Introduction
Like it or not, you and I often bear the marks of the environment in which we grew up. Have you ever had someone tell you that you remind them of your father? Their observation may be due to certain physical characteristics that you have inherited genetically from your dad. Or it may be some gesture, mannerism, or phraseology you use that reminds them of your father. I am not trying to suggest that everything we are, as human beings, is a result of our upbringing or environmentally induced. But what I am suggesting is that we bear the marks of where we came from -- our life experiences, thought patterns, and presuppositions about reality.
As we look at the life of Jesus through the lens of John's Gospel, it's plain to see who his Father is. His purpose and direction in life, as we've seen numerous times this year, was to "do the will of Him who sent me" and "to complete the work". His single purpose in life was to glorify the Father which in and of itself is a multifaceted task concluding with Jesus death, burial and resurrection. And he accomplished this life with absolute perfection in all he did -- never wavering from the will of the Father.
In chapter one, John spoke of Jesus as a light shining in the darkness and the darkness not understanding it (John 1:3). Chapter eight vividly illustrates this truth in many ways. As Jesus is confronted with the teachers and the adulterous woman, Jesus sheds light on the Jews' hypocrisy in judging with wrong motives. The remainder of the chapter exposes godlessness of religious leaders but at the same time reveals the need for a Saviour. Ultimately, Jesus points out that their act of lifting him up -- crucifying him -- would bring about the greatest revelation of his person. All through this dialogue, people witnessed the truth of what he was saying and many put their faith in him.
Note: Sorry about the rambling paragraphs above, I plan on rethinking their structure and content and will update in the near future. This chapter is such a deep chapter, it's hard to wrap you mind around it. There are many concepts that can be explored:
1. Sin, its exposure, and Jesus sacrifice and forgiveness
2. The humanity and deity of Jesus
3. Related to 2, Jesus being and the statements he makes in regard to his Father and what he says about himself
4. The natural state of man and the effect of absolute truth on his attitudes and actions
5. etc, etc, etc,
The Hidden Revealed and Exposed Forgiven (John 8:1-11)
Jesus' word reveals sin but only the repentant receive forgiveness.
Who have you been judging lately? Is your motive pure? Is it for the name of Jesus and his honor? Is it out of love for the one you're judging?
What have you done for God's honor lately and for the sake of His holiness?
What sins do you have that you are calling by another name? When are you going to repent and turn from them?
The Light and His Twofold Effect (John 8:12-30)
Jesus is the only light that can expose my greatest need and his sufficiency to meet it.
Are you walking in the light or are you still in darkness?
What are you putting into practice from the study of John that will help you to remain in the light?
What has exposure to Jesus revealed to you about yourself and what do you need to do about it?
What has John revealed about Jesus and what are you going to do about it?
If you died tonight, would you die in your sins or has Jesus taken care of that penalty for you?
The Son: His Person and Provision (John 8:31-59)
Freedom from sin is not a state of mind but a state of being.
Are you a legitimate member of the family or are you still a slave?
What sins are you still bound to in spite of your freedom in Christ?
What religious practices are you trusting in addition to or in exchange for what only the Son can give?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Obeying God (John 7:1-53)
Introduction
There was a lot of confusion about who Jesus was. Even his own brothers did not believe he was the Christ. Certainly many of the Jewish leaders did not want to believe he was Messiah. Among the throngs of people that encountered him, some believed, but many were withholding judgement until they saw which way the leaders would go.
When it comes to obeying God's will, it is more than just doing the right thing, His will also includes a right timing. Jesus modelled that perfectly throughout his earthly ministry. And we see that illustrated several times throughout chapter 7. The first of which when he chooses to delay his departure for the Feast of Tabernacles until after his family left.
Jesus absence at the feast caused almost as much of a stir as his presence for their was quite a bit of anticipation amongst the people. The leaders were searching for a way to do away with this man. Anyone with information about him had better report it and anyone talking about him was liable to be barred from the Temple. The people were relegated to whispers and hushed conversation about him -- "He's a good man"; "No, he's a deceiver".
There were a number of obstacles people had to believing Jesus was Messiah. Many could not get over the fact that he was from Nazareth. They thought that either nobody would know where the Christ was from or they believed what the prophet Micah wrote in regard to Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2).
A Matter of Timing (John 7:1-13)
Obedience is subject to God's timetable.
