THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

HEAVEN

JOHN 14:1-3; PHILIPPIANS 3:20

The old Negro spiritual says, “Ev’rybody talkin’ ‘bout Heav’n ain’t goin’ there.” Heaven is the place everyone wants to go to and that is good. However, God has put one requirement on those who would go to Heaven – faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

Heaven is a great place. It is the hope of every believer in Christ. It is called a place of rest. It is said to be beautiful. There the Tree of Life stands beside the River of Life. Let us examine what the Bible says about Heaven.

I. THE PLACE WHERE GOD IS

A. Where God’s throne is, Psalm 11:4, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.”

1. From heaven He beholds man, Psalm 33:13, “The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.”

2. From heaven He searches the heart of man, Jeremiah 17:10, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

3. Man cannot hid from the Lord, Jeremiah 23:24, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.”

B. The Lord called it “paradise.”

1. To the repentant thief on the cross, Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

2. It is where the man in Paul’s vision was caught up to, 2 Corinthians 12:4, “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

3. It is where the Tree of Life is, Revelation 2:7, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

II. THE PLACE OF ETERNAL HOPE

A. Our hope is beyond this life, 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

1. Hope in Christ, Ephesians 1:12-13, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”

2. We have confidence in our Saviour, 2 Timothy 1:12, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

B. We wait for the hope of righteousness, Galatians 5:5,“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

C. We are saved by hope, Romans 8:24-25, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

III. THE PLACE OF THE REDEEMED

A. Where the Redeemed will sing of God’s glory, Revelation 15:3, “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. “

1. The Lord is my strength and song, Exodus 15:2, “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

2. Who is like thee O Lord? Exodus 15:11, “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

B. Where we will worship our Lord, Revelation 5:9, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”

1. With a new song, Revelation 14:3, “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”

2. For He gave His life as a ransom for us, 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. Where we will serve the Lord, Revelation 22:3, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:”

1. We shall see His face, Revelation 22:4, “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”

2. We shall see Him as He is, 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3. There we will serve our Saviour, John 12:26, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”

D. Where we will fellowship with the saints forever, Matthew 17:3, “And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”

1. Fellowship in one accord, Philippians 2:1-2, “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

2. We will fellowship with the Father and the Son, 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

CONCLUSION:

This is our hope. This is what we wait patiently for in anticipation of that perfect fellowship with Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:9 that we are called to this fellowship saying, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” Heaven is a wonderful place.

YE ARE NOT ALL CLEAN

JOHN 13:1-11

Jesus makes His final preparations before going to the Cross of Calvary. He gathers His disciples and washes their feet. Peter objects and the Lord explains saying, “ye are not all clean.” Note the word “ye” is you plural, “you all.” Among the disciples there was someone who was not converted to Christ.

Jesus knew who he was and what he was about to do that the Scriptures might be fulfilled which say, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” Psalm 41:9.

I. THE PROPHESY

Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

A. Jesus came to redeem mankind from sin, Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

B. Satan is and has been determined to destroy the work of God.

1. He blasphemes the name of the Lord, Psalm 74:10, “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?”

2. He tempts men to sin against God:

a. He tempted the Lord, but without success, Matthew 4:1, 10-11, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”

b. He tempts man everyday, James 1:13-14, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

C. Satan is the Deceiver of this world, Revelation 12:9, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

D. Satan was to “bruise” the heel of the seed of the woman, Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

1. Satan would cripple mankind with temptation to sin, (you will strike at his heel).

2. But the Seed, CHRIST, would deliver the FATAL BLOW (He will crush your head).

II. THE PERPETRATOR

A. Judas had rejected the life giving, cleansing words of Jesus, John 6:63, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

B. He had not been cleansed by the Word of the Lord as were the other Apostles, John 15:3, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

1. The Lord knew his heart, John 2:25, “And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”

2. Jesus knew his past and his present, John 4:29,“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”

a. Judas was chosen to fulfill the Scriptures, John 13:18, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.”

b. The Lord knew his character, John 12:4-6, “Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”

c. Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, John 6:64, “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

1) Judas was not one of the Lord’s true disciples, 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

2) Many professed disciples walked away from the Lord’s message, John 6:66, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

d. Judas was clean in his own eyes, Proverbs 30:12, “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.”

e. Judas was the son of perdition, John 17:12, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

C. Judas finally betrayed the Lord as the Lord knew he would.

1. The sign of betrayal, Matthew 26:48, “Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.”

2. The deed done, Matthew 26:49, “And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.”

CONCLUSION:

The Lord had said “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” John 13:10. One person was not clean among the Lord’s disciples. That one was Judas Iscariot and he was the one Satan used to betray the Lord.

God uses even His enemies to accomplish His will. If Christ has not been betrayed and crucified on Calvary we would be in our sins today without hope.

HE THAT LOVES ME

JOHN 14:15-24

Key verse: v. 21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Introduction:

The Lord was preparing to be crucified, to be buried and resurrected, and then to return to the Father.

The Lord promises that he would continue his care of His disciples (v. 18): “I will not leave you comfortless:” that is, orphans, or fatherless; for, though I leave you, yet I leave you this comfort, “I will come to you.’’

Here Jesus separates the Believers from the Professors. Here the Lord declares how others will know who is the TRUE Believer.

I. “HE THAT HATH MY COMMANDMENTS”

A. Jesus gave His commandments to His followers, v. 21.

1. They were His friends, John 15:14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

2. They were His followers, Matthew 5:1, “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:”

B. To His followers Jesus gives His promises:

1. The Father will send another in My place, v. 16, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

a. Who is this “Comforter”? v. 17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

b. What will He do?

