Posts tagged Darien Gabriel
Am I living in the Light - or just near it? | John 8:12-30 | Darien Gabriel
Am I living in the Light - or just near it? | John 8:12-30 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Am I living in the Light--or just near it?

Subtitle:

Scripture: John 8:12-30

Bottom line: Jesus is the Light of the World. To follow Him is to walk in light, know God, and live. To reject Him is to remain in darkness and die in your sin.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

"Have you ever tried going through an obstacle course blindfolded? The smallest obstacles become difficult obstructions. If we are not walking in the light of Christ, the obstacles that should not be a problem are great stumbling blocks to us. But when we have that light, we understand how to make our way through this dark world." -Hughes, p. 234

Air Florida Flight ✈️ 90

"Arland Williams and five others knew their situation was hopeless.

Floating in the icy Potomac River, the six survivors of Air Florida Flight 90 knew there was no way to reach the shore just forty yards away.

They could hear the rescuers trying to reach them, but each attempt to cross the icy waters failed. Just as they were giving up hope, they heard the sound of an approaching helicopter. A life ring fell into the hands of one of the survivors, and he was pulled to safety. Next it fell in Arland's hands. He could be saved. But before the helicopter could pull him up, he handed the life ring to someone else. The chopper could only hold two, so it turned toward the shore and sped away. Just a few minutes later it returned. Again the life ring fell into Arland's hands, and again he handed it to someone else. The third time he did the same.

There would be no fourth opportunity. By the time the helicopter had returned, Arland had disappeared below the surface.

In 2007 an article was written about Arland Williams's sacrifice and appeared in Men's Health magazine. After recounting Williams's story, the author of the article asks,

Why would anyone put the lives of strangers ahead of his own?

He couldn't even see the faces of the people he was saving, because they were on the opposite side of the wreckage, yet he made a sacrifice for them that their best friends might have refused. (McDougall, "The Hidden Cost of Heroism")

The concepts of heroism and self-sacrifice puzzle the writer. Why would someone die for someone he didn't know? He tries to analyze it scientifically and concludes,

Extreme heroism springs from something that no scientific theory can fully explain; it's an illogical impulse that flies in the face of biology, psychology, actuarial statistics, and basic common sense. (Ibid.)

He even quotes Charles Darwin, who "couldn't figure out how to crowbar heroism into his survival-of-the-fittest theory" (ibid.). Darwin said,

He who was ready to sacrifice his life, as many a savage has been, rather than betray his comrades, would often leave no offspring to inherit his noble nature. (Ibid.)

After examining the story and different theories, the writer concludes that though the act was heroic, there would be no one to pass down the family name."  Carter, pp. 189-190

More on crash:

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/44ed00c4-9db0-41ca-b62e-70378c94be00#0

OUTLINE (includes some input from ChatGPT)

Bottom line: Jesus is the Light of the World.

To follow Him is to walk in light, know God, and live.

To reject Him is to remain in darkness and die in your sin.

Are You Living in the Light—or Just Near It?

Illustration: “Lost in the Cave”

A few years ago, a soccer team of twelve boys and their coach were trapped deep inside a cave in Thailand. Rising floodwaters had cut off their way out, and they were completely in the dark. One of the greatest challenges rescuers faced wasn’t just the physical danger—it was the total absence of light. In complete darkness, there’s no sense of direction, no way to move forward, no way to know what’s safe or deadly. The first thing rescuers brought them wasn’t food or even water—it was light. Only with light could they begin the journey toward life again.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” Without Him, we are spiritually trapped—no direction, no hope. But with Him, we not only see clearly—we live.

I. Jesus is the Light of the World (v. 12)

  • Following Jesus means walking no longer in darkness.

  • You receive the light of life—truth, clarity, and direction.

  • Light is essential for spiritual life.

Application:

→ Walk in the light as He is in the light.

→ Shine like stars in a dark and crooked world (Philippians 2:15).

II. To Know Jesus is to Know God (v. 19)

  • Jesus is one with the Father—there is no knowing God apart from Him.

  • Religion without relationship with Jesus is still darkness.

Application:

→ Humble yourself and respond to God’s call to know Him today.

→ Don’t settle for proximity to spiritual things—pursue Christ.

III. Apart from Jesus, You Will Die in Your Sin(s) (vv. 21–24)

  • Those who reject Jesus remain “of this world,” in rebellion.

  • The consequence is not just spiritual wandering—it’s spiritual death.

Application:

→ Believe that Jesus is who He says He is and will do what He promised.

→ Without faith in Him, sin still owns you.

IV. Follow Jesus the Way Jesus Followed the Father (vv. 25–30)

  • Jesus lived sent—submissively, sacrificially, and obediently.

  • He didn’t act independently but responded to the Father in everything.

Application:

→ Follow Jesus in the same way: as a mission-minded, obedient light-bearer.

→ You are now the light of the world on Jesus’ behalf (Matthew 5:14–16).

CONCLUSION

'Crazy Love'

Francis Chan’s mother died giving birth to him. The only affection he can remember receiving from his father lasted about thirty seconds when he was on the way to his stepmother’s funeral aged nine. When he was twelve, his father also died. Francis cried, but also felt relieved. Francis is now a pastor. He and his wife, Lisa, have seven children. When his children were born, his own love for his children and his desire for their love was so strong that it opened his eyes to how much God desires and loves *us*. He said, ‘Through this experience, I came to understand that my desire for my children is only a faint echo of God’s great love for me and for every person he made… I love my kids so much it hurts.’ Calling his first book *Crazy Love*, he wrote, ‘The idea of Crazy Love has to do with our relationship with God. All my life I’ve heard people say, “God loves you.” It’s probably the most insane statement you could make to say that the eternal Creator of this universe is in love with me. There is a response that ought to take place in believers, a crazy reaction to that love. Do you really understand what God has done for you? If so, why is your response so lukewarm?’ The word ‘zeal’ implies an *intense or passionate desire*. It can be misdirected, but as Paul writes, it is right to be zealous provided that the purpose is good (Galatians 4:18). Elsewhere he says, ‘Never be lacking in zeal’ (Romans 12:11). Perhaps a good modern translation of the word ‘zeal’ is ‘crazy love’.

Bottom line: Jesus is the Light of the World.

`To follow Him is to walk in light, know God, and live.

To reject Him is to remain in darkness and die in your sin.

Who do you trust?

"All the time we each decide whom to trust.

When we pick up medicine from the pharmacy, we trust our doctor who prescribed it and our pharmacist who prepared it. We also trust the company that developed it and the government that approved it, plus the people who trained the doctor and pharmacist and the many hands at the drug company who prepared and packaged it.

When it comes to physical life, we trust our care to a lot of people.

When it comes to your spiritual life, whom do you trust?

Your authority is either yourself—what you think, how you feel, what you have experienced—or it's God and what he says.

Do you really want to trust yourself with your eternal future? You are flesh. You didn't exist until thirty or fifty or eighty years ago. You can't keep yourself from getting sick or hurt. You cannot guarantee you will be alive tomorrow.

Do you really think you're the best choice to be the ultimate authority in your life?" -Carter

INVITATION

What about you?

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

Isaiah 49:6 light

Psalm 27:1 light

Exodus 14:19-20 light

Malachi 4:2 light

Luke 1:78-79 light

Exodus 13:21–22

Ephesians 5:8

Matt 5:14; 13:43

Phil 2:15 stars in the sky

Numbers 6:24-26 benediction

Numbers 9:15-22 cloud & Fire

John 3:14 lifted up

Isaiah 43:11-13 "I am he"

Imagine you’re in a remote cabin deep in the woods. Night falls quickly, and darkness surrounds you. You fumble for a flashlight or a lantern, and there it is—sitting on the table, fully charged and ready.

But instead of turning it on, you leave it sitting there. You try to find your way in the dark—bumping into furniture, stumbling over bags, even hurting yourself. You complain that it’s too dark, that you can’t see where you’re going, that you’re scared.

And all the while… the light is right there.

Jesus is the Light of the World. He’s not a philosophy or an idea—He’s a living Person who brings truth, clarity, and life. But you have to turn to Him. You have to walk in the light—not just be near it.

Don’t go home tonight bumping around in the dark when the Light has already come.

Historical and Liturgical Background: Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

  • Timing:

    John 7–8 takes place during or just after the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the three major Jewish pilgrimage festivals. It commemorated Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness after the Exodus, when God provided water, food, and guidance.

  • The Setting of John 8:12:

    Jesus says, “I am the light of the world,” likely in the Temple courts (v. 20 specifies “in the temple treasury,” which was in the Court of Women).

John 8:28 video link

https://youtu.be/CZSlHdEoz40?si=OD54C1Ch0BKCQKc6

The Four Giant Candelabras

During the Feast of Tabernacles, Jewish tradition says that in the Court of Women, the priests lit four huge candelabras (sometimes described as 75 feet tall) every night:

  • Each had four golden bowls at the top, with strong young priests climbing ladders to fill them with oil and light them.

  • The light was so bright, Jewish writings say, that “there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that did not reflect the light from the Temple.”

  • This lighting ceremony celebrated God’s presence—especially the pillar of fire that guided Israel through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21–22).

OUTLINE

See above

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin (TLHC)

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner (TVW)

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee (TTB)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT AI

Grok AI

Perplexity AI

Google Gemini AI

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, non denominational church, bible believing church, John, Signs and Glory
Would Jesus Cancel Me? | John 7:53-8:11 | Darien Gabriel
Would Jesus Cancel Me? | John 7:53-8:11 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Would Jesus Cancel Me?"

Subtitle:

Scripture: John 7:53-8:11

John 3:16-18; Matt 7:3-5

Bottom line: Jesus meets us in our guilt not to condemn us, but to restore us to a new way of life.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

"Cancel culture is a modern social phenomenon where individuals, organizations, or public figures are called out, boycotted, or publicly shamed—often on social media—for actions, statements, or behaviors that are considered offensive, harmful, or morally wrong.

Here’s a clear definition:

Cancel culture refers to the practice of withdrawing support from someone—often publicly and collectively—due to something they’ve said or done that is viewed as objectionable or offensive, often without a process of forgiveness, dialogue, or restoration."

-ChatGPT

"(JK Rowling, author of Harry Potter) is a notable example of cancel culture targeting an individual recently:

  1. J.K. Rowling (Ongoing, Intensified 2020–2023)
, the author of the Harry Potter series, has faced sustained backlash for her comments on transgender issues, particularly since 2020. Her tweets and essays expressing concerns about the implications of transgender rights on women’s spaces were labeled transphobic by critics, leading to widespread calls for boycotts of her books, films, and related media. Fans and organizations publicly distanced themselves, and some Harry Potter actors, like Daniel Radcliffe, openly opposed her views..." -Grok AI

Black Dot Analogy

"The black dot analogy is a powerful metaphor often used to illustrate how people tend to focus on negative aspects or flaws—represented by a small black dot—while overlooking the broader, positive context--symbolized by a large white space surrounding it.

It’s frequently applied in discussions about judgment, perspective, and human behavior, particularly in the context of not judging others based on their worst moments or traits.

Origins and Core Concept

The black dot analogy often appears in motivational, psychological, and educational contexts. One common version...involves a classroom exercise where a professor presents students with a blank sheet of paper featuring a single black dot in the center. Students are asked to write about what they see, and invariably, they focus on the dot, ignoring the vast white space around it.

The professor then explains that this mirrors how people fixate on small negatives in life—such as health issues, financial struggles, or personal failures—while neglecting the abundance of positive aspects, like relationships, opportunities, or blessings." -Grok AI

The Security Camera Moment

"Imagine a moment you wouldn’t want anyone to see—maybe you lost your temper, told a lie, or clicked on something you knew you shouldn’t have. Now imagine that moment being played on a giant screen in the middle of your church, with everyone watching.

That’s what the woman caught in adultery was living. Her worst moment was dragged into the light, not in private, but publicly—before religious leaders, before a crowd, and before Jesus.

But instead of condemnation, she encountered something completely unexpected: mercy." -Grok AI

 

For our purposes today, cancel = condemn. When Jesus meets us in our guilt, he doesn't cancel or condemn us; he restores us to a new way to live.

OUTLINE (input from ChatGPT)

Bottom line: Jesus meets us in our guilt not to condemn us, but to restore us to a new way of life.

Transition:

If you look at John 8:1-11 in your bible, you may notice that it is in brackets, italics, or footnoted. In my bible, it's all in italics.

I have wrestled all week with whether to preach this passage today or not. The reason is that this portion of John (8:1-11) is not in the earliest manuscripts. (that we have so far) It is in many manuscripts, however, it's not in the same place in those manuscripts. It's found in different places throughout the book of John. It's sometimes found in Luke as well. From this I draw 3 conclusions:

  1. It's probably not in the original book of John, meaning that I cannot consider it scripture for certain. Many of my commentaries just skip this passage with no comment. Others address it even though they do not see it as scripture. Other commentaries see value in it and address leaving this decision up to the reader.

  2. It very well could be a true event in the life of Jesus. I think this is a true account and that some who copied this down felt it was worthy of scripture. And maybe it is. But it doesn't meet the standard of what qualifies as scripture and not just history. (Add qualification of NT scripture here)

  3. It's worth our time to preach/teach it because it includes biblical principles and applications relevant to us and aligns with the rest of scripture. In other words, it's not going to take us somewhere we wouldn't otherwise go.

  4. The Bible Knowledge Commentary states, "It is probably a part of true oral tradition which was added to later Greek manuscripts by copyists." Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 303). Victor Books.

1. The Setup: Grace Confronts a Trap (vv. 1–6a)

  • The scribes and Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery—not out of love for the law, but to trap Jesus.

  • The law said such a sin was punishable by death (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22), but this was clearly a setup:

    • Where is the man?

    • Why is this happening publicly in the temple?

  • They use the woman’s shame as a tool to undermine Jesus.

Application: People still weaponize sin and shame to feel superior or to discredit others. But Jesus won’t participate in that game.

2. The Silence: Grace Slows the Fury (vv. 6b–8)

  • Jesus bends down and writes on the ground. It’s an intentional pause.

  • It shifts attention away from the woman, lowers the emotional temperature, and gives space for reflection.

  • His challenge—“Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”—puts judgment back where it belongs: in the hands of the truly holy.

  • Matthew 7:3–5 (NIV)

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Application: Jesus slows the mob mentality. When we want to throw stones (even mental ones), Jesus reminds us to examine ourselves first.

3. The Departure: Grace Exposes Everyone (vv. 9)

  • One by one, they drop their stones and leave—starting with the oldest, perhaps because they had lived long enough to know their sin more clearly.

  • Jesus’ words don’t just defend the woman—they shine a light on everyone present.

Application: In the presence of Jesus, no one gets to act like they’re righteous on their own.

4. The Restoration: Grace Speaks a Better Word (vv. 10–11)

  • “Where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord.”

  • “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on sin no more.”

  • He doesn’t ignore her sin—He lifts her from it. Grace first, then transformation.

Application: Jesus is not soft on sin—He’s strong on mercy. Grace doesn’t excuse sin; it empowers change.

Pastoral Notes/transition:

  • This woman doesn’t ask for forgiveness—Jesus simply gives it.

  • The grace of Jesus doesn’t depend on the eloquence of our repentance but on the fullness of His mercy.

CONCLUSION

"(Jesus) doesn't give her a license to keep sinning. He gives her a reason to stop." -M Carter

"Is Jesus reversing the Mosaic system? No. He is placing His cross between that woman and her sin." -J. Vernon McGee

Applications:

  1. Jesus came to show us the way out from under our condemnation to mercy. Let God forgive you--and you yourself.

  2. Jesus is not soft on sin—He’s strong on mercy. Let God find us quick to forgive instead of condemn or cancel.

  3. Grace doesn’t excuse sin; it empowers change. Let God find us moving towards holy, pure living instead of compromised living.

The Torn Report Card

A student hides his report card from his parents—he’s failed multiple classes and is ashamed. When the truth finally comes out, he expects anger, punishment, maybe rejection. But instead, his father gently says, “This doesn’t change that you’re my son. We’re going to face this together. But we are going to face it.”

That’s the heart of Jesus in this story. He doesn’t pretend our sin doesn’t matter—but He makes sure we know: we don’t face it alone, and we don’t face it condemned.

The Courtroom Surprise

Imagine standing in court, guilty, and the judge reads the list of charges. The evidence is overwhelming. Then the judge steps down from the bench, walks toward you, and says, “I’ll take your sentence.”

That’s what Jesus did—not just for the woman, but for each of us. He didn’t just defend her; He bore her shame. He doesn’t say, “You’re not guilty.” He says, “I’ll take the guilt.”

Bottom line: Jesus meets us in our guilt not to condemn us, but to restore us to a new way of life.

INVITATION

The Dropped Stones

Picture the sound that must’ve filled the temple courtyard that day—not just silence, but the clink and thud of stones hitting the ground one by one. That was the sound of people walking away from condemnation.

And maybe today, that sound is what needs to happen in your own heart—not just dropping the stones you’ve been ready to throw at others, but dropping the ones you’ve been throwing at yourself.

What about you?

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

"She's been disgraced. Then Jesus covers her disgrace with his grace. He levels the playing field by quietly, making each man admit his own sin, and then instead of condemning her, he forgives her. Not only does he forgive her, but he also transforms her future. He doesn't give her a license to keep sinning. He gives her a reason to stop."

-M Carter

"Is Jesus reversing the Mosaic system? No. He is placing His cross between that woman and her sin. This One who is the Son of the virgin, who Himself was under a cloud all of His life, is going to the cross to pay the penalty for even the sin of this woman. He did not come into the world to condemn the wold. (John 3:17) He did not come to judge this woman. He came into the world to be a Savior!"

-J. Vernon McGee

"We must not misinterpret this event to mean that Jesus was 'easy on sin' or that he contradicted the law. For Jesus to forgive this woman meant that he had to one day die for her sins. Forgiveness is free, but it is not cheap. Furthermore, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the law so that no one could just accuse him of opposing his teachings or weakening its power by applying the law to the woman, and not to themselves. The Jewish leaders were violating both the letter and the spirit of the law--and they thought they were defending Moses!

The law was given to reveal sin (Romans 3:20), and we must be condemned by the law before we can be cleansed by God's grace. Law and grace do not compete with each other; they complement each other. Nobody was ever saved by keeping the law, but nobody was ever saved by grace, who was not first convicted by the law. There must be conviction before they can be conversion.

Nor is Christ's gracious forgiveness an excuse to sin. "Go, and sin, no more!" was our Lord's counsel... Certainly the experience of gracious forgiveness would motivate the penitent sinner to live a holy and obedient life to the glory of God."

-W Wiersbe

Black Dot Analogy

"The black dot analogy is a powerful metaphor often used to illustrate how people tend to focus on negative aspects or flaws—represented by a small black dot—while overlooking the broader, positive context, symbolized by a large white space surrounding it. It’s frequently applied in discussions about judgment, perspective, and human behavior, particularly in the context of not judging others based on their worst moments or traits. Below, I’ll explore the analogy’s origins, its applications, and its relevance to your original query about a post on X regarding not judging people by their worst moments.

Origins and Core Concept

The black dot analogy often appears in motivational, psychological, and educational contexts. One common version, as described in sources like the Rotary e-Club of Houston and Medium, involves a classroom exercise where a professor presents students with a blank sheet of paper featuring a single black dot in the center. Students are asked to write about what they see, and invariably, they focus on the dot, ignoring the vast white space around it. The professor then explains that this mirrors how people fixate on small negatives in life—such as health issues, financial struggles, or personal failures—while neglecting the abundance of positive aspects, like relationships, opportunities, or blessings." -Grok AI

NT Canon - who decided what books?

The process of recognizing the New Testament canon unfolded gradually over several centuries. Here’s a brief timeline of how and when this happened:

1st Century (c. 45–100 AD)

  • The New Testament books were being written (e.g., Paul’s letters, the Gospels, Acts, Revelation).

  • Some letters were already being shared and read in various churches (e.g., see 2 Peter 3:15–16, where Paul’s letters are referred to as Scripture).

2nd Century (100–200 AD)

  • Many churches were using core texts like the four Gospels, Acts, and Paul’s letters.

  • Early church leaders (like Irenaeus, c. 180 AD) affirmed the authority of these writings.

  • Heretical movements (e.g., Marcionism, which rejected the Old Testament and some NT books) forced the church to clarify which writings were truly apostolic and orthodox.

3rd Century (200–300 AD)

  • More consensus was forming, especially around most of the current New Testament books.

  • Disputed books included Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2–3 John, Jude, and Revelation.

  • Church fathers like Origen and Cyprian used most of the New Testament books but noted which were disputed.

4th Century (300–400 AD)

  • Athanasius’ Easter Letter (367 AD): This was the first known list to include exactly the 27 books of the New Testament as we have today.

  • Councils of Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD): These regional church councils affirmed the same list.

  • While these councils didn’t “create” the canon, they recognized and confirmed what many churches were already using.

By the 5th Century

  • The 27-book New Testament was widely accepted across the Christian world.

  • The canon was functionally closed, and later councils reaffirmed the same set of writings.

So, while the New Testament canon wasn’t decided at one single moment, by the end of the 4th century, the list of 27 books was largely settled and universally recognized in the church.  -ChatGPT

From me to ChatGPT: Would you say then that they were decided using an “open source” or “wiki” method?

That’s a great analogy—and yes, to an extent, the formation of the New Testament canon functioned somewhat like an “open source” or “wiki” process, though with important differences.

Here’s how the comparison fits:

✅ Collaborative Process (like open source/wiki)

  • The canon wasn’t determined by a single person or moment.

  • Churches across different regions contributed to the process by using, preserving, copying, and teaching from certain texts.

  • Early church leaders and communities evaluated writings based on shared criteria, and over time a consensus emerged.

✅ Organic Development

  • Books were recognized as authoritative because they were already functioning as such in Christian worship and teaching—not simply declared authoritative from above.

  • The canon grew from usage and recognition rather than being imposed arbitrarily.

  • Books were recognized as authoritative because they were already functioning as such in Christian worship and teaching—not simply declared authoritative from above.

  • The canon grew from usage and recognition rather than being imposed arbitrarily.

✅ Community Discernment

  • Just like open-source projects evolve through community review and refinement, the canon evolved through careful theological reflection, discussion, and testing against apostolic truth.

-ChatGPT

But here’s where the analogy has limits:

❌ Not Unlimited or Constantly Editable

  • Unlike a true wiki, the canon wasn’t meant to be open-ended or perpetually editable. Once consensus was reached, it was closed and considered authoritative and complete.

  • The church believed that God’s revelation in Christ—and through the apostles—was once for all (cf. Jude 1:3), not ongoing in the way an open-source codebase might be.

❌ Guided by Theology, Not Just Consensus

  • Theological and spiritual discernment—especially about apostolicity and inspiration—played a key role. It wasn’t just a democratic vote or popularity contest.

