DUMC Weekly Leaders Resource

D.U.A

8 & 9 May 2010 Brother Tony Anthony So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed John 8:36 & Mark 8:35

Prayer

  • Pray for the grieving family of Aminurl Amzah and also AzmauddinOmar especially for them to experience the comfort & Justice of God.
  • Pray for a fresh outpouring of the Lords Spirit upon you who is delivering the Word.

Word – John Chapter 8 Summary

Our Lord found Himself again in conflict with the Jewish religious leaders; but this time, they set a trap, hoping to get enough evidence to arrest Jesus and get Him out of the way. However, their plot failed; but a controversy followed. In this chapter we see a series of contrasts that reveal the graciousness of Christ and the wickedness of man.

TestimonyFocused on Evangelism

For Greek Lexical Forms refer to

Evangelism and Evangelists. In the New Testament, evangelism is the spread of the gospel, or good news, by means of proclamation or announcement. The New Testament Greek verb euangelizomai means to announce the euangelion, or good news. New Testament evangelism is defined by its content or message, and not by its methods or results.

An evangelist is the person who carries out evangelism, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Though the word evangelist is a common term in Christianity, it appears only three times in the New Testament. In each case the Greek word euangelistes refers to one who is called and empowered by God to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Since World War 2, there has been an increasing emphasis on evangelism that is more personal, relational and dialogical, as opposed to the approach of preaching. Personal evangelism, small-group evangelism and other such methods have become more common and have been extensively used by para-church groups. Denominational proponents of personal evangelism, such as Methodist layperson Harry Denman, have also emphasized the role of average Christians in evangelizing through personal relationships.

Survey & Background

8:30-31. Although Jesus' listeners initially believe, they are ready to kill him by the end of the passage (8:59; cf. Ex 4:31; 5:21). John's readers would reflect on this report and be encouraged that their Lord had faced what they were facing; some members of their *churches had also defected and begun to betray Christians to persecution (see comment on 6:67-71; 1 John).

8:32. The Greek concept of truth emphasized reality; the *Old Testament word translated "truth" had more to do with integrity or faithfulness to one's word or character. Jewish thought characterized God as the Truth, so Jesus' hearers should realize that he refers specifically to God's truth in the Jewish sense.

Our Lord found Himself again in conflict with the Jewish religious leaders; but this time, they set a trap, hoping to get enough evidence to arrest Jesus and get Him out of the way. However, their plot failed; but a controversy followed. In this chapter we see a series of contrasts that reveal the graciousness of Christ and the wickedness of man.

8:33. Although Jesus' interlocutors were never themselves slaves, their reference to Abraham shows that they understand Jesus as referring to the Jewish people as a whole. Jewish teachers generally acknowledged that their people had been subjected under the yoke of at least four kingdoms: Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. But many teachers believed that these kingdoms were only servants of God, and that he would ultimately break the yokes of the other nations (an extreme form of this belief led to the revolt of A.D. 66 A.D.-70). They taught that the other nations were ruled by guardian angels and the stars, but that Israel was ruled by God alone.

8:34. Philosophers often used "free" to mean free from false ideas or from concern; Judaism spoke of being free from sin. Jewish teachers believed that because Israel had the *law, the evil impulse that made the *Gentiles so sinful could not enslave them.

8:35. Old Testament law mandated that Jewish slaves be freed in certain years, and under Gentile laws slaves could be freed or sold to other households; a son, however, was always part of a household. Jesus may also make another allusion here: "house" (which can mean "household," "family" or "home") may include a wordplay with God's house, the temple (2:16); only the "sons" will have a permanent share there (Ezek 46:16-17; cf. also Isa 56:5).

8:36-37. In popular Jewish belief, descent from Abraham virtually guaranteed salvation except for the most wicked; Israel was chosen and destined for salvation in him.

8:38-39. "Father" could mean "ancestor," and on that level Abraham was their father (v. 37 - although most had some *Gentile converts in their ancestry). But metaphorically a father was someone whose ways one imitated often a teacher, or whose nature one revealed, such as a spiritual progenitor.

Our Lord found Himself again in conflict with the Jewish religious leaders; but this time, they set a trap, hoping to get enough evidence to arrest Jesus and get Him out of the way.

8:40. Abraham was used as the ultimate model for Jewish piety and hospitality, and Jewish tradition celebrated his reception of God's disguised messengers in Gen 18.

