Sermons by Art Davison

THE DESIGN OF JESUS’ DEATH
JOHN 10:1-10

Key verse: v. 10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Introduction:

This chapter of John continues the discourse of the Good Shepherd. Comparing people to a shepherd and his sheep was common in the Middle East. Kings and priests called themselves shepherds and their subjects, sheep. Many of the great men of the Old Testament were shepherds (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David). As national leaders, Moses and David were both “shepherds” over Israel.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has a particular purpose or design in mind for His sheep. That design was life for those who would receive it by faith in Jesus We shall explore this design in the Scriptures today.

I. THE MINISTRY OF THE GREAT SHEPHERD

A. To give life to the world, John 3:17, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

1. He came to find the lost, Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

2. Jesus came to save the lost, Matthew 18:11, “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”

B. To be a ransom for those enslaved in sin, Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

C. To take away the sin of the world, 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.”

1. To remit (forgive or pardon) those sins, Matthew 26:28, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

2. To forgive those sins by laying down His own life for them, John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

II. THE DESIGN OF THE GREAT SHEPHERD

A. To be the Light of the world, John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

B. To be a light to Jew and Gentile, Acts 26:23, “That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”

1. To the Jew first, Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

2. To the Gentile also, Isaiah 42:1, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.”

C. To introduce the Grace of God through redemption in Jesus Christ, Romans 3:24-25, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 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;”

1. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, John 1:17, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

2. We are saved by His grace, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

a. This grace has appeared to all men, Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”

b. The Gospel of Christ has been preached to the world, 1 Timothy 2:4-6, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

3. We are justified through His grace, Romans 3:24, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

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

b. He was delivered for our sins, Romans 4:25, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

c. We have been justified in the name of Jesus, 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

CONCLUSION:

The design of the Lord was to die for the sins of the world and save those that would believe on Jesus Christ as their Savior. God’s people continue to preach the Gospel though out the world to every creature.

God has no changed His mind and continues to saved those that will come unto Him for salvation.

DARKNESS 3

JOHN 12:44-50

Introduction:

The Lord brought man out of darkness according to the psalmist: Psalm 107:14-16, “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.”

Jesus did that on Calvary’s Cross when He gave His life to save men from Hell. However, there is much darkness in this world yet.

I. DARKNESS IS A SYMBOL OF DEATH

A. The shadow of death, Job 10:21, “Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;”

B. The grave, Job 17:13, “If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.”

1. In death there is no remembrance of God, Psalm 6:5, “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”

2. There is sorrow in death, Psalm 18:4-5, “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.”

3. The Lord Jesus was brought to the “dust of death” to save us from hell, Psalm 22:15-18, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

II. JESUS CHRIST BROUGHT LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS

A. He opened the blind eyes, Isaiah 42:7, “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”

1. He brought the blind by a way they knew not, Isaiah 42:16, “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

2. Then their eyes shall be opened, Isaiah 35:5, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”

3. They shall be like blind Bartimaeus, Mark 10:51-52, “And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

4. Jesus will never forsake His people, Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

a. The righteous will not be forsaken, Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

b. The Lord preserves the saints, Psalm 37:28, “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off,”

c. There is no need to fear, Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

B. Jesus is the Light of the world, John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

1. He is the True Light, John 1:9, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

2. The darkness is past, 1 John 2:8, “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

CONCLUSION:

The darkness is past and the True Light shines now. There is no reason why men should go to hell without Jesus Christ as Savior. The Apostle Paul wrote in 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.” The darkness is past forever.

DARKNESS 2

JOHN 12:44-50

Introduction:

This is the second message entitled “Darkness.” The Lord said that men love darkness because their deed are evil, 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.”

Darkness gives everyone an eerie feeling. It scares children. There is something about darkness that we just don’t like. Let consider a few things about darkness from the Scriptures.

I. DARKNESS IS A SYMBOL OF IGNORANCE

A. A great darkness, Matthew 6:23, “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”

1. Men walk in darkness, Psalm 82:5, “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.”

a. He leaves the path of uprightness, Proverbs 2:13, “Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;”

b. He that walks in darkness is a fool, Ecclesiastes 2:14. “The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.”

2. Man sits in darkness, Psalm 107:10, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;”

a. Sin binds man, Job 36:8, “And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;”

b. The Lord shows the need for repentance of sin, Matthew 4:16-17, “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

B. A great light, Isaiah 9:2, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

1. The Lord shall arise, Isaiah 60:2, “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

2. He will bring healing, Malachi 4:2, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.”

3. The Lord brought him out of darkness, Psalm 107:14-16, “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.”

II. DARKNESS IS A SYMBOL OF DEATH

A. The shadow of death, Job 10:21, “Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;”

B. The grave, Job 17:13, “If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.”

1. In death there is no remembrance of God, Psalm 6:5, “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”

2. There is sorrow in death, Psalm 18:4-5, “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.”

3. The Lord Jesus was brought to the “dust of death” to save us from hell, Psalm 22:15-18, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

III. JESUS CHRIST BROUGHT LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS

A. He opened the blind eyes, Isaiah 42:7, “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”

1. He brought the blind by a way they knew not, Isaiah 42:16, “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

2. Then their eyes shall be opened, Isaiah 35:5, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”

3. They shall be like blind Bartimaeus, Mark 10:51-52, “And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

4. Jesus will never forsake His people, Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

a. The righteous will not be forsaken, Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

b. The Lord preserves the saints, Psalm 37:28, “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off,”

c. There is not need to fear, Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

CONCLUSION:

The darkness is past, 1 John 2:8, “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.” There is no nee to fear because Jesus Christ has died that we might live. He became sin for us, 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.” The darkness is past forever.

