High Theology Equals High Doxology! The More We Know Of Who God Is, And What His Word Teaches, The More We Will Worship And Be In Awe Of Him!
The Acts Church
The Gospel According To John
There are 4 gospel accounts. However, the gospel according to John is unique as compared to the other 3 gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the “synoptic gospels” as they give a synopsis of the entirety of the life of Jesus. John is not a synoptic gospel as it does not go into the details of the entire life of Christ, but rather gives us a more heavenly account of Christ. The gospel according to John does not address Jesus’ physical birth in Bethlehem but rather states on the eternal nature of Jesus as it stated in the first verse of this book. Jesus, who is the eternal Logos, was with God and was God in the beginning which is a reference to creation. Since Jesus is before creation, he is outside the created order making Him eternal and the creator of all things. John does not go into detail about Jesus’ genealogy, His early child years, His transfiguration, or His ascension into Heaven. The gospel according to John does not have parables and many of the stories and miracles that are in the other gospels. There is a large percentage of the content in the book of John that is not in the synoptic gospels. John spends a significant amount of time addressing the last week of Christ’s life on earth as well as a significant amount of time giving details about the last supper. John gives us details on something unique only this book which is the intertrinitarian prayer between the Father and the Son. The book of John also gives the most detail and discussion concerning the Holy Spirit. The “I am” statements of Jesus are found in John. The book of John is a heavily theological book as well as an evangelistic book. John turns our attention to who Jesus truly is and the implications of who He truly is. He is God, the Son of Man, the Son of God, and the eternal Logos who is eternal and, in the incarnation, became flesh to exegete the Father and do His will. The word believe is used 98x in the book of John which is the most used word in the book (248x in the NT) because he wants His readers to believe in the true Christ. The purpose of this book is found in John 20:30-31 which states “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Shawn Owens
Pastor Shawn Owens dedicates part of his study time to make notes easy to read, and thorough for anyone who cannot attend in person. Pastor Shawn desires for these notes help you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
By the mercy and grace of God the Father, the Vinedresser we have been joined to the true Vine, Jesus. It only through our union with Jesus, the true Vine that we can produce any fruit that is pleasing to God. For those who are not “in Christ” they produce no fruit pleasing to God and will be gathered one day to be burned in the lake of fire forever. The branches that are in the true Vine are being pruned to produce more fruit and will spend eternity with the true Vine, the Vinedresser, and the Holy Spirit forever. Let us never once boast in ourselves, but rather let us give glory to God and God alone because just as Jesus stated we can do nothing without Him!
The nation of Israel was led out of Egypt, passed through the water, led into the wilderness to be tempted, failed to keep the law perfectly, and because of their sin judgment and exile came. Christ, the true Israel of God came of Egypt, was baptized by John the Baptist, tempted in the wilderness and succeeded, and then succeeded in keeping the Law perfectly. Jesus the true Israel of God would be our merciful High Priest, the suffering Servant, and the true sacrifice at temple. He would have judgment brought upon Himself, but not for His sins, but rather for His elect who are spiritual Israel. As a result of our union with the true Israel, the true Vine which is Christ we are regarded as spiritual Israel and will inherit the true promised land forever! This only possible by abiding and being in union with Christ, the true Vine!
John 14:28-31
With the agony of the cross in view, knowing the separation from the Father awaits, knowing the wrath of the Father awaits as He hangs on behalf of His sinful sheep, and knowing the sting of death awaits, He says “Get up, let us go from here! The cup of wrath awaits and there is no other way to satisfy the wrath of God to leave the sheep peace than through His death on the cross! With that knowledge and to complete work He was sent to do by the Father, He declared “Get up, let us go” the cross awaits as the hour has come!
