The Miracle at Cana
THE MIRACLE AT CANA
John 2:1-11
John wrote this gospel to try, once again, to convince people that Jesus is truly the Son of God.
- So, what John does in this book is he gives us a collection of supporting proofs that Jesus was who He claimed to be.
- Some of those proofs are verbal proofs; or the inspired words of John himself; or the testimony of John the Baptizer; or the verbal testimony of those who followed Jesus.
But John not only gives us verbal testimony confirming that Christ is the Son of God but he also gives us physical signs or miracles. In this gospel he gives us 7 miracles that confirm who Jesus is and the first one is found here in chapter 2.
- This miracle in chapter 2 marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.
There are many things going on in our world and in our culture that can shake your faith; but what Jesus does here in these 11 verses will hopefully encourage you to stay faithful to Christ no matter what happens.
So, let’s look at this first miracle; look at vs. 1-2.
And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,
- Now, understand that in this culture a “wedding” was the ultimate party; it was the best party ever; it was a party that exceeded all other parties!
- And the wedding celebration wasn’t just a one day celebration; they celebrated for several days.
And it wasn’t just a celebration for the bride and groom; this was a celebration for everyone in the community.
- People would come from the outlying areas; family and friends would all come to this celebration.
And vs. 1 says that “the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the wedding.”
Now, some people think that Jesus should have been a “killjoy.”
- For some people there is this sort of religious spirit that creeps into their hearts and minds and says, “If you are having a good time you must be in sin.”
- “If you are enjoying life and the good things that God has given us to enjoy there must be something wrong with you.”
- And they would shut this whole thing down.
But you know what, Jesus doesn’t do that.
- Jesus was not somebody who looked around to see if somebody was having a good time and stop them if they were.
- In fact, Jesus is going to perform a miracle at this wedding and this miracle is going to increase the fun at this wedding.
- Jesus is not going to preach a sermon at this wedding. He is not going to lead a prayer meeting. He is not going to berate or condemn the people for being there.
- He is going to enjoy the wedding feast and his friends and neighbors and his people.
Listen, God doesn’t want us to be miserable and walk around frowning all the time.
- If we, as God’s people, can’t enjoy life how do we ever expect to bring others to Christ?
- God wants His people to enjoy what He blesses us with. As a matter of fact, isn’t heaven going to be joyful?
- What does the song say: “No tears in heaven, no sorrow given, all will be glory in that land.”
- If there is no joy in heaven then why would any of us want to go there?
So Jesus is “invited” to this wedding
- I am afraid that not many “invite” Jesus to be at their wedding anymore; if they did perhaps fewer weddings would end in divorce.
But Jesus was “invited” to this wedding and the fact that Jesus attended this wedding and the fact that He performed His first miracle at a wedding emphasizes the sanctity of marriage.
- Weddings matter; Public covenant matters; the ceremony matters; it always has.
- And that means that the marriage covenant is not to be entered into lightly and once entered into it is to be honored and maintained.
In fact, any society that honors marriage and the life-long commitment made and kept between a man and woman, and who rear children in the bond of love; that society will prosper; it will be secure; it will know peace.
- On the other hand, any society that fails to honor marriage as a covenant for life between a man and a woman; any society that diminishes marriage; that society is corrupt; is doomed to chaos and turmoil, and immorality will abound.
- When marriage is not honored as a lifetime commitment the fabric of society is shredded.
- Our Lord honored marriage by attending and doing His first miracle at a wedding.
So, Jesus attends this wedding; and His mother is there and that is no surprise because Mary had lived in Nazareth for several years; and Nazareth is only about 9 miles away and they would have known the people just up the road; possibly related to some of them.
So, this wedding celebration is in full swing; everyone is having a wonderful time; but then there is a PROBLEM. In vs. 3 the “wine runs out.”
- And when the wine runs out that is a major catastrophe; this is a colossal, social embarrassment.
- This would ruin the wedding and damage the reputation of that bridal couple in the community forever. (This is a small town; people talk; people don’t forget things.)
- When you run out of wine that is a huge mistake.
Now, what about the wine? I think it is interesting that a lot of people do not even see the miracle that takes place; they don’t even see Jesus as the Son of God; what they see in this event is justification to drink! To imbibe alcohol.
In the world that these people lived in wine was made from all kinds of fruit; mostly grapes.
- And yes, the wine and the juice of any of the fruits that was used was subject to fermentation because there was no refrigeration; so, everything fermented and developed alcohol.
- And they drank a lot of “wine” because drinking water was dangerous because water was not purified; but to drink fermented wine was also dangerous because you could get drunk and that was a sin; In fact, in that day to get drunk was an incredible disgrace.
- And if you drank too much fermented wine you could get sick; so to keep from getting drunk or sick what they did is they diluted the wine with water; usually 3 parts water to one part wine; and they did that so they could drink water because it had been purified by the alcohol in the fermented wine; and they could drink the wine because it had been diluted and would not make them drunk.
- So, this “wine” would have been prepared in the normal fashion.
- And besides, the distillation process that is used to make todays alcoholic beverages didn’t exist until 1000 years after this event.
- This “wine” was nothing like what people drink today.
So, they run out of wine at this wedding celebration and that is a catastrophic embarrassment; and in vs. 3 Mary says to Jesus, “They have no wine.”
- Now, why did Mary say this to Jesus? Did she think He would perform a miracle? Was she telling Him to perform a miracle? I don’t think so because as far as we know He had never performed a miracle before this.
- She why does Mary say this.
Well think about it this way. Jesus is somewhere around 30 years old and up to this time if Mary ever had a problem who do you think she turned to?
- He never had a bad idea in His life; He never had a wrong solution to a problem; He never led her a step in the wrong direction; He had a perfect solution to every dilemma.
- He was the most wise, intelligent person that had ever lived or ever will live on earth.
- He was compassionate; kind; loving; He cared about people; He knew the problem; who else would she turn to?
- So, I don’t think she asks for a miracle. I think she simply says to Him, “They have no wine.”
And look at vs. 4 how Jesus responds. Jesus says, “Woman…”
- Why not “mother?” Some say that Jesus is being harsh; rebuking Mary.
- But this is the same word He uses in John 19 from the cross when He says, “Woman, behold your son” and He handed her over to John.
- This isn’t a harsh response; but it isn’t intimate either.
- Why does He call her “woman?”
Because He is telling her that their relationship has changed; He is telling her that they don’t have the same relationship that they have had up until now; It’s over.
- In fact, look at what He says next: “What do I have to do with you?”
She is no longer in a position to act as an authority in His life; she is no longer in a position to tell Him what to do; to make suggestions to Him.
- Here, at this wedding celebration His Father’s business began and His mother’s business ended.
- From here on He was saying, “I don’t do your business; I do My Father’s business.”
- What Jesus is doing is He is distancing Himself from the mother/son relationship that has existed for 30 years; and now she is no longer dealing with her son; but with the Son of God.
By the way, what Jesus does here refutes the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching of asking Mary to plead with Jesus for the things you desire because Jesus cannot refuse Mary; Mary is not in a position of authority over Jesus.
Then Jesus says in vs. 4, “My hour has not come.”
- This is the first time we see this statement; but it will be used again several times; and what this is, it is a statement that in its fullness looks at the cross, the hour of His death and resurrection.
- And what Jesus is saying to Mary is, “Our relationship is different now because now I am on a divine schedule that has been set by God; that will culminate in My death and everything leads to that; every event, every issue, every circumstance is leading to that final hour.”
And with that Mary bows out and she says to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
- These are words we should live by today. If Jesus tells you to do something, do it!
So Jesus takes care of the problem. Look at vs. 6: Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
- This water is not for drinking because you didn’t drink water unless it was mixed with a purifier; this water is for washing their hands; for washing the utensils; for plates; for pans and pots; this water is for cleansing.
Now, vs. 7: Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
- If these pots weren’t “filled to the brim” somebody would just say that He added wine to the water.
- But if the water goes all the way to the brim, there’s no room left; that is His point.
Now verse 8: And He (Jesus) said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the headwaiter.” And they took it to him.
- Now, we have no idea how Jesus performed this miracle; He didn’t wave His hand; He didn’t snap His fingers; He didn’t say, “Abracadabra”; He just transformed this water into wine.
And another thing, you have a lot of people in attendance at this wedding and no one ever came back later and said, “This didn’t happen! This is a lie!” Surely if this didn’t happen someone would have said so.
And notice He tells them to “Draw some and take to the headwaiter. And they took it.”
- Jesus wanted the miracle to be put to the test right away.
- There are those who claim to perform miracles of healing; should they not allow the same thing.
- If God performs a miracle of healing then take them to the doctor and prove it right away.
- No claimed miracle should be afraid of immediate, up front verification.
Now, vs. 9: And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew) the headwaiter called the bridegroom; 10 and said to Him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then that which is poorer, you have kept the good wine until now.”
There is a great principle based on these words.
- For the people of God the best always comes last.
- People always think that the best comes first and the worst come last. In the kingdom of God, no matter how good you think things are now, God has better things for you later.
- For God, the best is yet to come and that will be fulfilled in our destiny in heaven. God always saves his best for the last.
- For those who know God, this life is as bad as it ever gets. For those who reject God, this life is as good as it ever gets.
So Jesus turns the water into wine and vs. 11 says: This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
- And that brings us back to John’s purpose for writing this gospel: These things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing have eternal life in His name.”
Now, let me separate you all in three groups. You will be in one of these three groups.
In vs. 11 it says that “His disciples believed in Him.” That is group number one.
Look at John 12:37: Though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.” This is group number 2.
And then there is group number 3. In John 12:42: Nevertheless, many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
Every one of us is in one of these three groups; We either believe; or we don’t believe; or we are not willing to pay the price to trust in Christ.
If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; be steadfast in your faith.
- If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and you want to follow Him and your desire this morning is to obey Him and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins; we are here to assist you.
