The Truth Will Set You Free!

Summary

• Jesus invited those Jews who had believed in Him to abide in His Word so that they could be His disciples and be set free by the truth. Here, Jesus was speaking about spiritual freedom.
• The Jews could not understand Jesus’ spiritual exhortation that they needed to be freed from the slavery of sin. They felt they had always been free because they were the offspring of Abraham.
• A heated argument ensued when the Jews rejected Jesus’ invitation. Jesus told them some hard truths:
  • they were enslaved by their sins
  • their true father was the devil
  • they were ready to kill Him because His word had no place in their hearts
• The discourse escalated, ending with Jesus making an audacious declaration of His eternal nature (“before Abraham was, I am”). This claim infuriated the Jews, and they decided to stone Him. But Jesus slipped away.

Reflect

1. What does Jesus mean when He says, “the truth will set you free”? How does this invitation resonate with you?

2. Are there areas in your life where you feel enslaved by sins? How can you let Jesus set you free? (vv. 31-32)

Watch

Videos used with permission by Michael Hoff

The video highlights Jesus' call to live a lifestyle aligned with His teachings, beyond merely having intellectual agreement. Knowing Jesus is more than just understanding doctrines and precepts. It calls for us to have an intimate and experiential knowledge of Him.

Reflect

3. The video emphasises experiential knowledge of Jesus over intellectual understanding. How can you pattern your lifestyle to know Jesus intimately?

Closing Prayer

Pray for a desire to abide in Jesus’ Word and for a more intimate walk with Christ. Ask God for courage to live out the truth so that you may be free from sin and falsehood.