Author: Art Davison

THE HEALING OF THE SON OF A NOBLEMAN OF CAMPERNAUM–JOHN 4:43 – 5:18–LESSON 10

Introduction:

Two incidents are seen in the portion of the book of John. The Lord Jesus does two more miracles. One is done in His home country and the other in Jerusalem. Both of these miracles brought controversy.

I. THE HEALING OF THE SON OF A NOBLEMAN OF CAMPERNAUM.

A. A Prophet has no honor in his own country, v. 44, “For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.”

1. “Prophets ought to have honour, because God has put honour upon them and we do or

 

2. “This due honour is more frequently denied them in their own country.” Luke 4:24, “And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.” Matt. 13:57, “And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”

B. Jesus returned to Cana of Galilee, vs. 45-46.

1. Here he had performed His first miracle, the turning of water into wine, John 2:1-11.

2. However, He encounters a different situation.

C. Jesus heals the son of nobleman, His second miracle, vs. 46-54.

1. The nobleman sought Jesus to heal his dying son, vs. 46-47.

2. “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” v. 48.

3. The man pleads with Jesus, v. 49.

4. “Go thy way; thy son liveth.” vs. 50-53.

a. The man believed the word of Jesus.

b. News comes of his son’s recovery, v. 51.

c. The time is established, v. 52.

d. His whole house believed, v. 53.

II. THE HEALING OF A MAN BY THE POOL OF BETHESDA.

A. The custom explained, John 5:1-4.

1. It was during a feast of the Jews in Jerusalem, probably the Passover, that this custom was observed.

2. The Jews were ordered by the Lord to attend their religious feast. This probably prompted the Lord to have the Apostle Paul write Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

3. The scene “was a pool (a pond or bath), which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda—the house of mercy; for therein appeared much of the mercy of God to the sick and diseased.” Matthew Henry.

4. “Dr. Lightfoot’s conjecture is that this was the upper pool, Isa. 7:3, and the old pool, Isa. 22:11; that it had been used for washing from ceremonial pollutions, for convenience of which the porches were built to dress and undress in, but it was lately become medicinal.” Matthew Henry

5. It was frequented with sick and cripples (v. 3): “In these lay a great multitude of impotent folks.” Matthew Henry.

B. The man who had an infirmity 38 years.

1. A man that had suffer the loss of all things, even hope, by the time that Jesus had asked him, “Wilt thou be made whole?” v. 7,“ The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.”

2. Sometimes Jesus let us come to the end of ourselves before He works a miracle in our lives.

3. Jesus doesn’t need props such as water, to heal a man, v. 8, “Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. “And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.”

C. The religious crowd were not interested in the fact that a lame man had been made whole, but rather that there seemed to be a violation of the Law – the man was carrying his bed contrary to law, vs. 10-13, 15-18.

1. Much religion is based on the trivial.

2. The WELL BEING of the individual is not considered, but rather their petty man-made doctrines.

3. Jesus had exercised the POWER OF GOD in healing the man, but the only thing the Jews (Pharisees) could see was that he was carrying his bed.

CONCLUSION:

Jesus finds the man in the Temple in v. 14, saying, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” The Lord has healed us of our greatest problem, our sin. We need to consider how we live our lives lest “a worse thing come unto thee.”

THE SAMARITAN–JOHN 4:1-42–LESSON 9

Introduction:

“The Samaritans were “half-breeds,” part Jew and part Gentile. As such, they were considered outcasts and were despised by the Jews. They had their own religious system in Samaria that competed with the claims of the Jews (see 4:20–24) and believed in the coming of the Messiah (4:25). Jesus “needed to go through Samaria” (v. 4) because God had planned for this sinful woman to meet Him and find in Him the water of life. In the interview recorded, we see the different stages by which this woman came to believe in Christ.” (Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines of the New Testament).

I. THE CONTRAST.

A. The Woman was a Samaritan, vs. 3-6.

1. She was of a race that was mixed half Jew and half Gentile.

2. She was a harlot and an outcast, ostracized and marked off as immoral.

3. Chatting at the well was a social highpoint for the women of the village, but she came at noon when the other women would not be there.

B. Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews, John 3:1, 10.

