[This is not a typical sermon to be sure, but
is presented as a first person monologue, from the perspective of John, the
beloved disciple, summarizing the message of the Fourth Gospel. The message
should stand on its own, but it does presuppose many interpretive points that
were developed in the exposition over the last two years. Some references are
given here (in parentheses) that were not spoken as part of the message as it
was given, though there were Powerpoint images accompanying the narrative.]
JOHN’S STORY
Two
years you’ve spent studying my book? Well, I would have thought that it would
have taken only about two hours to read it, your shepherd must be very slow
(let’s be kind, very thorough!)! You might wonder why I, John, in my old age
set out to write an account of the Lord’s life and teaching when others had
already given us three beautiful, inspired Gospels full of truth? Its really simple: God moved me, an
eyewitness, called to be an apostle, the last of the twelve who walked with
Jesus on earth, to write. The truth is, it is HIS book, breathed out of the very
mouth of God. In one sense it is a simple story, so simple a child can splash
in it and enjoy, and yet so deep (because of Him) that an elephant could swim in
it and not touch bottom. The Spirit
determined we needed one more account, a fourth Gospel, that would complement
the others, a narrative that would lift up the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that would call us to believe Him, and show us the way to eternal life, the
abundant life He wants for us. But two years? Let me see if I can summarize the message of
what I wrote in a few minutes.
I started my
Gospel, in the beginning…
VEn avrch/| h=n o` lo,goj( kai. o` lo,goj h=n pro.j to.n qeo,n( kai. qeo.j
h=n o` lo,gojÅ 2 ou-toj h=n evn
avrch/| pro.j to.n qeo,nÅ 3 pa,nta diV auvtou/
evge,neto( kai. cwri.j auvtou/ evge,neto ouvde. e[nÅ o] ge,gonen…
Oh, you don’t speak the Koine
Greek of my day? The truth is as powerful in your language… “In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with
God. 3 All things were made
through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life
was the light of men. 5 And
the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…” (John 1:1-5).
Yes, I knew that you would
hear those words and think of the opening of the Hebrew Scriptures…
#r<a'h' taew> ~yIm;V'h; tae ~yhil{a/ ar"B'
tyviarEB. (Gen 1:1)
“In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth…” Yes, the Creator, the Eternal Word, became flesh and dwelt
among us (John 1:14). He came unto his own, and His own did not receive
Him! But as many as received Him, to
them gave He the right to become children of God (John 1:11, 12)! I want you to understand that truth: God
became a human, so that He could redeem a people for himself by laying down His
life for us.
The baptizer, John, seemed to understand
before anyone when he said, “Behold the
Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29; cf. 1:36). We
believed that we had found the Messiah, the King of Israel and the Son of God of
whom the Scriptures had spoken, but it took time for us to understand fully who
he really was: not merely a chosen, human descendant of David, but GOD, the
SON!
Jesus did many signs in our presence. We
His disciples, along with other witnesses, saw the miracles that proved beyond
question his identity. It started at a wedding in Cana when water was
transformed into fine wine. He saved embarrassment for the host that day, but
most importantly he began to reveal his glory to those who had eyes to
see. That He was from God was clear, but
there were other things that we were slow to grasp. Immediately after that
miracle we went to Jerusalem and He entered the temple and overturned the
tables of the money changers. We remembered that day the psalmist had written,
“Zeal for Your house will consume me…”
(John 2:17; Ps 69:9). We had to wonder how this story would unfold for our
Teacher! And even then he spoke of his death when he said, “Tear down this temple, and in three days I
will raise it up…” (2:19). We had no
idea what was coming! Still, we followed Him.
He
was the discerner of hearts, He knew what people were thinking before they even
spoke and He always knew how they would respond to Him. Even so, he spoke with
conviction and compassion to all who would come. Some like the old Rabbi
Nicodemus, came at night, not wanting to be seen by the other religious
leaders. And Jesus told him of the need to be born again, born from above, born
of the Spirit, through faith (John 3:1-10). Nicodemus was being drawn, but he was still in
the dark, his eyes were not yet open, he still could not understand how these
things could be!
The Lord Jesus always pointed to the
Scriptures and said that even “…as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted
up, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”
(John 3:14,15). Imagine the truth of His grace: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God
did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world
through Him might be saved” (John 3:16,17).
