How [not] to preach
Today’s reading directly follows from the previous one. It is addressed to the Jews who believed in him. And it is cutting. For the very thing that they were most proud of — their faithful membership of the nation of Israel — was disposed of. Instead of freeborn and blessed, Jesus calls them slaves and removed from the people of God.
Jesus is our example. But he cuts across any of the measures of contemporary Christian seeker friendly teaching. He is confrontational. He does not count numbers. He does not survey his flock. There are no focus groups. Instead, he drives the people who believe in him away.
33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”
34Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. 38I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.”
39They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did, 40but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41You are indeed doing what your father does.” They said to him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. 44You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”
Satan was a murderer from the beginning, and in our zeal to protect what we think Christ is and Christianity is we can fall into the trap of again being enslaved within sin. Instead of repentance and gentleness, we become harsh and judgmental. And we need to be careful here, for God does not approve of those who lie and cheat for any reason, particularly for the sake of the gospel.
3“But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.4As for you, you whitewash with lies; all of you are worthless physicians. 5If you would only keep silent, that would be your wisdom! 6Hear now my reasoning, and listen to the pleadings of my lips. 7Will you speak falsely for God, and speak deceitfully for him? 8Will you show partiality toward him, will you plead the case for God? 9Will it be well with you when he searches you out? Or can you deceive him, as one person deceives another? 10He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality. 11Will not his majesty terrify you, and the dread of him fall upon you? 12Your maxims are proverbs of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay.
13“Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. 14I will take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand. 15See, he will kill me; I have no hope; but I will defend my ways to his face. 16This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him. 17Listen carefully to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears.
We need to be careful to teach the truth. To seek correction — to use scripture as a test of our teaching, and let our brothers review what we say and correct it. We need to not teach what people want to hear, but what they need to hear. The last test of validity for any discussion or teaching should be the number of times it is quoted or its hit count.
For we are not called to be popular. Our task is harder: to be faithful, and glorify God by doing good in this world.