Him We Proclaim

John 8:48-59: Summary:

Those who had believed Jesus don't take kindly to His Word. They insult Him to spare themselves. If they only knew where His Word would land! Jesus leaves His vindication and exaltation to the Father. God seeks the glory of Jesus---and He's the judge. Thus, it is critical to honor Jesus by keeping His Word and, with that, comes the added bonus of victory over sin and death and hell. True faith in Christ Who provides that victory, that is, is manifest in an adhesive allegiance to Him. Is He then greater than Abraham and the prophets, they ask? In a word: yes! By far. In fact, Abraham saw His day and rejoiced. And how could that be, seeing Jesus was a young man? Well, before Abraham was, Jesus is. He is God the Word made flesh. They don't miss the point. Sadly, they want to kill Him for it, but because the supreme manifestation of His Person necessitated the cross, Jesus is able to get away unharmed. The real issue, however, is what to make of those stony hearts from which God incarnate flees. They are sinners. And He, as God, is the only Savior. May we take solace in Him, even as we labor to bring such hearts to the Light of the world.

Sermon Outline:

God seeks the glory of the God-honoring Jesus. (8:48-50)

Eternal life thus belongs to anyone who keeps the Word of Jesus. (8:51-56)

Jesus is God our Savior; don't drive Him away. (8:57-59)

Memory passage: John 8:58

Benediction: Titus 3:3-7

John 8:31-47: Summary:

Jesus addresses those who have just believed in Him and, more specifically, His words. It seems like this is the sort of faith John means to affirm as true and saving. However, as the text bears out, this faith too is superficial. True disciples of Jesus abide in His Word. True professions are proven by perseverance over time---perseverance in doing the Word of Jesus. This is a free person, a person free from the power of sin to live to God. The inauthenticity of this faith becomes immediately evident in their response to Christ's Word. They have not come to fully entrust their souls to the Son of God and Savior of sinners. Self-righteousness persists. And as Jesus exposes it as a fraudulent hope, their true state comes out. They do not love Jesus. They cannot bear His Word. They are not 'of God.' For all their religious badges, sin is still their lord, and the devil, in fact, is their 'daddy.' Once again, Jesus proves patient in affirming professions of faith. The fallout of this text is the reason why---why we must affirm His wisdom in this and follow in His footsteps. Most importantly, however, we must put our own lives under this microscope: if you are truly My disciples, you will abide in My Word. Here again is light from the Light of the world.

Sermon Outline:

True disciples of Jesus abide in His Word. (8:31-38)

Abiding in the Word of Jesus is a family matter. (8:39-47)

John 8:12-30: Summary:

At the apex of the feast, a feast of lights featuring Messianic hope, Jesus declares that He is the Light of the world. He invites the crowds to follow Him, to partake in the Light of Life. The Pharisees, standing opposed to this Light, state their opinion and, by it, their obstinance to the truth of God they claim to singularly uphold. They begin by calling Him errant (and arrogant), question things (again) He's already made plain, avoid the subject of their sin altogether, and prove (per usual) to be darkened in their understanding, devoid of spiritual Light and Life. Jesus, perfectly patient, alights their darkness all along the way, reasserting the truth of His testimony, the reasons they cannot receive it, the eternal danger in which they find themselves and, yet, the Way of escape. God comes into focus in Christ, and Christ comes into focus at the cross. He shines most radiantly in that darkest hour as the divine Christ, the Savior of sinners. Many heard this and believed, but is it authentic faith? Pausing there, are we, like John, burning and shining lamps for Jesus? Are we walking in the light? Are we His stars in the darkened firmament of this world? Are we visible followers of Jesus?

Sermon Outline:

Jesus as the Light of the world. (8:12)

The Light of the world addressing manifest darkness in people. (8:13-29)

His testimony is divine truth. (8:13-18)

Our problem is blind unbelief. (8:19-24)

God's solution is the cross of Christ. (8:25-29)

People believing in Jesus. (8:30)

John 7:37-52: Summary:As the festival reaches its conclusion, Jesus offers living water to the weary. This reminder of God's care for his people, and his repeated promises of restoration, is met with mixed reaction. All seem to see it for the claim that it is. But it will take more than the word of God to convince some that they are in the presence of their judge and king.

Sermon Outline:

The nation's hope, vv.37-39

Longing, v.37

Living, v.38

Looking, v.39

The people's hope, vv.40-44

A Pharisee's hope, vv.45-52

John 7:25-36: Sermon Outline:

Ignorance of God (7:25-27)

Revelation of God (7:28-29)

Persecution of God’s Messiah (7:30-32)

Prophecy of Messiah’s Victory (7:33-36)

Benediction: Hebrews 1:1-3

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18: Summary:In a world full of grief and discouragement, it's critical that we who believe that Jesus died and rose again never lose sight of that fact. Paul never did, and never wanted the church to either. As a matter of true hope and sure anchorage, in life and death, Jesus did rise and will return to save His people in full. It's information full of encouragement---encouragement we need for living that differentially Christian life together. As the years roll by, and His own are laid to rest, and the certain patterns of life seem to accentuate only the sure of victory of death and, perhaps, the world mocks (even as it mourns), we're to be a people nonetheless marked by resurrection life and, thus, a proven hope in our risen Lord.

