The Christian life is in one sense difficult, but in another sense it is simple. It is difficult because we are still sinners living in a cursed world, but it is simple because Jesus boils down the Christian life to two words: “Follow me”
On the evening of that resurrection Sunday, Jesus appeared to the disciples just as He appeared to Mary. What we see is how the disciples moved from grief-stricken cowering in fear to now fixing their gaze on their resurrected Savior. How they move from unbelief to believing as they are filled with peace and joy for the resurrection had changed everything.
After the crucifixion of Jesus, all hope seems lost. The disciples have scattered, and Jesus’ body lays still in a sealed tomb. Brokenhearted and no doubt discouraged, Mary Magdalene comes to Jesus’ grave 3 days later to find the tomb unsealed. In shock, she alerts Peter and John to come see. What the disciples would soon discover is the greatest miracle and event in all history. They would discover Jesus has risen, and that their faith and salvation through Christ would be assured forevermore!
As we get to the details of the crucifixion, John gives us these details not to amaze us, disgust us, or move us to compassion, but to help us believe. John acts as a witness climbing into the stand and placing his hand on the Bible, making a solemn oath as an eyewitness with the intentions to cause us to believe, saying “I was there, I saw it with my own eyes. The reason I am telling you is so you will know that Scripture has been fulfilled and will believe on Jesus as the Messiah.”
A dominant theme of Jesus’s trial before Pilate is the kingship of Jesus. The garments the soldiers placed on him and the horrible crown they forced him to wear, the mockery of Pilate presenting Jesus is a weak and harmless king reveals that Jesus is a humble King who rules through his suffering.
A dominant theme of Jesus’s trial before Pilate is the kingship of Jesus. Four times Pilate publicly refers to Jesus as the “King of the Jews”. When Pilate gives into the people’s wishes and orders Jesus’s execution, he had a sign made calling Jesus the King of the Jews. Not only does Pilate call Jesus the King, but the soldiers also present him as a king in mockery. Why does Pilate continue to use the title “King of the Jews” to describe Jesus? Does Pilate believe Jesus is the prophesied King?
As John writes his account of the cross, he does not focus on human liability, but rather he is showing us every step to the cross is planned and controlled by Jesus. Jesus himself said, “I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.” From a human perspective, it seems Jesus is swept to the cross by forces outside his control. John is showing us that Jesus orchestrates every encounter, and every event reveals his sovereign control.
While the weight of all the world’s sin is being placed on the shoulders of Jesus and the cross is waiting for Him, our unity is on His mind. We see the idea of being one is mentioned three times in our text and the purpose of this unity is so that the world may believe Jesus was sent by God the Father and that God the Father loves us as He loves Jesus. What does this unity that is so important to Jesus look like?
The hour has finally arrived. This hour was not just the hour that Jesus was preparing for, but the hour the whole world was anticipating. For the hour was the fulfillment of the promise made in the garden that God would send a rescuer to save humanity from sin. The moment when everything will change, when sinful creatures separated from their creator, can be restored, and enjoy fellowship with him. At the climax of the story, Jesus stops to pray.
The time was drawing near. Jesus would soon breath His last breath as He hung on the cross. This news, though not yet fully understood, was weighting on the disciples. They did not understand what was happening and how this could fit into God’s plan. The moment was full of sorrow and confusion, yet Jesus tells them that their sorrow will turn to joy and that this joy will endure regardless of circumstances.
Sorrow mingled with fear and anxiety gripped the hearts of the disciples as they looked ahead as Jesus spoke about leaving and the opposition that was waiting for them. In their sorrow Jesus comforted them. He tells them it is for their benefit that He leaves, because He will be sending the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will continue the ministry of Jesus, by exposing the darkness, guiding the disciples into all truth and glorify the Son.
Jesus wanted His disciples to be prepared for everything they would face when He was gone. As Jesus encouraged them to remain in Him, He now warns them of the opposition they would face. The more they remained in Christ, the richer their fellowship will be with the triune God which would propel them into the mission of God that would cause more separation from the world and would lead to opposition.
John 15 contains a beautiful imagery of the vine and branches. This imagery speaks of the union between the believer and Christ. This union originated in Christ’s initiative and is sealed by his death on their behalf. The union is completed by the believer’s response of love and obedience. This is the essence of Christianity – our union with Christ.
As Jesus continued to encourage the hearts of the disciples, he begins to describe the relationship between the triune God and the disciples. This is not a relationship based on reciprocity, nor is it a relationship with no expectations, but rather it is a relationship of mutual love. What we are going to see is that this relationship between the disciples (believers) and Jesus mirrors the relationship among the three persons in the trinity.
The news of His coming departure, the betrayal by one of His own, and Peter’s denial was likely weighing heavy on their hearts. They did not understand what was happening. They had followed Jesus, and they believed Him to be the Messiah, but it seemed that life was not going as they had planned. Yet, Jesus did not leave them hopeless but pointed them to the hope that is found in him. The answer to their troubled hearts was Jesus.
