Posts tagged bible-believing church
Can God Still Use Me After I Fail? | John 18:15-27, 21:15-17 | Darien Gabriel
Can God Still Use Me After I Fail? | John 18:15-27, 21:15-17 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: Can God Still Use Me After I Fail?

Scripture: 📖 John 18:15-27; 21:15-17

Preacher: Darien Roger Gabriel

Bottom Line: Jesus restores Peter not just to relationship but to responsibility—because shepherding the flock is how Jesus continues His mission in the world.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. 📖 SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

  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

Illustration: Chuck Colson—The Question That Haunted Him

When Chuck Colson, one of President Nixon’s top advisors, was arrested during the Watergate scandal, he went from the Oval Office to a federal prison cell almost overnight.

Before he entered prison, he wrote in his journal:

“Everything I’ve built is gone.

My reputation is destroyed.

My family is ashamed.

And God can’t possibly use me now.”

He later said the most painful moment wasn’t the trial—

it was the first night in prison.

He sat alone in a cold cell, staring at concrete walls, and whispered the question that haunted him:

“Lord… is my life over?

Can You still use me after what I’ve done?”

That is the question of a man who has failed.

That is the question of a man who believes he is disqualified.

And that is the same question Peter carried after denying Jesus three times.

Colson thought his future was finished.

But God met him in prison with grace, forgiveness, and a new mission.

When he was released, he founded Prison Fellowship, which today is the largest prison ministry in the world—impacting thousands of inmates and families with the gospel.

He said near the end of his life:

“My greatest failure became God’s greatest assignment.”

Bottom Line: Jesus restores Peter not just to relationship but to responsibility—because shepherding the flock is how Jesus continues His mission in the world.

CONTEXT

It's the night before the cross. The last supper has passed. The betrayal has happened in Jesus and his disciples are separated. Jesus is being interrogated, and Peter awaits outside by the fire.

Bottom Line: Jesus restores Peter not just to relationship but to responsibility—because shepherding the flock is how Jesus continues His mission in the world.

SERMON OUTLINE (with help from ChatGPT and Kent Hughes)

I. PETER’S FAILURE AND JESUS’ GRACE (John 18:15–27; 21:9–14)

A. The charcoal fire of denial

• Night, cold, fear

• Standing with the wrong crowd

• “I am not” vs. Jesus’ “I AM”

B. The charcoal fire of restoration

• Morning, warmth, grace

• Jesus initiates breakfast and fellowship

• Grace confronts the place of failure

Key idea: Jesus breaks Peter to heal Peter, not to shame him.

II. JESUS RESTORES PETER TO A SHEPHERDING MISSION (John 21:15–17)

(Each “Do you love Me?” is followed by a mission task.)

This is the heart of the text.

III. THE FIVE SHEPHERDING TASKS JESUS CALLS PETER (AND US) TO

These reflect Jesus’ own mission in John:

1. Calling the Flock

“Do you love Me?” → “Feed my lambs.”

• Shepherds help others recognize Jesus’ voice (John 10:3–4).

• Jesus calls Peter to invite, gather, initiate discipleship with those who are young in the faith.

Application:

We call people to Jesus out of love for Jesus, not guilt or pressure.

2. Feeding the Flock

“Feed my lambs… feed my sheep.”

• Feeding = teaching truth, giving spiritual nourishment (John 6:35; 8:31–32).

• A church can’t thrive without a steady diet of Jesus’ words.

Application:

We teach the Word—at home, in groups, in relationships—because sheep starve without it.

3. Leading the Flock

“Shepherd my sheep.” (poimaínō)

• Shepherding includes guiding, setting direction, helping people follow Jesus.

• Jesus led His disciples toward obedience, mission, service, and sacrifice.

Application:

Leadership in the church is never about control, but direction toward Jesus.

4. Protecting the Flock

(Implied in poimaínō + the contrast with wolves in John 10.)

• Shepherds guard the sheep against false teaching, spiritual danger, sin patterns, and discouragement.

• Love protects (John 10:12–13).

Application:

Shepherding means stepping in, warning, correcting, and caring.

5. Gathering the Flock

Echo of John 10:16 — “I have other sheep… I must bring them also.”

• Shepherding isn’t only nurture; it’s mission.

• Jesus is still gathering sheep through the shepherding of His people.

Application:

Mission flows from shepherding—a healthy, discipled church becomes a reproducing church.

IV. WHY SHEPHERDING ADVANCES JESUS’ MISSION

Tie in John 20:21 and John 17.

A. Jesus’ mission was shepherding people into life.

B. Peter continues Jesus’ mission by shepherding His church.

C. The church continues Jesus’ mission when we shepherd one another.

Love leads to shepherding; shepherding leads to mission.

V. JESUS’ RESTORATION OF PETER IS OUR STORY (APPLICATION)

A. Jesus restores failures—not to sidelines, but to service.

Your past doesn’t disqualify you; it becomes the place of commissioning.

B. Love for Jesus expresses itself in care for His people.

Not talk, not sentiment—but shepherding.

C. Every Christian is called to shepherd someone.

• Parents shepherd children

• Mentors shepherd younger believers

• Groups shepherd one another

• Leaders shepherd the church

• The church shepherds the city

CONCLUSION

Return to the two fires:

• The first represents what we break.

• The second represents what Jesus builds.

And Jesus still asks:

“Do you love Me?”

Then shepherd My people.

Because that’s how My mission moves forward.”

Bottom Line: Jesus restores Peter not just to relationship but to responsibility—because shepherding the flock is how Jesus continues His mission in the world.

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

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?

🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

Title: Can God Still Use Me After I Fail?

Passages: John 18:15–27; John 21:15–17

Speaker: Pastor Darien Gabriel

Grace Christian Fellowship — Charleston, SC

Failure isn’t the end of your story. In today’s message, we look at one of the most dramatic collapses and one of the most beautiful comebacks in the Bible—the story of Peter.

In John 18, Peter denies Jesus three times. Fear, shame, and pressure overwhelm him.

In John 21, the resurrected Jesus meets Peter—not with condemnation—but with restoration, recommissioning, and a renewed call to shepherd God’s people.

If you’ve ever wondered:

  • Can God still use me after I fail?

  • Does Jesus still want me—after I blew it?

  • Is my calling gone?

Peter’s story gives hope. Jesus isn’t finished with you. He restores us, recommissions us, and invites us back into His mission.

Main Themes:

• Failure doesn’t disqualify you

• Jesus pursues and restores broken disciples

• Shepherding is the heart of following Jesus

• Restoration leads to renewed mission

Whether you’re exploring faith, returning after a fall, or seeking fresh encouragement, this message will help you see Jesus’ grace in a whole new way.

👇 Chapters

(You can add timestamps after uploading.)

👇 Connect With Us

Grace Christian Fellowship

🌐 gcfsc.org

📍 Ladson / Charleston, SC

Sundays at 10:30 AM

👍 Like, 💬 comment, and subscribe for weekly messages that help you follow Jesus where you live, work, learn, and play.

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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

ChatGPT AI

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, 29456, Signs and Glory, John 18, non-denominational church, bible-believing church
How Does Jesus' Prayer Still Shape the World Today? Part 2 | John 17:20-26 | Darien Gabriel
How Does Jesus' Prayer Still Shape the World Today? Part 2 | John 17:20-26 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: Part 2: How Does Jesus’ Prayer Still Shape the World Today?

Scripture: 📖 John 17:20-26 NIV

Genesis 11:1-7

Preacher: Darien Roger Gabriel

Bottom Line: Jesus’ prayer shapes the world today by forming a unified, loved, and mission-driven people who embody His presence in the world.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. 📖 SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

  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.

Bottom Line: Jesus’ prayer shapes the world today by forming a unified, loved, and mission-driven people who embody His presence in the world.

INTRODUCTION

There's something powerful when a group of people are unified in their commitment to the vision and values of their organization.

