经文 :【约翰福音八章31-38节】
31. 耶稣对信他的犹太人说：你们若常常遵守我的道，就真是我的门徒；
32. 你们必晓得真理，真理必叫你们得以自由。
33. 他们回答说：我们是亚伯拉罕的后裔，从来没有作过谁的奴仆。你怎么说你们必得自由呢？
34. 耶稣回答说：我实实在在的告诉你们，所有犯罪的就是罪的奴仆。
35. 奴仆不能永远住在家里；儿子是永远住在家里。
36. 所以天父的儿子若叫你们自由，你们就真自由了。
37. 我知道你们是亚伯拉罕的子孙，你们却想要杀我，因为你们心里容不下我的道。
38. 我所说的是在我父那里看见的；你们所行的是在你们的父那里听见的。
前言：
• 派翠克·亨利：不自由，毋宁死！ （Give me liberty or death）
• 裴多菲：生命诚可贵，爱情价更高。若为自由故，二者皆可抛。
• 哈佛大学校训：「真理」（Veritas）
• 斯坦福大学校训：「自由之风永远吹拂」（Die Luft der Freiheit weht）
• 燕京大学校训："因真理，得自由，以服务"
• 这些名人名言和校训给我们呈现了世人对真理与自由的追求，正是这样的求索带来人类进步的同时，也为如今世界的个人主义、相对主义提供了温床。因为世人对真理与自由的探索偏离了原本的方向，不是在圣经所启示的创造-堕落-救赎-恢复的架构里，不是在以神为中心的圣经教导里，而是以人本的自我满足为目的。因此，我们看到当今世界男女不分、黑白颠倒、拒绝创造天地的神，不承认绝对的真理，以人的罪性来追求个人无底线的自由。求主怜悯这个不信的世代。愿耶稣基督的真光照亮世界，带来在主基督真理里的真正自由。
重点：
一、什么是真理？ （约8:32 你们必晓得真理，真理必叫你们得以自由。）
• 真理是什么？耶稣很清楚地说：「我就是真理。」施洗约翰也为他作见证说：「道成了肉身，住在我们中间，充充满满地有恩典有真理。」（约翰福音1:14）
• 真理是绝对的，永不改变的，是至善、至美的，是适合每个时代、每个民族、每个地区的，没有时间、空间的限制。
• 适合上列永恒性和普遍性这一个原则的只有耶稣基督。因为祂是「昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者」。 （启示录4:8），是「昨日、今日、直到永远是一样的」（希伯来书13:8）。
• 柏拉图说：「真理来自天上，人只能寻找他，不能创造他。」
二、谁是信耶稣的人？ （约8:31 耶稣对信他的犹太人说……）
• 从约翰福音第八章的经文来看，信耶稣的犹太人，只是相信了耶稣所说的，也就是有限地接受了耶稣的教导，有点开始信祂弥赛亚的身份。但这和我们更常说的，「信耶稣得永生」的信却是不一样的。好比有时候我们分享福音，对方很认同并接受某些内容，但继续分享，对另外某些内容，他们就不能认同，无法接受。耶稣所针对的，就是这样的人。
三、如何得真正的自由？ （约8:36 所以天父的儿子若叫你们自由，你们就真自由了。）
1. 被奴役的心
2. 什么不能使心灵得自由
3. 什么能让人心得自由
结语：
耶稣想要门徒们真正明白的四个方面的内容。
1. 为真门徒必得自由 True disciples will be set free
2. 为罪奴仆没有自由 A slave to sin has no freedom
3. 神子耶稣就是真理 Jesus, the Son of God, is the truth
4. 耶稣叫罪人得自由 Jesus sets all sinners free
因为世人都犯了罪，亏缺了神的荣耀，因此人困在罪中，无法自由释放。神儿子耶稣基督就是真理，在祂的里面有全然的自由，这是摆脱罪的辖制的自由。在基督里的神儿女享有不被罪捆绑的自由，这不是不受约束与顾忌可以我行我素、为所欲为的那种散漫式的自由，而是因遵行了真理的道，我们得以脱离撒旦和罪恶之后的自由。正因为我们相信神对罪和不义的最终审判，在基督里的天国子民更享有罪被赦免的自由与恩典。
Cover Scripture: John 8: 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Scripture: John 8:31-38
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 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?”34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 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. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a]”
Preface:
· Patrick Henry: Give me liberty or death!
· Petofi: Life is precious, but love is more expensive. If it is free, both can be thrown away.
· Harvard University Motto: "Truth" (Veritas)
· Stanford University Motto: "The wind of freedom blows forever. " (Die Luft der Freiheit weht)
· School motto of Yenching University: "Because of the truth, be free, and serve."
· These famous quotes and school mottos show us the world's pursuit of truth and freedom. It is this kind of pursuit that brings human progress and at the same time provides a breeding ground for individualism and relativism in the world today. Because the world's exploration of truth and freedom has deviated from the original direction, not in the creation-fall-salvation-restoration structure revealed in the Bible, not in the biblical teaching centered on God, but for the purpose of the self-satisfaction of humanity. Therefore, we see that in today's world, there is no distinction between men and women, black and white are reversed, and the god who refuses to create heaven and earth, does not recognize the absolute truth, and pursues personal freedom without a bottom line with the sinful nature of man. Lord, have mercy on this unbelieving generation. May the true light of Jesus Christ illuminate the world and bring true freedom in the truth of the Lord Christ.
Focus Points:
1. What is truth? (John 8:32 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.)
· What is the truth? Jesus clearly said: "I am the truth." John the Baptist also testified for him: " 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
· Truth is absolute, never changes, it is the perfect, the most beautiful, it is suitable for each era, each nation, and each region, without time and space constraints.
· Only Jesus Christ fits the principle of eternity and universality listed above. Because He is "the Almighty who was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8), is "the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8).
· Plato said: "The truth comes from heaven. Man can only find him, but cannot create him."
2. Who is a believer in Jesus? (John 8:31 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. )
· Judging from the verses in the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel, the Jews who believed in Jesus only believed what Jesus said, that is, they received the teachings of Jesus in a limited way, and somewhat began to believe in his identity as the Messiah. But this is not the same as what we say more often, "believe in Jesus for eternal life". For example, sometimes when we share the gospel, the other party agrees with and accepts certain content, but continues to share, they cannot agree with and accept some other content. Jesus was targeting such people.
3. How to get true freedom? (John 8:36 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. )
1. The enslaved heart
2. What can't make the mind free
3. What can make people feel free
Conclusion:
Four aspects Jesus wanted his disciples to really understand.
1. True disciples will be set free
2. A slave to sin has no freedom
3. Jesus, the Son of God, is the truth
4. Jesus sets all sinners free
Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, people are trapped in sin and cannot be freely released. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the truth, and there is total freedom in Him. This is freedom from the domination of sin. The children of God in Christ enjoy the freedom not to be bound by sin. This is not the kind of loose freedom that allows us to do our own way and do whatever we want without restraint and scruples, but because we are free from Satan and sin by following the truth. Because we believe in God's final judgment on sin and unrighteousness, the people of heaven in Christ enjoy the freedom and grace of sin to be forgiven.