If you are not sure about Jesus and you want to learn more; we are here to assist you in that as well.
Jesus Cleanses The Temple The First Time
JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE THE FIRST TIME
John 2:13-22
As you read through the New Testament there are only a few instances where Jesus gets upset and what takes place in this passage is one of those instances. If you really want to upset Jesus do what these people were doing.
- Let’s go through the passage and see what they were doing; and what you will find is they, like many today, were slow learners.
Now, you may have recognized this account as “Jesus cleansing the temple.”
- But, this is not the only time that Jesus “cleansed the temple.”
- He cleansed the temple one other time and you can read about that in Matthew 21:12f; in Mark 11:15-17; and in Luke 19:45f.
- But when Jesus cleanses the temple here in John 2, it is the beginning of His ministry; this is His first great, public, act of “being about His Father’s business”; when He cleanses the temple later it is His last, great public act before going to the cross.
Now, with that said we must keep in mind that Jesus would be unknown to these people.
- Earlier in this chapter He performed His first miracle in Cana of Galilee when He turned the water to wine and word of that may have come to some of these people; but most of these people in Jerusalem would not know Jesus or what He is about.
- When He cleanses the temple later on, the Jewish leaders would know who He is but not at this first cleansing.
- So, what you have here is His first public statement of who He really is.
So, let’s look now starting in vs. 13. John says: And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”
- The Passover of the Jews” and the “Feast of the Unleavened Bread” was an annual feast mandated by God to commemorate the night in Exodus 12 when the death angel came on the first born in Egypt and yet, passed over the houses of the Israelites who had sprinkled the blood of the “Passover Lamb” on the doorposts of their homes.
- God mandated that the Israelites keep the Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread every year after that.
- So Jesus would have kept the Passover every year because He was always obedient to the will of God.
And Jesus would not be the only one who came to Jerusalem! This week was the most significant week of the spiritual year for the Jews.
- Thousands upon thousands of Jews came to Jerusalem for the week of the Passover.
- In fact, most scholars believe that Jerusalem would swell to well over a million people during this week…and the focal point for all of these people was the Temple and the Temple courtyard;
- …because the Temple was the one place on earth where you should be able to approach the presence of God and worship God.
- The “Holy of Holies” was there; it was a sacred place; it was the place where you could offer your worship sacrifices and your sin sacrifices to God; and it should have been a place where you could go and find God’s people doing what God’s people do.
But, look at vs. 14 at what Jesus found when He entered the Temple.
14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated.
- This practice of selling oxen and sheep and doves, and changing money was a matter of convenience for those who had to travel to come to Jerusalem.
- Those who had to come from a distance could hardly bring their own animals for sacrifice with them; so they would purchase them when they came to the temple.
And it was permitted to make money offerings in the temple but only certain coins were approved (people coming from a distance may bring coins of a different currency all together; some coins may have had an image on them that was not acceptable) so the “moneychangers” would take the unapproved of coins and exchange them for coins that were approved.
But notice that Jesus found them “in the temple.”
- Evidently, at some point in time this selling of animals and changing of money took place outside of the temple courtyard but later it was moved inside of the courtyard.
- And in vs. 16, that seems to be the primary objection that Jesus has.
Now there may have been some other things going on that Jesus would not approve of.
- If we take into account what Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us, some of these people selling the animals may not have been very honest.
- For instance, they may have charged more for an animal than they should have; or if you brought and animal to be sacrificed they would find something wrong with it and force you to buy another animal, then they would take your animal and sell it to someone else.
And as far as the “moneychangers” were concerned, they would undervalue your “unapproved of coin” and charge you 3 of your coins for one of theirs.
- Evidently there were some shady dealings going on and that is why Jesus says in Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s account of Him cleansing the temple that these people selling the animals and changing the money were making His Father’s house a “Robbers Den.”
But Jesus doesn’t mention those things here in John 2. Jesus does not object to any dishonesty taking place.
- Starting in vs. 15 it simply says: He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the moneychangers, and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a house of merchandise.”
The New International Version says: How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”
- Jesus does not seem to be upset by any dishonesty that might be going on.
- Instead He is upset about what will cause people to be dishonest.
- And He is upset about the same thing that is happening in our culture and society.
- These people, like many today, had become complacent about God; they no longer respected God; they no longer reverenced God as they should.
Isn’t that true today? How many times in a week do you hear someone show disrespect to God by taking His name in vain?
- “OMG”…”Jesus!”
- Think of other ills in our society: homosexuality and transgender issues; did those actions not start because of a lack of reverence for God (see Romans 1:21).
- Lawlessness; violence; corruption; perversions; broken marriages and families; all of these things are a result of no respect for or reverence for God.
And these people had no respect or consideration for those who sincerely came to worship God.
- The only court in which all this noisy, boisterous traffic took place was the only court to which the Gentiles might go when they wished to pray or meditate and they couldn’t do that.
- Even those Jews who came to worship should have been able to pray and worship in peace but instead they found themselves in the middle of a noisy bazaar or marketplace (it would be like trying to worship God at Walmart on a Saturday).
These people selling the animals; and these moneychangers did not treat God with the respect that He deserves; and they didn’t show any respect or consideration for those who sincerely came to worship; and Jesus drives them out.
- I have to wonder why the Jewish leaders; the temple priests didn’t do this?
- Apparently they had become complacent and if your leaders have no reverence for God why would the people be any different?
Now evidently, what Jesus does here doesn’t have much effect on the Jewish leaders or those selling and changing money because in 2 years He will do this all again.
- But notice the effect it has on His disciples; His followers; look at vs. 17:
In vs. 16, Jesus says, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a house of merchandise.” (The fact that Jesus refers to the temple as “His Father’s house”; that in itself speaks of a special relationship between Jesus and God. Jesus is referring to Himself as God’s Son, or the Son of God.)
And then in vs. 17 it says, His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Thy house will consume me.”
- That is a quote from Psalm 69:9.
- John doesn’t quote the Old Testament as frequently as some of the other New Testament writers do; but by John recording this; and by the disciples remembering and applying Psalm 69:9 to what Jesus does here, they are telling us that fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures was seen in what Jesus did.
- And that told His disciples; and it should tell us today; that Jesus truly is the Messiah.
Now, let’s read verses 18-22. Keep in mind up to this time the Jews did not know who Jesus was and so they are somewhat amused by what He has just done. So they ask: vs. 18:
18 The Jews therefore answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, seeing that You do these things?”
- Jesus disciples were not the only ones who understood Jesus’s actions. So did the Jews. The Jews understood that what Jesus did here indicated that He was more than just someone who was faithful to God.
- So they want Him to “authenticate” His claim and His actions with a sign; with a miracle.
19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had spoken.
- The Jews wanted a sign…they got it 3 years later. Did they believe? Some did. Others still refused.
- Do you/I?
- Because you see, verse 22 tells us that His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture; and the word which Jesus had spoken.”
- What this does is it divides us into two groups today: you are either a disciple who believes the scriptures and the word of Jesus; or you are not a disciple.
And as you think about that remember again the reason why John wrote this. John 20:30-31:
Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
The Disciples Follow
THE DISCIPLES FOLLOW
John 1:35-42
To begin I want to take you back to verses 29. John the author of this gospel wants everyone to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that He is the Son of God; and to get people to believe, John gives us the eye-witness testimony of John the Baptist.
So, in vs. 29 John tells us that Jesus came to John the Baptist and John the Baptist sees Him coming and he cries out, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
When John says that he is referring to a concept that every Jew would understand. They had been to the temple; they had seen the temple priests and what they do with a lamb; they may have even offered up a lamb as a sin sacrifice for themselves.
- And when John speaks of Jesus and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” he is saying, “This is the one. This is the man who fulfills everything that the Lamb of God concept in the O.T. pointed towards.” (Forgiveness; deliverance; life) ;
Now, we have no way of knowing if Jesus heard what John said but if He did it didn’t deter Jesus because when John says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” he has just announced to Jesus and everyone there that would listen, “This man is going to die for the sin of the world.”
- “This man is going to be sacrificed; his blood will be poured out on a altar before God.”
- Because lambs didn’t take away sin by skipping around in a meadow.
- Lambs took away sin by shedding their own blood and giving up their own life.
- If Jesus heard those words, it must have reminded Him, “I must die to take away the sin of the world”; and still He came.
Now, what does it mean when John says, “He will take away the sin of the world”;
- It means he “takes it away.”
- He takes it up and he carries it away. He removes it. The guilt, the shame. The penalty.
And when He takes away the sin of the world it is a provision that is so big, and so generous and that is so rich that He does it for the whole world.
- What Jesus did on the cross is sufficient to save anyone who trusts in Him.
- There is no one who turns to Jesus and who will hear Him say, “I am sorry I can’t. I am sorry, what you did was so wrong, I am sorry, you did it for too long. I am sorry, we just ran out of the last drop of saving blood; I am sorry but what I did doesn’t cover people who live there; I am sorry but you are too poor; to old, etc.
- It doesn’t happen that way.
So, John sees Jesus coming and look what he says starting in vs. 30: John says, “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 “And I did not recognize Him (John knew that there was a “Man” who ranked higher” than he did, he just didn’t know who he was.),
31 “And I did not recognize Him but in order that He might be manifested (revealed) to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
- John’s baptism had a dual purpose: to call people to repentance for the forgiveness of sin; Mark 1:4; and to “manifest the One who ranked higher than him.”
32 And John bore witness saying, “I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 “And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 “And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
- Did you count the witnesses? Those who confirmed Jesus.
- I may be wrong but I counted three: John; The One who sent Him or God; and the Spirit.
- That is a witness list that any attorney could and would win with if people would only accept the truth.
Again, John says, “I did not recognize Him; John may have known Jesus, they were 2nd cousins; but when John says, “I didn’t recognize Him”, John is saying “I didn’t know that He was the Messiah, the Son of God; but when John saw the Spirit descend on Jesus and remain there, John realized who Jesus was and look at vs. 34.
