1. March 27 VISIBILITY ... John 1:1-18, 29-34
2. April 17 VITALITY & VOLATILITY ... John 12:12-19
3. April 21 VICTIMIZATION ... John 13:1-38
4. April 24 VICTORY ... John 20:1-23
5. May 01 VERIFICATION ... John 20:24-31
6. May 22 VALIDATION ... John 21:15-19
7. May 29 VERITABLE ... John 21:24
8. June 05 VOLUMES ... John 21:25
Sunday June 05, 2011
Rev. D. Johns
“VOLUMES”
Part 8, conclusion, of the Series: “V-8”
Lessons for Life and Church from the verses of John’s Gospel
Key Verses:
John 21:25 “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Questions:
• If Jesus is the “Word of Life” (John 1:1-4), could one ever write enough about Jesus? After all, he’s eternal and therefore inexhaustible.
• Why did John write what he does about the Lord? Answer: 1 John 1:1-4 = “this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life … so that you might have fellowship with us, the Father and the Son Jesus, so that your joy may be made complete.”
To make you think:
• If you were to write a book about the work of Jesus in your life, what would be some of the chapter titles?
• What is the cost of ignoring or altering what has been written about Jesus? (Hebrews 2:1-4, Revelation 22:7, 17-19, Matthew 7:24-27)
Related Scriptures: Hebrews 1:1-3, Revelation 1:1-3
Note: some of today’s teaching includes thoughts from a sermon of James Orr (1844 -1913) “THE ABIDING WORD”. Orr was a Presbyterian Minister in Hawick, Scotland and later a theology professor in Glasgow
Rev. D. Johns
V-8 Lessons for life & church from John's Gospel - part #7 VERITABLE
key verse: John 21:24 "This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true."
key chapter: John 8
also note:
- from John: Revelation 1:1-3, 22:7-9, 1 John 1:1-4
- from Paul: 1 Timothy 1:15, 3:1, 4:9, 2 Timothy 2;11, Titus 1:9, 3:8
* Are the words of John true? Are the words of Jesus true? ... 8:24 = there is much at stake!
* John's Gospel begins & ends with first-person testimony. Christianity must, by its very nature, move from 'objective knowledge' to 'personal engagement'
* John is so confident in what he has seen, experienced and reported about Jesus that he wants to tell the whole world! - Is there a lesson here for us? How much of his certainty is based on the self-awareness confidence Jesus has about his own identity in John 8?
* Paul Louis Metzger = "Jesus offers people freedom from false aspirations bound up with false identities. But the people would rather be enslaved to false forms of redemption than live. Why is this? It's too threatening, too destabilizing, too vulnerable and too violating."
John 8:32 "The truth will set you free." - Jesus
John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, the life." – Jesus
Application: if truth exists, then
1.Seek it … this is where John 8 is important
2.Think it … Philippians 4:8 = whatever is true, think about that!
3.Speak it … Ephesians 4:15 = speak the truth in love (gossip is dangerous, destructive, and from the devil … proclaim it!
4.Live it … integrity, character, beware of hypocrisy ( Matthew’s Gospel)
5.Guard it … ‘truth decay’ will erode light & life
See Douglas Groothuis, Truth Decay, Inter Varsity Press, 2000
V-8 Lessons for life & church from John’s Gospel – part #6 VALIDATION
Rev. D. Johns
May 22 2011
Main Idea: after all that went down that crucifixion weekend, it is amazing that Jesus still wants Peter on his team & that Peter wants to play for the Lord's team
Main Scripture: John 21:15-19
Supporting Scriptures:
• Romans 8:35-39 Can anything separate us from God’s love?
• Deuteronomy 6:5, 7:6-12 We are in a “Covenant of Love”
Note: “follow me” (19) takes us back to John 1:43 & Matthew 4:18-22, the first calling of the disciples; and is in the Greek present imperative = keep on following me
Questions:
• How to reconcile warnings like John 15:6 with assurance of salvation
• How to understand the prophetic reference to costly discipleship (18,19)
For Personal Reflection:
• What is the closest you have come to blowing it so badly that you thought God was never going to speak to you again?
• Why do you think Peter returned to his familiar fishing spot? (21:3)
• Do you know someone who needs to be assured that they are forgiven, really forgiven? How can you help them through this ‘dark night of the soul’?
