Download the UBF brochure here
Weekly Message | June 8th, 2008
Passage: John 8:31-59
Key Verse(s): 31,32
Dr. Paul Hong will have service in Columbus with his son Augustine today. He asked me to prepare and serve today’s worship service. I am glad for this privilege. However, this is also very challenging for me to speak on this important passage. I will speak based on my understanding of this truth. So I will share my humble stories.
In John 8:31, 32 we read powerful promises of Jesus. Jesus offers the path for freedom. People want to be free. Freedom is to know the truth. The truth sets us free. Jesus is the truth. Jesus sets us free. Here, the process is clear to all of us. Take hold of Jesus’ teaching. Know the truth. Then the truth will set you free. Today, let’s think about the meaning of this great promise of Jesus.
First, "if you hold to my teaching." Look at verse 31. "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples' ". This passage is quite confusing. Verse 31 refers to the people whom Jesus is speaking to as "the Jews who had believed him" but in verse 44 Jesus told the very same people, "you belong to your father, the devil..." Jesus said to the people who had initially believed in him. Then, later Jesus told them that they were children of the devil. How is it possible?
Jesus said, “You are really my disciples”. Here, in this world there are so many types of people. This is true with the disciples of Jesus. At this time there are more than two billions of Christians around the world. Many are good. Many are bad and even some are ugly. But I don’t have to talk about all the negative aspects of Christians. I rather would like to talk about real Christians that Jesus honors. Who are really disciples of Christ? They take hold to Jesus' teaching. They listen to Jesus' teaching. They practice Jesus’ teaching. They live according to his teaching.
Just think about the Jews whom Jesus was talking to. Look at what Jesus said about them in verses 43,47. "...Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say...He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God". According to Jesus they were not listening to him because they belonged to the devil and they were actually listening to the devil and his lies (44).
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." What are Jesus' teachings that we should hold onto? Since 1981 I have studied the Bible. Among many messages I have taken hold of the gospel of Jesus. God is the Creator. I am a sinner in need. Jesus is my Savior and Lord. Through his death and resurrection he laid down all the foundation of my salvation. Jesus said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Mt. 4:17). So I have repented of my worldly hope and put my faith in the kingdom of God. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Mt 11:28). So I come to him. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3:16). I take hold of the eternal life that Jesus offers. Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Mt 28:18a, 19a). So I have accepted his call for mission. As a disciple of Jesus I take hold onto John 13:34, “A new command I give you: love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” This word clarifies what Jesus wants from me. Jesus wants me to love one another. As a disciple of Jesus I am not able to do many wonderful things. I am not a good speaker. I am not a great charismatic leader, either. I don’t have to tell what I am not. Yet, I want to obey Jesus’ command. “Love one another as I have loved you”. This is what I will do for life. This is what defines me who I am. This is what my life is about. I have not claimed great things from God. Rather, my life is to obey Jesus’ command. Over the years I could have done this and that for myself. But my top priority in my life is to love my children, my wife and a few people within my reach. As long as I live, this is what I will do. I will love Jesus. I will love his people. Rather, I will focus on what Jesus wants me to do: love one another as Jesus loved me. Jesus said, “You must love one another”. I will do this one thing although I may not do many other things for myself.
Taking hold of Jesus’ word is powerful. Some people take hold of Matthew 6:33 all the time: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. I have seen many people who have succeeded in many aspects of their lives simply because they have such clear sense of priority in their lives. Seek God first. Seek his kingdom first. Seek gospel ministry first. The older I become, the more obvious is the power of taking hold of even one word throughout our life time. One word we take hold of provides us a direction, theme and focus in this life. Jesus’ real disciples do not take many words superficially; rather, they take hold of even one word deeply.
Second, "then you will know the truth." Look at verse 32. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free". Taking hold of Jesus’ teaching is an open door for greater blessings. If we take hold of Jesus’ teaching, we will know the truth. What is the truth? The best definition of truth is the definition we find in the Bible. John 14:6 declares, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me' ". Jesus is the truth. If we hold to Jesus' teaching then we will know Jesus.
What does it mean to know Jesus? To know Jesus is to walk with Jesus. To know Jesus is to stay close to Jesus. To know Jesus is to love Jesus. At Friday’s meeting Dr. Paul Hong said, “Through testimony writing we practice to stand before the presence of holy God”. By taking hold of Jesus we stay close to him. We walk with him. We practice to stand in the presence of Jesus. As we stand in the presence of Jesus, we come to know Jesus and really know him.
As for me, I am an environmental engineer in the City of Toledo. After working in the City for more than 10 years I really know something about this city. I write permits to companies which allow them to emit certain pollutants. I really know the air pollution requirement details of Federal and State Government. As a disciple of Jesus I know certain truths of Christ by heart. My perfect salvation through Jesus—this is what I know. Jesus is greater than all the teachers. To me Jesus is the greatest of all. I don’t see Jesus. I don’t sometimes feel Jesus. I don’t hear from him. Sometimes I don’t feel any answers from God. Yet, in spite of all these uncertain and unclear things about Jesus, this is what I know—Jesus is real. I cannot deny him.