- John says, “And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
We sing a song and what does it say: #176 Your only Son no sin to hide…
Now, let’s go to the verses that were read. Vs. 35: Again the next day John was standing with two of his (John’s) disciples, 36 and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold (Look), the Lamb of God!”
Vs. 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and said to them, “What do you seek? (What do you want?)
- In John’s gospel these are the first words of Jesus that he records; the first “red letters” in the book; a question.
Why did Jesus ask this question? Did He not know the answer?
- He knew the answer. He wanted them to think about the answer they were going to give.
Many times God will ask the questions and He doesn’t do that because He doesn’t know the answer.
- He asks the questions so that the one He’s asking will have to think about the question, and evaluate his own situation.
In the garden after Adam sinned, God said, “Adam, where are you? God knew where Adam was. He wanted Adam to think about how far he had moved from God.
Jesus said to His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” He knew the answer. He wanted them to answer that and consider what people were saying.
- And then He asks, “Who do you say that I am?
In John 5, Jesus asks the paralyzed man, “Do you wish to get well?’ IF people didn’t understand what was going on they would think that is a very cruel question to ask.
- But the question was meant to make the man think. “Are you sure you want to get better? It is going to mean a life change for you. You have been living off of the graces of people who are giving you things and giving you money and sustaining you. Are you sure you are ready for a lifestyle change that means you will have go to back to work and struggle? Are you sure you want to get well?”
So, sometimes God will ask the question to get us to think about our motives.
- “What do you want?” “What are you seeking?”
- And that is a question that each one of us should think about this morning: What do you want? Why are you here?
So, Jesus asks the disciples, “What do you seek?” or “What do you want?”; and look at what they say, “Where are you staying?”
- They don’t say, “Perform a miracle for us.” Or “We want some food.”
- They ask, “Where are you staying because that is where we want to be?”
- “We just want to be where you are.”
And look at vs. 39. Jesus doesn’t give them information. Instead He gives them an invitation: “Come and you will see.”
Vs. 39 They came therefore and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus.
- This is how most conversions to Christ take place and this is a sign of a true disciple.
- A true disciple is not content with going to heaven alone.
Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
- The name “Simon” means “listen or hear.” Cephas means “rock.”
- Before Jesus is through with Simon, Simon will be transformed into a “Rock” of stability for Christ.
- I wonder, what Jesus would call me?
43 The next day He purposed to go forth into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.”
- That is what Jesus has always wanted: Followers-disciples; people who are going to “follow” Him.
- Jesus never told anyone “to accept Him into their heart”; and He never called anyone a Christian; but He did invite everyone to “follow Him.”
- He wants people who will “die to self, take up the cross, and follow Him.”
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”
- Nathanael responds to Philip’s announcement with prejudice.
- Nathanael was ready to dismiss Jesus because he was from Nazareth.
Well, instead of arguing with Nathanael, Philip simply says, “Come and see. ”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”
- This is significant in that Nathanael said what was on his mind. In vs. 46 Nathanael expresses his prejudice; he is outspoken and straight forward.
- And here in vs. 47 Jesus recognizes that in Nathanael’s character.
- There is no deceit, no trickery in Nathanael! He says what He thinks.
- And so, as a witness for Jesus you can believe what Nathanael says.
- So look at what Nathanael says in vs. 49:
49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
- In vs. 48 Nathanael wanted to know how it was that Jesus knew him.
- And Jesus him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
- And here in vs. 51 Jesus tells Philip, “If you thought Me seeing you under the “fig tree” was cool, just stick around, because there is so much more to come.
So, let me ask, “Are the testimonies of these witnesses important? Sure they are! In fact, they are vital and let me give you two reasons why their testimony is so important.
- One, remember why John is writing this gospel; John 20:30-31.
30 Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
- If you and I fail to believe the testimony of John the Baptist; God, and the Holy Spirit, and these disciples and what they say about Jesus; there will be no “life” for us.
And here is the second reason why the testimony of these three witnesses is so important.
There are a lot of people, several right here in Brady who will tell you, “You know, Jesus was a good man, a good teacher, a good example, and we will even say that he worked a few miracles. But the Son of God, he is not! The Lamb of God, he is not! God in human form, he is not!”
- And they will be very sincere; but if you or I let them or anyone else convince us that Jesus is not (human), is not the Messiah (sent from God) and is not the Son of God you and I will forfeit our eternal salvation.
- The testimony of these witnesses is important in bringing us to Christ and to keep us from falling away.
So, who do you say Jesus is? Is He the Lamb of God who can take away your sin? Is He the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One sent from God; is He the Son of God who is to be followed and obeyed?
Or is He nothing more than a good man; and is all of this just a fairy tale and myth?
- As you think about this let me encourage you to remember the testimony of John the Baptist; God, and the Holy Spirit.
The Testimony Of John
THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN
John 1:19-23
Here in the Gospel of John, the word “Jesus” and the word “Christ” is found 170 times.
- The word “believe” is found 100 times.
- When you see a repetition of words to that extent it is an indication of the theme or the core purpose of the writing.
- So, John is writing this gospel to get people to “believe that Jesus is the Christ.”
- And he tells us why that is so important; remember what he says in chapter 20:30-31?
Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
- That is why it is so important for you and I to believe that Jesus is the Christ.
- And that is why John wrote this gospel: to get us to believe in Him so that we may have life.
Now, here in chapter 1, in the first 18 verses John introduces the Word to us and John says that the Word is the eternal God, the Almighty Creator in whom is life and light, and who came in the flesh.
- And we know from vs. 17 that the Word is Jesus.
But now, starting in vs. 19, in keeping with his purpose for writing this gospel, and to confirm what John has said about Jesus, John gives us the testimony of John the Baptist.
- And John has mentioned John the Baptist before in vs. 6, and John says that “John the Baptist was a man sent from God to be a witness to testify about the light.”
- When it came to “determining if Jesus is truly the Son of God”, John the Baptist is God’s star witness.
- And those who might dispute or deny or reject what John has to say about Jesus, they are in essence rejecting what God has to say.
- So, that makes John’s testimony pretty important.
So, let’s look at what John the Baptist has to say about Jesus. Look with me at vs. 19 again.
And this is the witness of John when the Jews (this is the first time we see this term “Jews” used by John; and John will use this term 70 times in this gospel and normally when John uses this word “Jews”, he doesn’t use it to refer to the people of Israel as a whole. He uses it to refer to a particular group who is hostile toward Jesus).
And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem (vs. 24 tells us that these priests and Levites were sent from the Pharisees. When it came to their religion, the Pharisees were very legalistic and strict and they often bound things on others that they themselves would not do. And, we can only imagine how intimidating this delegation of priests and Levites must have been in their long robes and priestly garb).
But these priests and Levites come from Jerusalem to John the Baptist and they ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed, and did not deny, and he confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
- It is interesting that no one in this delegation is reported to ask anything about the Christ but apparently John surmised their intention.
- And notice it says that “he confessed, and did not deny, and he confessed.”
- That is an indication that John was pretty emphatic that he was not the Christ no matter how many times they may have asked him.
But they ask him, “Who are you?” and he says, “I am not the Christ.”
- He begins by telling them who he is not; because who he is, is really not important to him!
- John the Baptist never came on scene and said, “Do you realize who I am?!”
- He came on scene and said, “Do you realize who HE is?” That is who is important.
Now, we have talked about this in a previous lesson, but one of the reasons that John the writer of this gospel gives this testimony of John the Baptist that “he is not the Christ” is because some of John the Baptists’ disciples would continue to follow him.
- John the writer and John the Baptist want everyone to know that there is a Christ and John the Baptist is not Him.
21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” (Malachi 4:5-6; God said He would send Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord) And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” (Deut. 18:15-19 – God promised that another prophet would come) And he answered, “No.” 22 They said then to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
Now, vs. 23. John says, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
- John quotes from Isaiah 40:3 and John says, “I am nothing more than a voice.”
- “And I have only one thing to say and that is “make straight the way of the Lord.”
- His function was not to magnify himself; His function was to point men to Jesus.
- John wasn’t concerned about himself and his own safety; He was trying to get people ready to meet the Lord.
Vs. 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. (The Pharisees considered themselves to be the spiritual leaders of Israel and here John is, drawing large crowds of fellow Jews and baptizing them and the Pharisees want to know about him.)
25 And they asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (By what authority are you baptizing these people?)
- John gave them the answer in vs. 23. He is getting the people ready for the Messiah.
Baptism was not a new practice in Judaism. It was a regular rite in the admission of converts from other religions.
- When an individual was converted to Judaism out of a different religion there were three rituals they had to go through: 1: Instruction by a scribe 2 Circumcision by a priest 3 Baptism by or with a witness.
- Baptism indicated that you were converting; and baptism was a ceremonial way of removing the pollutions contracted in the Gentile world.
- The puzzling thing about John the Baptist is he is not calling pagans or Gentiles to convert to Judaism, he is calling Jewish people under God’s covenant to repent of their sins and turn to God fully and completely.
- All Jews were prepared to accept the view that Gentiles were defiled and needed cleansing; but to put Jews in the same category was horrifying; the Jews were God’s people already.
- And for a Jew to be baptized was a sign of true repentance.
- So, this delegation from the Pharisees wants to know by what authority is John baptizing these people.
26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.
- John is not depreciating his baptism. He is not saying his baptism is not important. His baptism was very important.
- John’s baptism demonstrated a humble willingness to repent and be forgiven of sin; and to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.
- In fact, in vs. 31 John says, “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
- John’s baptism called people to repentance and to point the people to Christ!
- And he does that.
Vs. 26 He says, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 “It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
- The loosening of the strap of a sandal was the duty of the lowest slave in the house.
- If any of his followers thought he was “higher in rank” that Jesus they are wrong.
