John chapter 8, and let's read
verse 12, and I just want to tell you that we're going to
look at what the Lord has to say here, and then we're going
to focus on this horrifying statement He says at the end. Verse 12
says, Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light
of the world, He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said
unto him, Thou barest record of thyself, thy record is not
true. Now a Pharisee listens to the
word of God looking for error. You know that? A Pharisee listens
to the word of God looking for error. And this is what they
said right here in verse 13. The Pharisees therefore said
unto him, Thou barest record of thyself, thy record is not
true. Look back at chapter 5 with me,
verse 31. John chapter 5, verse 31. Our Lord said, if I bear witness
of myself, my witness is not true. That's what he told them. They heard him say that. So in
chapter 8, when he said, I am the light of the world, this
is what they said. Thou barest record of thyself.
We got you. Your record's not true. You said
it yourself. We caught you. Finally, we got
them. Did they? No, they did not. In John 5, he told them what
the law said. There's a reference back there
to Deuteronomy 19, and this is what that law said. At the mouth
of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, may a matter
be established. That's what it said. So in verse
14, John 8, verse 14, Jesus answered and said unto
them, though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true. For I know whence I came and
whither I go, but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go. I know where I came from. I came
from my father. He said, I know where I'm going.
I'm going back to my father. But he said, you're blind to
that fact. That's what he's telling them. You're blind. You cannot
tell whence I come and whither I go. Look over at chapter 9,
verse 29. We know that God spake unto Moses. As for this fellow, we know not
from whence he is. In verse 28 they said, Then they
reviled him and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses'
disciples. That's who we are. We follow
Moses. What hypocrites they are. That's religion. That's religion. What hypocrites. They are not
disciples of Moses. They don't have any idea what
Moses said. They didn't know or understand what Moses wrote.
Had they believed Moses, they would have believed Christ. Right? Had they believed Moses, because
Moses wrote of Christ. Well, in John 8, verse 15, our
Lord said, You judge after the flesh. I judge no man. Now, I know we're turning a little
bit, but I'm getting to something. Go with me to chapter 12. John 12, verse 47. And if any man hear my words
and believe not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge
the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath
one that judgeth him. The word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken
of myself, But the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment,
what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment
is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak, therefore,
even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." Now I believe
every word that the Lord Jesus Christ just said. What an amazing
thought it is that God the Father gave Him, Son, This is exactly what I want you
to say. And this is what he's saying. I don't judge any man.
My word will. The words that I have delivered,
the word will. How vital is it that a man or
a woman believe this word? It is absolutely life and death. It's absolutely life and death.
Now back over to John chapter 8. Verse 16 says, And yet if I judge,
and He will, the Father hath committed all
judgment unto the Son. Right? He says in verse 16, Yet
if I judge, my judgment is true, For I am not alone, but I and
the Father that sent me." He's saying, I'm never alone. I and
my Father are one. The words that I speak are the
words that He has spoken. Verse 17, It is also written
in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one
that bear witness of myself, And the Father that sent me beareth
witness of me. Two men, two have borne witness. So he's saying, my witness is
true. Verse 19, then said they unto
him, where is thy father? And what they're saying is, where
is Joseph? He's not even here to bear witness
of you. Verse 19, they said unto him,
where is thy father? Jesus answered, you neither know
me nor my father. If you had known me, you should
have known my father also. Now here's what I want to get
to. The sad reality of this world is this. The majority of men
and women living on this planet don't know who God is. They do
not know who God is. The majority of the men and women
living in this country, the United States, do not know who God is. The majority of the men and women
living in this town, Kingsport, Tennessee, they don't know who
God is. I'm not just talking about people
in the gutter. I don't think we have many people in the gutter.
Not here, really. I want to show you some people
who did not know who God was. Okay, this is eye-opening. I want to show you some people.
Turn with me over to Acts 22. This is a man named Saul of Tarsus. Acts 22 verse 3, I am verily
a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet
brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. Gamaliel was
a teacher, a big Sanhedrin leader. Seminary. And this man right
here says, I sat at the feet of Gamaliel. That's what he's
telling them. And he says right here, and taught
according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and
was zealous toward God as you all are this day. I was zealous
toward God. I had given myself to God. And he told him, I was a Pharisee
of Pharisees. But he went on to tell him, I
didn't know who God was. Didn't know who God was until
God came to me and got me. I didn't know who God was. He
said, I don't care what seminary you went to. I don't care who
you sat under. I don't care what you've done.