When have you experienced doing the right thing but at the wrong time? What were the results?
What are you doing for God that needs to wait for God before moving ahead?
How might you be over-analyzing God's will and just need to get out there and do it?
Sincere, Not Superficial (John 7:14-24)
Disobedience can appear obedient to the untrained eye.
How might your methods be covering up an impure motive? What do you need to do about this?
What evil things are you tolerating because they look good on the outside?
What do you need to start doing in order that God is honored rather than yourself?
What changes do you need to make in order to start listening and learning from God's source of truth?
Christocentric (John 7:25-44)
Everyone is culpable for his own conclusions about Jesus.
What human source are you looking to for understanding about Christ? How does that source line up with God's word?
What conclusion have you come to about the person of Jesus Christ?
How have you responded to your conclusions about Christ? Or have you responded?
Apologetic (John 7:45-53)
A hard heart is hard to reason with.
What things do you call good? What does God call them?
What things do you call evil? What does God call them?
What have you done lately to defend the truth of who Jesus claims to be?
There was a lot of confusion about who Jesus was. Even his own brothers did not believe he was the Christ. Certainly many of the Jewish leaders did not want to believe he was Messiah. Among the throngs of people that encountered him, some believed, but many were withholding judgement until they saw which way the leaders would go.
When it comes to obeying God's will, it is more than just doing the right thing, His will also includes a right timing. Jesus modelled that perfectly throughout his earthly ministry. And we see that illustrated several times throughout chapter 7. The first of which when he chooses to delay his departure for the Feast of Tabernacles until after his family left.
Jesus absence at the feast caused almost as much of a stir as his presence for their was quite a bit of anticipation amongst the people. The leaders were searching for a way to do away with this man. Anyone with information about him had better report it and anyone talking about him was liable to be barred from the Temple. The people were relegated to whispers and hushed conversation about him -- "He's a good man"; "No, he's a deceiver".
There were a number of obstacles people had to believing Jesus was Messiah. Many could not get over the fact that he was from Nazareth. They thought that either nobody would know where the Christ was from or they believed what the prophet Micah wrote in regard to Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2).
A Matter of Timing (John 7:1-13)
Obedience is subject to God's timetable.
When have you experienced doing the right thing but at the wrong time? What were the results?
What are you doing for God that needs to wait for God before moving ahead?
How might you be over-analyzing God's will and just need to get out there and do it?
Sincere, Not Superficial (John 7:14-24)
Disobedience can appear obedient to the untrained eye.
How might your methods be covering up an impure motive? What do you need to do about this?
What evil things are you tolerating because they look good on the outside?
What do you need to start doing in order that God is honored rather than yourself?
What changes do you need to make in order to start listening and learning from God's source of truth?
Christocentric (John 7:25-44)
Everyone is culpable for his own conclusions about Jesus.
What human source are you looking to for understanding about Christ? How does that source line up with God's word?
What conclusion have you come to about the person of Jesus Christ?
How have you responded to your conclusions about Christ? Or have you responded?
Apologetic (John 7:45-53)
A hard heart is hard to reason with.
What things do you call good? What does God call them?
What things do you call evil? What does God call them?
What have you done lately to defend the truth of who Jesus claims to be?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
This Bread Is... (John 6:41-71)
Introduction
Sometimes one of the biggest hurdles to learning is overcoming incorrect thinking from the past. Certain presuppositions one holds to be true which are in fact false can be an impediment to truth.
The crowds that had been chasing after Jesus had their minds fixed upon physical things -- a Messiah that would usher in an earthly kingdom, a miracle worker that could supply all they needed, a teacher who could heal any type of disease. They were excited to follow Jesus because they wanted their needs met and felt he could meet them. Their problem was that they thought they knew what their needs were, when they really only had one need, the One they were chasing after.
These people could not see the person, all they saw was the performance. Since their eyes were fixed on earthly things, the words Jesus uses to describe himself leads them to shock, offense, and eventual desertion.
His words, like many of his other teachings, used a familiar metaphor -- something his audience could relate to. But the object lesson is not the metaphor, but what the metaphor represents -- a deeper spiritual teaching. Neither does he intend his audience to take every element of the metaphor and try to extrapolate into his spiritual meaning.