- John wants everyone to know that “It is all about Jesus.
Now, contrast John’s words to some of our attitudes when we pray.
- “Lord, I deserve better than this. Why are you treating me this way? All these trials and tribulations? I’ve served you and trusted you.”
- And we get angry with God like God should give us what we deserve.
- You should be thankful that He doesn’t give you what you deserve because if He did you would be in hell.
Look at vs. 29: The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
- Now, John’s father, Zacharias, was a priest in Jerusalem who served in the temple of God; Luke 1; therefore John grew up around the temple and he would know what lambs were for; they were bred for sacrifice.
- He sees Jesus and he says, “There is the Lamb of God…the Lamb that God has sent…to take away the sins of the world.”
- When John saw Jesus did he think about the Passover Lamb; or the Lamb of Isaiah 53; or perhaps he was thinking of Abraham about to sacrifice his son and his hand being stayed and God providing a sacrifice.
- Perhaps; the thing we do know is that John saw Jesus as God’s sacrificial Lamb to deal with the sin problem afflicting all of mankind.
Vs. 30 “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 “And I did not recognize Him (John knew Jesus; they were second cousins; at the time though John didn’t know that He was the Messiah) but in order that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 And John bore witness saying, “I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. (God gave John the Baptist the sure sign that Jesus was God’s Son.)
33 “And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 “And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
So, this is John’s testimony; and in essence it is God’s testimony; and John knows that Jesus is God’s Son and the question is, do you and I?
- And it is important because unless we “believe that Jesus (human/Savior) is the Christ (Messiah/One sent from God), the Son of God, there will be no eternal life.
The Word Became Flesh
THE WORD BECAME FLESH
John 1:14-18
I have heard it said in prayers; it has been mentioned Bible classes; even in sermons; I have heard it and heard it a thousand times or more but I am not sure I have we really comprehend its significance or appreciated it.
- What John says here in vs. 14 is perhaps the most amazing thing that has ever happened to mankind and it is a doctrinal truth that lies at the very heart of the Christian faith.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,
- In the first 5 verses of this gospel John says that “In the beginning the Word was”; before the foundation of the world was ever formed, the Word was!
And then John says that “the Word was with God”; the Word and God are not identical but they are ONE; the Word has the very same nature as God the Father.
And then John says that “the Word was God”; all that could be said about God may aptly be said about the Word; nothing higher could be said about the Word
And then John says that “all things came into being by the Word”; He is the Almighty Creator.
- And that “life” (both physical and spiritual is in Him. If anything in this world has life it is because of Him) and “light” is in Him (without Him we would be in darkness).
In the first 5 verses John declares the Word to be God.
- And now, here in vs. 14 John says that, that Word who was and is God, who Was and Is the Creator; and in Whom is life and light” that Word, became flesh and dwelt among us” and that is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to mankind; it is amazing that God Himself would do that.
- And I am not sure if you/I comprehend and appreciate that?
Let me put it this way to help you understand how amazing this was: Some of you may remember, in July 1969, one of the most momentous events in all of human history took place when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.
- People all over the world watched on T.V.; millions on millions watched.
- And people were glued to the T.V.; and when Neil Armstrong stepped off of that ladder onto the face of the moon; people cheered; they were ecstatic; they couldn’t believe it.
- And do you remember what Neil Armstrong said: “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind!”
- That was a man, assisted by amazing technology and hundreds of experts, landing on the moon; and people were amazed!
And as amazing as that was, here in this passage, you have the Word, the pre-existent One; the eternal One; the Omnipotent One; the Omnipresent and Omniscient One, coming in the flesh.
- And not only walking on this earth but dwelling among us, not just for a week like Neil Armstrong did on the moon, but for 33 years.
- And it wasn’t a small step for the Word to take on human form; Phil 2:6 says that “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
- He subjected Himself to everything that humans suffer and endure.
And 2 Cor. 8:9 tells us that He “gave up the riches of heaven in order that through His poverty we might be rich.”
- And 2 Cor. 5:21 says, “He was made to be sin in our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
- It wasn’t a small step for the Word to take on human form and dwell among us.
And you talk about a giant leap for man-kind, His was a giant leap for mankind!
- Where would we be if He had not have come?
And let me tell you, this is the most important doctrine in the Christian faith.
- If anyone is going to be saved;
- If anyone is going to find heaven;
- If anyone is going to be forgiven of their sins, they must believe that “the Word; that God came in the flesh, and dwelt among us.”
- Any teaching that denies this is heresy.
If the Word was and is not God then we can just ignore John’s Gospel and his later epistles completely because that is the crux of his writings.
- And if the Word did not come in the flesh then the angels and shepherds and wise men lied when He was born.
- Herod killed the babies of Bethlehem for no reason.
- Jesus was never tempted in the wilderness; he never knew what it was to be hungry or thirsty or tired. He cannot relate to us and therefore cannot intercede for us.
- He never learned obedience through His suffering; Heb. 5:8-9.
- He is not the author and perfecter of our faith; Heb. 12:2.
- He was never in the garden; beaten, crucified; buried, and raised from the dead.
- If He was not God who came in the flesh and dwelt among us you can burn the song books; sell the building, and throw your Bible away and forget about any decency at all and just join the forces of darkness and do what they do else!
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” is the most amazing thing that ever happened to mankind and this truth lies at the very heart of Christianity.
- And if you and I don’t believe this then there is no hope for us.
If I really think about this and understand it, it cements my devotion and commitment to Him.
- And I know we always point to the cross and what He sacrificed on the cross, but for Him to leave and give up the riches of heaven and come to this earth and experience think that mankind experiences, that cements my devotion and commitment to Him.
- And makes me thankful that He came.
Now, look at vs. 14 again: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
- It is not uncommon for people today to say that they are searching for God or searching for His way.
- And they go from place to place and religion to religion trying to find Him.
- More commonly, they stay in one place until God finds them.
John says God has come close. He came in the flesh. And if people really want to find God all they have to do is find Jesus Christ and that is as near as your closest Bible. (He is also in the hearts of His disciples.)
- In fact, look at vs. 18: No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
- If people can’t find God it is because they are looking in all the wrong places; or they simply don’t want to.
So John says that the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” and that Word was God; but that is easy to say. Where is the proof?
- “Up until this time John, you have made some pretty convincing arguments that “the Word is God and that the Word came in the flesh, but where is the proof?”
Well, from here on through the rest of the book John is going to give testimony that “the Word” was and is Jesus and that Jesus is God who came in the flesh.
- And he begins by giving an eye-witness account stating that the “Word” is and was God.
So, look at the end of vs. 14: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Notice that John does say, “I beheld”; he says, “We beheld.”
- The testimony of one person was easily disputed and really proved nothing.
- But, if there was two witnesses; well that was little more acceptable; but when John says “we” he isn’t talking about just two witnesses; he is talking about at least 12 disciples; and in 1 Cor. 15 the apostle Paul speaks of “500 brothers” who saw Jesus.
- When you consider all the people who witnessed all the things that Jesus did during His 3 year ministry, we don’t know how many “we” is here in this passage but it is enough to confirm what John says about “the Word” being God.
And look at what John says “they beheld”; and that word “beheld” is not speaking of a vision or a dream; this is speaking of something they literally saw!
- John says “We beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father.”
- “Glory that proves He is the only begotten from the Father.”
What does John mean when he speaks of seeing “His glory?”
- In chapter 2, at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, after Jesus turned the water into wine, verse 11 says, “This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.”
- That is an indication that every time Jesus performed a miracle Jesus revealed His glory.
Then you have the Transfiguration in Matthew 17 where Jesus was “transfigured and His face shone like the sun and His garments became as white as light.”
- That could very well be what John is talking about when He speaks of seeing “His glory.”
But then there is this also. In Mark 1:41 Jesus encounters a leper and vs. 41 says that Jesus “was moved by compassion” and reached out and healed that man.
- In Matthew 9:36, Matthew says, “When he saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
- In Matthew 20:34, after two blind men called out to Him, Matthew says “He had compassion on them and touched their eyes.”
And look again at John 1:14. John says that Jesus was “full of grace and truth.”
- And in 16 John the Baptist said: For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
And we might ask, “What does His compassion, and His grace and truth have to do with John seeing His glory. Well, look at this from Exodus 33: 18.
Moses asks to see “God’s glory” and God says, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”
- God didn’t allow Moses to see His face “for no Man can see Him and live.”
- Instead, when Moses asked to see God’s glory, God manifested His goodness, His grace, His compassion; His divine nature.
And when John saw those same things in Jesus, when he saw the compassion, the grace, the love and care, then John realized that what he was seeing was the “glory of God.”
- So, when John speaks of “seeing His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father” he is speaking of the miracles, the transfiguration, and the God-like virtues that Jesus manifested.
- And what John is saying is, “The Word who came in the flesh is God because He possesses the same virtues and character that only God possesses.”
In vs. 15, John will once again use John the Baptist to confirm that the Word is Jesus, and that Jesus is God and He came to “explain God” to us. What He is like.
- If you want to know God; if you want to understand Him; if you want to know what God is like; look at Jesus.
But here is the problem. People look at what Hollywood says about God; and they look at what some of these books say about God; at what philosophers say; what some songs say and then they say, “That is what God is like!”
- “We have a God who is biased, bigoted, unfair, cruel, unjust, immoral; and the reason people think that is because they look in all the wrong places, instead of looking at Jesus.
Jesus defines God; He displays God’s glory; He dispenses grace and truth.
So it is amazing to me that the Word would become flesh and dwell among us; and it is the most important thing for us to believe.
So, why does John tells us all of these things? Here it is again: John 20: 30 Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Your faith in Christ is not misplaced.
If you want eternal life; there is only One way to get it and that is through Jesus Christ. It is all about Jesus. And if you refuse to believe that He is God who came in the flesh there is no hope for you.
