Podcasts about john chapter

1 John Chapter 5 "The Family of God" by Mission Ebenezer Family Church

In the Beginning (Sermon Series on John) - Sunday, 16th November 2025[Episode 1 - John Chapter 1 KJV]1. Jesus is eternal. - John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2. Jesus is the Word. - John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 3. Jesus is God. - John 1:1 & 3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4. Jesus is separate from God. - John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.5. Jesus is life. - John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.6. Jesus is light. - John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.7. Jesus lit up the darkness and was rejected. - John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John Chapter 12 Verses 1-32

1 John Chapter 4 by Mission Ebenezer Family Church

Unity Among Believers Thanks for Joining us as our own Dave Laughlin brings us a message today entitled "Unity Among Believers" Listen as Dave digs into John Chapter 17, specifically Jesus' prayer. Jesus' prayer From "The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John (2003)" movie. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377992/ Used under "fair dealing" from Section 29.21 of the Copyright Modernization Act for purpose of review and education.

John 11:5-27,Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”You just heard some of the most amazing words that Jesus of Nazareth ever spoke. And I can pretty much guarantee that between the reality of what he says here and the everyday experience of our lives, it can feel like there's a Grand Canyon of difference. Between the life we truly have in Christ and the ‘Christian life' we lead, there's a gap.And look, I believe that Jesus, by the power of his Spirit, wants us to close that gap. That's what we're here for. And the way we close that gap — the way we begin to live the life Jesus means for us to live — is not necessarily by starting some new things, but it's by stopping a few things. We're gonna see these in our passage today, and I can't wait to show you, but first let's pray again:Father, by your Spirit and his power, speak to us in your word, we ask. In Jesus's name, amen.So, how do we close the gap? How do we live the life Jesus means for us to live? We stop three things …1. Stop underselling Jesus. (vv. 17–24)We're gonna focus most of our attention starting in verse 17, but we know from last week that Lazarus has been sick. Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, and Jesus loved all three of these siblings, verse 5 tells us. They were Jesus's friends.And they've lived in a town called Bethany, just two miles outside of Jerusalem. And after Lazarus dies, Jesus says to his disciples Let's go there.Verse 19 says Martha and Mary were both in their house in Bethany, surrounded by “many of the Jews” who were grieving with them. And this is not too different from our culture of funerals today. We're a lot of miles and years away from this scene, but even today after the death of someone we also make an opportunity for friends and neighbors to offer condolences. That's what's going on here. So imagine it's a crowded house, and there's an array of hot dishes in the kitchen, people everywhere.And somehow, during this time, Martha found out that Jesus was on the way. So she left the house and all the people, and she went to meet him, verse 21, and the first thing she says to Jesus when she sees him is:“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died…”Stating the Obvious, TwiceNow, some readers take this as a rebuke, as if she's saying “You should have been here, Jesus! Now you're too late!” But I'm not so sure about that. Mary says the exact same thing as Martha in verse 32. So are both sisters rebuking Jesus? Or are both sisters grieving and stating the obvious?I don't think this is accusation, I think it's ache.Their pain is framing reality. Because they both know Jesus has healing power — they've seen it firsthand — and so they know he could have healed their brother when he was sick. But now he's not sick, he's dead.And Martha adds in verse 22,“But even now, [Jesus], I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”She's saying, basically,You could've healed Lazarus when he was sick if you were here (but you weren't). You're here now, though, and maybe there's still hope.The Pragmatic OptimistSee, Martha is a pragmatic optimist. I like her. She gets that Jesus has a special relationship with God, and that when Jesus asks things, God does it. So she's thinking there might be something here. Verse 22 is not a statement of bold faith, but it's more like Martha leaving the door open. It's a shot in the dark.At this point, up to verse 22, Martha is underselling Jesus. Yes, he can heal; yes, he has special access to God; and maybe he can raise the dead … but she doesn't realize that he is the very Author of life itself, standing in front of her. He is not a healer who prays to God, he is the God who heals. He is the one who has final authority over life and death.He doesn't merely pull some strings with Ultimate Reality but he is Ultimate Reality in human flesh, and he's bigger and better than anything she could imagine. He can do whatever he wants!And the fact is, if we don't understand this about Jesus, we think too little of him.The Two CategoriesAnd that's a lot of us, a lot of times. If we're honest, we undersell Jesus. And the surest sign that we've been underselling Jesus is when we discover those areas in our lives where we've been leaving him out. That was Martha. She had a “Jesus Is Able” category and an “I Doubt It” category.Healing my sick brother was in the “Able” category, but raising my dead brother today was in the “Doubt” category. We have those categories, too. There are some things in your life you think Jesus is able to handle, and there are some things you think he can't. And the question for us is: What are those things? …What did you once put in the “Jesus Is Able” category that now you put in the “I Doubt It” category? … and why?You know, one of the great things about kids is how literal they take things. Innocently, wonderfully literal. I remember one morning, years ago when my oldest was a toddler and getting grown enough to dress herself, she was in her room and all of a sudden she started yelling, “Jesus, help me! Jesus, help me!” So I ran to her door and found her all tangled up in a sweater she was putting on — she had put her head through the arm and was stuck. She needed help. See, I had told her before that Jesus can always help us; she was in a moment when she needed help; she asked Jesus to help. Doesn't that make sense? … Jesus helps; I need help; I ask Jesus for help.We agree that makes sense, so why don't we do it? About everything? Why have we taken it upon ourselves to relegate Jesus to what he can and cannot do?That has to stop. In whatever area of your life you might be saying to Jesus, “Yeah, I doubt it” this is where you lay it down.Whatever it is: if it's relationships, finances, sickness of any kind, work, sports, family, getting stuck in your sweater, don't make asking Jesus for help the last resort.Make it the first thing you do. Make it as natural as breathing — “Jesus, help me! Jesus, help me!”One day we're gonna truly learn that everything in existence belongs in the “Jesus Is Able” category, and to think anything less is underselling him. So by the power of the Holy Spirit, let's stop doing that.2. Stop settling for a normal life. (vv. 25–26)Now in verses 21–22, Martha says what she says to Jesus, and Jesus says back to her in verse 23, “Your brother will rise again.”And to that, Martha says, verse 24,“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”And this is standard Jewish teaching. Martha is a devout Jewish woman, and she has a solid Old Testament faith. In the Book of Job, Chapter 19, verse 26, Job says, “And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” Job models Old Testament faith in a future bodily resurrection, and Martha believed that. She believed that for Lazarus. But then look what Jesus says in verse 25. And this is one we all gotta see. The most important sentence in the story. Everybody if you can, find verse 25. Chapter 11, verse 25.Verse 25:Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.”This Is a Big DealAnd right away, before Jesus says anything else, we gotta think: This sounds like a big deal. This is the fifth time Jesus has used an “I AM” statement in this Gospel. And he's not only claiming to be God here, but he says something about himself that I don't think we'd expect God to say. It's that he doesn't merely cause resurrection or give life, but it's who he is. Jesus is the resurrection, Jesus is the life — and he explains what he means by each of those in what he says right after. We're gonna look closer at both …First, about being the resurrection, Jesus