By Prairie Bible Church
Prairie Bible Church is a non-denominational, Christian church located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Our mission is; "Help people grow their faith through a simple, authentic representation of Jesus' love
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The podcast currently has 326 episodes available.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, but what does that mean? There is more than one word for “good” in Koine Greek, but the two most common are agathos and kalos. While agathos focuses on “useful”, kalos focuses on “beautiful” and “excellent.” Kalos denotes a captivating and attractive character. Jesus is the beautiful and excellent shepherd that attracts and captives us!
What is it that makes Jesus so attractive and captivating? His love. Jesus’ love for His sheep was demonstrated so beautifully that it should attract us to Him. Despite the grisly nature of the cross, there is something incredibly beautiful and captivating about it. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
Take-Home Message: The Good Shepherd loves His sheep.
The Good Shepherd…
Message: I Am the Good Shepherd
Scripture: John 10:11-21
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
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v The thing that sets Jesus apart from ALL others is this:
o He has come to give LIFE… Life abundant!
v Jesus often uses cultural analogies/illustrations to teach eternal truths.
o The eternal truth that Jesus is teach in this passage is that HE is the only way to God!
v Cultural analogy/illustration #1 (vs. 9)
o I am the “door” of the sheep…
§ Eternal truth;
§ Anyone who enters by me will be saved!
v Cultural analogy/illustration #2 (vs. 10)
o The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy (False Messiahs)
§ Eternal truth;
§ I came to give life abundant!
v It is the human condition to gravitate towards a self-centered life.
o “Life abundant” is not self-centered, but Christ-centered!
Message: “Life Abundant”
Scripture: John 10:7-10
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
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The world Jesus entered was filled with false leaders. The spiritual leaders of the nation had become self-interested. Rather than caring for the people, they fattened themselves. They were self-appointed and self-righteous. Jesus entered their world and said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” He was appointed by His Father as the true leader of God’s people. He is the Chief Shepherd to which all other leaders of God’s people must submit.
If we are true sheep, we will follow Jesus, the True Shepherd. Following Jesus means having a personal relationship with Him and being led by the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. Jesus calls us by name and tenderly guides us as we listen to His voice. How do we discern His voice from the voice of a stranger? Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jn. 8:31-32).
Take-Home Message: True sheep follow the True Shepherd.
Introducing John 10
Message: The True Shepherd
Scripture: John 10:1-6
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
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If we are to be healed, we must first admit that we cannot heal ourselves. How many of us have tried to go it alone, only to find that we are not the greatest managers of our own lives? The only way to find true life is to have Jesus open your eyes. And the only way to have Jesus open your eyes is to admit that you are blind.
The road to Jesus is a road paved with humility. You must acknowledge your need for Him and that you are helpless without Him. Until you are willing to do that, you will not see. But if you will come to Him and admit that you are blind, he will open your eyes, and you will begin to see reality.
Take-Home Message: I cannot see unless I first admit that I am blind.
The Response of the Man Born Blind (35-38).
A pattern for those who see…
The Response of the Pharisees (39-41).
Message: The Man Born Blind: Part 3
Scripture: John 9:35-41
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
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Though sharing our faith is one of the most important purposes we have a Christians, many of us fail to do so for two primary reasons:
Three lessons on how to share your faith:
Just remember, your purpose as a Christian is not necessarily to be an expert theologian.
Theme: How to share your testimony
Scripture: John 9:13-34
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
Prairiebible.org
It is easy to lose sight of God’s purposes in the face of suffering. When darkness surrounds us, we say with the Psalmist, “Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Ps. 10:1). But God is far more present in seasons of difficulty than we realize. When suffering is most intense and night is most dark, God is at work accomplishing his purpose. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (Jn. 1:5). God will bring deliverance in His good time. When that happens, may we share our testimony of His goodness and point others toward the deliverance that can only be found in the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.
Take-Home Message: The Light of the World opens my eyes to see opportunity in difficulty.
The Light of the World helps me see…
Message: Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
Scripture: John 9:1-12
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
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Jesus said to His opponents, “I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.” This statement summarizes much of His interaction with His people. Jesus “came to His own and His own did not receive him.” Yet Jesus knew when to fight and when to surrender. He often surrendered when He was dishonored, even to the point of the cross. But He fought when the Father and the Holy Spirit’s honor was on the line. He knew His Father would glorify Him in the end. If we honor the Son, God will also honor us with Christ in the end. Whose honor are you more concerned about: yours or God’s?
Take-Home Message: The Father honors those who honor His Son.
Honor God…
Message: Honor the Son
Scripture: John 8:48-59
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
Prairiebible.org
When a person does not choose Jesus, they by default, do not choose God!
Message: Heritage
Scripture: John 8:39-47
Simple. Authentic. Jesus.
Prairiebible.org
· We are ALL sinners and slaves to sin… BUT… there is HOPE!
o Our HOPE is in Jesus, and Jesus alone!
· John 8:37 I” know that you are the off-spring of Abraham, yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.”
o The ironic thing about this verse is that the Pharisee’s don’t even try to deny this accusation! Why?
§ Because they are so caught in trying to refute “THE Truth” with “their truth”, that they don’t even try to refute the most damning statement of all!
· This scene illustrates the condition of most people’s hearts.
· John 8:34- 36 Jesus answered them; “Everyone who practices sin, is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever. The Son remains forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you are free, indeed.”
o In other words: We are all slaves to sin, but there is HOPE.
· John 8:31 “If you abide in my words, you are truly my disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free!”
o In other words, don’t just say you believe, live like you believe!
· One of the biggest LIES many Christians believe:
o I need to be strong and mature enough not to allow sin a foothold in my life!
§ WRONG The battle does NOT belong to you. It belongs to Jesus!
· Surrender your sin to Jesus and you will be set free!
Theme: Slaves to Sin
Scripture: John 8:31-38
God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it (Job 33:14). The Pharisees had the Son of God standing right in front of them, yet they did not recognize Him. Responding to their repeated questions about His identity, Jesus’ reply sums it up: “I have been telling you from the beginning.” They were too busy forming their arguments against Jesus to hear the truth from Him.
We can exhaust ourselves trying to make sense of things without Jesus, but without Jesus, we cannot see the truth. Without Jesus, we cannot see reality about ourselves, others, or our purpose in life. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. He has come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in him may not remain in darkness (John 12:46). Once we become sons of light, we are called to patiently endure the persecution of the world as we witness about the Light. For Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14)
Take-Home Message: Without the __________ of the world, we are __________.
Jesus’ __________ (12)
The Pharisees’ __________ (13-30)
Jesus’ __________ (28-30)
Message: I Am the Light of the World
Scripture: John 8:12-30
The podcast currently has 326 episodes available.