This week's Scripture passage is John 8.

Focus verses:

John 8:1-11 - The woman caught in adultery and not condemned.

John 8:12 -  ... “Am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:24 - “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

John 8:25 - Who are you?

John 8:28 -  … “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, that I do nothing of my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.”

John 8:31-32 - ...“If you abide in my words, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:39 - Abraham is our father.

John 8:44 - “You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.”

John 8:51-57 - “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’  But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?

John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 

John 8:59 - So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

In John 8 we find:

• Jesus' deep compassion for and forgiveness of a sinful woman
• His bold assertions of Godly origin, character and attributes
• His clearest teaching on faith and belief in Him leading to eternal life and spiritual freedom from sin and death
• The Jews most troubling issue; questions about who Jesus was and who He claimed to be
• His most direct confrontation with and condemnation of the Jewish religious leaders
• His foretelling of His crucifixion 
• His most direct claim of being God

Discussion Questions:

1) What was it that Jesus may have been writing in the sand that led to the Jewish leaders leaving one by one? ( v.1-11)

2) What are the implications to Jesus' claim of being the Light of the World? What does it mean to not walk in darkness but to have the light of life? (v.12)

See Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 - The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone...For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

See Matthew 4:16, John 1:5, John 3:19, Ephesians 5:8, 1 John 1:5, 1  John 2:10

Matthew 5:14 - “You are the light of the world…”

3)  How does God's truth set us free? Free from what? Free to be and to do what? (v. 31-32)

4)  In John 8 Jesus made extraordinary claims that provoked the Jews to ask, 'Who are you? Who do you make yourself out to be?' What was Jesus saying and referring to in v. 58 when he claims 'Before Abraham was, I am.'?

This is the central question that Jesus, and by extension Christianity, answers.  Why is this so important to our faith? And why does this separate and distinguish Christianity from every other religious teaching in the world?  

5)  Jesus did not claim to be just a good religious man or profound teacher. He claimed to be God. (This is why they picked up stones to kill him in John 8:59)

Jesus' life, ministry, death and resurrection validated His claim! 

C.S. Lewis and others before him have said, 'Based on his claims, Jesus was either Lord, liar or lunatic. There are no other options.'  Why is this statement true?