explains:“Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” And again, remember this is standard Jewish teaching. The resurrection means after you die, you will live again, in a new body — Jesus says, “Though he die, yet shall he live.” But what makes this so amazing, so different, is that Jesus says this future resurrection is determined by him … and I admit words fail me here. We have to stretch our minds. Imagine: the future resurrection — this ancient hope Martha believed — it has its source, its beginning and end, its meaning, in Jesus, this real man who's talking to her. The resurrection is so bound up in Jesus that he can say I am the resurrection.And he's the life. About being the life, Jesus explains:“Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”And when he says “lives” here he doesn't mean just being alive, but he's talking about truly living — this is living with the eternal life Jesus came to give us. This is living by faith in him. They're one in the same. Truly living is believing in Jesus, and when we live that life, we will never die. That life just keeps going. It's as secure as Jesus is, because he is the life.The Christian SuperpowerNow notice what Jesus does here: he takes these two concepts of resurrection and life and he intertwines them for maximum relevance today. See, the resurrection is something we would typically locate in the future, but in Jesus it has invaded present reality. And the life, which is present reality, in Jesus it stretches into the future. So future resurrection steps back into now, and life now steps forward into the future, and it's all centered on Jesus. What that means this morning is that by faith in Jesus, Christian — in Christ, in this moment, you possess eternal life that will never end, but it only gets better with time. Can you imagine that? Sitting where you are right now, in Christ that life is in you, of you, true of you.One of the things we do often in our Community Group, before we start discussion, we do an ice-breaker question. Usually it's a fun question to warm people up a little. And one question, you've probably heard this one before is, If you could have any superpower what would it be?And we might think of flight or lightening speed or the ability to download a whole book into your brain by just touching it. All pretty cool. But how about having a kind of life that is irrevocable and invincible? You have a kind of life you cannot lose and that will never end — it just deepens as long as eternity lasts. Look, to be a Christian is to have this superpower. It does not mean we're fully immortal — our present bodies can be injured, our skin's not bullet-proof, physical life can die here — but we do have life in us that will never die.And at the very least, at the practical level, this means we need to stop settling for a normal life.Would your life be normal if you could fly?Would your life be normal if you could run to Florida in two minutes?Should your life be normal if you knew you'd never die?Who Does That?Christians, where'd our courage go? Why are we so afraid of risk? Now I'm not saying we should all go bungee jumping and sky-diving … I'm talking about radical Christian sacrifice — which means doing things now that only make sense if heaven is your home. I'm talking about living in such a way that demands a gospel explanation.And look, I realize that I'm talking to a mixed room.Some of you have tons of energy and you're ready to take the world, some of you can barely take another day. You're exhausted. You're tryin' to raise eight kids under the age of 12 (and if that's you, I've been there). And often when we're under pressure, when we feel overwhelmed, we can slip into a scarcity mindset. We start to hunker down and assume that what we most need is more self-care. We get inward and protective. And look, that's normal. It's normal.But Christian, we've got something better than normal. And often the best thing we can do when we're having a hard time is to think about somebody else.I don't want to embarrass anybody, but I could tell you three stories right now of people in our church who are going through real suffering and they've chosen in their valley to see other people and to step out in love. Their cup feels empty and they're still choosing to pour.Who does that kind of thing? People who have a superpower. People who have Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life. Hey, if we wanna live the life Jesus means for us to live, we gotta stop settling for normal. 3. Stop Disbelieving, But Believe (v. 27)Notice the end of verse 26. After Jesus says these amazing words, he asks:“Do you believe this?”One thing I love about this question is that it shows us that Jesus, in this moment, he isn't thinking about Lazarus or his disciples who are with him, but he's thinking about Martha. He's looking at Martha and he cares about her heart. It's a singular “you.” He's saying, Martha, do you believe what I'm telling you?This is a question that we should hear Jesus asking us. Like today.This is a crowded room, there's a lot of people in here, but Jesus would speak to you the same way he speaks to Martha. He cares about your heart. He wants your faith. He would ask, Do you believe?Exactly the PurposeNow before we look at how Martha responds, remember that Jesus's simple question here is important to this entire Gospel. Hold your place here and turn to Chapter 20, verse 30. This is a little parenthetical comment from John where he tells us the purpose of this Gospel. John Chapter 20, verses 30–31. John writes: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that [purpose statement] you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.See how John combines again life and believing! We have eternal life by believing in Jesus. But notice especially the content of our belief. What exactly does John want us to believe? He says it here: the purpose is that we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Now turn back to Chapter 11. Look at Martha's reply to Jesus in verse 27. Jesus asks her in verse 26,“Do you believe this? Verse 27:She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that [you are the Christ, the Son of God], who is coming into the world.”Martha's confession of faith is exactly John's purpose in writing this Gospel. Martha is a model for the kind of faith that John wants all of us to have. Because embedded in the fact that Jesus is the Christ, that he is the Son of God, comes all the other excellencies of who he is. Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, is the shorthand way of saying that Jesus is everything the Bible says he is. Notice that Martha adds in verse 27 that Jesus is the one “who is coming into the world.” What is significant about her saying that? Calvin says Martha adds that line to “strengthen her faith by the predictions of the prophets.” And I think that's right. When Martha says this, she is making the connection that Jesus is the One the prophets foretold. He's the fulfillment of Old Testament hope. So look what's happened in this conversation! Martha has gone from Old Testament faith to born-again Christian. This is a conversion. She has done what Jesus says to Thomas in Chapter 20, verse 27: “Stop disbelieving, but believe.”Jesus at WorkMartha has done that, and we should do the same. And I mean this for all of us. If you're here today and you're not yet a Christian, I hope the invitation is clear. Jesus is asking you if you believe in who he says he is, and it's a Yes or No — and either answer takes energy. It takes energy to disbelieve. There's no neutrality. Either you're with Jesus or you're not. So if you're here today and you have a kind of gray, vague faith in Jesus (kinda like an Old Testament faith), this is the moment for you to step into the vivid color of this confession. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And for the Christians in the room, Cities Church, remember that disbelief can still lurk in our hearts. It's part of indwelling sin and life in this world, even in our walk with Jesus there can be areas in our lives that are plagued by disbelief. Back to that “I Doubt It” category. I don't think Jesus is done with us here. He wants us to close that gap between who he truly is for us and our everyday experience. Christian, would you ask him to do that? Ask him to help you lay down whatever you gotta lay down.Stop underselling Jesus. Stop settling for a normal life. Stop disbelieving, but believe. That's what brings us to the Table.The TableJesus Christ, the Son of God — what a Savior! That's what we remember at this Table. We remember that the life we have in Jesus came through his death for us. Bearing shame and scoffing rudeIn my place condemned He stoodSealed my pardon with His bloodHallelujah, what a SaviorIf you trust in Jesus this morning, if he died in your place, if you believe he is the resurrection and the life, we invite you to eat and drink with us and give him thanks.

