The Gospel According to John –Review (Part II)
January 8, 2006


[Prayer]

Today’s message is the second part of a review of the entire gospel according to John. It will be two years in April since we started John. Since we finished going through John four weeks ago, I wanted to review the entire book and hit the high points, especially the teachings about salvation. Three weeks ago I started the review at the beginning of John’s gospel and went through chapter 6. Then we had a two-week break. Today I’m going to continue from where I left off.

And remember, as I review some of the things that John wrote, that what he wrote is the word of God, in some cases the very words that Jesus spoke (or at least a translation of them). John wrote what he did so that we might read what he wrote and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we might have life in his name (John 20:30, 31).

Also, as always, I encourage you to read the entire Bible and keep on reading it. It’s the word of God that sustains your life.

Three weeks ago I talked about who Jesus is –that he was there at the beginning of creation, and that, in fact, he always was and always will be, that all things were created through him, that he is the source of life and that he is God who became a man, who came in the flesh to live among men and that he is the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Three weeks ago I talked about how excited the Samaritan woman at the well was, the woman who had had five husbands and who was living with a man who was not her husband when she met Jesus. I talked about how her enthusiasm about Jesus led many Samaritans from her town to come to him and to believe in him.

Three weeks ago I also talked about the fact that Jesus is the only way to salvation and that you must come to him and you must believe in him –you must trust him –and also that there is a definite time that you cross over from death to life. When many disciples were turning back and deserting Jesus, he asked the twelve, “You don’t want to leave too, do you?” Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus is the Holy One of God. There is no one else we can go to for salvation. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He is the Messiah that God the Father said, through the prophets, was coming into the world. He is the one who will ultimately make all things right.

And now I’m going to continue to go through John’s gospel. Let’s look at John chapter 8. At this point, the Jewish leaders were opposing Jesus. In chapter 7 they had tried to arrest him. They had sent the temple guards to arrest Jesus, but the temple guards came back empty handed. When the Jewish leaders asked why they hadn’t brought Jesus back, they declared, “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” They sure were right about that! Only Jesus has the words of eternal life.

So let’s look at chapter 8, verses 23 through 32. Jesus is speaking to the Jewish leaders. Here’s what John says:

23But he [Jesus] continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.”
25 “Who are you?” they asked.
“Just what I have been claiming all along,” Jesus replied. 26“I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” 27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:23-32 –NIV)

“I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” If anyone rejects Jesus,… If anyone refuses to accept the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God –that’s what John says he wrote his gospel for, for us to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God –if anyone refuses to accept that fact, he does not have eternal life! People want to believe that if their lives are not too bad, if they can say that they have been kind to some people, if they can say that there are people whose lives are much worse than theirs, they will not be condemned.  (Why not say that? The reasoning is, “Otherwise, hardly anyone would be saved.”) Or they might say that there are many paths to God; Jesus is only one of the ways. But, if you do not believe that Jesus is who he says he is, you will indeed die in your sins (verse 24).

“I do nothing on my own,” Jesus says, “but speak just what the Father has taught me.” (verse 28) Jesus said things like this many times. He said, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38.) Jesus is our example. Our lives must be lives of following Jesus and serving God:  “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:23, 24)  We can only lose our lives for Jesus if we trust him.

And here’s what else Jesus says (this is back in chapter 7 –verses 38 and 39): “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John says that by this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Jesus were later to receive. Jesus says, “Whoever believes in me…”  By now you know that to believe in Jesus is to trust him.  If you believe in Jesus, you will have the Spirit of God within you –streams of living water. That’s what Peyton means when she says, Jesus is in heaven, but he’s in our hearts, too.” Remember the song, Since Jesus Came into My Heart? “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart.” (#499) Is Jesus in your heart? Believe in him and trust him!

Now look at verses 31 and 32: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” Jesus says that to be his disciple you have to hold to his teaching. That means you have to trust him and believe what he says. If you do – to the extent that you do –you will know that sin and death have no power over you –and neither do any of things of this world. You will know that you have crossed over from death to life and the truth will set you free.