In the darkest hour, Jesus’ focus is on the glory of God. This begs us to ask the question of how do our lives bring glory to God? Jesus calls us to follow Him and lay down our lives in humble service, and He is glorified when we do. Jesus calls us to love another, and He is glorified when the world takes notice. Jesus calls us to fix our eyes on the cross and point the world to the glory of the cross, and He is glorified when the cross is lifted high.
As Jesus prepares the disciples for the reality of his death and the pain of his departure, what will they need? The same thing every generation of disciples need, not an inspirational speech but a deeper understanding and experience of the gospel. This is precisely what Jesus does in his act of humility in washing their feet.
The book of John does not record the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, but many of the same emotions that were expressed in the garden, we will see in our passage. Today, John gives us a glimpse into the heart of Jesus, the reason why He came and the reason for unbelief of the people.
The news of the resurrection of Lazarus was on everyone’s lips, and the question of Jesus’ identity dominated their conversations. When they heard Jesus was coming into the city, they came to meet Him, grabbing their palm branches in hope of salvation, singing the words of Psalm 118, “Lord give salvation now”. Jesus did not avoid the crowd who wanted to make him king, but rather he redirects to what type of king He is, by riding in on a young donkey.
John is showing us how Jesus is being honored by others even though they do not grasp the significance or meaning of what is happening. In this narrative he gives us two pictures between Mary and Judas. Mary is at the feet of Jesus adoring him in love, offering extravagant devotion and anointing him for his burial. Judas sits in condescending arrogance, not only questioning Mary’s action but judging Jesus’ willingness to accept such a gift.
The raising of Lazarus caused the religious authorities to decide to arrest and kill Jesus in fear of losing their power and privilege. Caiaphas, the high priest, unwittingly prophesied that Jesus’ death would be a substitutionary atonement. We see that the God of all grace is sovereignly at work, at all times and in all places and no council nor authority can frustrate His plans.
When Jesus saw Mary and the Jews crying, he was both angry and weeping. The same sin and death that prompted his outrage, also generated his grief. Moved by compassion He went to the tomb and with a loud voice He called Lazarus from death to life, revealing the glory of the Father. Since dead people cannot hear, this calling points to the divine calling, where Jesus calls His own out of the grave of their sin.
The people in Jerusalem wanted to arrest and kill Jesus for blasphemy. Yet Jesus escaped them because his time had not yet come. What calls him close to Jerusalem where He could possibly be arrested and killed is the appeal of Mary and Martha with the news that one of his dearest friends was ill. Yet when Jesus heard the news, he delayed two more days, and in their pain and confusion he revealed himself as the resurrection and the life.
As Jesus’ ministry continued, it seemed that the opposition continued to grow stronger and stronger. The Jews gathered around Jesus, and from their question it seemed like they wanted to know who Jesus was and believe on Him. However, after Jesus had told them and shown them that He was the Son of God and one with the Father they refused to acknowledge this truth and wanted to kill him. In a sense they claimed to want to believe, but truly they had come to condemn Him.
Immediately after the man was healed of his blindness and was kicked out by the religious leaders, Jesus began to speak of the true shepherd of Israel. In this imagery, he is comparing the true shepherd of Israel with the thieves, robbers and hired hands. At the end Jesus claimed to be the good shepherd, the true shepherd of Israel that the prophet Ezekiel spoke about.
The man who had been blind his entire life could now see, rather than the religious leaders rejoicing with the people, the healing was met with skepticism. The discussion between the religious leaders and the healed man revolved more around the identity of Jesus than the meaning of the miracle. Was Jesus from God or was He a sinner? When questioned, the healed man was not sure how to answer. Yet one thing he did know, was that he was blind, but now he could see.
Chapter nine centers on one event in the life of Jesus. It is here that we see Jesus gives sight to a man born blind. In this miracle, we see one of the greatest demonstrations of what the gospel does and what salvation is. For through Christ, the blind can see.
Jesus continued his conversation with the Jews where he confronts their unbelief and gives the reason for their unbelief. At the heart they were believing lies and rejecting the way, the truth and the life that stood in front of them.
As Jesus spoke to the crowds, he spoke of the life and freedom that is found in being a true disciple. Throughout the book of John, we have seen many believing in the Lord. But not everyone had true faith and were genuine disciples. In our passage, Jesus speaks to those who were following Him and tells them what it means to be a true disciple.
During the celebration of the Feast of Shelters, the people looked back and remembered how God delivered and provided, and the people looked forward to God providing a Messiah to deliver and provide for them. In that moment Jesus stood up and declared that He was the light of the world. He was showing them that the whole Exodus of deliverance and provision was pointing to Him.
The question of who Jesus is rings throughout chapter seven as the people were amazed at Jesus. With questions swirling around who Jesus is, at the end of the feast, Jesus makes a passionate plea to the pilgrims before they departed to their hometowns. The response of the people remained divided even among the religious authorities.