These men had left everything they had to follow Jesus and He would soon be leaving them as His hour is at hand. He would not leave them empty handed but would rather leave them something priceless: His peace. This peace is only possible by His death on the cross as His death would satisfy the wrath of the Father on behalf of His sheep as He would die in their place. He brings us peace with the Father and also gives us peace for our walk with Him throughout life. His peace is what relieves fears, anxiety, and worry. He gives us His peace as He is the Prince of Peace and the peace that He gives is a personal peace. He is returning to the Father and to the glory He had with Him before the world was and what better gift could He leave than His peace. It is His peace that allows Him to tell His disciples in the upper room and now us today “don’t let your hearts be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
We are all guilty of breaking the law of God and needing someone to be our advocate before the eternal God. Jesus is our paraclete who when called upon, stands at our side and advocates in our behalf before the Father as He is the original Paraclete. When He left earth and ascended to the Father, He did not leave us alone, but rather sent another Paraclete to guide us, teach us, strengthen us, and sanctification which is God the Holy Spirit. As a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, He has come to us and is always with us. We are not orphans, but rather sons of God and are awaiting the day Christ will come to all His children to forever dwell with them!
To see Jesus is to see the Father as Jesus was exegeting the Father. The love of the Father was being explained by the Son as He was dying on the cross to redeem all that the Father had given Him and loved before the foundation of the world. All those who are regenerated will love God and this is because He loved them first and in regeneration caused their heart to beat with affection for Him for the first time. All those who He loved first and now love Him are predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son and will be obedient and keep His commandments. How can one know they have their name written in the Lamb’s book of Life? If someone has honest and sincere affection for the Biblical Jesus, they can know they are numbered among the elect because love for Christ does not come from an unregenerate heart! The Father loves us with the same love in which He loved His only begotten Son as a result of our adoption as sons. The Son loves the Father and we who share in union with His sonship will now love the Father. How is this possible? He loved us first!
To deny that Jesus is the only way to the Father is to deny God Himself as these words were spoken by the second person of the Godhead as He spoke what He was commanded by the first person of the Godhead. To deny that Jesus is not the only way to the Father is to declare God a liar. Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar. Who else was perfect? Who else could atone for sins? Who else has fulfilled all righteousness? Who else could redeem? Who else is the Son of Man, the eternal Son of God, the Monogenes? How could anyone ever look at Christ and who He is and what He has done and say that He is not enough and there has to be other ways to God. The exclusivity of Christ as the only way to the Father is not negotiable as it strikes at the heart of Christianity. All those who believe in Jesus as the only way will enter glory and live forever in a place that He has personally prepared for them. Because there is only one way to the Father and it’s through His only begotten Son as He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life!
Jesus went to prepare a place for His elect and our place for eternal rest is guaranteed. Our inheritance is being reserved for us and we are being reserved for our inheritance. His sheep will not get to the front desk of our eternal home and hear “we can’t find your reservation,” “your reservation has been lost,” or “we don’t have enough rooms.” The reservations of all the elect were made before the foundation of the world when God wrote their names in the Lamb’s book of life and that reservation is eternally set. Our salvation and redemption is personal. Christ has personally prepared each room for all who the Father has given Him and will personally come to receive them on the Last Day. On that day we who are weary exiles will personally be welcomed home!
As Jesus is nearing His departure from His disciples and from this world, He instructs them that the mark that will let the world know they are His disciples is their love toward one another. The same is true for Christians today as God’s word does not change. Christians should be the most merciful, gracious, forgiving, patient, and loving people as we have had the most mercy, grace, patience, and love shown upon us. Let us follow Christ and love as He has loved. Are we like Peter? Do we claim that we would be willing to lay our life down for Him, but at the first moment of opposition, difficulty, or persecution we run and deny Christ? Let us pray for boldness in our stand for Christ so that at no time do we hear what Peter heard: the rooster crow!
John was seated on Jesus’ right side which in our culture if the seat of honor. However, in their culture the one seated on the left was considered to have the seat of honor. It was custom that the host would give the guest of honor who would have been seated on their left the first of the bread that had been dipped which was known as the sop. As a result, many believe that Judas was seated on Jesus’ left the night of the betrayal which would have been the seat of honor. He was the honored guest. It would be Judas’ actions in leaving this supper to betray Jesus that would lead to the arrest, trial, and ultimately the death of Christ. He would have the most important role this evening as His betrayal which He meant for evil would be meant for good by God for the saving of many lives as Christ death would redeem and save His elect. Jesus was on His Father’s Heavenly timeline and the time for this betray was perfect as Jesus told Judas to do what He had to, do it quickly because Jesus’ hour is here!
