“How to Spot a Con Artist”

John 8:12-30

1. Introduction: Have you ever been “conned”?
   1. Most people have encountered a slick salesman, a fast-talking promoter, or someone with a pathetic sob story
   2. When cheated, we feel foolish that we didn’t spot the con
   3. Many people believe Jesus was nothing more than a con man
2. Con Artists Typically Push Products We’ve Never Heard Of
   1. Con men only present products that we’re ignorant of
   2. Jesus presented a concept that the people were familiar with
   3. The Jewish leaders kept people in the dark
3. Con Artists Want Trust Without Verification
   1. Con Artists are never who they claim to be
   2. Jesus stayed in step with the Father
   3. Jesus offered verification for his identity, but the Pharisees refused to verify his claim
4. Con Artists Capitalize off of Impulsive Decisions & Never Sacrifice Anything of Their Own
   1. Con Artists generally manipulate using time limits against people, but never sacrifice anything of themselves
   2. If Jesus was a Con Artist, why would he go to the cross?
   3. We must be careful not to fall for the real con
5. Conclusion: The Real Con leads us to believe That We Don’t Need Christ
   1. We can’t play the comparison game
   2. We must all recognize our need for Christ
   3. If we fail to recognize our own sinfulness and surrender our lives over to Christ, we have fallen for the biggest con of all time