John || Pride or Humility, Life or Death
The difference between life and death is not lack of evidence — it is the posture of the heart.
Pride resists Jesus. Humility receives Him.
John 10:31-33 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
Slide- “Blasphemy” = Slander & Projection
Slide- Blasphemy – a mere man claiming to share in the nature, authority, and identity of God.”
Slide-
“You, being a man, make yourself God.”
VS
“You, being God, made yourself man”
The “Jews” self-exaltation
-Sit in judgment over the Son.
-Decide whether God’s revelation is acceptable.
-Determine who qualifies as Messiah.
-Decide whether God’s revelation is acceptable.
-Determine who qualifies as Messiah.
Slide- They accuse Jesus of elevating Himself to God’s place… while they elevate themselves to the place of judge over God.
PROJECTION – accusing someone else of what you yourself are guilty of.
Slander – Using words to unjustly wound someone’s character.
“To attempt to appease slanderers who do not want to be appeased is to fall into the trap of thinking…. “If I just explain this one more time they will lay off”. It is important to realize this: when someone is intent on misunderstanding, more words will only make things worse. You will be slandered, your job is to make sure it isn’t true.
Pride doesn’t remain because of a lack of light. Pride remains because it resents what the light reveals.
Promises and Preference
We set ourselves up to be overcome with pride when we add our preferences to God’s promises.
John 10:34-39 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 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.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
The greatest barrier to seeing Jesus for who He truly is may be our inability to see past who we want Him to be.
Political deliverer, National hero, Upholder of their influence, One who affirms their power structure
“I’ll believe if He meets my expectations.”
“I’ll follow if He fits my preferences.”
“I’ll trust if He acts the way I think He should.”
“I’ll follow if He fits my preferences.”
“I’ll trust if He acts the way I think He should.”
Slide- But faith does not negotiate with Jesus.
Faith bows.
John 10:40-42 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
“There he remained ” (vs40)
“He must increase, I must decrease.” (John 3:30)
“I am not worthy to untie His sandals.” (John 1:27)
“I am not worthy to untie His sandals.” (John 1:27)
“And many believed in him there” (vs 42)
Humble soil produces saving faith.
Pride | Humility |
Adds preferences to promises | Submits to God’s promises |
Demands control | Surrenders control |
Rejects what doesn’t fit | Receives what God gives |
Ends in hardness | Ends in belief |
The difference between life and death is in whether the heartcry of your life is HE must increase — or I must increase.