1. He was respected in the community.

2. He was a ruler and probably sat on the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews.

3. He was a teacher of the Law of Moses and very religious.

II. THE GIFT, vs. 7-15.

A. “Give me to drink.” v. 7

1. She is surprised that Jesus, a Jew, would speak to her.

2. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans.

B. “If thou knewest the gift of God” vs. 10-15.

1. If you knew who was speaking to you, you would ask me for water.

2. Nothing with which to draw the water…she is still thinking of the water in the well.

3. “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:” v. 13.

C. Jesus offers the “living waters”, vs. 14-15.

1. Never thirst again

2. “A well of water springing up into everlasting life.” v. 14.

3. “Sir, give me this water,” v. 15.

D. Jesus reveals the Grace of God to the Woman.

1. The woman’s sinful condition is established, vs. 16-18.

2. She attempts to change the subject, vs. 19-20.

3. Jesus reveals a great truth to her, vs. 21-26.

a. Jesus basically says that she does not know what she is talking about.

b. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” v. 24.

c. Jesus reveals who he is to the woman, vs. 25-26.

E. The Samaritan Woman Trust Christ as Savior.

III. THE DIFFERENCES.

A. Nicodemus was a religious man and took pride in keeping the Law. He did not recognize his need for God’s Grace.

1. Jesus spoke to him of his need of a spiritual birth.

2. He took time to explain using Old Testament examples, John 3:14-15.

B. The Samaritan Woman already knew she was a sinner and needed to see herself as a person of worth and value.

1. She was an outcast from her own people.

2. She needed to be wanted, and to be thought of as a person of value.

CONCLUSION:

The evidence that this woman trusted the Lord as her Savior is seen in her spreading the news of the Messiah.

Many came to know Jesus as the Savior by her own testimony.

Isn’t it great to see how the Lord can take some like this woman and change her life and give it meaning again?

He took Nicodemus, a religious but lost Jew, and made him see his need of the Savior as well.

LESSON 10 TO FOLLOW:

“HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE”–JOHN 3:22-36–LESSON 8

Introduction:

Jesus had now gone to the land of Judah outside of Jerusalem, v. 22, “After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.” The Son of God traveled much during His public ministry.

Matthew Henry says, “The Sun of righteousness took a large circuit to diffuse his light and heat, Ps. 19:6, ‘His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.’”

I. JESUS WAS MAKING DISCIPLES AND BAPTIZING THEM

A. Jesus’ public ministry begins to bring fruit.

B. He fulfills what later was to become the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

1. Make disciples, v. 19.

2. Baptize those disciples, v. 19.

3. Teach them to observe all things in the Scriptures, v. 20.

C. “It is noted (v. 24) that John was not yet cast into prison, to clear the order of the story, and to show that these passages are to come in before Mark. 6:24.” (Matthew Henry)

II. A QUESTION FROM JOHN’S DISCIPLES, vs. 25-29

A. He to whom you bare witness… v. 26.

1. He baptizes.

2. All men come to him.

B. This is given unto Him from heaven, vs. 27-29.

1. This is the manifestation of His power from heaven, v. 27, “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.’’

2. “I am not the Christ.” John’s work was to go ahead of the Lord and prepare a people for Him, v. 28; 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6-I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7-So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”

C. I am the friend of the Bridegroom, v. 29; Psalm 45.

1. Jesus has the bride, His Church.

2. John compares himself to the friend of the bridegroom, who attends upon him, to do him honour and service, speaks a good word for him, and uses his interest on his behalf.

III. “HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE

A. John sees clearly his mission and purpose, v. 30.

1. “The friends of the bridegroom must stand, and hear the bridegroom’s voice; must receive instructions from him, and attend his orders; must desire to have proofs of Christ speaking in them, and with them (2 Cor. 13:3); that is the bridegroom’s voice.

2. “The espousing (to give one’s loyalty or support to (a cause, for example); adopt.) of souls to Jesus Christ, in faith and love, is the fulfilling of the joy of every good minister.

If the day of Christ’s espousals be the day of the gladness of his heart, it cannot but be of theirs too who love him and wish well to his honour and kingdom. Surely they have no greater joy.” (Matthew Henry).

B. “I must decrease.” John knew that his ministry was coming to a close and he pointed his disciples to Jesus Christ the Savior.

