Our message is taken today from
John chapter 8, verse 36. Let's begin reading
there. If the Son, therefore, shall
make you free, you shall be free indeed. If God Almighty, God
the Son, sets you free from the bondage of sin, from the curse
of the law, You shall really and truly be free. Verse 37,
our Lord said, I know that you're Abraham's seed. And they were. They were the offspring of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. But you seek to kill me. Now
that's a strange saying, isn't it? You seek to kill me because
my word has no place in you. Verse 38 of John 8, I speak that
which I've seen with my father, and you do that which you've
seen with your father. Our Lord says later on here in
verse 44, you are of your father the devil. Wow, what a scalding
statement. What a true statement. I speak
that which I've seen with my father, and you do that which
you have seen with your father. Then they answered and said unto
him, Abraham is our father. And the Lord said unto them,
if that were true, if that were true, if you were Abraham's children,
you would, if you were, you would do the works of Abraham. What
did Abraham do? He believed God. But now you
seek to kill me, a man that hath told you nothing but the truth
which I've heard of God. Abraham didn't act that way. You do the deeds of your father,
that's so, your father the devil. They said in him, we be not Fornication
we be not born of Idolatry fornication. We're not illegitimate children
We have one father we have one God verse 42 If that were true If God were your father you would
love me You would love me for I proceeded forth and I came
from God. I Neither came I of myself, but
he sent me. Why do you not understand my
speech? Even because you cannot hear
my word." Verse 47, he that is of God heareth God's word, you
therefore hear them not because, because, look what it says there,
you're not of God. I'm entitling the message today
from the words that the Lord declares unto these most self-serving,
self-centered, self-righteous, religious people. This crowd
here is the self-righteous Pharisee crowd who loved themselves and
hated everybody else, including the one Messiah that God Almighty
sent. And our Lord declares unto them,
If you were truly Abraham's children, you would. So the title of the
message is, If You Were Abraham's Children. Two things you would
do, if you really were true spiritual sons of God. Verse 39, it says,
you would do the works of Abraham. If you were true sons of God,
you would believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our
Lord says in this same chapter in verse 56, your father Abraham,
he rejoiced to see my day. He saw it. He saw it. And he was glad. Abraham believed
God. If you were Abraham's children,
verse 42, if God were your father, you
would love me. Two things. If you were true
sons of God, you'd believe the gospel. If you were true children
of God, you would love the Lord Jesus Christ. And you would rejoice in Him. Two things all of God's true
spiritual seed, the elect of God, they do. It's just not something
they do, it's what they do. They believe God. They worship
Him. They rejoice in Christ Jesus
and have no confidence in the flesh. And they do love Him. As old John Newton used to say,
not like I should, not like I will one day, but God's people do
love the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in last week's message,
we considered what the Lord said to those who claim a hope in
salvation. And then the Lord says, if truly
you are set free, you remember they said back in verse 33, they
said, we be Abraham's seed, we're never in bondage to any man,
how sayest thou you shall be made free? And the Lord says,
if the Son has made you free, You shall truly be liberated
from the penalty and bondage of sin, from the dominion of
the curse of the law, free forever. God saves with an everlasting
salvation. Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ sets us free. Free in Christ. Hold your place
there and find Romans chapter 8. If the Son sets you free,
If you're born again by the Spirit of God, you will believe the
gospel. You will love the Lord Jesus Christ. You will be obedient
unto God. You will rejoice in Him. Look
at Romans chapter 8, verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free. from the law of sin
and death. For what the law could not do,
what couldn't the law do, could not justify, could it? In that
it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the
flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,
seeking to honor God by believing the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now back to John 8. Consider for a moment what these
people said to the Lord. As He exposed their refuge of
lies, they said to Him in a way of justifying themselves. You remember our Lord said, you
are they which justify yourselves before men? but that which is
highly esteemed before men is an abomination in the sight of
God." These folks went about to justify themselves, didn't
they? They said, we've never been in bondage to any. They
said, here's what they said, we'd be Abraham's seed. Then
they said, well, Abraham is our father. And then they went a
little bit further in justifying themselves. We have one father.
Then they said, well, it's even God. Each time these Jews set
forth a foundation to rest upon, to boast about, to find refuge
in, you know what the Lord Jesus Christ did? He swept it away.