-ChatGPT

Summary:

"Yes, the canonization process had a lot in common with an “open source” or “wiki-style” model—distributed, collaborative, community-tested—but it was also guided by deep convictions about divine revelation and was ultimately closed to preserve the apostolic foundation of the faith.

The Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397) were the most decisive early church gatherings to affirm the full 27-book New Testament canon. They didn’t invent the canon but codified what had already become widespread consensus in the life of the church." -ChatGPT

OUTLINE

See above

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin (TLHC)

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner (TVW)

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee (TTB)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT AI

Grok AI

Perplexity AI

Google Gemini AI

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, non denominational church, bible believing church
Why Do People Reject Jesus? | John 7:1-52 | Darien Gabriel
Why Do People Reject Jesus? | John 7:1-52 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Why Do People Reject Jesus?”

Subtitle:

Scripture: John 7:1-52

Isaiah 55:1-7

Jeremiah 2:13

Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Acts 3:20-22

Matthew 10:34-35

Look for the drama in scripture

Bottom line: People reject Jesus for many reasons, but He still calls the thirsty to come and receive real life.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Some people in history seem to split the world in two. Say their name, and you immediately stir debate. Martin Luther King Jr.—hero of justice or dangerous disruptor? Galileo—scientific genius or arrogant heretic? Nelson Mandela, Joan of Arc, Malcolm X—each one beloved by some, opposed by others. But history’s most polarizing figure? Jesus. No one sparked more debate, division, or devotion. And in John 7, we see that clearly. The question is: Why do people reject Him—and could we be doing the same?

John Bunyan knew all about that and wrote, "There was a man, the world did think him mad, the more he gave away, the more he had."

Feast of Tabernacles...

  1. Originally a harvest festival coming at the end of the last major harvest of the year (grapes). They celebrated God who brought the rain.

  2. Became a celebration of God's deliverance of Israel through the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness where God had to supernaturally supply them water for the whole nation in the desert.

  3. It had eschatological hopes

    1. For the restoration of the nation of Israel

    2. For the ingathering of all nations under God

  4. Jesus presents himself as God's agent to make these end time events a reality. He does this as the source of life--abundant (like being celebrated during this festival) and eternal (like living water).

Bottom line: People reject Jesus for many reasons, but He still calls the thirsty to come and receive real life.

In his last 6 months, Jesus enters Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles surrounded by confusion, debate and division over who he is and why he matters. This is the context around his famous teaching about the Holy Spirit's role when he ascends and why he's called living water.

 

OUTLINE (input from ChatGPT)

1. Some reject Jesus because He doesn’t follow their expectations.

(John 7:1–10)

  • Jesus’ own brothers didn’t believe because He didn’t fit their agenda or timeline.

  • We still wrestle with disappointment or control when Jesus won’t do what we want, when we want.

2. Some reject Jesus because His truth exposes their hypocrisy.

(John 7:11–24)

  • Jesus confronts those judging Him wrongly, especially for healing on the Sabbath.

  • We resist truth when it challenges our comfort, image, or self-righteousness.

3. Some reject Jesus because of assumptions and incomplete knowledge.

(John 7:25–36)

  • The crowd “knows” where Jesus is from and assumes He can’t be the Christ.

  • Spiritual blindness often comes from thinking we already understand everything.

4. Some reject Jesus because they fear people more than God.

(John 7:40–52)

  • Division rises. Leaders pressure, mock, and dismiss. Nicodemus is silenced.

  • Following Jesus means risking disapproval—but silence is a choice too.

5. But Jesus still calls: If you’re thirsty, come to Me and drink.

(John 7:37–39)

  • On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus invites all to receive living water—the Holy Spirit.

  • Rejection isn’t the end of the story. Jesus still offers Himself to anyone willing to come in faith.

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: People reject Jesus for many reasons, but He still calls the thirsty to come and receive real life.

"For decades one of the first places immigrants to America landed was Ellis Island. They came hoping for a better life, longing for a chance to find happiness. Near Ellis Island was a statue, and the statue was an invitation.

A poem by Emma Lazarus captured the invitation:

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips.

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

What a beautiful invitation. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses."

Jesus extends a better invitation. "Come, weary and broken. Come, thirsty and dying. Come to me and find life."" -Carter, p. 181

The Lion

"How are we to drink this water? Although the offer is free and open to all, there are yet some terms to be met. C. S. Lewis in his children's novel The Silver Chair puts his finger on this in the clearest of terms. Jill, seeing a lion, is scared out of her wits and runs into the forest. She runs so hard that she wears herself out and is just about to die of thirst, or so she thinks, when she hears the gurgling of a brook in the distance. She approaches it and is almost ready to go to the brook when on the grass before her is the same lion.

"Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.

"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.

"Then drink, " said the Lion.

"May I— could I-would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

"Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.

"I make no promise,'" said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.

"Do you eat girls?" she said.

"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and em-perors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.

"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.

"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer.

"I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."

"There is no other stream," said the Lion.

It never occurred to Jill to disbelieve the Lion —no one who had seen his stern face could do that-and her mind suddenly made itself up. It was the worst thing she had ever had to do, but she went forward to the stream, knelt down, and began scooping up water in her hand. It was the coldest, most refreshing water she had ever tasted.

Do you see what Lewis is saying? When you come to the water, you are coming to a Lion, you must come on the Lion's terms, and you have to yield yourself by faith in order to get the water. Some of us need to realize that we are thirsty, that we need that water so badly that we are going to die without it. We need to step out on faith, yielding to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and receive the water of eternal life.

INVITATION

What about you?

Are you paralyzed by the confusion, division and debate over who Jesus is and what he came to do?

““Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

Jesus' brothers believed in Jesus but not the biblical Jesus; we see this all the time

Jesus recognized that his brothers didn't believe in him as the Messiah yet though they'd lived with him for 30+ years; never sinned; Mary knowing who he was; favorite son; perfect son; resentment and sibling rivalry abounds

Does Jesus divide people? (Yes)

Family can be the toughest mission field

Family misunderstands when they don't believe in the biblical Jesus

Religious leaders miss the leader of their religion due to their self-righteousness, ambition and unbelief

"Christ did not want to bring division. But because of the sinfulness of our hearts, because of our fallenness, because of our unwillingness to repent and bow to him, the Prince of Peace is Christ the Divider.

When snow descends upon the Continental Divide, it melts and flows off either to the west or to the east, never to meet again. Christ is the continental divide in our lives. We will either go up with the morning stars or, to use Eliot's phrase, join the valley of the dying stars. Christ brings division to everyday life." -Hughes, p. 226

Water

"On the seven days of the Feast, a golden flagon was filled with water from the pool of Siloam and was carried in a procession led by the High Priest back to the temple. As the procession approached the watergate on the south side of the inner court three blasts from the shôphar - a trumpet connected with joyful occasions - were sounded. While the pilgrims watched, the priests processed around the altar with the flagon, the temple choir singing the Hallel (Pss. 113 - 118). When the choir reached Psalm 118, every male pilgrim shook a lulab (willow and myrtle twigs tied with palm) in his right hand, while his left raised a piece of citrus fruit (a sign of the ingathered harvest), and all cried 'Give thanks to the LORD!' three times. The water was offered to God at the time of the morning sacrifice, along with the daily drink-offering (of wine). The wine and the water were poured into their respective silver bowls, and then poured out before the LORD. Moreover, these ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles were related in Jewish thought both to the LorD's provision of water in the desert and to the Lord's pouring out of the Spirit in the last days. Pouring at the Feast of Tabernacles refers symbolically to the messianic age in which a stream from the sacred rock would flow over the whole earth." -Carson, p. 321-322

"In general terms, then, Jesus' pronouncement is clear: he is the fulfil-ment of all that the Feast of Tabernacles anticipated." -Carson, p. 322

OUTLINE

See above

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational church, Ladson, SC, Darien Gabriel, bible believing church, John, Signs & Glory
Does Jesus Offend You? | John 6:52-71 | Darien Gabriel
Does Jesus Offend You? | John 6:52-71 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Does Jesus offend you?"

Subtitle: “Does Jesus’ uniqueness offend you or draw you?”

Scripture: John 6:52-71

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

John 13:27

Bottom line: Jesus' uniqueness makes him a polarizing figure. While drawing a few, his words offend many.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Bottom line: Jesus' uniqueness makes him a polarizing figure. While drawing a few, his words offend many.

Does Jesus offend you?

Apparently, the uniqueness of Jesus offended many in the first century...and today.

The Battle Today Is Around Jesus

"I have been involved in hosting or helping a small group on [Alpha](https://www.alpha.org/ ) for over thirty years. During this time, I have noticed a shift in our culture. There is a change in the attitude towards Jesus, especially among young people. Many will say that they believe in God and are even open to the idea of the Holy Spirit. But increasingly, Jesus has become the stumbling-block. Some youth and young people say things like, ‘I don’t get the reason for *Jesus*.’

As Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa has often said, ‘The battle today is around Jesus.’ Is Jesus the universal Saviour? This is the same battle as the first century. People today are happy to accept Jesus as ‘one of many’. It is the uniqueness of Jesus that causes offence...

...while we meet some exceptional people throughout the Bible, like Moses, Joshua, Elijah and John the Baptist, there was no one like Jesus. Jesus is unique. He is the *universal Saviour*."

The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Classic Version, 2025: Day 119 • Devotional

Bottom line: Jesus' uniqueness makes him a polarizing figure. While drawing a few, his words offend many.

Does Jesus offend you too?

OUTLINE

1. Trust & follow Jesus, even when His words offend you.

Verses 52–59

• Jesus speaks of eating His flesh and drinking His blood—language that’s deeply disturbing to His hearers. The Old Testament taught to not drink blood or eat meat with blood in it.

• He doesn’t explain it away, because following Him means trusting what we can’t fully understand yet. His words are hard to understand and demanding.

• Application: When Jesus offends your expectations, don’t walk away—lean in and trust His word.

2. Trust & follow Jesus, even when many turn away from His words.

Verses 60–66

• Many disciples leave, calling His teaching too hard to accept.

• Jesus says only the Spirit gives life—fleshly thinking won’t grasp the kingdom.

• Application: Don’t measure truth by popular opinion—stay faithful to His word, even when others fall away.

3. Trust & follow Jesus, because only He has what you truly need.

Verses 67–69

• Peter’s confession is both humble and bold: “To whom shall we go?”

• Jesus alone has the words of eternal life.

• Application: When you’re tempted to quit, remember why you started—Jesus alone gives life. He is the Bread of Life.

4. Examine your heart—proximity to Jesus is not the same as following His word.

Verses 70–71

• Judas was chosen, included, and close—but not surrendered.

• Even among the Twelve, there’s a warning: not all who appear near truly believe.

• Application: Don’t just walk with Jesus outwardly—depend on His word inwardly.

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: Jesus' uniqueness makes him a polarizing figure. While drawing a few, his words offend many.

Does Jesus offend you too?

1. Trust & follow Jesus, even when His words offend you.

2. Trust & follow Jesus, even when many turn away from His words.

3. Trust & follow Jesus, because only He has what you truly need.

4. Examine your heart—proximity to Jesus is not the same as following His word.

This poem is what could happen to you and me if we fully embrace and believe Jesus is who he says he is and will do all he's promised to do:

The Touch of the Master's Hand

''Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin But held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me?

A dollar, a dollar—now two, only two-Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, Going for three"-but no!

From the room far back a gray-haired man Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then wiping the dust from the old violin And tightening up the strings,

He played a melody, pure and sweet. As sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars—and who'll make it two? Two thousand—and who'll make it three?

Three thousand once and three thousand twice And going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand

What changed its worth?" The man replied, "THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND."

And many a man with a life out of tune, And battered and torn with sin.

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine, A game and he travels on.

He's going once and going twice, He's going—and almost—gone!

But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought By the TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND.

Myra Brooks-Welch

Has he touched you?

Does he offend you?

Bottom line: Jesus' uniqueness makes him a polarizing figure. While drawing a few, his words offend many.

Does Jesus offend you too?

INVITATION

What about you?

Does Jesus offend you...or does he draw you?

A Table Set by God

• The Lord’s Supper is a living illustration of this passage. The bread we break is a sign of the true bread from heaven-Jesus’ body given for us. Every time we eat, we remember that our deepest hunger is met in Him.

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

Flesh = real food

+ Blood = real drink

Real life/eternal life

Eats/drinks = remains/abides/believes as seen in rhythms/habits/means of grace (Acts 2:36-47)

  • word

  • Prayer

  • Serve

  • Give

  • Worship

  • Share

The Father sent Jesus, alive and well because of the Father

Jesus sent Disciples, alive and well because of Jesus

Bread from heaven = Jesus the Christ => spiritual life

bread from heaven (manna) = physical nourishment => physical life

60-71

Hard (to hear) teaching (harsh; offensive) => grumbling ie. Unbelief

"Does this offend you?" "Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?" Reminds them that he stated that he came from God.

Spirit => life

Flesh => Ø or death

Words => Spirit => Life

Yet, some still did not believe

OUTLINES

Outline Bible (Willmington) -- SECTION OUTLINE SIX JOHN 6 Jesus feeds the 5,000 and walks on water. He teaches that he is the "bread from heaven" and that all who wish to have eternal life must eat his flesh and drink his blood. Many of his followers, unable to accept this difficult symbolism, desert him.

I. TWO MIRACLES (6:1-24)

A. First miracle (6:1-15): Jesus feeds the 5,000.

B. Second miracle (6:16-24): Jesus walks on water.

II. Two MESSAGES (6:25-71)

A. Public comments (6:25-66)

  1. Christ and the curious (6:25-40)

a. He speaks concerning God's salvation (6:25-36).    

(1) Their confusion (6:25-26, 28, 30-31, 36)        

(a) They want to know how he got there (6:25).

(b) They seek him only for physical bread (6:26).

(c) They don't know how to please God (6:28).

(d) They assume the Old Testament manna came from Moses (6:30-31).        

(e) They don't believe in him even though they have seen him (6:36).    

(2) His correction (6:27, 29, 32-35)        

(a) They are to seek him for spiritual bread (6:27, 33-35).        

(b) They will please God by believing in him (6:29).        

(c) He says the Old Testament manna came from God (6:32).

b. He speaks concerning God's sovereignty (6:37-40).    

(1) Guaranteeing that all the elect will come to Christ (6:37): They will never be rejected    

(2) Guaranteeing that all the elect will continue in Christ (6:38-40): All who believe in him will be raised at the last day.

  2. Christ and the critical (6:41-59)    

a. Their criticism (6:41-42, 52)        

(1) He is simply the son of Joseph (6:41-42).        

(2) No one can (physically) eat his flesh and drink his blood (6:52).    

b. His correction (6:43-51, 53-59)        

(1) Jesus says he is the bread of life (6:43-51).        

(2) Jesus says that anyone who wants eternal life must (spiritually) eat his flesh and drink his blood (6:53-59).

  3. Christ and the carnal (6:60-66)    

a. Many of his followers now decide against him (6:60-65).    

b. Many of his followers now depart from him (60:66).

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Grok

Perplexity

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, non denominational church, bible believing church, Signs & Glory, offend
Does Jesus Ask Too Much of Me? | John 6:22-51
Does Jesus Ask Too Much of Me? | John 6:22-51

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Does Jesus ask too much of me?"

Subtitle: The hard call of following Jesus.

Scripture: John 6:22-51

Exodus 3:14 "I am who I am"

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 "Suffering servant"

Luke 23:42 "Remember me when you come into your kingdom"

Bottom line: Jesus gave all his life, to give us all life. That's hard because he calls us to live our lives the same way.

"If anyone come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness" Matthew 6:33

"Be perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect." -Jesus

"Come and see" -Jesus to his followers

"Come and follow" -Jesus to his followers

"Come and die" -Jesus to his followers

Is Jesus asking too much of me?

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

If you knew you couldn't die, would you live this life differently?

What would you do with your life?

How would you live differently?

I ask this because, as a Christ-follower, I will never die. Oh, yes, this body--this costume I call me--will die. But I will live forever. When this body dies, I will go home and live forever there.

When I truly believe this, it impacts how I live. Truly. It changes how I see the so-called dangers of this world. It affects how I see death so it affects what I fear.

What would it have been like for Adam to feel hunger and thirst for the first time? We hunger and thirst for

  • food and drink

  • Grace, mercy, compassion, justice, knowledge, honesty, friendship

  • Love, holiness, wisdom, truth, relationship

God has put these desires in us to tell us that something exists to satisfy these desires. Otherwise, God would be cruel.

"The language of John 6, they say, is metaphorical, and the theology is anti-sacramentarian. In many respects this argument is sound.

Eating the flesh of the Son of Man is a striking, metaphorical way of saying that the gift of God's real bread of life' (v. 35) is appropriated by faith (v. 47).

We must appropriate him into our inmost being. Indeed, as Beasley-Murray (p. 99) points out, we are more familiar with this kind of 'eating' metaphor than we may realize:

we devour books,

drink in lectures,

swallow stories,

ruminate on ideas,

chew over a matter, and

eat our own words.

Doting grandparents declare they could eat up their grandchildren.

On the very face of it, 'The theme of John 6 is Christology.'" -DA Carson

Bottom line: Jesus gave all his life, to give us all life. That's good. But it's hard too, because he calls us to live our lives the same way.

Is Jesus asking too much of me?

Outline Bible (Willmington) -- SECTION OUTLINE SIX JOHN 6 Jesus feeds the 5,000 and walks on water. He teaches that he is the "bread from heaven" and that all who wish to have eternal life must eat his flesh and drink his blood. Many of his followers, unable to accept this difficult symbolism, desert him.

I. TWO MIRACLES (6:1-24)

A. First miracle (6:1-15): Jesus feeds the 5,000.

B. Second miracle (6:16-24): Jesus walks on water.

II. Two MESSAGES (6:25-71)

A. Public comments (6:25-66)

  1. Christ and the curious (6:25-40)

a. He speaks concerning God's salvation (6:25-36).     (1) Their confusion (6:25-26, 28, 30-31, 36)         (a) They want to know how he got there (6:25).         (a) They seek him only for physical bread (6:26).         (b) They don't know how to please God (6:28).         (c) They assume the Old Testament manna came from Moses (6:30-31).         (d) They don't believe in him even though they have seen him (6:36).     (2) His correction (6:27, 29, 32-35)         (a) They are to seek him for spiritual bread (6:27, 33-35).         (b) They will please God by believing in him (6:29).         (c) He says the Old Testament manna came from God (6:32). b. He speaks concerning God's sovereignty (6:37-40).     (1) Guaranteeing that all the elect will come to Christ (6:37): They will never be rejected     (2) Guaranteeing that all the elect will continue in Christ (6:38-40): All who believe in him will be raised at the last day.

2. Christ and the critical (6:41-59)     a. Their criticism (6:41-42, 52)         (1) He is simply the son of Joseph (6:41-42).         (2) No one can (physically) eat his flesh and drink his blood (6:52).     b. His correction (6:43-51, 53-59)         (1) Jesus says he is the bread of life (6:43-51).         (2) Jesus says that anyone who wants eternal life must (spiritually) eat his flesh and drink his blood (6:53-59). 3. Christ and the carnal (6:60-66)     a. Many of his followers now decide against him (6:60-65).     b. Many of his followers now depart from him (60:66).

Conclusion:

Bottom line: Jesus gave all his life, to give us all life. That's good. But it's hard too, because he calls us to live our lives the same way.

Is Jesus asking too much of me?

This poem is what could happen to you and me if we fully embrace and believe Jesus is who he says he is and will do all he's promised to do:

''Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin But held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me?

A dollar, a dollar—now two, only two-Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, Going for three"-but no!

From the room far back a gray-haired man Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then wiping the dust from the old violin And tightening up the strings,

He played a melody, pure and sweet. As sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars—and who'll make it two? Two thousand—and who'll make it three?

Three thousand once and three thousand twice And going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand

What changed its worth?" The man replied, "THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND."

And many a man with a life out of tune, And battered and torn with sin.

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine, A game and he travels on.

He's going once and going twice, He's going—and almost—gone!

But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought By the TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND.

Myra Brooks-Welch

Has he touched you?

Bottom line: Jesus gave all his life, to give us all life. That's good. But it's hard too, because he calls us to live our lives the same way.

Is Jesus asking too much of me?

When your life has been touched by the Master's hand, you'll willingly give all to him.

"Receiving Christ's Satisfaction (vv. 53-58)

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." (v. 53)

Our Savior meant there must be a deep partaking of him. How do we do that? We must live depending on him as the bread of life. As James Boice says:

Is he as real to you spiritually as something you can taste or handle? Is he as much a part of you as that which you eat? Do not think me blasphemous when I say that he must be as real and as useful to you as a hamburger and french fries. I say this because, although he is obviously far more real and useful than these, the unfortunate thing is that for many people he is much less.

Is he substantially real to you? That is what is involved in treating him as the bread of life. This is one of the continental divides in the life of the soul, and this is where thousands flounder." -Hughes

What about you?

“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭42‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.23.42.NIV

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

V. 43 ἑλκύω helkyō draw; haul

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible   

DBL Greek    pull in; lead by force

A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament

The Greek Word: ἕλκω (helkō)

Basic range of meaning:

  • “to draw, drag, pull”—sometimes with force

  • Used both literally (dragging a net of fish) and figuratively (drawing someone to a decision or relationship)

Key uses:

  1. John 6:44 – The Father draws individuals to Jesus

  2. John 12:32 – Jesus draws all people to Himself

  3. John 21:6, 11 – Nets full of fish being dragged

  4. Acts 16:19 – Paul and Silas are dragged into the marketplace

  5. James 2:6 – The rich drag people into court

So yes—helkō often implies strong action, and sometimes even resistance. But context is everything.

Does “draw” mean “compel”?

Some interpret helkō in John 6:44 as “compel” in a deterministic sense—that is:

God irresistibly pulls the elect to Jesus. They don’t choose Him; He causes them to come.

This view often aligns with Reformed theology (i.e., Calvinism) and supports the doctrine of effectual calling: that those whom God draws will come to Jesus, and only those are drawn.

This interpretation emphasizes:

  • The initiative of God

  • The inability of humans to come on their own

  • That “draw” is not mere persuasion or invitation, but a decisive, effective action

Support from the text:

  • John 6:37: “All that the Father gives me will come to me”

  • John 6:44: “No one can come… unless the Father… draws”

  • John 6:65: “No one can come unless it is granted by the Father”

From this perspective, helkō doesn’t mean dragging against someone’s will—but it does mean that God changes the will so that the person now freely wants to come. It’s not coercion, but a gracious, inward transformation that leads inevitably to faith.

But is that the only possible reading?

Not necessarily. Others (including many Arminians and non-Calvinists) argue:

  • Helkō does not mean “compel” in the sense of removing human response.

  • It can mean strong persuasion or wooing, but leaves room for rejection.

  • Example: John 12:32—Jesus says He will draw all people to Himself, but not all respond. So, the drawing can be resisted.

