Your Real Daddy

John 8:31-47 I am a stepfather. I have been told, “He is his real daddy.” “You are not his daddy.” What does this mean? Simply put, it means that I am not the biological daddy. I married a woman who has a child whose biological daddy is some man other than me. The term “real daddy” is packed with a lot of meanings that include some of the following but not limited to these. It means that I am not the origin of the child. It means that the child does not look like me. It means that the child and I do not share the same genes. He does not have my nature although he may learn from me and copy some of my ways. In this article I want to open a conversation about God as Father of the human family. Is God the Father of all people and every person? If yes, in what sense? If God is not the Father of all people and every person why is this true? In the Gospel of John we learn that there is a lot of discussion and debate between Jesus and the Jews that are led by their religious leaders the Sadducees and the Pharisees, about who their fathers are. As we read through the Gospel, we discover that Jesus claims to be the Son of God. The Jews do not believe Him because His teachings are radically different from what they believe. Our topic today focuses on John 8:31-47. The question is who is Jesus’ real father? Who is the real father of the Jews that confront Jesus? What brought about this debate? In John 8:12 Jesus makes the second of seven “I Am” saying recorded in the Gospel. These “I Am” sayings are Jesus’ self declarations that He is the Son of God. It is His way of saying what the writer says about the Word in John 1:1-1:5 The Pharisees respond by saying that Jesus is testifying about Himself, but in their minds Jesus is just another man; no different than any other man. Jesus responds by saying that His testimony is true and the Father is His witness (v. 18). The Pharisees ask Jesus a question and Jesus gives them a unique answer. “So they were saying to Him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither Me nor My Father; If you knew Me, you would know My Father also”’ (Jn. 8:19, NASB). Later, Jesus will affirm this claim to His chosen disciples (14:5-11); if they have come to know Jesus they also know the Father. Because they see Jesus they see the father. Paul affirms this claim when he says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. The word “firstborn” does not mean that Jesus is a created being like the angels. Rather, the word “firstborn” means that Jesus ranks higher than anything and anyone in all of creation. The writer of the “Letter to the Hebrews” also confirms that Jesus ranks higher than anything and anyone in creation (Hebrews 1). As Jesus is teaching some of the Jews believe Him. “So Jesus was saying to those who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (vv. 31, 32, NASB). This statement offends the Jews, because they do not understand what Jesus is saying. They say that they are descendants of Abraham and they have never been slaves to anyone (v.33). They forget about their enslavement to Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The Pharisees continue to emphasize that they are descendants of Abraham, but they fail to grasp Jesus’ statement that they are slaves to sin evidenced by their deeds of sin (v. 34). They can be free from sin only if the Son makes them free (v. 36). Jesus acknowledges that they are descendants of Abraham, and they should do the deeds of Abraham. Jesus says that the Jews are doing the deeds of their father. The Jews state that they have one Father, who is God. “Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me”’ (v. 42, NASB). The Jews do not understand what Jesus is saying because they do not believe that His claim about Himself is true. Jesus further explains the reason that the Pharisees cannot believe and understand what He says. Jesus makes a statement in which He in effect says God is not your real daddy. God is not your Father. You real daddy is your father; the devil. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the deeds of your father.” Children, especially boys, want to be like their daddy. It is important to note that in Jesus’ time the father set the standards for the family. People expect the son to be like his father. The son looks like his father and acts like his father. The son follows in the footsteps of his father. Often, the son’s accomplishments in life are limited by what the father accomplishes. Thus, Jesus says that the Pharisee’ real daddy is the devil. These are the ways that they show themselves to be children of the devil. The devil is a murderer and a liar. “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever He speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (v. 44, NASB). Likewise, the Pharisees desire to kill Jesus (7:1, 19, 25). They cannot speak truth because God’s words are not in them. So Jesus is saying to the Jews that the devil, not God is your real father. The devil is your real daddy. You have his nature. You look like the devil. You act like the devil. You desire to hang out with the devil. You want do what you see the devil doing. You want to talk like the devil and you speak the lies that come from the devil. You cannot speak the words of Jesus because His words are not in you. The devil is your real daddy. So, how do I avoid the punishment reserved for the devil and his children? How can I be saved from my sins that keep me in slavery? How can I escape the consequence of my sins which is death? Jesus answers these questions when He talks with Nicodemus (3:1-13). “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”’ (3:3). Nicodemus ask how can a person be born again? “Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”’ (v. 5). When a person is born of the Spirit, he or she receives the nature of the Spirit. Instead of seeking to take life they begin to seek to save lives. Instead of enjoying telling lies, he and she enjoy speaking truth. When we believe the Gospel we receive God’s Spirit. We have a new nature. Our sins are forgiven. We are no longer estranged from God. We are rescued from our sins and God reconciles us to Himself, and He is now our Father. So, why is the church trying to get people to behave differently since they are slaves to sin? Thus Jesus commissions His apostles to preach the Gospel. The church does not change the minds of non believers by secular means. Jesus commissions the apostles to first get people saved, and then teach the saved to obey His commandments. Until a person is born of God they do not understand God’s words. Who is your real daddy? Who is your real Father?