Christ has led by example as the Sovereign God humbled Himself and became a servant to ransom those who were His. If the Sovereign can be a servant, then who are we to think that having a servant’s heart in all humility is beneath us. Let us contemplate the depths of the humility that Jesus displayed and as His followers mirror Him. The greatest weapon in destroying our pride is the Holy Spirit bringing the Scriptures alive in our souls. For as we read of Christ, who He is, what He has done, and who we are then our pride will be broken, our praise will be sincere and God honoring, and our lives with be lived out with service and humility toward God and others. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45).
The Sovereign God left His glory in Heaven and humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant. He humbled Himself unto death even death on a cross. It would be this death by this suffering servant that would cleanse all that were His. After He has completed His work, He put back on His garments of glory and returned to the Father to rule and reign forever. What can wash away our sins and cleanse us? Nothing, nothing, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Do we seek the approval of God or man more? If we please God, it doesn’t matter who we displease. If we don’t please God, it doesn’t matter who we please. Let us as Christians be bold and courageous in our witness for Christ. Let it be the desire of our hearts to seek His approval in all we do. Because as Isaiah saw Him and declared He is Holy, Holy, Holy!
God sovereignly hardened the hearts and blinded the eyes of the majority of the people of Israel. This was done in accordance with the ordained and predetermined redemptive plan set from the foundation of the world. If their hearts were not hardened and they had believed in Him, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory and there would be no salvation for anyone. Through this hardening and their hatred for Christ, they murdered the only innocent person ever to live! Their hearts were so hardened and their eyes so blinded, they committed first degree murder against the eternal God. It would be through their actions and the brutality of the cross that the Son of Man would atone for the sins of His people, redeem His elect, and lay His life down for His sheep for them to secure their salvation. The hardening was so that the Son could redeem those the Father had given Him on the cross and complete the redemptive mission that was planned from the foundation of the world.
Jesus knew that He could not be saved from this hour as it was for this hour that He came. He knew the anguish, horror, and pain that was to come, but for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross (Heb 12:2). He endured the cross so that He would see the fruit of His harvest. His harvest includes Jew and Gentile as Him being lifted up would result in Him drawing all men. This hour would result in a triumph over sin and the enemy. What looked like a victory for the world and for satan was rather a cosmic triumph over them, as God would be glorified. As Jesus said “Father, save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Hallowed be Your name!
The Greeks who came to the Passover wanted to see Jesus and worship, but in their worship, they were kept at a distance by the dividing wall. However, the dividing wall would soon be destroyed when the Son of Man, who is the Bread of Life, like the wheat would fall into the earth and die. It would be in His suffering and His death that Christ would be glorified which would also result in the bringing forth of much fruit. This fruit is the salvation of the souls of the wheat harvest which is His elect from the Jew and the Gentile. Jesus carried His cross unto His death and in His suffering, He was glorified. Let us pick our cross daily and carry it even unto death and endure suffering so that we will be glorified with Him one day. The Godhead from eternity past had an exact time for the Lamb of God to be slain for the redemption and atonement of His elect. Jesus has lived a perfect life fulfilling all righteousness for His sheep and now His life is coming to an end. The time for Him to be glorified and to lay His life down for His sheep is at hand as He Himself spoke and proclaimed, “The hour has come for the Son on Man to be glorified.” The cross is coming, His suffering is coming, His death is coming, His burial is coming, His resurrection is coming, and His ascension is coming. As a result, the Holy Spirit would be coming to regenerate and bring in the fruit of His harvest. Let us forever feel the weight of the words “The hour has come.”