John Chapter 11

Pastor Michael PouchotNovember 2, 2025

John Chapter 8, New International Version

LIVE-Stream Bible Study on Sunday Mornings... Sunday Nov 2nd 6am (pst) / 9am (est) When a disciple has "sorrows", the Lord's counsel is to believe that His divine peace is a part of you, and this should turn your sorrow into JOY! Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/HisGeneration Watch Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/lH7KNd9hZa0?si=2AQKftFNsSWdOxhe  

Guest speaker from Gideons International, John Pope, covers John Chapter 15.

Sunday Morning Worship service by Greg Mullis ************************************** Message: John Ch. 15   ************************************** We would love to hear from you. Please, let us know how the Lord is blessing you by commenting or reviewing this podcast. ************************************** www.goodwill-baptist.com ***************************************** Live video of our service can be found online @ www.facebook.com/GBCKernersville

In this thought-provoking sermon from Calvary Bible Church, Brad Colburn guides us through John Chapter 7, focusing on the pervasive theme of unbelief and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. As we explore the significance of the Feast of Booths, we learn about God's provision and the promise of His Spirit, symbolized by living water. Discover how Jesus offers us a new heart and spirit, empowering us to live a life that pleases God. This message challenges us to let the living water flow from us, bringing life to those around us. 0:00 - Introduction by Brad Colburn 2:15 - Scripture Reading: John Chapter 7 5:30 - Context of Unbelief in John 7 10:45 - Understanding the Feast of Booths 15:00 - God's Provision and Promise 20:30 - Water as a Symbol of the Holy Spirit 25:00 - Jesus' Invitation to Drink 30:15 - Living Water Flowing from Believers 35:00 - The Role of the Holy Spirit in Transformation 40:00 - Conclusion and Call to Communion Join us as we reflect on the abundant life Jesus offers and our role in spreading His life-giving Spirit to the world. To learn more about Calvary, visit calvarybible.com. Find out what's happening at Calvary: calvarybible.com/events How can we pray for you? calvarybible.com/prayer

John Chapter 10

In this thought-provoking sermon from Calvary Bible Church, Brad Colburn guides us through John Chapter 7, focusing on the pervasive theme of unbelief and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. As we explore the significance of the Feast of Booths, we learn about God's provision and the promise of His Spirit, symbolized by living water. Discover how Jesus offers us a new heart and spirit, empowering us to live a life that pleases God. This message challenges us to let the living water flow from us, bringing life to those around us. 0:00 - Introduction by Brad Colburn 2:15 - Scripture Reading: John Chapter 7 5:30 - Context of Unbelief in John 7 10:45 - Understanding the Feast of Booths 15:00 - God's Provision and Promise 20:30 - Water as a Symbol of the Holy Spirit 25:00 - Jesus' Invitation to Drink 30:15 - Living Water Flowing from Believers 35:00 - The Role of the Holy Spirit in Transformation 40:00 - Conclusion and Call to Communion Join us as we reflect on the abundant life Jesus offers and our role in spreading His life-giving Spirit to the world. To learn more about Calvary, visit calvarybible.com. Find out what's happening at Calvary: calvarybible.com/events How can we pray for you? calvarybible.com/prayer

The Gospel of John Week 18 Scripture: John 13:21-14:6. We pick up with the rest of the story of the Lord's Last Supper that Passover evening. Pastor shares what the layout may have looked like at this meal. Where people were at around the table, that they were reclining vs sitting, that they ate with their right hands and laid on their sides resting their heads in the left hands. As the story continues, Jesus shares that He knows one of His disciples is going to betray Him. John asks who it is that will do that and Jesus says that it is the one I give this bread to. And then Jesus hands the dipped bread to Judas and he takes the bread and leaves. After Judas leaves Jesus says, "Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.  If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once."  What strange words to say after exposing that He will be betrayed….. Why say them? Jesus is going to be arrested, beaten, scourged and die - how does this bring glory?  It's because Jesus is looking ahead, He's looking beyond the immediate to what lies ahead - His glorification. Hebrews 12:2 tells us, "For the joy set before Jesus, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Jesus' glorification is accomplished in following the Father's will, the path to Victory and in glorifying the Father by doing so.  When Jesus is on the cross the Father is glorified because everything the Father had intended, everything that He had planned is now coming to fulfillment through His obedient Son, Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus goes on in John 13:34-35 telling them to love one another as He has loved them. And then He tells Peter that he will deny knowing Him before the rooster crows. Pastor shares great info on what "rooster crow" is and that it wasn't a rooster crowing, but that was the way they told time. The Romans divided the evening watch into four watches: 6-9pm = evening 9-12am = midnight 12-3am = rooster crows 3-6am = dawn We can see Jesus use these four terms here: "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" (Be Awake!) Jesus is telling Peter that sometime between midnight and 3am he will deny knowing Him three times. Then we move into John Chapter 14 where Jesus tells the disciples "Do not keep allowing your hearts to be troubled any longer. You believe in God. Believe in me." When we face troubled times, we believe in God - meaning we are to trust Him. And Jesus is saying believe in Him, Messiah, - trust in Him, He's our Savior..  And then He tells them "I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."  And what the disciples understand from the Jewish scriptures is that Jesus is talking in wedding language.  Pastor shares Jewish tradition around wedding planning and weddings and what we see in the Bridegroom (Jesus) and His bride (the body of believers.) This wedding/marriage talk is Jesus' way of expressing Hies deep love for us. Jesus is the groom and He is calling us to realize how much He loves us. Thomas says, "Where are You going, Lord?" And Jesus says, "I am the way. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  Getting to heaven is not about being a good person, because no one is truly good - all have sinned. It's only through faith in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross and His resurrection that we go to heaven. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most "Gentile/Greek" of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

1 John Chapter 3 by Mission Ebenezer Family Church

In his sermon, Pastor Gary delves into John Chapter 13, focusing on the profound actions and statements of Jesus that continue to resonate today. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing the depth and significance of Jesus' actions, particularly his decision to wash the disciples' feet. This act, Pastor Gary explains, was unprecedented and shocking, yet it demonstrated Jesus' understanding of his identity and the authority given to him by God. Knowing who you are in relationship to God, Pastor Gary asserts, is crucial, as it determines your actions and enables a life of purpose rooted in divine authority and identity.

The Holy Spirit wants us to abound in life through our relationship with Him. Jesus said in John Chapter 10 that He came to give us life more abundantly. Let's see how we can abound in the Holy Spirit.To listen to more podcasts and information on books: davidcfriendauthor.comTo subscribe to podcasts: cpnshows.com

Our faith is malleable and can change as our understanding of God, God's church and our activities in the world change as well. Luther says that faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace. And while our faith may change, God and his love for us remains ever unchanging.  This message comes from Pastor Sarah. The Gospel is from John Chapter 8, verses 31-36. The New Testament lesson comes from Romans Chapter 3, Verses 20-28.