This interpretation emphasizes:

  • God initiates, but humans can still respond freely

  • Not all who are drawn necessarily come

  • The term “draw” is strong, but not irresistible

So, is it accurate to say “God compels the elect to come” based on John 6:44?

That depends on what is meant by “compel”:

  • If you mean God changes their hearts so that they want to come, yes—that’s a fair representation of effectual grace in Reformed theology.

  • If you mean God drags people against their will, no—that’s not the biblical picture. The will is transformed, not violated.

  • If you mean God draws only the elect, and they always come—yes, that’s how many Reformed interpreters understand it.

  • If you mean God draws everyone but only some respond, then you’d be in a different theological camp—seeing helkō as strong but resistible grace.

In Summary:

View

Draw =

Who is drawn?

Result

Reformed (Calvinist)

Effectual grace; God changes the heart

Only the elect

They will come

Arminian / Non-Calvinist

Strong persuasion; resistible grace

All people

Some respond

Universalist

God draws all and all eventually come

All people

All are saved (not supported by John 6:44)

So yes—saying that in John 6:44, draw means God effectively brings certain people to Himself is a legitimate reading within a Reformed theological framework. But other faithful, scholarly readings see helkō as powerful yet resistible—emphasizing human response within God’s initiating grace."

Here’s a simplified, congregation-friendly version of the chart, with plain language and trimmed content. This could be used in a handout, slide, or teaching note:

What Does “Draw” Mean in John 6:44?

View

What It Means

Who Is Drawn?

What Happens?

Key Verses

Reformed

God powerfully changes hearts so people come

Only those chosen

They will believe in Jesus

John 6:37, 6:44, Rom. 8:30

Arminian

God strongly invites, but people can resist

Everyone

Some believe, some don’t

John 12:32, Acts 7:51

Universalist

Jesus draws all, and all will eventually respond

Everyone

Everyone is saved

John 12:32, 1 Tim. 2:4

OUTLINES

Simple Outline of John 6:22–60 (ChatGPT)

1. The Crowd Searches for Jesus (vv. 22–25)

  • The crowd realizes Jesus is no longer near them.

  • They cross the sea to Capernaum, looking for Him.

  • They find Him and ask, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

2. Jesus Confronts Their Motives (vv. 26–27)

  • Jesus exposes their motivation: they are seeking Him because of the miraculous feeding, not for true understanding.

  • He urges them to seek the food that endures to eternal life.

3. The Crowd Asks About God’s Work (vv. 28–29)

  • They ask, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

  • Jesus replies: believe in the one He has sent.

4. The Crowd Demands a Sign (vv. 30–31)

  • They ask for another sign, referencing the manna their ancestors ate in the wilderness.

5. Jesus Declares He Is the Bread of Life (vv. 32–40)

  • Jesus contrasts the manna with Himself—the true bread from heaven.

  • He promises that whoever comes to Him will never hunger or thirst.

  • He explains His mission: to do the Father’s will and give eternal life to those who believe.

6. The Crowd Grumbles (vv. 41–42)

  • They murmur because Jesus claims to have come down from heaven.

  • They question how He could say that, since they know His earthly family.

7. Jesus Reiterates the Father’s Role and the Gift of Life (vv. 43–51)

  • Jesus emphasizes that only those drawn by the Father come to Him.

  • He again identifies Himself as the living bread that came down from heaven.

  • He says, “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

8. Jesus Intensifies the Language (vv. 52–59)

  • The crowd disputes among themselves: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

  • Jesus presses the metaphor further: unless they eat His flesh and drink His blood, they have no life in them.

  • He speaks of real food and real drink—His flesh and blood—and promises eternal life and resurrection.

9. The Disciples React (v. 60)

  • Many of His disciples say, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipGrace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, Darien Gabriel, bible believing church, non denominational church, John, Signs & Glory, I Am
What Difference Does the Resurrection Make? | John 11:25-26 | Darien Gabriel
What Difference Does the Resurrection Make? | John 11:25-26 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “What Difference Does the Resurrection Make?"

Scripture: John 11:25-26

John 20:19-22

Bottom line: The resurrection gives us power for today and hope for tomorrow.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

How to Pray with Power by Nicky Gumbel

"I received a call from someone in our church. He wanted me to go and pray for his wife who had suddenly been admitted to hospital for an operation. 

As it happened, I myself had an appointment nearby to have an injection in my shoulder. I’d had a ‘frozen shoulder’ for almost two years. However, in the previous couple of days, it had suddenly got better. I explained what had happened to the consultant. He looked at me and said, ‘It’s a miracle!’ I said, ‘Don’t frozen shoulders suddenly get better?’ Over and over again, he repeated, ‘No, it is a miracle.’ Here was a secular doctor trying to persuade a rather faithless pastor that what had happened could only be explained by the supernatural power of God!

I thanked him very much for raising my faith, as I was about to go and pray in the hospital. As I walked through the corridors, I passed a hospital porter who was singing (quite loudly!), ‘Lay your hands on the sick and they will be healed.’ I said, ‘That is exactly what I am about to go and do.’ He looked deeply shocked and surprised. He obviously didn’t think I looked like the sort of person who could possibly believe that!

I went upstairs to pray for the woman and explained why my faith was riding high. She then said she had been reading James 5 (our passage for today), which says, ‘Is any one of you sick? Call the elders of the church to pray over you… And the prayer offered in faith will make you well’ (James 5:14–15). By now the Lord had given (even me!) enough signs to pray in faith. The Holy Spirit came upon her with great power. She was not immediately healed (although she is better now), but it gave me a greater understanding of ‘the prayer of faith’.

Watchman Nee wrote, ‘Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.’"

Bible in One Year 2020 With Nicky Gumbel: Day 325 • Devotional

Bottom line: The resurrection gives us power for today and hope for tomorrow.

“What Difference Does the Resurrection Make?”

Answer: It gives us power for today and hope for forever.

Big Idea: The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a belief—it’s power for your real life.

First, Jesus reveals himself further to his disciples by announcing that he is the resurrection and the life.

I. "I am the resurrection and the life" - Jesus says he's life; his power is unstoppable

  • Jesus isn't just alive--he's life itself.

  • Death is only defeated by life.

Second, Jesus appears in his resurrection body to the cowering disciples following his resurrection.

He gives them his personal presence to overcome their fear, peace in the midst of chaos, their mission as the broken to the broken, and His Holy Spirit and resurrection power over darkness and evil.

1. Jesus shows up helping them overcome their fear. (John 20:19)

“The doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews.”

  • Context: The disciples were terrified—Jesus was dead, they were next.

  • But then: Jesus enters locked rooms. Resurrection power doesn’t need your permission—it comes through fear.

  • Application:

    • Where are you hiding? What fear is keeping you locked up?

    • If Jesus can enter that room, He can enter yours—your anxiety, your regret, your trauma.

2. Jesus Gives Peace in the midst of chaos. (John 20:19, 21)

“Jesus said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’”

  • He doesn’t say “Everything’s fine.” He says, “I’m here.”

  • Peace is not the absence of trouble—it’s the presence of Jesus.

  • Application:

    • What if peace isn’t about getting out of your situation, but inviting Jesus into it?

    • Resurrection means your circumstances don’t get the last word.

3. Jesus restores their mission as the broken to the broken. (John 20:21)

“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

  • These are the same guys who abandoned Him—but He still calls them.

  • The resurrection doesn’t just restore life—it restores calling.

  • Application:

    • Have you disqualified yourself in your own mind?

    • Jesus doesn’t just forgive your past—He commissions your future.

4. Jesus Gives You His Spirit and resurrection power over darkness and evil. (John 20:22)

“He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

  • The same breath that filled Adam with life in Genesis now fills disciples with resurrection power.

  • Application:

    • This isn’t about trying harder to live better. It’s about receiving the life only He can give.

    • The Holy Spirit is resurrection applied—personal, powerful, present.

Conclusion: “Do You Believe This?” (John 11:26)

Back to John 11, Jesus asks Martha, "Do you believe this?"

  • Jesus asked Martha that question before He raised Lazarus.

  • He’s asking you the same question today.

Bottom line: The resurrection gives us power for today and hope for tomorrow.

In September 2019 I was in a coaching cohort led by pastor and author Mike Breen. He was challenging us to imitate Peter's last healing (Acts) where he said, "Jesus heals you." (Instead of seeing himself as the healer)

In preparation for that day's cohort, I wrote the following things I think would change in my life if I lived as if the sky had opened up and the resurrection power of God was available to me like it was to Jesus:

  • I’d teach and preach with more authority given to me by Jesus Messiah

  • I’d rely more on the Holy Spirit believing that he connects me with heaven.

  • I’d be more likely to pray for healing over anyone—even a stranger.

  • I’d be more evangelistically bold. I would assume that God will be putting opportunities in front of me over and over again to lead people to Christ. 

  • I would spend more extended time in prayer early in the morning/late at night.

  • I would take more mini-retreats.

  • I would gather with the saints for prayer more often and less formally.

  • I’d fast and pray more.

  • I would find myself more in the harvest than I am. Away from the church building and amongst the people. Especially needy people. The least, last and lost.

  • I would be less concerned with the things of this world. I would live simply and not pursue trivial pursuits.

  • I would be more about making disciples and less about building the church (though in making disciples I will build the Church).

  • I would be more kingdom-minded. 

  • I’d constantly be looking for people of peace.

  • I’d live fearlessly.

  • I’d walk in truth, wisdom and love.

  • I’d have a spirit of power, love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:7)

  • I’d see suffering as an opportunity to fellowship more deeply with Christ instead of the pain that it is.

What about you?

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

"Imitating Peter," Sept 2019, MMQB I wrote

Mike Breen asked us to consider the following in preparation for our huddle tomorrow. Here are my thoughts…

Mike points to Peter’s last healing in scripture in Acts where he says, “Jesus heals you.”

In Mark 15:33- we see the curtain in the temple torn from top to bottom after Jesus dies on the cross. This rending is symbolic of our new, unfettered access to heaven and God. An access that Jesus enjoyed while walking among us.

Jesus had direct access to heaven. If not before, he received it at his baptism when the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. (Mark 1:11) There the “sky is torn” demonstrating an opening of access to Jesus that ushered in his earthly and amazing public ministry culminating in the cross and resurrection.

Jesus lived under this open heaven enjoying a supernatural connection to God through his Holy Spirit. This rending of the curtain signified a breaking away from the Old Testament. A New Testament is at hand.

So our access is now open to heaven as well. We now seem to have the same access that Jesus had while on earth. 

Is this what Peter is trying to say through Mark in his gospel, Mike Breen asks?

Jesus removes the barrier of the sky and curtain between us and heaven. Therefore, what Jesus experienced uniquely is generally available. 

Peter is explaining what Jesus’ practice is all about through Mark’s gospel, he thinks.

This reminded me of Mark 2 and the paralytic. “Which is easier to say…”

Mike can’t leave the question unanswered why does Peter’s last healing does he say, “Jesus Christ heals you”?

Here’s Mike’s sermon question he’s going to preach soon (Luke 3 message at Apex):

“What would it be like if we left today with the actual belief that heaven is open above you and the Holy Spirit is continuously connecting to you?”

So our homework is to wrestle with my ministry practice and teaching and ask what would it look like (my practice and teaching) if I started functioning like Peter was doing? I.e. Imitating Peter in Mark and Acts

So I need to re-read Mark and Acts 1-8. 

At first blush, I think I would say the following:

  • I’d teach and preach with more authority given to me by Jesus Messiah

  • I’d rely more on the Holy Spirit believing that he connects me with heaven.

  • I’d be more likely to pray for healing over anyone—even a stranger.

  • I’d be more evangelistically bold. I would assume that God will be putting opportunities in front of me over and over again to lead people to Christ. 

  • I would spend more extended time in prayer early in the morning/late at night.

  • I would take more mini-retreats.

  • I would gather with the saints for prayer more often and less formally.

  • I’d fast and pray more.

  • I would find myself more in the harvest than I am. Away from the church building and amongst the people. Especially needy people. The least, last and lost.

  • I would be less concerned with the things of this world. I would live simply and not pursue trivial pursuits.

  • I would be more about making disciples and less about building the church (though in making disciples I will build the Church).

  • I would be more kingdom-minded. 

  • I’d constantly be looking for people of peace.

  • I’d live fearlessly.

  • I’d walk in truth, wisdom and love.

  • I’d have a spirit of power, love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:7)

  • I’d see suffering as an opportunity to fellowship more deeply with Christ instead of the pain that it is.

OUTLINES

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Ladson, SC, bible believing church, Darien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship, Signs & Glory
Are We Ready to Celebrate and Surrender to Jesus? | John 12:9-25 | Darien Gabriel
Are We Ready to Celebrate and Surrender to Jesus? | John 12:9-25 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Are we ready to celebrate AND surrender to Jesus?"

Scripture: John 12:9-25

11:47-48,

Psalm 118:19-26,

Zechariah 9:9-10,

Luke 14:25-33,

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Bottom line: We will follow Jesus is celebration AND surrender when we see him clearly.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Titanic compartmentalization.

Bottom line: We will follow Jesus is celebration AND surrender when we see him clearly.

Outline (Kent Hughes)

I. The King Presented (12-19)

  • Context - 3 groups come and intercept Jesus and his followers

    • Pilgrims coming to purify themselves before the Passover

    • Locals and pilgrims who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead

    • Religious leaders furious and bent on execution for blasphemy

  • "Hosanna" = Save! (Ps 118)

  • Donkey's colt (Zech 9:9-10)

  • Delayed understanding

  • "The whole world has gone after him."

II. The King Pursed (20-22)

  • Greeks = Gentile truth seekers

  • "We would like to see Jesus" --continuous sense

III. The King's Proclamation (12:24-26)

  • Jesus' response to their inquiry but to everyone

    • To live you must die--to do this life that you will live in this life and beyond

    • Dies "alone" - “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” ‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

    • To die alone is to die but not be buried in the ground. To die and be put into the ground leads to life in this parable.

    • https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.12.24.ESV

    • No exceptions

    • Die => Follow => Serve => Honor

    • Crown preceded by the cross/crucifixion

      • For Jesus

      • For us

Additional

The Triumphal Entry of Jesus is one of the most well-known events in the Gospels, and it’s rich with meaning. It’s recorded in all four Gospels: Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19.

Here’s the basic scene:

It happens at the beginning of what we now call Holy Week, (Sunday) just a few days before Jesus’ crucifixion (Friday). Jesus is approaching Jerusalem, and as He nears the city, He sends two of His disciples to find a donkey and her colt, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 — “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.”

Riding a donkey (instead of a war horse) was deeply symbolic. It showed that He came not as a conquering military leader but as the humble, peaceful Messiah. As He rides into Jerusalem, crowds gather and spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road. They shout:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

“Hosanna” means “save us,” so they were both praising Him and calling out for deliverance. The crowd was hoping for a political savior to overthrow Roman rule, but Jesus had come to bring a far greater salvation — freedom from sin and death.

This moment is full of contrasts:

  • He’s welcomed as a king, but within days, He will be rejected and crucified.

  • The crowds are shouting praise, but soon many will shout, “Crucify Him!”

  • It fulfills prophecy and shows Jesus embracing His mission, knowing exactly where it will lead.

It’s called the “Triumphal Entry,” but the triumph is not in immediate victory — it’s in Jesus walking the path of suffering for our salvation.

The Triumphal Entry is saturated with Old Testament echoes and themes that quietly (or loudly!) proclaim Jesus as the true King, the Messiah, and the sacrificial Lamb. Let’s unpack a few:

  1. Zechariah 9:9 — King Comes on a Donkey

“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus intentionally fulfills this prophecy. Kings sometimes rode donkeys in the ancient Near East to symbolize peace. When Solomon was crowned, he rode King David’s mule (1 Kings 1:33–35). So Jesus riding a donkey is a royal claim — but a humble, peaceful one. He’s not coming as a warlord; He’s coming as the Prince of Peace.

  1. Psalm 118:25–26 — The Hosanna Psalm

The crowd shouts:

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

This is a direct quote from Psalm 118, a psalm used in pilgrim festivals, especially Passover. “Hosanna” originally meant “save us now!” — it’s a plea for salvation and a cry of praise. Psalm 118 also speaks of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, which Jesus applies to Himself later in the week (Matthew 21:42).

  1. Palm Branches — Victory and Kingship

Palm branches were symbols of victory and kingship, often associated with Jewish nationalism (think of the Maccabean Revolt about 150 years earlier, where palm branches celebrated military victory). The crowd is treating Jesus like a conquering hero, anticipating national deliverance from Rome.

(See notes below for more)

Transition:

"So, when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, He’s not just making a political statement — He’s weaving together centuries of prophecy, promise, and hope. He is the promised King, the humble servant, the Passover Lamb, the cornerstone, and the very presence of God returning to His people.

And of course, all of this sets the stage for the cross. The King enters not to take power by force, but to lay down His life." -ChatGPT

Conclusion:

Bottom line: I can trust God with everything, even when in need, because he provides, he cares, and he is with us.

George Mueller, champion of orphans in England when asked, "What has been the secret of your life?" hung his head and said, "There was a day when I died." Then he bent lower and said, "Died to George Müller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of brethren or friends." -Hughes, p. 307-308

What about you?

Do you celebrate Jesus but not surrender to his rule and reign? The latter undoes the former.

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

"George Müller (1805–1898) was a Christian evangelist and the founder of the Ashley Down orphanages in Bristol, England. Originally from Prussia (modern-day Germany), Müller lived a rebellious youth but experienced a profound conversion in his early twenties. Moved by compassion and a deep trust in God’s provision, he established homes for orphaned children at a time when many were homeless and destitute.

What set Müller apart was his radical reliance on prayer. He famously never solicited funds directly but trusted God to provide for the needs of thousands of children under his care. Over his lifetime, Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans, established schools, and distributed vast numbers of Bibles and tracts. His legacy continues as a testimony to God’s faithfulness and the power of prayerful dependence.

If you want, I can also give you some powerful quotes or stories from his life!Of course — here’s a quick bio on George Müller:

George Müller (1805–1898) was a Christian evangelist and the founder of the Ashley Down orphanages in Bristol, England. Originally from Prussia (modern-day Germany), Müller lived a rebellious youth but experienced a profound conversion in his early twenties. Moved by compassion and a deep trust in God’s provision, he established homes for orphaned children at a time when many were homeless and destitute.

What set Müller apart was his radical reliance on prayer. He famously never solicited funds directly but trusted God to provide for the needs of thousands of children under his care. Over his lifetime, Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans, established schools, and distributed vast numbers of Bibles and tracts. His legacy continues as a testimony to God’s faithfulness and the power of prayerful dependence." -ChatGPT

Key Themes in the Passage

  • Jesus’ fame is peaking — His miracle with Lazarus draws crowds and stirs belief.

  • Conflict intensifies — The religious leaders feel threatened and plan to destroy both Lazarus and Jesus.

  • Messianic hopes rise — The crowd greets Jesus as King, but their expectations are political and immediate.

  • Fulfillment of prophecy — Jesus knowingly fulfills Scripture, showing He is the promised King, though His kingdom is not what they expect.

  • Misunderstood glory — Even the disciples don’t grasp the full meaning until after the resurrection. -ChatGPT

  1. Genesis 49:10–11 — The King from Judah

Jacob’s blessing over Judah includes a fascinating image:

“The scepter will not depart from Judah… He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch.”

The image of the donkey and colt ties Jesus back to this prophecy of a ruler from the tribe of Judah — which Jesus is.

  1. Timing: Passover Lamb Selection Day

This one is stunning. Jesus enters Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan, the day Jewish families selected their Passover lambs (Exodus 12:3). He is, in effect, presenting Himself as the Lamb of God, chosen for sacrifice. John the Baptist had already called Him this in John 1:29 — “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

  1. God’s Glory Returning to the Temple (Ezekiel 43:1–5)

Ezekiel saw a vision of God’s glory returning to the temple from the east. Jesus, the embodiment of God’s glory, approaches Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives to the east (Luke 19:37). There’s a sense that God is coming back to His house — though, heartbreakingly, many will not recognize Him.

-RC Sproul

From RC Sproul

“In the intertestamental period, something took place that would define the Jewish people in terms of their national identity for centuries to come. In the second century BC, the temple was desecrated by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, leader of the Seleucid Empire. In response, a Jewish man named Mattathias, who was committed to the ancient covenant of Israel, determined to rescue the temple and the nation from the invasion of the Seleucids. Mattathias became the leader of a guerrilla group that fought against the Seleucids.

When he died, the leadership of this insurrectionist movement passed to his son Judas, who became known as Judas Maccabaeus, which means “the hammer.” Judas Maccabaeus became a national hero, a Hebrew Robin Hood, who wreaked havoc among the troops of the Seleucids. He put so much pressure on the Seleucids that in 164 BC they released the temple for the Jews to practice their own faith.

That event was met with so much celebration that a new feast was instituted called the Feast of Dedication or the Feast of Lights. We know it as Hanukkah, which is celebrated even to this day.

Later, Judas’ brother Simon Maccabaeus actually drove the Seleucids out of Jerusalem altogether, and when that happened he was acclaimed a national hero and was celebrated with a parade, something like a ticker-tape parade in New York. In that parade, the Jews celebrated his victory with music and with the waving of palm branches.

At that point in Jewish history, the palm branch became significant .. as a sign and symbol of a military victory, of a triumph.

In fact, that symbolism became so deeply rooted in the Jewish consciousness that when the Jews revolted against the Romans in the decade of the sixties AD, they dared to mint their own coins with the image of a palm branch, because it is their national symbol of victory.

When the people waved their palm branches to welcome Jesus, they cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!” (v. 13b) Why did they say this? The word hosanna is derived from a Hebrew word that literally means “save now.” Both this plea and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” are found in the hallel, a series of psalms that were sung every morning at the Feast of Tabernacles.

The series starts with Psalm 113 and goes through Psalm 118. In Psalm 118, we find these words: Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. (vv. 19–26)

Every Jewish pilgrim was familiar with the words from the hallel, so when the crowds came out to see Jesus, they naturally used those words. The plea “Save now” near the end of the quoted passage is the English translation of the root word of hosanna. The words “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” and the additional description shouted by the people, “the King of Israel!” indicate that the people looked to Jesus for salvation, though most likely in a military sense.”

John - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

OUTLINES

See above.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, non denominational church, bible believing church, John, Signs and Glory
Can I Trust Jesus with Everything? | John 6:1-21 | Darien Gabriel
Can I Trust Jesus with Everything? | John 6:1-21 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Can I Trust Jesus With Everything?”

Scripture: John 6:1-21

Psalm 41:1-4

Bottom line: I can trust God with everything, even when in need, because he provides, he cares, and he is with us.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

The Tightrope Walker and the Wheelbarrow

In the 19th century, a famous tightrope walker named Charles Blondin became famous for walking across Niagara Falls on a rope.