Jesus has ministered for over three years, but His time to enter Jerusalem in triumphal entry has arrived as His hour is drawing near and His gaze is fixed on the cross. In the incarnation, the eternal God humbled Himself, took on flesh, and entered His creation. His birth was of humble means, as He was born in a manger. We see this humility again as the eternal Logos rides in on a lowly donkey, as He enters Jerusalem. He will die on Passover in just a few short days. The Passover Lamb in the Old Testament was to be inspected for a set number of days to ensure the Lamb was without blemish and worthy to be sacrificed. Jesus the true Passover Lamb, as He rides into Jerusalem is beginning the Passover Lamb inspection. He will be inspected for several days, and Pilate will make the judgment that Jesus is worthy to be slain as He is unblemished, without sin and guilt. Hosanna, “save us now” is the shout as the King enters Jerusalem in His final days with His destination in view being the cross. The people wanted to be saved from the Romans, but that was not His mission. His mission was to save His elect as He, the Passover Lamb, will be slain to redeem them. The next time He arrives, He is not coming on a donkey in humility, but as a conquering King and on His robe and His thigh, He has a name written “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”
Mary loved Jesus and she poured out her love upon Him lavishly, knowing that He is more precious and valuable than anything she had. Let us be like Mary and not hold anything back from Him in loving Him, worshipping Him, and in our devotion to Him as there is nothing more precious and priceless than Him. He is worthy of all we have and then more. Let our worship and love for Him fill the air as a sweet fragrance everywhere we go as we worship and love Him unashamed. Mary broke the vial so that the sweet aroma filled the room. Upon the cross the body of Jesus was broken so that His precious blood could be shed as His sacrificial death and offering of Himself was a precious and fragrant aroma unto the Father. Mary did not spare her valuable possession or hold back her lavish love for Christ. The Father did not spare His only begotten Son as on the cross the lavish love of God was on full display. Mary anointed Jesus out of love and worship, but it was also done in preparation for His burial which is nearing as His hour is approaching. His death is certain, and He will placed in a tomb, but He will not stay there because He is the resurrection and the life!
Christ divides. You are either a child of God or a child of the devil. You are either a wheat or a tare. You are either a sheep or a goat. You are either saved or lost. You are either for God or against Him. You are either dead in sin or alive in Christ. The division is Christ and if you believe in Him. You either love Jesus or you hate Him. He brings division (Luke 12:49-53). All through the gospel according to John, we have seen the people are divided in regards to Christ. In these verses we see a group that hate Jesus and plot to kill Him. They are going to seize, arrest, and kill an innocent man. The order has been given and the people are aware of the plan to seize Him. They begin to gather at Passover anticipating and wondering whether or not He will come because they know if He comes, He will be arrested. The looming question is “will He attend Passover?” Not only will He attend Passover, He is the Passover Lamb. Caiphas was right even though he didn’t know the true meaning of what He said. It was better that One die so that the elect of Israel and the Gentiles be gathered together and not perish. Who is this One that dies so that this could be a reality? The Passover Lamb!
The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead is one that should leave us in absolute awe of our God who has the power of life and the power over death. Christ would shortly after this story face the enemy of death when He would lay His life down for the sheep and suffer the wrath of His Father. He would then be placed in a tomb. The resurrection of Lazarus was amazing but would pale in comparison to the resurrection that is coming shortly when the Son on Man would be resurrected from the dead. The same one who raised Lazarus from the dead is the same One who raised Himself from the dead as He is the resurrection and the life! If we are a Christian and we look close at this story, we will find the story of our salvation. We were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1) and were unable to bring ourselves to life. What can a dead man do? Dead men don’t reach, seek, or grasp for God. What can a dead man do? Be dead. Lazarus was unable to bring himself to life but was dependent of Christ coming to him. If Christ had never came to Him, he would have remained dead. The same is true for all those who believe as we all would be dead in our sins if Christ had never came seeking and finding us. One day while we were dead in sins an effectual call came to us. This call was a personal call. He called us by name as He calls His sheep by name (John 10:3). He calls the names of all that have been written in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8, 17:8). His call is effectual as it brings forth the desired effect for which it was intended. When Jesus called Lazarus’ name and commanded him to come forth, he came. The same is true for us who were dead in sin when He called us personally and effectually from death to life and from darkness to light, we came! The Shepherd called our name and we followed. Lazarus was bound in grace linens when he came out of the grave but was set free. We are enslaved and held captive to sin and the enemy, until He brings us to life and sets us free. We were dead in sins until one day God came to the tomb of our souls that were spiritually dead. He called us by name effectually and personally and we were brought from spiritual death to spiritual life. All those who have been raised to spiritual life will one day be raised with Him in the resurrection on the last day. This is only possible through Christ. He is the resurrection and life!
Those who believe in Christ will never die as He Himself has given us eternal life as a gift. Eternal life has begun in those who believe in Christ and will be consummated in our bodily resurrection on the last day. It is through Christ than we are resurrected spiritually and one day resurrected bodily. Our spiritual and physical resurrections and eternal life are dependent on Christ as He declared “I am the resurrection and the life.”