1) He shall testify of me, John 16:14-15, “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

2) He will guide you into all truth, John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

3) The Spirit of God will do more, John 16:8-11, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

2. Because I live, you shall live also, 1 John 4:4-5, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.”

II. HE THAT LOVES ME WILL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS

A. The True Believer is manifested by his love by keeping God’s commandments, John 15:9-10, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

B. The True Believer will keep the Lord’s Word, Romans 1:5, “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

1. Here is the proof of our salvation, 1 John 2:3, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”

2. We do those things that are pleasing in His sight, 1 John 3:22, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

3. The believer does not find God’s commandments grievous, 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

III. BECAISE WE LOVE JESUS WE ARE LOVED BY THE FATHER

A. Christian love is manifested as a believer obeys the Lord’s words, v. 23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

B. The Father will show His love to the believer, Proverbs 8:17, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

C. Thus we have Christ’s love, v. 23.

1. As our Mediator, 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

2. As our Advocate, 1 John 2:1, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

3. As our Example:

a. Of humility, Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

b. Of unity, John 17:21-22, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:”

c. Of self-sacrifice, Romans 15:2-3, “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”

d. Of perfection and maturity, Ephesians 4:13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

CONCLUSION:

The greatest experience in this world is to know Jesus Christ as Savior. To know His love is to come to know what true is. He has given His all to save our souls from Hell and to give us a home in Heaven, in the very presence of God the Father. There is no greater love than this.

GOD’S LOVE

JOHN 15:9-16

Introduction:

Here the Lord discusses the greatest need among His people – to love one another. That love is based on His love for us. He gives us an example by showing us His love for His Son, Jesus Christ.

We see God’s love in His sending “His only begotten Son” to die for us. Here we will look more closely at His love and how it should be manifested in us as His children.

I. “GOD IS LOVE”

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

A. “The Father LOVES the Son,” John 5:20, “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.”

B. “God so LOVED the world,” John 3:16, “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.”

1. We who believe are called to live in a fellowship of Love with God AND our fellow-believers, John 13:34, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

2. And our fellow-men, 1 Thessalonians 3:12, “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:”

3. This IS NOT following a NATURAL inclination, Romans 5:5, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

4. But it expresses our NEW NATURE in FELLOWSHIP with our Lord as we walk in the Spirit, Galatians 5:13, 22, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”

II. WALK IN LOVE,

Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

A. It is the BOND (that which binds together) of PERFECTION (moral and spiritual), Colossians 3:14, “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

B. We are TAUGHT of God to love one another, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”

III. TO HAVE LOVE IS TO ACT LOVINGLY

A. As God does towards His ENEMIES, Romans 5:6-8, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

B. “As I have love you,” John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

C. Loving one another fulfills the Law, Romans 13:8, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” See 1 John 4:7-21.

D. Such Love is a RESPONSE to God’s Love for us, John 14:15, 21, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

E. It is our DELIBERATE CHOICE to share our life with Him IN OBEDIENCE, John 14:23, Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

1. This is good evidence of salvation, 1 John 2:5, “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

2. His commandments are not GRIEVOUS or BURDENSOME, John 5:2-3, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

a. An obedient believer will seek the welfare of all, LOVEABLE or NOT, as found in Romans 15:1-7:

b. He seeks NOT to please himself, v. 1, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

c. But to please his NEIGHBOR, v. 2, “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

d. Christ pleased not himself, v. 3, For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

e. The Lord has INSTRUCTED us in His Word, vs. 4-7,For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”

CONCLUSION:

The actions listed are good in themselves but Paul reminds us that without love they are useless. Using them in Love gives value to gifts, devotion, and sacrifice. They see themselves as spiritual in things they are proud of.

FATHER, THE WORLD HAS NOT KNOWN YOU (2)

JOHN 17:25-26

Introduction:

The Lord is concluding His prayer to the Father on behalf of His disciples. He declares the UNBELIEF OF THE WORLD, but note that His disciples know the Father for He has revealed the Father to them, v.26, “And I have declared unto them thy name.”

That message continues to be preached and taught today as it was in the Lord’s day. It will be preached until the Lord returns for His people and during the Tribulation period also. That message is …

I. THERE IS NO OTHER GOD

A. The Lord has DECLARED Himself, Isaiah 45:21, “Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD ? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.”

1. A JUST God, Jeremiah 23:5, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”

2. He will NOT sin, Zephaniah 3:5, “The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.”

B. He is the ONLY SAVIOR, Isaiah 43:3, 11, “For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”

1. There is NO OTHER NAME among men that will save, 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.”

2. Jesus is the GREAT GOD and SAVIOR, Titus 2:13-14, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

II. GOD REVEALED HIMSELF THROUGH PREACHING

A. What men consider FOOLISHNESS, 1 Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

1. Foolishness to the LOST, 1 Corinthians 1:23, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”

2. It is the POWER of God to salvation for the believer, 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.”

B. The BRILLIANCE of man CANNOT APPRECIATE the plan of God, 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 ways are BEYOND man’s ways, Romans 11:33-34, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?”

2. God’s THOUGHTS are BEYOND man’s thoughts, Psalm 40:5, “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”

C. God has REVEALED Himself through His SON, 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.”

1. God has put EVERYTHING into the hands of His Son, John 3:35, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.”

2. Jesus reveals the Father to us, 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.”

3. It is Jesus who INVITES the SINNER to come to Him for REST, Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

4. It is the SON that offers PEACE to the sinner, Luke 7:48-50, “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”