John 8 !

My darling friends!

I'm so sorry I am late in finishing  John 8.  It's such a wonderful chapter to linger over, however!
There is so much going on in this chapter, but an overarching theme is, appropriate for this time,

LOVE

The Jewish people are very very curious about what Jesus is saying -- remember -- He was talking about His Father.... the leaders asked Him who His Father was.

These guys just do NOT get it. They think in their worldly terms. Again, I love the true dialog here --

The Jews question everything Jesus says.  Their frame of reference is their tradition -- their history -- their position in life. They do not understand the Son of God. When you cling to yourself and your own resources, it's easy to lose sight of who Jesus is.

I've done that....and I have been frazzled beyond belief.

I went back and looked at the flow in what Jesus is saying.
Jesus is about to give the Jews a lesson in LOVE. He is about to tell them His own story, but, they refuse to see. Here's the exchange:

“You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.  Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”

The Jews think Jesus is going to kill himself. Too bad. What they don't understand is - Jesus is telling them they are killing themselves when they refuse to believe.

While some of the Jews are not really understanding -- others are starting to believe. Jesus goes on:

"I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him. Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

Jesus explained what people should do when they believe.

I LOVE the following quote -- one which was used by Dr. Martin Luther King:

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

Jesus goes to say (I believe He is speaking directly to us !):  Unless we know the TRUTH -- we will be a slave to sin.

This is so true. We will never truly be free until we believe in the Truth of Jesus.

Sin takes us further than we ever thought we would go. Jesus frees us from this bondage!

BUT! -- Let's go back to the temple scene!

The Jews are so smug -- They cling to their own identity and self-worth. They smugly say they are children of Abraham -- the CHOSEN (They THINK!)

Oh, how our pride can bring us down. We may think we have it all together, but if we have not included Jesus -- we are LOST!

Jesus basically tells these self-righteous guys that HE was with Abraham in the beginning. He tells them another important thing:

"Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”- John 8:23

Oh, the Jews are still trying to stump Jesus! They argue some more. Then Jesus drops the bombshell, referring to himself as :

"I AM"

In the language of the time, "I AM" means Jesus is saying He is God.  The Jews are ready to stone Jesus.
They do not understand.

In John JESUS told the story of LOVE -- He died for US! What greater love is there than THIS? Just like today, however, the people do not want to hear something that clashes with their own notions.
Stay tuned for John 9!