Thoughts on Ministry, The Bible, & Christian Living
I. Our Need For The Gospel: Total Depravity
Before we dive into the gospel over the next couple of weeks, let’s take a moment and quickly discuss our own need for the gospel. Why did God send Christ to die in such a cruel way to secure our redemption? Why was the cross necessary?
Continue reading “The God Who Saves: Our Need For The Gospel [session 1]”
I. Fish Frying (1-15)
6 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
I. A Healing At The Pool Of Bethesda (1-17)
5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
“One of the delightful facts about the Gospel of John is that many of its stories linger in the listener’s mind and generate implications for a lifetime. Such is the significance of the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4. It encourages reflection about presuppositions and prejudices, about the mission of Jesus and worship, and it offers a wonderful paradigm for considering the nature and strategy of evangelistic outreach.” Gerald L. Borchert, John 1–11, vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 197.
Chapter two begins a longer section that runs from 2.1-12.19, focused around 7 miracles or “signs”.
More so than the other gospels, John desires “to see beyond the miracles to their significance”…these are…”special actions by Jesus which reveal his glory to those who believe and which confront others with the need to decide about Jesus.” – Stott. The Message of John. p. 62.
The Word and His Witness
From the beginning, “John handles issues of profound importance…Here divinity and humanity, preexistence and incarnation, revelation and sacrifice are each discussed by John with deceptive simplicity.” – Gary M. Burge. The NIV Application Commentary: John. p. 52.
From the beginning, we see John begin to explain the unique nature and mission of Jesus Christ, the god-man. These themes will continue to echo and be further explained throughout the gospel. Yet John wastes no time explaining Jesus to be the unique and perfect representation of God in the world.
Introduction
Who might you consider to be one of the world’s greatest leaders? Why?
We see great leaders throughout church history as well. The Bible contains many stories of leaders who God used to do incredible things. We tend to glamorize leaders sometimes, but we must remember that these men and women are, like us, flawed in areas. None of us are perfect, thus none of us are perfect in leadership. Moses was one of those. Moses displayed great leadership through his service to the Lord and leading the people of Israel. However, he wasn’t perfect and needed assistance as well.
Introduction
As we enter into today’s study, I think it’s important to remember the recent events in Israel’s history.
QUES: When have you forgotten, or almost forgotten, God’s goodness because of a difficult situation in your life?
Introduction
People, by and large, are captivated by stories of deliverance. Many of the movies we watch are centered on such. One of the more recents, I’ve seen is the story based off of the Navy Seal, Marcus Luttrell, entitled Lone Survivor.
What’s yours?