Jesus’ ministry was leaving those He encountered curious about who He was, and what exactly He had come to do. Who is Jesus? That is the question that every person must answer. If Jesus is who He says that He is, then this demands a response in the hearts and lives of every person.
As Jesus continues in his conversation with the crowd in the Synagogue in Capernaum. Jesus is calling the people to come and eat his flesh and drink his blood. To come and feast on him. In this metaphorical calling, it began to become clear to those following Jesus could no longer follow him, because his teaching was harsh and offensive. What they wanted, Jesus would not give, what Jesus offered, they would not receive.
After Jesus had fed thousands with just a small lunch. The people followed Jesus to see more miracles. But Jesus was showing them something more. For He did not come to give physical bread, he came to give Himself. For He did not come to provide temporary desires, but to satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts. The people came asking questions. But instead of answering their questions, Jesus answered the question of their hearts.
In chapter 6 we find out that the time of the Passover was near, and the people would have remembered their history and the deliverance of God’s people out of Egypt. John is going to show us the miracles Jesus performed. In these miracles John is going to show us that Jesus is the Promised One from long ago. He is the true and better Moses. These miracles shout out the message of the gospel, that there is nothing impossible for Jesus. There is nothing that He cannot overcome.
After Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, Jesus made a stunning declaration that God was His Father. The religious leaders knew what that claim meant, for Jesus was claiming to be equal to God. Based on the staggering claims that Jesus makes about himself, he reveals his equality and unity with God the Father. Our response to Jesus must be that of honoring, believing, and obeying his Word.
Jesus performed many miracles during His public ministry. Some who saw Jesus performing miracles, only saw him as a miracle-worker, but John is trying to show his readers that He is so much more than that. For the man (Jesus) who performed signs and wonders was also the promised Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world. In our text today, John invites us to believe, but to believe in who He is and not just what he can do for you.
John contrasts Nicodemus of chapter three and the Samaritan woman in chapter four. Nicodemus was learned, powerful, respected, orthodox and theologically trained. The Samaritan woman was unschooled, without influence and despised. Yet both needed Jesus. Whether rick or poor, young or old, prestigious or outcast, there is only one answer to the aching in our souls. Jesus is who we long for. Jesus is who we need.
As we come to the end of chapter three, John shifts our attention back to John the Baptist and showing us how John sought to point all attention to Jesus. We see that Jesus surpasses John the Baptist and any baptism or ritual purification he may have represented. John finds his joy, in wholeheartedly embracing God’s will, and the supremacy it assigns to Jesus. We learn that Jesus must increase, and we must decrease. These words are the anthem that we should live out.
As the new birth is grounded in the death of Jesus (Lifting up the Son of Man), so also is the death of Jesus grounded in the love of God. Apart from God’s love for the world, the very world that stands under His wrath and condemnation, no one would be saved. Therefore, God’s love for us is astonishing. John shows us that the measure of God’s love for us is Jesus and the purpose of God’s love for us is that we might have life.
Jesus, who knew all men and knew what was in man, entered a conversation with a religious man named Nicodemus in which Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. Jesus is insisting this new birth is the prerequisite for entrance into the kingdom of God and this truth is applied to a man of the caliber of Nicodemus. If Nicodemus cannot enter the promised kingdom by virtue of his standing and works, what hope is there for anyone one else seeking salvation along those lines?
When Jesus made it to Jerusalem, he did not find a temple filled with true worship and celebration instead he found the temple transformed into a place of commerce. Jesus was looking past the surface level and was concerned with a much deeper problem. This passage has great application for us as we live in a consumer culture that focuses more on what we can get from God, instead of focusing on God himself. Jesus came to transform our hearts and cleanse us from sin. He came to make us new.
The account of Jesus’ public ministry begins with the first sign of turning water into wine. At first glance, we might wonder what the point is of this miracle. But as we dig a little deeper and see both the cultural context and the religious context in which it took place, we begin to see the message that John conveys. Jesus came to bring a new way.
As the disciples are introduced to Jesus of Nazareth, everything changes. Jesus asks them what they are seeking, and he invites them in to come and see. The same question is asked for all of us as we come to the book of John and see Jesus, what are you looking for? The good news of the gospel is that Jesus is everything we are seeking.
After the prologue, the question we all should be asking is, “who is this Word?” John is going to show us as he unpacks the testimony of a well-known and important witness. John the Baptist’s life pointed to Jesus, and this should be our prayer for our own lives as well. Like John, we can recognize our unworthiness and marvel at his worthiness and His grace in calling us to Himself. What a gift that we get to serve him.
John’s Gospel begins in a different way. It does not begin with the historical developments (Joseph, Mary, Bethlehem, the visits of the shepherds). It begins by thinking about what the coming of the eternal Son, the coming of God, means. The prologue is like larger foyer to the rest of John’s Gospel. It draws us in and introduces us to major themes that we see throughout John’s Gospel.