I didn't know who God was. Go with me over to Luke 18. Luke 18, verse 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed
thus within himself, God, I thank thee that I'm not as other men
are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. He
really was better than other men. He really was. Now listen
to this. See if the Lord will open our
eyes to this. Verse 12, He said, I fast twice
in the week. Do you do that? Because I don't. He said, I fast twice in the
week. Verse 12, He said, I give tithes of all that I possess. Did you know that tithing is
not after taxes? We all turn in our taxes at the
end of the year, and I got it on mine. I got gross, and then
I got net. Oh yeah, I gave 10%. The Lord
didn't say, take out all your business expenses and all your
government deductions first. And then after all that, then
give to the Lord. He didn't say that. What did
he say? You give me the first fruit. Whatever I give to you,
you give me the first fruit." It didn't just include the money
either. He said, all that I possess. God said, you give 10% of all
your food. When the corn comes in, you bring
10%. When the grain comes in, you bring 10%. He said, I give
10% of all His possessions. His time, his energy, but you
know what God said? That man doesn't know God. Isn't
that something? That man doesn't know God. Turn
with me over to Matthew 7. Verse 22 says, Many will say
to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? Did you know that God does not
save preachers? Did you know that? You can't imagine how many preachers
God is not going to save. God does not save preachers.
God saves sinners. That's who God saves. They said,
we have prophesied in thy name. In thy name we cast out devils.
We did many wonderful things, wonderful works. And you know
what God said in verse 23? They don't know God. Man, how
horrible is that? Over in our text, our Lord wasn't
telling those Pharisees You're wrong doctrinally. He wasn't
telling him that. What he told him was, you don't
know God. You don't know God. You believe there is a God, great.
The devils believe that. Isn't that what he said? The
devils believe that. You know what I need in this life? I need
one thing. I need to know God. I need for
God to know me. That's the only thing I need.
Only thing I need. Go with me over to John 14. Oh, this is precious right here.
John 14, look at verse 8. Philip said unto him, Lord, show
us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus said unto him, have
I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me,
Philip? Have we seen all these things
and not known him? Go with me over to Philippians
3. Philippians 3 verse 7. But what things were gained to
me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I
count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which
is of the law, But that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know
Him. That I may know Him. I want to
know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings
being made conformable unto His death. Our Lord said this is
life eternal that they might know Thee. How can a sinner know
God? How can a sinner know God, the
true God? I want to try to hurry, I want
to try to be brief, but I want to show you how a sinner can
know God. First of all, God's going to
have to give him eyes to see, I can tell you that. God's going
to have to reveal himself to that sinner. How can a sinner
know God? And how has God revealed himself? Here's how we're going to see
God, our God. Turn with me over to Psalm 19. Psalm 19 verse 1 says, The heavens
declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night showeth knowledge. There's no speech
or language where their voice is not heard. Our God has revealed
himself in his creation. That's the first way he's revealed
himself to us. How can we know God? He's revealed
himself in creation. The heavens declare the glory
of God. Think back before you knew who
God was. When hurricanes came through
and wiped out cities, and it happens from time to time, right? People who are spiritually blind
and dead think one of two things. Either the devil did it, or that
city was so unlucky. One of the two things. Now that
you've been given eyes to see who God is, what do you say now? God did it. God did it. He's all-knowing. He's all powerful. He's all controlling. Why'd that
happen? God did it. How detailed is our God? How specific is our God? Have you ever seen a snowflake? Have you ever seen two alike?
Who made those? Can you imagine His mind? how deep and intricate his mind
is, for in the history of the firmament and the sun and the
moon and the stars and the seasons and the warm weather and the
cold weather, there's never been two snowflakes exactly alike.
