Him We Proclaim

Obadiah 1:1-21: Summary:

Summary: Obadiah, minor prophet, but big for God and the preservation of His Word to His people. His vision concerns the hope of Israel in the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom that rules all others and will not hold them guiltless for their sins. The word is specific to the judgment of Edom for her national pride and her unjust treatment of God's people. The prophecy reminds us that God is the King of nations, sovereign in every dispensation, Witness, Judge, and Jury of all our activities under Heaven. There will be a Day of judgment---but also a way of escape. Though Israel has undergone so many desolations, Zion will be holy, a fire that consumes the wicked, particularly in the Day that the Savior of saviors shows up in Jerusalem. In that Day, the Kingdom behind all will come to the fore of history and be established over Mt. Esau, as over all the world. To this end, few can be thanked more for their labors than this obscure prophet, Obadiah.

Sermon Outline:

1: Obadiah, humble servant to the Word of our King. (1:1a)

2: Our King's ability to humble our enemies. (1:1b-4)

3: Our King has a Day for humbling our enemies. (1:5-16)

4: Our King's humility in establishing His Kingdom. (1:17-21)

Deuteronomy 18:9-22: Summary:

Summary: Preparatory for life in a new land as God's peculiar people, God, by Moses, forewarns them to be careful to what they listen. In obedience to God, as Adam, Israel is to lend their ears to the Word of God, according to its origin and authority. In light of this, and with Moses on his way out, God promises an Israelite Prophet like Moses. To Him, they are to listen. Due to their sinful state, He'll be a mediatorial Voice. In listening to Him, they will not die, but live, as He will speak nothing but the Word of God. Anyone rejecting Him, rejects God, and will not go unpunished. Of course, where God has His Word, the serpent has his snakes. The people must be prepared to discern God's truth from the devil's error as they await the Christ. As a deterrent, speaking lies in God's Name is punishable by death. The sacred desk is a serious matter. Israel is then given a couple ways to discern erroneous, insubstantial 'wind-bags.' The text offers a handful of marks for true prophets (and preachers) of God. It's not until the advent of Christ, and His baptism and transfiguration specifically, that the prophetic testimony comes full, and God Himself confirms Jesus to be the One to Whom we must listen. All the prophets point to Him.

Sermon Outline:

1: Godly living demands listening to God. (18:9-14)

2: God has spoken by His prophets---and One above all. (18:15-19)

a: Moses gives way to Him. (18:15)

b: He's the Way to Life. (18:16-18a)

c: He speaks God's Word. (18:18b)

d: To reject His words is to invite God's judgment. (18:19)

3: Godly listening demands spiritual discernment. (18:20-22)

John 21:15-25: Summary:

Summary: After breakfast, Jesus takes a walk with Peter, John following them. Savior and Sanctifier, He at once reproves and restores, wounds and heals Peter. To match his earlier denials, Jesus questions him three times about his love for Him. Peter affirms he does, but is grieved in a way that opens the path to grace. Jesus loves Peter, abides with Peter, and restores Peter to a leading place in the firmament of His Church. Tending Christ's flock seems to major on feeding it, and tending it just so will demand a courage that only Jesus can give. Peter will die for the cause of Christ, but God will be glorified in it. Relaying this, Jesus says to him as he said at first, 'Follow Me.' Peter turns around---to find John following them. Allowing Christ's call only a glancing impact, he concerns himself with John's path forward. Jesus, in Whose hand is our life and death, calls Peter to concern himself chiefly with the path Jesus walks, one of obedience through the cross to resurrection. He who has an ear, hear. As we do, our humble hope is to flood the world with the truth about Jesus Christ. May we decrease, but The Word increase.

Sermon Outline:

1: Following Jesus and Christian restoration. (21:15-17)

2: Following Jesus and Christian dying. (21:18-19)

3: Following Jesus and Christian living. (21:20-23)

4: Following Jesus and Christian ambition. (21:24-25)

John 21:1-14: Summary:

Summary: John records the fourth appearance of Jesus overall, third to His official disciples. Without judging the disciples of wrongdoing, John lets us know they have not yet realized the full import of Christ's resurrection for their day to day. Alas, at Peter's leading, seven of them go fishing, but they catch nothing. Jesus then reveals Himself. As the day breaks, Jesus asks about their non-catch and commands them to cast their net under the promise that they will find some. So many large fish fill the net that they can't reel in the haul. John then identifies the guide as Jesus. Peter throws himself into the sea to get to Jesus. The others follow in the boat. When they arrive, they find a meal prepared for them. Jesus enjoins them to add to the meal. Peter leads in this also, and John records the number of fish, and that the net, miraculously, had not been torn. Jesus' resurrection has altered His appearance, so that they know it's Him, but are filled with questions that they keep to themselves for the time being. Jesus acts as Host of the breakfast. His resurrection serves the continuance of apostolic Christianity. Apart from Him, who knows our times and places, they (and we) can do nothing. By Him, we may expect the help of Heaven in life and ministry.