8:41. To suggest that someone had one father by law but another father by nature was to suggest that one's mother was guilty of adultery. Recognizing this implication, the interlocutors insist on the purity of their descent: "children of Abraham" was equivalent in Jewish literature to "children of God" (cf., e.g., Ex 4:22), because God had adopted Abraham's descendants.

8:42-47. That the devil was the original murderer (cf. 8:37,40) and denier of truth (cf. 8:32) is irrefutable; Jewish tradition stressed that his lie had led to Adam's death (cf. Gen 3). Because Jesus' interlocutors want to kill him and reject his truth, their behavior demonstrates who is their real father; the issue is not ethnic but spiritual.

Interpretation & Application

Freedom and Bondage (John 8:31-47)

What listeners are represented by the pronoun "they" in John 8:33? In the previous verses, Jesus addressed the "believers" mentioned in John 8:30, and He warned them that continuance in the Word - discipleship - was proof of true salvation. When we obey His Word, we grow in spiritual knowledge; and as we grow in spiritual knowledge, we grow in freedom from sin. Life leads to learning, and learning leads to liberty.

It is not likely that the pronoun they refers to these new believers, for they would probably not argue with their Saviour! If John 8:37 is any guide, "they" probably refers to the same unbelieving Jewish leaders who had opposed Jesus throughout this conversation (John 8:13,19,22,25). As before, they did not understand His message. Jesus was speaking about true spiritual freedom, freedom from sin, but they were thinking about political freedom.

Their claim that Abraham's descendants had never been in bondage was certainly a false one that was refuted by the very record in the Old Testament Scriptures. The Jews had been enslaved by seven mighty nations, as recorded in the Book of Judges. The ten Northern tribes had been carried away captive by Assyria, and the two Southern tribes had gone into seventy years of captivity in Babylon. And at that very hour, the Jews were under the iron heel of Rome! How difficult it is for proud religious people to admit their failings and their needs!

Jesus explained that the difference between spiritual freedom and bondage is a matter of whether one is a son or a servant. The servant may live in the house, but he is not a part of the family; and he cannot be guaranteed a future. (Jesus may have had Isaac and Ishmael in mind here; see Gen 21.) "Whosoever keeps on practicing sin [literal translation] is the servant of sin." These religious leaders would not only die in their sins (John 8:21,24), but they were right then living in bondage to sin!

How can slaves of sin be set free? Only by the Son. How does He do it? Through the power of His Word. Note the emphasis on the Word in John 8:38-47, and He had already told them, "The truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). They would not "make room" for His Word in their hearts.

In the rest of this section, you see the debate centering around the word father. Jesus identified Himself with the Father in heaven, but He identified them with the father from hell, Satan. Of course, the Jews claimed Abraham as their father (Luke 3:8), but Jesus made a careful distinction between"Abraham's seed" (physical descendants) and "Abraham's children" (spiritual descendants because of personal faith; Gal 3:6-14).These Jewish leaders, who claimed to belong to Abraham, were very unlike Abraham. For one thing, they wanted to kill Jesus; Abraham was the "friend of God" and fellowshipped with Him in love (Isa 41:8). Abraham listened to God's truth and obeyed it,but these religious leaders rejected the truth.

Nature is determined by birth, and birth is determined by paternity. If God is your Father, then you share God's nature (2 Peter 1:1-4); but if Satan is your father, then you share in his evil nature. Our Lord did not say that every lost sinner is a "child of the devil,"though every lost sinner is certainly a child of wrath and disobedience (Eph 2:1-3). Both here and in the Parable of the Tares (Matt 13:24-32,36-43), Jesus said that the Pharisees and other "counterfeit" believers were the children of the devil. Satan is an imitator (2 Cor 11:13-15), and he gives his children a false righteousness that can never gain them entrance into heaven (Rom 10:1-4).

These Jewish leaders, who claimed to belong to Abraham, were very unlike Abraham. For one thing, they wanted to kill Jesus; Abraham was the "friend of God" and fellowshipped with Him in love (Isa 41:8). Abraham listened to God's truth and obeyed it, but these religious leaders rejected the truth.

Nature is determined by birth, and birth is determined by paternity.If God is your Father, then you share God's nature (2 Peter 1:1-4); but if Satan is your father, then you share in his evil nature. Our Lord did not say that every lost sinner is a "child of the devil," though every lost sinner is certainly a child of wrath and disobedience (Eph 2:1-3). Both here and in the Parable of the Tares (Matt 13:24-32,36-43), Jesus said that the Pharisees and other "counterfeit" believers were the children of the devil. Satan is an imitator (2 Cor 11:13-15), and he gives his children a false righteousness that can never gain them entrance into heaven (Rom 10:1-4).