John Chapter 9

John Chapter 1

1 John Chapter 2 - "Walk Like Jesus Walked" by Mission Ebenezer Family Church

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Sunday October 5th 6am (pst) / 9am (est)  LIVE-Stream Bible Study on Sunday Mornings... Judas receives temporal care from the Christ right before he decided to betray Jesus. However, the best earthly gift Christ gave Judas was HIS words of TRUTH and eternal mysteries... yet Judas loved money more than that... Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/HisGeneration Watch Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/pRhV3gliHD0?si=euDTAAZskLTKMP7W  

Sunday October 12th 6am (pst) / 9am (est) LIVE-Stream Bible Study on Sunday Mornings... If you are worried, trouble, or anxious... the theology of God the Father is what Christ gives His disciples to bring about a "PEACE" to those worries of this world. Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/HisGeneration Watch Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/mlRN9tzm_ww?si=2AqGuHt9BjvJPC_R  

LIVE-Stream Bible Study on Sunday Mornings... Sunday October 19th 6am (pst) / 9am (est) The branch can not produce "fruit" unless it "abides" in the VINE... more great TRUTHS of being a disciple of Christ in this episode. Especially what it means to practically "love one another". Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/HisGeneration Watch Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/2wNS08UFZ4I?si=wLHIdoMaIIhzZ3U8  

Pastor John Randolph Preached from 1 John Chapter 5. Listen to the assurances we have in Christ from this wonderful chapter.

In John Chapter 5, Jesus' encounter with the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda reveals both a desperate situation and a profound divine confrontation. Despite the man's years of suffering, Jesus challenges him with a simple yet powerful question: "Do you want to get well?" This interaction highlights a central truth: healing and restoration require not only the power of Jesus but also a willingness to embrace His transformation, moving from excuses to obedience.

1 John Chapter 1 by Mission Ebenezer Family Church

October Series of ‘Prayer and the Missional Church’ 1 John Chapter 5 Sunday October 12, 2025 – By Bob Cote

