John 8:21–30 - 21 Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” 25 So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning? 26 “I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. 29 “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, Jesus tells the Jewish leaders that He will go away, and they will look for Him but will die in their sin because they cannot go where He is going. The Jews wonder if He plans to kill Himself, unable to grasp His meaning (vv. 21-22). Jesus explains that He comes from above while they belong to the world below. He warns them that unless they believe in His identity, they will die in their sins. When they question who He is, Jesus points to His consistent message from the Father (vv. 23-26). Though they fail to understand He speaks about God the Father, Jesus declares that after His death, they will know His true identity. He always does what pleases the Father. As He speaks these words, many people put their faith in Him (vv. 27-30).
How can I apply John 8:21-30 to my life?
People everywhere search for answers about life's biggest questions. Some look to science, others to philosophy, and many just follow whatever seems popular at the moment. Talk shows, podcasts, and endless social media posts offer different paths to happiness and purpose. But 2,000 years ago, Jesus cut straight through all the noise. His words in today’s verses still pierce right to the heart of what matters most: Who is He really, and what happens to those who believe or reject Him? Jesus did not waste time with fuzzy spiritual ideas or comfortable half-truths. He made earth-shattering claims about His identity as God's Son. Some people that day stood in awe as His words hit home - here was truth worth building their lives upon. Others walked away confused or angry, unable to accept such absolute statements about eternal life and death. Nothing has changed. Every person today faces the same fork in the road that confronted those listeners in Jerusalem. What we believe about Jesus determines everything - not just for this life but forever. His unchanging truth demands a response from each of us. Getting this right outweighs every other decision we will ever make. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Know that Dying Without Faith in Jesus Leads to Eternal Separation from God (vv. 21-22): Jesus' sobering words to the Jewish leaders confront us: He would depart, and they would die in their sin, unable to follow Him. What a terrifying prospect - to face death barred from God's presence for eternity. We go through life rarely thinking about eternity. Yet our eternal destiny hinges on what we believe about Jesus now. People around us need to know that rejecting Jesus or putting off a decision about Him has eternal consequences. God calls on each of us to share this truth, not from arrogance but from genuine concern about their eternal souls. Just as one would desperately warn someone about a deadly danger, we must tell others about their need for Jesus Christ. The Jewish leaders misunderstood and rejected Jesus because they focused merely on physical existence, not eternal truths. Multitudes now make this same mistake by existing just for today with no preparation for eternity. Their preferences, priorities, and daily pursuits show no awareness of their spiritual condition or need for salvation. As Jesus' followers, we have not only the blessing but the duty to direct others to Him. We cannot compel belief, but we can live and speak in ways that reveal to people their need for Jesus and the joy of knowing Him. Our own lives should showcase the contrast between living with hope in Christ compared to living without Him. Time is fleeting, and the stakes are overwhelming for those lacking faith in Jesus as Savior (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:15).
Food for Thought: How does grasping the eternal consequences of rejecting or remaining undecided about Jesus transform how you view communicating your faith to others? What tangible ways does your daily life demonstrate that you believe eternal destiny depends on faith in Jesus?
2. Accept Jesus as the Divine Son Who Speaks Truth from Above (vv. 23-26): Jesus makes clear that He comes from above while His opponents belong to this world below. Living in a culture that promotes countless paths to God and truth, we need absolute confidence in Jesus as the divine authority on spiritual truth. Following Jesus means letting His words shape our view of reality instead of accepting what the world tells us is right. When others point to human wisdom, personal feelings, or popular opinions as their guide, we stand firm on Jesus as our source of truth. His teaching must guide our decisions about right and wrong, how we spend our time and money, and how we treat other people. The world pushes back against absolute truth claims, but we cannot water down Jesus' message to make it more acceptable. Jesus spoke challenging words that many rejected, yet He never changed His message to gain followers. In the same way, we must speak biblical truth with gentleness while refusing to compromise its meaning. Our culture values tolerance above truth, but real love means telling people what Jesus actually said about Himself and about eternal life. When others claim many paths lead to God, we point to Jesus' exclusive claims. When they say truth changes with the times, we stand on God's unchanging Word. Following Jesus means accepting His authority over every area of our lives and helping others understand why His truth matters more than human opinions or cultural trends (1 John 4:4-6; Colossians 2:8; John 14:6).