The Jews claimed that Jesus was a man claiming to be God. However, He was the eternal God who humbled Himself, took on flesh, and became truly man. In the incarnation, the invisible God became visible and exegeted the Father. What Jesus was exegeting is the personal love God has for His sheep!
Whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life? Who did the Father give to the Son? Who did the Son fulfill the righteousness requirement of the Law for? Who did the Shepherd lay His life down for? Who does the High Priest intercede for? Who does the Shepherd effectually call? Who hears the voice of the Shepherd? Who comes to the Shepherd? Who follows the Shepherd? Who does He give eternal life to? Who does the Shepherd hold in His hands with eternal security? The answer to all those questions is: the sheep, the elect of God. What confidence does the sheep have that they will one day be forever with their Shepherd? That confidence is not in ourselves, not in our own goodness, and not in our own abilities. Our confidence is in the Shepherd as He promises that He holds His sheep and He will never let go and nothing can remove us from His hands. We are secure because He is holding us. The same arms and hands that hold the universe, the same arms that were stretched out on a cross, the same hands that were nailed to the cross for His sheep are the same arms and hands that hold His sheep forever! He is the Good Shepherd!
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He has all authority to enter by the door as He is the true Shepherd over His sheep. His sheep are the elect whom the Father chose before the foundation of the world and gave to Him. All the Father gives to the Son they come to Him as His call is effectual. He calls His sheep by name as He knows His sheep personally. He calls them by name because the name of His sheep have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world. The Good Shepherd loves His sheep and the love He has for His sheep was on display when on the cross, He willingly laid down His life for them. He laid His life down for His sheep so that they would be saved and have eternal life. Now, He leads His sheep and they will not follow another because they are His sheep as they belong to Him. Although we might face dangers, threats, and difficulties in this life, His sheep know that He is the Good Shepherd and will shepherd us all the way to our eternal home where we will find the most perfect pasture!
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He has all authority to enter by the door as He is the true Shepherd over His sheep. His sheep are the elect whom the Father chose before the foundation of the world and gave to Him. All the Father gives to the Son they come to Him as His call is effectual. He calls His sheep by name as He knows His sheep personally. He calls them by name because the name of His sheep have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world. The Good Shepherd loves His sheep and the love He has for His sheep was on display when on the cross, He willingly laid down His life for them. He laid His life down for His sheep so that they would be saved and have eternal life. Now, He leads His sheep and they will not follow another because they are His sheep as they belong to Him. Although we might face dangers, threats, and difficulties in this life, His sheep know that He is the Good Shepherd and will shepherd us all the way to our eternal home where we will find the most perfect pasture!
John 9:35-41
This man was born blind and there was nothing he himself or anyone else could do to give him sight and heal his blindness until Jesus came to find him. Jesus touched him and mercifully gave him his sight. After Jesus has healed his eyes, the man then believed that Jesus was the Son of Man and worshipped Him. This man had never seen any light until this day and now was standing eye to eye with the eternal God, the Light of World. We can see the story of salvation unfold in this event. We too are born spiritually blind, and we are unable to see the truth of God or the things of God. We can’t give ourselves sight and neither can anyone else. We are completely hopeless to ever see the truth of God unless God the Holy Spirit comes to us and by His power through regeneration opens our eyes to the truths of God. He removes the scales from our eyes, and we now see the beauty of the gospel and of God. Jesus answered Nicodemus and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” We can only see the things of the kingdom of God after we are born again which is from God and God alone. We too like this man, after our eyes have been opened, then we believe in Christ. It is this belief that brings about our justification. This belief does not and can not occur before our eyes are open when we are born again as regeneration precedes faith. One day those who He has healed their spiritual blindness will enter the kingdom of God and we will have the highest blessing any creature can have: We will see Him as He is!