John 9:1-5,As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”Well today is little unique because last year when we built out the preaching schedule, we decided to devote two weeks to this one story in John Chapter 9 … and the reason was because, in God's providence, we understood this chapter addresses one of the most relevant topics in the human experience — which is: the reality of suffering in this world. And I've thought we should have a sermon just on that topic, and so that's my plan today. Now, I'm calling this a “sermon” loosely. I want to warn you (and ask for your graciousness) because today might feel more like a theology lecture than a sermon. This is a heavy topic, and I want to say some things very precisely.We're talking about one of the biggest questions we could ever ask. It goes like this: How can God be all-powerful and all-good, and suffering still exist?An Everyday Theology of SufferingMaybe you've thought a lot about this, or maybe it's never crossed your mind. Maybe you've almost given up faith because of this question, or maybe it was the topic of your PhD dissertation — we are a mixed group, I get that — but with God's help, I hope to speak to all of us this morning, and my goal is to help us build an everyday theology of suffering.And that “everyday” part is important. I mean practical and useful. I don't want us to just think biblically about this, but I want us to put these truths to work where we live — I want us to endure hardships because of these truths; I want to comfort the hurting because of these truths; I want us to lead whole lives before and unto God because of these truths.So God-willing, with John 9 as our foundation, I want to show you three things we do when we're confronted with human suffering … 1. We recognize the Evil in this world.This starts in verse 1. John tells us very simply:“As he [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.”And we might not think much about that, but in verse 2 the disciples ask Jesus about this man, which must mean that they saw Jesus see the man — Jesus seeing the man must have been enough of a thing that the disciples asked Jesus about him.Does that make sense? This is not something that the disciples do with everyone. They've been in some pretty big crowds with Jesus; they've seen a lot of people; they can't ask Jesus about every person they encounter, but for some reason they ask Jesus about this man. And the best explanation for why is that Jesus must have looked at this man in a way that made the disciples notice.Try to imagine the scene … Jesus and his disciples are just walking by — they're around a lot of people — but here was a blind man, a beggar (verse 8 says), a regular in that area.A lot of people had seen him before because he would sit there and beg, something he had probably done his whole adult life at least, since he had been blind from birth. And his parents don't come off as especially supportive in verse 21 (I guess they figured if he was old enough to answer questions on his own, he could also make a living on his own).Key AssumptionsWe don't know all the details, but we know Jesus could see him, and we know the disciples saw Jesus see him, and in verse 2, they asked Jesus a question that is full of assumptions. I want you to see this.Look at verse 2: And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?There's a lot behind this question: I count at least four assumptions:They assume there's a spiritual connection to physical maladies.They assume that connection has something to do with sin.They assume that connection could be identified in an answer.They assume Jesus is the person who knows the answer.There's a lot going on here in this one question, but there's actually one key assumption that's foundational to these four. It's that the disciples assumed blindness to be a form of human suffering. They considered blindness to be a malady, a disorder, an affliction. And when they saw Jesus see the blindness they understood that Jesus thinks the same way about it as they do. There's an agreement between Jesus and the disciples that blindness is not the way it's supposed to be.Which means: they encountered Evil and recognized it for what it is.The Meaning of EvilAnd heads up: I've just said “evil” (instead of suffering) — and let me explain: Evil is the broadest categorical way to talk about what's wrong with the world.I know we often use the word “evil” to talk about things that are really bad, but I'm using Evil as a noun. It's a reality … as in: Evil is the antonym of Good (like there's Good and Evil). This is capital-E Evil.And when Evil is committed it's called Guilt; when Evil is endured it's called Suffering.So Suffering comes under Evil — it's an experience that results because of Evil — but for this message, we're going to focus on Evil as the main problem; Evil is the real issue. And everything wrong with the world comes back to it. Evil is behind everything from wicked acts like first-degree murder to a physical disability like blindness to an elbow injury in a volleyball game.And even broader than that — Evil is anything in God's good creational order that gets distorted. J. I. Packer says evil includes “all facts, physical and moral, that prompt the [accurate] feeling, ‘This ought not to be.'”We've All Said ItHave you ever seen or heard of something that made you feel that? . . .To bring it more down to where we live. One theologian explains:…[E]vil is ‘some thing' that occurs in experience and ought not to. It has occurred, but it is not what you would expect, and spontaneously and whole-heartedly we say “No!” to it … No! is the cry of human beings in the face of [evil].Have you ever seen or heard of something that made you just say “No!”? … No! … No! No!I remember being 14 years old and finding out that my younger cousin had died in an ATV accident, and that's what came out, just No! … I tried to count last week how many times I've had that response to things, and it's been too many. You can't count them. None of us can.“No!” is the visceral human response to Evil — we've all said it, and we must never stop staying it. Never.As long we we're in this world of sin, we must continue to protest the reality of evil. That's what the No means. It means evil does not belong here. It is not the way it ought to be.God made this world and said it was Good, and Evil is not Good — so we hate it. Psalm 97, 10:“O you who love the Lord, hate evil!” Romans 12:9,“Hate what is evil.”That's a protest.Our protest varies in intensity with the magnitude of the evil, but the protest must always be there, which starts with recognizing evil when you see it. That's what Jesus does here (and the disciples). They recognize that blindness is a disorder, a deprivation of Good. It ought not to be. It's an Evil.They recognize that, and we must do the same. An everyday theology of suffering starts with recognizing the evil in this world.2. We wrestle with the Why?This is the next step. After we recognize Evil, that something ought not to be, pretty soon we seek some kind of explanation.The disciples are doing that here in verse 2. That's the question:“Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”This is a smart question. I know a lot of times we like to roll our eyes about the disciples, but these guys were not dummies. They are trying to build their own theology of suffering.Under the existence of Evil, they think there has to be some reason for this Suffering, and they assume it's because of somebody's Guilt. We think the same way. Some of us probably have a hard time even using the word “evil” because when we think “Evil” we immediately think of Guilt. We think that to classify something as Evil means that somebody must have done something, somebody has to be Guilty, somebody should be blamed. We think this way all the time. Who's fault is it?That's what the disciples are trying to figure out. It's an honest question. It's a question that means they're wrestling, and what fascinates me here is that they're not wrong to wrestle. Jesus does not rebuke them for asking. It's what you do when you're confronted with Evil. Right beside the No is Why? … and we've all said that too.And it's not a simple Why? It takes the form of three different directions: we ask “Why?” looking out, looking in, and looking up. Looking OutThis is the question: Why is evil in the world?Another title for this question is the “theoretical problem of the origin of evil.”I know that sounds academic, but it's really not. I remember when my oldest son was in fifth grade, he had a friend who had some serious health problems, and he called me in his room one night to talk, because he had been laying in his bed wondering “Dad, where did bad things come from?”And you say, It's because of sin — go to bed.But he says, No, but where did sin come from?You say, The devil — goodnight, son.But no no, where did the devil come from? … Why was it even possible for Lucifer to rebel against God if everything God made is good? … And if freedom is good, created by a good God, how can it lead to anything evil?And eventually, you say: I don't know. I don't understand. That's what we say looking out.Looking InThis is the question: Why has this evil happened here?It could be referring to evil you've experienced, or maybe someone close to you. It could be evil you've heard about. Practical evil. This is the question: Why this, here, now? I said that on Monday night. My daughter was playing her heart out in a volleyball game, going for a ball she crashed into the wall, Boom! — displaced fracture in her elbow, ligaments messed up, needs surgery, done for the season.And you know what she said to me? She said, “Why, Dad? Why?”And I was asking the same thing, so you say: I don't know. I don't understand. That's what we say looking in.Looking UpThis is the question: What will God do?And this is the true tension in asking “Why?” and it proves to us that we're not really seeking answers, but we're making a complaint. This is biblical lament. That's what the wrestling is.It's the struggle to hold together these three truths:The sheer evil of EvilThe pure goodness of GodThe sovereign power of GodIf you could imagine it, the three truths form a capital “T.” The sheer evil of Evil is here on one side. The pure goodness of God is here on the other side. And the sovereign power of God is the stem in the middle.It's hard for us to hold these three truths together and not dilute any of them. That's usually what happens in our human attempts to find a rational explanation for Why?There are some who detract from the power of God and basically make him out to be well-meaning but weak. Others go to the other extreme and stress God's power at the expense of his goodness — they basically make him an accomplice with evil.Others might take such a long view, thinking that the end justifies the means, that they downplay the evil of Evil — they assume that in the long-run we'll be able to look back and say, “See, it wasn't that bad.”But that's not true! These are all distortions! Each way of thinking here defies the testimony of Scripture. God's word is clear: God is sovereign in power — totally, radically, absolutely.God is pure in goodness — totally, radically, absolutely.Evil remains evil — totally, radically, absolutely.And so, holding these together, we're just left to look up and say: God, what are you doing?This is the question we see all throughout the Psalms that goes: “How long, O Lord? How long?” How long do we gotta live in this tension? Live with these questions? … live without answers? … How long?This is the wrestling with the Why?Theologian Henri Blocher says it like this:Scripture teaches us that we shall not find, at least in this life, the rational solution that so many have sought after. It does not give us an answer … We do not understand the why of evil. … Evil is not there to be understood …(101, 103)We eventually look out and say I don't know where it came from. We look in and say I don't know why it happened here. We look up and say How long, O Lord?This brings us to the third point. Remember, we are trying to build an everyday theology of suffering. We recognize the evil of this world … We wrestle with the Why? … And finally …3. We trust God.Look at verse 3: Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”Notice that Jesus doesn't rebuke the disciples asking why, but he also doesn't indulge it.Instead, he redirects their attention from where the evil came from to what God is doing through it — this man's blindness is “so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”Jesus steers us away from speculation about origin, and he calls us to faith in the present.Don't concern yourself with the cause, but understand the purpose. God has allowed this evil in order that in this man God's works are displayed. Here we learn what the rest of Scripture testifies:God overcomes evil to use it as a stage to display his glory and serve our everlasting joy.And we seldom see this right away! It's not obvious! We can't really trace the details, but we can trust that God is accomplishing this purpose over Evil by his power and goodness. Not Explained, But Conquered This doesn't explain Evil, but evil is not there to be understood, it's there to be conquered. And God has conquered it. That is the wonder of the cross.At the cross, the sinless Son of God was slain!Has there ever been a moment that so unmasked the sheer evil of Evil?At the cross, Jesus was slain according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God!Has there ever been a moment that so revealed God's sovereign power? At the cross, Jesus saved us and gave us the right to be called the children of God!Has there ever been a moment that so demonstrated God's pure goodness? The cross was that literal “T” — and it doesn't just hold together these three truths but it proves them all definitely.And this is the foundation of our hope — if God has brought about the greatest good ever imaginable from the worst Evil ever conceived, it means he will accomplish good in your suffering, in any suffering. This is who God is — he doesn't give us answers, he gives us himself, he gives us his victory. And so we can trust him. SummaryThat's where we land with our everyday theology of suffering. This is not just about thinking rightly, but we live this out. Anytime we're confronted with Evil, whenever we encounter suffering, whether in our lives or in the world…First, we recognize the evil — it's right to say NO!Second, we wrestle with Why? — How long, O Lord?Third, we trust God — it is true, church, that he does work all things together for good … and when we can't trace his hand, we trust his heart.That's what brings us to the Table.The TableWe come to this Table to remember the death of Jesus for us, and to remember all that he has accomplished for us through the cross. That even what the enemy means for Evil, God ultimately turns it for our Good. And this is our hope.So if you're here this morning and you trust in Jesus Christ, I invite you to eat and drink, resting in the cross.

