Okay, let's open back up to John
8. Our Lord is very to the point. We just read it. He was very to the point, wasn't
He? This is very serious, what He
has to say. And the point of this message
The comfort that I want to take in this message, because he has
a lot of harsh things to say, and so the thing I want us to
take from this message is verse 47. Look at verse 47. It says,
he that is of God, heareth God's words. That's our comfort. No matter how hard they are,
we hear them and we love them, don't we? We really do. We really
do. We love them. We are here for
these words. I was just thinking about the
fact that you all came down from Pikeville while we were singing
this song, and I thought, you know, part of this is so they can fellowship
with our people, and I was singing this song thinking this. They
can fellowship with our people, and they're not here, and I hate
that, but then it dawned on me, that's not why they're here.
It's not why I'm here. I'm here to hear these words.
Our Lord declared the glorious gospel to these Pharisees and
these people. Look at verse 30. John 8 verse
30 says, As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said
Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my
word, then you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the
truth and the truth shall make you free." They answered him,
We be Abraham's seed, and we're never in bondage to any man.
They said, We're Abraham's seed. Don't tell us we're in bondage.
Don't tell us that. Now our text begins with verse
37. This is where we're beginning
tonight. Verse 37, our Lord said, I know that you are Abraham seed,
but you seek to kill me because my word hath no place in you.
Now here's what our Lord is about to tell them. I know that you're
Abraham seed, but number one, that doesn't mean anything. That's
the first thing. Number two, what good does it
do to be Abraham seed if you're trying to kill your God? You
know, they're all proud to be in Abraham's seat and they want
to kill him. Number three, your actions will
evidence who your true father really is. That's what he's going
to tell them right here. Verse 37, he said, I know that
you're Abraham's seed. First of all, that doesn't mean
anything. It just doesn't mean anything. Turn with me over to
Romans nine. Romans 9, look at verse 6. Not as though the word of God
hath taken none effect, for they are not all Israel which are
of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they
all children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is,
they which are the children of the flesh These are not the children
of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Now God told Abraham, you're
going to have a son. That's what God told Abraham,
you're going to have a son. And Abraham said, the only way this
makes sense to me is if I step in. Now this is religion today. I read everything that it says,
but the only way it makes sense is if I step in. I've got to
do something. So Abraham said, I'm gonna have
a child with Hagar. And they had Ishmael. And he
is the child of the flesh. It was fornication. The child
of the flesh. And in just a minute, back over
in John 8, we read it a minute ago, we're gonna see where those
Pharisees said, we be not born of fornication. What they're
saying is, we are not descendants of Ishmael, okay? They're saying our line is from
Sarah, the one that God promised would have a son. Right here
in Romans 9, verse 9 says, For this is the word of promise,
at this time will I come and Sarah shall have a son, Isaac. Abraham and Sarah had Isaac.
Verse 10 says, And not only this, but when Rebekah also had conceived
by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children being not yet
born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose
of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth, it was said unto her, The elder shall serve
the younger. As it is written, Jacob have
I loved, but Esau have I hated. Abraham had two sons. He had
Ishmael and he had Isaac. Two sons. One was not a part
of the family of God. So they said, we're from Isaac. Alright, well Isaac had two sons.
Isaac had Esau and Jacob. And one of them was not part
of the family of God. They said, we're Abraham's seed.
That's what we're holding to. That's our hope. That's our security. We're Abraham's seed. I never
knew. I've learned a lot. And I have
a lot to learn. But coming here, I learned a
lot. And I didn't realize how men and women hold to the nation
of Israel. And believe that that nation
is God's people. I didn't realize. They are not. They're not. Our Lord's telling them that
doesn't mean anything. Go with me over to Galatians 3. Galatians 3 verse 7 says, Know ye therefore that they which
are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Verse 26
says, For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be
Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise." Faith in Christ Jesus. That's how you know the
true seed of Abraham. Faith in Christ Jesus. Well,
back over to John 8. John 8 verse 37 says, I know that you are Abraham's
seed, but you seek to kill me because my word hath no place
in you. I speak that which I have seen
with my father, and ye do that which you have seen with your
father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, if you
were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.
But now you seek to kill me. A man that had told you the truth,
which I have heard of God, this did not Abraham." Abraham didn't
do that. What did Abraham do? Go with me to Romans 4. Romans 4 verse 3. Romans 4 verse 3 says, For what
saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness. The Lord told him, My father
is God. And I'm telling you His mind,
and I'm telling you His will, I'm telling you His purpose.