In The Beginning Was The Word
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD
John 1:1-5
I appreciate _______ reading this passage of scripture and if I were to give you a simple summary of this gospel it would be this: “It’s all about Jesus!”
- This book is all about Him.
- He is the central character.
- Jesus is the focus of everything that John is going to talk about here in this book.
- He is everything and everything is about him and that is true in reference to the verses that were read.
From the way that the apostle John introduces his gospel here with the words that were read, obviously John wants people to learn or at least be reminded of some things about Jesus.
- When John writes this gospel it has been 40-50 years since Jesus was crucified, resurrected and ascended into heaven.
- In 40-50 years people forget; their memory dulls; recall of an event changes.
- And in 40-50 years two new generations have come on the scene who would have only heard about Jesus.
- And those who did remember the things that Jesus did, in 40-50 years they could get discouraged; possibly struggle with doubt.
- So, John writes this gospel to teach us or remind us of some things about Jesus.
In fact, look at what John says in chapter 20:30-31:
Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
- If you look at chapter 21:25 John tells us that “There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written.”
- So, even though Jesus did many other things, John is only going to record 7 of Jesus’ miracles.
- And look at why, vs. 31:
31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
- Vs. 31 is the primary reason why John writes this gospel account; “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
And, just because John is writing so that “we believe”, that should not cause us to conclude that we do not need to hear what John says because we already believe.
- We need to hear what John says because we often become lethargic in our faith and what John says will help us to stay strong.
So, John’s purpose for writing this gospel is to teach us and remind us that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you/I may have life in His name.”
- So, let’s look at the passage that was read and hopefully learn or be reminded of some things that John wants us to know and remember about Jesus.
- Look at John 1:1.
John says, “In the beginning was the Word.”
- When you look at vs. 3 there is little doubt that when John says “in the beginning” he has reference to the creation.
So John says, “In the beginning was the Word.”
- We know that “The Word” is a reference to Jesus because in verse 14 John says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- In Revelation 19:13 John has a vision about the victorious Jesus who has defeated His enemies, and in that vision Jesus rides on a white horse and John speaking of Jesus says, “And the name by which He is called is The Word of God.”
- So, John is speaking of Christ.
So, why does John refer to Jesus as “the Word”, the Logos (Greek).
- Well, throughout the Old Testament the Word of the Lord is thought of as an affective agent for the accomplishing of the divine will; “By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made”; Psalm 33:6.
- When God speaks He does something. His Word is a divine action.
- We see this in the creation when God said, “Let there be light; Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters; Then God said, “Let there be vegetation.”
- The work of creation was accomplished by the Word of God; the Logos going forth and creating.
- And when John uses this term in reference to Jesus He is saying that Jesus is “was and is affective agent for the accomplishing of the will of God; that Jesus is the One who went forth and created; Jesus is the Creator.
So, John says in vs. 1:”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- And notice that word “was.”
- That word “was” makes these statements emphatic; it removes the doubt.
- Therefore, just as at the beginning of the creation of the world God existed, so also the Son, the Christ, existed.
In fact, Jesus Himself actually confirms what John says here. This is John 17:4-5: Jesus is praying here and, speaking to the Father, He says, “I glorified you on earth having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
And a little later in vs. 24 Jesus again says, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for you loved Me before the foundation of the world.”
In both of these passages Jesus is saying, “I was with you Father in that period before time began; I was there, I shared your glory” and those statements all help us to understand what John is talking about in vs. 1 when John says, “In the beginning was the Word.”
- There was never and will never be a time when the Word will not exist.
In fact, notice that there is no genealogy here in John’s gospel like in Matthew and Luke’s gospel accounts.
- The reason is clear.
- There is no genealogy recorded because Jesus is the eternal God. He has no beginning. He has no end. In the “beginning” the Word already existed.
- Some today want to tell us otherwise but Jesus is not a created being. Jesus, the Son of God, the Word, existed in the beginning, before the world began.
And notice also that John says that “the Word was with God.”
- John is not saying that “the Word” simply coexisted with God.
- This is a statement that says that the Word existed in the closest possible connection with the Father.
In fact, this phrase can be rendered, “The Word was face to face with God.”
- That is a phrase that speaks of equality; when it comes to being deity there is nothing lesser and nothing lacking in “the Word” in terms of Jesus’ Godhood.
- The Word has the very same nature as God the Father.
- The Word is “face to face with God.”
- The Word and God are not identical but they are ONE.
And if you look at the end of vs. 1, John says, “…and the word was God.”
- The New World Translation or the Jehovah’s Witness’ Bible translates this line quite differently.
- The Jehovah’s Witness translation says: “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a”
- There is no justification for them to say that the “Word was a”
- Their translation is used to deny the teaching that Jesus is God, and is a wrong and misleading translation and the only reason they do that is because it fits their agenda.
Now, look at vs. 2. John really wants us to understand the eternal nature of Jesus because in verse 2 John repeats the statement again, “the Word was in the beginning with God.”
- Where God exists, the Word exists.
- There is not a time or place when the Word did not exist or when the Word was not God.
Now, look at vs. 3. Speaking of Jesus, John says: All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
- We read in Genesis 1 that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”, but here in vs. 3 John wants us to know that the Word was just as involved in the creation process as God was.
- The creation was not the solitary act of either.
- The Father created, but He did it through the Word.
- The apostle Paul taught this very same thing. Look at Colossians 1:16:
16 For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Both John and the apostle Paul want us to know that Jesus is God because “He created all things.”
Now, look at vs. 4: In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
- In this gospel John uses the term “life” 36 times.
- And when John speaks of “life” he normally speaks of “eternal life” and that very well could be included here.
However, because John has just spoken of Jesus as being the Creator, in this verse the word “life” more than likely speaks of “life”; Jesus is the creator and it is only because there is “life” in Him, that there is life in anything on earth.
- Life does not exist in its own right.
- Life is not even spoken of as “made by” or “through” the Word.
- Life is spoken of as “existing in Him.”
- It is only because of Him that there is life in anything on earth.
But, if John does also have in mind here “eternal life” to pursue anyone or anything other than Jesus in who “life exists” is to pursue death.
- It is sad but the majority of the world’s population is looking for “life” in all the wrong places.
- The world has and continues to discount Jesus as being the source of life but graciously and mercifully He continues to provide “life” to those who discount Him; but little do they know that they are sealing their spiritual death.
- In Jesus alone is life and we must rely upon Him completely for our life or else we die in our sins.
And look at the end of the verse: “And the life was the light of men.”
- In this verse John links Jesus with life and life with the ‘light of men.”
- The individual who does not pursue Christ will not have life and therefore “walks in darkness.”
- And that is where the majority of humanity is; spiritual darkness.
- And we witness it every day.
But now, look at vs. 5: And the light shines in the darkness…
- It is the function of light to shine in the darkness; to oppose darkness; to dispel darkness.
- And if you will notice John says that the “light shines”; that is continuous action.
- The “light” never ceases to shine.
Now, look at the second part of the verse: …and the darkness did not comprehend it.
- In the Greek the word “comprehend” is not easy to translate.
- It has the idea of “laying hold of something as to make it one’s own.”
- In other words, it has the meaning of “overcome” or “overtake.”
Look at this in John 12:35. Jesus speaking to His disciples says, “For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you;
- The word translated “overtake” is the same Greek word that John uses in chapter 1:5.
So, what John is saying in chapter 1:5 is: And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness was not able to overtake or overcome it.
- And it may be that we are to understand what John says in reference to the creation (the light triumphed and not the darkness or chaos).
- Or, perhaps this is a reference to what happened at Calvary.
- At Calvary the light and the darkness came into bitter and decisive conflict; and the darkness could not prevail.
- Or perhaps we should understand what John says here in reference to our constant struggle with darkness and be assured as hard as darkness tries to overcome us; because of our faith in Christ the darkness will never prevail.
- What John says here in vs. 5 is an expression that is true in many situations and because of Christ it will always be true.
John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness (continuous action), and the darkness did not comprehend or overcome it.
- Now look at this found in Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world (where did we get that light?). A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 “Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
So, I have to ask myself, “Am I letting the light that Jesus has given me; am I letting it shine in such a way that others can see my good works, and glorify the Father who is in heaven?”
- It seems that the world is getting darker every day.
- If my light or your is burning low, Jesus encourages us to turn it back up, to take it out from under the peck-measure and put it back on the lampstand
- Because for some who are wandering and lost in that darkness, it may be that the light we shine will be the light that brings them to Christ.
The Witness
THE WITNESS
John 1:6-13
Do you remember why John wrote this gospel?
- John’s purpose for writing this gospel is to get people to “believe that Jesus (Savior/human) is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God, (Deity) and that believing they may have life in His name.”
- That is John’s purpose.
And we saw that last week in the first 5 verses of John 1 when John revealed Jesus to us as the eternal Word of God, the Creator of the Universe, and the source of life and Light.
- God, through John wants all of us to find eternal life through Christ.
- So, John keeps telling us: “It is all about Christ” and here in the passage that was read, to get us to put our full trust and faith in Christ, John gives us a witness.
- Let’s look at the passage that was read starting in vs. 6.
In vs. 6 John tells us about another John, a man, who “came” and was “sent from God.”
- And this John was “sent from God as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.”
- And vs. 8: “He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.”
Now, there is little doubt that John is talking about John the Baptist and John the apostle seems to intentionally make the point that John the Baptizer was a “man” who “came” and who was “sent from God as a witness of the light that all might believe through him” and I think there is a very good reason why John does that. .
- There is no doubt that John the Baptizer came to point people to Christ and that is what he did.
- But some of those who heard John preach and who were baptized by John for the forgiveness of sins continued to be devoted to John.
- Some even wondered if John wasn’t the Messiah himself (Luke 3:15).
- And remember in Acts 18:24 that Apollos was “acquainted only with the baptism of John” and Pricilla and Aquila took him aside and explained the word of God to him more accurately.
