You Must Be Born Again

John 3:1-15

Today is Reformation Sunday, when we remember Martin Luther igniting the theological debates by nailing his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg. The Reformation that followed sought to cleanse the church of selling Indulgences, much like Jesus cleared the Temple courts. But even more at stake was the understanding of faith and grace and God’s ultimate sovereignty over all things, including our salvation.

Zeal

John 2

In July, in the sermon series relating to “water,” we saw Jesus’ first miracle was to turn water into wine. John tells us that through this, Jesus manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him. Shortly after, Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem for the Passover. Jesus’ zeal was demonstrated for:

Marks of a Disciple

John 1:35-51

Jesus selected his disciples with purpose. They had certain characteristics that would grow over time. Though it is not a complete picture, in this passage we find several of these character marks that are important for us to have as we also seek to be faithful disciples of our Lord Jesus.

Behold, the Lamb of God!
John 1:6-8, 15, 19-34
John, the disciple of Jesus and author of this Gospel, writes about John the Baptist’s ministry. (We don’t want to confuse the two Johns.) We know from this and the other Gospels that John the Baptist preached a message of repentance from sin and baptized people in the river Jordan in preparation for the coming of the Messiah (Christ).

The Word Became Flesh

John 1:14-18

John began the gospel with the amazing assertion that the Word (Jesus) was with God in the beginning and is God. He continues to describe the uniqueness of Jesus and also lays out the basics of the good news that through faith in Jesus we receive the right to become children of God. Now John continues to reveal an extraordinary view of Jesus.

The Light Shines

John 1:1-13

John began the gospel with the amazing assertion that the Word (Jesus) was with God in the beginning and is God. He continues to describe the uniqueness of Jesus and also lays out the basics of the good news of life that comes from Jesus.

In the Beginning

John 1:1-3

In the Gospel of Mark, the identity of Jesus slowly unfolds. Matthew and Luke give early revelations that they then build upon. John begins with full disclosure as to the identity of Jesus. He wants us to be utterly astonished and drawn into a profound sense of awe and worship. This is also seen in his clear reference to Genesis 1, “In the beginning.”

Written with Purpose

John 20:30-31

Today we start a new series of messages based on the Gospel of John. John’s writings emphasize love, truth and joy. For John these are tied together and find fulfillment in Jesus. It might seem odd that the sermon series begins at the end of the Gospel. It is there that John declares his purpose for writing.

Water: New

Revelation 21:1-6; 22:1-5, 14-17

We conclude this summer series where we looked at several key uses of water in scripture. We saw that behind the physical and literal properties of water there were spiritual truths and purposes at play. The new heaven and earth replace the old when God’s kingdom is fully realized, water once again is prominent in the imagery.

Water: The Flow of the Spirit

John 7:37-39

This takes place at the end of the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles). The fall harvest had been gathered and it was a celebration of God’s gracious provisions. The feast lasted eight days, from Sabbath to Sabbath. Making temporary booths was to be a reminder of God delivering His people from bondage in Egypt. By Jesus’ time, the feasts also pointed forward as the people awaited the coming of the Messiah to deliver them.