102619 – John 8. 31-36 Reformation Sunday
If you will remember: the Gospel of John is different, it is not synoptic. It is not anything like the other three Gospels that were written. John does his own thing!
The Gospel of John actually begins with “some prose about Jesus.” It is almost sing-songy! Here’s what we learn:
Jesus is God’s word – in human form.
Jesus comes to the earth to be a light to everyone.
Jesus is going to destroy “the evil of darkness.”
It was all in a day’s work for the “savior of the world”.
When Jesus appears on the scene, he starts to gather “a little entourage” of disciples or students. He travels with them around Judea bringing God’s truth and racking up a rather impressive list of miracles. Turning water into wine? Check. Healing a blind guy? Check. Raising a guy from the dead? Check. Jesus does it all without even seemingly breaking a sweat.
Tons of people are starting to put their faith in him…they are believing in him. Trusting in him. Did I mention he was Hebrew?
But not everyone is “so-thrilled” with the coming of “this guy.” The religious authorities in Judea are “fuming at the idea” that there’s a man walking around who is “gathering a significant following” and calling himself “the long-awaited-for-Messiah.” They are even “less thrilled” that some are calling him “the Son of the Most High God.”
So his following “ebbed and flowed.” Sometimes more, sometimes less… Some believing in him – and “others” just there for a “show…”
When we talk about JEWS – we are not talking about “all Jews.” It is not a catch-phrase word. The correct terminology should actually be “THE JUDEANS” – the people of Judea, the elitist, those in power, those with connections to the Temple and its inter-workings…
This is our context.
So, Jesus tells a group of “would-be-followers” that “believed in him” or “trusted” in him…if they continued to follow him…they would be “his followers” and would be “set free” by the “TRUTH OF GOD.”
It was a kind of metaphor that somehow went “awry.”
Red flags immediately “POP UP!”
The people “countered back” that they ARE NOT “slaves” and so they CANNOT be “set free…”(as it were)…
Jesus was known for “painting pictures with his words” some paintings work and others do not. Sometimes you are better off, just white washing the canvas completely over and start anew.
Guys, it’s a metaphor. Don’t get all wigged out. Now is not the time to go all serious on me…
It is a “figure of speech.”
It was meant to be just “an image,” “a picture,” “a comparison,” “a parable,” “a word painting…”
Forget the whole “sin and slave” thing, it didn’t work…
It is like saying “the world is a stage.” It isn’t really…it’s just a comparison.
It’s like saying, “my son’s room is a disaster area!” It is not really a real disaster area, but like one, GET IT?
“Life is a rollercoaster,” it’s just a comparison…relax…
Jesus plunged on…ANYONE who sins is a slave to sin…calm down now…
All of us are “SLAVES to SIN.” “THAT,” by-the-way, is NOT a GOOD thing.
We sin and sin and sin some more.
And Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free forever.”
You GET who he is talking about, right?
Jesus is clearly saying that he himself, is indeed the Son of the Most High God, and IF HE SETS YOU FREE…You can bank on it. You can count on it…
You WILL be free indeed.
So in spite of the confusion, in spite of the miscommunication…in spite of the metaphor gone awry…
Only GOD can free you from the sins of this life…
Only IN God is there mercy, forgiveness, grace and love…
You are loved.
You are cared for…
You are set free…
Now, go out into our world and do the same for others.
You have been set free, so that YOU can now go – and SET “others” FREE …
And that is what it means to be “THE CHURCH” today! Amen.