GOD’S FAVORITE

“Like Father, Like Child”

John 8:31–59

Good morning, church! We are continuing our series through the Gospel of John that we've been calling God's Favorite. Throughout this series, we've been looking at Jesus through the eyes of John. And John had an interesting way of describing himself. Instead of constantly referring to himself by name, John would sometimes call himself:

“The disciple Jesus loved.”

I love that. I don't believe John was saying, “Jesus loves me more than He loves everybody else.”

John had discovered his identity. John knew:

I am loved by Jesus.

And throughout this series we've been taking that idea and saying:

I'm God's favorite.

And so are you. Not because God loves you more than the person sitting beside you.

Not because you've accomplished something they haven't. Not because you've earned a special place.

But because when you truly begin to understand the love of God, His love stops being just some theological idea. It becomes personal.

He loves me. Jesus knows me. Jesus sees me. Jesus gave Himself for me. I am the disciple Jesus loves.

But today's passage is going to challenge us. Because there is a danger when we take:

“God loves me” and turn it into: “God approves of everything I do.”

Those aren't the same thing.

God loving me doesn't mean God will never correct me. God loving me doesn't mean Jesus will never challenge me. Actually, sometimes the most loving thing Jesus can do is tell me something I don't want to hear.

And that's exactly what happens in John chapter 8.

“IF”

Listen carefully to how John introduces this conversation.

John 8:31:

“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.’”

Who is Jesus talking to?

John says: “The people who believed in Him.”

That's important. Jesus isn't speaking to atheists. John doesn't say Jesus turned toward people who wanted nothing to do with Him.

He's speaking to people who believed.

And then Jesus looks at this group of believers and gives them one little word that changes the entire conversation.

IF.

“You are truly My disciples IF you remain faithful to My teachings.”

Church, that's uncomfortable.

Because Jesus is showing us that there can be a difference between believing something about Jesus and actually following Jesus.

It's easy to say: “I believe in Jesus.” It's another thing to say: I'm following Jesus.”

It's easy to worship Jesus on Sunday morning. It's another thing to follow Him Monday afternoon.

It's easy to say “Amen” when Jesus says something I agree with.

It gets harder when His Word starts touching something in my life that I don't want Him touching.

Jesus doesn't say: “You are truly My disciples if you attend church.”

He doesn't say: “You are truly My disciples if you know Christian language.”

He doesn't say: “You are truly My disciples if your parents were Christians.”

He says: “If you remain faithful to My teachings.”

REMAIN

Remain. Stay. Continue.

Don't just get excited about Jesus. Stay with Jesus. Don't follow Him only when life is going right. Stay when it's difficult.

Stay when His Word challenges you.

Stay when you don't understand.

Stay when obedience costs you something.

Stay when people around you aren't staying.

Remain.

And I think that's beautiful when we remember who's writing this Gospel.

John. The disciple Jesus loved. John wasn't perfect. John didn't understand everything immediately. John still needed correction. But John learned to remain close to Jesus.

And maybe that's one of the first lessons God's favorite needs to understand:

Being loved by Jesus isn't permission to live however I want.

Being loved by Jesus gives me a reason to stay close to Him.

Then Jesus says in verse 32:

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

We love that verse. “The truth will set you free!” But sometimes we quote verse 32 without verse 31.

Look at the progression. Remain faithful to My teaching. Then: You will know the truth. Then: The truth will set you free.

Remain. Truth. Freedom. 

But immediately, the people have a problem with what Jesus said.

“WE HAVE NEVER BEEN SLAVES”

Verse 33:

“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” 

You can almost hear the offense. “Excuse me?” Set free? “Do You know who we are?”

“We're descendants of Abraham!”

And I find their statement fascinating:

“We've never been slaves to anyone.”

Israel's history included slavery and foreign domination. But Jesus doesn't get sidetracked into arguing history.