I'm telling you the things I've directly seen and heard from
Him, but your reaction to it is evidencing who your Father
really is. Back in John 8, verse 40, He
says, But now ye seek to kill Me. You seek to kill Me just
because I told you the truth. And the spirit that will not
receive and love and believe these words. Really, these words
are everything. These words are everything. The
spirit that will not receive and love and believe these words,
the truth, that spirit is not the spirit of the Father. Our
Lord said my words are His words. Verse 40, you seek to kill me,
a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God.
This did not Abraham. Turn with me over to 1 Thessalonians
2. I love this verse. 1 Thessalonians
chapter 2. 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 13 says,
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because
when you received the word of God which you heard of us, you
received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the
word of God. which effectually worketh also
in you that believe." That's how we receive this word, don't
we? It's the word of God. That's the reaction all of the
true seed of Abraham have. They believe God. God's people
believe God. Go with me over to James 1. James 1 verse 21 says, Wherefore
lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and
receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your
souls. I pray that God would cause me
to receive this word. I just want to receive this word.
Hear it, receive it, believe it. God has chosen to save sinners
through faith in this Word, through believing God's Word. That's
what He's chosen to do. Through believing on Jesus Christ
as He has revealed Himself to be in this Word. You know what
we believe as we have seen Him in this Word? We believe He is
the way. I believe Christ is the way,
the only way. We believe Christ is the truth,
don't we? We believe Christ is the life. We believe he's the door. We
believe he's the lamb. We believe he's the redeemer,
the atonement, the appeasement to God. He's the surety. He's the bread. He's the water. He's the word. He is the word. in the beginning was the Word.
Go with me back over to John 8. Verse 41 says, Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be
not born of fornication. We have one father, even God. How relevant is this to today? Do you know one religious person that actually believes he or
she does not worship the true God? Have you ever met one? Fornication in the scripture
represents false religion. They said, we've been out of
fornication. We're not in the wrong. People everywhere say, we're
Christians. You're a Christian? Oh, yes.
Yeah, we're Christians. Now, those foreign countries,
they may be heathen, but we're Christians. Verse 41, they said, We have
one Father, even God. And we can say that all we want
to, but the Lord Jesus Christ is going to expose the truth.
He's going to expose the truth. Verse 42 says, Jesus said unto
them, If God were your Father, you'd love me. I love that. Because I love Him. If God were your Father, you
would love me. For I proceeded forth and came
from God. Neither came I of myself, but
He sent me. Go with me over to 1 John chapter
5. 1 John 5 verse 1 says, Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ is born of God. And every one that loveth him
that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this,
we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep
His commandments. If God is a man or woman's true
Father, then that man or woman is going to love Christ. Christ
is going to be all. They're going to love Christ
in all of His glory. They're going to love Him in
all of His office. They're going to love Him in
all of His power and in all of His right. They are going to
love Jesus Christ. They will love the fact that
He is the brightness of God's glory. They're going to love
the fact that He is the express image of His person. He upholds
all things by the word of His power. He by himself purged our
sins, and they're going to love the fact that he is seated at
the right hand of God the Father. I love that. The right hand of
the majesty on high. If God is our Father, we will
love Jesus Christ, and we're going to love His Word. Every word He says, no matter
what the word is, we're going to love His Word. And we do. We do. Back over to John 8. Verse 43 says, Why do you not understand my
speech? even because you cannot hear
my word." A man named Arthur Pink made a vital statement concerning
this verse. Our Lord said, you claim to be
children of the Father, and if that's the case, why do you not
understand my speech? Arthur Pink said, if I understand
not his speech, which is addressed not to the intellect, but to
the heart. Then there is every reason why
I should gravely inquire as to the cause of this. If I don't
understand God's Word, which was not written to challenge
our minds, this was not written to be a competition of intellect, you
know. Let's get all the preachers together
and see who's the smartest. The smartest one is going to
dumb down. That's the smartest one. But this was not written to challenge
our minds, it was written to the heart. If I don't understand
it, then I need to start begging God to reveal it to me. Lord,
reveal it to me. Please reveal it to me. Because
here's the truth. Verse 43 says, Why do you not
understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear
my word. Our ears must be opened. They
must be opened. Our eyes must be opened. By nature,
we can see and hear religion, but we cannot see and hear Christ. I want to say like Samuel, speak,
Lord, for thy servant herein. Well, verse 44, he plainly comes
out and tells them, you are of your father, the devil, and the
lust of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, an abode 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 of it." Everything
other than the truth is a lie. This word is the truth. Anything that is contrary to
this word is a lie. And everything that is a lie,
Satan is the father of it. And I don't care to say his name.