He destroyed their refuge of lies. He pulled the rug out from
under them. He destroyed their hiding place
and exposed it for what it really was, a refuge of lies. Turn back to Isaiah 28. Our Lord writes to these people
many hundreds of years before in Isaiah 28, those who are going
about to establish a righteousness of their own, despising God and
the Word of God. In Isaiah 28, little verse 14,
Wherefore, hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men that rule
this people, which is in Jerusalem, because you have said, we've
made a covenant with death. With hell, we are in agreement.
When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall
not come unto us, for we've made lies our refuge. Under falsehood
have we hid ourselves. Look at verse 17. Judgment also,
God said, I'll lay to the line. Righteousness to the plummet.
And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the water
shall overflow your hiding place. God's going to expose every refuge
of lies. And your covenant with death.
shall be disannulled. And your agreement with hell
will not stand, when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, you
shall be trodden down by it." Now what is the only refuge that
a sinner can really hide in and find salvation, peace, righteousness? Look at Isaiah 28, 16. You notice
I missed this verse, didn't I? Therefore thus saith the Lord
God, behold I lay in Zion, for I A stone, a foundation, a tried
stone, a precious cornerstone. It's a sure foundation. He that
believeth on that foundation, he that believeth shall not make
haste, never be forced off, never be confounded, shall never be
ashamed. Now this is exactly how the Lord
deals with us. in what we call Holy Spirit conviction. You know, if you miss Holy Spirit
conviction, you'll miss faith. If you miss faith, you'll miss
Christ. If you miss Holy Spirit conviction, you'll miss true
repentance. This is exactly how the Lord deals with us when He
convicts us. Turn over here to John 16. Every
refuge that we would run and hide in, He exposes it for what
it is. And that drives us to the only
true refuge, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. John 16, verse 7. Nevertheless, I tell
you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For if
I go not away, the Comforter will not depart. For if I go
not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart,
I will send him unto you. And when he is come, the Holy
Spirit, He will reprove, that is, convict and convince the
world, a world of sinners. He'll convict of sin, of righteousness,
and of judgment. You see those three things? Of
sin, because they believe not on Me.
Of sin, because He convinces us and convicts us what we are,
sinners in God's sight. Secondly, He convicts us of righteousness
because I go to my Father. He shows us what we are, sinners. He shows us what we need, righteousness
before God. I go to my Father and you see
me no more. And then verse 11, of judgment,
what I deserve. What I am, sin. What I need,
His righteousness. What I deserve, what do I deserve? Judgment. If God sent me to hell,
would He be right? Would He be just? He'd be giving
me exactly what I deserve. Did you ever see yourself that
way? A sinner before God? Having no righteousness of your
own? If God sent you to hell, would He be doing right? Absolutely. We've all sinned and come short
of the glory of God. Each time we would find comfort
or assurance in a false notion of religious pride, or some experience,
or some feeling, when God convicts us of sin, He exposes us for
what it is, a refuge of life, and that drives us unto the Lord
Jesus Christ for all of salvation, to rest in Him, in Him alone. For all of salvation Christ alone
grace alone faith alone In Christ alone now John chapter 8 Look at verse 39 one more time
they answered and said unto him Abraham is our father and the
Lord said unto them If you were Children of Abraham you would
do and you would act Now these people were the physical
descendants of Abraham. The Lord knew that. He was also
in the flesh a Jew. The Lord knew that. He acknowledged
that. But that does not give them or any person right and
title to salvation, does it? Because of some national race
or because of some place. You see, the grace of God respects
no man's person, no man's position. The grace of God, therefore,
is not earned. The grace of God is not merited.
Salvation comes to sinners by the sovereign purpose of God. It's not. It doesn't follow bloodlines,
church lines. God will have mercy on whom He
will have mercy. He will have compassion on whom
He will have compassion. So then it's not of Him that
willeth, nor of Him that runneth, but it's God that shows mercy."
The Lord exposes their wicked heart and He says this not once
but twice, you seek to kill me. In verse 37. Down again in verse
40, but now you seek to kill me. Look what He says, because
my word has no place in What was their attitude toward
the very Word of God? What was their attitude toward
the very truth of God? They wouldn't have it. They would
not hear it. They were so full of their preconceived
tradition and religious ways of men. They would not hear God. You know people have the same
problem today. Well that's just not the way my father said it.