• Is Peter now more ready than ever before to serve the Lord and spread the good news?
Quote: The work of the church can only go forward when we are unburdened of our destructive memories through the gracious forgiveness of god. When this happens, we will be empowered and transformed and made ready to represent Jesus with a rejoicing heart. – Gary M. Burge
May 01, 2011
“V-8”
VERIFICATION ... John 20:24-31
Rev. D. Johns
• Thomas often takes a lot of ‘flack’ about his doubt: does that seem fair?
• If we have doubts, what might that indicate about our spiritual condition?
• People are ‘wired’ differently: various types of proof are needed for different types of individuals.
• Jesus says we who have not seen but believe are blessed (29); in what ways?
• Jesus shows us how to deal with people who have questions of doubt.
Note the common greeting of the resurrected Jesus: (19,21,26) “Peace be with you”
• Take these words to heart if you could really use some calming reassurance right now.
Note why this story (and others) are recorded (30,31)
• So we will believe & recognize who Jesus really is + so we might have life (see also John 10:10; 14:6; 3:16, 36;)
Reflection: with whom do you most identify? Thomas the doubter or Peter the denier or John the ever-adorer
‘VICTORY’ part #4 of the series “V-8”
John 20:1-23 Rev. D. Johns
Paul Louis Metzger refers to the empty tomb as “GROUND ZERO”; the explosion of total victory where Jesus destroys the forces of evil and inaugurates his reign. He states that “God was orchestrating his counterterrorism campaign through Jesus’ martyrdom & resurrection”.
The event celebrated today is not a private affair. The war is won, life is preserved, injustice does not have the last word – and, as messengers sent out by Jesus, God’s own life-giving Spirit fuels the mission.
• When someone you love dies, or when you approach the later years of life, how does the resurrection of Jesus help you deal with your pain/your fears? (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 “in Christ all we be made alive”)
• Today, don’t lock the door and sit in dark isolation with your fears & disappointments. Race to the empty tomb and see for yourself. Of course, Jesus won’t be locked out: he can and will penetrate the walls of our hearts and speak “peace be with you”!
part #3 of the series “V-8” “VICTIMIZATION”
John 13:1-38, Matthew 27:1-10 Rev. D. Johns
• From ‘red carpet’ to ‘doormat’ so easily?
• It’s beginning to get dark!
• The religious leaders, Judas & Peter are ‘caving in’ under pressure – why?
• Impressive: the victim serves the victimizers! (If you knew ahead of time that someone would “stab you in the back”, how would you treat that person?) … is this “in spite of” love?
Rev. D. Johns
V -8 part #2
April 17
VITALITY & VOLATILITY ... John 12:12-19
1.The Jerusalem entry has celebratory, triumphant, regal, & Messianic overtones
• 12:9 “a large crowd found Jesus to see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead”
• 12:11 “many were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him”
• 12:12,13 “the great crowd took palm branches and shouted HOSANNA!”
• 12:17 “the crowd continued to spread the word of the resurrection”
2. The religious paranoid power-brokers panic & connive
• 12:10 “so the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus and Jesus”
• 12:19 “see, this is getting us nowhere - look how the whole world has gone after him!”
To ponder: How do we greet Jesus?:
With expectation, anticipation, celebration OR with a view that sees him standing in the way of our own kingdom ambitions? Perhaps we have specific fears influencing our response (see 11:47-48)
Rev. D. Johns
"V - 8"
part #1
VISIBILITY
John 1:1-18, 29-34
see also 1 John 1:1-4 = "we proclaim to you what we have seen, heard and touched"
If you really wanted to communicate something extremely, urgent, important and life-changing, what method would you choose?
* rent a large sign
* send a video, text, email
* write a letter
* telephone
* stand on a street corner and shout
* send a messenger
* meet people in person
God met us in person (the 'incarnation' John 1:14) - God still meets us in the person of His Son Jesus. Eugene Peterson's The Message Translation = "God moved into the neighbourhood"
1. Jesus makes God visible (8 mentions in John 1:1-18)
2. Jesus was visible to John the Baptist (6 mentions in John 1:29-34)
3. Visibility is essential when making disciples (6 mentions in John 1:35-42)
As you come to Christ's fellowship table today, can you see clearly God in all his love?
for further reference: The Gospel of John: When Love comes to Town, IVP Books, 2010