When a college football team buys into their coaches vision, value, and philosophy, they can be very successful for a long time. We've seen this in college basketball, not to mention other sports.

The US Army has a slogan, "An Army of One." I love that. They share a common mission and values. And they train accordingly.

The Bible even has a powerful example of this in Genesis 11:1-7.

Now imagine what would happen if God supernaturally united his people around his purpose, mission and love.

Pastor Kent Hughes writes:

"Christian unity is supernatural because it comes from God's nature and is only experienced in its fullness as we draw close to him: "That they may be one even as we are one."

That unity, though, does not mean uniformity in everything. In the Trinity there exists a unity in diversity-three distinct Persons, yet they are one.

Suppose, for a moment, that we could bring some of the great Christians of the centuries together under one roof. From the fourth century would come the great intellect Augustine of Hippo. From the tenth century, Bernard of Clairvaux. From the sixteenth, the peerless reformer John Calvin. From the seventeenth century would come John Wesley, the great Methodist advocate of free will, and along with him George Whitefield, the evangelist. From the nineteenth century, the Baptist C. H. Spurgeon and D. L. Moody. And, finally, from the twentieth century, Billy Graham.

If we gathered all these men under one steeple, we would have trouble!

We would be unable to get a unanimous vote on many things. But underneath it all would be unity. And the more the men lifted up Christ and the more they focused on him, the greater their unity would be. There would be unity amid a great diversity of style and opinion.

Christ's prayer for unity does not mean we all should be the same, though many Christians mistakenly assume that. Too many think other believers should be just like them-carry the same Bible, read the same books, promote the same styles, educate their children in the same way, have the same likes and dislikes. That would be uniformity, not unity. We are not called to be Christian clones. In fact, the insistence that others be just like us is one of the most disunifying forces in the church of Jesus Christ. It engenders a judgmental inflexibility that hurls people away from the church with deadly force. One of the gospel's glories is that it hallows our individuality even while bringing us into unity. Unity without uniformity is implicit in Paul's teaching on spiritual gifts." - Hughes, pp. 412-413

Bottom Line: Jesus’ prayer shapes the world today by forming a unified, loved, and mission-driven people who embody His presence in the world.

Let’s listen in on the most powerful prayer ever prayed—and see how it still shapes our world today.

CONTEXT

• This is Jesus’ final recorded prayer before His arrest—called the High Priestly Prayer.

• It concludes His upper room teaching (John 13–17).

• The cross is just hours away.

• Jesus prays for the Father’s glory, the disciples’ protection and holiness, and the church’s unity—all for the sake of the world.

A Lutheran theologian coined this the Lord's high priestly prayer because Jesus both "consecrates himself for the sacrifice in which he is simultaneously both priest and the victim." (Bruce)

SERMON OUTLINE (with help from ChatGPT & Matt Carter)

I. United...(20-21a)

    • Past and present disciples

    • Around "Their message" aka the Gospel; Ex. Found in the Bible Ex. "The Message" paraphrase

    • That we may be one just as we see in the Triune God

      • 1 God

      • 3 Persons unified but also diverse in role and rank

    • Displays Jesus' body or people or way to a wandering world

    • The Church is A Photograph

      • "The church is the visible display of God's goodness to this world. Each local church is the visible display of God's kindness to its community. We don't have any photographs of Jesus. The church is the photograph. The church is the picture of his love and mercy. There's a picture frame around each church and a sign above us that says, "Come, see what God is like."" Matt Carter, p. 349

II. Loved...(22, 24, 26) "To be with me"-- Abiding in Christ; Christ in me/me in Christ like Christ in the Father and the Father in Christ

    • Jesus gave them (and us through them) his glory

    • Transfiguration was a sneak peak as was the resurrection

    • Also demonstrated his power, love, truth and holiness for 3 years

    • His love most demonstrated on the cross

    • His "desire" is to be with us and us with him; to know and be known

    • Heaven is not as much a place as it is a person.

      • Long-distance relationships are hard because we're not together

      • We do what we need to do to be together; it almost doesn't matter where as long as we're together

      • Heaven is the place but what really matters is that we're together

    • And to share more of his glory in the future forever

    • Glory he received because of the Father's love for Jesus and is why Jesus shows it to us

    • Love is the bottom line reason

    • Do you love your neighbor as you love yourself?

    • Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ sacrificially?

    • Jesus made the Father known to his followers (and will continue to) so that the love the Father has for Jesus may be in us and that Jesus may be in/with us forever

III. Mission-driven people,

    • Why does it matter that the world know God sent Jesus? Because that's when they will believe that Jesus died for them so that they will live for him

    • Jesus revealed God to us

    • Jesus continues to reveal God to us through his spirit

    • We're to reveal God to others like the moon reflects the sun rays to earth; it looks like the source of moonlight but it's not

    • Why? Because he loves us as the Father loves him

    • We are here as Christ-followers because others shared and passed on the love, truth, holiness and message of Jesus.

      • Do you realize that?

    • We are still here because Jesus wants to continue to pass this on to others...through you and me.

      • Do you realize that? Are you on board with that?

    • Jesus' antidote to worry was being mission-driven motivated by love.

      • "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33 NIV

    • Our mission unifies us.

      • A coach of our ultimate frisbee team shared this at our debrief at the end of practice this week:

        • Illustration: A symphony—different instruments, one beautiful sound under one conductor. A symphony—different instruments, one beautiful sound under one conductor.

IV. Who embody His presence in the world. (21b, 23b)

    • The NT tells us that we are "the body of Christ."

      • That means that while they cannot see him like the 12 did, the world can still see Jesus in us.

      • He is most visible when we love one another in unity of mission, truth, holiness and love.

      • Our unity is a witness to the world.

      • He is the head--we are the body. When we are in sync with him, we will be in sync with one another.

    • When we are unified it will be around the things that matter most.

      • The secondary and tertiary things will not matter as much.

      • When we abide in Christ, we will not let those disagreements matter too much.

    • Illustration: The most important rule in Ultimate Frisbee is called the Spirit of the Game rule. It states: "

“Spirit of the Game is a set of principles which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play.” USAultimate.org

    • This is how we're to view God's most important law--the law of love. Christ-like love. Sacrificial, unconditional love. The only debt we're to really have. The debt to love our neighbors as ourselves and to love each other as Christ loved us. This is The Way. Imagine if everyone at GCF would do this, not perfectly, but, consistently. We'd change this city.

If you've seen a military documentary, then you can probably picture scenes where battalions of soldiers line up, all wearing matching uni-forms, all standing the same way. They are faceless, nameless, and opinionless, but they're uniform. Some believe the church should be a battalion of nondescript soldiers ready to assault the world. This often happens when a leader demands everyone think like he thinks. He often uses the pulpit to bully people into his positions. He's trying to create good soldiers who think, look, and act just like him." -Matt Carter, p. 344   

At the same time, we all have a uniform as well and that is the robes of righteousness that we wear in Jesus. So we actually do wear a uniform of sorts and I think that unifies us it reminds us that we're unique and in his kingdom.

"As John Stott has pointed out, the unity enjoined here is not only a unity among present believers, but a unity with the apostolic church and its teach-ing. Christ says in verse 20:

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.

Stott goes on:

It is first and foremost a prayer that there may be a historical continuity between the church of the first century and the church of subsequent cen-turies; that the church's faith may not change but remain recognizably the same; that the church of every age may merit the title "apostolic" because it is loyal to the teaching of the apostles.?

The unity for which the Savior prays is a unity that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and grows as we draw nearer to God by being..." Hughes

Application: Our unity in love is God’s greatest apologetic—it shows the world who Jesus really is.

CONCLUSION

Illustration: A broken mirror--each shard reflects only part of the image. And we are broken shards. But when the pieces come together, the reflection becomes whole again. The Church's unity reflects Christ's full image to a watching world.