Because Jesus isn't talking about Egypt. He's not talking about Babylon. He's not talking about Rome.

He's talking about something much closer.

He's talking about their hearts.

Verse 34:

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.’”

They're saying: “We're free!” Jesus says: “No. You're not.”

You're talking about physical freedom. I'm talking about spiritual bondage.

You're talking about your family history. I'm talking about your heart.

You're telling Me who your ancestors are. I'm telling you what's controlling your life.

WHAT'S CONTROLLING ME?

Church, sometimes we can see everybody else's chains and still be blind to our own.

There was a time in my life when I would've probably told you I was free.

I did what I wanted. Went where I wanted. Hung around who I wanted. Used what I wanted. Nobody was going to tell me how to live. I thought that was freedom.

But looking back...

I wasn't free.

Because when something tells you where you're going...

when something determines who you're going to be around...

when something determines where your money goes...

when something damages your relationships...

when something tells you what you're willing to sacrifice...

when something tells you what you're going to do even after you've promised yourself:

“I'm never doing this again...”

That's not freedom. That's slavery. I know what it's like to be a slave to addiction.

But listen to me:

Your chain doesn't have to look like my chain to still be a chain.

Pride can become a chain. Bitterness can become a chain. Unforgiveness can become a chain. Lust can become a chain. Money can become a chain. Approval can become a chain. Anger can become a chain. Fear can become a chain.

Even religion can become a chain when we begin trusting our religious identity instead of trusting Jesus.

And that's exactly what's happening here.

They keep saying:

“We're Abraham's children!”

And Jesus keeps saying:

“I'm not asking what family you came from. I'm asking what's controlling your life.”

And then He gives them some of the greatest news in this entire passage.

Verse 36:

“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

Come on! That's good news! Jesus didn't expose their slavery because He wanted to humiliate them.

He exposed their slavery because He wanted to free them.

That's the heart of Jesus.

Jesus loves me enough to say:

“Aaron, that's a chain.”

He loves me enough to say:

“That's hurting you.”

“That's controlling you.”

“You're calling that freedom, but you're actually in bondage.”

And then He says:

“Give it to Me.”

Because: “If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

“ABRAHAM IS OUR FATHER!”

Now the conversation begins getting heated.

Jesus tells them in verse 37:

“Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there's no room in your hearts for my message.”

That statement grabs me:

“There's no room in your hearts for My message.”

Remember these are religious people.

They know Scripture. They know their heritage. They believe they're right with God.

And Jesus says:

“There's no room in your heart for what I'm telling you.”

Church, I never want to get so comfortable with what I already believe that there's no room left for Jesus to correct me.

I don't want to become so convinced that I'm right that Jesus can't teach me anymore.

I don't want to say:

“I've been saved for years.”

“I've been in church my whole life.”

“I've read the Bible.”

“I've heard that sermon.”

“I already know that.”

No.

Jesus, there's still room in my heart for Your Word.

Teach me. Correct me. Challenge me. Convict me. Change me. Because I don't just want to believe something about You.

I want to remain in You.

Jesus tells them:

“I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”

Immediately they respond:

“Our father is Abraham!”

And Jesus tells them: “No, for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.”

There it is again.

Jesus connects identity with action. They're saying: “Look at our family tree!”

Jesus says: “Look at your fruit.”

They're saying: “Abraham is our father!”

Jesus says: “Then why don't you act like Abraham?”

LIKE FATHER, LIKE CHILD

Abraham wasn't perfect. Read Genesis. He made mistakes. He had moments when fear got the better of him. He had moments when he tried doing things his own way. But Scripture consistently remembers something about Abraham.

Abraham believed God. Abraham trusted God. Abraham followed God.

When God said go: Abraham went.

When God made a promise: Abraham believed.

When God tested him: Abraham obeyed.

Jesus is saying: “If Abraham is your father, where is Abraham's faith?”

“If Abraham is your father, where is Abraham's obedience?”

