John 8:21-37

John 8:21-37 has Jesus taking another run at trying to explain what the truth was about salvation.  Jesus tells them once again that they need to believe that He is who He says He is – the Son of God.  The fact is they were missing God in all of His teaching.  “I told you that you were missing God in all this. You’re at a dead end. If you won’t believe I am who I say I am, you’re at the dead end of sins. You’re missing God in your lives”.  That is the problem we all have.  Sin separates us from God.  It prevents us from being able to spend eternity with the Father.

Jesus is the only way for us to deal with our sin.  The Jews were asking “Just who are you anyway”?  They knew He spoke with authority and had performed many signs and miracles.  But they just couldn’t connect the dots that He was the very Son of God.  Jesus again tried to tell them the story.  But they didn’t accept what He said as coming from God.  And Jesus made it clear that He only spoke what God told him.  “When you raise up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am–that I’m not making this up, but speaking only what the Father taught me”.

Jesus continues to explain.  “The One who sent me stays with me. He doesn’t abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him.  “When he put it in these terms, many people decided to believe”.  The dots began to connect and people began to understand who Jesus was.  But Jesus tells them there is more to the life of a Christ Follower than believing.  “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure”.  It is about living a life of obedience to His words.  It is about following the Scripture as our guide.  Being a Christ Follower means action – living a life based on what we have been taught through the Word.

Then Jesus says some of the most important words He spoke.  As a Christ Follower “you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you”.  That didn’t compute to the Jews.  They thought having to live a life of obedience was more like being a slave.  But Jesus is clear that the freedom offered through following Him as a Christ Follower is much better.  “So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through”.  When Jesus sets us free, we are free indeed.  Free from the ravaging sin that will destroy us and keep us from God.  Free from the penalty and price that sin demands.  Jesus sets us free, and that freedom lasts forever!