Jesus ends where he started. He came to show us his glory: his holiness, truth and love. That was his mission. Now he's handing it off to his must trusting disciples to carry-on where he left off. He leaves them equipped and trained. He leaves them with this Holy Spirit so that they are empowered and protected. He leaves them with his word so that they will remember what unifies us without getting off message.

Bottom Line: Jesus’ prayer shapes the world today by forming a unified, loved, and mission-driven people who embody His presence in the world.

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

Quote

“If we are distracted from real-time connection with the mercies of God, so that our hearts grow cold and our mouths become reckless and our eyes wayward and our feet wandering, we are only one misstep away from life-shattering catastrophe.  We do not have to give ourselves to raw evil to end up there; we only have to unguard our hearts, we only have to stop being vigilant.  Every one of us is always five minutes away from total disaster.  But if we are receiving by faith the outpouring of Christ’s love in constant supply from his Throne of Grace, we cannot lose our way.”—Ray Ortlund

"Jacques Ellul, the French sociologist, in his book The Meaning of the City, says the driving force behind ancient history was the desire to come together and advance in the face of this disunity. Thus the rise of the city.

However, he points out, with the formation of cities came the practice of laying the foundation stone on the body of a human sacrifice, a practice, he maintains, we moderns have replaced with the sacrifice of millions of souls?

The world's attempts to come together without God are always at the expense of human life." Hughes

I thought this was a good picture of how God works, and how we respond to his work freely, but dependently:

"The disciples were responsible to believe, but even their belief was the result of what God said and did.

Let's say you showed up to church one morning with your beautiful, ten-month old baby, dropped him off at the nursery, and headed in to the service. The nursery worker begins to talk to your ten-month-old.

"You look so nice. Did you take a bath this morning?" He nods his head yes. "It looks like you're full. Did you eat a yummy breakfast?" Once again, he nods his head yes. "I love your outfit. Did you get dressed in your nice clothes?" Again he answers yes. So he has answered yes to all three questions. He took a bath, he ate breakfast, and he got dressed.

But that's not the whole picture. As his parent, you drew the bathwater, lathered him with soap, and rinsed him off. You fixed breakfast, fed it to him, and cleaned up his mess. You washed his clothes, changed his diaper, and then got him dressed. It's true he took a bath, ate breakfast, and got dressed but only because of what you did. You did the work he couldn't do himself. He simply responded. God does the work of calling sinners to salvation. Our responsibility is to respond to what God does.

Let's summarize two principles from verses 6-11: God did the work.

Everything the disciples did was in response to what God had done. The disciples kept the word, but who gave them the word? God. The disciples believed on Jesus, but who sent Jesus? God. And behind all of this was God's choice of them and gift of them to the Son. God not only did the work, but God used his word. The way God brought them to faith was through his words. He didn't use visions or apparitions. He didn't open the heavens or rain down fire and brimstone. He created new life in the disciples simply through his words."

Matt Carter, pp. 338-339

John Knox

"John Knox, on his death-bed in 1572, asked his wife to read to him John 17, 'where' , he said, 'I cast my first anchor." And almost

his last words show how much his mind dwelt on this chapter, with its implications for 'the troubled church of God, the spouse of Jesus Christ, despised of the world but precious in his sight.* He clearly appreciated that the church's true life is lived on a higher plane than the turbulent political stage in which he had been so much involved and with which he was by now so thoroughly disillusioned"

That’s a great quote from F. F. Bruce, and it captures both John Knox’s turbulent life and the spiritual depth that marked his final days.

Here’s the background Bruce is referring to:

1. Knox’s early life and conversion.

John Knox (c. 1514–1572) was born in Scotland and originally trained as a Catholic priest and notary. In his thirties he was deeply influenced by the reformer George Wishart, whose preaching of salvation by faith in Christ alone cost him his life. Wishart’s martyrdom in 1546 marked Knox profoundly; soon afterward Knox openly embraced the Reformation and became a fiery preacher of the gospel.

2. Years of persecution and exile.

After the fall of the Protestant stronghold at St Andrews Castle, Knox was captured by French forces in 1547 and spent nearly nineteen months as a galley slave—a brutal experience that left him ill for the rest of his life. He was eventually released and went to England, where under Edward VI he served as a royal chaplain and helped shape the Protestant Church of England. When Mary Tudor (“Bloody Mary”) came to the throne, Knox fled to the Continent, spending several years in Geneva with John Calvin. There he found a model for what he later called “the most perfect school of Christ that ever was in the earth since the days of the apostles.”

3. Return to Scotland and political storms.

Knox returned to Scotland in 1559 and became the leading voice of the Scottish Reformation. His preaching and leadership were instrumental in overthrowing papal authority and establishing the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. But his ministry was constantly entangled with the intense political struggles of his time—especially his confrontations with Mary, Queen of Scots. He championed the sovereignty of God over kings, the authority of Scripture over tradition, and the independence of the church from civil control.

All this conflict took a toll. By the time of his death in 1572, Knox was weary and disillusioned with politics and with the divisions and corruption he still saw in Scotland’s church and government.

4. Why John 17 mattered so deeply to Knox.

On his deathbed he asked his wife to read John 17—the prayer where Jesus intercedes for His disciples and all believers, emphasizing their unity, sanctification, and eternal fellowship with Him. Knox said, “There I cast my first anchor.” That chapter had been his spiritual foundation from the beginning of his ministry, reminding him that the true church lives not by political triumphs but by Christ’s intercession.

Bruce’s comment highlights that contrast: after a life of public controversy and political entanglement, Knox’s mind rested on the heavenly reality of Christ’s prayer for His people—a church “despised of the world but precious in His sight.”

Would you like me to summarize how John 17 specifically connected to Knox’s theology of the church and his hope for Scotland?

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?

🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

Description:

What matters most to Jesus’ heart? In John 17, we overhear the Son of God praying—for His glory, for His disciples, and for every future believer. Just hours before the cross, Jesus prays that we would live for God’s glory, be sanctified by His truth, and be united in His love. This is the prayer that still shapes the world today.

Bottom Line: Jesus prayed for His glory, our sanctification, and our unity—so the world would know His love.

Chapters:

0:00 – Introduction

2:45 – Jesus Prays for His Glory (John 17:1–5)

10:20 – Jesus Prays for Our Sanctification (John 17:6–19)

19:45 – Jesus Prays for Our Unity (John 17:20–26)

28:50 – How We Live as the Answer to Jesus’ Prayer

Subscribe for more messages from the Signs & Glory series and other teachings from Grace Christian Fellowship.

🕊️ Watch, share, and join us as we learn to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in Him and leading others to do the same.

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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

ChatGPT AI

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipLadson, SC, Darien Gabriel, bible-believing church, non-denominational church, Signs & Glory, Jesus' prayer, John 17
How Does Jesus' Prayer Still Shape the World Today? | John 17:1-19 | Darien Gabriel
How Does Jesus' Prayer Still Shape the World Today? | John 17:1-19 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: How Does Jesus’ Prayer Still Shape the World Today? Or How does Jesus’ prayer for us change the way we live? Part 1

Scripture: 📖 John 17:1-19

Philippians 2:5-11

Preacher: Darien Roger Gabriel

Bottom Line: Jesus prayed for His glory, the Twelve's sanctification, and our unity—so the world would know His love.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. 📖 SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

  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.

Bottom Line: Jesus prayed for His glory, the Twelve's sanctification, and our unity—so the world would know His love.

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever overheard someone pray for you? There’s something deeply personal about hearing your name spoken in prayer.

In John 17, we get to “overhear” Jesus praying—not just for His disciples, but for every believer who would come after them.

If you want to know what matters most to someone, listen to how they pray.

Rowing

"In the sport of rowing, unity is key. Each oar must enter and exit the water at precisely the same time if the boat wants to maintain speed. The way the rowers stay in sync is by listening to the coxswain. The coxswain doesn't row; he sits in the back of the boat and calls out the strokes. The coxswain is the only one who faces forward, so the entire crew must listen to the coxswain's commands and respond. When that happens, the boat flies over the water. Unity doesn't come from everyone rowing their hardest but from everyone submitting to a single voice.