Their DNA connected them to Abraham.

But their actions didn't look like Abraham.

And now this gets personal.

Because it's possible to claim an identity without living like that identity matters.

I can say:

“I'm a Christian.” But what does my life say? I can post Scripture online. What does my life say? I can wear a cross. What does my life say? I can show up Sunday morning. What does my life say Monday afternoon?

Here's a question I want us to sit with:

If someone followed me around all week and I never told them I was a Christian, would my actions eventually tell them who my Father is?

How do I treat my spouse? How do I treat my children? How do I treat the waitress when my order is wrong? How do I act at work? What happens when someone makes me angry? What do I do when nobody's watching? How do I talk about people when they're not in the room?

How do I forgive? How do I serve? How do I love?

Would my actions eventually reveal who my Father is?

“GOD IS OUR FATHER!”

By now they're angry.

Verse 41:

“We aren't illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”

Look how the argument has escalated. First “We're Abraham's descendants!”

Then: Abraham is our father!” And Now: “GOD is our Father!”

And I love how Jesus doesn't back down.

Verse 42:

“Jesus told them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God.’”

There's that word again.

IF.

Verse 31:

“You are truly My disciples IF...”

Verse 42:

“IF God were your Father...”

Jesus keeps challenging them: Don't just tell Me who you belong to. Let your life show it. 

Now we need to be careful here.

I'm not saying we earn salvation by behaving well.

We don't.

I'm not saying God loves us because we're good enough.

He doesn't.

Our works don't earn us a place in God's family.

But our actions reveal what's happening because we belong to God's family.

That's different.

I don't obey Jesus so He'll love me. I obey because He already loves me.

I don't forgive to earn God's favor. I forgive because I've experienced His forgiveness.

I don't serve so God will make me His favorite. I serve because I already know:

I am loved.

And the closer I get to Jesus, the more my life should begin looking like Jesus.

Not overnight. Not perfectly. Not without struggles. We're being transformed. But there should be movement.

There should be growth. There should be evidence. Something in me should increasingly look like my Father.

More loving More forgiving. More patient. More compassionate. More truthful. More faithful. More obedient. Why?

Like Father, like child.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TRUTH HURTS?

Now we move into verse 48, and the temperature rises again.

“The people retorted, ‘You Samaritan devil! Didn't we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?’”

Think about where this conversation began.

John said Jesus was talking to people who believed in Him.

Now they're insulting Him and accusing Him of being demon possessed.

Why?

Because Jesus challenged something they didn't want challenged.

He exposed something they didn't want exposed.

And sometimes when God's Word touches the thing we don't want to surrender, our first response isn't repentance.

Sometimes it's resistance.

We get defensive. We make excuses. We blame somebody else.

We say: “That's just how I am.” “Everybody struggles.” “It's really not that bad.”

But listen:

Conviction is not rejection.

When Jesus puts His finger on something in our lives, He's not saying:

“I don't want you.”

He's saying:

“I want you free.”

Remember where we started. “The truth will set you free.” “If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” Jesus isn't trying to destroy these people.

He's trying to free them. But freedom requires recognizing the chain.

JESUS KNOWS WHO HE IS

Jesus responds:

“No... I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me.”

I love Jesus' response. He doesn't get pulled into trading insults. He doesn't have to win an argument. He doesn't have to prove Himself to everybody.

He says:

“I honor My Father.” 

Jesus knew who He was. He knew where He came from. He knew who His Father was. And He knew where His glory came from. Maybe somebody needs this today:

When you know whose you are, you don't have to spend your whole life proving who you are.

God's favorite knows where their identity comes from.

“ARE YOU GREATER THAN ABRAHAM?”

Then Jesus tells them:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”

Again, they're thinking physically. 

Abraham died. The prophets died. Everybody dies.

So they ask Him:

“Are you greater than our father Abraham?” That's the question! They probably mean it sarcastically. But they've just asked one of the most important questions in this passage.

