Sermon Central
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John
Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jun 18, 2007 (message contributor)
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1. Christ Cleansing The Temple
Contributed on Sep 27, 2007
If Christ showed such zeal in cleansing an earthly temple, He will use zeal in cleansing another temple, the believer’s life, also.
JOHN 2: 13-17 CHRIST CLEANSING THE TEMPLE The other Evangelists do not record this cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of Christ’s ministry, but, as we all know, tell of a similar act at the very close of Jesus’ ministry (Mt. 21:12f; Mk. 11:15-17; Lk. 19:45f). ...read more
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2. Entrusting Your Life
Contributed on Oct 8, 2007
Jesus at times taught with concepts that are not obvious so that we might grapple with His thought. This grappling causes us to meditate & stuggle with His concepts which eventually can bring blessed understanding.
JOHN 2: 18-25 The ENTRUSTING OF YOUR LIFE The commotion caused by Jesus and the quick report of His unheard of action brought the authorities down on Him. They demand some proof of His right to challenge the existing procedure of worship. John is not concerned with the ...read more
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3. The Woman’s Witness
Contributed on Mar 10, 2008
The text records the effects of Jesus’ witness upon a woman & then through the women upon the Samaritan village. Strangely, it also includes the effect of witnessing upon Jesus. God changes others, the world, & us as we bear witness to Jesus.
JOHN 4: 27-38 THE WOMAN’S WITNESS With Jesus’ declaration that He is the prophesied Messiah the conversation has reached its summit. The recounting of Jesus and the Samaritan woman might have closed with Jesus’ evangelical witness and testimony as it did with ...read more
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4. The Savior Of The World
Contributed on Mar 31, 2008
The woman’s bold witness opened the way to Jesus. That stage of belief is only introductory. They needed a personal encounter with Jesus. The magnificent climax is that the Samaritans come to settled conviction & acclaim Jesus as the Savior of the World.
JOHN 4: 39-45 THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD [1 John 4:7-17] The revival or great harvest among the Samaritans is noteworthy. It is evidence that because of the rejection by Israel (1:11) Jesus moves into a wider ministry. These few verses also indicate two necessary ...read more
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5. How To Judge Correctly
Contributed on May 5, 2008
Jesus has just given our old adage, "like father like son" new meaning. Jesus, like the Father, has the authority to execute judgment & to give life. A life centered on Jesus’ & His Word will judge correctly & do right & will be resurrected to life.
JOHN 5: 25-32 HOW TO JUDGE CORRECTLY 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 / Ezekiel 37: 1- ] Jesus has just given our old adage, "like father like son" new meaning. Jesus, like the Father, has the authority to execute judgment and to give life. A life centered on Jesus’ and His Word ...read more
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6. Witntesses For The Divine Son
Contributed on May 19, 2008
Jesus has just claimed to be equal with God, to give eternal life (18), to be the source of life (26) & to be the judge of life (27). Are there any other witnesses to support this almost unbelievable claim? There most certainly are!
JOHN 5: 33-38 WITNESSES FOR THE DIVINE SON [Isaiah 35:5-6] Jesus has just claimed to be equal with God, to give eternal life (18), to be the source of life (26), and to be the judge of life (27). Jesus was claiming to be divine. Are there ...read more
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7. The Witness Of Scriptures
Contributed on Jun 9, 2008
Openness to God precedes the reception of Scripture truth. We are not to guide Scriptures, they are to guide us...to God. We are not to make Scriptures say what we think or want them to say, but let them say what God desires to reveal.
JOHN 5: 39-47 THE WITNESS OF THE SCRIPTURES [Luke 24: 25-27, 44-49 / Luke 16: 19-31] The previous passage tried to teach us that openness to belief must precede the reception of truth. Now John affirms that openness to God precedes the ...read more
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8. Jesus Feeds The Five Thousand
Contributed on Jun 24, 2008
Christ always has been the provider of His people’s needs. He will always be. The question is will we see our true needs & look to Him to provide them. Jesus is the hope of the 2nd Exodus, which will lead to freedom from slavery to sin, self & satan.