Food for Thought: What areas of your life still need to submit to Jesus' authority rather than worldly wisdom? In what specific situations do you find it hardest to stand firm on biblical truth when others disagree?
3. Place Your Faith in Jesus by Recognizing His True Identity (vv. 27-30): The Jewish leaders never really understood that Jesus spoke about His Father in heaven, yet many of the lay Jews believed when Jesus explained who He was. Our lives change completely when we take the time to truly know who Jesus is, not just a surface knowledge, but a genuine understanding of who He is. While many people don’t outright reject Him, they treat Him as just another inspiring figure from history. But He demands and deserves so much more. Getting to know Jesus takes effort, just like building any important relationship. Through regular Bible study, we discover layer after layer of His character. Sometimes His words comfort us; other times they challenge us to our core. The deeper our knowledge of Jesus grows, the more our daily choices start to change. Simple decisions about time, money, and relationships begin to look different through the lens of knowing Him better. When life gets hard, knowing Jesus as the divine Son of God gives us an unshakeable foundation of hope and joy. Our faith becomes more than a Sunday morning routine - it turns into a living, breathing relationship that impacts everything we do. People around us notice the difference. They see how knowing Jesus changes our priorities, attitudes, and actions. Strong faith comes from seeing Jesus clearly for who He is, not who we might want Him to be. As our understanding grows, so does our desire to share Him with others. True faith is not just mental agreement with facts about Jesus; it shows up in changed lives, new priorities, and a burning desire to honor Him in everything. Some days this journey feels slow, but each step toward knowing Jesus better strengthens our faith for the road ahead (Philippians 3:8-10; Colossians 1:15-20; 2 Peter 3:18).
Food for Thought: What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your understanding of who Jesus is? How has your view of Jesus changed as you have learned more about His true identity?
Truth demands action. Jesus' words in this passage hit hard - showing us exactly what He expects from those who claim to follow Him. Some people in Jerusalem walked away confused or resistant that day. Others stood amazed as His words sank deep into their hearts, changing them forever. We face those same two paths today. This passage lays out three clear responses: first, we need to grasp just how much hangs in the balance when someone dies without faith in Jesus. Next, we must bow to His authority as the divine Son who speaks perfect truth from heaven. Finally, we have to build a real relationship with Him - one that goes far deeper than surface-level religion. Half-hearted belief never satisfied Jesus then, and it does not satisfy Him now. He wants people who will dig into His Word, spend time with Him in prayer, and follow where He leads. When we truly know Jesus, it shows up everywhere - in our choices, our priorities, and our relationships with others. Strong faith does not happen by accident. It grows as we take serious steps to know Jesus better and obey what He says. The truth He speaks still sets people free today, but only when they move beyond just hearing His words to believing and following Him completely.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would open my eyes to see Jesus as He truly is - the divine Son who came from heaven with words of eternal life. I pray that You would give me a deeper awareness of how many people around me still need to know Him as Savior before it is too late. Help me to grasp the weight of eternal separation from You that awaits those who die without faith in Jesus.
I pray that You would fill me with Your truth and strengthen my faith when the world pushes back against Jesus' absolute claims. Give me boldness to speak His truth with love, even when others disagree. Help me move beyond surface-level knowledge of Jesus to a genuine relationship that changes how I live each day.
I pray that You would show me specific ways to spend more time in Your Word so I can know Jesus better. Transform my priorities and choices to match what I learn about Him. Give me wisdom to share the truth about Jesus with others who need Him. Break my heart for those who are still living without hope in Christ. Help me to stand firm on Your unchanging truth in a world of shifting opinions.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
John 8:28 - So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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