The document describes a confrontation between Jesus and religious leaders where He claims divinity and they reject Him, trying to stone Him. It includes: - Jesus' words finding no place in them and they seek to kill Him as they are doing the works of the devil - Their increasing attacks on Him as a demon-possessed Samaritan despite His counterarguments appealing to God and Abraham - Their ultimate failure to recognize Him as Lord before Abraham existed and their futile attempt to stone Him, from which He escapes.

1. The Light
Defeats Darkness
John 8:48-59

2. Obi-Wan vs. Anakin

3. Confrontation
• My words find no place in you (37)
• You seek to kill me (37, 40)
• You are doing the works your father did (41)
• You cannot bear to hear my word (43)
• You are of your father, the devil (44)
• You do not believe me (45, 46)
• You are not of God (47)

4. “Apart from spiritual discernment,
the religious professor presents himself before
us … [with] a mask which no human eye can
penetrate. It is not until such professors
are exposed to the searching light of God
that their real characters are laid bare.”
- A.W. Pink

5. Attack !
• You are a Samaritan and have a demon! (v48)
– They assume they are right, but they are not
– They may have used this argument frequently
– “Completely vanquished in argument, they resort
to vulgar and blasphemous declamation.” (Pink)

6. Counter
• I do not have a demon (v49)
– Everything that I do and say honors my Father
– Rejection of the gospel is a rejection of my Father
• I am not seeking my own glory (v50)
• If anyone keeps my word He will never see
death (v51)
– A disciple is safe from ‘second death’ and final
judgment (Rev 2:11, 20:6; Heb 9:22-28)

7. Attack !
• You definitely have a demon! (v52)
– Important people die every day
• Are you greater than they are? (v53)
– The assume not, but actually, He is
– Their messages all point to this Savior and His
substitutionary death

8. Counter
• I do not glorify myself (v54)
– God, who you claim to believe in, glorifies me
• I know the Father and keep His word (v55)
• Abraham rejoiced that he saw my day (v56)
– By faith in the promises of God, Abraham lived
with excitement

9. Attack !
• You are not old enough to have seen
Abraham! (v57)

10. Counter
• Before Abraham was, I am (v58)
– Jesus claimed eternal existence
– Jesus claimed deity

11. Decision Point
LIAR, LUNATIC, or LORD?

12. Attack !
• They picked up stones to throw at Him (v59)
• But Jesus was hidden from them (v59)

13. Counter
• In the end, Jesus wins (v59)
– His goal is not annihilation, injury, or forced
surrender
– His goal is accomplishment of the perfect plan
• In the end, the Jews lose (v59)
– They reject His correction, confrontation, and
invitation
– He hides himself

14. “…from the self-righteous and self-
sufficient but blinded religious formalists,
Christ still hides himself; those who deny
that they need to be made free from the
slavery of sin He still leaves to themselves.”
- A.W. Pink

15. Another Classic Battle
• Believe Jesus’ claims and surrender.
• Hear and do the will of God.
• Glorify Him before the watching world.