Sermons by Art Davison

VERILY, VERILY GREAT TRUTHS

JOHN 8:51

“Verily, verily” at the beginning of a discourse means “surely, truly,” or “of a truth.” At the end of a discourse it means “so it is, so be it,” or “may it be fulfilled.” It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed, or had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded “Amen,” and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own.

There are 25 occurrences of the expression “verily, verily,” all in the Gospel of John. The word “verily” is used in other places, but in these 25 verses the word is doubled calling attention to an important thought that the Lord wants to convey to His hearers.

I. REGARDING SALVATION

A. You must be born again, John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

B. How you are born again, John 3:5, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

1. The hearing of the Word of God, John 5:25, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”

a. Those dead in sin, Ephesians 2:1, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”

b. Hearing the Word brings faith, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

2. The believing of God’s Word, John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

a. You have eternal life immediately, John 3:36, “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.”

b. You shall never come into condemnation, John 3:18, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

c. You have passed from death to life, 1 John 3:14, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”

C. Believing in Jesus Christ, John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

II. REGARDING SIN

A. “I tell you the Truth (verily, verily) about sin, John 8:34, “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

1. The servant of sin, Romans 6:16, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

2. But thank the Lord you obeyed the truth, Romans 6:17-18, “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

B. Sin had made us the enemies of God, but we were reconciled to God by His Son, Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

1. We have been declared righteous, Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

2. The problem of our justification was resolved by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross, Romans 3:25-26, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

III. REGARDING UNBELIEF

A. You did not believe Me, Jesus said, John 3:11, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.”

B. Nicodemus was religious but had no knowledge of spiritual things, John 3:9-10, “Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

1. Paul speaks of his ignorant unbelief, 1 Timothy 1:13. “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

2. Nicodemus came to know the truth and believed on Jesus Christ and was at the Lord’s burial, John 19:39-40, “And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”

CONCLUSION:

There is much more regarding the expression “verily, verily” in the book of John. We have only touched on a couple of area of these great truths.

TO WORSHIP IN TRUTH
JOHN 4:19-26

As the Lord speaks to the Samaritan women He brings a new perspective on the worship of God. Here he describes what it is to worship the Lord in truth. Salvation comes to the women as well as a new understanding of what worship is all about and to whom that worship is to be directed.

I. TRUE WORSHIP

A. Jesus condemned the worship of the Jews, Matthew 15:9, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

1. Jewish tradition had taken the place of statutes of God, Matthew 15:2-3, “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?”

2. Jesus showed how the religious leaders had nullified the commandment of the Lord, Mark 7:11-13, “But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”

B. Jesus said the Samaritans did not know what they worshipped, John 4:22, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”

1. They were not the vehicle for the salvation of mankind, Romans 9:4-5, “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”

2. Salvation is through Jesus Christ who was born of the seed of Abraham, Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;”

C. Jesus defines true worship, John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

1. “God is a spirit,” is a declaration of His invisible nature. He is not confined to one location.

2. Jesus has declare Him, John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

a. Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed a new birth, John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

b. The Spirit opens to the believer a new realm of the Kingdom of God, John 7:38-39, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

II. JESUS IS THE TRUTH OF GOD

A. Jesus declares Himself to be the Truth, John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

B. John the Baptist bore witness of the Truth, John 5:31-33, “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.”

C. God’s truth endures forever, Psalm 117:2, “For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.”

III. THROUGH JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO WORSHIP THE FATHER

A. Jesus declares the Father, John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

1. Jesus reveals Himself, v. 26; John 9:35-37, “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.”

2. Jesus reveals the Father, 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.”

3. Jesus reveals the only way to the Father, Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

B. The Father declares the Son, Matthew 3:16-17, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

1. We are told “hear ye Him,” Matthew 17:5, “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

2. Many want to hear Him, Luke 15:1, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.”

a. Some were very attentive, Luke 19:48, “And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.”

b. Some even came out early in the morning to hear Him, Luke 21:38, “And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.”

CONCLUSION:

Do we really worship the Lord in truth and in Spirit? Many are not willing to trouble themselves, but the Lord’s people come even early in the morning to worship Him.

God has been good to revebe able to worship Him today.al the truth to us that we might

THREE THOUGHTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

JOHN 14:1-3

Introduction:

Why were the disciples’ hearts troubled? Christ had told them He was leaving them (13:33), that one of them was a traitor, and that Peter would fail Him (13:36–38).

Jesus was encouraging His disciples to trust Him. The disciples had grown very close to Lord and would miss Him so He was preparing them for when He would be gone.

Here the Lord Jesus speaks of a PERSON, a PLACE, and a PROMISE.

I. A PERSON — THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF

A. Believe in Me, John 12:44, “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.”

1. You trusted Christ as your Savior, Ephesians 1:12, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

2. Now He asked His disciples to trust Him even more, Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

a. God’s ways are not easily understood, Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

1) God’s plan is something people would have never dreamed of, 1 Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

2) Waiting upon God in faith and trust, is an evidence of love for him, Isaiah 25:9, “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

b. Therefore, we wait by faith, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”

c. We walk by faith also, Hebrews 11:8, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.”