Niagara Falls has three main waterfalls: Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls.

  • The entire width of Niagara Falls (including all three sections) is about 3,950 feet (1,204 meters), or roughly ¾ of a mile wide.

  • It's height ranges from 90 to 181 feet high (9 to 18 stories)

He performed the stunt multiple times, each time adding a new challenge—walking blindfolded, on stilts, even carrying a stove and cooking an omelet in the middle of the rope.

One day, a huge crowd gathered to watch as he planned to push a wheelbarrow across the rope. Before starting, he asked the crowd, “Do you believe I can push this wheelbarrow across the falls?”

The crowd cheered, “Yes! We believe!”

Then Blondin pointed to a man in the front and asked, “Do you trust me enough to get in the wheelbarrow?”

The man froze. Believing from the sidelines was easy. But trusting enough to get in? That was a different question.

Can I trust Jesus with everything?

It’s one thing to say we believe Jesus can provide, protect, and lead us. But do we trust Him enough to truly depend on Him with everything? To put our whole lives in His hands?

That’s the question in John 6:1-21—the disciples and the crowd see Jesus’ miracles, but will they truly trust Him? Will we?

“Can I Trust Jesus With Everything?”

Bottom line: I can trust God with everything, even when in need, because he provides, he cares, and he is with us.

I. Answer: Yes, You Can Trust Jesus With Everything.

  • Jesus provides abundantly (He cares) (John 6:1-15): Jesus doesn’t just meet immediate needs—He provides more than enough.

  • Jesus steps into our storms (He is with us) (John 6:16-21): He walks on the water to His disciples, showing He has control over the chaos we face.

  • Jesus offers eternal life (He is able) (John 6:35): He’s not just here to meet temporary needs; He’s the Bread of Life, offering lasting satisfaction.

II. Why Can I Trust Jesus? (He Cares & Provides because He is Able)

  1. He is the Provider (He cares)

    • "The problem, of course, was how to meet the needs of such a vast crowd of people. Four solutions were proposed.

      • First, the disciples suggested that Jesus send the people away..." (No, hungry people faint. Plus almost night.)

      • Second, buy food. That's a lot of money. Remote place.

      • Third, get people to share their food. Way too little.

      • Fourth, trust the Lord to provide. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 309). Victor Books.

    • In the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus shows He has the power to meet physical needs abundantly, even when resources seem scarce.

    • Why trust Him? He is the One who provides for our needs, and He does so with more than enough.

  1. He is Present in Our Struggles (He is with us)

    • Jesus meets His disciples in the middle of their storm, walking on water to reassure them.

    • Why trust Him? He sees us, is present with us in our difficulties, and has the power to bring peace.

  2. He is the Source of Eternal Life (He is able)

    • Jesus offers Himself as the Bread of Life, the one who satisfies our deepest spiritual hunger.

    • Why trust Him? His provision goes beyond the temporary—He offers us eternal life.

III. How Do I Trust Jesus?

  1. Offer What You Have (John 6:9) (Hint: Something & Everything)

    • Like the boy with the loaves and fish, bring what little you have to Jesus and trust Him to multiply it for His purposes.

      • "The practical lesson is clear: whenever there is a need, give all that you have to Jesus and let Him do the rest. Begin with what you have, but be sure you give it all to Him." Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 309). Victor Books.

    • What You Give to God, He Multiplies

      • Hattie May Wiatt, a six-year-old girl, lived near Grace Baptist Church in Philadelphia, USA. The Sunday school was very crowded.

      • Russell H. Conwell, the minister, told her that one day they would have buildings big enough to allow everyone to attend. She said, ‘I hope you will. It is so crowded I am afraid to go there alone.’ He replied, ‘When we get the money we will construct one large enough to get all the children in.’

      • Two years later, in 1886, Hattie May died.

      • After the funeral Hattie’s mother gave the minister a little bag they had found under their daughter’s pillow containing 57 cents in change that she had saved up. Alongside it was a note in her handwriting: ‘To help build bigger so that more children can go to Sunday school.’

      • The minister changed all the money into pennies and offered each one for sale. He received $250 – and 54 of the cents were given back. The $250 was itself changed into pennies and sold by the newly formed ‘Wiatt Mite Society’. In this way, her 57 cents *kept on multiplying*.

      • Twenty-six years later, in a talk entitled, ‘The history of the 57 cents’, the minister explained the results of her 57-cent donation: a church with a membership of over 5,600 people, a hospital where tens of thousands of people had been treated, 80,000 young people going through university, 2,000 people going out to preach the gospel – all this happened ‘because Hattie May Wiatt invested her 57 cents’.

      • The theme of multiplication runs throughout the Bible. What cannot be achieved by addition, God does by multiplication. You reap what you sow, only many times more. What you give to the Lord, he multiplies.

      • How to trust Him? Give Jesus what you have, even if it seems small, and trust He can do more with it than you can imagine.

    • If the only thing you have to offer is a broken heart, you offer a broken heart. So in a time of grief, the recognition that this is material for sacrifice has been a very great strength for me. Realizing that nothing I have, nothing I am will be refused on the part of Christ, I simply give it to him as the little boy gave Jesus his five loaves and two fishes — with the same feeling of the disciples when they said, "What is the good of that for such a crowd?"

      • Naturally in almost anything I offer to Christ, my reaction would be, "What is the good of that?"

      • The point is, the use he makes of it is none of my business; it is his business, it is his blessing. So this grief, this loss, this suffering, this pain — whatever it is, which at the moment is God's means of testing my faith and bringing me to the recognition of who he is —that is the thing I can offer.

      • Do you have nothing to give? Then give that. Your nothing plus God is everything. We need to believe that God is big enough, that he wants to help us. Then we must give our problem to him. May we set aside our pride and give it all to him."

  2. Recognize His Presence in the Storm (John 6:19-20) (He is with you; Immanuel, God with us)

    • Did Jesus know that a storm was coming? Of course. Then why did He deliberately send His friends into danger? Quite the opposite is true: He was rescuing them from greater danger, the danger of being swept along by a fanatical crowd. But there was another reason for that storm: the Lord has to balance our lives; otherwise we will become proud and then fall. The disciples had experienced great joy in being part of a thrilling miracle. Now they had to face a storm and learn to trust the Lord more. The feeding of the 5,000 was the lesson, but the storm was the examination after the lesson.

      • Sometimes we are caught in a storm because we have disobeyed the Lord. Jonah is a good example. But sometimes the storm comes because we have obeyed the Lord. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 310). Victor Books.

    • When life feels overwhelming, turn to Jesus. When the disciples invite Him into the boat, the storm calms.

    • How to trust Him? In the midst of your struggles, look for Jesus and invite Him into your situation. Trust that He will bring peace.

Conclusion:

Bottom line: I can trust God with everything, even when in need, because he provides, he cares, and he is with us.

Can I trust God with some things?

I often use a stool to represent trusting God with everything. This is represented by me sitting on the stool with my full weight believing it will hold me up and not collapse in front of everyone with me on it.

I sometimes trust God with travel. *puts car keys on the stool*

I sometimes trust God with my health. *puts medicine/pills on the stool*

I sometimes trust God with my marriage. *puts wedding ring on the stool*

I sometimes trust God with my finances. *puts wallet on the stool*

I sometimes trust God with my education. *puts class ring on the stool*

But until I sit on the stool, my faith is only temporary and not saving faith because I'm not putting the full weight of my life on the stool. I'm not fully relying on God to carry me through life no matter what I'm going through.

Can you trust Jesus with everything? Yes. Jesus is fully trustworthy because He provides abundantly, steps into your struggles, and offers eternal life. To trust Him, offer what you have, recognize His presence in your struggles, and receive His words of life.

What about you?

Has God warned you?

Do you hear his warning?   

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

"Regard the weak"

Psalm 41:1-4 shows us how God blesses those who "regard the weak" by blessing them. God blesses those who do this. David also gives us a one verse prayer asking God to forgive us for not regarding the weak as we should.

"I am, I am"

“In all of these sayings, Jesus prefaced descriptions of His office by a strange combination of Greek words, ego eimi. The word ego in Greek means “I am.” We get the word ego from it. But the word eimi also means “I am.” If you put them together, ego eimi literally means “I am, I am,” as if one were stuttering”

“In order to understand what Jesus was doing, we need to look at the Greek translation of the Old Testament, where we see that the ineffable name of God, Yahweh, was translated into the Greek language by this same strange construction, ego eimi, which can be translated “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14). Therefore, almost every commentator recognizes that when Jesus said, “I am the door,” “I am the bread of life,” and other “I am” sayings, He was using the divine name for Himself.”

“However, when scholars enumerate the “I am” sayings in the Gospel of John, they don’t include Jesus’ statement here: “It is I; do not be afraid.” I’m not sure why, because it’s exactly the same structure, ego eimi. Jesus said to His disciples, “Don’t be afraid. It is I AM WHO I AM.”

Excerpts From John - An Expositional Commentary, R.C. Sproul

Christ carries his people

“There’s an illustration here. I don’t want to be maudlin, but this is the way our lives are. This story is not a parable; it is a historical narrative. However, it certainly illustrates what happens when Jesus comes into our lives.

Life is a time of pulling against the oars, against resistance, trying to get somewhere. However, we’re not getting anywhere and we’re about to be engulfed. But as soon as Jesus gets in the boat, we’re home free. That’s what happens when Christ comes into the lives of His people. He doesn’t take away all difficulties and make our lives beds of ease, but He gets us through the darkness. He gets us through the violence. He carries us through the storm.”

R.C. Sproul

"Gave thanks"

It is significant that twice John mentioned the fact that Jesus gave thanks (John 6:11, 23). Matthew, Mark, and Luke all state that Jesus looked up to heaven when He gave thanks. By that act, He reminded the hungry people that God is the source of all good and needful gifts. This is a good lesson for us: instead of complaining about what we do not have, we should give thanks to God for what we do have, and He will make it go farther

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 310). Victor Books.

OUTLINES

See above.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Bible believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, non denominational church, Signs and Glory
Do You Hear God's Warning? | John 5:19-29 | Darien Gabriel
Do You Hear God's Warning? | John 5:19-29 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: "Do you hear God's warning?

Scripture: John 5:19-29

Daniel 7:13-14; Acts 2:36-39

Bottom line: In a world that is good at ignoring warnings, God sent his son into the world to warn us personally. This is so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, one with God, life-giver and judge over all, and that by believing have life in his name.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Last year, I ignored God's first warning.

It was September and my blood tests showed that my chloestoral was 210. It should be less than 100. Still, I felt fine. I didn't remember at the time that my family has a history of high chlorestal and related heart and artery issues. I just never occurred to me that I might have any of those issues. I felt fine. I exercise regularly. I didn't eat healthy at the time but I was better than most. (As if that were a good standard)

I ignored my first warning from God. Ignoring my doctor's plan for health, I didn't agree to start taking chlorestoral meds because I wanted to try and exercise and change my diet so that I could naturally bring my cholesterol down.

Mercifully, I got a second warning. I got a second chance. On October 8th of last year, while working on a disaster relief project in western NC after a major hurricane, I had a TIA (mini-stroke) while on site. God mercifully put a medical missionary on our team who quickly diagnosed my symptoms and sent me to the ER where I received excellent treatment at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville. My second warning.

This was a mercy. I deserved a TIA, stroke or worse because I ignored the doctor's advice. As I was being triaged, I remembered I had my cholesterol numbers from 3 weeks earlier and showed them to the medical team. This helped them confirm their diagnosis.

God chose to be rich in love and mercy towards me that day. I woke up "heard his voice" and began taking his warning seriously. Since then, I am much more willing to heed the medical advice given to me on this life-threatening journey. I still ask questions and sometimes push back. But because God humbled me while giving me another chance, I'm in a better place medically.

I finally heard and heeded God's warning.

What about you?

Has God been warning you?

God warns us about things in this life and about things that affect the next.

What has God been warning you about?

What warnings are you ignoring?

"I remember hearing a knock on our front door. When I opened the door, I saw two ladies standing on my step holding Bibles and some religious literature. My suspicion was soon confirmed: these two ladies were Jehovah's Witnesses going from door to door sharing their false gospel.

As rapidly as I could, I told them we believed differently about Jesus, and the Bible clearly says Jesus is truly God. "Oh, we believe he's God," they said. "No, you don't. You believe he's a god, but you do not believe he's of the same essence as the Father. You do not believe he's one with the Father." At that point they admitted they viewed Jesus differently, and the conversation ended a few moments later. Those two ladies, as sweet as they were, standing on my porch with Bibles in hand, were rebelling against God. Anyone who does not submit to Jesus Christ—anyone who dishonors the Son-does not honor the Father." -Matt Carter

CONTEXT

John moves forward in chapters 5-10 highlighting the escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leadership. John will use Jesus' encounters with others to escalate and teach/reveal who he is leading the Jewish leaders to grow more insistent on his execution for blasphemy. They are convinced that he is claiming to be another god equal to God the Father and they cannot rest until he is dealt with. For they think that he is leading the people astray.

SERMON

Bottom line: In a world that is good at ignoring warnings, God sent his son into the world to warn us personally. This is so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, one with God, life-giver and judge over all, and that by believing have life in his name.

Kent Hughes says that Jesus makes 3 claims that we all should take seriously. I'll pair them up with how other commentators saw this.

  1. Jesus is one with the Father. (19-20)(Hughes)

    1. Jesus' unity with the Father. (19-23)(ChatGPT)

    2. Jesus does what only God can do. (19-22)(Carter)

  2. Jesus has the power to give and sustain life. (21, 24-26)(Hughes)

    1. Jesus gives spiritual life (eternal life) through belief. (24-25)(Chat GPT)

    2. Jesus receives honor only God deserves. (23-24)(Carter)

  3. Jesus has the authority to judge. (27-30)(Hughes)

    1. Jesus brings future resurrection and judgment. (25-29) (ChatGPT)

    2. Jesus has power only God can claim. (25-29)(Carter)

Hughes adds here, "These claims are eternal and they call for action."

Applications for Believers

  1. Trust in Jesus' authority as if God (because he is). (19-23)

    1. He is fully aligned and in sync with His Father. (19-20)

    2. He is the source and sustainer of life. (Now and future) (21)

    3. He is the judge of all people. (Now and in the future) (22)

    4. He is God, so, honor (worship) Him accordingly. (23)

  2. Rest in eternal life now. (24)

    1. Rest as in fully rely on Him.

    2. Eternal life--abundant life forever.

    3. Now--it starts when you rest fully in Him.

  3. Live with resurrection hope. (25-29) Live in light of eternity!

    1. Listening for Jesus to speak. (25)

    2. Embrace life as a gift. (26)

    3. Live grateful for the mercy. (27)

    4. Live in light of his imminent return. (28-29)

Applications for Not-yet believers

  1. Believe/trust that Jesus as your pathway to life abundant and eternal starting today. (24-25)

  2. Judgment is certain. No exceptions. (27-29)

  3. There is still time to respond. (25)

For believers, this gives assurance, hope and a call to live in light of eternity.

For not-yet believers, this is a wake-up call to take Jesus' words seriously--life and judgment are in his hands.

CONCLUSION

Hughes or Carter write:

"It is hardly surprising therefore that controversy features prominently in the life and ministry of Jesus as he reveals the truth about himself.

The intriguing thing about the controversy that surrounded Jesus during his public ministry on earth is that it is not so much his teaching and ideas that were in dispute, but the claims that he made about himself. It was this fact that led C.S. Lewis to make his much-quoted remark,

Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman, or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him or kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come to him with any patronising nonsense about him being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to.

Mere Christianity (New York, Macmillan: 1943), pp. 55-56

I've always heard it summarized as Jesus was either...

A lunatic, crazy for thinking he was God,

A liar, out to deceive for his own glory, or

The Lord, because all that he claimed is true.

But, no matter what, you cannot call him just a great teacher or a great man or a great prophet. For he could not be any of those if he lied or was crazy. You can't have it both ways.

Bottom line: In a world that is good at ignoring warnings, God sent his son into the world to warn us personally. This is so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, one with God, life-giver and judge over all, and that by believing have life in his name.

What about you?

Has God warned you?

Do you hear his warning?   

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

Possible titles and questions:

Are you listening to God's warning?

Is Jesus worth listening to?

Who does Jesus think he is?

Who has the final say over your future?

Are you alive or just breathing?

Did you hear God's warning?

Throughout history this is how people have responded to Jesus: there is no room for neutrality." -Mark Johnston

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien Gabrielnon denominational church, bible believing church, Ladson, SC, Darien Gabriel, Signs and Glory, John
What Does Authentic Faith Look Like? | John 4:43-52 | Darien Gabriel
What Does Authentic Faith Look Like? | John 4:43-52 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: "What does authentic faith look like?

Scripture: John 4:43-54

John 1:9-12; 8:31-32

Bottom line: Authentic faith looks like an actual commitment, built on an informed belief, and a growing dependency of God.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Today we're answer the question, "What does authentic faith look like?"

When I think of the word authentic, I think of collections where value is based on the something rare being authenticated or declared the real thing.

The most valuable American coin today is a 1794 silver dollar called the Flowing Hair Silver Dollar. It has lady liberty on one side and an American eagle on the other. Many believe that it was the first coin minted by the US government. There were only 1800 made and experts think only about 120 remain. It last sold for 12 million dollars.

But it's only worth 12 million dollars if it's an authentic Flowing Hair Silver Dollar.

The question today is what does authentic faith look like. We're asking this question to setup the more important question, "Is my faith authentic?"

CONTEXT

Jesus has been talking with the woman at the well. He and the 12 got to see a whole town come to Christ. It has been an amazing day. The enemies of the Jews (the Samaritans) have trusted the Jewish Messiah! There is no earthly reason why they would do this. Only God.

John will use this town of people in Sychar to expose the contrast with the way the Jews are responding (en masse) to Jesus. (Cf. John 1:11-12)

John will also contrast the nobleman's growing faith with the hesitant faith of Nicodemus.

What does authentic faith look like?

Is my faith authentic?

SERMON

Bottom line: Authentic faith looks like an actual commitment, built on an informed belief, and a growing dependency on God.

What does authentic faith look like? (Help from Matt Carter's commentary)

I. Actual commitment--not just spiritual curiosity.

II. Informed belief--not just emotional feelings.

III. Growing dependence--not just a single decision.

Applications/questions:

  1. Are you spiritually curious? That's fine. Just don't think you're secure and good with the Lord just because you're spiritual or open. Christ calls us to follow him the rest of our life. Until you surrender to that, you're just curious. It's not a convenient faith that he calls us to--it's a costly faith. He calls us to ultimately come and die.

  2. Is your faith rooted on how you feel? I feel close to God today but not tomorrow. Emotions are a legitimate part of the human experience--even in our spiritual life. But we root our faith in truth--God's word is truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth..." We have an informed faith; a reasonable faith; not a blind faith.

  3. Is your faith growing? Are you abiding in Jesus daily? Are you walking with God daily? These are different ways of asking the question, am I growing in dependence on the Lord?

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: Authentic faith starts with an actual commitment, and an informed belief on the word, and a growing dependence.

What about you? Is your faith authentic?

Here's another way to look at it.

How do you know that you're married?

Well, you might say, I have a wedding ring and a marriage license.

I could respond, well, I know people who have a marriage license and maybe even still wear their wedding ring. But they are no longer married.

The only way to truly know you're married is because you live the married life with your spouse. You raise the kids together. You take care of the house together. You do life together.

The same is true with authentic faith. What does authentic faith look like? It looks like an actual commitment, built on an informed faith, and a growing dependence.

What about you? Is your faith authentic?

If not, what can you do?

Repent--turn from the way you're living life and turn back to the trust and follow Jesus' words, ways and works.

Believe--Rest on the calling you've received; build on the word of God; pray towards growing in Christ.`

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

"Jesus was saying, "Your experience with the Samaritans is one of reaping where you did not sow," and that surely was the case. They had not sowed, but they reaped. In our age some of us may sow, and some of us may reap. The thrust of these verses is that there is going to be a good deal of reaping, but the implication also is that sometimes we may sow and never see the results. I am reminded of the story of George Müller who founded many orphanages in the last century. Early in his life Müller made the acquaintance of three men, and he began to pray for their salvation. Müller lived a long time, but when he died, none of those men had yet trusted Christ. It is recorded in his diary that he prayed for these men daily during all those years. But that is not the end! The glorious fact is that all three of those men did meet Christ-two of them in their seventies and one in his eighties! Müller sowed, but someone else reaped. Whether we find ourselves sowing or reaping, our lives are to be permeated with a sense of urgency. Jesus' harvest mentality was part of the secret of his life. We also are meant to be harvesting!" -Kent Hughes, p. 139

"This reality should motivate us to labor with all our might to make Jesus Christ and his gospel known and loved throughout the world. Augustine wrote this beautiful reflection about Jesus Christ:

You are ever active, yet always at rest. You gather all things to yourself, though you suffer no need. ... You welcome those who come to you, though you never lost them. You release us from our debts, but you lose nothing thereby. You are my God, my Life, my holy Delight, but is this enough to say of you? Can any man say enough when he speaks of you? Yet woe betide those who are silent about you! (Confessions [IX 1], 181)

May we, by the grace of God, never be silent." -Matt Carter

  1. "I'll Do It Later (v. 35):

    1. Jesus asks the disciples a pointed question: "Don't you say, 'There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest'?" (v. 35). He's saying, "Do you guys think you need to wait before reaping the fruit of the gospel? Are you hoping it will come later? You're wrong; look at the Samaritans coming right now. What are you waiting for? The time is now!" Jesus is driving the urgency of the gospel home to the hearts of his disciples. We don't wait for a different time or a better time; the harvest is now. Go, do the work of sharing the gospel right now. Charles Spurgeon, preaching on this passage, challenged his congregation:

    2. Some of you good people, who do nothing except go to public meetings, the Bible readings, and prophetic conferences, and other forms of spiritual [indulgence], would be a good deal better Christians if you would look after the poor and needy around you. If you would just tuck up your sleeves for work, and go and tell the gospel to dying men, you would find your spiritual health mightily restored, for very much of the sickness of Christians comes through their having nothing to do. All feeding and no working gives men spiritual indigestion. Be idle, careless, with nothing to live for, nothing to care for, no sinner to pray for, no backslider to lead back to the cross, no trembler to encourage, no little child to tell of a Savior, no grey-headed man to enlighten in the things of God, no object, in fact, to live for; and who wonders if you begin to groan, and to murmur, and to look within, until you are ready to die of despair? (Cited in Hughes, John, 132) - Matt Carter

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, authentic faith, John, Signs & Glory, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, Bible believing church, non denominational church
Why Do Our Relationships Suffer? Part 2 | John 4:27-42 | Darien Gabriel
Why Do Our Relationships Suffer? Part 2 | John 4:27-42 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: "Why do our relationships suffer?" Part 2

Scripture: John 4:27-42

Bottom line: We should and can eliminate our excuses for not sharing Jesus today.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Up, In and Out triangle (draw)

Draw a stick figure in the middle of the triangle. (That's you)

Draw a horizontal line right through the middle of your stick figure.

