Sermons

John 4:1-45

Big Idea: Jesus Must Increase And We Must Decrease

Lift Up Your Eyes:

1) Off of the obstacles and onto the Overcomer (v. 1-15)

2) Off of your sin and onto the Savior (v. 7-19; 28-30)

“but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- Romans 5:8

3) Off of religion and onto a personal relationship (v. 19-26)

2 Essential Marks Of A True Worshipper (4:23-24:
1) Truth
2) The Holy Spirit

4) Off of missional passivity and onto missional priority (v. 27-45)

3 Parts Of Living With Missional Priority Daily (v. 27-45):
1) Open up (v. 28-30)
2) Look up (v. 31-38)
3) Speak up (v. 28-30; 39-42)

John 3:22-36

Big Idea: Jesus Must Increase And We Must Decrease

In response to Jesus’ surpassing greatness:

1) Embrace gospel priority because Jesus is the Savior not me (v. 22-29)

2 aspects of gospel priority and purity:
1) My identity is in Christ not ministry or church (v. 27-29)
2) Proclaiming the gospel with conviction, confidence, and consistency (v. 27-29)

2) Embrace gospel generosity because Jesus’ mission supersedes me (v. 27-30)

2 guiding principles of the Biblical theology of generosity:
1) God’s grace is the source of it all (v. 27)
2) God’s purposes and glory are the reason for it all (v. 28-30)

3) Embrace God-empowered humility because Jesus is greater than me (v. 28-31)

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you.”
– 1 Peter 5:5b-7

3 aspects of embracing humility daily:
1) My Priority: Emphasize Jesus (v. 28)
2) My Purpose: Exalt Jesus (v. 29)
3) My Blessing: Enduring Joy From Jesus (v. 29)

4) Embrace faithful obedience because Jesus reigns sovereignly over me (v. 31-36)

Two evidences of eternal-life giving genuine surrender to Jesus:
1) Believing in the Word of God (v. 33)
2) Obedience to the Word of God (v. 36)

John 3:1-21

Big Idea: God Meets Our Greatest Need Through His Son And Makes Us Alive Through His Spirit

The gospel is...

1. Good news needed: Our sin has condemned us. (18-21)

2. Good news arrived: Jesus came to save us. (13-17)

3. Good news applied: The Holy Spirit gives new life. (1-12)

John 2:13-25

Big Idea: Jesus Desires True Worshippers Not Religious Imposters

A True Worshipper Has:

1) The Right Posture: Authentic Reverence (v. 13-17)

2) The Right Attitude: Zealous Exaltation (v. 17-22)

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
- Psalm 139:23-24

3) The Right Object: Jesus Christ (v. 18-25)

John 2:1-12

Big Idea: The Manifestation Of The Glory Of God Reveals The Life-Transforming Grace Of God

Grace-Displaying Revelations:

1) Jesus is the Son Of God (v. 1-5)

My response to the reality of Jesus’ divinity:
1) Reverence and deference (v. 5)
2) Seeing and seeking (v. 3)
3) Trusting and believing (v. 5)
4) Submission and obedience (v. 5)

2) Jesus ushers in the new covenant (v. 6-10)

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
– Matthew 5:17

“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”
– Romans 6:14

3) Jesus is the Messiah (v. 9-11)

John 1:35-51

Big Idea: Seeing Jesus Accurately Leads To Following Jesus Faithfully

Followers Of Jesus:

1) Abide in Jesus because He is what we are seeking (v. 35-40)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”
- Matthew 6:33

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
– John 15:4-5

2) Bring others to Jesus because Jesus changes everything (v. 41-47)

3) Surrender to Jesus because He is the one true King (v. 43-51)

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
– Daniel 7:13-14

John 1:6-8; 15; 19-28

Big Idea: Come And See Jesus For Exactly Who He Is!

Who is Jesus?

1) The Lamb of God provided. (29)

2) The eternal God revealed. (30-31) 3)

3) The Son of God confirmed. (32-34)

John 1:6-8; 15; 19-28

Big Idea: A Faithful Witness For Christ Continually Points Others To The Surpassing Greatness Of Christ

A Faithful Witness Has (John 1:19-28):

1) A Christ-centered identity as a living testimony for Christ (v. 19-23)

“And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
– Luke 1:14-17

“A voice cries: In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. ... And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all the flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
- Isaiah 40: 3; 5

2) A purpose-driven urgency in pointing others to Christ (v. 24-28)

John 1:1-18

Big Idea: Jesus Reveals The Grace Of God Through Which We Have Daily Hope In God

“But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

– John 20:31

Jesus Is:

1) The Word that gives me life (v. 1-5)

a) “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.”
– Genesis 1:1-4a

2) The Light that offers me a forever family (v. 6-13)

“’Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

– Matthew 7:21-23

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoptions as sons by whom we cry, ‘Abba Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”
– Romans 8:15-17a

3) The Revelation that gives me hope (v. 14-18)

My daily sources of hope (John 1:14-18)
1) The presence of God (v. 14)
2) The glory of God (v. 14)
3) The promises of God (v. 17)

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him (Jesus). That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory.”
– 2 Corinthians 1:20

4) The grace of God (v. 14; 16)

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
– 2 Corinthians 12:9

John 20:31

Big Idea: Only Jesus Provides Me True Life Because Only Jesus Is Life

Your Invitation To Life:

1) Come and see that Jesus is life (v. 31a)

Jesus’ Declarations Of Life:
1) “I Am The Bread Of Life” - John 6:35
2) “I Am The Light Of The World” - John 8:12
3) “I Am The Door” - John 10:9
4) “I Am The Good Shepherd" - John 10:11
5) “I Am The Resurrection and The Life" - John 11:25
6) “I Am The Way, The Truth, and The Life” - John 14:6
7) “I Am The True Vine” - John 15:1

“So Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘Do you want to go away as well?' Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.’”
– John 6:67-70

2) Come and see that believing in Jesus gives us life (v. 31b)