“Jesus, are You greater than Abraham?”

Yes.

But even that doesn't go far enough.

Jesus says:

“Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”

And they can't understand it.

They say:

“You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”

The math doesn't work.

Abraham lived centuries before them. Jesus isn't even fifty. So how could Jesus have seen Abraham?

And now we reach the climax.

John 8:58:

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!’”

Not:

“Before Abraham was, I was.”

Jesus says:

“I AM.”

Jesus knows exactly what He's saying. And the people listening know what He's saying. Because that name reaches all the way back to Exodus. Moses stands before the burning bush. God tells Moses to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery. Moses asks:

“If they ask me Your name, what should I tell them?”

God answers: “I AM WHO I AM.”

Tell them: “I AM has sent me to you.”

And now Jesus stands before this crowd and declares:

“Before Abraham was even born, I AM!”

He's not simply claiming to be older than Abraham.

He's revealing who He is.

Jesus isn't merely another teacher. Not merely another rabbi. Not merely another prophet. Not merely another descendant of Abraham.

He is the eternal Son of God.

NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE

And suddenly this whole conversation comes together.

Jesus has been saying:

“You're slaves to sin.”

But He also said:

“If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

Why can the Son set us free?

Because of who the Son is.

Jesus isn't another prisoner telling prisoners how to cope with prison. Jesus has the authority to open the door. Jesus isn't standing outside our bondage shouting: “Try harder!” “Do better!” “Clean yourself up!” “Fix your life and then come find Me!”

No.

The great I AM stepped into our brokenness.

He came looking for us. He came to rescue us. He came to free us. And eventually He went to a cross. Not because Rome was stronger than Him. Not because the religious leaders finally defeated Him.

He went because He loves us.

Again think about who's writing this Gospel.

John.

The disciple Jesus loved. John would eventually stand near that cross. John would watch the One who said:

“Before Abraham was, I AM”

give His life.

For John.

For Peter.

For the people rejecting Him.

For you.

For me.

That's why I can say:

I'm God's favorite.

Not because I've earned His favor. Not because I've cleaned myself up. Not because I've never fallen. Not because I'm better than anybody. I know I'm loved because:

I look at Jesus.

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

Verse 59 says:

“At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.”

Think about that.

The Truth is standing right in front of them. The One who can set them free is standing right in front of them.

And instead of surrendering...

they pick up stones.

Church, eventually every one of us has to decide what we're going to do when Jesus confronts us with truth.

We can fight Him. We can make excuses. We can become defensive. We can hold onto our chains.

Or we can say:

“Jesus, You're right.”

Maybe those are some of the hardest words we'll ever say. 

Jesus...

You're right about my anger. You're right about my pride. You're right about my unforgiveness.

You're right about what I've been hiding. You're right about that addiction. You're right about my attitude. You're right about how I've been treating people. You're right about my heart.

Jesus, You're right. And I don't want to carry this anymore.

GOD'S FAVORITE REMAINS

Remember where we started.

“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.”

God's favorite isn't someone who never struggles. God's favorite isn't someone who never falls. God's favorite isn't someone who has everything figured out.

John didn't.

But John knew:

“I'm the disciple Jesus loves.”

And because John knew he was loved... he stayed close.

Church, that's what I'm asking us today. Stay close.

When Jesus corrects you: Stay close.

When His Word convicts you: Stay close.

When following Jesus gets uncomfortable: Stay close.

When you realize something has to change: Don't run FROM Him. Run TO Him.

Because the hands you're running toward aren't holding stones.

They're open.

RESPONSE

I'm going to ask the worship team to come. And I'm going to ask everybody else to give Jesus your attention for just a few more minutes. Don't worry about lunch. Don't worry about what's happening after church. Don't worry about the person beside you. Because I believe there are two groups of people I want to pray for today.

