The Book Of John Series

THE BOOK OF JOHN -- Sermon 4

Introduction: In the last lesson we studied Mark and Luke. We looked at how Jesus was presented as the Servant and as the Son of Man. In this Lesson we will complete a survey of the Gospel of John. John represents Jesus as the incarnate God. Jesus came to earth as God. He was God in the Flesh!

JOHN

I. SURVEY

A. Writer: John, the Apostle. He is one of the best known disciples and is called the “beloved disciple.” He is

the favorite of many.

1. He is mentioned more in the Word of God than any of the other three gospels writers. Matthew and Mark are

mentioned 5 times each. Luke is mention 3 times, and John is mentioneed 35 times in the New Testament.

2. He is called the beloved but he was also fiery.

a. In fact Jesus called him one of the sons of thunder in Mark 3:17.

b. He revealed this characteristic when he wished to destroy the Samaritans with fire in Luke 9:54 and he got

angry about a man casting out devils that was not follwing Jesus in Mark 9:38

3. He is the son of Zebedee and Salome.

a. Salome was the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

b. If Salome and Mary were sister’s then this means that Jesus and John the Beloved were first cousins and he

also related to John the Baptist.

4. He was a fisherman, in partnership with his Father and Simon Peter according to Matthew 4:21-22

5. He was a disciple of John the Baptist (1:35-40). He became one of Jesus’ first disciples and remained with him until his ascension. John was one of the

privileged three that were at the Transfiguration.

6. He acquainted with the high priset in Jerusalem (18:15-16). This is probably how he was granted admission

into Christ’s trial before and Annas and Caiaphas.

7. He was in attendance at he Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 49-50 (Acts 15:4), and later went to Asia Minor,

where he was a Pastor of the seven churches, residing mostlt at Ephesus.

8. He was banished to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the book of The Revelation. He returned to Ephesus

and died in A.D. 100, as the only Apostle who did not suffer martyrdom.

9. Next to Paul, he was the leading writer of the New Testament, having written 5 books.

B. Date: 90-100 A.D.

C. Key Word: Believe is found in this gospel over one hundred times

D. Purpose: “......that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have

life through his name.”

II. OUTLINE

A. GOD’S MANIFESTATION IN THE FLESH - John 1

1. Pre-existed as the “Logos” -- John 1:1-5

a. There are two books in the Bible that begin, “In the beginning.”

1. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

2. John begins with, “In the beginning was the Word.”

3. The difference between these two accounts is that Genesis begins with Creation and looks forward and

John’s account begins with the Creation and looks back into eternity.

b. The Word here is the greek word “logos”

c. John’s gospel tells us that the Word had no beginning. He has always existed.

d. Some have interpreted this word to mean only thought.

1. The definition of “Word” is “thought or reason”

1. Philosopher’s have used this word to state that behind all things there is a thought. That is true.

a. When we see a table, we know that there was a thought behind building it.

b. When we see a building, we know that there was a thought about how to build it.

2. The Grecian Philosopher’s reasoned that behind this world there must have been a great thought; therefore God is thought. This is the extent of Grecian philosophy.

3. The “Word” does mean thought but it’s much more than that.

a. I accept that behind every object there is a thought, but I also believe that behind every thought there must be a THINKER TO THINK THE THOUGHT!!!

b. GOD IS THE THINKER!!!

c. God is the thinker, a person, and Jesus Christ is that person manifested in the Flesh -- GOD

2. Proposed as the Light - John 1:6-18

a. Chosen Prophet - vs. 6-8

1. John the Baptist was not a “happen so”; he was not a self appointed reformer; he was a man sent from God, who was propfesied and prepared beforehand.

2. God knew and John knew than he was only a witness of the coming one.

3. He was called in his mother’s womb and the Bible says he had a shouting spell when he heard that Jesus was going to be born.