And so He healed, and He preached to the
people. And not only our people! On one occasion, while we were away getting
provisions, the Master sat by a well and had a conversation with a woman of
Samaria. A SAMARITAN! A WOMAN! (And one with a poor reputation at that!). He
offered her living water that would satisfy the deepest longing of her soul. We
did not yet understand that God was no respecter of persons, and that He
welcomed people from every race and nation.
It was to her that He first used that beautiful phrase that revealed his
deity: She spoke of the coming Messiah, and he replied to her, “I AM” (4:26). [The same term God used when He revealed
himself to Moses!] She believed Him, and
went into her village and told the people, and they believed! Without seeing
any signs, they took Him at His word.
We Jews were not so easily convinced. So
He showed Himself through signs, miracles, acts of power which proved who He is.
On one occasion, He healed the child of
a nobleman, without even going to him, just by speaking a word! “Go your way,” He said, “Your son lives” (4:50). We later learned
that at the exact moment, the boy was healed! On another occasion at the pool
of Bethesda, there was a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. Jesus told
him “rise up and walk.” And he did!
We should have known then that trouble would come: rather than rejoicing that a
man was healed the religious leaders were angry that the healed man got
up and was carrying his mat on the Sabbath! Pharisees! Despite their hardened
hearts, the Master continued to teach, and to reveal himself.
He used many opportunities to leave no
doubt about who He is. Thousands gathered to hear Him, to see what He would do
next. I remember once, when they were hungry, from a boy’s lunch, five little
breads, a couple of fish, he fed five thousand men, plus women and children
(John 6:1-14)! When they wanted to make
Him king by force, Jesus knew their hearts, He knew they didn’t understand
their greatest need, bread from Heaven, the Bread of life. So He withdrew from
them and went alone up to a mountain as He often did, to pray.
He
sent us ahead, and we started crossing the lake by boat and were suddenly
caught in the mother of all storms. We began to despair and suddenly saw a
figure, an apparition it seemed, walking to us on the water (John 6:19)! We were terrified, and then He spoke, “Ego
eimi, I AM, do not fear” (John
6:20). We did not yet understand the full import of His words, but His very
presence calmed our hearts as surely as He calmed the sea, and we arrived at
our destination.
His teaching was sometimes difficult,
and at first few had ears to hear. When He spoke about the bread of life, bread
from heaven, it was confusing, but for others, when He spoke of eating his
flesh and drinking his blood, well it was offensive, and they left. But we,
though we didn’t really understand, stayed, knowing that only He had the words
of eternal life. Where else could we go (6:68)? He told us then He has chosen
us, as He has chosen you my friend, if you know Him!
He traveled to Jerusalem for the
pilgrim feasts as any good Jew would do. On one occasion he called for any who
were thirsty to come to Him and drink (John 7:37). He said that those who
believed would have a fountain of living water flowing from within them (of
course He was talking of the Holy Spirit who was not yet given, because Jesus
was not yet glorified [John 7:39]).
He showed grace when others would
judge: “Let him who is without sin cast
the first stone!” (John 8:7). He taught the truth, the truth that could set
us free. “If the Son therefore shall make
you free, you will be free indeed!” (8:36).
He confounded the leaders and they sought His life when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM!” (John 8:58). They
sought Him, but His time had not yet come, and He passed through their midst.
He taught us about spiritual sight and
spiritual blindness when He, the Light of the World (8:12, 9:5), healed a man
who had been born blind (John 9). It was
a sign that could not be denied, yet the blind leaders still could not see the
Truth.
One of my favorite lessons the Master
taught us in those days, was that HE, the Great I AM, is our Good Shepherd. He
watches us and protects us, feeds us and leads us, and yes, amazing grace,
amazing love, He would lay down his life for his sheep. Not all would receive
His words. He said “My sheep hear my
voice and I know them and they follow me. And I give them eternal life and they
shall never perish…” (John 10:27,28). Well, His teaching was too much for
the leaders, and they tried again to stone Him, but He is God, and His time had
not yet come.