Sermone Outline:

1. Jesus revealed in the apostles' catch. (21:1-8)

a. The apostles' fishing without Jesus. (21:1-3)

b. Jesus fishing for/with the apostles'. (21:4-6)

c. Identifying the Lord and getting to Him. (21:7-8)

2: 2: Jesus known in the Lord's breakfast. (21:9-14)

John 20:19-31: Summary:

Summary: On the night of the first Easter Sunday, the disciples are gathered together under the premise that the tomb is empty and the report that Jesus is apparently risen. Amid their fear, Jesus, never minding closed doors, appears, preaching the grace of peace to them. He invites them to see Him, that neither the cross, nor the grave have conquered Him---or them. Again, He preaches peace! He then breathes on them, and they receive the Holy Spirit from Him for the sake of the task in front of them, which appears to be authoritatively preaching the message of forgiveness and charitably affirming true faith in Jesus Christ. Thomas was not present, so he missed this blessing. Though the others tell Him the good news, he refuses to believe it unless he can see Jesus Himself. Jesus appears again. In mercy, He invites Thomas to examine Him. Thomas believes and gives the great confession: Jesus is his Lord and his God. Blessed, Jesus says, are those who do not see as Thomas did and still believe. John notes that he's been selective in his reporting, choosing things he thinks most conducive to faith in Jesus as the divine Christ and Giver of spiritual life to sinners.

Sermone Outline:

1. The peace of the risen Christ to combat all fear. (20:19-20)

2: The power of the risen Christ for carrying out His commission. (20:21-23)

3: The presentation of the risen Christ to remove all doubt. (20:24-31)

a: Christ's presentation to Thomas. (20:24-29)

b: John's presentation to all. (20:30-31)

John 20:1-18: Summary:

Mary Magdalene goes weeping to the tomb of Jesus only to find the stone taken away. As her first thought is not resurrection, she runs to the disciples. At the news of an empty tomb, Peter and John race to see what's no longer visible to the eye: the body of Jesus. The scene is one of decor and order. There's been no heist in haste. John believes. Peter marvels. Mary weeps. The resurrection of Jesus illumines the Word of God which necessitated His death and resurrection. The men return home, but Mary, still in sorrowful earnest, stays. They do not seem to minister to her. But angels begin to do so. And upon her words, Jesus also appears to do so! This is more than seeing an empty tomb, which might be empty for any number of reasons. This is seeing the Man Who was crucified and dead alive from the dead! It reduces the cause of the empty tomb to one: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It appears some part of His ministry to help His people see Him, to call on them in such a way that they know there is continuity of love and care even amid the discontinuity of His earthly and now heavenly life. He sends her to testify to His spiritual brothers that He goes to ascend to their God and Father, an act that will, among other graces, fill them with the Spirit of Life and resurrection power. Mary is obedient, and the good news of life from the dead begins to go out.

Sermon Outline:

1: The empty tomb. (20:1-10)

a: Its visitors. (20:1-4)

b: Its remains. (20:5-7)

c: Its effects. (20:8-9)

2: The risen Jesus. (20:10-18)

a: Mary's staying (and weeping). (20:10-13)

b: Jesus' appearing (and alighting). (20:14-17)

c: Mary's going (and announcing). (20:18)

John 19:23-42: Summary:

Having begun the work of atonement, Jesus finishes it. Along the way, we're to take special notice that every aspect of the cross is directed by the Word of God and the God of the Word. We're to see that Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God. We're to see our Lord's otherworldly love for His own and, in it, the establishment of a new cross-centered family of faith. Of course, we're to find the utmost solace and joy in redemption accomplished. We're to mark that He truly died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures. He not only suffered for us, but He also really died for us, that we might die in the certain hope of eternal life. If we have believed in this pierced Passover Lamb of God, we have refuge from the judgment our sins deserve. John calls on us to believe---and to believe truly; which he depicts in the publicity of Joseph and Nicodemus' identification with Jesus at the cross! With nothing to gain and all to lose, they claim Him, for they have been born again. He is their Savior-King and, as such, He's buried, so that God might add yet another stamp of approval upon the redeeming work of His Son: resurrection!

