Jesus: The Eternal 'I Am' and True Freedom

 

Summary

In this final session of our series on the "I am" statements of Jesus, we explore what I consider the most dramatic declaration: "Before Abraham was, I am." This statement, found in John 8:58, is a profound assertion of Jesus' divinity and pre-existence, echoing the divine name revealed to Moses in the burning bush. To understand the weight of this pronouncement, we must delve into the context of Jesus' dialogue with the Pharisees, which begins earlier in John 8.

Jesus speaks to those who believe in Him, emphasizing the importance of abiding in His word to truly be His disciples. This abiding leads to knowing the truth, which liberates. However, the Pharisees, relying on their descent from Abraham, reject the notion that they need liberation, claiming they have never been enslaved. Jesus counters this by explaining that anyone who sins is a slave to sin, and true freedom comes only through the Son.

This discourse reveals a deeper spiritual truth: biological descent from Abraham does not guarantee inclusion in God's kingdom. True sonship is marked by obedience and faith, not mere heritage. Jesus challenges the Pharisees' understanding of freedom, highlighting that while humans have free will, it is often enslaved to sin. True freedom is found in Christ, who liberates us from the bondage of sin.

Jesus further confronts the Pharisees by asserting that their actions reveal their true spiritual lineage—not as children of Abraham or God, but of the devil, because they reject the truth He brings. This culminates in His declaration, "Before Abraham was, I am," a clear claim to His eternal existence and divine nature. The Pharisees' reaction, attempting to stone Him, underscores their understanding of His claim to deity.

Key Takeaways:

- True discipleship involves abiding in Jesus' word, which leads to knowing the truth and experiencing genuine freedom. This freedom is not just from external bondage but from the internal enslavement of sin. [03:03]

- Biological descent or religious heritage does not guarantee a relationship with God. True sonship is marked by obedience and faith in Christ, not by ancestry or religious affiliation. [05:09]

- Human free will is real, but it is often enslaved to sin. True freedom is found in Christ, who liberates us from our sinful inclinations and empowers us to live in obedience to God. [08:31]

- Spiritual lineage is determined by whom we obey. If we follow the desires of the flesh and reject Christ, we align ourselves with the enemy. True children of God are those who love and obey Jesus. [12:09]

- Jesus' declaration, "Before Abraham was, I am," is a profound assertion of His divinity and eternal existence. It challenges us to recognize Him not just as a historical figure but as the eternal God who offers us life and freedom. [21:00]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:37] - Introduction to the Eighth "I Am"
[01:26] - Jesus' Declaration to the Pharisees
[02:14] - The Importance of Abiding in Jesus' Word
[03:03] - True Discipleship and Freedom
[04:27] - The Pharisees' Misunderstanding
[05:09] - True Sonship and Spiritual Lineage
[06:26] - The Nature of Human Free Will
[07:55] - Enslavement to Sin
[09:15] - The Pagan View of Free Will
[10:48] - Jesus' Challenge to the Pharisees
[12:09] - Spiritual Lineage and Obedience
[13:34] - The Necessity of Believing in the Son
[15:17] - Hearing and Understanding Jesus' Words
[17:31] - The Pharisees' Accusation
[19:12] - Jesus' Response and Claim to Deity
[21:00] - "Before Abraham Was, I Am"
[23:17] - The Reaction to Jesus' Claim

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 8:31-59
- Exodus 3:14

---

Observation Questions:

1. What is the significance of Jesus' statement, "Before Abraham was, I am," in the context of His conversation with the Pharisees? [21:00]

2. How do the Pharisees respond to Jesus' claim about His pre-existence and divinity, and what does this reveal about their understanding? [23:17]

3. According to the sermon, what does Jesus mean when He says, "If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed"? [02:14]

4. How does Jesus describe the relationship between sin and slavery in His dialogue with the Pharisees? [06:26]

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. What does Jesus' declaration "Before Abraham was, I am" suggest about His identity and mission? How does this align with the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14? [21:00]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that true freedom is found in Christ, and how does this contrast with the Pharisees' understanding of freedom? [10:01]