Now let’s go on a little further in chapter 8. In chapter 8, verses 41 through 43, Jesus is rebuking the Jewish leaders for claiming that God is their Father even though they have been rejecting Jesus who is God’s Son. Listen to what Jesus says to them:

42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:42-44 –NIV)

There is a real devil and there are real spirits – fallen angels – that serve him. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.” Your father is the one you follow and the one your take after. Your father is the one whose will you desire to do. If you follow Jesus, God is your Father. If you follow the devil, the devil is your father. He is the one whose will you desire to do. If you say you don’t follow anyone, you’re deceiving yourself. If you aren’t following Jesus, you are following the devil. How do I know? The word of God says that all of us were at one time following the devil. Let me quote what the apostle Paul has to say about this. He’s writing to believers –to Christians. Here’s what he says (and this is the word of God):

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Eph. 2:1-3 –NIV)

Until God saved us by his grace, every one of us was following “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” We were gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature, our flesh, and following its desires and thoughts. And like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath, God’s wrath. Like it or not, that’s the way everyone is without God’s grace and mercy. It applies to everyone who has not entrusted himself to God. Can you say, “Father in heaven, I give myself into your hands. You are the potter and I am the clay. Make me into whatever you think is good. I believe that Jesus died for my sin. I trust you. I want to be like Jesus.”? Can you say that? Everyone who has not entrusted himself to Jesus is still following “the ruler of the kingdom of the air.” He belongs to his father the devil (or to her father the devil) and is still an object of God’s wrath.

Jesus says the devil was a murderer from the beginning, that there is no truth in him. He is a liar and the father of lies. (Remember that the next time you are tempted to lie!) The devil wants you dead. He wants to destroy God’s creation, made in God’s image. He wants to destroy you!

Both the apostle Peter and the apostle Paul tell us (speaking by the Holy Spirit, incidentally) that we are in an ongoing battle with our enemy the devil. Peter says:

8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:11 –NIV)

Paul says:

11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Eph. 6:11-13 –NIV)

We are engaged in a spiritual battle. It’s an ongoing thing. The “spiritual forces of evil” are the devil and his angels. Peter says we have to be alert and self-controlled. Paul says we have to have on the full armor of God. The full armor of God is the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Do you know what the sword of the spirit is? Paul says it’s the word of God! Paul also says that we have to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with every kind of prayer and request and to keep on praying for all the saints. (Do you hear that? Keep on praying for all the saints! I don’t think we prayed together last Sunday.)

It’s definitely an ongoing battle. The spiritual forces of evil attack us both directly and through the things and teachings of the world – and sadly, through other Christians too. Some of the attack is through sickness, trouble and persecution. But a large part of it is through lies and deception.

Jesus says that when you believe in him, streams of living water will flow through you. Do you feel like you have streams of living water flowing through you? Do feel like you have the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through you? The spiritual forces of evil want you to believe there’s no such thing! In fact, the devil wants you to believe that God is selfishly using you and enjoys tormenting you, that he doesn’t love you at all (just like he tried to convince Eve – and succeeded). It’s a lie. God loves us and Jesus died for us: “This is how God loved the world; he sent his one and only Son into the world so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

We are engaged in a spiritual battle. It’s a battle we have to fight every day. It’s also a battle that we have to fight together, not individually. (And I can’t emphasize that too much!) We have to pray for each other and ask for prayer. We have to encourage each other. We have to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other for healing and for forgiveness. We are fighting a spiritual battle.

But, you know what? It’s a battle we can’t lose. We may lose some skirmishes (and the devil wants us to believe we are losing the battle and to give up), but Jesus has already defeated the devil. God say he is able to make us stand and he will make us stand. (Peter thought that he had lost the battle when he denied Jesus, but he went on to victory!) Remember what Peter wrote: “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever.  Amen.” The hymn writer A. B. Simpson wrote, “Jesus giveth us the victory. He who overcame on Calvary, overcomes again in you and me. Hallelujah! Jesus gives the victory!” (#354)

There’s one more thing. When I read the passage where the apostle Peter talked about resisting the devil – “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him,” I didn’t quote what he said immediately before that. Here it is:

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Then, “Be self-controlled and alert.” The key to winning this spiritual battle is to clothe yourself in humility –to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time –to cast all you anxiety on him. If you don’t remember anything else from this message, remember that! Clothe yourself in humility.

I’m just going to talk about one more thing today. Let’s go on to chapter 10. I’m going to quote from verses 7 through 15:

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me– 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father– and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:7-15 –NIV)

Jesus is the gate to eternal life. You must enter through Jesus to be saved. If you enter through Jesus, you will have pasture. You will have spiritual food that sustains your life. Jesus came so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus is the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. (That’s us! Jesus laid down his life for us sheep!) Jesus knows us and we know him. He loves us and laid down his life for us. Amen!

More next week.

[Prayer]