WHO ART THOU?

INTRODUCTION-- John 8:21-30 "He said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin: whither I go, ye cannot come. 22 The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself, that he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come? 23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 25 They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? Jesus said unto them, Even that which I have also spoken unto you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you: howbeit he that sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these speak I unto the world. 27 They perceived not that he spake to them of the Father. 28 Jesus therefore said, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me; he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that are pleasing to him. 30 As he spake these things, many believed on him."

1. Many of the Jews resisted all testimony regarding the identity of Jesus.
   
   1. After he had said, "I am He," they asked, "Who are you?"
      
   2. Jesus had used the same identification that God had given to Moses, in Exodus 3:13-14. "And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:"

2. Some "perceived not," but others (many) "believed on Him."

LESSON-- How these new believers came to be enemies.

1. Knowing Jesus is an exercise in proper thinking.
   
   1. When Jesus showed them the path to knowledge, His hearers heard only the word "free," They resented the implication that they needed to be set free. John 8:31-33 "Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples; 32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered unto him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?"
      
      1. They were less than truthful, when they said they had never been in bondage to any man.
         
      2. The nation of Israel was under the rule of Rome at that time, virtual prisoners in their own land.
         
   2. Jesus was speaking of a different kind of bondage. John 8:34-36 "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. 35 And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. 36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
      
      1. We are not told what the Jews thought of this statement.
         
      2. We do know from the following exchange that they were "turned off."

2. Jesus did not let the conversation end there. He deliberately gave them provocations which tested the depth of their faith, and finally revealed their true attitude toward him. John 8:37-59
   1. PROVOCATION #1: "Jesus said, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed: yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath not free course in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with my Father: and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father."
      

      RESPONSE: "They answered and said unto him, Our father is Abraham."
      

      1. If they were Abraham's seed, they did not have his humble faith.
         
      2. True Jews must have inward credentials. Romans 2:28-29 "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

   2. PROVOCATION #2: "Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the works of your father."
      

      RESPONSE: "They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God."
      

      1. From claiming descent from Abraham, they change to claim God as their father.
         
      2. But Children of God must have His Spirit. Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

   3. PROVOCATION #3: "Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. 45 But because I say the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God."
      

      RESPONSE: "The Jews answered and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?"
      

      1. With no cogent response, the Jews now go to name-calling.
         
      2. The ones who hear must be disposed to hear, not skeptic. Matthew 13:11 17 "And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (Mark says, "those outside") it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not."

   4. PROVOCATION #4: "Jesus answered, I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me. 50 But I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death."
      

      RESPONSE: "The Jews said unto him, Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself?"
      

      1. They missed the point here: Jesus was saying that his hearers would not die, not that he himself would not die.
         
      2. The believer has the promise that he will not taste of death, spiritually. In response to Martha's limited faith, Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; 26 and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world" (John 11:25-27).

   5. PROVOCATION #5: "Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God; 55 and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad."
      

      RESPONSE: "The Jews therefore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?"

   6. PROVOCATION #6: "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am."
      

      RESPONSE: "They took up stones therefore to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple."
      

      1. They were limited in their faith because they limited Jesus to being only a man like themselves.
         
      2. Jesus had a pre-existence they did not believe in. John 1:1-3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made." (See also Vs. 14.)

CONCLUSION-- Let us not be believers that turn into enemies through unbelief. Hebrews 3:12-14 "Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: 14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:"