  • Above the line is "Love God"

  • Below the line is "Love people"

UP--our relationship with God (above the horizontal line).

IN--our relationship with people who are already in and a part of the global Church (born again).

OUT--our relationship with people who are not yet a part of the global Church. These are who we are prayer, care, sharing with.

This is your filter to evaluate your church, your home group, and your personal life. Are your relationships suffering because of your unwillingness to engage people in the harvest?

iMarriage

Years ago, we started a home group in the home of one of our elders so that they could invite their neighbors. No other church members except for Anita and I. We decided to do Andy Stanley's iMarriage video series. So the group was filled with people who didn't have a relationship with the Lord or if they did it wasn't one of any depth. That was one of the most fun groups we've ever been a part of. Why? Because we realized that you can have great relationships with people who don't yet know the Lord. When we eventually left that group to start a new one, we all grieved.

One of the reasons our relationships suffer is because we don't consider that some of our best future relationships will only happen if we engage the lost in our community.

Jar of acorns - each acorn in the jar sitting in the lobby is for a conversation someone had with someone about Jesus that week.

So whenever you talk to someone about Jesus, drop an acorn into the jar. If they come to Christ, drop a silver acorn into instead.

We miss out on great relationships with people in our world when we let our excuses keep us from talking to them about Jesus.

CONTEXT

Jesus has been talking with the woman at the well when his disciples walk up. She's just discovered that Jesus is the Messiah. She's believing and now compelled to go and share that good news with the entire town. She drops what she's doing (literally) and goes to tell them to come and see.

Meanwhile, the disciples are wondering why Jesus would be talking to any women in public. That's just not done. Especially a Samaritan woman! They try to get him to eat (they know he's tired and hungry). But he gives them a cryptic response. It's here that Jesus shows us the 3 excuses we make for not sharing Jesus with others. And this affects our relationships negatively. We end up not getting to know some amazing people as a result.

SERMON

Bottom line: We should and can eliminate our excuses for not sharing Jesus today.

What are our excuses? (Help from Matt Carter's commentary)

  1. We think they won't be interested. (4:27-30)

  2. We are too busy. (4:31-34)

  3. We tell ourselves we'll do it later. (4:35)

    1. "The Raleigh News & Observer reported a story a few years ago about a man who died at a hospital in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Apparently he choked on his medication and fell and hit his head on the floor. A nurse helped him start breathing and sat him in a chair in the waiting room. He sat in that chair for the next twenty-two hours before having a heart attack and dying. During those twenty-two hours he was virtually ignored by the staff; in fact, after the choking incident, no one checked his vital signs for over an hour. They were too busy playing cards in the break room next door (Biesecker, "Tape Shows"). The men and women responsible for keeping him alive were distracted by something as worthless as a game of cards. What distracts us from our mission?

    2. What distracts us from sharing the message of eternal life with those all around us who are spiritually dying?" -Matt Carter, p. 103

  4. We don't care is another conversation for another time. I think the disciples cared. I know Jesus did. If we don't, it may be because we don't know the Lord yet.

Jesus encourages us to share the good news today. (4:36-42)

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." - Old saying

"Get after it!" -Jocko Willink

Illustration: The Unseen Harvest - Gene Hundley

Tell a story about someone who planted a tree but never lived to see it bear fruit. Often, we think our efforts are wasted because we don't see immediate results, but Jesus says the fields are already ripe. The woman at the well simply shared her story, and a harvest came from it.

Applications:

  1. Prayer.

    1. Pray for people in your circles of influence who are far from God but close to you? Write their name down in your bible or journal. Pray for them by name.

  2. Care. When God gives you the opportunity, care enough to serve them personally. Pray with them when you're done.

  3. Share. When God gives you the opportunity to serve them, they are often more open to hearing why you did that.

    1. You can share right after serving them.

    2. You can share later via text, email or letter.

    3. You can share with them in conversation at a later date. Just remember that the fields are ripe for harvest.

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: We should and can eliminate our excuses for not sharing Jesus with our world today.

"Too many churches have gotten distracted from the mission God has given them. The older and bigger a church is, the easier it is to get distracted.

There's an old story about a harbor town located in a treacherous area where boats frequently capsized on the rocks in bad weather. The town was known for its faithful rescue team. Whenever the bell sounded, a group of men rowed quickly to the scene of the disaster, risking their lives to remove sailors from sinking vessels or to pluck them from heaving waves. After a few years the town collected money to build a rescue station near the shore to store all of their equipment, thus making their rescue work easier. Also, special training was offered to others who wanted to become rescuers. The operation became efficient, saving hundreds of lives from the raging waters. But as time went by, comforts and conveniences were added to the building-cupboards full of food, a dining room, a lounge with stuffed chairs and recliners, and sleeping quarters. The lovely building became a club where townspeople loved to eat, meet, play games, and socialize. The bell still sounded when a wreck occurred, but only a handful of people responded. Later, no one even bothered to answer the rescue call, for they didn't want to leave the comfortable club (Davey, When Heaven, 28)." - Matt Carter

"Jesus was saying, "Your experience with the Samaritans is one of reaping where you did not sow," and that surely was the case. They had not sowed, but they reaped. In our age some of us may sow, and some of us may reap. The thrust of these verses is that there is going to be a good deal of reaping, but the implication also is that sometimes we may sow and never see the results. I am reminded of the story of George Müller who founded many orphanages in the last century. Early in his life Müller made the acquaintance of three men, and he began to pray for their salvation. Müller lived a long time, but when he died, none of those men had yet trusted Christ. It is recorded in his diary that he prayed for these men daily during all those years. But that is not the end! The glorious fact is that all three of those men did meet Christ-two of them in their seventies and one in his eighties! Müller sowed, but someone else reaped. Whether we find ourselves sowing or reaping, our lives are to be permeated with a sense of urgency. Jesus' harvest mentality was part of the secret of his life. We also are meant to be harvesting!" -Kent Hughes, p. 139

What about you?

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

"This reality should motivate us to labor with all our might to make Jesus Christ and his gospel known and loved throughout the world. Augustine wrote this beautiful reflection about Jesus Christ:

You are ever active, yet always at rest. You gather all things to yourself, though you suffer no need. ... You welcome those who come to you, though you never lost them. You release us from our debts, but you lose nothing thereby. You are my God, my Life, my holy Delight, but is this enough to say of you? Can any man say enough when he speaks of you? Yet woe betide those who are silent about you! (Confessions [IX 1], 181)

May we, by the grace of God, never be silent." -Matt Carter

  1. "I'll Do It Later (v. 35):

    1. Jesus asks the disciples a pointed question: "Don't you say, 'There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest'?" (v. 35). He's saying, "Do you guys think you need to wait before reaping the fruit of the gospel? Are you hoping it will come later? You're wrong; look at the Samaritans coming right now. What are you waiting for? The time is now!" Jesus is driving the urgency of the gospel home to the hearts of his disciples. We don't wait for a different time or a better time; the harvest is now. Go, do the work of sharing the gospel right now. Charles Spurgeon, preaching on this passage, challenged his congregation:

    2. Some of you good people, who do nothing except go to public meetings, the Bible readings, and prophetic conferences, and other forms of spiritual [indulgence], would be a good deal better Christians if you would look after the poor and needy around you. If you would just tuck up your sleeves for work, and go and tell the gospel to dying men, you would find your spiritual health mightily restored, for very much of the sickness of Christians comes through their having nothing to do. All feeding and no working gives men spiritual indigestion. Be idle, careless, with nothing to live for, nothing to care for, no sinner to pray for, no backslider to lead back to the cross, no trembler to encourage, no little child to tell of a Savior, no grey-headed man to enlighten in the things of God, no object, in fact, to live for; and who wonders if you begin to groan, and to murmur, and to look within, until you are ready to die of despair? (Cited in Hughes, John, 132) - Matt Carter

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, relationships suffer, John 4, Signs & Glory, non denominational church, bible believing church
Why Do Our Relationships Suffer? Part 1 | John 4:10-26 | Darien Gabriel
Why Do Our Relationships Suffer? Part 1 | John 4:10-26 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: "Why do our relationships suffer? Part 1

Scripture: John 4:10-26

Bottom line: Christians can have great relationships. They inevitably suffer, however, when we prioritize them over our ultimate relationship-Jesus Christ.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

A great follow on Twitter/X is Gretchen Ronnevik. She's a middle-aged wife and mom of a large family raised on a farm. Homeschools, writes books, is biblically astute, and drops some great wisdom on Twitter/X.

She recently shared this:

“I watched the father who sat in front of us today (in church) manage his squirrelly kids by not reprimanding them, but rearranging the seating so he was sitting in the middle of them, and they all just leaned into him and relaxed, and there’s just a whole sermon there.” @GretchenRonnevikon X

I share this beautiful scene as an example of a healthy human relational interaction between a father and his "squirrelly kids". How was he able to do that without getting frustrated or angry with them?

I don't know this man at all but I would suggest that perhaps it's because he prioritized his relationship with Jesus even above his relationship with his children. This is what I'm getting at today when I ask the question of Christians especially, "Why do our relationships with other people suffer so?"

Prioritizing Jesus doesn't guarantee anything. But like the Proverbs, which are not promises or guarantees, they are rules of thumb that indicate that when you follow the proverb, you'll usually reap the reward the proverb says generally happens.

Ex. "Train up a child (Discipleship) in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." This is not a promise. It is a rule of thumb that parents would be wise to follow. But we all know parents who did this and yet their children did not walk in the way of their parents and the Lord.

But, usually, they do.

Andy Stanley, a pastor in Atlanta, shared one time at his Drive Conference their parenting goal:

Raise up their kids in such a way that when they are grown, and have a choice, they will still want to come home to see you.

The Leaky Cup

• Imagine trying to fill a cup with a hole in the bottom. No matter how much you pour in, it keeps draining out. That's what happens when we expect people to do what only Jesus can--our relationships suffer under that pressure.

The Misdirected GPS

• A GPS set to the wrong destination can take you miles off course. In the same way, when we center our lives on anything other than Jesus, we end up lost— and so do our relationships.

How many times have we seen a dating relationship cause a friend to leave his personal convictions and even his or her friends and forget who they are all for the sake of that one, unhealthy relationship. They forget who they are and how they lived.

The Unanswered Text

• Imagine a friend pouring their heart out in a text message, but you never reply because you're too distracted. This is how we often treat people around us— missing opportunities to love, serve, and share Jesus because we're too focused on ourselves.

The Wilted Garden

• A garden neglected will wither, no matter how good the soil was at first.

Relationships suffer when we don't invest in them, just like our relationship with Jesus weakens when we neglect time with Him. But with care and attention, both can flourish.

Nicky Gumbel reminded me this week about the illustration the teacher of Ecclesiastes teaches us about the 3 cords of a healthy relationship. This is how Nicky described it:

"Better Together

I have never been very good at using visual aids. I am not a very practical person. On the other hand, my great friend, Nicky Lee (who, together with his wife Sila, has pioneered [The Marriage Course](http://www.themarriagecourses.org/try/the-marriage-course) and other courses for couples and parents), is extremely practical and often uses visual aids. When he is speaking at weddings he sometimes uses a visual aid to illustrate the passage in Ecclesiastes 4, where the writer says, ‘*Two are better than one*… A cord of three strands is not quickly broken’ (vv.9,12). As a picture of marriage, Nicky takes two strands of different coloured wool and weaves them together. Together they are stronger and yet they can quite easily be broken. Then he takes a third strand of nearly invisible fishing line. With this third strand, it is almost impossible to break the two pieces of wool. (I did try to use this illustration once but, for reasons I cannot remember, it went horribly wrong!) The point that he makes so well, and that comes out of the passage in Ecclesiastes, is that while friendships and marriages are wonderful gifts, having God at the centre of a friendship or marriage provides an invisible thread of enormous strength. In today’s passages, we see how two are stronger than one in marriage, mission and ministry."

The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Classic Version, 2025: Day 52 • Devotional

Every relationship's success and health depends on this fine, infinite cord of unconditional, sacrificial love. Our relationships inevitably suffer when we do not prioritize this eternal relationship above all others. John will illustrate this several ways in this passage.

Last week, he showed us that when we prioritize our relationship with Jesus, we'll cross all kinds of barriers that prevent us from having healthy relationships with those who are different than us: race, ethnicity, nationality, political preferences, economic class, social class, education, language, gender preferences and disphoria, fashion, sense of humor, and even college football team preferences.

CONTEXT

Jesus left Jerusalem to keep the peace with the disciples of John the Baptist and throw water on the religious leader's attempt to divide and conquer.

Jesus heads back towards his home region but chooses to take the shorter but more contentious route--through Samaria. It is in Samaria where the half-Jews live that centuries of hostility remain. John writes that Jesus "had to go" this route for he only did what his Father led him to do. Clearly, his Father had work for him to do among the Samaritans...and Jesus' 12 disciples.

Jesus is heading towards his public, Galilean ministry. John is now walking us through a series of encounters Jesus has with individuals. Nicodemus was first. Now, as Mikey showed us last week, he meets with the unnamed woman at the well. The comparisons and contrasts are stunning and show us that Jesus' mission of mercy and hope is for all--not just the Jews. Not just the wealthy. Not just the educated. Not just the religious. Not just the men. Not just the healthy. Not just those who think they have it all together...but I digress.

We will continue in this passage for 3 weeks total. Last week and next week, along with this week, will help us answer the question, "Why do our relationships suffer so?"

This is a valid question for anybody. But it's especially relevant for Christians. After all, aren't Christians supposed to have healthy relationships? Isn't that a fruit of the Spirit? If so, then why don't we? That's what I hope to uncover this week and next.

SERMON

Bottom line: Christians can have great relationships. They inevitably suffer, however, when we prioritize them over our ultimate relationship-Jesus Christ.

Why do our relationships suffer? In other words, how do we prioritize them over our ultimate relationship in Jesus Christ?

Because...

  1. [LAST WEEK] We let cultural barriers keep us from having them. (1-9) We are afraid to relate to people different than we are. (This was PART 1, last week) Instead, we should

    1. Cross ethnic barriers (Latino, black, Asian, white, European)

    2. Cross nationalistic barriers (USA, Canada, Mexico)

    3. Cross political barriers (Independent, Democrat, Republican)

    4. Cross language barriers (Hispanic, Portuguese, ASL)

    5. Cross societal expectation barriers (traditional like opening the door for others; men wearing hats inside, white collar, blue collar workers)

    6. Cross gender barriers (men, women, trans, LGBTQIA's)

    7. Cross economic barriers (poor, rich, middle class)

    8. Cross professional barriers (retail, hospitality industry vs medical field, financial services)

    9. Cross educational barriers (USC/Clemson; college degrees, advanced degrees, tech college, no degrees)

  2. [THIS WEEK] We seek true satisfaction in places it cannot be found (or we settle for less than)(10-15)(PART 1)

    1. It's only found with people in a faithful community of Jesus Christ

    2. You personal relationships cannot live up to your expectations ultimately

  3. We respond to conviction with excuses instead of humility, repentance and faith. (16-18)

  4. We worship without knowing the truth. (20-26) The truth is...

    1. The written word.

    2. The living word. (Cf. John 14:6)

  5. [NEXT WEEK] We ignore or get distracted from the Harvest. (27-38)(PART 2)

  6. We don't embrace and/or share our story/testimony. (39-42)

CONCLUSION

"This interruption to the encounter provides an opportunity for us to consider the situation from the perspective of the church and its failures. The disciples were already beginning to fall into the trap of allowing their view of 'church' to be conditioned by the cultural and ethnic baggage of their day. Jesus therefore makes them think again. Their surprise at the conversation they had observed was a symptom of the prejudice that lurked in their hearts and of their failure to grasp what Christ's mission entailed.

Jesus' response is to ignore the food they had taken the trouble to bring and to express, in startling fashion, that the 'bread and butter' of his existence was to do his Father's will (4:34). If they became less, concerned about their stomachs and more concerned about the souls of the lost, then they too would share in that work. With a measure of rebuke, he says to them,

Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest' (4:35). That rebuke to the. professing church reverberates down to the present day. We too need to be less preoccupied with ourselves and our own petty concerns and more concerned with the eternal needs of a lost humanity.

It may well be that there is some significance in the fact that Jesus speaks of the fields being 'white' for harvest. There are no Middle Eastern crops in fact that are actually white when ready for reaping!

However, the first thing the disciples saw when they looked up was a crowd of people - clothed for the most part, probably, in white robes - coming towards them (4:30). This immediately made them appreciate what Jesus was saying. It was in a human harvest that they were to be involved - and one that was to include even their traditional enemies! The amazing sight of almost an entire village of Samaritans coming to faith in Christ, and their more amazing testimony - 'we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world' (4:42) - is an unprecedented witness to the fact that Jesus is the Christ. The end-point of this circuitous diversion in Jesus' itinerary has been to bring two groups of people - the residents of Sychar and the twelve disciples - face to face with themselves, with God, and ultimately with Jesus in his true Messianic credentials. This also is the end-point of the gospel."

Let's Atudy John, Mark Johnston, pp. 64-65

The bottom line is that...

Bottom line: Christians can have great relationships. They inevitably suffer, however, when we prioritize them over our ultimate relationship-Jesus Christ.

Our marriage would have failed long ago if I hadn't prioritized my relationship with Jesus over even her. By learning to love him more, my capacity to love her has only increased. He's still making me less selfish and entitled.

Our now-grown children would not come home now that they have a choice. And when they come, they bring their own children. (Sometimes they even leave them with you!)

Andy Stanley shared one time their parenting goal: Raise up their kids in such a way that when they are grown and have a choice, they will still want to come home to see you.

My relationship with my dad could get bumpy depending on how much advice he insisted on giving our kids. I remember one time blowing up at him because he was leaning hard on one of our daughters about her future plans. He wouldn't let up and I lost it. Because of Christ, that was not normal for me. So he was able to forgive me and we were able to move forward without long-term hurt or drama.

My relationship with my mom used to be tenuous because while I was in seminary I confronted her on her faith in a pretty harsh way. My desire was a good one (make sure she knew Christ). But my execution was not good. Over time, however, as I let Christ shape me into a more gentle, patient, trusting-in-Jesus person, she was able to see Christ in me and that overcame my clumsy, insensitive sharing with her. Now we have an amazing relationship that I cherish dearly.

Those things didn't happen because I'm such a great guy or we're such great parents. Those relationships have gone well, overall, because we prioritize our relationship with Christ over all others.

As a result, we cross barriers to have relationships with people who are different than us.

We seek true satisfaction in the living water of the Spirit of Christ over any one person or family.

We respond to conviction to sin with humility and openness to what he would have us learn.

We don't limit our worship to a place, liturgy, style, time, building because to truly worship the Lord is to do so in spirit and in truth. We make knowing him through the word a priority because that's our best source of truth about who God is and what he's doing.

We lift up our eyes to the harvest that matters most to Jesus. We have a vision for our lives that puts our relationship with him at such a place, that what matters most to him matters most to us as well. This is where our true priorities are revealed. Do we love the least, the last and the lost around us enough to enter into a relationship with some of them?

We share our story with others. We prayer-care-share like the Lighthouse Movement teaches. We pray for others who are in our personal circles of influence. We care for them as God gives us opportunity. Then we share with them our story and how they can have a better story through Jesus as God opens those doors.

What about you?

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

The phrase “lift up your eyes” appears multiple times in the Bible. Here are some key passages in the ESV translation:

1. Genesis 13:14 – The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,”

2. Genesis 31:12 – And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.’

3. Isaiah 40:26 – Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

4. John 4:35 – Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

OUTLINES

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

R. Kent Hughes, "John: Preaching the Word" Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg, "Exalting Jesus in John"

FF Bruce, "The Gospels & Epistles of John"

RC Sproul, "John"

Köstenberger, "John"

DA Carson, "The Gospel According to John"

Mark Johnston, "Let's Study John"

Leslie Newbigin, "The Light Has Come"

Patrick Schreiner, "The Visual Word"

John Piper, “Look at the Book”

Walvoord, Zuck, “The Bible Knowledge Commentary” (BKC)

Warren Wiersbe, “The Bible Exposition Commentary” (BEC)

D Willmington, "The Outline Bible" (OB)

"NIV Study Bible" (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

"Chronological Life Application Study Bible" (NLT)

"ESV Study Bible" (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

"The Bible Project" https://bibleproject.com

Nicky & Pippa Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Perplexity AI

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational church, bible believing church, Ladosn, Ladson, S, SC, Darien Gabriel, John, relationships suffer
Should Jesus Matter More Than Me? | John 3:22-36 | Darien Gabriel
Should Jesus Matter More Than Me? | John 3:22-36 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Should Jesus Matter More Than Me?”

Scripture: John 3:22-36

Bottom line: It's not about me. If I follow Jesus, He must become greater--I must become less.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Should Jesus matter more than me?

I mean we just read John 3:16 where we see that God loved the world--us--so much that he gave his one and only son (the most precious thing he could give) that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. That makes it seem like God is making much of me! That I matter to him!

And we do! "But God demonstrates his love in this, that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

But it's because of that great love for us that he demonstrates his greatness even more. This is why he's worthy to live our lives for. This is why he matters most.

In our world, our culture, it's all about #1. It's all about taking care of myself. What's best for me. What's in it for me. But this isn't at all how the Bible teaches us to live. In fact, it's 180 degrees the other way. It's not about me. It's all about Jesus--my creator and savior.

2. The Olympic Torchbearer Who Knew His Role

In the Olympic Games, the torch relay is a huge honor. Runners carry the flame for a short distance before passing it to the next person. No single runner tries to hold onto the torch forever—each one understands their job is to carry it for a time and then hand it off.

John the Baptist saw his role the same way. He wasn’t the light—he was just carrying the flame until Jesus, the true light, arrived. He gladly stepped aside because he knew it was never about him.

Tie-in: Are we holding onto our own importance too tightly, or are we willing to pass the torch so Jesus can be seen more clearly?

So, should Jesus matter more than me?

Yes.

Why? Good question. The apostle John answers this question 4 ways in John 3:22-36. Let's take a look.

CONTEXT

Jesus & company move out from the city of Jerusalem to the Judean countryside to preach and baptize. Seeing the planned transition from J the B to J the C, this causes heartburn for John's disciples. Not unlike when a beloved pastor moves on from a church, the congregants are sometimes reluctant to follow the new pastor, even though it's often God's will.

SERMON

Bottom line: It's not about me. If I follow Jesus, He must become greater--I must become less.

Main Idea: John the Baptist’s response to his disciples shows us why Jesus must take first place in our lives—and why we must be willing to step back so He can be exalted.

Jesus matters more because...

