Confronting Christ: Authority, Identity, and Our Response

Devotional

Day 1: The Divinity and Authority of Christ

Jesus boldly claims unity with the Father, asserting His divine authority in the midst of heated opposition. This passage reveals that honoring Jesus is inseparable from honoring God, and to reject Jesus is to reject the very God the religious leaders claim to serve. The confrontation is not a mere theological debate but a collision over the very identity and authority of Christ, which stands at the heart of the Christian faith. [05:12]

John 8:48-50 (ESV)
The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.”

Reflection: In what ways do you honor Jesus in your daily life, and where might you be tempted to dismiss or diminish His authority over your decisions and beliefs?

Day 2: The Promise of Eternal Life Through Christ’s Word

Jesus makes the astonishing promise that whoever keeps His word will never see death, challenging all human expectations and experiences. This claim is not about avoiding physical death but about the deeper reality of eternal life that comes from trusting and holding fast to Jesus’ teaching. The audacity of this promise calls for an all-or-nothing faith, not a selective or comfortable belief, but a wholehearted trust in Christ’s word even in the face of death itself. [06:47]

John 8:51 (ESV)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust Jesus’ promises fully, and how can you take a step of faith to trust Him more completely today?

Day 3: Jesus is Greater Than Abraham

When challenged about His authority, Jesus declares Himself not only on par with Abraham but far greater, culminating in the profound statement, “Before Abraham was, I am.” This is a direct claim to divinity, echoing God’s self-revelation in the Old Testament, and it provokes a strong reaction because it demands a response—either to believe and worship or to reject and oppose. The identity of Jesus as the eternal “I am” is the foundation for Christian faith and hope. [16:29]

John 8:56-59 (ESV)
“Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Reflection: How does Jesus’ claim to be the eternal “I am” shape your understanding of who He is and how you relate to Him in worship and daily life?

Day 4: The Word of Christ Confronts and Divides

It is not Jesus’ actions but His words—His teaching and revelation of the Father—that provoke the strongest opposition, because they challenge deeply held beliefs and call for repentance or rejection. The authority of Jesus’ word exposes the heart, confronting our need for control and our preconceived notions about God. The response to Jesus’ word is decisive: it either leads to repentance and faith or to resistance and hostility. [18:36]

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Reflection: When was the last time Jesus’ words challenged your assumptions or comfort zones, and how did you respond—by resisting or by repenting and trusting Him?

Day 5: Faith Like Abraham—Rejoicing in God’s Promises

Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness because he trusted in God’s promises, rejoicing to see the day of Christ even from afar. This bold, all-in faith is not about understanding every detail but about celebrating and trusting in what God has revealed and promised in Christ. The call is to rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s promises through Jesus, just as Abraham did, and to let that joy shape our faith and life. [12:43]

Romans 4:20-21 (ESV)
No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

Reflection: What is one promise of God in Christ that you can rejoice in today, even if you do not see its fulfillment yet? How can you let that joy strengthen your faith?

Sermon Summary

Trinity Sunday invites us to reflect not on a historical event, but on the profound doctrine at the heart of our faith: the nature and authority of God as revealed in Christ. In John 8:48-59, we are thrust into the midst of a heated confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders. This is not a gentle teaching moment, but a collision of claims about identity, authority, and truth. The religious leaders accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan and demon-possessed, unable to reconcile his words with their understanding of God and tradition. Jesus, however, does not back down. He insists on his unique relationship with the Father, declaring that to honor him is to honor the Father, and to dishonor him is to dishonor the very God the leaders claim to serve.

At the heart of this exchange is Jesus’ audacious promise: “If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” This is not a comfortable, piecemeal faith, but an all-or-nothing claim that demands a response. The leaders, rooted in the legacy of Abraham and the prophets, cannot accept that Jesus could be greater than their revered ancestors. Yet Jesus presses further, declaring, “Before Abraham was, I am.” With these words, he claims not only precedence over Abraham but identifies himself with the very name of God revealed to Moses—an unmistakable assertion of divinity.

