We live in a day in which words have fallen on hard times. Even in the church they are being viewed as less than necessary as Scripture readings are falling to the wayside and sermons are being pushed aside for video clips and dramatic sketches. And the push of the culture tells us we need to move this way. This is often said on the basis that we are a visual generation. We like to see things, such as movies, television, pictures in the newspaper, etc. Therefore, it is nowadays often the response of the church to move in that direction to this “new” preference of a generation that things be visual.

The problem with this thinking is that a generation preferring that which is visual over is merely spoken is not new at all. For even thousands of years ago the people of Israel preferred a golden calf which they could see to the Lord’s voice which frightened them. It is indeed true to say that preference of this generation is that which is visible; it is simply not true to say that such a preference is new.

This is the irony of the Scripture, isn’t it? For God preserves his redemptive revelation not in a picture or film but in a book. His revelation is one of words. And it is in that book that he declares that if one is to know him he must hear the gospel. In fact, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:21-25, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (emphasis added).

Yet, at our core, we all know and would admit that words are indeed powerful. Anyone who has been on the wrong end of gossip or slander knows that it is a lie to say that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Words can hurt, convict, outrage, heal, and bring life.

And so it is in these chapters of John that with the rise of confrontation (as more than once those hearing Jesus’ message pick up stones so as to kill him) we find that there is a rise in words, in the claims of Jesus both of himself and of those who hear him. In these chapters we see the power of the spoken word of Christ and the confrontation it produces in those who do not know him.

In structure, it seems that chapter 9 is in the midst of the surrounding chapters (8 and 10) by no mistake, as it serves to highlight before them what he is saying. He shows them a picture, they do not understand, and so he speaks clearly as to who he is, who they are, and why they desperately need him.

So it is this general outline that will shape the message this morning. We will look at John 8-10 in order to see who Jesus is, what man is, and why we so desperately need Christ.

In short the claim that Jesus makes in these chapters as to who he is has already been echoed in the earliest words of this book as John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, a the Word was God” (John 1:1). So, it is Jesus’ claim in these three chapters.

Jesus is from beginning; he is from God; and he is God

Jesus’ claims in these chapters are so explicit and straightforward that they cannot help but anger you if you do not believe him. He makes great claims, and by the reaction of those around him, it is clear that his claims were understood to be great, even if they disagreed with him.

1. He claims to be the light of the world.

During the festival of tabernacles, we looked last week at how there was a water-pouring ceremony that formed the context for Jesus’ statement, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (7:37-38). Well, the same is true regarding lights in the festival. For during the festival (possibly each night) there would be the lighting of four huge lamps in the temple’s court and men danced and sang, holding burning torches in their hands. The light from the Temple would then shine throughout Jerusalem. It is in this context, very likely during this aspect of the feast, that Jesus says, “I am the light of the world” (8:12).

But what is so dramatic about this statement? Well, the background of this aspect of the festival was a celebration of the Lord’s promise of glory concerning Israel in Isaiah 60. There, God says (through the prophet), “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with acceptance on my altar, and I will beautify my beautiful house” (Isaiah 60:1-7).

That chapter makes clear then that the glory of the Lord would come as a light for God’s people. In fact, in verse 19 of that chapter the prophet declares, “The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” That means that Yahweh, the LORD was their light. Yet now Jesus declares that he is the light of the world. And we will see such a statement again in John 9:5 as he declares, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Simeon saw this fulfillment in Jesus before he died as he sees the baby Jesus presented in the temple and declares, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). Now, Jesus himself is claiming this reality.

This naturally, then, produces some strife with the Jews who heard his declaration. For this was a man claiming to be what God claimed he was – the light and glory of his people. Therefore, they challenge Jesus in saying that he cannot simply claim that of himself. And this then leads him to point out that the Father himself bears witness to him. Thus, if his first claim was not enough for them, he know tells them that …

2. He was sent from the Father, hears and obeys the Father, and the Father bears witness of him by seeking the Son’s glory

He points out that they merely judge according to the flesh and remarks that he does not judge like that. However, he then says, “Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me … I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”

In essence, Jesus’ answer is, “Yes, it would be ludicrous and an audacious claim if I were not sent from the Father. But I am, and so it is true.” Thus, again he declares, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins. … I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world that I have heard from him. … When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (8:23-29).