Doesn't matter what daddy said. What does the Word of God teach?
That's the issue. What does the Word of God say?
What is your attitude toward the Word of God? Toward the Gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ? Look what the Lord said in verse
45, Because I tell you the truth, you believe Me not. Which of
you convinceth Me of sin? If I say the truth, why don't
you believe it? He that is of God heareth God's
Word. You therefore hear it not, because
Because you're not one of His children. Now, what is your attitude
toward the Word of God and toward the Gospel concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ? What is our attitude toward God's
Word? What is your attitude? Your attitude
toward the Word of God reveals the state of your heart. Did
you know that? Think about that now. Your attitude toward the
Word of God reveals the state of your heart. Whether you believe
the gospel or not is revealed in what you think of the Word
of Truth. Because the Word of Truth reveals
unto us the way of truth. Christ Himself. Look over here
in 1 Thessalonians 2. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. What is your attitude toward
the Word of God? Our Lord said to these folks,
my word had no place in you. You seek to kill me. You will
not hear my word. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, look
at verse 13. For this cause also thank we
God without ceasing because when you receive the Word of God which
you heard of us, You received it not as a word of men, but
as it is in truth the word of God, that effectually worketh
in you that believe." That book you hold in your hand, the words that are written on
the pages of Holy Scripture, all Scriptures give them God,
God breathed. Believers are eager to hear God's
Word. Believers are eager to receive
the Word of Truth, and believe the Word of Truth. You see, faith
comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Truth. These folks, they dismissed what
the very Word of God said. The Living Word was speaking
the Word of Truth. He said, I speak not my own Word,
but the Word of Him that sent me. They had no place in their heart
for the truth. Rather, they sought to kill the
Lord Jesus Christ. And our Lord said, if you were
Abraham's children, you wouldn't act in such a malicious, ungodly,
rebellious way. Now, what are these works of
Abraham? Notice it doesn't say work, it
says works. of Abraham. What are these works
of Abraham? Abraham believed God. Turn over
here to Hebrews chapter 11. Abraham believed God. How do
we know that? He demonstrated that he believed
God. He was obedient to God. In Hebrews
chapter 11, Luke verse 18, By faith, Abraham, when he was called
to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing where he went."
Where did God find Abraham? Abram, as his name was in Genesis
chapter 12. God found Abram in the house
of idolatry. His daddy was an idolater. God
said get out from your daddy's house and go into a land in which
I will show you God called him and he went out You know why
he believed God By faith read on Hebrews 11. He sojourned in
a land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in tabernacles
with Isaac Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise of For
he looked for a city which hath foundation, whose builder and
maker is God." Now let's read about that in Genesis chapter
12. Turn over there. Way back in Genesis, the book
of beginnings. Abraham believed God and he... How do we know he believed God? He demonstrated. His faith was
obedient faith. You see, faith without works
is dead faith. Genesis chapter 12, look at verse
1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram,
Get thee out of thy country from thy kindred, and from thy father's
house unto a land, and I'll show thee. God called him out of idolatry. And I'll make of thee a great
nation. I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou
shalt be a blessing. I will bless them that bless
you, and curse them that curse you, and in thy seed shall all
families of the earth be blessed. So Abraham said, uh-uh, I like
my daddy more. That's not what he said. Abraham departed as the Lord
had spoken unto him, and Lot went with him, and Abraham was
75 years old when he departed from his daddy's house, when
he departed from the land of idolatry. Abraham, when he was
called, left his father's house, left his idolatry, and never
looked back. You remember our Lord said in
Luke chapter 9, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. You see, faith
doesn't look back there. Faith looks unto the Lord Jesus
Christ. Here's what saving faith does.
