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Sermon

When Motives Matter

by Rev. Kirby Williams

Learning the importance of motive when trying to please God.

Text: John 8:25-29
Date: 08/20/2017, the Traditional service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 61

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Description:

As the confrontation between Jesus and the Jews continues, the distinctions between them grow more pronounced. Jesus re-emphasizes His close relationship with the Father while the Jews continue to reject Him. We will detect that in the process John is defining two models of religious behavior and relationship with God. Jesus is the perfectly obedient Son who always does what the Father tells Him, lives in complete submission to His will, and desires in His heart to please Him. While the Jews in sharp contrast are the rebellious sons who have corrupted their worship into an external and heartless ritual, and who seek only to please themselves while giving nothing but "lip-service" to God. Even though both are outwardly pursuing religious goals, only Jesus is doing so with the right motives. We will discuss in both a biblical and modern context how when our relationship with God is concerned-- motives matter!


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I. Introduction
A. The rebellious child.
B. The self-centered child.
C. The hypocritical child.
D. The pleasing child.
II. Exposition of the text, John 8:25-29.
A. Context
B. Two vastly different models.
1. Blind ignorance, vs. 1.
a. Establishing the perspective, John 8:24.
b. The response of unbelief.
i. Aggravated arrogance.
ii. Irritation at subtleties.
iii. Belligerent denial, John 8:12,14,16,18,19,21,23,24.
c. Jesus' response of love.
2. Establishing the negative model, vs. 26.
a. An example of unbelief.
b. Words of judgment, John 7:7.
c. The righteousness of the Father.
d. A truth for all peoples.
e. Putting it all together.
3. An amazing blindness, vs. 27.
a. Recognizing the blindness of unbelief.
b. Thanksgiving for illumination.
c. Searching for understanding.
4. When understanding comes, vs. 28-29a.
a. When all eyes are opened, vs. 28a.
i. A double meaning.
ii. Analyzing the statement.
iii. The centrality of the Cross.
b. On the Father's mission, vs. 28b-29a.
5. Pleasing the Father, vs. 29b.
a. The perfect obedience of the Son.
b. The matter of motive.
6. Shadows of belief, vs. 30.
III. Application
A. When it is impossible to please God, John 5:23, Rom. 8:8, Heb. 11:6, Matt. 7:17-19.
B. Determining motives.
1. Self-centered motives do not please God, John 14:15.
2. Double-minded motives do not please God, Matt. 15:8-9.
C. The one true Model.
IV. Conclusion

The Preaching Ministry of Kirby Williams
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