This transcript was generated by whisper.ai.

I want to welcome you to day two of our look together through John chapter 8 and
daily drive-time devotions. We're looking at verses 12 to 30 today. Let me read
for you verse 12 to sort of set up what we're going to be looking at together.

In John 8-12, Jesus said, Jesus spoke again to the people and He said, "I am the
light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will
have the light of life. " That sets up everything we're going to talk about
today as we look at what Jesus Christ can do in our lives.

You might remember last week as we were studying John chapter 7, we talked about
this feast of tabernacles where there were four huge candelabras that were
placed in the court of women in the temple and these lamps were kept during the
all-date days of this festival to remind the people of the pillar of fire which
had guided them through the wilderness. It's very interesting in John chapter 6,
7, and 8. In John chapter 6, we hear about the manna and that Jesus represents
the bread of life.

In John chapter 7, we hear about the, we have the picture of the rock from this
wilderness wandering of the Israelites and we see that Jesus is the water that
quenches our thirst. And then in John chapter 8, the pillar of fire from this
same wilderness wandering and Jesus here is the light of the world. There's a
lot of depth to the book of John.

We are doing sort of a survey as we walk through it. As you look deeper and
deeper into this book, there's incredible depth to what God reveals for us here.
And here, Jesus is saying clearly there is only one answer to darkness.

We all know this, light. And Jesus says, "I am the light. " Not a light, not one
light, not an option of a light.

I am the light of the world. Now, the Pharisees challenged him about that. Let
me read for you verses 13 to 15.

The Pharisees challenged him. Here you are appearing as your own witness. Your
testimony is not valid.

Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for
I know where I came from and I know where I'm going. But you have no idea where
I came from or where I'm going. You judge by human standards.

I pass judgment on no one. " Now, as we walk through these verses, this
discussion that Jesus has with the Pharisees, I want to encourage you not to
just see these verses as an argument that Jesus has with some people who are
struggling with doubt or who are trying to challenge him. I want to encourage
you instead to see these words as words that lead to faith.

Because when we get to the end, notice now what's going to happen when we get to
the end when Jesus finishes speaking this day. In verse 30, "Even as he spoke,
many put their faith in him. " There are many who are listening to this
discussion with the Pharisees out in the temple courts.

And they hear Jesus say these things and many put their faith in him. What is it
about what Jesus says here that draws us to trust him? What will happen in my
life as I follow him?

You see that revealed in the very words of Jesus. The things that he says draw
us to believe in him, to trust him, to put our spiritual lives in his care. As
Jesus talked to the Pharisees that day in these verses, the first thing he
expressed clearly that had to draw the crowd is he said to them, "I know where
I'm going.

I know where I'm going. " You see, when you find somebody that knows where
they're going, you want to follow him. Jesus says, "Follow me.

" I'm drawn to follow him because he knows where he's going. Now, this isn't
self-confidence, by the way. This isn't self-imposed or self-centered or
self-seeking thinking.

This is Christ confidence. He knows where he's going because he knows God's plan
in his life and he wants to give us the same confidence in life. That's why you
want to follow him, because he gives you confidence to live the kind of life
that God made you to live.

You follow him because he knows where he's going. Now, as you read on in this
discussion with the Pharisees, you see a second thing revealed in the words of
Jesus. Not only does he know where he's going, but he's also close to the
Father.

You follow him because you know where he's going, but you want to know him
because he's close to the Father, 16 to 20. Let me read those verses. "But if I
do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone.

I stand with the Father who sent me. In your own law, it is written that the
testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself.

My other witness is the Father who sent me. " And then they asked, "Where is
your Father? " "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied.

"If you knew me, you would know my Father also. " He spoke these words while
teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet, no
one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

That last verse, again and again, the Bible tells us where these discussions
happen, just to place exactly where it happened and to show us that it's a part
of history. And as Jesus talks to these Pharisees, he talks about his
relationship with God, the Father who sent me. "As I follow him, I gain a
greater closeness to my Father.

" When you want to get closer to God, follow Jesus, get to know Jesus. You see,
as you know him, you know the Father. The reason that I want a deeper
relationship with Jesus Christ is because I know that that results in a deeper
relationship with God, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus is close to the Father, and as I come close to him, I come close to God. I
sense the intimate relationship with God that he created me for. God created us
to live in relationship with him.