As the disciples submit to the voice of God, they grow more and more of the same mind. (See movie/book "The Boys in the Boat")

Their thoughts, desires, and intentions begin to mirror God's, and they experience a unity unfamiliar to the world." Matt Carter, p. 340

Bottom Line: Jesus prayed for His glory, the Twelve's sanctification, and our unity—so the world would know His love.

Let’s listen in on the most powerful prayer ever prayed—and see how it still shapes our world today.

CONTEXT

• This is Jesus’ final recorded prayer before His arrest—called the High Priestly Prayer.

• It concludes His upper room teaching (John 13–17).

• The cross is just hours away.

• Jesus prays for the Father’s glory, the disciples’ protection and holiness, and the church’s unity—all for the sake of the world.

SERMON OUTLINE (with help from ChatGPT & Matt Carter)

I. How Does Jesus Reveal God’s Glory? (John 17:1–5)

• “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” (Cf. Luke 9:23; Phil 2:5-8)

• Eternal life is defined: “that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (v.3)

• The cross is not tragedy—it’s triumph, displaying divine glory through love and obedience.

Application: Worship means living to glorify God, even when it costs us.

II. How Does Jesus Pray for Our Sanctification? (John 17:6–19)

• The disciples belong to the Father and have received His word.

• Jesus doesn’t ask for their removal from the world but for their protection from the evil one.

• “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (v.17)

        • "Jesus prays for the Father to sanctify them (w. 17-18). To "sanctify" is to set something aside for a special use-like fine china reserved for special occasions." Matt Carter, p. 340

• He sends them into the world as the Father sent Him (v.18).

Application: We’re called to live holy lives in an unholy world—set apart for God’s mission, not away from it.

III. How Does Jesus Pray for Our Unity? (John 17:20–26)

• “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.” (v.20)

• The goal: “that all of them may be one… so that the world may believe.” (v.21)

• True unity reflects the oneness of the Father and the Son.

• Jesus wants His followers to experience the same love the Father has for Him.

        • "Unity Is Not Outlawing Any Diversity; at the time, we are more uniform than we might think; we all wear robes of righteousness.

If you've seen a military documentary, then you can probably picture scenes where battalions of soldiers line up, all wearing matching uni-forms, all standing the same way. They are faceless, nameless, and opinionless, but they're uniform. Some believe the church should be a battalion of nondescript soldiers ready to assault the world. This often happens when a leader demands everyone think like he thinks. He often uses the pulpit to bully people into his positions. He's trying to create good soldiers who think, look, and act just like him." -Matt Carter, p. 344   

At the same time, we all have a uniform as well and that is the robes of righteousness that we wear in Jesus. So we actually do wear a uniform of sorts and I think that unifies us it reminds us that we're unique and in his kingdom.

Application: Our unity in love is God’s greatest apologetic—it shows the world who Jesus really is.

CONCLUSION

Bottom Line: Jesus prayed for His glory, the Twelve's sanctification, and our unity—so the world would know His love.

The Church is A Photograph

"The church is the visible display of God's goodness to this world. Each local church is the visible display of God's kindness to its community. We don't have any photographs of Jesus. The church is the photograph. The church is the picture of his love and mercy. There's a picture frame around each church and a sign above us that says, "Come, see what God is like."" Matt Carter, p. 349

Quote

“If we are distracted from real-time connection with the mercies of God, so that our hearts grow cold and our mouths become reckless and our eyes wayward and our feet wandering, we are only one misstep away from life-shattering catastrophe.  We do not have to give ourselves to raw evil to end up there; we only have to unguard our hearts, we only have to stop being vigilant.  Every one of us is always five minutes away from total disaster.  But if we are receiving by faith the outpouring of Christ’s love in constant supply from his Throne of Grace, we cannot lose our way.”—Ray Ortlund

Challenge: Live as an answer to Jesus’ prayer—glorify God, walk in holiness, and love others in unity. This leaves us overflowing with his love into a world without love apart from Christ Jesus.

Summary of Applications

  • Worship means living to glorify God, even when it costs us. This is 24/7.

  • We’re called to live holy lives in an unholy world—set apart for God’s mission, not away from it.

  • Our unity in love is God’s greatest apologetic—it shows the world who Jesus really is.

  • Jesus prays for himself. Therefore, we should pray for ourselves too.

  • Jesus prays for his 12 followers. Therefore, we should be praying for those we're pouring into for the kingdom too. (Starting at home)

  • Jesus prays all his followers. Therefore, we should pray for one another. (Pray Charleston, Pray Together, Lord's Prayer)

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

I thought this was a good picture of how God works, and how we respond to his work freely, but dependently.

"The disciples were responsible to believe, but even their belief was the result of what God said and did.

Let's say you showed up to church one morning with your beautiful, ten-month old baby, dropped him off at the nursery, and headed in to the service. The nursery worker begins to talk to your ten-month-old.

"You look so nice. Did you take a bath this morning?" He nods his head yes. "It looks like you're full. Did you eat a yummy breakfast?" Once again, he nods his head yes. "I love your outfit. Did you get dressed in your nice clothes?" Again he answers yes. So he has answered yes to all three questions. He took a bath, he ate breakfast, and he got dressed.

But that's not the whole picture. As his parent, you drew the bathwater, lathered him with soap, and rinsed him off. You fixed breakfast, fed it to him, and cleaned up his mess. You washed his clothes, changed his diaper, and then got him dressed. It's true he took a bath, ate breakfast, and got dressed but only because of what you did. You did the work he couldn't do himself. He simply responded. God does the work of calling sinners to salvation. Our responsibility is to respond to what God does.

Let's summarize two principles from verses 6-11: God did the work.

Everything the disciples did was in response to what God had done. The disciples kept the word, but who gave them the word? God. The disciples believed on Jesus, but who sent Jesus? God. And behind all of this was God's choice of them and gift of them to the Son. God not only did the work, but God used his word. The way God brought them to faith was through his words. He didn't use visions or apparitions. He didn't open the heavens or rain down fire and brimstone. He created new life in the disciples simply through his words."

Matt Carter, pp. 338-339

"Christians often take one of three different approaches to dealing with the difficulty of being in the world but not of the world.

Some practice isolation, believing the gospel needs to be protected instead of shared. They hear the call to remain faithful to God's Word, and they disengage from all non-Christians. They think, What better way to keep from falling away than to keep yourself as far as possible from any temp-tation? These Christians would love to buy forty acres of land at least fifteen miles outside of town, fashion a compound, and never set foot outside their barbed-wire fence. Their legitimate desire to remain faithful to God's truth has caused them to disregard his mission.

Some practice inoculation, believing the gospel has made them immune to temptation and worldliness. They hear the call to remain faithful to God's mission and immerse themselves fully in the world.

They ask, "What better way to reach the world than to blur any possible distinction between a Christian and a non-Christian?" These Christians minimize the biblical teaching on sin and repentance, choosing to live exactly as their non-Christian neighbors. Their legitimate desire to remain faithful to God's mission has caused them to disregard his truth.

Isolation and inoculation are not the only options. A better perspective is insulation, believing a daily focus on the gospel protects us from temptation as we seek to share the gospel with those who don't know Jesus.

Insulation means working diligently to balance faithfulness to the truth and faithfulness to our mission. We recognize Christians should live differently from non-Christians but not by removing ourselves from the world of non-Christians. We live differently in the midst of an unbelieving world, and the difference is seen in the unmistakable fruit of Jesus Christ in our lives." -Matt Carter, p. 341

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?

🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

Description:

What matters most to Jesus’ heart? In John 17, we overhear the Son of God praying—for His glory, for His disciples, and for every future believer. Just hours before the cross, Jesus prays that we would live for God’s glory, be sanctified by His truth, and be united in His love. This is the prayer that still shapes the world today.