What were the characteristics of these religious leaders who belonged to the devil? For one thing, they rejected the truth (John 8:40) and tried to kill Jesus because He spoke the truth. They did not love God (John 8:42) nor could they understand what Jesus taught (John 8:43,47). Satan's children may be well versed in their religious traditions, but they have no understanding of the Word of God.

The worst bondage is the kind that the prisoner himself does not recognize. He thinks he is free, yet he is really a slave. The Pharisees and other religious leaders thought that they were free, but they were actually enslaved in terrible spiritual bondage to sin and Satan. They would not face the truth, and yet it was the truth alone that could set them free.

Do refer to AppendixPictures for visual enhancement based on the Testimony by Brother Tony Anthony.

Application Discussion

Questions here are subjective and needs research on the part of the person sharing the Word. Note: If a member asks a question that you cannot answer; just kindly inform him/her that you will get back to them the week after.

  1. What can we do as a Cell to evangelize my community where God has placed me?
  2. The challenge is not whether Christianity is true but rather how relevant it is. John Stott quotes his conversation with two ex-Christian students; they asked “What possible relevance can a primitive Palestinian religion have for us in the face of men on the moon, transplant surgery today and genetic engineering tomorrow?” How will I bring about (share) the Gospel to my peers today so that the hearers today can relate?

Extra Lessons

  1. Discuss how the following verses relate to evangelism. Look in a fresh way at each passage, searching especially for (a) God's commands and standards to keep, (b) someone's example to learn from, (c) a promise from God to believe, (d) a warning to heed, or (e) a challenge to face.
  2. Ps 73:27-28
  3. Matt 5:13-16; 28:18-20
  4. Mark 16:15
  5. Acts 1:8
  6. 2 Cor 5:16-21; 6:1-2
  7. Col 4:5-6
  8. Rev 12:10-11

Works

  1. Strategize on how to reach out to our colleagues and share Christ with them.
  2. Ask your local bookstore for any evangelistic material which may help you to reach out. (eg. Salvation Comic Tracts)
  3. Sign up for the next Mission Candidate Preparation Program-1 (25-26 Jun) & Type-A Evangelism (10 Jul)
  4. Write down on a BOARD/ PAPER/ CARD, the names of your friends who have not known Jesus. Title it as the Salvation Wall- To be put up during Cell time so that everyone can pray for each of the names.
  5. “Ta-Pow” the food instead of Wallop-May I suggest we fast for those whom we plan to reach out to!

Appendix

Hinduism

Hinduism or Hindu religion the name of the variety of creeds derived from Brahmanic sources. It is the religion of the East, professed, in some form or another, by nearly half of the human race, especially if Buddhism is included, or considered as a development of it. The different sects into which the Hindus are divided at present are of modern origin, and the system of theology taught by them differs very much from the religion of their forefathers.

History. — For brevity's sake, we will divide Hinduism into three great periods, the Vedic, Epic, and Puranic. Our knowledge of the first is derived from the sacred books of the Hindus, the Veda; that of the second from the epic poem Ramayana, and the great epic Mahabharata; and that of the third chiefly from the mythological works, the Puranas and Tantras.

Sacred Cow in India

The world over, the term "sacred cow" has come to mean any stubborn loyalty to a long-standing institution which impedes natural progress. The term originates in India, where the cow is said to be literally worshiped, while thousands of humans suffer from undernourishment. The common, popular view of India to the world is that of an underdeveloped nation steeped in superstition. Overpopulated, overcrowded, undereducated, and bereft of most modern amenities, India is seen to be a backward nation in many respects by "progressive" civilization. "If only India would abandon her religious superstitions and kill and eat the cow!" Over several decades many attempts have been made by the "compassionate" to alleviate unfortunate India's burden of poor logic, and to replace her superstitions with rational thinking.

Rat Temple & Starving Children

Each day, about 1,000 worshipers and about 70 tourists visit the temple of Karni Mata, Deshnoke, India. Why? Because in this temple, about 300 rats wander freely while the believers bring their offerings to these idols. The rats are adored and any necessity that they might have is satisfied by the ecstatic prayers. The priests of the temple and the rats eat from the same dishes and drink the same water. The priests say these rats are god's messengers. They believe that when the temple priests die they reincarnate as rats.

Prepared by Ho J-Son | Application Discussion / 1