  1. The Church (Bride) belongs to Him. (22-29)

  2. He comes from above (heaven). (30-31)

  3. His words are God's words. (32-34)

  4. He holds my eternity. (35-36)

Let's break this down a few verses at a time.

1. Jesus Matters More Because the Church Belongs to Him (vv. 22–29)

The Best Man Who Tried to Steal the Show

Imagine a wedding where the best man keeps stepping in front of the groom, trying to take the spotlight. Instead of celebrating the couple, he gives a long speech about himself, tries to dance with the bride, and insists that everyone pay attention to him.

That would be ridiculous, right? After all, that day is for the bride and groom. It's their day! And the best man should be pointing everyone else to them. That's actually his job!

But that’s exactly what happens when we try to make life about us instead of pointing to Jesus. John the Baptist understood this—his joy was in stepping aside so Jesus could take center stage.

Tie-in: Are we content being the “best man” who points to Jesus, or are we still trying to be the main attraction?

So, Jesus matters more because the Church (aka the Bride) belongs to Him..

• John calls himself the “friend of the bridegroom,” rejoicing that the bride (God’s people) belongs to Jesus, not to him.

• It’s not about building our platform, reputation, or influence—it’s about pointing people to Christ.

• Application: Am I more focused on my own importance, or am I helping others love Jesus more?

2. Jesus Matters More Because He Comes from Above (vv. 30–31)

• John contrasts himself (earthly) with Jesus (from heaven). Jesus isn’t just another teacher—He is God’s Son.

• This means He deserves absolute authority in our lives.

• Application: Who has the final say in my decisions—Jesus or me?

3. Jesus Matters More Because His Words Are God’s Words (vv. 32–34)

• Jesus speaks with firsthand knowledge of heaven, and God has given Him the Spirit without measure.

• To reject Jesus’ words is to reject God Himself.

• Application: Do I listen to Jesus above all other voices—culture, opinion, even my own desires?

4. Jesus Matters More Because He Holds My Eternity (vv. 35–36)

• The Father has placed everything in Jesus’ hands—life, judgment, salvation.

• Belief in Jesus leads to eternal life, but rejecting Him brings God’s wrath.

• Application: Am I fully trusting in Jesus, or am I still holding on to control?

CONCLUSION

John the Baptist knew his role—he wasn’t the main event, just the one pointing to Jesus. His joy was complete when Jesus was exalted. So, should Jesus matter more than me? According to John, there’s no question—He must.

Application questions for us today:

• Am I more focused on my own importance, or am I helping others love Jesus more?

• Who has the final say in my decisions—Jesus or me?

• Do I listen to Jesus above all other voices—culture, opinion, even my own desires?

• Am I fully trusting in Jesus, or am I still holding on to control?

Bottom line: It's not about me. If I follow Jesus, He must become greater--I must become less.

What about you?

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

ChatGPT describes a Jewish wedding in Jesus' day in this way:

"A traditional Jewish wedding in Jesus’ day followed a structured process with deep cultural and theological significance. Understanding this context helps illuminate John the Baptist’s statement in John 3:29:

“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete.” (ESV)

Stages of a Jewish Wedding in Jesus’ Day

1. Betrothal (Kiddushin) – The Legal Commitment

• The marriage process began with betrothal, a legally binding agreement arranged by the families.

• The groom would present a bride price (mohar) to the bride’s father as a symbol of his commitment.

• A written contract (ketubah) outlined the husband’s responsibilities to his wife.

• The couple was considered legally married at this point, though they did not yet live together or consummate the marriage.

• The groom would then leave to prepare a home for his bride, often an addition to his father’s house.

2. Waiting Period – The Groom’s Preparation

• The groom would spend months, sometimes a year, preparing a home for his bride.

• The bride remained at her family’s house, preparing herself and staying pure for the wedding.

• The exact time of the groom’s return was often unknown, adding a sense of expectation.

3. The Wedding Procession – The Groom Comes for His Bride

• When the groom’s father declared that everything was ready, the groom would gather his friends and go to the bride’s house, often at night.

• The bride and her attendants would hear the groom’s approach, and she had to be ready to go with him immediately.

• This imagery is reflected in Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13).

4. The Wedding Ceremony and Feast

• The bride and groom were escorted to the wedding feast, which could last up to seven days.

• The marriage was consummated, symbolizing their full union.

• The feast was a time of great joy, with music, dancing, and celebration.

How This Relates to John 3:29

John the Baptist identifies himself as the friend of the bridegroom (what we might call the “best man” today). In Jewish custom, this role was filled by someone who helped prepare the wedding and ensured everything was in order. His greatest joy was seeing the groom receive his bride.

• Jesus is the Bridegroom – He has come to claim His people (the bride).

• John is the Friend of the Bridegroom – His role was to prepare the way for Jesus, not to take center stage.

• The Bride Represents God’s People – In a broader biblical theme, the Church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25–32, Revelation 19:7–9).

John’s joy is complete because the groom (Jesus) has arrived and is beginning to gather His bride. His ministry was never about himself but about preparing the way for Jesus.

A traditional Jewish wedding in Jesus’ day followed a structured process with deep cultural and theological significance. Understanding this context helps illuminate John the Baptist’s statement in John 3:29:

“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete.” (ESV)

This is helpful in thinking through John 3:29 as well as the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.

OUTLINES

Willmington's OUTLINE Bible (JOHN 3):

Jesus meets with Nicodemus and tells him in order to be saved, all people must be born again. John the Baptist tells his disciples that Jesus is the Messiah.

JOHN EXALTS THE PERSON OF SALVATION (3:22-36)

A. The argument (3:22-26): A debate occurs among John's disciples concerning which baptism is valid-those performed by John or Jesus.

B. The affirmation (3:27-36): John once again gives testimony concerning the greatness of Jesus.

1. Jesus is the bridegroom, while John is but a friend of the bridegroom (3:27-29).

2. Jesus must become greater and greater, while John must become less and less (3:30-36).

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce

John, RC Sproul

John, Köstenberger

The Gospel According to John, DA Carson

The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin

The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion

Claude.ai

ChatGPT

Google Gemini

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, bible believing church, Ladson, SC, non denominational church, John, Signs and Glory, Jesus matter more than me
Why Every Christian Should Live Zealously for the Lord | John 2:12-25 | Darien Gabriel
Why Every Christian Should Live Zealously for the Lord | John 2:12-25 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: Why every Christian should live zealously for the Lord

Scripture: John 2:12-25

1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:18-20; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Romans 12:9-11

Bottom line: Every Christian should live zealously for the Lord and his kingdom mission.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

"Another day in paradise," January 13, 2025, Bill Murphy, Jr.

"Honest to God, I just could not stop thinking of wonderful things that have happened to me and blessings that I've had, so it was lovely. It was lovely. And I got to a point of grace with about two minutes to spare when I found out it wasn't actually happening.

— Jim Carrey

Seek immediate shelter

It was a beautiful morning. But aren't they all in Hawaii?

A little below 80 degrees at the weather station in Oahu, with nearly no cloud cover: the kind of day that people on the mainland sometimes wish they had (but almost never get) at the beginning of January.

• Honeymooners were waking up in each others' arms in their hotel rooms. A woman named Lydia Warren and her husband were vacationing on the beach.

• A college student named Makena was showing her visiting boyfriend the Pearl Harbor memorial. (It's open at 7 a.m.; who knew?) Her father, a TV news producer named David Patterson, was on the freeway, about to dial into a conference call.

• Oh, and here's a quirky one: Actor and comedian Jim Carrey was up early, working on writing a memoir.

Then: panic. At 8:08 a.m., Hawaii's civil defense and emergency agency sent an alarming text to every single person in the state with a cell phone. It read, in all caps:

"BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."

Local T.V. put a chyron message on the screen as well, against the backdrop of things like a college basketball game between Ole Miss and Florida, or else a Premier League soccer game from London between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton:

The U.S. Pacific Command has detected a missile threat to Hawaii. A missile may impact on land or sea within minutes. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. If you are indoors, stay indoors. If you are outdoors, seek immediate shelter in a building.

Remain indoors well away from windows. If you are driving, pull safely to the side of the road and seek shelter in a building or lay on the floor. We will announce when the threat has ended. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Take immediate action measures.

Can you even imagine? Of course, you probably remember this -- along with the fact that in the end, there was no inbound missile. By the way, the date was January 13, 2018, so seven years ago today.

In fact, officials at the civil defense agency realized this was a mistake pretty quickly, but it took them 38 minutes to confirm that and then figure out how to send a second message telling people that the first alert was in error.

There's a lot about this story - but the biggest part that has stayed with me is how people spent those 38 minutes when they thought they and everyone around them was going to die.

Lydia Warren and her husband raced back to their hotel -- not so much because they thought it would be safer, but because they thought that their bodies might be more easily identified someday if they were found near where they were staying.

David Patterson called his daughter and learned where she was. He told her to use her phone to record video of Pearl Harbor visitors processing the possibility of an imminent attack.

She later said this calmed her down, as she figured her father wouldn't tell her to spend what could be her last minutes videoing if he wasn't pretty sure the alert was a mistake.

My favorite reaction is probably Jim Carrey's. He was engrossed in work and missed the initial alert, but his assistant called to tell him they had 10 minutes to live.

He tried calling his daughter and some other family, wondering if there was any way to get off the island, and finally realizing everything was out of his control.

He explained all of this on an episode of The Tonight Show two years later (video here):

Jim Carrey: And we had to say goodbye. And I sat on the lanai and looked out at the ocean, and at that point, I started going, "Okay. Well, what can I do with this last moment of time?"

And I just decided to go through a list of gratitudes, and honest to God, I just could not stop thinking of wonderful things that have happened to me and blessings that I've had, so it was lovely. It was lovely.

And I got to a point of grace with about two minutes to spare when I found out it wasn't actually happening. And all I was planning to do was close my eyes an be thankful, 'cause it's been a good ride.'

Jimmy Fallon: What did you do when you found out that it was a fake missile test?

Carrey: Then I got pissed off, and heads rolled!

The front page headline in the Star-Advertiser newspaper the next day read, in giant type: OOPS! (And in smaller type: "'Wrong button' sends out false missile alert.")

Later, officials said that wasn't right; it was instead an employee who was absolute, 100 percent convinced that a missile was en route, and who sent the alert -- but was simply wrong.

I guess I've mentioned this theme a few times recently -- but isn't it funny that even being told you are going to die within a few minutes can turn out to be a gift?

At least that's what I take away from Carrey's account. Sometimes, I suppose you value things most when you're suddenly about to lose them.

As for everyone affected that day, I feel for them. It must have been hard.

Then again, after it was all over, they were still in Hawaii.

Jesus is Angry

Jesus is angry. How can Jesus be angry? If God is love, how can Jesus-who is God-get angry? Genuine love is compatible with anger.

In fact, genuine love is sometimes demonstrated by anger. At times anger proves love is authentic. Let me give you an example: a friend of mine is passionate about ending modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

He writes and speaks about it. He's visited Washington to meet with politicians. He has traveled to foreign countries to learn more about stopping it. He's worked hard to bring it to people's attention. I don't doubt his commitment to ending trafficking. I don't doubt his love for those in slavery. But I would doubt a claim that he never got angry about it. I know his love for the abused is real because he gets angry when he sees the abuse.

Jesus gets angry about how the Jews have turned his house of prayer and mission into a house of corrupt commerce.

The Court of Gentiles

The court of the Gentiles was the one place on the Temple Mount where anyone could engage with the God of Israel formally. But it was clogged with commercial enterprise instead of prayer, worship and evangelism.

Matt Carter writes, "Jesus levels a charge, but the charge is not unethical practices. They have twisted the purpose of the temple. Jesus is denouncing impure worship."

I would add they've forgotten the purpose of the outer temple court: mission to the nations.

We do that too when we make our Sunday worship experience all about our wants and needs. When we see the Lord as he truly is, we are transformed to live on mission with him 24/7.

CONTEXT

Last week, Ken showed us how Jesus first displayed his power at a wedding in Cana, not far from Nazareth and Capernaum. He discreetly turns water to wine demonstrating his power as Messiah to his disciples and mother. This was part of his first week of public ministry. John called it the first of his "signs," or, miracles that point to who he is and why he's come. From Capernaum, Jesus leads his family and disciples to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover together. It's about to get dramatic.

We pick it up with Jesus and his disciples in the temple in Jerusalem. This is the only temple of the Jews. It was the symbol of the nation and religion of Israel. It was the icon of their identity and the place where they 1) Met with God, and 2) atoned for their sins.   

SERMON

Every Christian should live zealously for the Lord and his kingdom mission.

Why? The answer is the message I'm about to give:

It's because of his power, his passion and his promise.

I. His power. (2:1-11) We saw last week how he powerfully transformed water to wine. He demonstrated this discreetly to reveal his power to his family and disciples; to help them believe he could powerfully transform our lives too.

II. His passion. (2:12-17) We see his passion and zeal for his father's house. In fact, his zeal consumes him. We see this in the cross.

Story by Kent Hughes, commentary on John, p. 47

"One evening the great conductor Arturo Toscanini conducted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. It was a brilliant performance, at the end of which the audience went absolutely wild! They clapped, whistled, and stamped their feet, absolutely caught up in the greatness of that performance. As Toscanini stood there, he bowed and bowed and bowed, then acknowledged his orchestra.

When the ovation finally began to subside, Toscanini turned and looked intently at his musicians. He was almost out of control as he whispered,

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!" The orchestra leaned forward to listen. In a fiercely enunciated whisper Toscanini said, "Gentlemen, I am nothing." That was an extraordinary admission since Toscanini was blessed with an enormous ego.

He added, "Gentlemen, you are nothing." They had heard that same message before the rehearsal. "But Beethoven," said Toscanini in a tone of adoration,

"is everything, everything, everything!"

This is the attitude we need toward ourselves and toward the Lord Jesus Christ. I am nothing, you are nothing, but he is everything!

That was John's attitude, and it is the attitude of every authentic messenger of Christ."

III. He promise. (2:18-22) We will see his promise fulfilled in our resurrection one day based on his resurrection 2,000 years ago.

CONCLUSION

Application: When we're tempted to doubt or find ourselves lacking zeal, REMEMBER THE RESURRECTION!

From Tim Keller, The Songs of Jesus, p. 153

"MISUNDERSTOOD. David is being scorned for his zealous devotion to God (verse 9). When he prays and repents, he is laughed at (verses 10-11). His world is not so different from ours. Even when Christianity was taken for granted by Western society, the most devoted believers were silently laughed at.

Today they are also despised. The world does not understand the Gospel of grace, in which holy living is the result of humble, grateful joy, not a way to earn heaven. The world therefore sees all righteous living as self-righteousness and bigotry. We should not be surprised at this (2 Timothy 3:12), but we should also undermine this false narrative by living lives of humility, forgiveness, and sacrificial service to others."

Bottom line: Every Christian should live zealously for the Lord and his kingdom mission.

What about you?

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

Many today want to use this to say we shouldn't sell things in church lobbies because we tend to think of the church building as a house of prayer and mission too. And it is to the degree that it is filled with true believers. But I'd take it further. As a part of the better, spiritual temple of God, I must make sure I don't approach my time of worship as a transactional exchange with God where I show up, maybe serve a little bit, give a little bit, pray a little bit, and then expect God to bless me because I earned it.

OUTLINES

Outline from Willmington's Outline Bible

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

ChatGPT 3.5

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipSigns and Glory, Darien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible believing church, non denominational church
Who is Jesus and Why Did He Come? | John 1:1-5 | Darien Gabriel
Who is Jesus and Why Did He Come? | John 1:1-5 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: "Who is Jesus and why did he come?

Scripture: John 1:1-5

1 John 1:1-2, Colossians 1:1:15-17, Phil 1:5-11, John 17:5, 20:31

Bottom line: As God in the flesh, Jesus came to call people from death to life by faith in him.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Last week we started at the end where John tells us of his purpose in writing about Jesus. He said that he writes these things so that we might believe that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God and that by believing have life in his name. We will see this purpose unfold in his first words in his gospel account.

John was one of the 12 and the disciple/apostle who lived the longest. He was the only one who wasn't martyred for his faith. Word is he lived into his 90's and died in the 90's--the AD 90s.

John wrote to give us the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from another angle. The other 3 synoptic gospels are each unique but share many of the same history, miracles and teachings. John will share less well-known history, miracles (he calls them "signs"), and teachings. Many see them as most profound. I share this perspective.

This series is called Signs & Glory. The first 12 chapters will show us the 7 signs of belief along with many others truths the illustrate and bring credibility to the teachings of Jesus. Chapters 13-20 will show us the glory of God on full display. We'll see the light, life and love of God through his divine AND human son, Jesus of Nazareth.

CONTEXT

John starts his gospel account with a poetic prologue. The book is broken up into 2 main parts:

1--7 sections on Jesus' public ministry followed by people's reaction to it. (Signs, John 1-12)

2--The Passover weekend which includes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Glory, John 13-20)

John loves the number 7 as it represents completeness. As a result, he structures his gospel around this number for theological purposes.

  • Ex. 7 signs

  • Ex. 7 "I am" statements

SERMON (lots of help from Carter)

Read and comment on John 1:1-5.

Then answer these questions:

  1. Who is Jesus?

    1. The Word. (1:1)

      1. To tell us the way to true life.

      2. Implying we're ignorant of the truth that sets us free from sin & death.

    2. The Life. (1:2-4)

      1. He came to call us from death to life.

      2. Implying we're dead in our sins.

        1. At physical death, our soul is separated from our body.

        2. At spiritual death, our soul is separated from our Creator, God, forever.

      3. It's all about life.

        1. He created/creates life.

        2. He sustains life.

        3. He brings new life.

        4. He brings abundant life.

        5. He brings eternal life w/ God forever.

    3. The Light. (1:4-5)

      1. To show us the way to true life.

      2. Implying we're blind and cannot see the truth.

    4. The Overcomer. (1:5)

      1. To free us from the kingdom of darkness forever.

      2. Implying we feel believe we're defeated.

      3. Darkness has not nor cannot overcome light.

      4. Therefore, death has not nor cannot overcome life.

        1. Yes, there are times when there is temporary overcoming that looks like defeat.

        2. But in light of eternity, light and life (& love) cannot be overcome forever.

    5. God (1:1) in the flesh (1:14).

      1. To show and tell us the way to true life through his divine and human son, Jesus Christ. ↘️✝️🪦↗️

      2. Implying we're dead (separated from our Creator God) forever without a Savior.

  2. How do we receive spiritual and eternal life?

    1. By trusting and following Jesus Christ.

      1. Trust/belief saves.

      2. Following shows evidence that we're truly saved.

      3. Further fruit is that we'll show and tell others the way to true life through faith in Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: As God in the flesh, Jesus came to call people from death to life by faith in him.

So what? What about me?

  • There's no meaning or purpose in life apart from Jesus Christ. As the Word, he reveals the true Logos which includes reason, logic and purpose in creation. But it also includes his personal, relational interaction with his creation.

  • We wouldn't even exist unless Jesus created us on purpose and sustains us for a purpose.

  • He revealed true reality to us so that we can see and know the truth that sets us free.

  • He gives us hope that:

    • There's more to life than this life.

    • But, also,  that this life really matters.

    • We can and will overcome the darkness in this world through Christ.

  • If Jesus is truly God, then

    • What he taught and modeled is true, good and authoritative for all his creation.

    • He holds our life in his hands (physically and spiritually).

    • He means for us to live purposefully in line with his purposes.

    • We're not an accident.

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

"In the first century, the term logos carried rich and layered meanings in both Greek philosophy and Jewish thought, making it a powerful term for John to describe Jesus in the prologue of his Gospel (John 1:1-18). Here are the key aspects of its meaning in that cultural and historical context:

1. Greek Philosophy

In Greek philosophical traditions, particularly in the works of Heraclitus (6th century BC) and later Stoicism, logos referred to:

• Reason or Rational Principle: The divine reason or organizing principle that governed the cosmos and gave it order and meaning.

• Universal Logic or Wisdom: A kind of divine intelligence that permeated everything, serving as the unifying force behind existence.

For Greeks, logos was not a personal being but rather an impersonal, abstract force that structured the universe.

2. Jewish Thought

In Jewish contexts, particularly within Hellenistic Judaism:

• God’s Word in Creation: Logos aligned closely with the Hebrew concept of dabar (word), as seen in the Old Testament. For example, in Genesis 1, God speaks creation into existence, demonstrating the power of His Word.

• God’s Revelation and Wisdom: In texts like Psalm 33:6 and Proverbs 8, the Word (or Wisdom) of God is personified as an agent of creation, revelation, and sustenance.

• The Memra in Aramaic Targums: In Jewish Aramaic paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures, the term Memra (word) was often used as a way to describe God’s interaction with the world, sometimes even personifying it as a bridge between God and His creation.

3. John’s Use of Logos

John’s use of logos synthesizes these ideas and transcends them:

• Personalized Logos: Unlike the Greek philosophical idea of an impersonal force, John presents the logos as a person—Jesus Christ, who existed with God and as God from the beginning (John 1:1).

• Creative Agent: The logos is explicitly tied to creation: “All things were made through Him” (John 1:3), echoing both Jewish and Greek understandings of logos as central to the origin and order of the world.

• Revelation and Incarnation: John declares that the logos became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), revealing God in a way that was tangible, relational, and deeply personal—something neither Greek nor Jewish thought fully envisioned.

Summary

By calling Jesus the logos, John bridges cultural contexts, addressing both Greek and Jewish audiences. For the Greeks, he redefines the logos as a personal, relational God. For the Jews, he identifies Jesus as the divine Word through whom God creates, sustains, and reveals Himself. This term powerfully communicates that Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s wisdom, reason, and purpose, now incarnate among humanity."

-ChatGPT 3.5

OUTLINES

Outline from Willmington's Outline Bible

OUTLINE  JOHN 1

John begins his Gospel by talking about the deity of Christ, then describes the ministry of John the Baptist. Jesus is baptized and calls his first disciples.

I. FACTS CONCERNING THE PREINCARNATE CHRIST (1:1-5)

A. His relationship to the Father (1:1-2)

1. Christ's eternality is declared (1:1a, 2): He already existed in the beginning.

2. Christ's deity is declared (1:b): He is God.

B. His relationship to the world (1:3-5)

1. He is the sole creator (1:3): Nothing exists that he didn't make.

2. He is light and life (1:4-5): His life gives light to everyone, and the darkness cannot extinguish it.

II. FACTS CONCERNING THE INCARNATE CHRIST (1:6-51)

A. The miracle (1:14): God became human and lived on earth among us.

B. The mission (1:10-13): He came to save sinners.

1. Some rejected him (1:10-11): The world and even the people in his own country did not understand him.

2. Some received him (1:12-13): Those who believed him became children of God.

C. The men (1:6-9, 15-51)

1. Christ's faithful forerunner (1:6-9, 15-34)

a. John the Baptist and the crowds (1:6-9, 15-18): John makes three key statements to the people.

