JOHN the Apostle’s spiritual journey to recognizing that Jesus is the Son of God Outline of John The Prologue (1:1-18) Jesus Before the World (1:19-12:50) Jesus with His Own (13-20) Epilogue (21) Gospel of John PURPOSE of JOHN: John 20:31-32 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Outline of John Jesus Before the World (1:19-12:50) Calling Disciples (1:19-2:11) The Temple and Nicodemus (2:12-3:21) An interlude in Judea (3:22-36) The Samaritan woman & the nobleman (4) The man at the pool of Bethesda (5) Feeding the multitude (6) Confrontation in Jerusalem (7-8) The blind man and the shepherd's sheep (9-10) The raising of Lazarus (11:1-54) Preparations for the Passover (11:55-12:50) John 5:1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews Galilee John 5:2-5 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, Sheep Gate John 5:2-5 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Sheep Gate Pool of Bethesda (house of kindness) 1 2 3 4 5 John 5:3-5 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Pool of Bethesda (house of kindness) Biblical Explanations for Suffering Living in a Fallen World Rejection of Christ by a Fallen World Personal Sin Sins of Others Satan God God Get our attention Personal Growth Keep us humble Comfort others in like circumstances Bring Glory to God Work His Will Dealing with Personal Suffering Is it related to personal sin? Is God trying to get your attention? Are you full of spiritual pride? Look for opportunities: to praise God if you are counted worthy to suffer for Him for personal growth for comforting others with similar problems for bringing Glory to God Dealing with Personal Suffering Recognize: It may not be related to anything you have done or have control over It may not be removed! (2 Cor 12:8-9) God’s grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9) and He will not test you beyond what He knows you can bear (1 Cor 10:13) Dealing with Personal Suffering Recognize: God understands our suffering because He has suffered in every way (Heb 2:17-18) All suffering is nothing compared to eternity with Christ Rom 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. “The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not!” C.S. Lewis Sign #3 “Do whatever He tells you” He took Jesus at His Word Pick up your mat and walk! (on a Sabbath, because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath!) John 5:16-47 Truett Cathy Closed on Sundays Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. Physical birth to spiritual rebirth John 4:6 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) Will you give me a drink? Physical water to living water Conflicts with the Pharisees John 5:15,16 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Physical Sabbath to Lord of the Sabbath God the Father God the Son God the Spirit Experiencing God Philippians 2:5-8 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, Father Son Holy Spirit Philippians 2:5-8 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Jesus explains the “Equality” of the Father and the Son John 5:16-47 Have the same activities Have the same authority Have the same attributes Witnesses to this equality And we have to decide whether we believe it or not! John 5:17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same activities Work continuously Mark 2:27-28 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Colossians 1:16,17 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Conflicts with the Pharisees John 5:18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same activities Work continuously Work side by side John 5:20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. dartmouth2003 160.jpg http://russellbender.textamerica.com/?page=-1&qs=xdefault John 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same activities Work continuously Work side by side Raises the dead John 5:22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same authority Authority to Judge John 5:23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same authority Authority to Judge Authority to receive Honor Worshiping God the Father = Worshiping of God the Son Worshiping of God the Son = Worshiping God the Father John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same authority Authority to Judge Authority to receive Honor Authority to give Eternal Life John 5:25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. John 5:27-29 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same attributes Self Existent John 5:20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. John 5:30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. Equality of the Father and the Son Have the same attributes Self Existent Love and glorify each other Equality of the Father and the Son Witnesses to this Equality John the Baptist His Works The Father The Scriptures Moses You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. John 5:31 "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. John 5:36 "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. John 5:37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. John 5:38,39 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, John 5:45-47 "But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" = H20 How do you “taste” God? AND CAN IT BE? And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God shouldst die for me? REFRAIN: Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? Taste Jesus!