Sermons

John 12:12-50

Big Idea: Bandwagon Believism Misses The Genuine Jesus.

5 signs of bandwagon believism...

1) You follow Jesus for all the wrong reasons. (12-19)

2) You value earthly life over eternal life. (20-26)

3) You keep walking in the darkness. (27-36a)

4) You care too much about your own reputation. (36b-43)

5) You hear Jesus’ words, but don’t listen to them. (44-50)

John 12:1-11

Big Idea: Valuing Jesus Accurately Leads To Worshipping Jesus Unashamedly

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’”
– John 11:25-27

Marks Of An Unashamed Worshipper:

1) Heart-Level authenticity (v. 3-7)

2) Loving extravagantly (v. 3-7)

3) Joyful generosity (v. 3-7)

4) Reverent humility (v. 3-6)

5) Treasuring Jesus pre-eminently (v. 3-8)

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that the has and buys that field.”
– Matthew 13:44

John 11:45-57

Big Idea: Jesus’ Death Demonstrates God’s Sovereignty And Displays Jesus’ Sufficiency While Providing Us Life Eternally And Confidence Daily

Jesus Must Die:

1) Because God’s sovereignty uses man’s folly for His glory (v. 43-53)

Rationalizations to reject Jesus:
1) The cost of following Jesus is too high (v. 48)
2) My fear of man is too great (v. 49-51)

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:18

2) Because Jesus’ sufficiency makes eternal life possible for me (v. 49-57)

The sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice:
1) Jesus’ death satisfies God’s wrath (v. 50-55)

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.”
– Romans 5:8-10

2) Jesus’ death provides me a new identity in God’s forever family (v. 52)

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
– Galatians 2:20

John 11:1-45

Big Idea: Authentic Belief In Jesus Provides Audacious And Enduring Hope Through Jesus

Audacious Hope:

1) Jesus has a purpose for the pain (v. 1-16)

Jesus’ Purposes For The Pain:
1) God’s glory (v. 4)
2) Our belief (v. 15)

2) Jesus is my hope in the hurt, the hard, and the heartache (v. 17-27)

“Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.’”
– Lamentations 3:19-24

3) Jesus enters into my grief (v. 28-37)

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
– Isaiah 53:3

4) Jesus has power over life and death (v. 38-45)

Matthew 18:21-35

Big Idea: Forgiven People Forgive Others As God Forgave Them.

I will forgive because...

1. I have been forgiven. (21-27)

2. No one is beyond my forgiveness. (28-30)

3. Unforgiveness is too costly. (31-35)

John 10:1-21

Big Idea: Everything Jesus Says About Himself Is True. Believe Jesus!

1. Jesus really is the Christ. Believe Jesus! (22-25)

2. Jesus really gives eternal life. Believe Jesus! (26-30)

3. Jesus really is the Son of God. Believe Jesus! (31-36)

4. Jesus really is one with the Father. Believe Jesus! (37-42)

John 10:1-21

Big Idea: Jesus Is The Good Shepherd That We Can Trust In Completely

1) Listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. (v. 1-4)

2) Follow the leading of the Good Shepherd. (v. 4-10)

3) Trust alone in the Good Shepherd. (v. 11-21)

John 9:1-41

Big Idea: Seeing Jesus Clearly Results In Standing Firmly, Testifying Faithfully, And Believing Authentically As He Transforms Me Completely

Seeing Jesus Clearly:

1) Jesus, open my eyes to your light in my darkness (v. 1-12)

2) Jesus, open my eyes to your surpassing greatness (v. 13-34)

3) Jesus, open my eyes to your transformational power (v. 30-41)

Jesus Is The Son Of Man:
1) Jesus’ humanity (John 1:14)
2) Jesus’ humility (Philippians 2:5-11)
3) Jesus’ deity (Mark 2:28)
4) Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s prophecy (Daniel 7:13-14)
5) Jesus’ power and authority (Daniel 7:13-14)

“In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
- John 1:14

Matthew 28:1-20

Big Idea: True Freedom Comes Through Complete Surrender To The Son Of God And Continual Submission To The Word Of God

The Roadmap To True Freedom (John 8:31-59):

1) Know God's truth (v. 31-38)

“In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
– Galatians 4:3-7

2) Anchor your identity in God's truth (v. 39-47)

My spiritual paternity test:
1) Do I genuinely love Jesus? (v. 42)
2) Am I hearing or rejecting the Word Of God? (v. 43; 47)
3) Is it my will to do God’s desires or the devil’s? (v. 44)
4) Am I full of God’s truth or the devil’s lies? (v. 44-45)

“We were buried therefore with Him (Jesus) by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. … Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law but under grace.”
– Romans 6:4-7 … 12-14

3) Apply God's truth (v. 48-59)

Matthew 28:1-20

Big Idea: Jesus Is Risen, Redeeming, And Reigning And That Changes Everything

The Easter Invitation: Come and see the unstoppable power of the gospel (v. 1-7)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
– 1 Peter 1:3-5

My Resurrection Hope:

1) Jesus has authority over earthly rulers and authorities (27:62-28:7)

2) Jesus has authority over sin and Satan (v. 5-7)

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
- Colossians 2:13-15

3) Jesus has authority over life and death (v. 5-7)

How Does Jesus Demonstrate His Authority?
1) Jesus laid down His life sacrificially

“I (Jesus) came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. … For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
– John 10:10b-11; 17-18

2) Jesus fulfilled His promise to be raised from the dead victoriously

“The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.”
– Mark 9:31

3) Jesus offers eternal life freely

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”
– John 11:25-26

The Easter Exhortation: Go and tell the transformational hope of the gospel (v. 7-10)