Jesus, truth and freedom – John 8 verses 31-59
We continue our learning together from John’s Gospel. As we get stuck
into these passages we remember why John wrote it in the first place;
John 20:31. Let’s begin by praying that we may encounter Jesus afresh
and rediscover how he is the promised One sent by God, the Son of
God, and how have life in his name. As we spend time in the Gospel,
seeing people challenging, questioning, discovering and wrestling with
who Jesus is, what He says and does, so we learn more of the LORD of
our lives; the person we most want others to meet.
These notes include some sections marked ‘GOING DEEPER’.
These sections are intended as optional additional questions for groups /
individuals with the time and inclination!
INTRODUCTION
What do you think of the concept of post-truth?
post-truth – an adjective defined as ‘relating to or denoting
circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in
shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal
belief’.
If you think truth is important, why do you think that?
READ JOHN 8 VERSES 31-47
1. REMAIN IN THE TRUTH
What is striking about the people Jesus is having this conversation
(/debate) with?
What is it then that distinguishes a true disciple of Jesus?
What does Jesus mean by ‘hold to my teaching’? (see also verse 51)
GOING DEEPER:
Take a look at 1 John 2 verses 4-6 and Luke 6 verses 46-49.
How do these passages fill out our understanding of what Jesus says in
John 8?
What does Jesus say is these people’s problem in verse 37? What does
Jesus mean by this diagnosis? How does it compare or contrast with
verse 31?
Is there room in my heart, room in my life for Jesus and his word?
[THIS COULD BE A QUESTION FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION]
How can we help each other to hold to Jesus’ teaching?
(Groups could share examples with each other here of things they have
found helpful in this regard)
GOING DEEPER:
What do John 6 verses 60-69 have to add about holding to Jesus’
teaching when it is hard or uncomfortable?
If you’d like to explore teaching on the theme of holding to Jesus’
teaching in the rest of the New Testament, you might find the following
verses helpful:
1 Corinthians 15v2; Philippians 2v16; Colossians 1v23; 2 Thessalonians
2:15; Hebrews 3:6
Hebrews 3v14; Hebrews 4:14; 3 John 1:3; Revelation 3:3
See also Deuteronomy 11:18; Deuteronomy 30:14 (with Romans 10:8);
Job 22:22; Psalm 119:11; Jeremiah 20:9; Ezekiel 33:31; Revelation
1:3.
2. BE LIBERATED BY THE TRUTH
In addition to showing ourselves to be true disciples of Jesus, what does
Jesus say is the other outcome of holding to his teaching?
What is Jesus referring to as ‘the truth’ here?
(see also John 1v14; John 14v6 and John 18v37)
How does this contrast with modern day post-truth and alternative facts?
What are some of the implications for how we should live in this culture?
What might being the people of the truth look like on our frontlines?
GOING DEEPER:
Consider how the following verses reveal the value the LORD places on
truth in society (in general, as well as among his people). What are
some of the implications for us as his people?
Isaiah 48:1; Isaiah 59:14; Isaiah 59:15; Jeremiah 5:1; Jeremiah 5:3;
Jeremiah 7:28; Jeremiah 9:3; Jeremiah 9:5; Daniel 8:12; Amos 5:10;
Zechariah 8:16; Zechariah 8:19.
How did the Jews in this encounter betray that they neither belonged to
Abraham or to God?
What did Jesus attribute that to in verses 34, 38, 41, 44 and 47?
If you were to be having this conversation with Jesus, who would he find
you belonged to (based on an assessment of your response to him and
his word)?
What hope does Jesus hold out in verses 22 and 36?
How is this freedom characterised (how is it worked out in our lives)?
GOING DEEPER:
How does the following quote help us to understand what this freedom
looks like?
“True freedom is not the liberty to do anything we please, but the liberty
to do what we ought; and it is genuine liberty because doing what we
ought now pleases us.”
(D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John)
3. WORSHIP THE LORD OF TRUTH
READ JOHN 8 VERSES 48-59
What did Jesus say that provoked the response from the people
described in verse 59?
Read Isaiah 41 verse 4 and 43 verses 10-13. How do these verses help
us to understand what Jesus was claiming in John 8 verse 58 (also look
at verses 24 and 28)?
Does this challenge how we think and/or talk about Jesus? How?
What difference (if any) might this make to how we read the Old
Testament?
What are the implications for our evangelism? Considering John 20
verse 31, how prominently does / should Jesus’ identity feature in our
message?
How can we follow the example of Thomas in John 20 verse 28?
GOING DEEPER:
How do the following verses contribute to our interpretation of Jesus’
words in John 8?
John 1:1-3, 14 & 18; John 1:23 (with Isaiah 40:3); John 5:18 & 23-24;
John 5:39 & 46; John 10:30-33 & 37-39; John 12:44-45; John 14:6-11;
John 20:30-31.
See also Matthew 1:23; 1 Corinthians 10:9; Colossians 1:15-20;
Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:11; Jude v5 (see footnote in NIV).
CONCLUSION
You might like to read and reflect on Philippians 2 verses 5-11 to begin a
time of worshipful response.
You might also like to pray using the words of Psalm 25 verse 5:
“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and
my hope is in you all day long.”