- And then in Acts 19, when Paul came to Ephesus, he found some disciples who had only been baptized into John’s baptism.
- So, even though John the Baptizer came to proclaim Christ, there were those who still held to John or had not heard the “good news” of Christ, and John the author of this gospel wanted everyone to know that John the Baptizer was not the “Light”; he was not the Christ; but he came to testify about the One who was the “Light! “
Once again, John is saying, “It is all about Jesus!”
- And you might ask, “How does that apply to us today?”
Sometimes, and I don’t expect anyone here to have this problem, but sometimes people get “preacher-itis.”
- They get so devoted to the preacher that they fail to see Christ.
- And if the preacher leaves or dies they are devastated.
I remember a congregation where the preacher decided to leave and one of the sisters in the congregation went to one of the elders and said, “What are we going to do?” She was devastated.
- Do you know what the elder said? “We are going to find another one.”
It is not about the preacher; or an elder; or anyone else.
- There are religious groups today that blindly follow after those who claim to be prophets or representatives of Christ, and sometimes the people are manipulated, and taught in error; and deceived.
- And recently a group in Kenya was told that if they wanted to be right with God they had to kill themselves; and they did; and what they need to realize is they may need to look past whoever it is they are following and follow Jesus because, like John says, “It is all about Jesus.”
Now, look at vs. 9: There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
- Jesus is and was the “true” light; others are just “flickering lights” of truth; faint glimpses of reality which have led men to follow them only to wind up in the darkness and be left there.
- But Jesus, He is the genuine light; He brings real illumination to people; there is nothing unreal or shadowy about the light which Christ shines.
But notice the last of vs. 9: “The true light which enlightens every man.”
- People are without excuse!
- God’s light was not hidden from them; the people refused to see it and still do today.
- Look at this in chapter 3:19.
“And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.
- The Light didn’t come for just a select few; it wasn’t hidden from them!
- They simply loved the “darkness rather than the light!”
- This is true today.
The Light shines everywhere; churches; Bibles; Bible in motel rooms; crosses in cemeteries; crosses on necklaces and earrings; remember the guy with the multicolored hair that would sit in the end zone of football games and hold up the sign that said, “John 3:16.”
- The 10 Commandments was on monuments on courthouse squares; in public buildings; in schools.
- And football, basketball, and baseball games all started with a prayer.
- And the Light was even visible at Christmas and Easter and Thanksgiving; the Light was never hidden.
The problem was and is, “men love the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds are evil.”
- 20: “For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
Look at what the apostle Paul says in Romans 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
The majority of the sinful acts we are seeing in our society today is not because the Light or the Truth has been hidden from them; it is because people love the darkness rather than the Light.
- The Light is shining and they can find it if they want; and if necessary we will take it to them.
- But most don’t want to find it.
Now, back in chapter 1:10: He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
- Are you serious? People were created by God; they were created in the image of God; and then when He showed up on the scene they were like, “Who’s this? Get Him out of here! We don’t want to talk to Him!”
- That is pretty shocking!
And look at vs. 11: He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
- How many times did God speak through the Jewish prophets about the coming Messiah; where He would be born; and what He would do; and they missed it?
What is interesting is that animals are better than this; animals know their master but somehow humans don’t! Look with me at Isaiah chapter 1.
2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, “Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. 3 “An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master’s manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”
This is crazy! These are dumb animals! They are not human beings! And yet they know their master and his manger while people don’t even recognize Him!
People have dogs. And they come home and their dog is so excited to see them! They jump up and down and jump up on your feet; and sometime they are so excited that they “leak.”
- But if someone comes up that the dog doesn’t recognize, what does he do? He barks!
- And we call them “dumb dogs?”
Dogs are smart enough to recognize their master but do humans?
- Do you see how far this sinful world has fallen?
- When sin came into this world it rendered us literally incapable of recognizing God who created us.
- We were cut off from God spiritually to the point where we could no longer recognize our own creator and today, some have fallen so far that they don’t even recognize that He created them male and female!
- That is deep, deep darkness; and it would be terrible if this was the end of John message.
- But it isn’t.
- There is some “good news.” Look at vs. 12:
12 But as many as received Him (the bulk of the people didn’t and haven’t received Him. But many did.)
…and to them He gave (grace…they didn’t earn it) the right (the authority-they have full authority to claim their exalted position based on His grace and His authority) to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
- “Believe” here is more than just a simple acknowledgment of Jesus.
- To “believe” is to accept; to receive; or to fully trust that He is the Light and that Life is in Him; that He is the foundation of salvation; there is no other foundation; we are totally dependent on His righteousness; His perfection and His love that gives us credit before God.
- And it is to believe so sincerely that it shows up in what we say, how we act, and what we do.
- Believing is yielding one’s self up to be possessed by Him
And to “believe in His name” is not just simply uttering His name as though it is a password that opens up God’s blessing to you.
- “Name” refers to all that He is; it refers to His whole being.
And look at vs 13. This right, this authorization to become a “child of God” is not based on blood lineage (not based on being born a Jew or a Gentile);
- It cannot be obtained by works of the flesh; none of our external efforts can cause this to happen.
- It is not based on the will of man; it is not based on what you or I may think gives us a right relationship with God.
It is only by the will of God and Jesus’ perfect life and works on the cross; and our receiving and believing completely in Him that anyone can be a “child of God.”
- And as a “child of God” we are subject to all of His eternal promises; eternal life; heaven; salvation;
- And I guess that is the question we should all ask ourselves this morning; “Am I, are you a child of God? Or, do we love the darkness?
- How we live, what we say will reveal the truth.
Do you and I recognize our Master or are we dumber than an animal?
If you have drifted away from Christ; come back where you belong.
- And if you are living in darkness; Christ can and will transfer you from that domain of darkness into His kingdom where you have redemption and the forgiveness of sins if you will let Him.
Confidence In Prayer
CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER
1 John 5:13-21
I think we have all prayed for something or for some situation…and what we prayed for didn’t come about…it seemed as though our prayer went unheard and did no good…and as a result our faith is shaken and we lose confidence in prayer.
- Well, John is going to deal with some of that in this passage that was read…so let’s begin in verse 13.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.
- John has been dealing with the influence of the Gnostics who had come along and were telling these Christians that Christ was good…but Christ wasn’t enough…if you really wanted to have eternal life…if you really wanted to have fellowship with God…you needed something more.
And John, here in this verse, says that the “things he has written to them about Christ and who He is”, he wrote those things so that they may “know”…and that word “know” is the Greek word “oida” which speaks of a “settled knowledge”…in other words…there is no doubt…no uncertainty…they can “know”, they can be confident that they have eternal life.
- Because of their belief that Jesus was human, the Savior, the Messiah, and Deity…and because they have been obedient to Him; not perfect but striving to “walk in the light as He is in the light“, “They can know” they have eternal life.
- And just as “they can know” we who believe in the Son of God today can also “know that we have eternal life.”
- (Unfortunately, a lot of faithful Christians are uncertain of that. I often hear a brother or sister in Christ say, “I hope I will be saved.” John says, “You can know.” )
Now, what John is going to do is he is going let us know how our awareness of our present relationship with God contributes to “confidence in prayer.”
- If you “know” you live in fellowship with God…you can be confident in your prayer.
- But if you have no fellowship with God…well there is no confidence.
- When you know you are not on good terms with God it devastates your prayer life.
But, just because God does not answer your prayer the way you think He should does not mean that your fellowship with God is broken.
But we “know we have eternal life”…therefore look at vs. 14:
And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- Notice there where he says “we ask anything.”
- “Anything” is global…it is not limited…you have confidence to ask anything!
- “According to His will” does not diminish “anything.”
- We do not have to know what God’s will is in order to ask. In many situations we will not know what God’s will even is!
- Our list does not have to be edited according to what we think God’s will is.
- Make your list out and ask it!
And then after you ask…ask God to grant what you ask for…according to His will rather than yours.
- Develop the attitude, “Not my will but Thy will be done.”
- Ask God to exercise the right of veto…He will exercise that right anyway…but what you are doing is you are acknowledging that He is Sovereign, that He has that right to veto your request…and that it is for your good that He exercises that right.
Listen, we can pray for “anything”…but what often happens is we are motivated by selfishness; and when we don’t get our way we get upset; sometimes we turn away from God.
- We respond like a spoiled child who doesn’t get their way.
- We have faith just as long as we get what we want…but when we don’t…well I am out of here!
Remember when Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane? He asked God to “let this cup pass from Me.”
- Was that prayer answered? Yes, but not the way He wanted. Did He abandon God because God didn’t answer the way He wanted?
- Instead, He said, “Not my will but Thy will be done.”
- In essence He said, “Father, edit My list!”
We can ask for anything…but then grant God the sovereign right to edit your requests.
- And when we ask God to edit our list…what we are basically saying is, “God, out of these requests that I have made, protect me from selfishness and preserve me from gifts that I cannot handle…from things I am requesting that would hurt me or someone else…or that would not best serve You.”
You know, one of the things that we often pray for is rain, “Send us rain.” So we pray for rain.
- But the farmer who is trying to harvest his wheat doesn’t need rain. So, whose prayer does God answer?
- We can’t always know what is best for someone else, perhaps even the person we are praying for.
- We can’t always know what God is trying to do.
- Leave it up to God to answer according to His divine knowledge and will.
But the point is, “according to His will” does not limit the “anything.”
- Ask for “anything” but give God the Sovereign right to veto your request; then faithfully accept it.
And look at the very last phrase of verse 14: He hears us.
- 1 Peter 3:12 says: “For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- God hears our prayers…the only prayer of God’s people that He does not hear is the one not prayed.
Now verse 15: And if (this is not an “iffy” issue. There is no doubt here…this is a “when”) When we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
- The hearing is not doubtful…we know He hears…and we know He answers.