This man was born blind and there was nothing he himself or anyone else could do to give him sight and heal his blindness until Jesus came to find him. Jesus touched him and mercifully gave him his sight. After Jesus has healed his eyes, the man then believed that Jesus was the Son of Man and worshipped Him. This man had never seen any light until this day and now was standing eye to eye with the eternal God, the Light of World. We can see the story of salvation unfold in this event. We too are born spiritually blind, and we are unable to see the truth of God or the things of God. We can’t give ourselves sight and neither can anyone else. We are completely hopeless to ever see the truth of God unless God the Holy Spirit comes to us and by His power through regeneration opens our eyes to the truths of God. He removes the scales from our eyes, and we now see the beauty of the gospel and of God. Jesus answered Nicodemus and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” We can only see the things of the kingdom of God after we are born again which is from God and God alone. We too like this man, after our eyes have been opened, then we believe in Christ. It is this belief that brings about our justification. This belief does not and can not occur before our eyes are open when we are born again as regeneration precedes faith. One day those who He has healed their spiritual blindness will enter the kingdom of God and we will have the highest blessing any creature can have: We will see Him as He is!
Jesus was before Abraham. He was also before Moses and Adam. He was before the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the angels, and the universe. He is before all things and in Him all things are held together (Colossians 1:17). Abraham looked forward to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ and believed which resulted in righteousness being credited to Him. We now are to look back to the life, death, and the resurrection and believe which credits righteousness to us. Unless we believe Jesus is Ego Eimi (Yahweh) we will die in our sins (John 8:24). How incomprehensible is it that the one who lived a perfect life for you, laid down His life for you, was raised from the dead for you, covered you with His righteousness, and intercedes for you is the one who was before Abraham, the great I AM!
We were once slaves to sin doing the will of the devil. We were running from God with our ears unable to hear, our eyes unable to see, and our hearts unable to love and believe the truths of God. Our father was the devil, and we were doing the desires of him. Until one day, God the Holy Spirit, sovereignly came to our dead stone hearts and by His power, brought us to life and gave us a new heart that beats with love and affection for God. It would be those whose hearts were changed and were born again that would receive another act of absolute mercy and grace as He would give us ears to hear. The elect of God are given ears to hear, in their regeneration, to which for the first time can hear their shepherd calling to them. His sheep hear His voice and they come, and He never loses one of them. As our ears are open to His effectual call and we believe, we are adopted as sons of God in union with the sonship of the only begotten Son of God and now call God “Abba Father!” We have gone from slaves of sin and the devil, who don’t belong in His house, to sons who will be in His house forever. What an indescribable act of love, mercy, and compassion to have God remove the scales from our eyes, change our minds, bring our hearts to life to have affection for Him, and open our ears to hear Him! He who has ears, let him hear.
He is the Light of the world. The Light shined bright when darkness fell upon all the land when He was lifted up on the cross to lay His life down for His Sheep. We were once children of darkness walking in the dark and hating the Light. At the time of our regeneration God came to our hearts that were full of darkness and declared that there be light as He did into the darkness at creation. Now we are new creations and are to walk in the Light as we now love the Light. There will be no need for the dull light of the sun in our eternal home because the true Light will illumine it forever!
As Christians we were like this woman as we came before Christ naked, guilty, and deserving of death. He would have been perfect not just to stone us, but much worse by sending us to the lake of fire for all eternity. Although we were guilty and deserving of justice, He had compassion and showed us mercy. Those who have forgiven and by faith alone been justified have been clothed in the righteousness of the Righteous judge of the world. And we like this woman heard the most beautiful and life changing words that could ever be spoken by Jesus “I do not condemn you, from now on sin no more!”
The tension, hatred, and drama surrounding Jesus in Jerusalem is brewing and will continue to escalate as Jesus is nearing His death. The Jews want to kill Him and even though they think now is the right time the hour set from all eternity has not yet come. Jesus will be more hated, more despised, more condemned as He draws closer to His death. It is His words that will continue to offend people and will eventually lead Him to the cross to die. In the wilderness the rock was struck to provide physical water. It would be on the cross that Jesus the true rock would be struck and from Him living water would flow to all who believe. The invitation still goes out today just as Jesus cried out on the Last Day of Feast of Booths “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” If you realize you are thirsty and come to Him to drink, He will satisfy and quench your thirst and you will never thirst again.
Why do we listen to the words and teaching of Jesus? What credentials does Jesus have for us to listen to Him and believe His words? Jesus was not taught at the most prestigious biblical institutions on this earth or by the most recognized teachers of the time such as Gamaliel. Throughout His earthy ministry many tried to question Him and trip Him up in matters of the Law, but He gave the right answer always. Jesus has the highest credentials of anyone as to why we listen to His words and His teaching: He is sent from the Father and His teaching is from the Father. So, as we read the Bible and hear the truths that Christ declared let us listen and believe because we are hearing the words of the Father as they are being exegeted by the Son. He who has hears let him hear!