JOHN 6: 1-15 JESUS FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND [Isaiah 55:1-4] The feeding of the five thousand is the one miracle along with the resurrection that is included in all four Gospels (Mt.14:13-21; Mk. 6:30-44; Lk. 9:10-17; Jn. 6:1-13). It ...read more
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9. What Bread Are You Seeking
Contributed on Jul 28, 2008
People often want Jesus to meet their percieved needs. Jesus often graciously does. Yet He calls us to see our real need that He came to satisfy.
JOHN 6:25-40 WHAT BREAD ARE YOU SEEKING The Capernaum discourse (6:22–59) is an open & candid discussion by Jesus concerning His identity & mission. In our text we find the crowd questioning Jesus as to how He is going to prove Himself to them yet again ...read more
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10. The Bread Of Life
Contributed on Aug 4, 2008
Jesus’ claim that He is the Bread Of Life & that the way to eternal life comes by Him were not what the crowd wanted to hear. They rebelled against Him & His claims. They felt they already knew who Jesus was.
JOHN 6: 41-51 THE BREAD OF LIFE [Numbers 11:4-8] Jesus’ proclaimation that He is the Bread Of Life and that the way to eternal life comes by Him were not what the crowd wanted to hear. They rebelled against Him and the ...read more
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11. Partaking Of Christ's Life
Contributed on Aug 18, 2008
Eating & drinking of Christ are here described as the means of bringing eternal life. This consumption of Jesus springs from hungering & thirsting after the life of JC & becomes a metaphor for the interior life one should have with Christ.
JOHN 6: 51-59 PARTAKING OF CHRIST’S LIFE Eating and drinking of Christ are here described as the means of bringing eternal life. As St. Augustine said these verses that call “for a man to eat that meat and to drink that drink is to dwell in Christ and ...read more
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12. Words Of Spirit & Life
Contributed on Aug 25, 2008
During the 1st part of Jesus’ ministry people were attracted by His teaching. Many attached themselves to Him, some of them wholeheartedly, some loosely. Then came a time when their allegiance was tested-as it comes to test every disciple.
JOHN 6: 59-71 WHO CAN ACCEPT WORDS OF SPIRIT AND LIFE? During the first part of Jesus’ ministry people were attracted by His teaching and flocked round Him. Many attached themselves to Him, some of them wholeheartedly, some loosely. Then came a time ...read more
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13. The Courageous Christ
Contributed on Sep 15, 2008
As the light shines, the hostile opposition to it, & thus to Jesus the light bearer, grows. It was now dangerous for Jesus to appear at the Feast of Tabernacles. Despite the danger Jesus follows His appointed path but with wisdom.
JOHN 7: 1-13 [The 5th Discourse] THE COURAGEOUS CHRIST [Leviticus 23: 33ff] John chapter 7 conveys the reactions of the world to the revelation of Jesus Christ. Again and again throughout this Gospel John has emphasized the difficulty ...read more
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14. Developing Proper Judgment
Contributed on Sep 29, 2008
Spiritual understanding is not produced solely by learning facts or procedures, but rather it depends on love for God & obedience to known truth. Obedience to God’s known will develops discernment between falsehood & truth.
JOHN 7: 19-24 DEVELOPING PROPER JUDGMENT [John 5:1-15 / 39 – 47] Jesus has just explained that if their lives are in harmony with God, they will recognize the character and source of His teaching. [Similarly, in John 5:42-47, Jesus said that if they had the love ...read more
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15. How To Become Wise
Contributed on Sep 29, 2008
Jesus went to the temple & called people to make serious, studied judgments, & not simply snap decisions based on surface appearance. He points out if anyone is really earnest he can know whether Jesus’ teaching is of divine origin or not, by commiting t
JOHN 7: 14-18 HOW TO BECOME WISE Have you ever heard of the great con-man Frank Abagnale? His story has been told on the movie screen by Leanardo Caprio and Tom Hanks in the movie “Catch me if you can.” Catch Me if You Can was inspired by the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., the youngest ...read more
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16. Is He The Christ?