IV. “HE THAT COMETH FROM HEAVEN IS ABOVE ALL

A. John instructs his disciples regarding the dignity of Christ’s person, v. 31, “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

1. He speaks of divine origin.

2. He infers to His divine sovereignty.

B. The Father has placed all things in His hands, vs. 32-36.

1. Jesus testifies of what the Father has put in His heart, v. 32.

2. He that receives that testimony “hath set to his seal that God is true,” v. 33.

C. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” v. 36.

LESSON 9 TO FOLLOW:

THE “LADDER” BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

JOHN 3:13-18

No one has ever gone into heaven and then come back to earth, able to give clear teaching about divine matters. The one exception is Jesus who is the Son of Man, Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.”

I. THE “LADDER” IS JESUS CHRIST, v. 13.

A. No man has ever gone to heaven and returned.

1. Enoch was taken by God, Genesis 5:23, “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God tookhim.”

a. His testimony was that he walked with God, v. 24.

b. Enoch never died, but was translated directly to heaven, Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

c. Enoch never returned to tell us about heaven.

2. Elijah was carried to heaven by a whirlwind, 2 Kings 2:11, “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

a. Elijah was seen with Moses at the Lord’s transfiguration, Matthew 17:2, “And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3-And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”

b. However, Elijah has not returned to tell us about heaven.

B. Jesus came down from heaven and returned, v. 13, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”

1. He descended from heaven and revealed the Father to us, Matthew 11:27, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

a. He came to do the will of the Father, Hebrews 10:7, “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

b. He came to die that we might live, Matthew 20:19, “And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”

2. He came to reveal the way of salvation, Acts 16:30-31, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

II. THE “LADDER” IS “LIFTED UP,” v. 14.

A. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,” Numbers 21:4-9.

1. Sin brought God’s judgment, v. 5, “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.”

2. God’s judgment brought repentance, vs. 6-7, “And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.”

3. Repentance brought a solution, vs. 8-9, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”

B. “Even so must the Son of man be lifted up,” John 12:32-33, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.”

1. Then you will know who I am, John 8:28, “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”

2. Jesus was “lifted up” on a cross just as Moses lifted up the brass serpent, John 19:17, “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.”

C. That He might taste death for every man, Hebrews 2:9, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

CONCLUSION:

In this we see God’s great love for man. He gave His Only Begotten Son to die in our place. Verse 16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

GOD’S LOVE FOR MANKIND–JOHN 3:14-21–LESSON 7

Introduction:

Jesus continues to talk to Nicodemus about the new birth. He says in verse 12, “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” Now Jesus goes back into Hebrew history to something to which Nicodemus could relate. He speaks of an incident that will show how Jesus would die for the sins of mankind.

I. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,” v. 14

A. The problem that faced Moses in the wilderness, Numbers 21:4-9.

1. The people became discouraged and murmured against Moses, vs. 4-5.

2. They call God’s provision for them “light bread,” v. 5, “And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.”

a. They spoke evil of God’s provision.

b. They call the bread “contemptible, despicable.”

3. God’s judgement fell upon everyone, v. 6, “And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.”

B. The solution to the problem.

1. The people repent, v. 7.

2. Moses is instructed what to do, v. 8, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.”

3. Moses instructs the people to look and live, v. 9, “And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”

a. Brass speaks of judgement.

b. Looking speaks of faith, Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

II. “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish,” v. 15

A. The Son of Man was lifted up on the Cross just as the serpent was lifted up on a pole, “even so must the Son of man be lifted up:”

B. Look in faith, that is, BELIEVING was the key to life in Moses’ day just as it is today.

III. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,” v. 16-18

A. Here God’s love is demonstrated.

1. While we were yet sinners, Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

2. He loved us first, 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us”

B. Here His grace is extended to us, “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

1. God’s purpose was never to destroy the world, v. 17.

2. Trusting Jesus Christ is all that is necessary to be saved from hell, v. 18.

a. Those not condemned, v. 18a, “He that believeth on him is not condemned:”

b. Those already condemned, v. 18b, “but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

CONCLUSION:

The solution to the whole problem discussed with Nicodemus is faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

LESSON 8 TO FOLLOW: