EIGHT
IS ENOUGH: The Good News of Jesus in Eight Stories by John
CONNECT
Fanny Crosby was one of the world’s most prolific hymn writers. Although blind
from shortly after birth, she penned over 9,000 hymns, along with many other
secular poems and songs. One of my favorites is “Tell Me the Story of Jesus”.
The chorus goes like this…
Tell
me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word; tell me the story most
precious, sweetest that ever was heard.
TENSION
If we ever needed to hear good news, it’s now! The world around us is getting
darker and darker. People are hurting and hope seems harder to come by. The
shadow of death hangs over the entire atmosphere.
SOLUTION
Into this hopelessness comes the promise of life: Jesus Christ!
Matthew
4:16 (NLT)
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived
in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.
John
1:4–5 (NIV)
In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines
in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
For the next eight weeks, ending with Easter Sunday,
we are going to look at the life of Jesus. It is not going to be a biography,
as such, but a look at Jesus through the eyes of one of His inner circle of
disciples: the Apostle John.
We are going to look at eight miracle stories in the Gospel
of John and see the wonderful difference Jesus can make in a life! The title of
the series is EIGHT IS ENOUGH: The Good
News of Jesus in Eight Stories by John
PRAYER
Today, I want to give the background for the series
and look at some key verses in John 1 to set the stage for what is to come.
But, don’t go to sleep! I believe God has something special for us today. Stay
tuned in!
BACKGROUND
John was one of Jesus’ first disciples. He refers to himself as ’the disciple
that Jesus loves’. He went with Jesus to the Cross and was commissioned to care
for Mary when Jesus died.
Usually inaccurately pictured as a gentle soul, Jesus
called him and his brother James ’sons of thunder’ because of their tempers! He
was an uneducated fisherman, a man of the people. He is also seen as intolerant
and ambitious, the very type of man Jesus came to redeem. In fact his name
means ’God is gracious’!
The Gospel of John is one of four books that tell the
life story of Jesus; the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are the other three.
They are all different: different writers, different audiences, different
themes, different content. Together they give a multi-faceted vision of our
Redeemer.
Matthew was a Jew who wrote to Jews to demonstrate
that Jesus was their long awaited Messiah King. He wrote that “the virgin shall
be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is
translated, “God with us.” A former tax collector, it was important to him that
“she would bring forth a Son, and call His name Jesus, for He will save His
people from their sins.”
Mark was the son of a Jewish mother and a Roman father
who wrote to Romans to demonstrate that Jesus was the Suffering Servant who
came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”.
Luke was a Gentile physician who wrote to Gentiles to
demonstrate that Jesus was the Son of Man and could identify with the pains of
every person. He is shown to be the Savior who came “to seek and save that
which is lost”. Luke contains more miracles of healing than any other book.
The three are called The Synoptic Gospels because they
give a synopsis of Jesus’ life.
John’s Gospel is unique for many reasons. It was
written many years after the other three. It does not give a synopsis of Jesus’
life but instead focuses on a few key elements from His life for a particular
purpose. John was a Jew writing to the entire world to demonstrate that Jesus
is the Son of God. He writes so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name”. This Good
News is all about believing; the term is used almost 100 times by John in his
writings. Believe means to “trust in, cling to, rely upon”. It is the action
response to faith. If we have faith, we respond by believing and acting.
INSTRUCTION
Now let’s look at four key verses in chapter one and how we can apply them to
our lives.
- John 1:1–3 (NKJV) In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in
the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him
nothing was made that was made.
John is so much more than a series of stories. Through
John we not only see Jesus as the Son of God, but God the Son, the second
person of the Trinity! Because he is fully God, Jesus is able to reveal God to
us, clearly and accurately (LAB). He is revealed as the Word, the Logos, the full expression of God. Jesus
said, “If you have seen me, you have seen
the Father”.
Colossians
1:15 (NKJV)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by
Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All
things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and
in Him all things consist.
Hebrews
1:3 (NASB)
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature,
and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification
of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Ephesians
1:4 (NKJV)
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Application:
a. If you are going through something, you have God on your side! ”If God be for us, who can be against us”!
He is not just some philosophy or idea or dead leader, He is the living God
Almighty! b. You have purpose! God knew you before time began and chose to
create you anyway. Not only that, all your days were written for you before
time began. You have a purpose. Not only that, Jesus saw all your sin before
time and chose to die for you anyway so that you could fulfill your purpose! c.
Don’t let guilt and condemnation derail you. Jesus saw your sin and your worth.
We stand holy and without blame before Him. In
love He has predestined us to the adoption as sons”. This means we are
destined for maturity and fruitfulness!
2.
John 1:12 (NKJV) But as
many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even
to those who believe on His name:
APPLICATION
If you receive Jesus and believe in His Name, He gives you authority to become
a child of God. You are not a child of the devil anymore. Your DNA has been
changed and you carry God’s genes in you! You are growing to look like Jesus.
Don’t let the enemy accuse you about your failures. God is making us in His
image!
2
Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the
Spirit of the Lord.
2
Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed
away; behold, all things have become new.
1
John 3:1–3 (NKJV)
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be
called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did
not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him
purifies himself, just as He is pure.
3.
John 1:14,16 (NKJV) And
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And of His
fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
APPLICATION
Jesus left eternity and broke into time and space to become like me. By doing
that He is able to come to my aid as my perfect high priest and intercession.
T.D. Jakes says he came to earth not just to be the answer, but to understand
the question: What is it like to be a man?
Hebrews
4:14–16 (NKJV)
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not
have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all
points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.
Brothers and sisters, don’t be afraid to come to Him.
He knows. He understands the question. He knows we are but dust!
Oh
what a Savior; Isn’t He wonderful? Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen. Bow down
before Him. For He is Lord of all. Sing Hallelujah, Christ is risen.
4.
John 1:29 (NKJV) The next
day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world!
APPLICATION
Jesus, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, walks out on the
world He created and takes away the sin of the world. He takes it as far as the
east is from the west; He hides it behind His back; He buries them in the depth
of the sea! Our sins and iniquities will He remember no more! Who can bring a charge against God’s elect?
It is God who justifies! Friends, don’t linger over what God has removed. He has taken it out of the way, having
nailed it to the Cross!
INSPIRATION
When you come to Him, remember who He is. John uses seven “I Am” phrases to
remind us… Jesus said…
If you’re hungry, Jesus said: ”I am the bread of life.”
If it’s dark, Jesus said: ”I am the light of the world.”
If you’re outside God’s will or feel like an outcast,
Jesus said: ”I am the door.”
If you feel alone and unprotected, Jesus said: ”I am the good shepherd.”
If you feel death around you, Jesus said: ”I am the resurrection and the life.”
If you are lost in your journey, Jesus said: ”I am the way and the truth and the life.”
If you are weary, Jesus said: ”I am the vine.”
More than anything, Jesus says: *”I AM!”
All of these are in the present tense… not I was… not
I will be… I am… right now, right here… whatever you need, I AM!
INVITATION
O
come to the altar, the Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with
the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