Welcome to the Word of Life AG podcast! Today Pastor Tom Wood continues in John's Gospel, but first… If you're looking for next steps, please head to our website at https://www.wordoflifeag.org/

Join Pastor Jason Hatch at Redeemer Church in Midland, Texas, as he dives into John Chapter 1, exploring the timeless and timely truth that Jesus is full of grace and truth. This sermon unpacks how Jesus' perfect balance of grace and truth offers hope and transformation for all, confronting sin while extending unearned favor through the cross.   Website: redeemermidland.org Instagram: instagram.com/redeemermidland Facebook: facebook.com/RedeemerMidland   At Redeemer, we seek to be a Gospel-Centered, Missional Family. We sing songs to worship our Lord, we preach the Word of God from the Bible, and we love one another.   We would love to see you on a Sunday morning at 9:00 or 11:00 am at 3601 N. Lamesa Rd in Midland, Texas. 

Welcome to the Word of Life AG podcast! Today Pastor Tom Wood continues in John's Gospel, but first… If you're looking for next steps, please head to our website at https://www.wordoflifeag.org/

Sunday Sept. 21st 6am (pst) / 9am (est) LIVE-Stream Bible Study on Sunday Mornings... Why so much death, murder plotting, future martyrism, and betrayal against the "Kingdom of God"? Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/HisGeneration Watch Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/K27euwSa3rw?si=NI1oeVnkMzER6VDG

Welcome to the Word of Life AG podcast! Today Pastor Tom Wood is back in John's gospel, but first… If you're looking for next steps, please head to our website at https://www.wordoflifeag.org/

SummaryIn this episode, Ashley Campbell discusses the essence of true discipleship as illustrated in John Chapter 6. Through prayer and reflection, she explores the challenges of belief, the significance of internalizing Jesus' teachings, and the transformative power of accepting His words as truth. The conversation delves into the differences between genuine disciples and those who merely follow for personal gain, emphasizing the importance of understanding and accepting God's call in our lives. The episode concludes with a call to scrutinize our beliefs about God and to build our lives on the reality of His truth.*THE SCRIPTURE I WAS LOOKING FOR IN THIS PODCAST IS MATTHEW 27!TakeawaysA real disciple internalizes the teachings of Jesus.Many followers may leave when faced with hard truths.Belief is about accepting what Jesus said as true.Judas represents those who do not fully accept forgiveness.Peter's journey reflects the process of understanding faith.The spirit gives life, while the flesh profits nothing.Real transformation comes from eating Jesus' words.It's essential to question what we believe about God.Building life on truth leads to spiritual growth.Discipleship involves a deeper relationship with Christ.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Prayer02:19 Exploring John Chapter 608:37 The Difference Between Disciples17:53 Understanding Belief and Acceptance25:03 The Hard Sayings of Jesus32:00 Building Life on TruthFacebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/dailyencouragementwithashleycampbell/Want to purchase a signed copy of my book?⁠https://buy.stripe.com/7sI8xdg6F2kZgSIfZ6⁠ORRead the reviews on Amazon? https://a.co/d/gwyks9gWant to send me a financial donation because you value what I am doing on social media?⁠https://buy.stripe.com/eVacNt3jTbVz9qg4gk⁠Want to join my Facebook group that will equip you with the knowledge of the History of the United States, what the Constitution means and how you can preserve this great nation we live in?Join my paid group today! For only $10a month, you will have access to classes that will help you have the knowledge you need to save America!Group Link:https://www.facebook.com/share/RA7FqCx95Lbv5gWv/Group Payment link:https://buy.stripe.com/cN24gX07H4t70TKcMVPodcast links:Apple/I tunes:⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-encouragement-with-ashley-campbell/id1625607569⁠Amazon Music:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4d32a7f2-1e3e-4045-aa13-2b77784c71d1/daily-encouragement-with-ashley-campbellCastbox:⁠https://castbox.fm/channel/Daily-Encouragement-with-Ashley-Campbell-id2418738?utm_source=website&utm_medium=dlink&utm_campaign=web_share&utm_content=Daily%20Encouragement%20wih%20Ashley%20Campbell-CastBox_FM⁠iHeartRadio⁠https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-daily-encouragement-with-a-112334720/⁠Overcast:⁠https://overcast.fm/itunes1483675322/daily-encouragement-with-ashley-campbell⁠Pocket Casts:⁠https://pca.st/pg7od55v⁠Radio Public:⁠https://radiopublic.com/daily-encouragement-with-ashley-c-WozzzR⁠Want to sponsor the Podcast?⁠https://buy.stripe.com/9AQbJpdYx8JnfOEfZ8⁠Choose your amount to Sponsor the Podcast:https://donate.stripe.com/14k4gXg6F9Nr31SdR1

Send us a textIn this episode, you will find the following:1) Reading of 3 John Chapter 12) Explanations of key takeaways3) Summary4) Prayer

Sunday Sep 14th 6am (pst) / 9am (est) Why is the hope for resurrection so neglected, and what does the story of Lazarus have to teach us about it? Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/HisGeneration Watch Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Gd6r2IFA0JA?si=Sf_NDjIB4MoH-Mnw

Send us a textIn this episode, you will find the following:1) Reading of 1 John Chapter 52) Explanations of key takeaways3) Summary4) Prayer

Send us a textIn this episode, you will find the following:1) Reading of 1 John Chapter 42) Explanations of key takeaways3) Summary4) Prayer

Send us a textIn this episode, you will find the following:1) Reading of 1 John Chapter 32) Explanations of key takeaways3) Summary4) Prayer

Send us a textIn this episode, you will find the following:1) Reading of 1 John Chapter 22) Explanations of key takeaways3) Summary4) Prayer

Send us a textIn this episode, you will find the following:1) Reading of 1 John Chapter 12) Explanations of key takeaways3) Summary4) Prayer

Sunday Sept. 7th 6am (pst) / 9am (est) According Jesus... HIS Sheep know HIS voice.... and will follow, but NOT a stranger voice. Let's talk about the significance of that saying. Rumble Channel: https://rumble.com/c/HisGeneration Watch Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/mrOg3G-V7Hg?si=yArrl8f-avXVJtRu

Are you truly saved, or are you deceived about your standing before God? In this powerful episode, we dive deep into John Chapter 8 where Jesus confronts religious people who thought they were saved but weren't.Key Topics: False assurance, true salvation, Christian faith, biblical assurance, John 8 commentary, spiritual deception, children of God vs children of the devil, religious but lost.This isn't about being a "bad person" - it's about the difference between religious activity and genuine faith in Christ. Many people assume they're saved based on church attendance, family heritage, or moral behavior, but Jesus reveals the heart condition that matters.Perfect for: Christians questioning their salvation, pastors, Bible study groups, anyone seeking biblical clarity on assurance of faithBible Passages Discussed: John 8:12-59, Romans 10, 1 John 3:10, Ephesians 2:3