I don't like saying his name. But he's the one behind it. Now
this is a warning to those who are in religion. And thanks be
to God, we're not. But this is a warning to those
who are in religion. Our Lord is speaking to Pharisees
in religion. He's telling the leaders of the
church, verse 44, you're of your father the devil and the lust
of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning
and abode not in the truth because there's no truth in him. When
he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and
the father of it. Now this is a warning for those
who are in religion. who know they are in religion.
I've heard this statement all my life. I remember the first
time I heard somebody make this statement, I was probably about
11 years old. And it did not sound right to
me. Something was just not right. And I've heard it a lot. No,
he's not fully preaching the truth. But I can just pick through it.
And I can take the things that I know are true and I can throw
the rest away. I remember the first time somebody
told me that and I thought, then why are you there? Why don't
you go find somebody who's just telling the truth? This is a warning for those who
are in religion. Go with me to 1 Peter 5. 1 Peter 5 verse 8 says, Be sober,
be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Job was no match
for him. Peter was no match for him. How does He devour? Through drugs
and alcohol? Turn with me over to 2 Corinthians
11. 2 Corinthians 11, verse 1 says, Would to God you could bear with
me a little in my folly, and indeed bear with me, for I am
jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one
husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through
his subtlety. How did Satan devour Eve and
bring the total fall of man to the world? How did he do that?
This is what he said. Yea, hath God said? That's what he said. He told Eve, let me tell you
what God said. Right here, verse three, it says,
I fear less by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through
his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity
that's in Christ. That means stay on Christ, stay
on Christ. Verse four says, for if he that
cometh preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or
if you receive another spirit which you have not received,
or another gospel which you have not accepted, you might well
bear with him. Look at verse 13. For such are
false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into
the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no
great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers
of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
This is a warning for those who are not hearing the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help us God. Any religious
house that is not preaching the truth is his house. It's his house and it's his ministers
behind the pulpit lying to our families and our friends and
our neighbors, devouring them. It's a warning. How will I know? How will I know whether I'm hearing
the truth and the whole truth and nothing but the truth? It's
got to be the Christ. the whole Christ and nothing
but the Christ. So help us God. It's going to
be the Word, the whole Word and nothing but the Word. So help
us God. Turn with me over to Ephesians
6. Ephesians chapter 6. Verse 11 says, put on the whole
armor of God. What is the whole armor of God?
Christ. That you may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the
whole armor of God. That's Christ. that you may be
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having your
loins girt about with truth. What is the truth? Christ. And
having on the breastplate of righteousness. What's the breastplate
of righteousness? Christ. And your feet shod with
the preparation of the gospel of peace. What is the gospel
of peace? Christ. above all taking the shield of
faith." What's the shield of faith? Wherewith you shall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take
the helmet of salvation. What's the helmet of salvation?
It's Christ. And the sword of the Spirit.
What's that? That's Christ and that's his
word and it's sharper than any two-edged sword. which is the
Word of God. What is the Word of God? Christ. Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints. Pray for each
other. Pray for each other. And look at verse 19. And for
me, Paul says, and I'm saying the same thing. And brother Tom
says the same thing. And brother Frank says the same
thing. And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may
open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel
for which I am an ambassador in bonds that therein I may speak
boldly as I ought to speak. Pray for us. Pray for me that
God would give me utterance that I may speak boldly as I ought
to speak. Pray for me. Pray that it may
never be said Let's not go there. That's uncomfortable. I was kind of dreading this text.
It's hard. If God ever takes the whole truth
from this place, line upon line and precept upon precept, if
we ever start skipping lines and changing precepts, if we
ever start cutting corners, then you need to get to Tom Harding
as fast as you can. That's what you need to do. You
need to find a man who's going to tell you the truth. You need
to find somebody to tell you the truth. Go back with me to
John 8. Verse 45, because I tell you
the truth, you believe me not. Which of you convinces me of
sin? What he's saying there is, which
of you can say I'm lying? Who can say I'm lying? You want
to kill me because of the words I've told you. That's what he's
been telling them. You want to kill me because of the words
I've been telling you. Now he's saying, who can say
I'm lying? Verse 46, Which of you convinceth me of sin? And
if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? Why do you not
believe me? He plainly tells them in verse
47. He's going to tell them the reason
is because you're not of God. Verse 47, He that is of God,
heareth God's words. You therefore hear them not,
because you're not of God. Lots of people have heard these
words with the ear. A lot of people have heard them.
But that's not what he's talking about. He is talking about with
the heart. He that is of God heareth, believeth,
and loveth God's words. Do we hear them? Do we believe
them? Do we love them? If we do, and we do, I am so
happy to say we are of God. We are of God. His children,
we're His work, we're the result of His work, we are in Christ,
we are of God. Isn't that relieving? Alright, let's stand together.