DARKNESS

JOHN 12:44-50

Introduction:

It was 9:00 AM when Jesus was crucified, Mark 15:25,“And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.” The Lord hung there on the Cross of Calvary for three hours suffering and then God turned out the lights. It was dark from noon until 3:00 PM, Mark 15:33, “And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.”

I. DARKNESS IS A SYMBOL OF THE JUDGMENT OF SIN

Matthew 27:45, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.”

A. God turned out the lights of heaven, Luke 23:44, “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.”

NOTE: “Darkness sometimes precedes earthquakes and one came at this time or dense masses of clouds may have obscured the sun’s light.” — A. T. Robertson

A. The darkness manifested the fact that the Lord COULD NOT LOOK ON as His Son bore our sins.

1. The Lord’s question, Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

2. The Father’s answer, 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.”

3. God CANNOT LOOK upon our sin, Habakkuk 1:13a, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:”

a. God does not take pleasure in wickedness, Psalm 5:4, “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.”

b. God is a holy God, 1 Peter 1:15-16, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

II. DARKNESS IS A SYMBOL OF THE JUDGMENTS THAT ATTEND ON THE COMING OF THE LORD

A. The Day of the Lord cometh, Isaiah 13:9-10, “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.”

1. This will be the beginning of sorrow, Matthew 24:8, “All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

2. It will be a time of darkness and sorrow, Isaiah 5:30, “And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.”

3. It will be a day of punishment, Isaiah 24:21, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.”

B. After the tribulation of those days, Matthew 24:29, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”

III. DARKNESS IS A SYMBOL OF MISERY AND ADVERSITY

A. The UNBELIEVER sits in darkness as a prisoner in a dungeon, Psalm 107:10, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;”

1. These saw a great light, Matthew 4:16, “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.”

2. It is the LIGHT that GUIDES the feet into the WAY of peace, Luke 1:79, “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

B. Sin DRIVES men to TROUBLE and darkness, Isaiah 8:22, “And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.”

1. Men LOVE darkness, 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.”

2. “Works of darkness” are impure actions, Ephesians 5:11, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

a. The Believer is admonished not to be involved in them, Ephesians 5:7-8, “Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”

b. Believers are to AVOID the wicked, Proverbs 4:14-15, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.”

3. The darkness of sin shuts out our prayers from the Lord, Lamentations 3:6-8, “He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. 7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. 8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.”

C. Rejection of Christ as Savior sends men to Hell or “outer darkness,” Matthew 8:12, “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

CONCLUSION:

“Outer darkness” refers to the darkness of the streets in the East, which are never lighted up by any public or private lamps after nightfall, in contrast with the blaze of cheerful light in the house. It is a darkness you can feel.

Christ is the way of escape if you will only trust Him.

CONFUSED AND UNSURE OF THE FUTURE

JOHN 21:1-14

Introduction:

The disciples were badly confused after the crucifixion of the Lord. They were scattered as the Lord said they would be, Matthew 26:31, “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” They had gone through some difficult things.

After the resurrection of the Lord and he began to show Himself to the disciples at different times things got better. However, soon after the resurrection some were still at a loss as to what to do.

I. THE DISCIPLES HAD EXPERIENCED A TUMULTUOUS SERIES OF EVENTS

A. The Triumphal Entry, John 12:9-19.

B. The expectation of a New Kingdom.

1. The Jews expected it, John 6:15, When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”

2. The disciples expected it, Acts 1:6-7, “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”

C. A betrayal by a trusted friend.

1. The Lord knew who it would be, John 13:11, “For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.”

2. The disciples did not know that it was Judas Iscariot, Matthew 26:21-22, “And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me . 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I ? He said unto him, Thou hast said.”

D. Their near arrest, John 18:8-9, “Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9 -That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.”

E. The denial of Jesus by their leader Peter, John 18:17, 25. 27, “Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not…25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it , and said, I am not…27- Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.”

F. The agonizing crucifixion of Jesus.

1. The various trials of Jesus, John 18:12-13, “Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 13- And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.”

2. Finally His death on the cross, John 19:16-18, “Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.”

G. The Resurrection.

1. The promise that the disciples did not understand, Mark 8:31-33, “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.”

2. The Joy of the disciples upon seeing the Resurrected Christ, John 20:20, “And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.”

II. SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

A. Jesus had promised to meet His disciples in Galilee, Matthew 28:7, “And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.”

B. Peter and the disciples went to Galilee and went fishing not knowing what else to do, vs. 2-3.

1. Some were partners in fishing before, Luke 5:10, “And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”

2. So they returned to their trade, but without success, vs. 3-5.