Bottom Line: Jesus prayed for His glory, our sanctification, and our unity—so the world would know His love.

Chapters:

0:00 – Introduction

2:45 – Jesus Prays for His Glory (John 17:1–5)

10:20 – Jesus Prays for Our Sanctification (John 17:6–19)

19:45 – Jesus Prays for Our Unity (John 17:20–26)

28:50 – How We Live as the Answer to Jesus’ Prayer

Subscribe for more messages from the Signs & Glory series and other teachings from Grace Christian Fellowship.

🕊️ Watch, share, and join us as we learn to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in Him and leading others to do the same.

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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

ChatGPT AI

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipLadson, SC, Signs & Glory, Jesus' prayer, bible-believing church, non-denominational church
How Can You Have Joy in a Troubled World? | John 16:16-33 | Mikey Brannon
How Can You Have Joy in a Troubled World? | John 16:16-33 | Mikey Brannon

How Can You Have Joy In A Troubled World?

Grace Christian Fellowship

John 16:16-33

Introduction:

Today we will continue and hopefully finish John 16 from where Darien left off

last week. If you recall, we are nearing the end of what we call the farewell

discourse. It is a long section of Scripture taking place in the upper room with

Jesus and his disciples just prior to his arrest, mock trial, conviction, and eventual

crucifixion. It is in these last moments that Jesus pours into his disciples his final

thoughts, his final instructions for what is to come.

I loved the way Darien framed this last week as he talked about a coach who had

trained his team, but all of the sudden before the big game he was gone. In fact I

remember in 2017 when Alabama was playing Clemson for the National

Championship game and Nick Saban fired the offensive coordinator just days

before the game because of distractions around Lane’s newly acquired job at

Florida Atlantic. Here was Lane who was the play caller and the mastermind

behind the offense and in the biggest game of their lives he was gone. Alabama

would go on to lose that game. To a much greater degree this must be how the

disciple feel as Jesus tells them he is going away and that he is going to be killed.

But Jesus is so full of compassion in these verses. He has every right to be focused

on his own task. After all he is the one who is about to go through this agonizing

death, but his focus is on his disciples. He doesn’t want them to worry. He wants

them to have greater faith. He wants them to have true joy that is bigger than their

circumstances. So let’s pick up in verse 16 as we answer the question, How can

you have joy in a trouble world.

In verses 16-21 I want us to see that (I) the sorrow is temporary

2

16 "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you

will see me."

All through the Bible we get the concept of messianic timing. It was the God

ordained time in which things were to occur. We see Jesus say things like “my

time has not yet come”. Jesus is trying to communicate to the disciples that the

time is near for his death. It is but “a little while away”.

I think it is difficult for us to really put ourselves in the place of the disciple

sometimes. These were just common men. Fishermen or tax collectors or whatever

they were. And all they have known to this point is to follow Jesus. They just

followed him. Tried to learn from him. They had no idea what is would be like

when he was gone.

In fact even that they haven’t really accepted. Their minds our clouded by

preconceptions of Judiasm. They don’t always follow what Jesus is teaching. And

they probably deep down hope that Jesus is going to establish some sort of earthly

rule that will provide them some security. We will see this in the garden when

Peter is ready to wage war to prevent Jesus from being taken.

But Jesus also says “in a little while” you will see me (again). Jesus want’s his

disciples to realize that the sorrow is only temporary. One of the things that my

wife, Brooke, always says is I can do anything as long as I know there is an end in

sight. Right, we just need some assurance that the difficult thing won’t last

forever. We need hope.

[Jhn 16:17 ESV] 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that

he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and

you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?"

Now stop right here do you see something in verse 17 that was not in verse 16. We

now have this phrase “because I am going to the father”.

3

You see there is some debate around what the little while is. Is Jesus talking about

he is going to die, but the he is going to be resurrected in 3 days? Is that the little

while? Or is he talking about something else. I think the key to understanding is in

that phrase that we get from the disciples “because I am going to the father”. Look

back at verse 6.

[Jhn 16:7 ESV] 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go

away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will

send him to you.

So I believe the “little while and you will see me” is referring to the coming of the

Holy Spirit. That is the context of this entire chapter, the coming of what Paul

calls in Romans as “the Spirit of Christ”. So because I go away to the Father “not

his death, but his ascension”, the Holy Spirit will come like we see in Acts 2 at

Pentecost. Which really fits with the rest of the entire chapter.

Jesus wants them to know that the sorrow they will have is only temporary

18 So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know

what he is talking about." 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to

them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, 'A little

while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'?

Now I’m right on the line of being Gen X and Millennial, and sometimes when I

think back to my childhood I realize just how different we were built. I never

forget on teacher I had in shop class. Much of it was not about shop by the way.

Have you ever heard that there is no such thing as a dumb question? Well he

didn’t subscribe to that. I’ll never forget one day in class this guy in the back of

the room raised his hand and asked a question. I don’t remember what the question

was but it must have been a dumb one, because what I do remember is how that

shop teacher responded. He said real calmly, little man, did you know people

might think you’re a dummy, but they don’t really know for sure. But the moment

4

you open your mouth and ask a question like that, everybody knows you’re a

dummy.

Proverbs 17:28: "Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he

closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent".

Now our disciple didn’t have Mr. McCreless but maybe they did read Proverbs

because nobody wants to ask the question. But Jesus is determined to show them

the temporary nature of their sorrow so he gives them an illustration.

[Jhn 16:20 ESV] 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the

world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

Jesus knows that these disciples are headed for sorrow. The road will not be easy.

But ultimately they will have joy. And you as a believer has this very same

promise.

[Rom 5:2-5 ESV] 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this

grace in which we stand, and we rejoice (definition find deep and abiding joy) in

hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings,

knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character,

and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's

love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given

to us.

God is not allowing us to go through difficult seasons for no reason. He is

sovereign and in control of all things. And while we may not know His exact

purpose we can be assured that He is doing something in and through our trials.

Our sorrow is temporary but our joy is everlasting. Jesus further explains it this

way.

5

[Jhn 16:21 ESV] 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her

hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the

anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

Jesus compares the suffering and the joy to a woman who is giving birth. Now, I

can tell you I have several children and I am somewhat of an expert you could say

in observing this phenomenon. I can tell you that the process appears from my

vantage point to be very, very difficult. But I will never forget the moment when

the first time in my life I heard the doctor say, I can see her head. It was as if in

that moment for the first time I really understood that I was about to be a Dad. I

was completely and totally responsible for another human being. I was filled with

an overwhelming amount of joy. And I remember when they handed my daughter

to my wife and she held her and she just smiled and cried these tears of joy. As

great as the pain and the suffering was, it was in that moment completely gone and

it was replaced with joy. And that joy of being a parent never goes away. Sure

there are difficult times, but it is lasting.

That brings me to my second point, (II)True Joy is Eternal

[Jhn 16:22 ESV] 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and

your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

This reunioun with Christ or the Spirit of Christ creates in us a joy that cannot be

taken from us by anyone.

Now this Jesus points to 2 characteristics of this Joy. There is joy in having direct

access to God in Prayer.

[Jhn 16:23-24 ESV] 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say

to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until

now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy

may be full.

6

I will admit that I got hung up a little bit here. What does Jesus mean ask nothing

of me? Is he saying don’t pray to Jesus? No, that’s not it at all. You have to think

about this in the context of the disciples. Up until this point in their lives all they

have known about following Jesus has been to follow him. And if they were in

need they would ask him. Jesus would talk to the Father for them, and then things

would happen. In fact all of John 17 is going to be exactly that, Jesus praying on

behalf of the disciples to the Father.

So Jesus now because I am going away, things are going to be different, you now

have direct access to the Father. And he gives a promise, ask it in my name and

you will receive it. And then we get a “so that”. Why does the Father answer these

prayers? So that your “JOY” may be made full!