This confrontation reveals the true scandal of Jesus’ authority. It is not his miracles or actions that provoke the leaders to violence, but his words—his teaching about himself and the Father. The choice is stark: either to repent and believe in the one who reveals the Father, or to reject him and cling to the security of tradition and self-understanding. The passage challenges us to consider where we stand when confronted with the radical claims of Christ. Are we willing to let go of our preconceptions and control, to receive the life he offers, or do we resist, threatened by the implications of his authority?

Key Takeaways

1. The Authority of Christ Demands a Response Jesus’ claim to honor the Father and to be honored by him is not a neutral statement. It places every listener in a position where a response is required—either to accept his authority as divine or to reject it. There is no middle ground when confronted with the one who claims to be the very presence of God among us. [05:12]
2. Faith Is an All-or-Nothing Proposition The audacity of Jesus’ promise—that those who keep his word will never see death—forces us to confront the totality of faith. It is not about accepting only the parts of Jesus’ teaching that are comfortable or familiar. True faith means staking everything on his word, even when it seems to contradict our experience or understanding. [06:47]
3. Jesus Redefines Our Spiritual Heritage The religious leaders appeal to Abraham and the prophets as the foundation of their identity, but Jesus reveals that true belonging to God is not about ancestry or tradition. Instead, it is about recognizing and rejoicing in the fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ, just as Abraham did by faith. Our spiritual heritage is redefined by our relationship to Jesus. [12:43]
4. The Scandal of the Incarnation Is in the Word It is not Jesus’ actions, but his words—his teaching about himself and the Father—that provoke the greatest opposition. The claim that God is present and speaking in Christ is a stumbling block, because it challenges our autonomy and demands repentance. The Word of Christ exposes our hearts and calls us to surrender. [18:36]
5. Repentance or Rejection: The Fork in the Road When confronted with the authority and identity of Jesus, there are only two paths: repentance and faith, or rejection and hostility. The religious leaders’ response—seeking to stone Jesus—shows the depth of resistance that can arise when our self-understanding is threatened. Yet the invitation remains: to lay down our defenses and receive the life that only Christ can give.

** [16:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:32] - Entering the Heated Argument
[02:18] - The Collision of Authority
[05:12] - Honoring the Father, Dishonoring the Son
[06:47] - The Audacity of Jesus’ Promise
[09:44] - The Challenge: Who Do You Make Yourself Out to Be?
[12:43] - Abraham’s Joy and the Fulfillment of Promise
[16:29] - “Before Abraham Was, I Am”
[18:36] - The Scandal of Jesus’ Words
[19:30] - The Call to Repentance or Rejection
[20:00] - Closing Reflections and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 8:48-59 — (Feel free to read the whole passage aloud as a group.)

Observation Questions

What accusations do the religious leaders make against Jesus at the beginning of this passage? ([01:32])
How does Jesus describe his relationship with the Father in this conversation? ([05:12])
What bold promise does Jesus make in verse 51, and how do the leaders react to it? ([06:47])
What is the significance of Jesus saying, “Before Abraham was, I am”? How do the people respond to this claim? ([16:29])

Interpretation Questions

Why do the religious leaders find Jesus’ words so offensive, even more than his actions? What does this reveal about their understanding of God? ([18:36])
Jesus claims that honoring him is the same as honoring the Father. What does this mean for how we view Jesus’ authority and identity? ([05:12])
The leaders appeal to Abraham and the prophets as their spiritual heritage. How does Jesus challenge their understanding of what it means to belong to God? ([12:43])
When Jesus says, “If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death,” what kind of faith is he calling for? Is it partial or total? ([06:47])

Application Questions

Jesus’ words force a response—either to accept his authority or reject it. When you hear Jesus’ claims about himself, do you find yourself wanting to accept, question, or resist them? Why? ([05:12])
The religious leaders were threatened by Jesus because he challenged their traditions and self-understanding. Are there traditions or beliefs in your life that you hold onto, even if they might keep you from fully trusting Jesus? What are they? ([18:36])
Jesus promises that those who keep his word will never see death. What does it look like in your daily life to “keep” Jesus’ word? Are there areas where you struggle to trust his promises? ([06:47])
The leaders clung to their spiritual heritage for security. In what ways do you find your identity in things other than Christ—like family, culture, or achievements? How might Jesus be inviting you to find your true belonging in him? ([12:43])
The passage shows that Jesus’ words can be a stumbling block, exposing our hearts and calling us to surrender. Is there a specific teaching of Jesus that you find hard to accept or obey? What would it look like to surrender that area to him? ([18:36])
When confronted with the authority and identity of Jesus, the leaders chose hostility. How do you typically respond when your self-understanding or comfort is challenged by Jesus’ words? Can you share a time when you felt defensive or resistant? ([16:29])
Jesus invites us to lay down our defenses and receive the life he offers. What is one practical step you can take this week to open yourself more fully to Jesus’ authority and life? ([16:29])

Sermon Clips

This goes all the way back to the beginning where we started. I am giving honor to my father. Which by the way is the god you guys speak of as your god. Who you say is your god. He's glorifying me.

You have a text that starts out with the Jews answered him or anyone answered anyone. And you know...You're dropping into a middle of a conversation. And when we're translated, I kind of said, I think you should probably tell your folks this. They're in the midst of a heated argument. This isn't like nice talk. It's not like Jesus is sitting on the hillside with his disciples teaching them, right? And this comes out of the blue. This is kind of, they're building up to some real collision here. [00:01:59]

It's not just that the religious authorities are against Christ. Or it's not just, you know, like, they're the bad guys, whatever. I mean, there's a back and forth here that is kind of lining these guys up on either side. And in John's telling of the gospel, right, this is where the collision is going to come. They're going to be dead against each other and it's going to, his body is going to be sacrificed. [00:03:34]

You're definitely seeing the divinity of Christ and his connection with the Father, right? And that kind of runs throughout this section, right? I honor my Father, you're dishonoring me. That's the problem. [00:05:12]

It's his father who's the judge of all things anyway, right? So you got, and then, yeah, and then he levels them with this word, right? That who, anyone who keeps my word, right? Verse 51, will never see death, right? It's a shocking, bold statement. [00:06:14]

It's not, this isn't about piecemealing out. This is what I'm comfortable with, right? It's sort of all or nothing. All or nothing. And it's that shocking thing. I mean, we know as pastors, we... how many funerals have you done where you're you're standing there and you're you're saying things like this yeah like those who believe in me will never die right right and you're standing next to a casket. [00:07:03]

So it comes to a matter then, I think this goes back to what Mike said about it's either all or nothing. And the focus there is, are you greater than our father Abraham who died? Right? Are you greater than that? Because it's either now, because it's either yes, and in so many ways more than you could imagine. Or it's nothing. [00:09:29]

Who do you make yourself out to be? You know, is the challenge there. And I think there's a lot for us in the church. A lot of what the church has to say to this world probably hits like this. Who do you make yourself out to be? Who are you to say to these things? [00:09:58]

Yeah, so you have not known him. I know him. If you were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I keep his word. That's that same. I guard. I keep, you know, I treasure his word, that idea we've been working with a lot lately. [00:12:34]

Is your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad. He saw it and was glad. What in the world is going on. [00:13:03]

And Abraham had that. The faith right so after the sacrifice of Isaac right um it is his his faith is reckoned to him as righteousness as Paul reminds us right um and it's it's this this stern uh um bold faith yeah in the promises of God. [00:14:27]

So they rightly go well hey man you're not old enough to be around when abraham was around right you're not even 50 years old right and then you get so he but again throughout this whole jesus just doubles down right uh truly truly i say to you before abraham was i am drop the mic yeah mic drop kind of moment uh here he is um setting himself up now then it's not just that he's on par with abraham yeah but greater than. [00:16:34]

It is worthy to note that it is not his actions that ever caused them to take up stones and come after him. That's true. It is in that we get dropped in this text in the middle of an argument, deals with his authority and his identity, right? How can he do or claim or say the things he says, right? And he will not budge. In fact, he doubles down on it. [00:18:00]

And the result is because it either will require them to repent, right? And to believe. Or they want to seek to destroy this. Yeah, right. And so, it's his words. It's his teaching. [00:18:28]

What he reveals of the father that causes their great wrath because it attacks who they are and what they've come to understand and have control over it attacks their preconceived. [00:18:43]

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