- But remember what we are asking God to do…we are asking God to edit our list…to take off that which would not be good for us…to take off those things that might hurt us or someone else…or that would not best serve Him.
- If we pray with that attitude…we are going to get the answer to every prayer that we ask.
- There will be no prayer that does not receive an answer from God.
Now, let’s go to verse 16. In verse 16 John gives us an example of something that we might ask for.
- Keep in mind that John is still talking about prayer.
- The discussion here is not “a sin that leads to death…or a sin that does not lead to death”…that is not the topic of discussion.
- We often get sidetracked trying to figure out what “a sin that leads to death” is and what the “sin that does not lead to death” is.
- Any sin can lead to death but John is not making a distinction in this passage about which sin does and which sin doesn’t. He doesn’t even tell us what the sin is!
- John is still discussing the confidence that we have in prayer because of the relationship we have with God.
16 If (when) anyone sees (you can see it…the characteristics are visible) his brother (this is key-this is a brother or sister in Christ) committing a sin not leading to death (God has not cut him off ) he (the one praying) shall ask and God will for (dative-“to”) him (the one who is praying) give life (not eternal life) to those who commit sin not leading to death. (God answers your prayer. The granting of life here has nothing to do with the sinning brother changing. It is given because the concerned brother asks for it.)
In this verse who is it that is “committing a sin not leading to death?” A brother.
- This is a brother who is in fellowship with God and even though he is in fellowship with God he still sins; 1:8, 10; but it is not a “sin leading to death”, not because his sin is acceptable to God; all sin is wrong.
- His sin is not a “sin leading to death” because of the direction of his walk”; 1:7.
- However, if he changes his direction of walk, he is no longer “walking in the light” and God can and will cut him off.
So, his brother sees him committing sin or living in a way that could cause him to lose fellowship with God, and he asks God to “grant the sinning brother life, not eternal life, but an extension of his life” and God grants that request, because his concerned brother asks for it.
- And what should this concerned brother do? Go to his brother committing sin and talk with him about the sin he is committing and warn him of the consequences if he continues to sin.
Let me see if I can put this in simpler terms to help you understand what John is saying.
- Let’s say you have Pete and Sam…they are brothers in Christ.
Now, let’s read this verse again with those names:
If anyone (Pete) see his brother (Sam) committing a sin not leading to death, he (Pete) shall ask and God will for(to) him (Pete) give life to those (Sam) who commit sin not leading unto death.
- The granting of life here has nothing to do with Sam changing…it is given because you ask for it.
Here is the deal…Pete is noble…and Pete sees Sam sinning…and Sam is in trouble…he is slipping away. 1 John 3:8-10.
“God, I have been watching Sam and Sam has been going places he shouldn’t and I am concerned. I do not want my brother to be lost. Please do not cut him off. I am aware that his sin is hostility toward you. I am aware that you cannot and will not tolerate the practice of sin. But please don’t cut him off. Let me work with him. Please extend his life. Please don’t cut him down but keep him alive. Let me work with him.”
- (Anytime a man is sinning a sin he is getting close to death).
Now, when Pete gets through praying what do you think he is going to do?
- He is going to go to Sam and talk to him about the danger he faces of committing sin.
This tells us something about the awesome power of prayer.
- You can get an extension of life through prayer.
This is not a verse whose main point is a discussion of “sin leading unto death.”
- We are not concerned with what specifically Sam’s sin is.
- The point is that God honors the prayer of a man who is so concerned about his brother’s and sister’ salvation that God will grant to the concerned man an extension of that brother’s life.
- God will and does answer prayer…He likes intercessory prayer.
Now, look at the end of vs. 16: There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.
Any sin can be unto death. What is important is the direction of the man’s walk when he sins.
- The individual here in vs. 16 is dead in his sin; he is not walking in the light; he has no interest in doing what God wants; and John does not prohibit prayer for this man, he simply releases the faithful brother from the obligation to pray for him.
I encourage each of you to study this for yourself; but what we do know for sure from this passage is there is power in prayer; and prayer may keep a struggling brother from being cut off.
Now, vs. 17: All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.
- There is not 2 different categories of sin. Any sin can lead to death.
- What makes the difference is the direction of the walk of the sinner.
- If he or she is in Christ and they are walking in the light, the sin they commit (1:8-10) will not lead to death.
Vs. 18: We know that no one who is born of God sins;
- The word “sins” is a present infinitive and it speaks of a persons practice; something they do over and over again.
- The Gnostics said you could live a life of sin and still have a “new birth” standing with Christ and John says, “No you can’t.”
Vs. 18: …but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him.
- The Gnostics didn’t think Jesus was enough. John says He is.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
- Where did John discuss idols in this letter? All the way through.
- An idol is a human invented god and the Gnostics had plenty of them and they tried to make false gods out of Christ and God; and John says, “Do not accept their idolatry.”
- Do not accept a Jesus that is short of human, the Savior, the Messiah, and Deity.
All through this letter John is trying to encourage those in Christ to remain faithful to Christ.
- His primary concern is that they will listen to the false teachings of those who claimed to be in the know, and turn away from Christ and the salvation that is theirs.
Today, that is still his primary concern. He is, all through this letter pleading with each of us to remain faithful to Christ.
- Keep His commandments; Love one another; Walk in the light as He is in the light; Test the Spirits because there are many false prophets in the world.
- Be confident in prayer; and do not accept a Jesus that is short of being human, the Savior, the Messiah and Deity.
If you have drifted away, come home.
- If you are not in fellowship with Christ and you want to be; if you want to know what you must do we are here to teach you and assist you in that.
HOW IS YOUR LOVE LIFE
HOW IS YOUR LOVE LIFE?
1 JOHN 4: 7-14
I don’t mean to embarrass anyone but let me ask all of you, “How is your love life?”
- And you may be thinking, “Wow preacher, you are getting pretty personal!”
Well, you are right, this is pretty personal. But the truth is, it is not me that is asking; God is the One that is concerned.
- In fact, I don’t know if you noticed it, but in the 8 verses that were read, the word “love” is found 13 times, and if you go from verse 14 through verse 21 “love” is mentioned 14 more times.
- So here in 14 verses, the word “love” appears 27 times.
- And the purpose of these verses is to teach you about love, and about how much you and I are loved, and how we are to respond to His love for us.
- And because our “love life” has eternal consequences, if our love life isn’t good, it is very important that you and I change it.
- So, God asks over and over again in these verses, “How is your love life?”
Now, as we through this passage and answer that question we need to understand what God means when He speaks of “love.”
- In the Greek there are 4 words that are translated “love.”
- There is the Greek word “eros”; we get our word “erotic” from this word; this is the sensual, sexual love.
- Then there is the word “storge”; this speaks of family love; love parents have for children; children for parents; brothers for sisters, and so on.
- Then there is the word “phileo”; we get our word “Philadelphia” from this word; it speaks of friendship; love given to all kinds of people; brotherly love.
- Then there is the word “agape”; this is the word used by John in these verses. It is a love that does not desire to get but to give; and it is not attracted by some lovable quality but is poured out even on those who are worthless and degraded.
- It is unconditional love. It is sacrificial.
- It means “to seek the highest good of another regardless of what it costs me; whether they deserve it, appreciate it, accept it, or not.
- If you want an example of this kind of love, look at the cross!
- These other kinds of love can and do often fail, but “agape” love, like the apostle Paul says in 1 Cor. 13:7, “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never fails.”
And that is the kind of love that we are to have. So, once again God asks, “How is your love life?”
Look at Vs. 7 Beloved, let us love one another (reciprocating action – back and forth; seek the highest good of each other even when we don’t deserve it or appreciate it. It is loving each other even at times when we may not be very lovable),
…for love is from God;
- The kind of love that John is talking about has its roots only in God…and our love is reflexive.
- God’s love is original and we love because of the love that He has for us.
…and everyone who loves is born (is begotten…this is a perfect tense verb) of God and knows God.
- If our “love life” continues to be what it should be we have a present standing new birth in Christ.
But, vs. 8 The one who does not love (Love has action. It is not just something you say. It is easy to say, “I love you.” But “agape” love can be seen in what you do.) does not know God, for God is love.
- Everything that God does has love as its platform.
- And notice that John says that “the one who does not love does not know God.”
- An individual can claim to know God and have fellowship with Him. But if you do not love your brother or sister there is no fellowship.
- Therefore, love is as essential for salvation as faith, confession, repentance and baptism is.
- So, again, how is your love life?
Vs. 9: By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten (one and only) Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
- The phrase “in us” speaks of an investment…and what this means is God has invested a cross full of love in us!
- And notice where it says “that we might live through Him”…without His Son we would be dead…if we are going to live He would have to die.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us (We didn’t start it…it started with God…He sent His Son on a death mission) and sent His Son to be the propitiation (satisfaction…God is going to be satisfied…He sends His Son on the death mission and then He carries out the penalty…and He does this…) for our sins.
Now, we talk about how much Christ loves us in that He died on the cross for us. But, which is the most difficult: to die for others; or to send your son to die for others?
- God’s assignment to send Christ was more difficult than if He would have come Himself.
- God’s love goes beyond comprehension.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought (speaks of a moral obligation) to love one another.
- Because God sent His Son on a death mission and then He carried out the death penalty…then we have a moral obligation to love one another.
- If I am going to take advantage of the love that God has extended to me through His Son, how can I dare refuse to love my brother or sister in Christ.
- I have a moral obligation to love them.
Vs. 12: No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
- No one has seen God…the only way that people can see God is by the way we as God’s people love each other.
- He is invisible but His love isn’t.
- His love was seen on Calvary…and it should be seen in us?
- God has invested His love in us and we should then produce a love for each other as our response to His investment.
Vs. 13: By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
- We have a greater Spirit than the Gnostics and the world…His Spirit promotes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
- The spirit they had promoted self…jealousy…strife…greed…immorality…and division.