What are your thoughts about the words and teachings of God? The world hates God and the words of God and as a result will hate us. However, the believer should love and cling to every word of God that we find in His sacred scriptures as His words are spirit and life. You must believe the words of God to have eternal life. There are no other words that give us life everlasting as Peter had declared, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.”
There are hard truths in the Bible that offend people. God is not apologizing for His hard truths or giving us permission to ignore them or deny them just because we don’t like them. We are required to believe, teach, and preach what the Bible says, not what we want it to say. Many hear His truth and keep walking away looking for something else they think will fulfill them and give them life. However, no one will ever find life outside of Christ. Let us be like Peter and answer from the depths of our soul “where could I go, but to you and where would I want to go but to you because you have the words of eternal life!”
John 6:48-65
Those who are predestined, called, justified, drawn by the Father, granted the ability to come to the son, appointed to eternal life, born again, come to Christ, believe in Christ, raised on the last day, and are glorified are those who the Father has given to the Son. We are hopeless on our own to come to Him, believe in Him, and be born again as our flesh counts for nothing. To believe that there is still a little something in man to come and believe on our own is to reduce the awe that should be accompanied in response to the sovereign working of the Holy God upon a fallen creature in salvation. The more you know how unable we are to come to Him outside of Him is to then give to Him the glory that is due Him! Why are you born again? Why did you come to Him? Why did you believe? Why will you be raised on the Last Day? Why will you glory God and enjoy Him forever? The answer is God! Therefore, to Him be all the glory forever! Amen!
God has shown sovereign omnipotence, sovereign love, sovereign grace, and sovereign mercy upon those who He draws as no one can come to Christ without the drawing of the Father! Those who the Father draws are the same people who He chose and gave to the Son in eternity past in election and predestination. Our salvation and redemption is intimate and personal as the Father has set His love and affection on His elect, gave His elect to the Son, and then draws them to His Son! We have a seal upon us by way of the Holy Spirit guaranteeing our inheritance and being raised up on the last day. What started in eternity past with our election will be complete in eternity future in our glorification which speaks to the chain that doesn’t ever rust, doesn’t ever have a weak link, or will ever break: the golden chain of redemption (Romans 8:29-30).
So often we think of our salvation as the moment in time and space where we believe and place faith in Christ. That is a part of our salvation, but that is a cheap and shallow view on salvation. The words “to save” are in every tense of the Greek. We were in a sense saved from the foundation of the world through God foreknowing us, we were saved at the time of our regeneration and justification, we are saved and being saved throughout our Christian life, but ultimately the total fulfillment of our salvation will be with God in Heaven when we see Him as He is. The depth and magnitude of our salvation is amazing and can never be truly comprehended. However, let us know that our salvation started and was guaranteed before the world was when the Father chose His elect, wrote their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and gave them to the Son. The Son would then die for the those whom the Father had given Him, and the Holy Spirit would regenerate and seal the same people, guaranteeing their inheritance. The chief of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever which is the end result of those who come to Christ. If you have come to Christ, it is because before the world was, the Father loved you with same love in which He loved His Son (John 17:24) and gave you to His only begotten Son! Jesus who came to do the will of the Father would complete His work on the cross as He cried out on behalf of those who had been given to Him as He laid His life down for them and cried “It is finished!”
The Father sent the Son and the Son descended from Heaven via the incarnation. In the incarnation Jesus humbled Himself, took on flesh, and was born of a woman in Bethlehem. Jesus’ beginning however was not in Bethlehem as He has no beginning for, He has aseity which is life in Himself as He is eternal. The place He was born in the flesh is of significance as Bethlehem means “house of bread.” At the Last Supper Jesus took bread (unleavened bread-represents without sin as Jesus was sinless) and broke it and after giving blessing it said, “this is My body which is given for you” and this was fulfilled on the cross. It is out of the “house of bread” that the Bread of Life had His body broken and His blood shed so that we may have eternal life though Him. All that come to Him have this promise: they will never thirst or hunger and will have eternal life!