Contributed on Oct 13, 2008
If Jesus’ authority to not only interpret the Sabbath but also to work on the Sabbath indeed comes from God, then Jesus is making a messianic claim. This claim opens the way to questions concerning His origins—divine origins. Is He the Christ?
JOHN 7: 25-36 IS HE THE CHRIST? The force of Jesus’ argument with the authorities seems to impress many in the audience who are either residents of the city or pilgrims in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. Thus a shift in subject springs from Jesus’ last answer. If Jesus’ authority to ...read more
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17. Rivers Of Living Waters
Contributed on Oct 20, 2008
Tabernacles was a popular festival rich in symbolism. It was a memorial to the wilderness journey & God’s provision of water from a rock. The water poured on the sacrificial rock altar of the temple represented the life giving water flowing from God.
JOHN 7:37-39 RIVERS OF LIVING WATER [Deuteronomy 31:9-13] Tabernacles was a popular festival rich in symbolism. Each day of the feast of booths included a water ceremony in which a procession of priests descended to the south border of the city to the Gihon Spring (which ...read more
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18. The Light Of Life
Contributed on Nov 9, 2008
He who gave sight to the blind desires to give you sight in the spiritual world. Jesus wants to light your way & lead you into life. Into your darkness of sin & uncertainty Jesus shines so that He may lead you into eternal life.
JOHN 8: 12-20 THE LIGHT OF LIFE Once again Jesus intensifies the heated controversy with the amazing claim that He is the Light of the World. They wanted other witnesses to His claim but had refused all the witness that the Father had already given. God expected them to heed the light He ...read more
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19. Receiving The Word
Contributed on Dec 29, 2008
Jesus is addressing those who think they believe, who think they follow God. They had the notion that they were children of God, but had never yielded to Him the depth of allegiance that is at the core of real belief. It is a dangerous spiritual state.
JOHN 8: 37-47 RECEIVING THE WORD [OF GOD] [James 1:19-26] Jesus here is continuing to addresses those who think they believe, who think they follow God. They had the notion that they were children of God, but had never yielded ...read more
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20. Jesus, The Eternal One
Contributed on Jan 4, 2009
This section of John’s gospel closes with the resounding climax of Jesus’ claim to be eternal deity. Jesus had been given glory by the Father, but He would receive none from those who did not know or listen to the Father.
JOHN 8: 48-59 JESUS THE ETERNAL ONE [Mark 3:22 – 27] This section of John’s gospel closes with the resounding climax of Jesus’ claim to be eternal deity. Jesus already has made numerous absolute claims. For example: He is the Word of God, the Living ...read more
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21. Jesus & The Father Are One
Contributed on Feb 23, 2009
Jesus continues His shepherd sermon in this passage but He also advances another teaching. Jesus makes the declaration that He & the Father are one. It is clear that persons must recognize Jesus as being one with the Father or else reject Him entirely.
JOHN 10: 22-30 JESUS & THE FATHER ARE ONE Jesus continues His shepherd sermon in this passage but He also advances another teaching. Jesus makes the declaration that He and the Father are one. It is clear that persons must recognize Jesus as being one with the Father or else reject Him ...read more
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22. Jesus, The Son Of God
Contributed on Mar 10, 2009
The conclusion of Jesus’ final public disclosure of Himself to His people was the ultimate confession of His complete identity. In this last act of public ministry also is recorded the Jews final rejection of Him & all that He stood for.
JOHN 10: 30-42 JESUS, THE SON OF GOD Here we come to the conclusion of Jesus’ final public disclosure of Himself to His people. It was the ultimate confession of His complete identity. In this last act of public ministry also is recorded the Jews final rejection of Him and all that He ...read more
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23. He Whom You Love
Contributed on Mar 16, 2009
God would have us learn a lesson, which reaches far beyond the instance at hand, & casts light on many dark places. God’s delays are delays of love.