Now, what does it mean to pray in Jesus name?

First of all, it is our identity. We recognize and declare that we are in Christ. But

more importantly is aligns our motives. That is to say that if I pray for something

in the name of Jesus I am saying, Father I am asking this because I believe it is the

thing that Jesus would also pray. Not out of selfishness or ambition, but I truly

believe it is a desire of Christ for this thing to happen.

So not only is access to God in prayer a characteristic of joy, but also true Spiritual

Discernment. (25)

[Jhn 16:25 ESV] 25 "I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour

is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you

plainly about the Father.

I think one of the most profound parts of Scripture is in comparing the disciples

that are presented in the gospels. Often they appear confused, without direction,

they don’t understand, they have no vision of the Kingdom. They are being

repremanded for being out of line. But then Acts 2 happens.

And all of the sudden, these disciples are presented in a completely different light.

Teaching with authority. Some are writing Scripture in connection with the Holy

7

Spirit. Preaching deep theological Kingdom truths. All of this after Jesus has

ascended!

Remember what Darien said last week in John 16:13

[Jhn 16:12-13 ESV] 12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear

them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth,

for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak,

and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Not only is the Holy Spirit called the Spirit of Christ as we saw in Romans, but he

is called by John in this chapter as the “Spirit of Truth”. And knowing the truth is

a great source of our Joy.

So why does the Father want to answer our prayers, and why does he want us to

know the truth through discernment? Because he loves us. Verse 27.

[Jhn 16:27 ESV] 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me

and have believed that I came from God.

If you want to please the Father, or better yet if you want to be loved by the

Father, then he asks us to love His Son. How do you do you love the Son?

[Jhn 14:15 ESV] 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

I want to be careful here, because I believe that you are saved by grace through

faith. Not of works lest any man should boast. There is no amount of good deeds

that can get you to heaven or earn one ounce of favor with God. But I do want to

make a connection between faith and obedience in light of John 14:15.

[2Co 13:5 ESV] 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test

yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in

you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

8

How do you know if you love Christ? How do you know if you are in the Faith?

What is the test. If you love Christ, you will desire to know his Word, and you will

desire to keep his commandments. You will not do it perfectly, you will fail, just

as I fail, but in you will be a desire to love God and to love people. There will be a

desire to flee from Sin. And when you fall into sin you will be broken unto

repentance. You are not saved by obedience, but obedience is an outpouring of a

life that is in Christ.

Some of you this morning may not know if you belong to Christ. Scripture calls us

to examine ourselves. It doesn’t ever say did you pray a prayer. Did you go

through confirmation, were you baptized? None of that. It always lands right here,

is your life bearing the fruit of the Spirit. And if it isn’t then you have cause for

great concern. If this is you then scripture is clear, believe on Jesus Christ today,

and repent and place your faith in him.

[Jhn 16:28-30 ESV] 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and

now I am leaving the world and going to the Father." 29 His disciples said, "Ah,

now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know

that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we

believe that you came from God."

In these verses we can see ourselves. We see the first elements of faith in that they

have an intellectual understanding of what Jesus is saying, but their faith is very

weak. Just like us.

We can read the truth of God, we can write in our journal. We can even pray about

some Scripture that we have read and think. That’s awesome God thank you for

showing my that truth. It can be a delightful experience to have with the Lord, and

I don’t want to take away from that. BUT, when do you really understand a

passage like this?

[Jhn 15:19 ESV] 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its

own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,

therefore the world hates you.

9

It’s not really when you read it. On a deeper level you understand it when you

experience it. When do you really understand a passage like “Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me”.

It’s not when you read it, when you understand it, it’s really when you live it.

I think Jesus’ tone in verse 31, is dripping with irony.

[Jhn 16:31 ESV] 31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?

In fact if I were paraphrasing this verse into modern language it might go

something like, “oh do you now?”. They do understand to a degree, but the trials

that lie ahead of them are about to take this small faith and grow it into something

that is unshakable.

Peter who not long after this very moment will go on to deny Jesus 3 times. I don’t

know that man, I never heard of him. Who will hear the rooster crow and realize

that he has failed in his own power. The failed Peter who Jesus would return to

and ask the question, Peter do you love me? Peter do you love me? Peter do you

love me? I can almost here Jesus say after all that? Now Peter, now do you believe

me? And Peter would have said, Oh Lord, now because I have gone through all of

this, now I really believe!

It is that Peter, not failed Peter, but tested Peter, the redeemed Peter who goes on

to write this:

[1Pe 1:6-7 ESV] 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary,

you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your

faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be

found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The test is coming vs 32.

10

[Jhn 16:32 ESV] 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you

will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not

alone, for the Father is with me.

They will fail. It doesn’t mean they aren’t believers. The test is for a purpose, to

strengthen, to grow.

Why am I telling you all this, Jesus says?

[Jhn 16:33 ESV] 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have

peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the

world."

Listen Church, Jesus doesn’t just speak these words to the disciples in the upper

room. I believe he has in mind, all of you, and me. And any disciple that would be

called to him. To believe in Jesus is to be at odds with the world. And there is a

promise here that in this world. In this evil system that you find yourself a part of.

you will have tribulation. You will have trouble. You will have sorrow.

Jesus says take heart, I have overcome the world. This is the victory. Only Jesus

can say this. Only he has the power. If I say cheer up, buck up, hang it there it is

meaningless, because I don’t have the power to do anything. Not the case with

Jesus. The creator, God himself, says, I know your trouble, but rest in me, because

I am the One that holds it all. We have nothing to worry about because of that.

 Lord’s Supper

 Invitation

o Are you going through a trial? Pray this morning that God would grow

your faith.

o Maybe this morning you know another believer who is going though

trials and God is showing you an opportunity to encourage them and

support them in the midst of it.

o Maybe this morning you have examined yourself and you have

concerns that your faith is not real.

Read More
Guest UserGrace Christian FellowshipJohn, Mikey Brannon, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible-believing church, non-denominational church
Why It's Good that Jesus Went Away | John 16:5-15 | Darien Gabriel
Why It's Good that Jesus Went Away | John 16:5-15 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: Why it's good that Jesus went away

Scripture: 📖 John 16:5-15

Bottom Line: It's better that Jesus left his disciples when he did, because His Spirit continues and completes His work in qand through us.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. 📖 SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

  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 Coach Who Steps Off the Field”

When Clemson football fans think about Dabo Swinney, they picture a passionate coach who seems everywhere at once — shouting encouragement, correcting mistakes, celebrating victories. But imagine if, before a national championship game, Coach Swinney told his team, “I won’t be on the sidelines today. I’m sending someone in my place — the spirit of what I’ve taught you.”

At first, players would panic. “Coach, we need you!” But what if that coach had spent years embedding his playbook, his mindset, his values into them? When he steps off the field, they finally step up. His spirit fills the team — and they play like him, think like him, and carry his mission forward.

That’s what Jesus is preparing His disciples for in John 16. He’s about to leave — not abandon them, but empower them. His leaving isn’t a setback; it’s a setup for the Spirit to come.

Or

“Chasing Relics of the Presence”

Throughout history, Christians have gone to great lengths to hold on to something physical that connects them to Jesus.

Pilgrims have traveled thousands of miles to see what’s believed to be a fragment of the True Cross, a splinter of the manger, a nail from the crucifixion, or even the Shroud of Turin.

Whether authentic or not, these relics reveal a deep longing: “If I could just be closer to something that touched Jesus, maybe I could feel closer to Him.”

That desire is understandable — who wouldn’t want to see or touch what He touched? But in John 16, Jesus says something astonishing: “It’s for your good that I’m going away.”

Why? Because He would send the Holy Spirit.

We don’t need a relic or a sacred site to be close to Christ. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us. What many travel the world to find, God has already placed within His people.