Find 1 Thessalonians again, chapter 1. 1 Thessalonians, chapter 1. The faith of God's elect, as
it's described in the Word of God, receives the Word of God, follows the Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at verse 9. 1 Thessalonians, chapter 1, verse
9. For they themselves show us of
what manner of entering in we have unto you, how you turn to
God from idols to serve the living
and true God." Abraham believed God and went out. This is the
obedience of saving faith. The faith of God's elect, leaving
and forsaking everything, and looking only to the Lord Jesus
Christ to supply our every need. He believed God. He rejoiced
in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord counted that to
Him, was imputed to Him for righteousness. Abraham was strong in faith,
giving glory unto God. Let's see if we can make personal
application. Find Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3. Look at
verse 6. Galatians 3 verse 6. Even as
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness,
know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the
children of Abraham. And the Scripture foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith preached before
the Gospel." Now watch this. Look at verse 8 carefully. The
Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through
faith preached before the Gospel to Abraham. God preached the
Gospel to Abraham. Wouldn't you like to have heard
that sermon? Abraham! Get out of thy father's house
into a land I'll show you. Saying in these shall all nations
be blessed. So look verse 9 Galatians 3 verse
9. So then they which be of faith
are blessed with faithful Abraham now stay right here in Galatians
3 Look at verse 26 for you're all children of God by faith
in Christ Jesus For as many of you has been baptized into Christ
or put in Christ have put on Christ There is neither Jew nor
Greek There's neither bond nor free. There's neither male nor
female. You're all one in Christ. Now
look at verse 29 carefully. And if you be Christ, if you
be one with Him, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according
to the promise. Now turn back to John 8. Romans 4.16 says this, Therefore
it is of faith, that it might be by grace, that the promise
might be sure to all the seed." All the elect of God. This is
the sure promise of grace in Christ Jesus. You remember what our Lord said,
look at John 8, 24. Our Lord said, And John 8, 24, I said therefore
unto you that you shall die in your sin, for if you believe
not that I am, you'll die in your sin. Look back at John chapter
5. John chapter 5, verse 24. Abraham believed God. Abraham rejoiced in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Abraham's hope was not circumcision. Abraham's hope was not in his
faith. Abraham's hope was in the object
of his faith, God Almighty, revealed in Christ Jesus. He believed
God. Look at John chapter 5 verse
24, "...Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my
word..." There's that hearing of the Word. "...Our Lord said
to those Jews, My word hath no place in you, He that is of God,
heareth God's Word. What's your attitude toward the
Word? Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word,
and believeth on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and
shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto
life. Whom the Son set free, He is
free indeed. You know those who are set free?
They do what Abraham did. They believe God. They believe
God. Now, here's the second part of
this message. Verse 42. When they heard that, they said,
well, verse 41, we'd be not idolaters, we'd be not born A fornication? We're not illegitimate children. We have one Father, we have one
God, and then the Lord exposes that refuge too. If God were
your Father, you would love me. For I proceeded forth and came
from God, neither came I of myself, but He that sent me. You see,
those who are set free by the Son of God, they hear His Word,
They believe Him, and you know what? They're in love with Him. Have you been set free? Has the
Son set you free? Those who are set free, they
rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ as Abraham did. If God were your Father, you
would love Me. The Lord plainly says, if you
were true sons of God, Born of God. Born from above. Regenerated
by the Spirit of God. Made new creatures in Christ
Jesus. Born of Him. Put in Christ Jesus. You know what the fruit of that
is? You would love the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and
you would not have anything to do with a lie that some preacher
would promote. A lie that some preacher would
say, well, God loves all men. the same, that Christ died for
all men the same, and what really makes the difference is what
you do. That's a lie. Those who have
been set free by the Son of God cannot stand to hear a lie. They love the truth, and it is
the truth. Our Lord said, you shall know
the truth, and the truth will set you free. Have you been liberated? Have you been set free? You see,
this is how we know that we're true spiritual sons of God, true
children of God. We believe the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus
Christ. We love His Word. We believe
Him. Trust Him. Rest in Him. And we will not put up with the
foolishness of men. the lies of men we love the truth
and we love the Lord Jesus Christ now two things here I'll let
you go two things here he said if you were born of God if you
were begotten of God you would love me you would love me those who are set free by the
Son of God they love the Lord Jesus Christ they love him You
see, the fruit of the Spirit, you remember Galatians chapter
5, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering. The fruit of the Spirit, Romans
5 says, hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. You see, we love Him