Sermon Outline:

The need for resurrection encouragement. (4:13, 18)

The supply of resurrection encouragement. (4:14-17)

Jesus died and rose again. (4:14)

Jesus will descend again. (4:16a-c)

God will raise the dead in Christ. (4:14b, 16b)

God will change the living in Christ. (4:17a-b)

And together, we will always be with the Lord. (4:17c)

The ministry of resurrection encouragement. (4:18)

John 7:1-24: Summary:

Half a year has passed since 'the hard saying.' Jesus has ministered in Galilee. Acknowledging His claims, His siblings tell Him what they would do if they were Him. 'Go big, or go home. Put up, or shut up, brother.' It's unbelieving counsel. They were, at this time, part of the evil world. Jesus makes this explicit. They may be from the same womb, but they need to be born again. He doesn't operate by their opinions, methods, aims, but by the Father's plan. He is God's Messiah. Apparently then, the Father's will comes clear: Jesus should go up, only not in a way that would expedite the cross before the appointed hour. Jerusalem is all up in arms about Him. All need to be willing to submit to Him as the definitive revelation of God. If any has a heart to take God at His Word, they will recognize Jesus to be the Truth. Therefore, the reason one might not is because, despite their claim to love God, they don't. They're yet sinners who hate exposure to the Savior. Sin makes one spiritually irrational, unwilling to come to terms with the divine truth, to judge of Jesus with right judgment: He is the Holy One of God.

Sermon Outline:

Wrong judgment #1: God's Christ should be about popularity with worldly people. (7:1-9)

The strategy of Jesus' siblings. (7:2-5)

The obedience of God's Christ. (7:1, 6-9).

Wrong judgment #2: God's Christ will be obvious to worldly people. (7:10-24)

Opinion and revelation. (7:10-14)

Sinners and the Holy One. (7:15-20)

Criminal or Christ?: Judging with right judgment. (7:21-24)

John 6:41-71: Summary:

'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.' Is that our stance also? Well, it is the stance of every true disciple, that every word of Christ is life-giving to our souls, and worthy then of all our devotion. In this section of John 6, that stance is put to the test. Jesus says hard things, yes, to unbelievers, but no less to his 'disciples,' including the sovereign initiative of God in salvation and the outrageous notion that such salvation somehow involves the death of Christ. In it, we learn just how incapable and, therefore, dependent we are on the divine and crucified Christ for eternal life. Many 'disciples' show their true colors by taking on the grumbling response of the world to the things of God and, in truth, we're led to see that the only thing that distinguishes us from any unbeliever, however styled, is the mere and amazing grace of Jesus.

Sermon Outline:

A hard saying. (6:41-59)

No one can believe in Christ crucified apart from God's effectual grace. (6:41-51)

You must believe in Christ crucified to have eternal life. (6:52-59)

An authenticating resolution. (6:60-71)

'Who can listen to it?' (6:60-65)

'You have the words of eternal life.' (6:66-71)

John 6:22-40: Summary:It's the day after Jesus has fed the crowds and saved His disciples at sea. The crowds search for and find Him, but is He what they really want? Jesus reproves the motive in their search and aims to redirect them to the things of eternal salvation. It is a gift of God by Christ, but unbelievers have no ear to hear of grace. Their instinct is faith in self, and in their ability to earn God's gift. Jesus calls them to believe in Him. Only by faith in Him will sinners know eternal life. In their spiritual obstinacy, they discount the sign He's just performed by asking for another. We vastly underestimate the extent of our problem, unbelief. Jesus corrects their misunderstanding of Scripture, introducing typology. The manna was but a type of what Jesus truly is. His teaching goes over their hearts again, so He speaks plainly. He's the Bread of Life. Whoever believes in Him will have their souls forever satisfied. That they do not believe in Him does not impugn His mission. God has a people He's given to the Son. They will believe in Him---and He will never cast them out. As it's His Father's will, Christ will keep them to the end. Death itself will not loosen His grip on them, for He will raise them at the last Day. So the life He gives is truly eternal.

Sermon Outline:

Jesus pointedly reproving unbelievers. (6:22-27)

Jesus patiently correcting unbelievers. (6:28-34)

Jesus plainly instructing unbelievers. (6:35-40)

John 6:1-21: Summary:

Given opportunity to expand upon the Father's testimony to His divinity, Jesus takes occasion by a great crowd near Passover to do, perhaps, His greatest work prior to His death and resurrection. All four Gospels record it and, again, it will serve as an object lesson, an attention-grabber for the identity of Jesus and the word of His cross. As the disciples find themselves confronted by an impossible task, given the resources at their disposal, Jesus displays the sufficiency of His power and grace for every deed by this great one. As it's accomplished, He further demonstrates His mission by refusing to be taken king and captain by the people. His Kingdom is not of this world. While He distances Himself and His disciples from the hysteria, they head to Capernaum without Him. A storm assaults them on the sea. In their trouble, so often the gift after great works, Jesus comes to them, walking on the sea. He comforts them and brings them safely to shore. Another miracle has occurred and, in the process, we're taught that for every deed and time of need, Jesus is all-sufficient. May we lay it lastingly to heart.

Sermon Outline:

The setting of Christ's divine sufficiency. (6:1-4)

The question of Christ's divine sufficiency. (6:5-9)

The exercise of Christ's divine sufficiency. (6:10-13)

The misapprehension of Christ's divine sufficiency. (6:14-15)

The reaffirmation of Christ's divine sufficiency. (6:16-21)