Have you ever seen a fingerprint? You ever seen two alike? I got
10. None of them are alike. Isn't that amazing? Isn't that
amazing? Well, we sure have evolved a
long way, haven't we? Hold your place right here and
go with me to Psalm 139. Psalm 139 verse 14 says, I will praise thee, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are thy works, and
that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from
thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the
lowest part of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance,
yet being unperfect, and in thy book all my members were written,
which in countenance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of
them." And I think that God needs me for something. I think that God can't do something
without me. I think that God has no hands
but my hands. Isn't that crazy? Now that we've
seen who God is, isn't that crazy? I must not know God if I think
that. You don't know the true and living God. All of creation reveals the glory
of God. All of creation. Here's the second
way. That's the first way. Here's the second way He's revealed
Himself. Go back over with me to Psalm 19. Verse 7 says, The law of the
Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord
is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are
right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is
pure, enlightening the eyes. Our God has revealed Himself
in His Word. He's revealed Himself in creation.
He's revealed Himself in His Word. If we're going to know
our God, He's going to reveal Himself to us through His Word.
That's how we're going to know who He is. Go with me to 2 Peter
chapter 1. This is amazing. This is amazing. 2 Peter 1. Verse 17, For he received from God the
Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him
from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son in whom I am
well pleased. That means God spoke out loud.
All right? Heard it. Verse 18, In this voice
which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the
Holy Mount. We have also a more sure word
of prophecy where unto you do well that you take heed as unto
a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and
the day star arise in your hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. God said, God said, There
is something better than a word from heaven. It's the word of God. Some man
says, I had a dream. God spoke to me in a dream. No,
thanks. We'll just take his word. How do we know that was God?
We'll just take his word. We have a more sure word of prophecy. Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that
amazing? God said that. How do we know that God chooses
whom He will? He said so in His Word. How do we know anything about
God? He said so in His Word. We have His Word. Well, I just
believe that God is like this. I talked to a fellow, bless his
heart, not long ago, and he goes to the place of his choosing,
and he said, we have a pastor, but we don't, it's more of a
share session, he said, is what it is, and we all, we're at liberty
to pipe in when we want to, and he said, man, it will just sometimes
get way off course, and it's interesting what subjects will
come up. And the pastor encourages it,
which means he doesn't have to study. And he said, you know,
I just believe, you know, he was saying, I just kind of believe
that God is like this. Well, why do you believe that?
He didn't say it in his word. Really? You're going to base
your eternal soul on, well, I tell you what, I just kind of feel
it. He didn't say it in his word. He's revealed himself in his
word. You must not know God, do you? Isn't that scary? Lord, that I might know Thee.
Oh, that I might know Thee. Teach me in Thy Word. Let's turn
to scriptures and turn to scriptures and turn to scriptures that I
might be right, that I might know Thee. Oh, that I might know
Thee. If we're going to know God, here's
the third way. Go with me to John 12. John 12 verse 42. Nevertheless, among the chief
rulers also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees
they did not confess him. Isn't that sad? It says many
believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they didn't
confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.
They threatened him. We're going to put you out of
the synagogue. If you follow his word, don't follow his word.
Verse 43, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise
of God. Verse 44, Jesus cried and said,
he that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent
me. And he that seeth me, seeth him
that sent me. God has revealed himself in Jesus
Christ. He's revealed himself in his
creation. He's revealed himself in his word. And he has revealed
himself in Jesus Christ. He said, if you've seen me, you've
seen the father. No man knows the father save
the son. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
If you want to see God, look to Christ. Look to Christ. If you want to see God, if you
want to know God, look to Christ. Religion is bondage. That's what
it is. It's bondage. If the soul is
under the bondage of works, then that soul must not know God. Because to know Christ is to
know God. And to know Christ is to be set
free. That's what it is. To know Christ
is to be set free. He said, I'm the good shepherd. And I know my sheep and I'm known
of mine. Go with me to Luke 24. Luke 24 verse 30 says, And it came to pass, as he sat
at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and
gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and
they knew him. When God's people come to sit
at meet, and that's what we're doing, we're feasting on Christ
and feasting on His Word. And when we see the heavenly
bread Himself broken, when we see Him broken and blessed forever,
we know Him, don't we? We know we've seen God. in the
face of Jesus Christ. Lord, that we might know Thee.
Open our eyes. Open our eyes. What he's saying
is, if you've seen me, you've seen the Father. If you've seen
me, you've seen God. Open our eyes. I want to know
Him. All right, let's stand together.