JOHN 11: 1-10 HE WHOM YOU LOVE We learn from verse 17 of this chapter that Lazarus had been dead four days when Christ reached Bethany. The distance from Bethany to the place Christ probably resided when He received the message was about a day’s journey. If we added to the two days on which ...read more
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24. The Messianic Entry
Contributed on Jun 15, 2009
This story of Jesus’ messianic entry into Jerusalem is one of the last links in the chain that leads toward the final cataclysmic event. Jesus steps into the limelight to draw attention to the most important event in history, His death & resurrection.
JOHN 12:12-19 THE MESSIANIC ENTRY [Zechariah 9:1-10] The final week in Jesus’ earthly life begins with an outpouring of public recognition. This story of Jesus’ messianic entry into Jerusalem is found in all four gospels. It is one of the last links in the chain that leads toward the ...read more
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25. Jesus Washes The Disciples' Feet
Contributed on Aug 3, 2009
This parable in action sets forth the principle of lowly service and asks the followers of Jesus to be like Him, not like the world.
JOHN 13: 1-11 JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES’ FEET [Luke 22:24-27] In the earlier chapters Jesus had given His ministry to the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. In chapters 13 and following Jesus turns from an unbelieving world to minister the Father’s love to His inner circle of disciples. ...read more
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26. The Way To The Father's House
Contributed on Aug 24, 2009
This chapter is filled with promises addressed directly to the community of faith. If we take hold of these promises our anxious perspective will be changed & our faith will be increased.
JOHN 14: 1 – 6 THE WAY TO THE FATHER’S HOUSE The disciples were completely bewildered and discouraged. Jesus had said He was going away (7:34; 8:21; 12:8, 35; 13:33), that He would die (12:32-33), that one of the Twelve was a traitor (13:21), that Peter would disown Him three times ...read more
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27. The Coming Of The Spirit
Contributed on Sep 13, 2009
Jesus is going away, but they will not be left to their own resources. The Father will send the Spirit in Jesus’ place. The power of God is resident in Jesus & His disciples are invited to know Jesus & gain life from Him, & share His power.
JOHN 14: 15– 20 THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT This is the first of several teachings on the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room Discourse. Jesus teaches so much about the Holy Spirit because apart from the Spirit of God we cannot live the Christian life God calls us to in His Word. We need to know ...read more
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28. Love's Repsonse
Contributed on Sep 28, 2009
We have many misconceptions about what real love for Jesus is. But I trust that these words from the mouth of our Lord Himself will make us wise unto salvation. Christian love is demonstrated as a believer keeps or obeys the Lord’s words.
JOHN 14:21-24 LOVE’S RESPONSE [John 14:15-27 & 15:7-14] This passage concerning our love for Christ is bound before and aft with teachings concerning the Holy Spirit. There is significant reason for this. We are to obey Christ’s word and live for Him. In fact, our love for Christ is ...read more
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29. The Promise Of The Spirit
Contributed on Oct 5, 2009
This promise of the Paraclete brings further clarity to the role of the Spirit, since now He is described specifically as the “Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the interpreter of God to us & the One who brings God’s peace to us.
JOHN 14: 25-31 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT [Philippians 4: 6-7] This section continues to prepare Jesus’ disciples for His departure and its consequences for them. The consequences of Jesus’ departure are not to be sorrowful but a release of blessings. For unless Jesus leaves the Spirit of ...read more
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30. How To Dwell In Jesus’ Love
Contributed on Nov 2, 2009
To be connected to the Vine means that the life of Jesus is flowing in us & through us, & this leads to fruitfulness. Fruitfulness will be the inevitable outcome of an inner spiritual life with Jesus.
JOHN 15: 7-11 HOW TO ABIDE [DWELL] IN JESUS’ LOVE [John 8: 31-35] We have learned that fruit-bearing is a byproduct of abiding in Christ for as Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (15:5b). Having an inner relationship with Jesus (as a branch is nourished and strengthened by a ...read more