In this text, Jesus continues with the concept of bread. He had already said that he was the true bread (as opposed to the manna in the desert) that came down from heaven. This created quite a stir. But the stir is nothing compared to what happens when he tells them that the true bread is his body to be given for the life of the world. And then to tell them that unless they eat his flesh and drink his blood, they have no life in them.
Of course Jesus never meant for these people to take what he said metaphorically and apply it in a literal sense. But his intention was for them to break out of their fixation on the physical and see that the real need was spiritual -- believe in the one God has sent -- the true Bread from Heaven. Because believing is tantamount to eating and drinking what Jesus has to offer.
...My Flesh Given For the World (John 6:41-51)
Selective hearing is a major impediment to salvation.
What un-biblical teachings about Jesus are you holding on to?
Even though you are reading the Bible, are you listening to and learning from God? Is your learning leading you to Jesus?
What teaching have you embraced that is presenting a barrier between you and faith in Jesus? What are you going to do about it?
Where do you need to stop grumbling and start listening and learning?
...Required For Eternal Life (John 6:52-59)
Purpose and meaning for life begin and end with Jesus.
How do you know that you are in Christ and he is in you?
Does your life have meaning, purpose and direction? If so, are these things aligned with Christ's purpose and direction for your life?
If you don't have meaning and purpose, what is keeping you from receiving the “true bread from heaven”?
...Offensive to Unbelievers (John 6:60-71)
The cross separates believers from unbelievers.
What affect do Jesus' words have on you?
What words have you heard from Jesus but have yet to act on them? Faith listens, learns, and responds.
What are you going to say when you see the Son of Man ascended to the place he was before?
Who will be your defense when you stand before the judge of the universe?
Sometimes one of the biggest hurdles to learning is overcoming incorrect thinking from the past. Certain presuppositions one holds to be true which are in fact false can be an impediment to truth.
The crowds that had been chasing after Jesus had their minds fixed upon physical things -- a Messiah that would usher in an earthly kingdom, a miracle worker that could supply all they needed, a teacher who could heal any type of disease. They were excited to follow Jesus because they wanted their needs met and felt he could meet them. Their problem was that they thought they knew what their needs were, when they really only had one need, the One they were chasing after.
These people could not see the person, all they saw was the performance. Since their eyes were fixed on earthly things, the words Jesus uses to describe himself leads them to shock, offense, and eventual desertion.
His words, like many of his other teachings, used a familiar metaphor -- something his audience could relate to. But the object lesson is not the metaphor, but what the metaphor represents -- a deeper spiritual teaching. Neither does he intend his audience to take every element of the metaphor and try to extrapolate into his spiritual meaning.
In this text, Jesus continues with the concept of bread. He had already said that he was the true bread (as opposed to the manna in the desert) that came down from heaven. This created quite a stir. But the stir is nothing compared to what happens when he tells them that the true bread is his body to be given for the life of the world. And then to tell them that unless they eat his flesh and drink his blood, they have no life in them.
Of course Jesus never meant for these people to take what he said metaphorically and apply it in a literal sense. But his intention was for them to break out of their fixation on the physical and see that the real need was spiritual -- believe in the one God has sent -- the true Bread from Heaven. Because believing is tantamount to eating and drinking what Jesus has to offer.
...My Flesh Given For the World (John 6:41-51)
Selective hearing is a major impediment to salvation.
What un-biblical teachings about Jesus are you holding on to?
Even though you are reading the Bible, are you listening to and learning from God? Is your learning leading you to Jesus?
What teaching have you embraced that is presenting a barrier between you and faith in Jesus? What are you going to do about it?
Where do you need to stop grumbling and start listening and learning?
...Required For Eternal Life (John 6:52-59)
Purpose and meaning for life begin and end with Jesus.
How do you know that you are in Christ and he is in you?
Does your life have meaning, purpose and direction? If so, are these things aligned with Christ's purpose and direction for your life?
If you don't have meaning and purpose, what is keeping you from receiving the “true bread from heaven”?
...Offensive to Unbelievers (John 6:60-71)
The cross separates believers from unbelievers.
What affect do Jesus' words have on you?
What words have you heard from Jesus but have yet to act on them? Faith listens, learns, and responds.
What are you going to say when you see the Son of Man ascended to the place he was before?
Who will be your defense when you stand before the judge of the universe?
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