Bottom Line: It's better that Jesus left his disciples when he did, because His Spirit continues and completes His work in us and through us.

CONTEXT

Jesus continues to prepare his disciples for a mission way bigger than themselves. He's trying to help them shift their eyes from themselves and their personal circumstances to Jesus and his global mission that starts with him and he's passing along to them.

They haven't grasped yet all that the Holy Spirit brings to the table. But they will.

In vv. 4-5, Jesus says, "I have told you THIS, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you THIS from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me." (Emphasis mine)

What is "THIS"?

THIS is him handing off his mission to them to do in the power of the Holy Spirit. THIS is his Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). THIS is us being chosen to bear fruit that will last.

In summary, Jesus says to them:

1. I'm leaving,

2. People will hate you, and

3. You still need to tell them about Me.

But they aren't ready yet. They're consumed with how this will affect them.

SERMON OUTLINE (w/ help from ChatGPT)

Bottom Line: It's better that Jesus left his disciples when he did, because His Spirit continues and completes His work in us and through us.

Why it's good that Jesus went away:

I. The Advantage of Jesus’ Departure - we get another Advicate/Helper/Counselor (vv. 5–7)

• The disciples grieve His leaving, but Jesus says His departure is for their good.

• The Spirit cannot come unless He goes.

• Application: Sometimes what feels like loss is actually God preparing us for more.

Pyramids

"They're like the traveler who visits the pyramids in Egypt, turns his camera around to get a picture of himself in front of this wonder of the world, and when he gets home, he realizes all you can see in the picture is his face. He's completely blocked the focal point. The disciples are so focused on themselves they don't even ask Jesus where he's going." -Matt Carter

II. The Holy Spirit’s Work in the World (vv. 8–11)

• The Spirit convicts the world of three things:

1. Sin – because people don’t believe in Jesus.

2. Righteousness – because Jesus is vindicated as He returns to the Father.

3. Judgment – because the ruler of this world stands condemned.

• Application: The Spirit exposes falsehood, reveals true righteousness, and declares Satan’s defeat.

III. The Holy Spirit’s Work in Believers (vv. 12–15)

• The Spirit guides believers into all truth.

• The Spirit glorifies Jesus — He never points to Himself.

• The Spirit shares what belongs to the Son and the Father with us.

• Application: The Spirit keeps Jesus’ presence and power active in His people today.

Conclusion

Applications in summary:

  • Sometimes what feels like loss is actually God preparing us for more.

  • The Spirit exposes falsehood, reveals true righteousness, and declares Satan’s defeat.

  • The Spirit keeps Jesus’ presence and power active in His people today.

“The Power That Stayed Behind”

Thomas Edison was one of the most creative minds the world has ever seen. People called him the Wizard of Menlo Park because of the way his ideas seemed almost magical. He didn’t just invent things — he changed the way people lived. The light bulb, the phonograph, motion pictures — these weren’t just clever gadgets; they transformed daily life around the world.

But what made Edison truly remarkable wasn’t just his inventions — it was his spirit of relentless creativity. He failed thousands of times, but he never stopped experimenting, learning, and creating. He once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

When Edison died, his lab assistants sealed a test tube containing what they believed was his final breath. They said it was “the breath of genius” — the last of his creative spirit. Of course, they couldn’t really capture what made him great. His creativity, his ideas, his influence — those couldn’t be sealed in glass. They lived on in the world he helped shape and in the people he inspired.

In the same way, when Jesus left this world, He didn’t leave us a relic or a memory. He left us His very breath — the Holy Spirit — the living presence of God Himself. Not sealed away in a museum, but alive in every believer. The same Spirit who empowered Jesus now empowers His people. That’s why it was good that He went away. His life, power, and presence didn’t end — they multiplied.

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

SERMON OUTLINE (w/ help from Matt Carter)

"A good mission statement shapes the priorities of a company and provides a great framework for decision making. If an employee understands the big picture--the mission of the organization--it places his small, daily actions in the context of a grander agenda. A clear mission gives purpose to the mundane. As Christians, what is our mission? Our mission revolves around the gospel. We have been chosen by Jesus to bear the fruit of the gospel in our lives and share the message of the gospel with our lips. We are here to continue the mission of Jesus by spreading the message of Jesus." -Matt Carter

At Grace CF,

Our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. This purpose never ends. It's why we were created.

Our mission is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and people as we love ourselves. This is the mission of every church. We do this until we go home.

We believe that the key task of our mission is to make disciples who make disciples around the corner and around the world.

Everything we do runs through this filter.

This is consistent with John 15:16 where Jesus tells his disciples, "You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last."

This is another way of saying our mission as a church.

We express this mission with our lips and our lives.

I. The Disciples' Mission is Bigger Than Themselves (16:4b-6). What is "This" in 4b? In summary, 1. I'm leaving, 2. People will hate you, 3. You still need to tell them about Me.

A. He has not fully revealed his departure. (Death, burial, resurrection) He waited until Judas Iscariot left.

B. He has not fully revealed their mission. The way of the cross. How they will carry out this mission to the nations. This is WAY BIGGER than them! And it will consume their very lives!

C. He has not fully revealed the world's reaction to the Message. That the world hated him and will therefore hate and oppose them as well. They'll bear witness in the face of persecution and rejection.

II. The Disciples' Mission Requires Supernatural Help (16:7-15). It's good that Jesus is leaving. Only then will he send the Holy Spirit. And, in the context, the reason is to empower them (and us) to carry out the mission Jesus started with them.

John highlights two ways the Holy Spirit empowers them to carry out their mission:

A. The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin (16:8-11). Of sin (9), righteousness...self-righteousness (10), that is...and judgment. (11)

      • When I visited Africa, I was invited to eat at the home of one of the local men. We sat in his backyard and ate a dinner of boiled yams and peanuts. At one point one of his daughters brought out a pitcher of water and began to pour us glasses. He stopped her, took my glass, and poured it out on the ground. She was doing her best to be kind to me, but her best wasn't good enough. He knew if I drank that water, I'd get sick. Her gift of water was a polluted offering.

      • God calls our best efforts to please him "polluted" (Isa 64:6). They're unacceptable. They're tainted by sin and will be poured out as worth-less. No one can come to God based on good works.

      • "The word translated 'convict' (8) has the goal of convincing a person to turn from his or her sin." -Carter

      • How does the Holy Spirit convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment? Through his disciples--agents of the Holy Spirit.

        • In John 15, Jesus tells his disciples to join him in his mission followed by his reminder that the Holy Spirit will bear witness through them.

        • In John 16, Jesus warns them of the opposition and persecution that they will face that will be so difficult they'll need the power of the Holy Spirit to bear witness in the midst of that.

        • In summary, "The Spirit convicts the world by empowering the disciples to bear witness about Jesus. The Spirit brings conviction to the world through the message of the disciples."  -Carter

        • Our role is to "faithfully bear witness to Jesus, and the role of the HOly S;Iris is to make that witness spiritually effective." - Carter

      • Maybe we don't realize that the Spirit's power is in you because we're not busy doing things that only he can accomplish. Things like:

        • Love people who are like you

        • Go to church

        • Go to home group or bible study

        • Give some money

      • Maybe try something that requires the Spirit's power like

        • Love someone antagonistic to the gospel

        • Be on call 24/7 for a person in need

        • Meet weekly with a brother or sister to help bear their burdens

        • Plead with your unbelieving friends or family to repent and believe

        • Give your hard-earned money when there's not much left

        • Move your family around the world for the sake of the gospel

      • We need the Holy Spirit to carry out his mission!

B. The Holy Spirit will guide the disciples into truth (16:12-15). "Jesus describes a mission that will take an entire lifetime and might require them to give their lives. He unfolds a new community unique in the way it lives together." -Carter

      • They have many questions. Jesus doesn't give them answers.

      • Jesus gives them a promise. The Holy Spirit will guide them (12-15). That's where their answers will come from.