Sermon Outline:

The crucified Jesus is the Bible's Christ---be exposed at the cross. (19:23-24)

The Bible's Christ is His family's bond---be stayed at the cross. (19:25-27)

His finishing death is the fountain of life---believe the truth of the cross. (19:28-37)

His glorious burial, our glorious burial---bear your cross for Christ. (19:38-42)

John 19:18-19: Summary:

Summary: The holiest, most wondrous words ever recorded: 'there they crucified Him.' Simply astounding; worthy of our richest tears of gratitude and joy. The purchase of Heaven for guilty sinners formally begins. Jesus is given a mock coronation. He's mocked a King. At His re-presentation, the Jewish crowd cries for His cross, asserting He's committed blasphemy. Curious Pilate, having missed it the first time, asks Jesus where He's from; Jesus remains silent, though He speaks when Pilate brings up the issue of authority. The cross is the goal of this King in obedience to the Sovereign of all. Pilate attempts to release Jesus, repeatedly declaring His innocence, but he ultimately succumbs to the crowd's sinfulest desire, as, in their two-faced idolatry, they threaten him politically. He hands Jesus over to be crucified. He then is crucified atop The Skull and in between two criminals. We're reminded of the nature of what He's now begun to do: bear the sins of His people. That is His glory. There is His true crown. Alas, Pilate dubs Him King. If only he'd believed what he'd written. May we and so many more believe it.

Sermon Outline:

See the soldier's ironic defamation of King Jesus. (19:1-5)

See Pilate's dreadful indecision about King Jesus. (19:6-11)

See the crowd's idolatrous desire for King Jesus. (19:12-16a)

See God's crowning of King Jesus - on the Cross. (19:16b-22)

John 18:28-40: Summary:

Unable to find anything condemnable in Him, Jewish leadership delivers Jesus to Pilate. Callously straining at gnats, they'd rather not enter Pilate's quarters than have God's Christ take over their hearts. They prove ignorant of the true meaning of the Passover, while proving no less ignorant of Christ and themselves. To show their intent, and fulfill the Word of Christ, they would have Pilate deliver Him to the cross. What they think to discredit Jesus once for all, God has designed to His glory. Pilate tries Jesus, only to have Jesus try him. He is a King---the King of Heaven. He came into the world, not to bury Rome, but to bear witness to the Truth. To Pilate's question, 'What have you done?,' Jesus essentially answers, 'I've come into the world.' Pilate is content to be dismissive of the Truth; though he does seek to free Him. Underestimating the zeal of the people to be rid of this innocent Man, He's substituted, the Savior for the sinner. So the stage is set for the wisdom and power of God in the cross of Jesus Christ.

Sermon Outline:

1. Sinners seeking the cross for Jesus---Truth despised. (18:28-32)

2. Jesus revealing His Kingdom to Pilate---Truth dismissed. (18:33-38a)

3. Jesus taking the place of Barabbas---Truth displayed. (18:38b-40)

John 18:15-27: Summary:As Jesus is bound to be tried by Annas, we're given a lesson in discipleship: a humble sincerity of public faith is far more to be desired than a false bravado that speaks great allegiance, only to distance from Jesus under mounting pressure. We have two true disciples, but two contrary courses of action under trial. Peter stands at a distance, warmed with the lost in the chill of that night. The other disciple enters the trial space with Jesus and invites Peter along, but once, twice, and a third time he denies Jesus. In between, Jesus is asked about His disciples and His doctrine, things that are supposed to match. His ministry has been one of revelation, but people, more concerned about likes and dislikes than right or wrong, will find a way to shield themselves from anything that would otherwise confront, convict and, God willing, convert them. They prefer to hear but not hear, and to strike the face of God, and move forward with the goal of crucifixion; and just there, the disciple, like Peter, has a decision to make: to deny or to identify.

Sermon Outline:

Following Jesus - to a point. (18:15-18)

Questioning Jesus - to a punch. (18:19-24)

Denying Jesus - (back) to a prophecy. (18:25-27)