John 8:12-20,Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.Last week we saw that Nicodemus told the Pharisees that they should give Jesus a hearing. Chapter 7, verse 51 he said: the law doesn't “judge a man until first giving him a hearing and learning what he does” (7:51). And again, this was the most reasonable thing said in Chapter 7, but the Pharisees completely wrote it off. They refuse to hear Jesus, and in Chapter 8 it gets even worse. Every time the Pharisees speak in Chapter 8, they reveal how off the rails they are with Jesus. They do not get him at all. We could call their example a masterclass in how to misunderstand Jesus — which we don't want to do!The Pharisees are a cautionary tale. And their bad responses to Jesus are so featured in this passage, you could argue it's the main idea here. John wants to make sure we take note of what they do, so that we don't make the same mistakes. That's how I'd like to organize the sermon. Today I want to show you three ways how NOT to be like the Pharisees — it all has to do with how we respond to Jesus. If you don't want to be like the Pharisees, here's the first thing you do with Jesus:1. Hear his word. Look at verse 12:Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”Now, let's just stop here for a minute and consider how amazing this statement is. Keep in mind: this is not outta the blue. The Pharisees have a context for Jesus making some big claims: They've heard him say, John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”They heard him say, John 5:17, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (Which means he was calling God his Father and making himself equal with God, [v. 18]).They just heard him say, John 7:37, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”These are big claims, and here in Chapter 8, verse 12, Jesus does it again.He says,“I am the light of the world.” And maybe you hear that and you're not really sure what he means; maybe you've got more questions; but regardless of your questions — even before you fully understand what he's saying, we all can see that Jesus is claiming something about himself in reference to the world. And that's a big deal. He's not saying “I am the light of Nazareth, my hometown.” Or “I was the light of my high school football team.” I was all-state.No, he is what he is “of the world.” As in the whole wide world. Could you imagine talking to someone today and in the conversation they claim to be something in reference to the whole wide world? Think about that. If someone told you they were anything of the world, you would either think they're crazy or at least be intrigued.And remember the context here: Jesus has already been making some big claims and he's done all these signs and people are believing in him.And so in that context of seeing and hearing all this from Jesus, when you hear him say he's the light of the world, how do you think you'd respond?You think you'd at least say, “Tell me more.” Or, “What kind of light?” But the Pharisees do nothing like that! Jesus makes this high-magnitude statement in verse 12, and look how the Pharisees respond, in verse 13,So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”Get this: They completely ignore the content of what Jesus says, and they take issue with his form. Instead of actually hearing what he said, they throw a flag on how he said it! Basically, their reply is to say: “[Alarm sound] The current form of your speech has invalidated the claim.” They think they're so smart. They think they just dunked on Jesus. We're gonna talk more about this dialogue next week, but for today I just want you to notice what the Pharisees miss with Jesus. I want us to do what they don't do, which starts with hearing Jesus's word. Do What They Don'tWhen I say “hearing his word” I mean both the actual words of Jesus in John 8:12, and his word as in his message, which we have in the Bible. Hearing Jesus, listening to Jesus — for us this means that we read and pay attention to Holy Scripture. So I want you to make the connection here: ignoring Scripture means ignoring the word of Jesus; we ignore the word of Jesus by ignoring Scripture.Let's not do that. And this goes for all of us. Everybody, track with me here: Stop looking for reasons to deprive yourself from listening to Jesus. Because that is something we do. And we can try to come up with reasons for why.One reason you might deprive yourself from listening to Jesus is that you've got some church-hurt: Christians in the past have let you down. And truly, I'm sorry if that's part of your story. We all have different experiences here, and I want to be sensitive to that, and, at the same time, if Christians in the past have let you down, you should know that Christians in the future will let you down too. Because Christians are humans, and humans let other humans down. This is life on life's terms. And as frustrating and difficult as this is, it's not a reason to ignore Jesus. You gotta hear him. So if you're here and you need to get reacquainted with Jesus, or if you're brand-new to Jesus, I want to encourage you, give a fresh read to the Gospel of John. That's a really good place to start. Here's a great resource: Speak Life 321.But another reason you might deprive yourself from hearing the word of Jesus is that you don't have time. You're too busy. And of course, everybody is busy (or at least we all think we are). I've got a friend who grew up in Kentucky, and he told me that as a kid, every time he'd tell his Dad that he was hungry, his Dad would say, “Boy, you ain't never been hungry in your life.”I tried that out on a kid this summer. They told me they were too busy, and I said, “Child, you ain't never been busy in your life.” Some of us need to hear that.We gotta get out of the tunnel vision. We gotta look around. We make time for what matters most to us, and nobody is too busy to hear Jesus's word. We can't be.Hearing Jesus's word — reading the Bible — look, it's the non-negotiable for both first-time faith and for growing faith. This goes for everybody. You can't believe in Jesus, and you can't become like Jesus, apart from his word.The Pharisees refused to hear him; don't be like the Pharisees. Hear his word. The second way to not be like the Pharisees is …2. See his light. Unlike the Pharisees, we're not skipping what Jesus says in verse 12. We're not changing the subject. We're staying here the rest of the sermon because he says he's light of the world — and wanna know: “Tell me more” and “What kind of light?” Now there are a couple different angles we could take to try and understand what Jesus says…The historical context is the Feast of Booths, which we talked about last week. Jerusalem was crowded with people for this feast, and apparently, part of the festivities included a lighting ceremony in the temple. There would have been big lamps shining in the temple, and so some say Jesus is using his light metaphor to connect with that tangible experience. There were literal lights in the temple, so Jesus looked around and said he's the light. That's possible. Jesus did that sort of thing. But, this also is not the first time we've read about light in this Gospel. (There's the historical context of the event, but also the literary context of the text.) It goes back to the very start. John tells us right away about Jesus, Chapter 1, verse 4:“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”Verse 9,“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”And John doesn't stop here. The light metaphor shows up all throughout the Gospel, and my hunch is that that's what we should be thinking about when we hear Jesus in Chapter 8, verse 12. So what kind of light is this?How does what John says about light in this Gospel help us here? Well, I don't think John means to narrow the metaphor to only one kind of light. Light is a broad metaphor and John likes to layer things, so I think this metaphor is layered. I think there are at least three kinds of light that Jesus is — he's an exposing light, an illumining light, and a welcoming light. I'll explain…Exposing lightThis is a light that exposes what is hidden. It calls out sin and banishes darkness. In the immediate context, this seems to be the front-runner idea because right after verse 12 the conversation is about judgment. Jesus also said back in Chapter 3, verse 19,“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”So no doubt, Jesus is an exposing light, and the Pharisees can't stand him. In Chapter 3, Jesus gave us a category for what the Pharisees are doing in Chapter 8. Jesus exposes.Illumining lightThis is a light that reveals or makes known. It's the kind of light you need when you're stuck in a cave and everything around you is dark. There's a way to go, but you can't see it. You need a flash light! You need a light to illumine the way. Jesus is this kind of light. That's what John Chapter 1 is getting at.John 1:18,“No one has ever seen God, but Jesus has made him known.”Jesus says in John 14:6,“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus shows us God. He reveals God. He's an illumining light.Welcoming lightThis is a light that tells you where home is. Jesus is this kind of light. He says in John 12:46,“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” He said in John 12:36,“While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”That's an invitation, see…As an exposing light, Jesus exposes the sin we try to hide.As an illumining light, Jesus illumines the truth of God. As a welcoming light, Jesus invites us home.And it's this third one I want us to think more about … the welcoming light that Jesus is to this world.