And Jesus came to say, "I want that for you, so get to know me so you can get to
know God. " That's what draws us about the life of Jesus, about the words of
Jesus. That's what drew some people that day to have faith.

There's a third thing that he talked about that drew them to have faith. He
talked about life. He talked about the fact that he offers life to the dying.

In verse 21 to 24, here's what Jesus had to say. Once more, Jesus said to them,
"I'm going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I
go, you cannot come.

" This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I
go, you cannot come'? " But he continued, "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. If you do not believe that I am the one that I claim to be, you will
indeed die in your sins.

" Do you see the conversation that's going on here? Jesus says, "You're going to
die in your sins. " And they get all caught up in, "Where is he going?

What is he talking about? " And Jesus says, "Didn't you hear me? I said you
would die in your sins.

Why aren't you looking for life? " Now, some in the crowd heard it that day.
That's why they believed him in the end.

He offers life to the dying. So what do I need to do? Well, because he knows
where he's going, I need to follow him.

Because he's close to the Father, I need to get to know him. And because he
offers life to the dying, I need to believe in him. I trust in him because he is
the only one that can offer the life that I need.

Here's what happened that day, verses 25 to 30, as this conversation came to a
close. "Who are you? " they asked.

"Just what I've been claiming all along," Jesus replied. "I have much to say in
judgment of you, but you sent me as reliable. And what I have heard from him, I
tell the world.

" They did not understand that he was telling them about his father. And so
Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man," talking about the cross
here, back to the verses. "When you've lifted up the Son of Man, then you will
know that I am the one that I claim to be, and that I do nothing on my own, but
speak just what the Father has taught me.

The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do what
pleases him. And even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.

" Now just a reminder before we look at the significance of what Jesus had to
say personally here. We talked a couple of weeks ago about what it means for
Jesus to be the Son of God. Jesus is God.

He could have done whatever he pleased, but as the Son of God, he chose to do
what pleased the Father. He chose to take direction from the Father on this
earth and to do what pleased the Father as an example to us. He submitted
himself to that as an example to us.

That's part of what it means for him to be the Son of God. That doesn't mean
he's not God. That means it's a choice that he made as God to be an example to
us.

And here Jesus says, "I am what I've claimed to be all along. God is reliable.
You can trust in him.

Believe in me. Trust in me. And you will find in me what you need for your life.

" You see, Jesus is the light of the world. That's where we started in these
verses. And if I want his light to shine in my life today, what do I need to do?

I need to follow him. Follow me, Jesus said. I follow him because I know that he
knows where he's going.

I follow him because I know that I can trust him. I follow him because I know
that I need his leadership for my life. I can't figure life out on my own, but
he's got it all figured out.

So I trust him and I follow him. I need to follow him. I need to know him.

He's close to the Father. And as I know him, I know God. I develop, I deepen
that relationship with him.

And then I need to believe in him because he offers life to the dying. Now what
I've just talked about is a one-time decision, and it's also a day-by-day
decision. You need to come to a point in your life where you decide, "Jesus
Christ, I'm going to follow you.

I'm going to know you. I'm going to believe in you. " And then once you come to
that point, then day by day you say, "Jesus Christ, help me today to follow you
and to get to know you a little bit better and to believe in you throughout the
day to day.

" Let's pray right now that it would strengthen us to do that. And just say to
Jesus Christ, "Jesus, I put my faith in you. " Just as these verses ended, many
put their faith in you.

I want to put my faith in you today. And so I choose to follow you today. You
know where you're going.

I choose to get to know you better personally today. You know the Father, and
you want me to come close to you and the Father, close to God. And Jesus, help
me throughout the day to day to choose to believe in you.

You're the one that offers life. Help me not to choose those things that offer
only death. Help me to choose you today to believe in you, to trust you.

Jesus, I need your strength to do this. I can't do it on my own. And you offer
me your strength.

And so I ask for it. Thank you for loving me. In your name, amen.

Well join us tomorrow. We're going to be looking together at verses 31 to 32,
two of the most familiar verses in the entire book of John.