These are no small claims from Jesus. He claims to know God, to come from above, to be sent from God, to hear God, and to obey God in all things. Thus, C. S. Lewis was indeed right to point out that Jesus cannot simply be a good man. He must be the perfectly righteous God, or he must be a lying lunatic.

And if all of those claims weren’t enough, he stresses that the Father seeks his glory. He says in 8:50 and 54-55, “Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. … If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I 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.”

Now, realizing that God shares his glory with no man, one would be right to conclude that this man, Jesus, must either be committing outright blasphemy or must be God. Jesus says the latter is the case.

3. Jesus is God, God the Son.

Jesus makes this claim two ways. The first is in conversation about Abraham. Jesus has pointed out that the one who keeps his word would never see death. This is then where the Jewish leader believe they have caught him in a trap. They exclaim, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” (8:52-53).

First, their question misses the point that he was speaking of spiritual life, however, Jesus’ claim, in short, is, “Yes, I am greater than Abraham.” He says, “Before Abraham was, I am” (8:58).

Now, if he had simply wanted to claim to be quite old and well-preserved he could have said, “I was before Abraham” or “I existed before Abraham.” And that would indeed be a remarkable claim. But his claim was not to be confused with simply a claim to be one who ages remarkably well. For the Jews knew that when Moses asked God what he name was in Exodus 3 that the Lord responded, “I am.” That was God’s name. That is the claim that Jesus is making here as well. He says, “Before Abraham was, I am.” That is, “I am God.”

And they knew what he was claiming. Verse 59 is proof that they did not misunderstand his claim, for it tells us that the picked up stones that they might throw at him (i.e. stone him to death). This cannot be the claim of a man who is simply a good man. It must be the claim of God himself.

Yet, Jesus claims to be God as well in conversation in chapter 10. The tenth chapter begins with Jesus talking about how shepherds work with their sheep. And it would have been familiar to the hearers. The sheep would be in a fold, and the shepherd would enter by the gate. But thieves and robbers who wanted to steal the sheep would avoid the gate and enter by some other way. They might even do this to brutalize and kill the sheep.

Thus, at the conclusion of this analogy, Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep. … I am the door. .. I am the good shepherd” (10:7-11). Now, to you and me, this might simply be a good analogy. Maybe Jesus was trying to communicate that in everything he’s doing he’s trying to do good to people, and he doesn’t want everyone to get all riled up. And in order to best communicate that he thinks to himself, “Now what’s a good picture to say that? Oh, how about sheep and shepherds. I could tell them I’m like a door that protects and lets good people in and like a shepherd who doesn’t his sheep to get hurt.”

No, rather, this was a clear declaration that he is the Lord, that he is God. For who is the shepherd according to the OT? Psalm 23 tells us, “The Lord is my shepherd.” And multiple times throughout the OT, God declares that he is the good shepherd who will come and gather his scattered sheep.

Thus, in Jeremiah 23:1-8 the Lord declares, “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: "You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The Lord is our righteousness. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, "As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt," but "As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them." Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

Then, again, in Ezekiel 34:1-16, the prophet writes, “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.”

Thus, the setting of John 10 is Jesus saying, “I am looking over the scattered sheep, and I am the good shepherd that was prophesied to come, the Lord himself.” Thus, he says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. … I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. … My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one. … If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father” (10:7-11, 14-18, 27-30, 37-38)

And lest one thinks that is not what Jesus was really saying, verses 31-34 and 39 remind us that his hearers did not miss his claim to be God for they took up stones to stone him for committing blasphemy in their eyes.

Thus, as has been the case throughout these early chapters of the book, Jesus words are powerful and his claims are understood. He is God the Son, and the Father is seeking his glory alongside his own.

However, what is unique about these chapters compared with the earlier chapters of the book is that Jesus doesn’t simply tell who he is. He tells the condition of his listeners as well. Thus, we get a picture of what man is apart from Christ.

Man is born in sin, without knowledge of God, and under condemnation

Jesus tells the Jewish leaders who question him being the light of the world and sent from the Father, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also … But you have know known him. I know him. If I 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” (8:19, 55). Therefore, they do not know God. Yes, they may be of the nation of Israel, they may have studied and even memorized the OT, but they do not know God.

And he tells them that they are in their sins because they do not accept him. He says, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. … You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins. … Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (8:21, 23-24, 34).

