THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

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.

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRE

JOHN 12:12-16

Introduction:

The occasion was the last Passover feast that the Lord would participate in. There were many people from many places. It was dangerous for the Lord to be there, however, He was preparing for His death on the Cross.

Previously Jesus had rejected the role of a political Messiah (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.”).

But, the people thought, perhaps now was the right moment. Jerusalem was the city of the great King and He was coming to it.

I. RESPECT PAID BY THE COMMON FOLKS

John 12:12-13, “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

A. These were common folks who had heard Him in the streets, 1 Corinthians 1:27, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

B. The Occasion was the Passover, John 11:55-56, “And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?” The way they expressed their respect.

1. The palms branch is a sign of victory and triumph, John 12:13, “Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

2. They cried with load voices:

a. “Hosanna,” Matthew 21:9,“And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” This was a customary form of acclamation at the feast of Tabernacles, Compare Psalm 118:25, “Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.”

b. It means “Salvation to our God,” Revelation 7:10, “And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”

c. They identified Jesus, “Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord,” John 1:49, “Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”

II. THE KING IS COMING

A. All the prophets bore witness of His first coming, Zechariah 9:9,“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

1. He came in a lowly manner, “upon a colt the foal of an ass,” 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.”

2. His disciples DID NOT UNDERSTAND until later why Jesus did this, John 12:16, “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.”

B. We will be witnesses of His Second Coming, Acts 1:10-11, “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

1. The Lord will descend with a SHOUT, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “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:”

2. We will HEAR THE TRUMP of God sound, 1 Corinthians 15:52, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

3. We will 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.”

4. We will go to A MANSION prepared for us, John 14:2-3, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

C. Then Jesus comes back to the earth as the King riding a white horse, Revelation 19:11, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”

1. At that coming he enters with all of the POMP of the KING OF KINGS, Revelation 19:16, “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

2. We will REIGN WITH HIM a thousand years, Revelation 20:4, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

CONCLUSION:

Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day on a donkey. He came as the Saviour ready to die for the sins of mankind. The next time we see Him coming He will be riding that great white horse coming as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will come victorious and rule from the throne of David.

THE TRIALS OF THE KING

JOHN 18:28-38

Introduction:

Jesus was tried 6 times during a period of 24 hours. Let us look at these different trials and the events that took place around them.

I. JESUS WAS TRIED 3 TIMES BEFORE RELIGIOUS GROUPS

A. Before Annas, John 18:12-14.

1. Annas had been appointed high priest by Quirinius, governor of Syria, in A.D. 6 and remained until he was deposed by Valerius Gratus, procurator of Judea, in A.D. 15.

2. Annas was succeeded by five of his sons and by his son-in-law Caiaphas, Acts 4:6, “And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.”

3. At the trial of Jesus we find Annas conducting a preliminary investigation before the official trial by Caiaphas, John 18:13–24.

4. When Luke says that the high priest was Annas and Caiaphas, the singular is probably deliberate, indicating that, though Caiaphas was the high priest officially appointed by Rome, his father-in-law shared his high-priestly power, Luke 3:2, “Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

B. Before Caiaphas, Matthew 26:57-69.

1. The delay of the trial before Annas apparently gave Caiaphas time to assemble the “Sanhedrin” quickly, Matthew 26:59, “Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;”

2. The purpose of Jesus’ trials was to find some legal basis on which to condemn Him to death.

a. Judas’ testimony was crucial to the religious leaders’ case, but he was nowhere to be found.

b. Other witnesses were sought against Jesus, a highly unusual court procedure, attempting to find anything that would make Him worthy of death, Matthew 26:60, “But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,”

c. Finally two witnesses agreed that Jesus had once said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days, John 2:19, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

C. Before the Sanhedrin, Matthew 27:1-2, “When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.”

1. Jesus’ first Jewish trials occurred under the cover of darkness.

2. Since Jewish law required trials to be conducted during the day, the chief priests and the elders of the people realized an official trial was necessary.

II. JESUS WAS TRIED 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE CIVIL AUTHROITIES

A. Before Pilate, John 18:28-38.

1. His character.

a. Even pagan historians mention Pilate only in connection with his authorization of the death of Jesus: his only appearance on the stage of history is as procurator of Judaea.

b. Philo describes him as ‘by nature rigid and stubbornly harsh’ and ‘of spiteful disposition and an exceeding wrathful man’.

c. Pilate was hated by the Jews for his harshness and the fact that he was a Gentile ruling over them.

2. His power.

a. Since the Jewish council did not have the legal right to put Jesus to death, the case had to be brought before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.

b. At this time Pilate refused to be their executioner.

1) He knew what was going on. He had seen the Triumphal Entry a few days earlier.

2) He knew that envy was the cause of their accusation against Jesus, Matthew 27:18, “For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.”

B. Before Herod, Luke 23:6-12.

1. Jesus’ fame had reached Herod, v. 8, “And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him:”

2. Jesus refused to respond, v. 9, “Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.”

3. Herod and his men mistreat Jesus and return Him to Pilate, v. 11, “And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.”

C. Before Pilate, John 18:39-19:6.

1. Pilate finds no fault in Jesus, v. 38, “Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.”

2. The Jews are offered a choice, v. 39.

3. The Jews reject Jesus, v. 40.

4. Pilate scourges Jesus and dresses Him as a king, John 19:1-5.

5. The response by the Jews: Crucify Him! and Pilate acquiesces, John 19:6-18.