By taking hold of Jesus’ teaching, we come to know Jesus. If we know Jesus, we know the truth that is really life-giving. I am now 47 years old. God has given me enough abilities to accomplish modest success in this life. Like all people in this world I also would like to be great in some way or another. It is wonderful to command respect and honor of people. Many people study about the greatness of Jesus so that they also may be great by believing in Jesus. Some people study Jesus from the standpoint of leadership. They show how to be great leaders by learning this great leader Jesus.
After 27 years of my Christian life this is my conviction: it is much greater to obey Jesus. Over the years this is the truth I learned from Jesus. As I take hold of Jesus’ word John 13:34, I came to know Jesus, the good Shepherd. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”(Jn 10:11). Loving one another is possible by knowing Jesus the Good Shepherd. Among all the wonderful images of Jesus, the good shepherd Jesus is the most moving one to me. At the end of my life I want my children to see the image of a good shepherd from me. In fact, I hope to help others to find and see the Good Shepherd Jesus in me. Jesus laid down his life for me. He has welcomed me as his sheep. He has loved me. He has made my identity as his disciple very clearly. Jesus is my Shepherd. I am his sheep. Because of this identity I no longer despair over what I am not. Neither do I waste my time for what I cannot become. The great and wonderful life is to know and practice this good shepherd life. This is a truth I learn from Jesus. This truth I will keep practicing.
Taking hold of Jesus’ teaching is to know Jesus. Some people may practice the truth of Jesus’ lordship. Jesus is our Lord. This life is ultimately to allow Jesus’ rule in all aspects of our lives. So in the use of time, money and talents many real disciples are quite generous and sacrificial. Why? Jesus is the Lord of all. He owns all. He has all. He claims all. Therefore, we offer what we have willingly and joyfully. This is the beautiful life we live knowing the truth.
Third, "and the truth will set you free." Again verse 32 reads, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." The real disciples of Jesus take hold of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus’ teaching leads us to the truth—to Jesus himself. Jesus sets us free. Jesus said that the truth would set them free, the Jews responded that they had not been slaves of anyone (33). In reality, the Jews had been slaves in Egypt for about 400 years. The Jews had been slaves in Babylon for about 70 years and the Jews were at that time ruled by the Roman Empire. Jesus did not give them a humiliating history lesson. Instead, Jesus pointed out the real issue that the Jews were in spiritual slavery.
Look at verses 34-36. "Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Because Jesus is the truth he always tells the truth. Jesus is graceful but he never flatters people. Jesus tells us all the truth--if we sin then we are slaves to sin. If we yield ourselves to our sinful desires we think, we are exercising our free will but in reality we are forfeiting our own will and letting sin reign over us. Sin can then master us and enslave us.
Jesus sets us free from sin. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Jesus frees us from the power of death. Hebrews 2:14 states, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." Jesus changes our thinking about death. We do not avoid death. But we are better prepared to face death with hope of God.
Jesus says, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (36). Jesus Christ can set us free from the sins that still tempt us or plague us so that we have the power to stop doing what is wrong and to do what is right. Christ can give us freedom from selfish desires so that we can dedicate ourselves to serving God. Jesus Christ can free us from the fear of sacrifice so that we can serve the LORD and His people (Lk 1:74,75). Freedom is not merely doing what we like to do. Freedom is to do what God wants us to do and to bear great blessings without becoming corrupt.
This August my son Joshua will start his college life. After living as a Christian for more than 27 years what truth would I communicate to him? In his college decision we considered multiple factors” (1) availability of UBF ministry nearby; (2) financial viability; (3) school reputation. But the most critical one was his decision. We want him to live his life in the way he chooses. Non-Christian parents also allow their children to choose as they like. We as parents pray so that our children choose is to take hold of Jesus’ teaching. We pray again so that they may know the truth. Most importantly, we pray that they may be free—free from the evil influences of this world and find their purpose and mission in their lives. We pray again and again that they may freely obey and follow Christ Jesus. In fact this is the life as a real disciple of Jesus. We take hold of Jesus’ teaching. We come to know Jesus. We know and love him. Jesus sets us free. Jesus sets us free from being a slave to our own selfish desires and plans. Then we can pursue our goals in the way that honors God. In fact, true freedom is attained when our will conforms to God’s will.
"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'” This is Jesus’ invitation for all of us. Study Jesus’ teaching. Take hold of it. Commit to live as real disciples of Jesus. Know the truth. Let this truth set you free. Live as individuals who are free—freely to pursue life that obeys Jesus.
June 8, 2008. Toledo UBF.
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
