Who You With?
The late Bernie Mac had a television show that every week asked a question in the opening theme song. The question was a simple one and, in fact, were the only words in the whole song. Bernie would emphatically ask his audience this question each week, “Who you with!?”. It was a question that challenged the audience to commit to being a part of Bernie’s family for the evening. No matter what adversity happened in that week’s episode, everyone in the family eventually chose to align together in love. In this week’s scripture (John 8:31-38), Jesus also said to those who had come to hear Him, that if they wanted to be a disciple of His, they must commit to align with Him and live according to His teaching as a member of God’s family. May God bless you to see His truth and may you embrace it to receive your freedom.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). A true disciple of Jesus must follow Him and hold to His teaching. Jesus told those who were gathered to listen to Him that it was not enough to hear the word, discipleship required committing to the Word (God the Son). It is only through surrendering our lives to Jesus that we are truly set free. I know that I am His disciple because I allow the Holy Spirit to lead me and teach me.
They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:33-36). The response from the religious leaders that were there listening to Jesus showed a misunderstanding of the freedom that He offered them. They spoke of their physical genealogy and ancestry to Abraham and claimed (disingenuously) that they had never been slaves. Jesus enlightened them that it is sin that actually ensnares and keeps people in bondage. Additionally, a slave or bond servant may live with a family but they are not a member of the family and they have none of the legal rights or authority of a family member. For example, Ishmael was born to Abraham by a slave woman but was banished from Abraham’s home. Isaac was the true spiritual son and inheritor of God’s promise. Jesus (like Isaac) was God’s true son and therefore had the authority to legitimately grant freedom to enslaved persons. Are you living free from the guilt, shame and regret of your past ?
I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” (John 8:37-38). Jesus further responded that He knew that they were Abraham’s fleshly descendants but spiritually they were nothing like Abraham. Abraham was credited as righteous by God because he believed God and trusted Him. Instead, they rejected the true word that Jesus told them from the Father that He was an eyewitness to. Their actions showed that their spiritual father was satan, the father of lies. And they were acting on the lies they “heard” and believed from him. Have you made room for Jesus word or have you blocked it out so you can go your own way?
Jesus or satan…The Light or darkness…Truth or lies…Eternal life or temporal lusts. Jesus declares that those who come to Him must choose and commit. Yet Sunday after Sunday, people come to hear Jesus’ message and believe Jesus words while stopping short of believing in Jesus and committing to follow Him. And as a result they miss out on the freedom from guilt, shame, generational curses and bondage from sin that Jesus is offering to them. Satan will offer you worldly things that he tells you will make you free (money, fame, power…). But it’s a lie, because what satan offers can never free you from what you wrestle with inside yourself. The truth is that Jesus has been given authority by the Father to grant freedom from sin for all those who have faith in Him. And Jesus assures us that if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. So there’s only one question remains and it’s one that everyone must answer…Who you with!?
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
“…Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life... John 14:6
