Visual Learner?
“When you look for trouble, you find trouble” is a popular
saying most have heard! Most people don’t go looking for trouble or problems,
but when we look at our lives, sometimes our own behaviors create the very own
issues we’re dealing with.
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| Police look for trouble and they always find it! |
As we develop and desire to mature in our spiritual
relationship with God, we must make it a priority to obey God’s word and not
participate in things that God would disapprove and that would only add more
problems to our life. The only way to know what pleases God and what displeases
him is to seek truth found in the word, or the Holy Bible. Just as when we look
for trouble, when we look for God’s truth, we will surely find it.
Today, Word World War will continue examining John, chapter 8
and introduce a series of questions that come along when seeking truth. How we
answer these questions will guide us in establishing the relationship we want with
God.
In all, I will provide three things:
1. summary of chapter 8 because it has 59 verses total
so I can’t go in and explain everything
2. 10 questions we need to consider answering when
we read chapter 8
3. a word search puzzle that contains 25 words for
you to find and then define what they mean to you and your relationship with
Christ.
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Summary
Click here to the read the New International Version (a very
easy to read and understand version) of John, chapter 8 for yourself or read
the summary below.
Jesus is at the Mount of Olives, his place away from the
city to spend time with God (verse 1). The Pharisees (the group later
responsible for hanging him on the cross) approach and ask him how they should punish
a woman who had been caught in the act cheating on her husband—stone her to
death or let her go as they imagine a “Lord and Savior” would do (verse 3-6).
He told the Pharisees if any one of them had never sinned
then they could throw the first stone to stone her to death (verse 7). Of
course, no one could say they had never sinned so the men quickly vanished and
Jesus told the woman he would not stone her but that she must leave this
lifestyle of cheating (verse 11).
Later Jesus tells the Pharisees he is the light of the world
and whoever follows him will have eternal life (verse 12). But they reject him
and his testimony because by law it requires one other witness besides the
person making the claim (verse 13) and so Jesus says that God is his witness
(verse 18) and anyone that refuses Jesus and his father will die in their sin
(verse 24).
Lastly, Jesus speaks with the
descendents of Abraham who are the chosen people/children of God who also
reject Jesus and his testimony of being God in the flesh (verse 41). Abraham’s
descendents who claim to be children of God desire to kill Jesus and so, Jesus
tells him they are acting as children of Satan (verse 43-45). In all Jesus
tells the people he is not looking to be praised for being a Savior (verse 50),
that’s not his purpose. His purpose is to save!
Ten Questions
As I read John, chapter 8 and saw how Jesus was focused on
spreading the true gospel, I wrote down ten questions to help me model my
actions after Jesus and build my relationship with Christ.
1.
(John 8:6) They were using this question (how to punish the woman) as a trap, in
order to have a basis for accusing him.
a.
Has
someone ever challenged your faith in God?
b. How do you handle people that make false
accusations against you? Are you using a Godly approach?
c. Know that Satan in Hebrew means accuser. He is
also the father of lies (John 8:44)
2.
(John 8:12) “When Jesus spoke again to the
people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never
walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
a. Are you walking the path Christians are to walk?
b. Have you ever tried looking for something in the
dark? Did you find it? Did you bump into something or hit your toe? Did you
have to turn on the light eventually after you couldn’t find it?
c. When in sin you will bump into something all the
time, but turn the light on and turn to God.
3.
(John 8:14) Jesus answered, “Even if I testify
on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where
I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going”.
a.
If you died today, where would your final
destination be?
b.
Have you mapped out the directions you need to
take in life to reach this destination?
4. (John 8:18) “I am one who testifies for myself;
my other witness is the Father, who sent me?”
a. Have you testified to someone lately about the
goodness of Jesus and how to receive salvation?
b. The words you speak every day, would God approve
them and be a witness to your words?
5. (John 8:24) “I told you that you would die in
your sins; If you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your
sins”.
a. Are there some sins you commit every day?
b. What are you doing to turn from sin and be
obedient to God?
c. Did you know they are different parts of hell
according to the different sins committed? For example, a person that lies
habitually will constantly have their tongue ripped out when in hell.
This
video explains that different levels exist.
6.
(John 8:29) “The one who sent me is with me; he
has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him”.
a. Who are you working to please: God or Satan?
b. Are you always and not sometimes working to
please God in all you do?
c. You cannot serve two masters. Cross reference
with Matthew 6:24 and Romans 6:16.
7. (John 8:43-44) “Why is my language not clear to
you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father,
the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer
from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.
When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of
lies.”
a. Are you hearing God’s language? Or is the
Satan’s language louder?
b. What language are you speaking? The word of God
or words from the world?
8. (John 8:45) “Yet because I tell the truth, you
do not believe me”.
a. Why does our society reject the truth and people
doing positive things?
b. Do we reject truth because it’s hard to admit
we’re wrong, and someone else was right?
c. Are you willing to change/give up your life and
your interests to adopt the interests of God?
9. (John 8:50) “I am not seeking glory for myself;
but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.”
a. When you witness, is it for God to receive the
glory or for others to see you as holier than thou person?
b.
If Jesus tells us that even he can’t judge
people, how can we judge people? God is the only judge
10.
(John 8:58-59) “Very truly I tell you”, Jesus
answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to
stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.”
a.
People say truth hurts, but does it really?
b.
Does truth only hurt when you reject it?
c.
Are you going to hurt people who reject the
truth of Jesus Christ?
Word Search Puzzle
Click here to complete the wordsearch puzzle that contains 25 words.
Find the words and then define what these words mean to you personally. Don’t
look up the definitions. On your own, decide what they mean to you and allow it to help you evaluate
how you view your relationship with Christ right now, and where you want it to
be this day forward.
Goals for this week
1. Read John, chapter 8 in its entirety
2. Answer these ten questions and map out your spiritual
journey
3. Complete the crossword puzzle and define what
these words me to you and your Christianity
View this blog in video below!
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