B. Jesus will be the central figure of heaven.

1. He sits at the right hand of God, Mark 16:19, “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”

2. He is the King of Kings, Revelation 17:14, “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

C. His presence is what makes it special.

1. For God is love, 1 John 4:8, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

2. For God is holy, Leviticus 20:26, “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.”

3. For Jesus is holy:

a. He knew no sin, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

b. He did no sin, 1 Peter 2:22, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”

c. He took away our sin, 1 John 3:5, “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

D. The separation from Jesus will only be temporary, v. 3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

II. A PLACE: HEAVEN

A. “My Father’s House,” v. 2; 2 Corinthians 5:1, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

1. A place of perfect joy,

2. A place of Peace,

3. A place of beauty,

B. A better place, Hebrews 11:16, “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

C. A place of “many mansions,” v. 2; Genesis 26:22, “And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth [room]; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

III. A PROMISE

A. The promise is that all who believe on Him have God’s guarantee of eternal life, John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

B. The promise that they would be with Him, John 17:24, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

CONCLUSION:

Trust in the Lord. He has never fail us nor will he ever. He has prepared us a place in heaven and soon He will come again.

THE WITNESSES OF CHRIST

JOHN 5:31-47

Introduction:

Jesus had healed the impotent man on the Sabbath and this cause the Jews to want to kill Jesus. At first the man healed didn’t know who it was that had healed him. Upon discovering who healed him he shared the blessing with the Jews. However, their interest was not in his healing, but rather, that the Lord had done it on the Sabbath.

We enter the conversation in the middle here to bring out some facts about who Jesus is. The Jews did not know who he was, but knew of Him. They were afraid of Jesus.

I. JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A WITNESS

A. John was a burning and a shining light, v. 35, “He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.”

1. A man sent from God, John 1:6-8, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.”

2. John was a just and holy man, Mark 6:20, “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”

B. His witness is true, vs. 32, “There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

1. John’s witness was true, v. 33, “Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.”

2. John identified who Jesus was, John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

II. THERE IS A GREATER WITNESS

A. The works that I do are a greater witness, John 9:30, “The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.”

1. Nicodemus recognized His works, John 3:2, “The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”

2. Many saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead, John 11:37, 43-44, “And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? 43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”

3. Many miracles were not recorded, but these were cause you to believe, John 20:30-31, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

B. The Jews did not believe Him, John 10:25-26, “Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.”

1. The Word of God did not abide in them, v. 38, “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”

2. They were blind leaders of the blind, Matthew 15:14, “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

III. THE WITNESS OF THE SCRIPTURES

A. Search the Scriptures, v. 39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

1. Many of the Jews were doctors of the Law, Luke 5:17, “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”

2. They had the key of knowledge of the truth, Luke 11:52, “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.”

B. Moses accuses you, vs. 45-46, “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”

1. If you had believed Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;”

a. But they did not “hearken,” v. 47, “But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

b. It wasn’t that they could not believe, v. 40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”

c. They were seeking their own honor, v. 44, “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”

d. They loved their way of life, John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

e. Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in them, John 12:37, “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

CONCLUSION:

The Jews refused to believe the Lord’s Word. Even when the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled before them their hearts were too hard to believe God’s Word.

THE WITNESS

JOHN 1:6-8, 14-36

Introduction:

There have been few men like as John the Baptist. The Lord Jesus honored him after John had been martyred by saying, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” Matthew 11:11a.

John was God’s chosen witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a man sent from God with a message and a mission.

I. A MAN SENT FROM GOD

A. His name was John and his title was The Baptist, Matthew 3:1, “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,”

1. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth, Luke 1:15, “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.”

2. Many of the people of Israel would he bring back to God, Matthew 3:5-6, “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

B. He was more than a Prophet, Matthew 11:9-10, “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”

C. He was God’s messenger, Malachi 3:1, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”

II. A MAN WITH A MESSAGE

A. The message was like the fire of God in the Prophet Jeremiah, Jeremiah 20:9, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

B. His Message: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:1-2, “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

1. God had been silent for 400 years.

2. Now a Prophet that had come in the spirit of Elijah, Luke 1:17, “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

III. A MAN WITH A MISSION

A. Prepare the Way for the Christ, John 1:22-23, “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

B. To make ready a people prepared for the Lord, Luke 1:17, “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

1. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, Malachi 4:6, “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

2. To turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, Isaiah 29:24, “They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.”

C. To Identify the Lamb of God…

1. For the people of Israel, John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

b. The common folks, Matthew 3:5-6, “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

2. For John’s the Baptist disciples, John 1:35-36, “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”

a. Here was the Messiah, John 1:41, “He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”

b. Here was the Author and Finisher of their faith, Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

CONCLUSION:

John the Baptist was a great witness for the Lord. His life and ministry was short, but he fulfilled the will of God in life. Few men have had the dedication and consecration that John the Baptist had during his life. He was totally sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. John prepared a people for the Lord.

2. He identified the Christ for his disciples.

3. He said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30.