3. How does the sermon explain the concept of spiritual lineage, and what implications does this have for understanding one's relationship with God? [12:09]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the nature of human free will and its relationship to sin? How does this understanding impact one's view of personal responsibility and divine sovereignty? [09:15]

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you rely on heritage or tradition rather than a personal relationship with Christ? How can you shift your focus to abiding in His word? [05:09]

2. Jesus speaks of true freedom as liberation from sin. Identify a specific sin or habit that you feel enslaved to. What steps can you take this week to seek freedom in Christ? [10:01]

3. Consider the concept of spiritual lineage. In what ways do your actions reflect your spiritual "parentage"? How can you align more closely with being a child of God through obedience and faith? [12:09]

4. The sermon discusses the importance of abiding in Jesus' word. What practical steps can you take to deepen your engagement with Scripture and ensure you are truly abiding in His teachings? [02:14]

5. Jesus challenges the Pharisees' understanding of freedom and sin. How do you perceive your own free will in light of your faith? Are there areas where you need to surrender control to God? [09:15]

6. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually blind or deaf to God's word. What helped you to see or hear more clearly, and how can you apply that experience to your current spiritual journey? [15:17]

7. Jesus' claim to divinity was met with hostility. How do you respond to challenging truths about Jesus in your own life? What can you do to embrace these truths more fully? [23:17]

Devotional

Day 1: Abiding in Jesus' Word for True Freedom
True discipleship is characterized by abiding in Jesus' word, which leads to knowing the truth and experiencing genuine freedom. This freedom is not merely from external constraints but from the internal enslavement of sin. Jesus emphasizes that those who abide in His word are truly His disciples, and through this abiding, they come to know the truth that liberates them. The Pharisees, however, misunderstand this concept, believing that their heritage as descendants of Abraham exempts them from needing liberation. Jesus counters this by explaining that anyone who sins is a slave to sin, and true freedom comes only through the Son. This highlights the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus, marked by obedience and faith, rather than relying on ancestry or religious affiliation. [03:03]

John 15:7-8 (ESV): "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally abide in Jesus' word today to experience the freedom He offers?


Day 2: True Sonship Through Obedience and Faith
Biological descent or religious heritage does not guarantee a relationship with God. True sonship is marked by obedience and faith in Christ, not by ancestry or religious affiliation. Jesus challenges the Pharisees' reliance on their descent from Abraham, pointing out that true children of God are those who love and obey Him. This discourse reveals a deeper spiritual truth: being part of God's kingdom is not about physical lineage but about spiritual alignment with God's will. Jesus calls His followers to examine their lives and ensure that their actions reflect their faith and obedience to Him, rather than relying on external markers of religious identity. [05:09]

Galatians 3:26-29 (ESV): "For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."

Reflection: How can you demonstrate your faith and obedience to Christ in a way that transcends cultural or religious heritage?


Day 3: Freedom from Sin Through Christ
Human free will is real, but it is often enslaved to sin. True freedom is found in Christ, who liberates us from our sinful inclinations and empowers us to live in obedience to God. Jesus explains that anyone who sins is a slave to sin, and only through the Son can one experience true liberation. This freedom is not just about breaking free from external constraints but involves a transformation of the heart and mind, enabling believers to live in accordance with God's will. Jesus invites His followers to embrace this freedom by surrendering their lives to Him and allowing His truth to guide their actions and decisions. [08:31]

Romans 6:17-18 (ESV): "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel enslaved to sin, and how can you invite Christ to bring freedom and transformation in that area today?


Day 4: Spiritual Lineage and Obedience to Christ
Spiritual lineage is determined by whom we obey. If we follow the desires of the flesh and reject Christ, we align ourselves with the enemy. True children of God are those who love and obey Jesus. Jesus confronts the Pharisees by asserting that their actions reveal their true spiritual lineage—not as children of Abraham or God, but of the devil, because they reject the truth He brings. This challenges believers to examine their own lives and consider whether their actions align with their professed faith in Christ. True spiritual lineage is not about external markers but about a heart that is committed to following Jesus and living according to His teachings. [12:09]

1 John 3:9-10 (ESV): "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother."

Reflection: Reflect on your daily actions and choices. Do they reflect a heart that is aligned with Christ, or are there areas where you need to realign with His teachings?


Day 5: Recognizing Jesus' Divinity and Eternal Existence
Jesus' declaration, "Before Abraham was, I am," is a profound assertion of His divinity and eternal existence. It challenges us to recognize Him not just as a historical figure but as the eternal God who offers us life and freedom. This statement echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in the burning bush, affirming Jesus' identity as God incarnate. The Pharisees' reaction, attempting to stone Him, underscores their understanding of His claim to deity. Believers are called to acknowledge Jesus' divine nature and respond with faith and worship, recognizing Him as the source of true life and freedom. [21:00]

Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV): "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Reflection: How does recognizing Jesus as the eternal God impact your understanding of His role in your life and your response to His call?

Quotes


"Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'" This is one of the most important statements that Jesus ever uttered, not that He ever uttered unimportant statements, but this one, you know, "If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples." [00:02:35]

A true disciple is not one who just simply in a casual manner, now and then, gives attention to the words of Christ. But a true disciple of Christ abides, he stays, he maintains his posture of learning at the feet of Jesus. And so Jesus says, "If" that's the important, necessary condition. "If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples, and then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." [00:03:03]

Now, again, there were many people in Jesus' day and in the Old Testament that believed that just because they were born Jews, they had it made. They were included in the kingdom of God. That's why Paul had to labor the point that he who is a Jew is a Jew who is one inwardly, who has the circumcision of the heart. [00:05:03]

Not everyone who had their biological descendancy from Abraham received the promises that God gave to Abraham, as in Isaac would his seed be called. And He has the same problem in the church today. You say, are you a Christian, and I say, of course, I'm a Christian. I was born a Christian, born in a Christian family, went to church, you know, joined … . No, nobody's born a Christian. [00:05:22]

Nobody's automatically in the kingdom of God because their parents are Christians or because they're members of churches, or anything like that. You have to be in Christ to be a Christian. And so that same error was made by the opponents of Jesus when they said they're Abraham's descendents, and how can You say you'll be made free? [00:05:48]

I think the principle problem that people have with divine sovereignty, with divine election, they say immediately they say, well we believe that man has free will. Well, I don't know any Augustinian in all of church history who didn't strongly affirm that we have free will. We are volitional creatures. God has given us minds and hearts, and He's given us wills. [00:07:03]

And we exercise that will all the time. We make choices every minute of the day. And we choose what we want. We choose freely. Nobody's coercing us, putting a gun to our head, and we're not robots. Robots don't have minds. Robots don't have wills. Robots don't have hearts. We're human beings. We make choices. That's why we're in trouble with God, because the choices that we make in our fallen condition are sinful choices. [00:07:31]

We choose according to our desires, which are only wicked continuously, the Bible tells us. And that we are, as it were, dead in sins and trespasses, even though biologically we're very much alive. And we're walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, is what the Bible tells us. [00:08:10]

And so the Bible makes it very clear that we are actively involved in making choices for which we are responsible, and which expose us to the judgment of God. And yet, at the same time, the Bible teaches us that we're enslaved. We're free from coercion, but we don't have what Augustine called royal liberty. We are not free from ourselves. [00:08:39]

We're not free from our own sinful inclinations and our sinful appetites, and our sinful desires. We're slaves to our sinful impulses. That's what the Bible teaches us again and again and again. The humanist doctrine of free will, the pagan view of free will says that man is free not only from coercion but man is free in the sense that his will is indifferent. [00:09:01]

It has no predisposition or inclination, bias, or bent towards sin, because the pagans and the humanists deny the radical character of the fall. But the Bible teaches us that we are fallen creatures who still choose and make decisions, but we make them in the context of our prison, of sin. And the only way we can get out of that prison is if God sets us free. [00:09:28]

And this is what the Jewish leaders didn't want to hear. Don't talk to us about being slaves. We're not slaves. We're not slaves to anybody. Jesus said you sin, and everyone who sins is a slave. Not a slave necessarily to the Romans; you're not a slave necessarily to the Babylonians, but you're a slave to sin. And sin reigns in you. Sin rules in your mortal body. [00:10:07]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Feb 16, 2022. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?