FIRST GROUP — “MY LIFE NEEDS TO REFLECT MY FATHER”

The first group is believers. People who would say: “Yes, I believe in Jesus.” Remember: That's exactly where today's passage started. Jesus was speaking to people who believed. But then He challenged them. Does your life reflect what you say you believe?

Maybe while we've been going through this passage, the Holy Spirit has put His finger on something. You know what it is. I don't have to know. The person beside you doesn't need to know. You know.

Maybe there's an area where your actions haven't reflected your Father. Maybe something has gotten hold of you again. Maybe it's bitterness. Maybe it's anger. Maybe it's unforgiveness.

Maybe it's something nobody else in this room knows about.

But you know. And Jesus knows.

Listen carefully:

Don't mistake His conviction for rejection.

Hear Jesus:

“If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

He's not calling you because He wants to embarrass you. He's calling you because He loves you. So if that's you today, I'm going to invite you:

Come. Come to this altar. Leave the bondage here. Don't carry it home again. You don't have to explain everything.

Just come and say:

“Jesus, this doesn't belong in the life of Your child anymore.” “Jesus, I want my life to reflect my Father.” “Jesus, set me free.” Come.

Jesus is waiting with open arms to move in your life.“If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

SECOND GROUP — “JESUS, I SURRENDER”

There's one more group I want to speak to.

Maybe you're here today and you've never taken that step. You've heard about Jesus. Maybe you believe some things about Jesus. Maybe you've even been coming to church. Maybe you've been around Christianity your entire life. But if you're honest today... you've never actually surrendered your life to Jesus Christ.

I want to give you a moment to consider what Jesus has said. Because surrender is real. Jesus isn't asking to become an accessory to the life you're already living.

He's asking to become: Lord.

And maybe there's a battle happening inside you right now. Part of you knows: “I need this.”

And another part is saying: “Not today.” “I'll do it later.” “I need to fix myself first.” “I need to get some things straight.” “I don't know if I'm ready.”

Listen to me:

You're never going to clean yourself up enough to need Jesus less.

That's why He came. The people in John 8 kept telling Jesus who they were. They had their heritage. Their religion. Their history. Their identity.

But standing right in front of them...

was Jesus.

And eventually all of their arguments came down to one question:

What are you going to do with Jesus?

And that same question is here today.

What will you do with Jesus?

Because the One calling you is the One who said:

“Before Abraham was, I AM.”

The One calling you is the One who went to the cross. The One calling you is the One who conquered the grave. And the One calling you...

loves you.

“But you don't know what I've done.”

You're right.

I don't.

Jesus does.

And He's still calling you.

You don't have to understand everything today. You don't have to know the whole Bible. You don't have to promise Jesus that you'll never struggle again. You come honestly.

“Jesus, I need You.” “Jesus, forgive me.” “Jesus, I surrender.” “Jesus, be Lord of my life.”

And if that's you today... I'm going to invite you to come.

Come.

We'll meet you here.

We'll pray with you.

You don't need the right words.

You don't need to know what to say.

Just come.

Jesus is waiting.

[WAIT. Let the Holy Spirit work. Don't rush the moment.]

CLOSING PRAYER

Father,

Thank You that You love us enough to tell us the truth.

Thank You that when You reveal chains in our lives, You don't do it to shame us.

You do it because You want us free.

Jesus, You said:

“If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

So set people free today. Break chains. Heal hearts. Restore relationships. Forgive sin. Bring sons and daughters home. 

And for those surrendering their lives to You today, let this be more than an emotional moment.

Let this be the beginning of a life spent following You. Teach us to remain. Teach us to listen. Teach us to obey. Teach us to live like children of our Father. And when the enemy tries to convince us that we're unwanted... rejected... forgotten... or too far gone...

remind us who we are.

We are loved. We are the ones Jesus loves. And because we are loved... We will stay close to Jesus.

In the mighty name of Jesus,

Amen.