“I Saw the Light”Growing up in church in the South, we didn't always sing Hank Williams, but when we did, we sang his classic, “I Saw the Light.” Y'all know this song? …y'all know Hank Williams? He was the Hillbilly Shakespeare. There's a great story behind the song…It was 1947. Hank had played a concert somewhere in Alabama and afterwards went on a terrible drinking binge, almost drank himself to death; lost all touch with reality. His mother had come to get him and bring him home — he was only 23 years old. Well, his parents lived next to an airport and there was a big runway light that would sweep across the sky, and as the car got closer to home — he's barely awake in the backseat, but his mom's driving — she sees the sky light up, and she says, “Hank, I saw the light. We're almost home.”And the story goes that her words struck him. He might have been born again — we don't know, he had a complicated life — but in that moment, he managed to scribble down the lyrics to the song. It starts like this:I wandered so aimless, life filled with sinI wouldn't let my dear Savior inThen Jesus came like a stranger in the nightPraise the Lord, I saw the light“I saw the light” — it's a conversion song. To “see the light” is another way we talk about “believing in Jesus.” It means something has changed. Jesus is that kind of light.He's the lighthouse shining when you're surrounded by the raging sea; he's the sunrise that means your darkest night has ended; he's the front porch light left on when you've been in the far country — Jesus is the light of the world who says to all of us, “Come home.”He is shining and saying Believe in me and come home to God.But the Pharisees refuse to. They love their darkness. They love their lostness. And so Jesus tells them very directly in verse 24, “you will die in your sins.”Everybody, look: don't be like the Pharisees. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” See his light. Put your faith in Jesus Christ. And welcome home.Third way not to be like the Pharisees …3. Follow his path. This is the second part of verse 12. After Jesus makes the declaration that he's the light of the world, he follows that declaration with a conditional promise. And this one I really want you to see. So everybody, find verse 12:“I am the light of the world...”Second sentence — “…Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”The promise here is a negative/positive: you will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. That's a good promise, right? But it's conditional. This is not for everyone, but it's only for those who, Jesus says, follow me. Whoever follows me, that's who this promise applies to.And something interesting here is that Jesus uses the word “to follow.” He mostly uses the word to believe. It shows up a lot in the Gospel of John. He'll use it soon in verse 24, but here, in verse 12, he says Whoever follows me. And I don't know why exactly he does this. It might be because “follow” fits better with the metaphor: when you see the light, you follow it. You could believe light, but it makes more sense to follow light.But the main thing that I want you to catch here is that to truly believe in Jesus and to follow Jesus are one in the same. Being a Christ-FollowerNow lots of people might “believe” in Jesus as in they recognize his historicity — they recognize he was a real person and I like most of what he says — that kind of “believing” happens in this story, we'll see next week (8:30–31) — that's one kind of believing. But there's another kind of believing that means to follow him. And that's the believing Jesus is looking for. This is believing that says I'm looking to you and listening to you. I'll go where you lead me. I'll do what you say. I follow you.I met a new friend recently, one of the dads of my son's baseball teammates. We were standing together watching a practice, and in the conversation right away, I told him I was a Christian and I asked him if he had a Christian background — I've found that's a good way to start a spiritual conversation (most people have some kind of religious background).So I asked him, and he said, “Oh, yes, we are Christ-followers.”And I caught what he was doing there. He was letting me know, “Hey, I'm not a Christian as in my grandma took me to church when I was a kid.”I'm more Christian than just my background. My faith is not nominal. I follow Jesus. Now he didn't say that, but that's what he was saying.And I said to him, Praise God. You're not a Pharisee! (I didn't really say it, but I was thinking it.)See, the Pharisees had a lot of face-to-face with Jesus. They see him, they hear him, they've heard about him. Jesus became very much a part of their world. They couldn't deny him. But one thing they keep doing, and they do again here, is they refuse to follow him. Which then means they stay in darkness and don't have life.What about you? Do you follow Jesus? Is your believing true believing that means your highest allegiance is to Jesus? Whatever he wants, that's what you want. Do you follow him?Hey, don't be like the Pharisees. We need to see what they're like in this chapter so that we can run hard in the opposite direction, toward Jesus, which means we: Hear his word. See his light. Follow his path. That's what brings us to the Table. The TableWhat I've asked Jesus to do through this sermon is to bring you to himself. I don't know exactly what that means for each of you, but whatever it means, that's what I want Jesus to do. I got the idea from John Calvin. In his commentary on John 8:12, because of the promise — not walking in darkness, having the light of life — he writes,“…we ought to be excited to follow Jesus, and, indeed, by stretching out his hand — as it were — he draws us to himself.”Can you imagine that? Whatever you got going on in your life, Jesus is saying to you, Come on. Whether it's first-time faith or growing faith, Jesus — as it were — stretches out his hand to you this morning, and at his table we respond…If you're not yet a Christian, make today the day you truly believe. If you are a Christian, let's eat and drink now from his Table, and give him thanks.

In the last seven chapters of the Gospel According to John, we experience the arrest and trial of Jesus and witness the Jewish leaders manipulation of Pontius Pilate as they try to convince him to issue a death sentence on the Son of God. In John's abbreviated fashion, we learn about Annas and Caiaphas, relive Peter's denial of Jesus, his crucifixion, his miraculous resurrection and his granting of the Holy Spirit to his disciples.  Show Notes Twitter | Rumble | BitChute | Spotify | Apple -------------------------------- Support the podcast by shopping at the Truth Quest Shirt Factory. Check out our "Christian Collection" of shirts inspired by this episode.

In the next seven chapters of the Gospel According to John we see the Jewish religious leaders growing increasingly angry with Jesus as he repeatedly compares himself to God and performs miracles that draw people to him and away from the traditional Jewish religion. In this episode, we cover Jesus restoring the sight of a blind man, the Good Shepherd, the death and resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus washing the feet of the disciples and an introduction to the Holly Spirit.  Show Notes Twitter | Rumble | BitChute | Spotify | Apple -------------------------------- Support the podcast by shopping at the Truth Quest Shirt Factory. Check out our "Christian Collection" of shirts inspired by this episode.