We see that throughout the New Testament being sealed involved the Holy Spirit. Jesus had the seal of the Father upon Him which can be seen by the Holy Spirit descending and lighting on Him at His baptism. The Father declares “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” We as believers are also sealed by the same Holy Spirit of promise when we are saved. We are not His only begotten Son who He is well-pleased with, but we are His adopted Sons whom He has loved before the world was. The Father set His seal upon Jesus to have authority to give the bread that leads to eternal life. Those who are regenerated and sealed by the Holy Spirit have a promise that they will dwell with the Bread of Life forever. The promise that we will have eternal life and dwell with Him forever is the most certain promise we can have because it has been made and sealed not but an earthly king, but by the King of Kings!
John 6:15-25
In the beginning the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The One who spoke all things into existence is now not just hovering but walking on the waters He created. He has all power in heaven and on earth. With the sound of His voice physical waves and storms are calmed and with that same voice the storms in our lives can be calmed. He is telling us the same thing He told His disciples in the boat when are faced with anything in this world “Do not be afraid, Ego Eimi.”
Jesus told the woman at the well that whoever comes to Him will never thirst again as He is the Living Water. Not only is He the Living Water, He is also the Bread of Life and whoever comes to Him will never hunger. God is our provider and our sustainer. He has blessed us not just a little, but with abundance. Not only do our cups run over, but our baskets are full!
There is another witness to who Jesus is……..His resurrection! Those who are believers are united with Him in His resurrection. His elect are resurrected spiritually and having a living hope of a physical resurrection on the Last Day! This is the promise to the children of God. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God! (Romans 8:16).
Those who have been born again have had a spiritual resurrection by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and will one day be resurrected bodily with Him by that same power to eternal life. The resurrection of Christ is our living hope!
Despite what the Pharisees and many others my believe, Jesus is God. He has the power to give life to whom He pleases both physically and spiritually. Physical healing is miraculous, but pales in comparison to the miracle that a Holy, Sovereign, Eternal God would have mercy on one sinner and rescue them. The pharisees did not know they were standing before the judge of the world in the flesh and would one day stand Him before Him again in the final judgement. We too, will all stand before the judge of the world one day as He will judge in righteousness. Those who He has chosen to given life by sovereignly raising from them from spiritual death to spiritual life and who believe will have and eternal life as they will stand before the judge of all the world and be declared righteous because they are clothed in the righteous garment of the Judge. He whoever has ears, let them hear!
Jesus has power over sickness, disease, sin, and death. With the sound of His voice, He accomplishes all He desires according to His will as He is the omnipotent, sovereign God. He never stops working as He holds all things together by the power of His mighty word. The Pharisees persecute and want to kill Him because of His claims of deity. However, Jesus can claim deity because in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus is Ego Eimi, the great I AM!
Our God is omnipotent as with just the sound of His words healing occurs, the universe comes into bring, the Earth is formed, planets are created, the sun and moon are birthed, light is declared into the darkness of the heart of His sheep, and we are declared righteous. He is omnipotent and compassionate. This is our God!
Let us hear the words of God being spoken to us through His word and let us, with unwavering belief, walk toward these truths and promises. When we do that, we will be like the royal official in this story as we declare like he did: God's Word and His promises never fail.
There will be a harvest on the Last Day at the end of the age. Those who are not born again will be gathered and thrown into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. However, the righteous will shine forth as the sun into the kingdom of their Father.
God is Spirit as He is invisible and omnipresent. Those who worship Him MUST worship Him in Spirit and in truth. So often we ascribe praise and worship to Jesus and Him only. So often we put all the emphasis on the Holy Spirit. We should praise God as the triune God He is. However, so often the Father is one who gets pushed to background of our worship. True worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth as those are the worshipers He is seeking.
This woman had continued to come to this well day after day for water. She endured the shame and guilt of her life, and it was probably the worst part of her day to come and gather water. She would do anything to not have to come and gather water. When Jesus tells her that the water He is talking about will result in her never being thirsty again she wants that water, but she still thinks he is talking physical water. She has been trying to have her thirst quenched, but it has and never will be quenched because she was not looking to the source of living water. People often look for people, accomplishments, and material things to satisfy their thirst, but those things will always leave a person thirsty and never quenched. Any other well a person goes to will leave them empty and thirsty. The only true peace and quenching of thirst is found in God.