only because He first loved us. We love Him. We love Him. We love who He is. Almighty God. We love His Word. We continue
in His Word. The Word of God is quick and
powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. We love His glory. We love the glory in Him. We
say with David, My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, the
humble shall hear thereof and be glad. We love His salvation. So great. How shall we escape
if we neglect so great salvation? Salvation by the freest, sovereign
grace of God. That's the only salvation that
the Word of God knows anything about. Great salvation. God's people
love Him, love His Word. We love His glory. God forbid
we should glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. We
love His salvation. Neither is there salvation in
any other. And we love the gospel of the
grace of God as it's revealed in the face of the Lord Jesus
Christ. You say, is it really important
if I believe Him and if I hear His Word And if I rejoice in
Him, and if I love Him, is it really important? Is it really
an issue? It is with the believer. Listen
to this Scripture. We read it last week. 1 Corinthians
16, 22. If any man love not the Lord
Jesus Christ, let him be damned when the Lord comes. It's a serious
thing. To believe Him, to love Him,
to hear His Word, God's people not only love Him, love His Word,
rejoice in Christ Jesus, have no confidence in the flesh, but
you know what? Don't adhere to John chapter 13. You know what
else? They love one another. John chapter 13, look at verse
34. And this is not an option. This
is not an optional thing. John 13, 34, a new commandment I give unto you that ye love
one another, as I have loved you, see that ye also love one
another. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, that ye love one another." Turn over
here to Ephesians chapter 4. You see, those who have been
forgiven of God, they love to forgive others. Those who are
loved of God, Love one another. He loved us freely. How can we
not love? The love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts. Ephesians chapter 4, look at
verse 32. Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forsaking one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven
you. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and
walk in love, as Christ also loved us. And have given himself
for an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. Walk in that love. Turn to 1
John. Turn over there. 1 John. Look at verse 7. Our Lord said,
By this shall all men know that you are my disciples. If you
were the children of God, you'd love me. And you love one another. 1 John chapter 4, Beloved, let
us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that
loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth
not God, for God is love. And this was manifested, the
love of God, 1 John 4, 9, toward us, because that God sent His
only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him
I had this on the radio this morning. I hope some of you listened
to it. If you missed it, it will be posted on Sermon Audio on
Monday. Herein is love, not that we love
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the sacrifice
for our sin. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we ought to also love one another. 1 John chapter 4, look at verse
20. If a man say, verse 19 says,
we love Him because He first loved us, You see, love is the
evidence of life, as faith is the evidence of life. We're going
to see that in just a minute. We love Him because He first
loved us. 1 John 4, 20. If a man say, oh, I love God,
but I hate my brother, he's a liar. For he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he say, oh, I love God, whom he
hasn't seen? Now, you remember what those
Jews said? Our Lord said, you seek to kill me. Oh, we love
God! They had murder in their heart.
Did they love God? Absolutely not. For he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen,
if he loveth not his brother? And this commandment have we
from Him that he who loveth God loves his brother also. Chapter 5, verse 1, Whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And everyone
that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that's begotten of Him. By this we know. that we love
the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. Now, it's not talking about doing
the law, it's talking about believing the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. You see, this love of Christ
constraineth us. There's an article in the bulletin,
don't read it now, but in the bulletin from 2 Corinthians chapter
5 by Brother Mahan, And he writes about the love of Christ constrains
us. In closing, let me give you this.
About this love of God. Our Lord said to these Jews,
if God were your Father, you would love me. But you seek to
kill me. My word has no place in you. We read in 1 Corinthians 13,
Now abideth faith, hope, and love. These three. Now, which
is the greatest? Which is the greatest of these?
Ask that question. Love. Now abide is faith, hope,
and love, but the greatest of these is love. You see, faith
one day will end in sight. Hope will one day end in reality. But what about love? Love will
never end. He's loved us with an everlasting
love, therefore with loving kindness He does draw us to Himself. Love
will never end. You remember from Revelation
1, we sing unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sin
in His own blood. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive all honor, glory, blessing, both now and forever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, You shall really be free, set
at liberty to hear His Word, to believe His Gospel, to rejoice
in the Lord Jesus Christ, to love Him and to love one another. If the Son sets you free, you're
really a free man indeed in Christ Jesus.