(1) He is to serve as a witness to Christ (1:6-9).

(2) Christ is greater than John or Moses (1:15-17).

b. John the Baptist and the critics (1:19-28): John speaks to the Pharisees who are sent to cross-examine him.

(1) John says that he is not the Messiah (1:19-20).

(2) John says that he is not Elijah (1:21).

(3) John says that he has been sent to prepare the way for the Lord (1:22-28).

c. John the Baptist and the Christ (1:29-34)

(1) He introduces the Savior (1:29-31).

(2) He baptizes the Savior (1:32-34).

2. Christ's first five followers (1:35-51)

a. Andrew and John the apostle (1:35-39)

b. Peter (1:40-42)

c. Philip (1:43)

d. Nathanael (1:44-51)

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, John 1, Signs and Glory, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, bible believing church, non denominational church
Why Did John Write About Jesus? | John 20:30-31
Why Did John Write About Jesus? | John 20:30-31

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: "Why did John write his Gospel? Or Why did John write about Jesus?

Scripture: John 20:30-31 NIV

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Bottom line: God sent Jesus that by trusting in him, we might have life to the max.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Why did John write his gospel? Why did he write about Jesus?s

There's a line in the amazing movie called the Polar Express that has always bothered me. It's near the end when the main boy character gets off the train after finally getting to the place where he believes in Santa. He's about to run home as Christmas Day is about to break when the conductor says, as if to summarize the entire evening,

"Conductor: watch your step please.

Boy: thank you.

Conductor: No thank you...One thing about trains...it doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on."

My girls will attest to what I'm about to tell you. In our house, right after he says this, I will say out loud in the room, "Yes it does matter where the train is going!"

Why? Because believing in belief is foolishness. It's from the religion of the Oprah's of the world. Doesn't matter what you believe as long as you sincerely believe it.

Oh yeah, what about the terrorist who believes if he straps on a vest of explosives and kills a bunch of infidels in the name of Allah because he sincerely believes that after he dies he'll wake up in paradise with 70 virgins.

It matters what you believe in.

Even the atheist, if they are honest, believes there is no God. They can't prove it.

Why did John write about Jesus Christ?

The short answer is that we might believe.

Believe what? I'm so glad you asked!

CONTEXT

In the book of John, John the Apostle is not calling us to believe  in belief, like Oprah. He's calling us to believe--to trust in with our whole self--in someone specifically. And it's not just a good, godly person willing to die for his beliefs. He's the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, who showed us what God looks like in the flesh and what his kingdom looks like down to personally pitching his tent with us.

Why did John write his gospel?

He tells us:

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John was one of the 12 disciples and then 12 apostles. He wrote his gospel after the other 3 were written, most likely.

SERMON (lots of help from Carter & Wredberg on this; see bibliography below)

I. What do we need to believe?

  1. That Jesus is the Christ/Messiah = anointed one (prophet, priest, king)

    1. We believe that Jesus is who he says he is, and

    2. That he'll do all that God promised he would do. Which includes:

      1. He's the snake crusher. He'll defeat sin and death. (Genesis 3:15)

      2. He'll end all injustice and rebellion. (Psalm 2)

      3. He'll willingly suffer and die as a perfectly righteous person for our sins in our place so that we can freely live in his place for his glory. (Isaiah 53)

      4. He'll establish his eternal, universal kingdom. (Daniel 7)

    3. So when John says we need to believe, it's that Jesus is who he says he is and that he'll do all that God's promised he would do.

  2. That Jesus is the Son of God. God in the flesh. Fully divine. As Jesus of Nazareth, he's also fully human. (Phil 2:6-11)

II. What does it mean to believe?

  1. It means more than, "I believe it's going to rain today." Something that you'll change as soon as you get more information. Oh, just 5% chance? Ok, I no longer believe it's going to rain today.

  2. Believe means to trust in someone or something with all your weight or self.

  3. Ex. You're hiking in the Himalayas and you come to a long bridge that goes over 1,000 foot drop. The bridge is one of those swinging type bridges. You say intellectually to yourself, it looks unsturdy but it's been here a while and people have been using it. Then you watch people walk across it. You believe it could hold you up if you walked across it. That's intellectual belief. But until you actually walk across it, you aren't believing like the Bible means when it says believe. You are trusting the bridge to hold you up.

  4. Ex. There as a circus performer who stretched a rope or cable across Niagara Falls. To the crowd he asked, "Do you think I can walk across this cable?" They all shouted, "Yes, we believe you can." "Do you believe I can walk across pushing this wheelbarrow across?" "Yes, we believe!" "Who will volunteer to ride in the wheel barrow as I push it across?" No one volunteered. Why? Because they didn't trust with their whole self that he could do it successfully.

III. Why do I need to believe?

  1. We need to believe because our lives depend on it. Because we're born dead sinners which means we're born dead spiritually. We are no longer in the garden of Eden where the tree of life sustains us. Only he can give us new life now.

    1. John 1:4

    2. John 3:16

    3. John 5:24

    4. John 11:25-26

  2. The life we need - spiritual, eternal life, delivers us from hell or eternal separation from life with God. Hell = spiritually dead.

  3. Life is not a one-time transaction only either. Like adoption.

    1. There is legal paperwork that follows an intentional decision to adopt followed by a lot of hoops to jump through. But it ends in signing paperwork that transfers legal guardianship from the birth parents to the adopting parents. At that moment, the child becomes a legal family member. And salvation starts out that way too. When we trust Christ, we are born again into the family of God. We are justified by grace through faith.

    2. However, neither adoption nor salvation end there. They continue as you learn to live your new life in your new identity as a member of a family of people. Your salvation continues to unfold through a process called sanctification. As an adopted child, you eat meals together, share the flu together, celebrate holidays together, and even grieve the loss of life together. You do life together. In Christ, you do this forever.

  4. Why did John write the gospel of John? So that we could believe or trust him with our whole self into new life with him and his family of grace.

CONCLUSION

  1. Have you begun this journey?

  2. How do you begin this journey?

I wish the movie Polar Express had ended with these words by the Conductor instead:

Conductor: The thing about trains is that their all headed somewhere different. It matters which train you get on. It matters where it's going. But even if you pick the right train, it won't get you there unless you get on. That's what it means to believe.

Optional

In the movie Mannequin, Andrew McCarthy's character cleans a department store with the night shift while the store is closed. There are mannequins everywhere. He doesn't pay them much attention because they're not real people. Until one night one wakes up! It's alive!

Some department stores use models posing as mannequins (until they decide to move and freak someone out!) Models and mannequins are wearing the same clothes in the same place for the same company. But one is clearly alive.

In Christ, we are made "alive with Christ" (Ephesians 2:1-10). This life is everything as there is nothing more precious.

Bottom line: God sent Jesus that by trusting in him, we might have life to the max.

One more thought on belief, if you haven't already picked up on it. Whenever the Bible talks about faith, trust or belief, the writer is not only talking about the first time you believe. God, through the writer, is talking to each of us about believing all the time. Especially when we're tempted to doubt him.

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper passages

“Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭7‬, ‭14‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter! For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭17‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

N/A

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

ChatGPT 3.5

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, John, Christmas, Signs and Glory, non denominational church, bible believing church
What Does God Think About Us? | Genesis 10-11 | Darien Gabriel
What Does God Think About Us? | Genesis 10-11 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Chaos to Covenant

Title: "What does God think about us?"

Scripture: Genesis 10-11

Genesis 3:14-15; 12:1-3; 15:1-6

Philippians 2:5-11

Bottom line: God is aware that we're lost without him, and he's preserved a pathway that leads to life in him.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Review the primeval preservations (later followed by patriarchal preservations) of Seth's line:

Seth (3-4)

Flood (5-9)

CONTEXT

In the wake of God's flood of judgment and rescue effectively restarting creation, we see the righteous, blameless, faith-filled and faithful Noah sin along with his son, Ham. So while we see God re-create the world, it doesn't start without sin this time. Temptation and sin are still present.

Centuries later, mankind is still gathered largely in one place in a city or cities. They persist in rebellion seeking to make a name for themselves through a mighty tower. God deals with their sin with justice and mercy.

Note that chapter 10 probably follows chapter 11 chronologically. However, Moses probably arranged it in this order to show through literary structure that God's response to the Tower and their arrogance was not just judgment but also mercy. Arranged chronologically, it would read as if God only judged them. God's way includes mercy.

In the course of this time in history, mankind discovers/invents a piece of technology on the level of the printing press, internet and iPhone. The brick. 🧱 Not a joke.

SERMON (lots of help from Hughs; see bibliography below)

Genesis 11:1-9 is one extended chiasmus (Hughes). The center point is the main point of this story in history. It answers at least 2 questions:

  1. What does God think about this? (series of events in Gen 11)

  2. What does God do about it? (Also in Gen 11)

Genesis 11:5 is the hinge point from which follows the answer to these questions.

We see in these 9 verses 3 things:

  1. Human arrogance (1-4)

    1. One language unified the people, but around the wrong agenda:

      1. Make a name for themselves

      2. Not scatter instead of what God commanded

  2. Heaven's awareness (5) - God is aware of humanity's lost ness

  3. Heaven's reversal (6-9)

    1. God reverses humanity's plan

    2. God preserves a line of hope back to life in himself

Genesis 12:1-3

  1. Shows God's agenda for the nations/whole world.

  2. Let God make a name for you that will be remembered if he wants to.

Genesis 15:1-6   

  1. God shows that he wants to bless the nations/whole world. (1-5)

  2. Abram shows what pleases God is taking his word for it. (6)

Philippians 2:5-11

  1. Jesus didn't make a name for himself.

  2. God made Jesus' name great forever!

What are we living for?

  1. Our name, reputation and legacy?

  2. Trying to avoid what God called us to be and do?

God called us to follow Jesus which is doing and being like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: God is aware that we're lost without him, and he's preserved a pathway that leads to life in him.

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

N/a

OUTLINES

Outline from Willmington's Outline Bible

H. Noah's sons (10:1-32)

1. Japheth (10:2-5): a list of his descendants, including Gomer, Magog, Tubal, and Meshech

2. Ham (10:6-20): a list of his descendants, including Canaan and Nimrod

3. Shem (10:21-32): a list of his descendants, including Peleg (who may have lived during the tower of Babel dispersion). He was the ancestor of Terah (the father of Abram) and Abram and Sarai

SECTION OUTLINE FOUR (GENESIS 11:1-32)

This section describes the confusion of all things.

1. THE SIN (11:1-4): All human beings attempt to unify themselves for their own glory.

II. THE SENTENCE (11:5-9): God scatters them by confusing their language at the tower of Babel.

III. THE SETTLEMENT (11:10-32): A history is given of Shem's descendants. Shem is the ancestor of Abraham.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. What do I want them to know?

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

  3. What do I want them to do?

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

  5. How do they do this?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt

The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris

The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational church, Ladson, SC, Chaos to Covenant, bible believing church, Darien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship
What Can We Learn from Noah and His Sons? | Genesis 9:18-29 | Darien Gabriel
What Can We Learn from Noah and His Sons? | Genesis 9:18-29 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Chaos to Covenant

Title: "What can we learn from Noah and his sons?"

Scripture: Genesis 9:18-29

Hebrews 11:7; Gen 6:8-9; 7:5; 9:8-9; Micah 6:8

Bottom line: We learn from Noah and his sons that as fellow image bearers we love and value each other as an act of faith in God's good plan for us.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

"A rubbernecker is a term used to describe someone who slows down or stops to stare at something, often out of curiosity, especially at accidents or incidents on the road. The term comes from the idea of “rubbernecking,” where someone cranes their neck, almost stretching it like rubber, to get a better view of something happening.

Examples:

• A driver slowing down to look at a car crash on the side of the highway.

• A pedestrian stopping to watch emergency responders at a scene.

This behavior is often criticized, especially when it causes traffic delays or gets in the way of emergency workers. It’s a mix of curiosity and distraction that can sometimes lead to further accidents." -ChatGPT

CONTEXT

In the wake of God's flood of judgment and rescue effectively restarting creation, we see the righteous, blameless, faith-filled and faithful Noah sin along with his son, Ham. So while we see God re-create the world, it doesn't start without sin this time. Temptation and sin are still present.

SERMON

  1. What do I want them to know?

    1. That even in success, we're all vulnerable to temptation and misusing God's blessings.

    2. That we're all made in his image.

    3. That sin has consequences...sometimes for generations.

    4. Honoring > Gossiping, which dishonors God and people.

  2. Why do I want them to know it?

    1. We're a blessed people meaning we're vulnerable right now unless we humble ourselves and become vigilant.

    2. We're blessed no matter our circumstances because we're image bearers.

    3. A lot hangs in the balance because the consequences of our sins has a long reach.

    4. Not honoring/dishonoring is a serious sin.

  3. What do I want them to do?

    1. Humble themselves.

    2. Remain vigilant.

    3. Walk as an image-bearer

    4. Honor others instead of gossiping about them.

  4. Why do I want them to do it?

    1. Because the consequences are great.

  5. How do they do this?

    1. Prayer for themselves and others.

    2. Care for themselves and others.

    3. Share with others what God is teaching you today.

CONCLUSION

  1. How do they do this?

    1. Prayer for themselves and others.

    2. Care for themselves and others.

    3. Share with others what God is teaching you today.

Main takeaways:

  • We're all from one race made in the image of God. Therefore, love and value each and every person.

  • Even mature believers can fall into sin; humble yourself and stay alert for temptations are ever-present.

  • When we see someone sin, we have a choice. We can

    • Honor them by respectfully and discreetly leading them towards repentance.

    • Dishonor them by gossiping about reveling in their shameful actions.

  • Sin has consequences that can ripple for generations.

  • Even flawed people can be used by God. Don't let your sinful past keep you down. Repent, believe and move forward. Also, don't let the sin of others against you keep you down. Forgive and more forward whether they reconcile or not.

Bottom line: We learn from Noah and his sons that as fellow image bearers we love and value each other as an act of faith in God's good plan for us.

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

Good summary: Lessons from Noah & his Sons: A Tale of Blessing, Sin, and Redemption

Text: Genesis 9:18-29

Main Points with Answers

1. What does the unity of humanity’s origins teach us about God’s plan for all nations?

• All nations come from one family, showing that God’s plan is for unity, shared purpose, and relationship with Him. This underscores our responsibility to love and value all people as part of God’s creation.

2. How does Noah’s sin remind us of our vulnerability to temptation?

• Even the most faithful people are not immune to sin. Noah’s failure after his great obedience shows the need for vigilance and humility in guarding against temptation.

3. How do Ham’s actions and Shem and Japheth’s response challenge us to honor others?

• Ham’s disrespect highlights the destructiveness of dishonor and gossip, while Shem and Japheth’s actions demonstrate the importance of covering others’ failures with grace and respect.

4. What do Noah’s blessings and curses reveal about the consequences of our actions?

• Ham’s dishonor led to a generational curse, while Shem and Japheth’s honor brought blessings. Our choices have lasting effects on us and those who come after us.

5. How does Noah’s life and death point us to God’s grace and covenant faithfulness?

• Noah’s story shows that even flawed people can be used by God. His faithfulness to Noah’s family reminds us of His unchanging promises and grace despite human sin.

-ChatGPT

3 Question version:

Lessons from Noah & his Sons: A Tale of Blessing, Sin, and Redemption

Text: Genesis 9:18-29

Main Points in Question Form (ChatGPT inspired)

1. What does Noah’s sin teach us about the ongoing struggle with temptation? (Genesis 9:20-21)

• Even the faithful are vulnerable to sin,

        • reminding us to remain vigilant and humble.

2. How do Ham’s actions and Shem and Japheth’s response challenge us to honor others? (Genesis 9:22-23)

• Ham’s dishonor shows the harm of gossip,

        • while Shem and Japheth’s actions highlight the power of love and respect.

3. What do Noah’s blessings and curses reveal about the impact of our choices? (Genesis 9:24-27)

• Our actions carry lasting consequences for us and future generations,

        • but God’s faithfulness remains constant.

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. Who is God?

    1. Creator/re-creator

    2. Holy judge

    3. Merciful rescuer

    4. Father of humanity and creation

    5. Provider of good things; blessor

    6. Curser of those who dishonor him and his people

    7. Sustainer of life

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

    1. Creates/restores

    2. Judges

    3. Rescues

    4. Parents

    5. Provides

    6. Blesses

    7. Curses

    8. Sustains

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

    1. His creation created in his image; image-bearer

    2. His child

    3. His rescued, forgiven rebel child

    4. Receiver of his blessings and/or curses

    5. The one whom he sustains

  4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

    1. Bear his image

    2. Follow his lead

    3. Join him in rescuing others far from God but close to me

    4. Bless and not curse

    5. For the rest of my life

  5. How do I do it?

    1. Pray for those far from God but close to me.

    2. Care for those far from God but close to me.

    3. Share with those far from God but close to me.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt

The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris

The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, non denominational church, bible believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Genesis, chaos to covenant
What's the Bible All About? Part 2 | Genesis 8:1-9:17 | Darien Gabriel
What's the Bible All About? Part 2 | Genesis 8:1-9:17 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Chaos to Covenant

Title: "What's the Bible all about? God remembers his promises." Part 2

Scripture: Genesis 8:1-9:17

Luke 17:20-33; Hebrews 11:7-10

The Bible is all about God's story.

Here, Noah’s story is a snapshot of the Bible’s grand narrative—a holy God seeking to redeem, restore, and renew fallen creation by a merciful covenant through Jesus Christ.

God remembers his promises to his people.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Stories of the brave, acts big and small, sacrifice and service are what we remember today. Like the story of Vietnam War hero Jimmy

G. Stewart, an Army staff sergeant from West Columbia, West Virginia - one of the 58,000 Americans who lost their lives in combat during the conflict. When five fellow Soldiers of his six-man squad were wounded near An Khe in May 1966, Stewart held his position to protect his men, crawling through heavy fire to retrieve ammunition from his comrades and tossing back enemy-thrown grenades. When reinforcements arrived, 23-year-old Stewart continued to fight and was eventually killed while holding his position. The wounded he gave his life to protect were recovered and evacuated. A year later, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. This year marks 50 years since the last combat troops left South Vietnam.

I share this story for a few reasons relevant to today.

  1. Our veterans are potential stories like this. They willingly choose to put themselves in harms way for the sake of defending others from tyranny. On Memorial Day we remember those like Jimmy G. Stewart here for giving his life in the line of duty because he went above and beyond the call of duty to love others with his whole life. What a picture of Christ. We honor our veterans as they put themselves in a position to do that for others.

  2. They fight of an imperfect nation that is founded on principles gleaned in part from scripture that empowers her citizens to live differently in all of life.

  3. We remember these who have fallen and these who serve our country in this way, we see in Genesis 8:1 that God remembers his promises to Noah meaning he is moved to act mercifully on behalf of sinful people in this world.

  4. We will see how precious human life is to the Lord. Stewart saw it as worthy of his own which is at least in part why he was willing to sacrifice his own.

  5. At least twice in scripture, Rachel and Hannah, saw barren women be remembered by God and given a child, the desire of their heart. God sees you in your pain even if that pain is of your own making. He remembers and this moves him to act mercifully and redemptively. Redemption of sinful people is at the forefront of his loving acts.

  6. The thief on the cross calls on Jesus to remember him when they cross over. Jesus remembers him and says today you will be with me in paradise. This is a great picture of what God remembering looks like.

His acts on our behalf are in light of our needs...our greatest needs. Needs that only He can satisfy.

CONTEXT

In the wake of God's flood of judgment is a new, redemptive creation. God judged sin and humanity and creation had to deal with the consequences. God takes sin seriously. Sin has consequences.

And Noah believed that God's word is trustworthy. So he believed and acted accordingly building an ark to save his family from God's flood of holy judgment. And that ark saved his family and a remnant of the animal kingdom.

Now we see God's judgment swing to his faithful covenant with Noah and creation. He is starting over. He is giving humanity a second chance.

SERMON

Outline modified from Bethancourt

I. GOD IS HOLY AND JUST. HE MUST PUNISH SIN. Noah and God's judgment (6:1-22) LAST WEEK

A. The purpose of God's judgment (6:1-7)

B. The patience of God's judgment (6:8-16)

C. The promise of God's judgment (6:17-22)

II. GOD IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS LOVE MAKES A WAY BACK. Noah and God's rescue (7:1-8:19)

A. God rescues us from the penalty of his judgment (7:1-16)

B. God rescues us from the power of his judgment (7:17-24)

C. God rescues us from the presence of his judgment (8:1-19) THIS WEEK

III. GOD IS SOVEREIGN CREATOR REDEEMING US THROUGH HIS SON'S COVENANT OF LOVE. Noah and God's covenant (8:20-9:29) THIS WEEK

A. The Lord and the covenant with creation (8:20-22)

B. The Lord and the covenant with Noah (9:1-11)

C. The Lord and the sign of the covenant (9:12-17)

D. The Lord and the lineage of the covenant (9:18-29)

Big ideas in this passage today:

Hinge point in the story: Gen 8:1 "God remembered Noah..."

Up to this point, the flood story has been one of judgment. From 8:1 on it's a story of redemption.

"God had not forgotten Noah and his family. To 'remember' in the Bible is not merely to recall to mind; it is to express concern for someone, to act with loving care for him. When God remembers his people, he does so 'with favor' (Neh 5:19; 13:31)." -NIV Study Bible, 1985

"When Genesis 8:1 says, “God remembered Noah,” it doesn’t mean that God had forgotten Noah and then recalled him suddenly. In the Bible, the phrase “God remembered” is often used to signify that God is about to act on His promises or fulfill His covenant.

In this case, God’s “remembering” Noah signifies His care and commitment to Noah and all creation, especially after the long, intense flood. This “remembrance” marks the beginning of the floodwaters receding, as God brings about a new stage in His plan for humanity and the earth. Here, God is staying true to His covenant with Noah by preserving him, his family, and the animals through the flood...it means that God is intervening in a meaningful, faithful way to fulfill His promises or enact His plans.

So in Genesis 8:1, “God remembered Noah” signifies divine care and the beginning of restoration after judgment." -ChatGPT

"Throughout the Bible, when God “remembers” someone, it signifies His attention, compassion, and faithfulness, often resulting in His direct intervention. Here are some key examples:

1. Abraham and Lot (Genesis 19:29): When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He “remembered Abraham” and spared Lot. God’s covenant relationship with Abraham led to His merciful action in delivering Lot from the judgment on the cities.

2. Rachel (Genesis 30:22): After a long period of barrenness, “God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive.” God’s remembrance here signifies His compassion and care for Rachel, ultimately fulfilling her longing for a child.

3. Israel in Egypt (Exodus 2:24): When the Israelites were suffering under slavery, “God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.” This remembrance prompts God to act by raising up Moses and setting in motion the liberation of His people from Egypt.

4. Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19): After Hannah prayed earnestly for a son, “the Lord remembered her,” and she conceived and gave birth to Samuel. God’s remembering here shows His response to Hannah’s heartfelt prayer and His intervention in her life.

5. God’s Promise to Israel (Psalm 105:8): The psalmist declares that God “remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations.” This indicates God’s unwavering commitment to His promises and His ongoing relationship with His people.

6. The Thief on the Cross (Luke 23:42-43): Although the word “remember” is used differently here, the thief’s request, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” appeals to Jesus’ mercy and faithfulness. Jesus’ reply assures him of eternal life, demonstrating the compassion inherent in divine “remembrance.”

In each case, God’s “remembering” is more than mere recollection—it signals His intention to act faithfully and mercifully on behalf of His people, often in response to their need or in fulfillment of His covenant promises." -ChatGPT

Perhaps we should ask Jesus to remember us as well...

The flood story reveals four main characteristics of God. God is...

1. Holy and Just: God judges human wickedness, showing His intolerance for sin.

2. Gracious and Merciful: He offers time for repentance and preserves Noah’s family.

3. Faithful to keep his Promises: God promises to sustain creation, never to destroy it by flood again.

4. Sovereign Creator: He controls nature, demonstrating His power to both judge and restore.

These qualities reveal a God who is just, merciful, faithful, and sovereign, committed to both righteousness and renewal.

Said another way...

The story of Noah and the flood reflects the broader story of God in the Bible by capturing key themes of Creator-God, sovereignly creating a good world where humanity sins/falls and reaps judgment. Despite this, merciful God makes a way for wicked humanity to find redemption and restoration through the covenant relationship with Creator-God through Christ Jesus, our Savior.

CONCLUSION

What do I want them to know?

  1. God sees, remembers, and keeps his promise of mercy.

  2. The story of God in macro and how our story fits in micro. God judges sin but remember mercy.

Why? Because his character is holy love.

What do I want them to do?

Show and tell their story in the context of God's story. Remember that God sees, remembers and keeps his promise of mercy.

Why?

This is how we rescue people close to us but far from God.

How?

By learning this macro story, seeing our story within that context, and then sharing that story with others where we live, work, learn and play.

Bottom line: Noah’s story is a snapshot of the Bible’s grand narrative—a holy God seeking to redeem, restore, and renew fallen creation by a merciful covenant through Jesus Christ. God sees and remembers his promise of mercy.

At the end of the day, my question to you is this: "Are you in the boat?" Is your life protected from God's holy wrath? Have you entered through the only door to salvation? His name is Jesus. Cf. John 14:6

Jesus spoke of Noah as well:

“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.

Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)

Pray

NOTES

My early notes:

Genesis 8:1a "God remembered Noah..."

God "remembering" is the cue for God about to act redemptively i.e. He's about to rescue; mercy and grace are enroute. God acts with his covenant in mind because God is faithful and God is merciful.

At this point, God's story pivots from his holy, justified wrath and judgment to his extravagent mercy and redemption offered to his people by grace through faith.

His rememberance leads to merciful action on God's part. From destruction or de-creation to renewal or re-creation.

Applications that might follow from this:

  1. Rest in God's "remembering." God "remembering" is God acting on your behalf in a redemptive, life-changing way. It's renewal replacing wrath. (8:1)

  2. Wait patiently for God's timing. (8:6-12) Noah waited patiently for God to speak before he disembarked from the ark.

  3. Worship God today. (8:20) Noah's first act after disembarking was to worship God. Worship is our response to God's remembering. He is always worthy whether we act like it or not.

  4. Nurture a culture of life. (8:21-22) God is the creator and sustainer of life. He treasures all life. He calls us to as well. Animal life, but more importantly, human life. All life is precious--human life is sacred. So sacred, you forfeit yours when you take someone else's. We're called to lead the charge on protecting life and that includes nurturing a culture that values life above all else.

  5. Respect and Protect Life. (9:1-7) Valuing life includes protecting those who cannot protect themselves (unborn, children, disabled, elderly, dying).

  6. Live securely and confidently in the covenant relationship we enjoy in Christ. (9:8-11) A marriage rooted in God's covenant relationship with us will give us confidence and security to love when tempted to fear.

  7. Remember and rest in God's promises. (9:12-17)

  8. God will remember his covenant with us. He'll remind us that he remembers through his bow in the sky that he is faithful and keeps his promises.

  9. These rest on the fact that God remembers; he acts on behalf of his people with compassion, mercy, and faithfulness. He grows our confident assurance in his trustworthiness when we are tempted to forget.

Where is Noah's ark today?

"The location of Noah’s ark remains one of the great mysteries, as no definitive archaeological evidence has been found to confirm its location. According to Genesis 8:4, the ark came to rest “on the mountains of Ararat,” traditionally associated with the region of Mount Ararat in modern-day Turkey. This has led many explorers and archaeologists over the centuries to search that area, but no conclusive evidence has been found.

There have been several claims of sightings and discoveries on or near Mount Ararat, including photographs and wooden structures reportedly found at high altitudes. However, these claims have not been substantiated with enough verifiable evidence, and most remain controversial or unconfirmed.

In the end, whether or not the ark will ever be found is uncertain. Some believe that the wood may have been repurposed by Noah’s descendants after the flood or that it has simply deteriorated over time. Others suggest that, if it exists, God may allow it to remain hidden as an enduring element of faith rather than empirical evidence.

For many, the ark serves more as a theological symbol of God’s salvation and judgment, rather than something that needs to be found physically to affirm the biblical account." -ChatGPT

It could also be in western Armenia or even northwestern Iran as those are close to Mt. Ararat in Turkey.

Summary

"You’re absolutely correct. Genesis 8:1 is indeed the hinge point in the flood narrative, marking the transition from judgment to salvation, from divine wrath to mercy. The phrase “God remembered Noah” encapsulates the shift from destruction to renewal and signals that God’s redemptive plan is at work. Given this centrality, all application points could indeed flow from or relate to this theme of God’s remembrance. Here’s a revised approach:

1. Rest in God’s Faithfulness and Care (8:1)

• Application: God’s “remembering” Noah reminds us that, even when we feel forgotten or isolated, God is actively mindful of us and our needs. His faithfulness is unwavering, especially during seasons of hardship. This calls us to trust that God’s timing is perfect and that He is present and working, even when we can’t see it.

2. Wait Patiently for God’s Timing (8:6-12)

• Application: Because God “remembers” us, we can wait with hope, just as Noah waited for the waters to recede. Waiting isn’t passive but an active faith in God’s provision and guidance. Instead of rushing ahead, we’re called to trust God’s process, knowing He will bring us through in His timing.

3. Respond to God’s Faithfulness with Worship (8:20)

• Application: When Noah leaves the ark, his first act is to worship through sacrifice. This is a fitting response to God’s faithfulness in remembering him and his family. When we recognize God’s merciful intervention in our lives, we are called to respond with gratitude, worship, and dedication to Him.

4. Trust in God’s Commitment to Life (8:21-22)

• Application: God’s promise never to curse the ground again is a direct result of His remembering Noah and His commitment to sustaining creation. We can trust that God values and sustains life. This invites us to live in hope, knowing that God’s sustaining power is over creation and our lives, even in a broken world.

5. Respect and Protect Life (9:1-7)

• Application: Because God “remembers” and values humanity, He commands respect for life and emphasizes human dignity. We are called to value life as sacred, reflecting God’s heart for His creation. This includes protecting others, acting justly, and honoring the image of God in each person.

6. Live in Covenant Relationship with God (9:8-11)

• Application: The covenant with Noah flows from God’s remembrance and commitment to humanity and all creatures. God’s remembrance invites us to respond in covenant faithfulness, living in relationship with Him, and being stewards of His world.

7. Remember God’s Promises (9:12-17)

• Application: The rainbow is a visible reminder of God’s covenant and faithfulness to remember His promises. Just as God remembers us, we are called to remember Him and His promises. By clinging to His faithfulness, we strengthen our faith and are reminded of God’s enduring mercy and love in our lives.

By centering the applications around God’s remembrance, we underscore the passage’s message of God’s mercy, faithfulness, and the invitation for us to respond in trust, gratitude, and covenantal living. This “remembrance” becomes the anchor for our faith and actions in every part of life."  -ChatGPT

Key Themes

• New Beginnings: Noah and his family represent a fresh start for humanity, meant to live in obedience to God and care for creation.

• God’s Mercy: Despite humanity’s failings, God commits to sustain creation and gives humans renewed responsibility.

• Divine Justice and Human Dignity: God’s instruction against murder underscores the sanctity of life made in His image.

• The Covenant: The rainbow as a sign of the covenant is a powerful reminder of God’s promise and His ongoing relationship with humanity.

Genesis 8-9:17 highlights God’s mercy, the sanctity of life, and the importance of the covenant. It also sets the foundation for a worldview that values life and trusts in God’s promises, even amidst a broken world.

Good summary:

"The story of the flood in Genesis (chapters 6–9) tells us much about God’s character, values, and the way He engages with humanity. Here are some of the primary ways it reveals who God is:

1. God’s Justice and Holiness

• The flood is a response to human corruption and violence. Genesis 6:5-6 says that God saw the great wickedness on earth and was “grieved” in His heart. God’s decision to judge humanity with the flood shows His intolerance of sin and injustice. His holiness requires a world that aligns with His goodness, and the flood was a response to the pervasive moral decay of Noah’s time.

2. God’s Patience and Long-Suffering

• While the decision to flood the earth is swift in the biblical account, the story implies that God waited patiently while humanity had a chance to change. Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), and his 120 years building the ark can be seen as a period when God gave people a chance to repent. This patience reveals God’s mercy, even in His judgment.

3. God’s Mercy and Covenant Faithfulness

• God’s decision to save Noah and his family highlights His mercy and commitment to His creation. Although humanity deserved judgment, God chose a path that preserved life. He instructed Noah to bring animals onto the ark, ensuring the survival of all living things. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:8-17), promising never to destroy the earth with water again. The rainbow serves as a symbol of His covenant, highlighting His faithfulness to humanity despite their shortcomings.

4. God’s Sovereignty and Power Over Creation

• The flood narrative shows God’s absolute power over creation. He commands the waters to rise and fall, demonstrating His control over the natural world. The floodwaters are a reversal of the order He established at creation, where He separated waters to form dry land. By re-establishing the earth post-flood, God reaffirms His sovereignty as Creator, showing He can both judge and restore.

5. God’s Desire for a Righteous People

• God chooses Noah, “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time” (Genesis 6:9), and establishes a covenant with him, revealing His desire for a people who walk in righteousness. God’s plan for Noah’s descendants is one of blessing, hoping they would embody a restored relationship with Him and reflect His justice and goodness on earth.

6. God’s Grace and Renewal of Creation

• After the flood, God gives Noah a mandate similar to Adam’s: to “be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). This echoes the original creation mandate, suggesting that God’s intention for humanity and creation remains one of growth, flourishing, and harmony. He desires to partner with humanity in caring for and filling the earth with goodness.

7. God as a Covenant Maker

• The covenant with Noah is foundational, setting a pattern for the covenants God will establish later with Abraham, Moses, and David, and ultimately fulfilled in Christ. The Noahic covenant emphasizes God’s promise to preserve creation, foreshadowing the redemptive plan that would unfold over time.

In summary, the flood story tells the story of God as a holy and just Judge, yet also as a patient, merciful, and covenant-keeping Creator. It illustrates His commitment to renewal and restoration even in the face of human failure. Through judgment and mercy, God’s desire for a faithful, righteous humanity and His love for creation shine through. This story is foundational, pointing forward to God’s ongoing work to redeem and renew the world."

-ChatGPT

The Pattern

See D. J. A. Clines, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, No. 38 (1976), pp. 487, 488. Clines explains that Gerhard Von Rad initially observed a pattern of sin, mitigation, and punishment. Then Claus Westermann discerned another element, that of divine speech. Though he did not include it in the pattern, Clines does. Thus the following chart:

I.

II.

III.

IV.

SIN

SPEECH

GRACE

PUNISHMENT

  1. FALL

3:6

3:14-19

3:21

3:22-24

  1. CAIN

4:8

4:10-12

4:15

4:16

  1. SONS OF GOD

6:2

6:3

6:8, 18ff

7:6-24

  1. FLOOD

6:5, 11f

6:7, 13-21

6:8, 18ff

11:8

  1. BABEL

11:4

11:6f

10:1-32

11:8

Preach the Word, Genesis, Kent Hughes, chapter 1, note 3, p. 625

Hamilton puts it this way:

"God acts and speaks; man rebels; God punishes; God protects and reconciles." P. 201

GOD ACTS & SPEAKS    MAN REBELS    GOD PUNISHES    GOD PROTECTS & RECONCILES

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt

The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris

The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

Claude.ai

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipGenesis 8, chaos to covenant, Darien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, non denominational church, bible believing church
What's the Bible All About? Part 1 | Genesis
What's the Bible All About? Part 1 | Genesis

Series: Chaos to Covenant

Title: "What's the Bible all about?" Part 1

Scripture: Genesis 6:9-7:24

Genesis 8:1a; Matt 24:36-44; Hebrews 11:7-10

The Bible is all about God's story.

Here, Noah’s story is a snapshot of the Bible’s grand narrative—a holy God seeking to redeem, restore, and renew fallen creation by a merciful covenant through Jesus Christ. We also see that God's word is trustworthy. Are you on the boat?

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

My opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

INTRODUCTION

Our church deployed a third team to FL this past week for disaster relief in New Port Richey. (Show pics and video)

As they recover from hurricane Helene, the folks in western NC probably feel like they've experienced a flood of biblical proportions. But, in fact, they only got a small fraction of what the world experienced in the Noahic flood.

How many of each animal did Moses put on the ark? The answer is none because Noah is the one that put the animals on the ark actually, God did. Kind of a silly joke, but in fact, Moses is writing Genesis telling the story of Noah in Genesis six through nine.

Let's say you're having lunch with somebody and they ask you the question what is the Bible all about your answer could be basically telling them the story of Noah and the arc because in this story, we see the character of God on display and we see the purpose for which God has Done in creation and a way that explains the macro story of God.

CONTEXT

Spiraling from the fall into more and more evil, the Way of Cain is dominating the world stage while the Way of Seth is a mere remnant of people. They don't have much of God's word to live on. They don't have the ways of God spelled out to them. They are in need of light in the darkness.

But they do have a prophecy. A word from the Lord. (Gen 3:15)

A light to hang hope on.

After seeing the Way of Cain summarized in Cain's evil genealogy, it's followed by the Way of Seth and his genealogy. Adam and Eve are still alive and watching this unfold with I can't imagine how much guilt and anguish over what they've done. The only thing keeping them alive and sane is the hope in the few words of God in Genesis 3:15, "And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your offspring and hers (Jesus); he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal (at the cross)."

At the beginning of Seth's genealogy, we see God reminding us of how he created us--in his image. We were created God-like. Nothing in all of creation is more like God than humanity.

Now we're in a state of dreadful depravity. We're born sinners who are capable of incredibly evil attitudes, words and actions. And we don't have to look far to see not only the truth of that but that we're heading downhill towards a level of evil equal to that just prior to the Flood. But this reminder--that we're created in his image--is there to give us hope. Hope that the Way of Seth--the Way of Jesus--can and will deliver many from sin and death, shame and guilt, hell itself.

The whole thing here about the sons of God, daughters of men, and the Nephilim is simply there to show us how bad things had gotten in the world. To show us that “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” (Genesis‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬) To show us that things were so bad that God grieved and regretted that he'd created humanity in the first place. As a result, God would wipe out all of creation (except for the ones following the Way of Seth) and re-create the world.

SERMON

Outline modified from Bethancourt

I. GOD IS HOLY AND JUST. HE MUST PUNISH SIN. Noah and God's judgment (6:1-22) THIS WEEK

A. The purpose of God's judgment (6:1-7)

B. The patience of God's judgment (6:8-16)

C. The promise of God's judgment (6:17-22)

II. GOD IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS LOVE MAKES A WAY BACK. Noah and God's rescue (7:1-8:19)

A. God rescues us from the penalty of his judgment (7:1-16)

B. God rescues us from the power of his judgment (7:17-24)

C. God rescues us from the presence of his judgment (8:1-19)

III. GOD IS SOVEREIGN CREATOR REDEEMING US THROUGH HIS SON'S COVENANT OF LOVE. Noah and God's covenant (8:20-9:29) NEXT WEEK

A. The Lord and the covenant with creation (8:20-22)

B. The Lord and the covenant with Noah (9:1-11)

C. The Lord and the sign of the covenant (9:12-17)

D. The Lord and the lineage of the covenant (9:18-29)

These are my main points today:

The flood story reveals four main characteristics of God. God is...

1. Holy and Just: God judges human wickedness, showing His intolerance for sin.

2. Gracious and Merciful: He offers time for repentance and preserves Noah’s family.

3. Faithful to keep his Promises: God promises to sustain creation, never to destroy it by flood again.

4. Sovereign Creator: He controls nature, demonstrating His power to both judge and restore.

These qualities reveal a God who is just, merciful, faithful, and sovereign, committed to both righteousness and renewal.

Said another way...

The story of Noah and the flood reflects the broader story of God in the Bible by capturing key themes of Creator-God, sovereignly creating a good world where humanity sins/falls and reaps judgment. Despite this, merciful God makes a way for wicked humanity to find redemption and restoration through the covenant relationship with Creator-God through Christ Jesus, our Savior.

CONCLUSION

What do I want them to know?

The story of God in macro and how our story fits in micro.

Why?

Because this is our mission: to show and tell the story of God through our story.

What do I want them to do?

Show and tell their story in the context of God's story.

Why?

Because this is why we're still here. This is how we rescue people close to us but far from God.

How?

By learning this macro story, seeing our story within that context, and then sharing that story with others where we live, work, learn and play.

Bottom line: Noah’s story is a snapshot of the Bible’s grand narrative—a holy God seeking to redeem, restore, and renew fallen creation by a merciful covenant through Jesus Christ. We also see that God's word is trustworthy. Are you on the boat?

At the end of the day, my question to you is this: "Are you in the boat?" Is your life protected from God's holy wrath? Have you entered through the only door to salvation? His name is Jesus.

““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Invitation

How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:

Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:

  1. What is God saying to me right now?

  2. What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.

What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.

[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.

Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.

Pray

NOTES

Good summary:

"The story of the flood in Genesis (chapters 6–9) tells us much about God’s character, values, and the way He engages with humanity. Here are some of the primary ways it reveals who God is:

1. God’s Justice and Holiness

• The flood is a response to human corruption and violence. Genesis 6:5-6 says that God saw the great wickedness on earth and was “grieved” in His heart. God’s decision to judge humanity with the flood shows His intolerance of sin and injustice. His holiness requires a world that aligns with His goodness, and the flood was a response to the pervasive moral decay of Noah’s time.

2. God’s Patience and Long-Suffering

• While the decision to flood the earth is swift in the biblical account, the story implies that God waited patiently while humanity had a chance to change. Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), and his 120 years building the ark can be seen as a period when God gave people a chance to repent. This patience reveals God’s mercy, even in His judgment.

3. God’s Mercy and Covenant Faithfulness

• God’s decision to save Noah and his family highlights His mercy and commitment to His creation. Although humanity deserved judgment, God chose a path that preserved life. He instructed Noah to bring animals onto the ark, ensuring the survival of all living things. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:8-17), promising never to destroy the earth with water again. The rainbow serves as a symbol of His covenant, highlighting His faithfulness to humanity despite their shortcomings.

4. God’s Sovereignty and Power Over Creation

• The flood narrative shows God’s absolute power over creation. He commands the waters to rise and fall, demonstrating His control over the natural world. The floodwaters are a reversal of the order He established at creation, where He separated waters to form dry land. By re-establishing the earth post-flood, God reaffirms His sovereignty as Creator, showing He can both judge and restore.

5. God’s Desire for a Righteous People

• God chooses Noah, “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time” (Genesis 6:9), and establishes a covenant with him, revealing His desire for a people who walk in righteousness. God’s plan for Noah’s descendants is one of blessing, hoping they would embody a restored relationship with Him and reflect His justice and goodness on earth.

6. God’s Grace and Renewal of Creation

• After the flood, God gives Noah a mandate similar to Adam’s: to “be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). This echoes the original creation mandate, suggesting that God’s intention for humanity and creation remains one of growth, flourishing, and harmony. He desires to partner with humanity in caring for and filling the earth with goodness.

7. God as a Covenant Maker

• The covenant with Noah is foundational, setting a pattern for the covenants God will establish later with Abraham, Moses, and David, and ultimately fulfilled in Christ. The Noahic covenant emphasizes God’s promise to preserve creation, foreshadowing the redemptive plan that would unfold over time.

In summary, the flood story tells the story of God as a holy and just Judge, yet also as a patient, merciful, and covenant-keeping Creator. It illustrates His commitment to renewal and restoration even in the face of human failure. Through judgment and mercy, God’s desire for a faithful, righteous humanity and His love for creation shine through. This story is foundational, pointing forward to God’s ongoing work to redeem and renew the world."

-ChatGPT

The Pattern

See D. J. A. Clines, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, No. 38 (1976), pp. 487, 488. Clines explains that Gerhard Von Rad initially observed a pattern of sin, mitigation, and punishment. Then Claus Westermann discerned another element, that of divine speech. Though he did not include it in the pattern, Clines does. Thus the following chart:

I.

II.

III.

IV.

SIN

SPEECH

GRACE

PUNISHMENT

  1. FALL

3:6

3:14-19

3:21

3:22-24

  1. CAIN

4:8

4:10-12

4:15

4:16

  1. SONS OF GOD

6:2

6:3

6:8, 18ff

7:6-24

  1. FLOOD

6:5, 11f

6:7, 13-21

6:8, 18ff

11:8

  1. BABEL

11:4

11:6f

10:1-32

11:8

Preach the Word, Genesis, Kent Hughes, chapter 1, note 3, p. 625

Hamilton puts it this way:

"God acts and speaks; man rebels; God punishes; God protects and reconciles." P. 201

GOD ACTS & SPEAKS    MAN REBELS    GOD PUNISHES    GOD PROTECTS & RECONCILES

OUTLINES

N/A

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I get to do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/

  1. Read the passage together.

  2. Retell the story in your own words.

  3. Discovery the story

    1. What does this story tell me about God?

    2. What does this story tell me about people?

    3. If this is really true, what should I do?

  4. What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)

  5. What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)

  6. Who am I going to tell about this?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:

  1. Who is God?

  2. What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?

  3. Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)

  4. What do I do? (In light of who I am)

  5. How do I do it?

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Genesis,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

Exalting Jesus in Genesis, by Bethancourt

The Genesis Record, by Henry Morris

The Genesis Factor, by David Helms & Jon Dennis

“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)

Willmington’s Bible Handbook, D Willmington (WBH)

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipChaos to Covenant, Darien Gabriel, Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, South Carolina, non denominational, bible believing church