I have to admit that we were confused
when we heard that Lazarus was sick, and then Jesus delayed two more days
before leaving for Judea and the home of Mary and Martha. When we arrived, we
thought it was too late. He was dead and buried for four days. But the One who
is the resurrection and the life did the unimaginable, He cried out, “LAZARUS! COME FORTH!” And he did! How
could there be any question after that? Only God could give life!
Still, the leaders, or at least most
of them, would not believe. They were so annoyed at the fame of Jesus that was
beginning to spread because of that sign they plotted not only to kill Him, but
to kill Lazarus as well!
Despite the risk, or perhaps because of
it, Jesus entered Jerusalem that last Passover. The crowds cheered Him, singing
out the Scriptures as He came, putting palm branches before him as he entered
the city riding a donkey’s colt: “Blessed
is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna! The King of Israel!”
Of all the lessons he tried to teach
us, the most profound was yet to come. We gathered in an upper room. It had
been a long and dusty day. Suddenly the unthinkable: the master wrapped himself
in a towel, and began washing our dirty feet. He washed my feet, and Peter’s! He even washed Judas’ feet before he went
out. He was teaching us about serving, yet the greatest part of that lesson
was yet to come: the Servant would bear our sins on the tree. He told us then that our love for one another
would testify to the world that we are His disciples (John 13:34,35).
He
taught us about Heaven that night and said that He was going to prepare a place for us. He reminded us that He is “…the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man
comes to the Father but…” by Him (John 14:6). He spoke of the Parakletos, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit himself, who would come
after his departure. He told us the
importance of abiding in Him, like a branch receives life from the vine, so we
needed to depend on Him for everything. He warned that we would be hated by the
world, as He was (John 15:18), that “In the world you will have tribulation,
but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
The Master prayed that night. He prayed
for the Father to be glorified in the Son. He prayed for us knowing the
trials that we would face. And, my brothers and sisters, He prayed for you.
He prayed that our unity, your unity,
the unity of His Church, would be such that it would be a witness to the world
and that He would be glorified.
We went out to the Garden that night
unsure of how this story would unfold. Judas returned along with soldiers and
officers from the leaders who came to arrest Him. Betrayed by a friend. But they could not touch Him unless He allowed
it. When they said they were seeking Jesus, He replied, “I AM,” and they fell back, powerless on the ground. They needed
to know, and we his disciples needed to see, that He was in control.
Peter drew a sword and sliced off an
ear, Jesus would have none of it, you see, His hour had come. His very purpose
for coming into the world was about to be fulfilled… He was ready to carry out
the greatest act of sacrifice and substitution, the most profound demonstration
of love that humanity had ever and would ever see. He was ready to lay down His
life for his friends. The Lamb would be sacrificed, taking away the sin of the
world. We all ran, we were scattered, just as the scripture had anticipated.
Later I edged my way back, watching, wishing that I could do something,
hoping that He would do something.
Pilate didn’t want to be bothered and
sought to release Him, but the leaders were adamant: “We’ll not have this man to be our king!” Finally Pilate yielded to their wishes, one
final stab at them, he wrote the crime for which Jesus was to executed on a
placard which would be nailed to the cross: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” In Hebrew, Greek and
Latin the words were there for all to see. The leaders wanted it changed,
Pilate took one last stand, “What I have
written, I have written.” And what God had planned, was coming to
pass. Only after did we understand the
Cross as exaltation. The scriptures were fulfilled, the Messiah was vindicated.
Salvation was secured!
Two unlikely friends surfaced to take
care of His body and lay Him in a tomb, Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus (the
teacher who had come to Him by night!). Then Sunday morning came, and our
sorrow was turned into joy! The tomb was
empty! He was risen! He appeared to the women and to us, finally to Thomas who
confessed the truth that we all now embraced, “My Lord and My God!” (20:29).
Many other signs were done by Jesus in
our presence which were not written in this book, but “…these were written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name!” (John
20:30,31).
So He has called us, all of us, to be
fishers of men, to be His witnesses in the world no matter what the cost, to
feed His sheep (John 21:1-14). So, my
friend, do you love Him more than these? Then feed His sheep! Do you love Him? Then use
the gift He has given you, for the building up of the body of Christ (21:15-25). Do you really love Him? Then make it your
life mission to know God and to make Him known. That is my story my friends.
No, that is His story. In truth,
the story continues as You follow Him and carry out His mission. Amen.
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