Vs. 14: And we (the apostles) have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus (Savior) is the Son of God (Deity), God abides in him, and he in God.
- Deny His humanity…His Deity…Deny Him as Savior…and you deny the manifested love of God.
- We are talking about a real Jesus…the Gnostics denied that He was real.
Vs. 16: And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us(Calvary is convincing…love is self-verifying…Calvary is the verification of God’s love). God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
- Fellowship is rooted in love and again, God is asking, “How is your love life?”
17 By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence (Gnostic doesn’t have confidence) in the day of judgment (He is coming); because as He is (God’s love is redemptive…He is in the world in a redemptive way), so also are we in this world (We are to be in this world in a redemptive way as well).
18 There is no fear in love (He is speaking of the Gnostic here); but perfect love casts out fear (If we have love we can walk into the presence of the judge of the universe without fear), because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
- The man who does not see Calvary and who does not know God and His love has no boldness before God.
19 We love, because He first loved us.
- You cannot love the way God wants you to love without a trip to Calvary.
20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
- You are to love Him whom you have not seen through the one you have seen.
- This kind of love is expected…but not only is it expected but look at verse 21.
21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
So, once again, God through the apostle John is asking, “How is your love life?”
- If our love life is good, we have an ongoing standing new birth in Christ.
- But if our love life isn’t good, if we don’t love, we don’t have fellowship with God; no salvation.
And as far as we are concerned, we each one have a moral obligation to love each other; and it is important that our love life is good because people see God and His love through us.
And our “love life” confirms that we abide in God and that He abides in us; and our love give us confidence to stand before God without fear.
- And a “good love life” proves us to be faithful…so, “How is our love life?”
- If your love life is not what it should be, it may be that we need to revisit Calvary and the love that was manifested there.
- Let’s do that: #332 “Lead Me To Calvary”
Now, look at vs. 7 again. John says that we are to “love one another.”
- Don’t make this hard for your brothers and sisters to do.
- Make every effort to be lovable.
- Over the years I have encountered several brothers or sisters in Christ who have made it difficult to love them.
- If you or I are rude, crude, thoughtless, unkind, harsh, difficult and disagreeable we may not have the love of God with in us.
- Make every effort to love your brothers and sisters just as God loves you…and as much as it depends on you, make it easy for your brothers and sisters to love you in return.
Test The Spirits
TEST THE SPIRITS
1 John 4: 1-6
“Test, test, test.” You are probably thinking, “This preacher is losing it. Surely he can tell that the sound system is on.”
- Yes, I know the sound system is on. But what I am doing is, very briefly, telling you what the apostle John is saying in these verses that were read.
- “Test.”
Look at vs. 1: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
I think it is interesting that people “test” almost everything.
- You don’t buy a car unless you “test” drive it.
- You don’t get in the bath tub unless you “test” the water.
- Mothers test the temperature of a baby’s bottle.
- We also have our eyes tested and our blood tested.
- People test almost everything!
But when it comes to our eternal salvation, where knowing the truth is so important because the truth will set us free, most people fail to test what they have been told or what they hear.
- And that is what was happening when John writes this letter.
When John writes this letter he writes to Christians who were dealing with the influence of some people who claimed to be “in the know” on spiritual matters…he is writing due to the influence of the Gnostics.
- These Gnostics, and there were many varieties of Gnostics (Cerenthians, Docetist, Libertines, Denialist, Monastics, Essenes, Ascetics, and Ebionites) and they were perverting God’s sound doctrine teaching all sorts of convoluted ideas and philosophies and as a result many of the Christians were being led astray…especially the new, immature in Christ.
- So out of a deep concern for the purity of the Christian doctrine and God’s plan of salvation, and to refute the Gnostics, John writes this.
And, even though this letter was written toward the end of the 1st century the Gnostic teachings are alive and well today.
- People teaching doctrines that counter the word of God…that dispute God’s plan of salvation…teachings that express man made views rather than God’s.
- So what John says here in these verses is something that we must learn in order to not be deceived by some of the teachings that we encounter in our lives.
So look at what John says starting in verse 1:
Beloved, do not believe every spirit…
- The Gnostics claimed to be “spirit people.”
- Some claimed that what they taught they got from God through some spiritual experience or through enlightenment.
- Others claimed that what they taught they got through some other esoteric or outside spiritual experience…
And it is much the same today
- There are so many teachers out there all claiming that what they are teaching has come from God or from some “spiritual experience.”
- Others say they received their knowledge when God spoke to them…or as the result of a dream…or a vision…or as a result of something that touched their heart.
- And what John says here in verse 1 applies to us…”Do not believe every spirit…”
- They may sound so good…they may sound so right…they may even give the appearance of being very spiritual speaking using all the “Thee’s and Thou’s” and “God bless you” and “Peace to You”…but John says, “They can be wrong!”
So, how do you know which spirit to believe?
- Look what John says next.
1 John 4:1 …but test (this word in the Greek literally means “to put them on trial) the spirits to see whether they are from God;
- When some one comes to you and teaches you something claiming that their teaching is from God…put them and what they teach on trial!
- Don’t just take what they say for the truth…check it out…examine it…question it.
- It may be a very popular teaching and a lot of people may be embracing it…but that doesn’t make it true.
- John says, “Test it!
“Test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
So how do you test them…how can you tell if they are a “false prophet?”
“By this you know the spirit of God: every spirit that confesses (acknowledges – that says the same thing that God says) that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is from God;
…and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.”
- This verse eliminates over half of all the religions in the world as being from God.
- It eliminates Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Shintoism, Spiritualism, Zoroastronism, Paganism, New Age, Scientology, Jehovah Witness, and all these other forms of Gnosticism.
- And here is why.
John says, “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is from God.”
- “Jesus” is the name that was given to Him because “He will save His people from their sins”; Matthew 1:21
- This name indicates “Savior”: it was a name specifically given to Him by God.
The name “Christ” means “Messiah”…”the One sent from God!”
And then John says, “is come in the flesh”… He was human!
- Every spirit that confesses that Jesus is the Savior…that confesses that He is God’s Messiah…and that confesses that He came in the flesh…that spirit is from God.
But any spirit that denies that He is the Savior…or that denies that He is the Messiah (they want to separate Him from the God of the O.T.)…or that denies that He came in human form…that spirit is of the antichrist.
- In short, the first thing to do when testing the spirits is to see what they say about Jesus.
- That is the reason why over half of all the religions of the world are eliminated from being from God…they deny that Jesus is the Savior, the Messiah, or that He came in human form.
When it came to the different groups of Gnostics, the Docetist were teaching that Jesus only seemed to exist in the flesh because in their minds if Jesus was Deity then He could not possibly have anything to do with the flesh so He only appeared to have a fleshly body.
The Cerenthians believed that Jesus was a plain, ordinary man and lived that way until His baptism at which point the Messiah took up abode in the body of Jesus and stayed there until He was nailed to the cross at which point the Messiah left and the human Jesus died on the cross, a plain, ordinary man.
The Ebionites denied the deity of Christ altogether; that he was just a man.
The Denialists taught that Jesus could never be viewed as being equal to the Father.
The Essenes and Judaizers said that Jesus wasn’t enough; that you needed more.
Now, what about these groups that exist today (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Shintoism, Spiritualism, Zoroastronism, Paganism, New Age, Scientology, Jehovah Witness); what do they say about Jesus?
- Do they say the samething about Jesus that God says about Him?
Now look at verse 5. John says:
5 They (false prophets) are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
- Their knowledge is human speculation…it is worldly wisdom…and the world loves this kind of doctrine.
- It allows you to believe and do those things that are worldly…things that tickle the ears and satisfies the flesh.
- This is the reason why some doctrines and teachings are so popular…the world loves it and the world speaks of a lot of people.
- But just because a lot of people like it doesn’t mean it is from God.
So John says: They (false prophets) are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
Now vs. 6: We (the apostles) are from God; he who knows God listens to us, he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
- If some one comes along and teaches you something that does not agree with what the apostles taught…if they reject apostolic testimony…they are not from God…they are instead “the spirit of error.”
- If what they teach does not agree with the Bible…don’t listen to them.
This is not talking about a man who sincerely seeks the truth of God’s word and because of a wrong understanding teaches in error.
- I know of instances where people have approached a teacher after he spoke and hatefully accuse him of being a “false prophet.”
This passage is not talking about that…there are many difficult passages in the Bible and every one of us who teaches and have taught will, from time to time, teach something that may not be right.
- This passage is talking about someone who refuses to listen to what the apostles say and who continues to teach the wisdom and doctrines of the world.…that endear him to men instead of to God.
And they will tell you all kinds of things some of which sound so good…so right…so pleasing.
- But they can be so wrong.
- John says, “Test them…put them on trial.”
- Because failure to do so could lead you “through the wide gate that leads to destruction. “
We have all of these different religions and religious groups in the world today…something that God never intended…but knew would happen.
- He also knew that many people would come along and claim to be His prophets…and claim that their teachings were from God.
- And He also knew that people would be confused and perhaps pulled away by the false teachers and doctrines.
- Because He knew these things would take place…He gave us these guidelines on how to determine who we should and shouldn’t listen to.
With these guidelines comes great responsibility…because the only way you can follow these guidelines that God has given…they only way you can keep from being deceived…is you have to have a firm, confident, knowledge of what the Word of God says.
What does the word say about Jesus Christ who came in human form?
- Anyone who denies that He is the Savior, the Messiah, or that He came in the flesh…they are false prophets.
- And if what they teach does not agree with what the apostles say…if it does not agree with what this says (Bible) then they have a spirit of error.
- For the sake of our own salvation and to keep from being led astray we each one must dedicate ourselves to a greater, faithful knowledge of the Bible.
And because there are many false prophets that have gone out into the world.
- Do not just blindly believe what they say…instead…”test ,test, test” the spirits to see if they are from God.

© Sunset Ridge Church of Christ 2023