:54
it's
32:54
what's
32:54
being
32:54
communicated
32:55
in
32:55
verse
32:55
15
32:56
it's
32:57
that
32:57
sort
32:58
of
32:58
judgment
32:58
the
32:59
judgment
32:59
that is
32:59
according
33:00
to the
33:01
flesh
33:01
that he
33:01
does
33:02
not
33:02
do
33:03
but
33:03
if
33:03
he
33:03
does
33:05
show
33:05
you
33:05
why
33:05
yet
33:06
even
33:06
if
33:06
I
33:06
do
33:06
judge
33:07
my
33:07
judgment
33:08
is
33:08
true
33:09
because
33:10
he
33:10
is
33:10
God
33:11
for
33:12
it
33:12
is
33:12
not
33:12
I
33:12
alone
33:13
who
33:13
judge
33:14
but
33:14
I
33:15
and
33:15
the
33:15
father
33:16
who
33:17
sent
33:17
me
33:17
so
33:18
his
33:18
judgment
33:19
is
33:19
a
33:19
spiritual
33:20
judgment
33:21
spiritually
33:22
discerning
33:23
judgment
33:24
he
33:25
and
33:25
the
33:25
father
33:25
who
33:27
sent
33:27
him
33:27
we
33:29
know
33:29
that
33:29
Jesus
33:31
was
33:31
sent
33:31
to
33:32
judge
33:32
John
33:34
chapter
33:34
5
33:35
verse
33:35
27
33:35
and
33:36
he
33:36
has
33:36
given
33:36
him
33:37
authority
33:37
to
33:38
execute
33:38
judgment
33:38
because
33:39
he
33:39
is
33:40
the
33:40
son
33:40
of
33:41
man
33:42
God
33:42
the
33:42
father
33:43
given
33:43
to
33:43
the
33:44
son
33:44
authority
33:45
to
33:45
execute
33:46
judgment
33:47
and
33:48
then
33:48
John
33:49
9
33:49
in
33:49
verse
33:49
39
33:50
Jesus
33:51
says
33:51
for
33:51
judgment
33:52
I
33:52
came
33:53
into
33:53
this
33:53
world
33:54
that
33:54
those
33:55
who
33:55
do
33:55
not
33:56
see
33:56
may
33:57
see
33:57
and
33:58
those
33:58
who
33:59
see
33:59
may
34:00
become
34:01
blind
34:01
on
34:03
the
34:03
basis
34:03
of
34:04
faith
34:04
that
34:05
he
34:06
is
34:06
the
34:08
Christ
34:08
Jesus
34:11
is
34:13
the
34:13
light
34:13
of
34:13
the
34:13
world
34:14
would
34:16
you
34:16
follow
34:16
him
34:17
that
34:17
you
34:17
may
34:17
have
34:18
the
34:18
light
34:18
of
34:19
life
34:20
he
34:21
is
34:21
a
34:21
trustworthy
34:21
witness
34:22
to
34:23
who
34:23
he
34:23
says
34:23
he
34:23
is
34:24
and
34:24
he
34:24
is
34:24
the
34:25
righteous
34:26
judge
34:26
he
34:26
will
34:26
return
34:27
one
34:27
day
34:28
and
34:28
he
34:28
will
34:28
judge
34:29
rightly
34:30
based
34:31
on
34:31
faith
34:32
in
34:33
him
34:33
if
34:35
you
34:35
have
34:35
yet
34:36
to
34:36
spiritually
34:38
discerned
34:38
this
34:39
pray
34:40
that
34:41
you
34:41
would
34:42
ask
34:43
for
34:44
God's
34:44
favor
34:45
on
34:45
you
34:45
that
34:45
he
34:45
would
34:45
help
34:46
you
34:47
come
34:47
alive
34:48
and
34:48
see
34:49
the
34:49
Jesus
34:49
of
34:49
the
34:49
scripture
34:50
to
34:50
know
34:50
him
34:51
to
34:51
come
34:51
to
34:51
him
34:51
for
34:52
the
34:52
salvation
34:53
of
34:53
your
34:54
soul
34:54
if
34:56
you
34:56
have
34:57
already
34:57
praise
34:59
God
34:59
this
35:01
was
35:01
not
35:01
our
35:01
own
35:02
doing
35:02
it's
35:03
not
35:03
our
35:03
wills
35:04
that
35:04
got
35:04
us
35:04
there
35:05
but
35:05
we
35:05
were
35:05
born
35:06
of
35:06
him
35:07
let's
35:09
pray
35:09
together