Finally, he tells them that their father is the devil, and that they share his nature in a conversation that one pastor has pointed out wouldn’t be a good responsive reading in corporate worship. He says, “I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were children of Abraham, you would be doing what Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God" (8:37-47).

Thus, it is interesting that in a day when man thinks so much of himself and worries little about belittling Jesus that this text reminds us that men do not know God, are in their sins, and share in the nature of the devil while Jesus is the exalted Son of God, the only way to be among God’s sheep, and the one whose glory the Father is seeking alongside his own.

And if that were all the Scripture told us, it would be a tragic story. It would simply be bad news. God is holy and man is sinful, and so man will die in his sins under the condemnation of God. That’s the only message Luther understood from the Bible for most of his early life as he read Romans 1:17 which said that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith. To Luther this text stood as a constant reminder of God’s coming judgment, for if God is righteous and man is sinful, then the only righteous thing to do would be to justly and righteously judge man in his sin.

That was until Luther discovered the good news, the gospel. And so we see it in this text as well. For Jesus doesn’t simply show his deity and holiness and man’s sinfulness and condemnation. He points out that man might have life in him.

Jesus is the only answer to man’s problem

Over and over as Jesus is making claims of himself, he also reminds them that they might be freed from sin, know the truth, and live eternally. He says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (emphasis added). In 8:23-24, he says, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” Then in 8:31-32 he says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (i.e. from the bondage of sin). Finally, he declares, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death” (8:51).

In short, Jesus came into the world on a redemptive mission. He came not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. Yet man chooses his condemnation by spurning the Son. This is what the Jewish leaders were doing. They refused to humble themselves to embrace the Lord’s truth. It wasn’t simply that the Jews couldn’t figure out what Jesus was trying to say. Rather, they simply could not bear to hear his word. That’s why Jesus says in 8:43-44, “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.” The Jewish leaders were not victims who couldn’t figure out the tricky message of the Lord. They were rebellious sinners who refused to submit to God and longed to obey their father, the devil. And in doing so, they were condemned. They refused to be humbled and admit their own inability, their blindness, and so their judgment was to be blinded.

In this way, chapter 9 stands as a microcosm of the teaching of chapters 8 and 10. Those who refuse to admit their need for Jesus stand condemned by his light and are shown to be the evil shepherds of God’s people while those who are blind (i.e. have the kind of blindness or lost condition that cried out for illumination) ¹ will have their eyes opened to the one who is the light, the good shepherd. And they will be shown to be his sheep.

In the end, Jesus is the good shepherd who comes to lay down his life for his sheep. He comes to gather his scattered people from all over the face of the earth. He comes that they might have life and have it more abundant (10:10). He comes to lay down his life for his sheep. And he does this intentionally. He is not the shepherd who merely crushes Satan, but one who crushes Satan and defeats sin, guilt, and death by dying and rising from the dead. That is, he does not simply crush the enemy but lays down his own life intentionally so that we might have life with him, being freed from all that held us captive and condemned. Therefore, John 8-10 clearly announces that Jesus will open the eyes of those who admit their blindness and cry out to him. He is the good shepherd, gathering his scattered sheep. And we are his sheep if we believe and follow him.

Therefore, what must we do?

1. Believe

We have read throughout that it is only by believing that you have eternal life. Therefore, if you do not believe in the Son, that he is who he said he is and accomplished redemption in his death, burial, and resurrection, then you will die in your sins and know God’s eternal condemnation for spurning his Son. Therefore, I plead with you to believe.

2. Abide in Christ’s word

It is clear in John that Jesus true disciples are those who remain in his word. Many profess faith, but those who are truly set free will be shown by remaining in Christ’s word.

3. Finally, rest in God’s sovereign preserving power

Yes, you must abide in his word in order to dwell with him in eternity. And yes, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one." So, realizing the need for perseverance, you might ask, “How do I know that I will want to abide tomorrow?” That is, you find comfort today because you believe. But what is your hope that this will not change in twenty years from now? It is God’s strength and ability to hold you. So, trust in his sovereignty. Rest in his sovereignty.

Jesus is indeed who he claimed to be. Man is indeed in a miserable state apart from him. And yet Christ has come to seek and save the lost, to gather his sheep. Therefore, might we worship him with our lives, realizing that we who were blind now see; we who were lost are now found. Amen.

¹D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 378.

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