Sermons (Page 39)

If there’s nothing beyond the grave, then there’s nothing but the grave. Here Jesus interacts with 2 grieving women, who have buried their brother Lazarus. In this passage we see 1) Jesus’ comforting presence and 2) Jesus’ hope-producing promise. Lazarus’ resurrection is a foretaste of Jesus’ resurrection, and the promise that for all who believe in him, death does not have the last word; but rather is transformed from devastating enemy to mere transition to abundant and eternal life.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, brings salvation to his sheep which consists of eternal life and abundant life. Abundant life refers to the quality of life – life that is full, rich, restored to what it was meant to be – fellowship with our maker & creator & redeemer & father & friend – the one – the only one – who can satisfy the depths of the thirsts of your soul: pure joy; perfect peace; abundant satisfaction. Eternal life refers…

Jesus has healed a man blind from birth. However, this man’s physical blindness, though tragic, is not the most tragic blindness we see in the passage. His blindness is physical, but the pharisees are spiritually blind; as such, they cannot see the obvious reality of who Jesus is. Even more tragic, they are blind to their own blindness. In the words of one theologian, “The greatest misery of sin is not that we are blind, but being blind we think…

Jesus here responds to the disciples’ question about the reason for suffering in a man they encounter who was blind from birth. This is an age-old question – “why do people suffer?” – and can frequently bring with it the temptation towards discouragement, doubt, disbelief, and despair. Jesus responds to their question first in the negative – that it was not as a punishment for sin, neither his own nor his parents – and then in the positive – that the result…

In this passage Jesus makes 3 claims – each great news, but only if you also embrace the “bad news” that comes along with it: 1) That he is the light of the world, which means that apart from him we are in darkness; 2) That he brings freedom, which means we are enslaved to sin; 3) he enables us to become the children of God, which means that we are by nature children of the devil. Jesus’ audience refuses to…

The gospel is both “comfort” and “call”. In this historical account (but probably not part of John’s original gospel), we see a picture of the comfort the gospel gives: gracious compassion to the vulnerable, and full forgiveness to the sinful & guilty. We also see the call of the gospel: at the same time the gospel offers “no condemnation” towards sinners, neither does it condone sin but calls us to a life of radical repentance. Those who experience the forgiveness of…

Division over Jesus is nothing new. What we see all throughout this chapter is summarized in verse 43: “So there was a division among the people over him.” In this chapter we look at 1) the nature of this division over Jesus, 2) the reasons for it, and 3) how we as followers of Christ should respond to it.

In this passage we see 1) the crowds desertion, set in contrast to 2) Peter’s declaration. The crowds are offended by Jesus’ teaching and “turn back and no longer walked with him” (v 66). Jesus’ challenging teaching sifts out the committed followers from the casual, the true disciples from the false. In contrast to the crowds, Peter and the other remaining disciples stand firm in their faith, against the current of popular opinion about Jesus. And, Jesus reminds his disciples…

In this passage, we see that true followers of Christ face storms in life. And we see that 1) Jesus walks with us in the storm, 2) Jesus is the Lord of the storm, 3) Jesus speaks to us in the storm, and 4) Jesus delivers us through the storm.

We all have a “spiritual hunger”, which ought to seek satisfaction in Jesus. But often, that spiritual hunger is misguided and seeks satisfaction in things which do not satisfy. Life is often “a terrible search for what we know ultimately won’t fulfill us.” Jesus claims to be the “bread of life”, such that whoever believes in him shall not hunger, but live forever. Just as bread is the most basic, central, essential necessity of life, Jesus claims that he is the…

A witness gives supporting evidence to testify to the truth of something. In this passage, Jesus teaches that his radical claims about himself do not simply originate with himself and are not only attested to by himself, but gives 5 “witnesses” which testify to the truth of his claims. Jesus radical claims can’t be toned down… either he is a lunatic, making arrogant claims about his own divinity and making power-hungry demands that his followers worship him and give up their lives…

[This sermon was not recorded] Sometimes we fail to see and appreciate the radical nature of the claims which Jesus made about himself. In this passage, the religious leaders seek to kill him because of his claim that God is his Father and he is equal to God. As Christians, we consider ourselves sons and daughters of God, but Jesus is the Son of God in a unique and unparalleled way. In fact, Jesus never referred to God as “Our Father” including us; but…