      • The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth.

        • He only speaks the truth.

        • He only speaks what God wants spoken.

        • He passes the truth on to his disciples on mission with him.

        • He will guide his disciples with the truth that sets us free.

C. It's good that Jesus is leaving to go to work at his Father's side...

“It’s like a newly elected president saying on election night, ‘This is great — let’s just stay at the party forever.’ His supporters would respond, ‘No, you have to go to Washington — that’s where the real work begins!’ In the same way, Jesus had to go—not to a capital city, but to the right hand of God—so He could send His Spirit to us. His leaving wasn’t the end of His ministry; it was the beginning of ours.”

“All of us, even the most pious Christians among us, are overwhelmingly influenced by the cultural customs and conventions of the societies in which we live. It starts in school, where popularity means “being with it,” that is, being in line with the morality of the society, even if that morality includes things of which God does not approve. That’s what our innate struggle with sin is all about. We listen every day to the voices of the culture around us that tell us what’s politically correct and what isn’t, what is socially acceptable and what isn’t. Then, for a few minutes on Sunday morning, we hear the law of God. We know they don’t match up, but unless or until the Holy Spirit takes the law and pierces our souls with it and convicts us of sin, we don’t really pay attention to it.Real conversion is an experience of repentance and forgiveness before God. It is not merely praying a prayer, joining a Christian church, or receiving a sacrament. It is being brought to our knees by the conviction of God the Holy Spirit. The Spirit then convinces us of what true righteousness is and shows us we[…]”

Excerpt From

John - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

This material may be protected by copyright.

“Just imagine if he were to say: “Hey, this is great. Let’s stay here. This celebration is so much fun, I don’t think I’ll ever go to Washington.” The candidate’s supporters would be sure to say: “Oh, yes, you will. That’s why we elected you. We want you in Washington to work for us.”Jesus was going to a much more important place than Washington. He was going to the right hand of God. It was far better for Him to go there than to stay in Jerusalem. There He would be in a position of power, and one of His first acts would be to send the Holy Spirit to minister to the disciples.”  -RC Sproul

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?

🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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

ChatGPT AI

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, non-denominational church, bible-believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Signs and Glory, John, Jesus
What to do When You're Canceled for Being a Christian | John 15:18-16:4 | Darien Gabriel
What to do When You're Canceled for Being a Christian | John 15:18-16:4 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: What to Do When You’re Canceled for Being a Christian

Scripture: 📖 John 15:18-16:4 NIV

Cf. Matthew 10:16-25

Bottom Line: Because the world hated Jesus, it will also hate & oppose his followers. But the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm and bear witness in the face of persecution & rejection.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. 📖 SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

  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 Student Who Spoke Up”

A few years ago, a high school student in California stood up during a class discussion on morality. The teacher asked what determines right and wrong, and the student quietly said, “For me, I believe what Jesus teaches in the Bible.”

The class went silent. Then came laughter. Someone videoed it and posted it online. Comments poured in — “bigot,” “brainwashed,” “religious nut.”

The student didn’t argue back. He just said later, “It hurt, but I’d rather be known for following Jesus than for fitting in.”

We live in a world where you can be canceled just for believing what Jesus said.

That’s not new — Jesus told His disciples 2,000 years ago, “If the world hates you, remember it hated Me first.”

Transition: Jesus wasn’t shocked by this. He prepared His disciples for it. The night before His crucifixion, He told them what to do when the world turns against them.

So the question for us today is: What do we do when the world turns against us for following Jesus?

Bottom Line: Because the world hated Jesus, it will also hate & oppose his followers. But the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm and bear witness in the face of persecution & rejection.

CONTEXT

In the wake of teaching the disciples about the coming community of faith he was building in and through them, he warned them that the world would hate and oppose them because they hated and opposed him. This would rattle them but also prepare them from what was to come. This was why Jesus was telling them.

SERMON OUTLINE (w/ help from ChatGPT, Matt Carter, Hughes, Johnston)

What do we do when we're being canceled for following Jesus Christ?

1. Expect Opposition, Not Acceptance 📖 John 15:18–20

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”

➡️ Jesus prepares His followers by showing that persecution is not a sign of failure but of faithfulness. The world’s hatred is rooted in its rejection of Him.

2. Remember Your Identity and Mission 📖 John 15:19

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.”

➡️ Our calling and identity come from Jesus’ choice of us, not the world’s approval. This gives courage to stand firm when we’re misunderstood or opposed.

3. Rely on the Holy Spirit for Strength and Witness 📖 John 15:26–27

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father… he will testify about me. And you also must testify.”

➡️ The Spirit empowers believers to bear witness even in hostile conditions. We are never alone in our suffering or mission.

4. Persevere in Faithfulness 📖 John 16:1–4

“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away… They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.”

➡️ Jesus’ warning is meant to build resilience. Opposition will come—even from religious people—but forewarning strengthens faith rather than fear.

“The Quiet Faith of Coach Joseph Kennedy”

High school football coach Joseph Kennedy used to kneel and pray for 15 seconds after each game. No speeches, no shouting — just quiet thanks to God. When the school district ordered him to stop, he refused. They fired him. The story made national news, and years later the Supreme Court ruled in his favor.

But when asked what he learned through it all, Coach Kennedy said:

“Faithfulness is never wasted. Even if I’d lost everything, I’d still do it again — because I wasn’t kneeling for the crowd. I was kneeling for Christ.”

That’s what Jesus was preparing His disciples for — not comfort, but courage. When the world cancels you for following Him, you don’t lose your value — you prove your loyalty. You may be canceled by culture, but you are chosen by Christ. And that’s what matters most.

Tertullian

The famous quote from Tertullian (early church father, c. 160–225 A.D.) is:

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

Tertullian wrote this line in his work Apologeticus (Apology), Chapter 50. He was defending Christians against Roman persecution and pointing out that the more Rome tried to destroy the Church through violence, the more it grew.

Here’s the fuller context from his argument:

“We multiply whenever we are mown down by you;

the blood of Christians is seed.”

(Apologeticus, ch. 50)

In essence, Tertullian was saying: Persecution doesn’t stop the Church — it strengthens it. Every act of violence against believers becomes a testimony that draws more people to faith.

Have we not witnessed this in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination?

“Canceled Before Cancel Culture”

In 1555, two men were chained to a stake in Oxford, England — Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley. Their “crime”? Preaching that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone.

As the flames were lit, Latimer cried out to Ridley, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as I trust shall never be put out.”

The world tried to cancel them, but God used their courage to ignite revival.

Cancel culture isn’t new. The world has been trying to silence faithful followers of Jesus since the first century. Jesus told His disciples this would happen — not to frighten them, but to prepare them.

“The Backlash and the Blessing”

In 2017, when a Christian baker in Colorado refused to design a custom cake celebrating something that violated his Biblical convictions, he faced lawsuits, death threats, and nationwide scorn. He lost income, reputation, and peace of mind — but he didn’t lose his faith.

Years later, he said, “If I had to do it all over again, I would still follow my conscience. I would still follow Jesus.”

Jesus said, “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.” When the world cancels you, don’t crumble — stand firm, speak truth, and trust the Spirit. The world may cancel you, but Christ has already chosen you. And that can never be undone.

Bottom Line: Because the world hated Jesus, it will also hate & oppose his followers. But the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm and bear witness in the face of persecution & rejection.

  • Jesus didn’t call us to comfort; He called us to courage.

  • The same Spirit who empowered the disciples empowers us today.

  • When you’re “canceled” for Christ, remember — He chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last.

Challenge:

Don’t retreat. Reveal Jesus. When the world cancels you, keep pointing people to the cross — because that’s where true freedom begins.

Closing Line:

You may be canceled by the world, but you are chosen by Christ.

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

None

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?

🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

Title: What to Do When You’re Canceled for Being a Christian

Scripture: John 15:18–16:4 NIV

Preacher: Darien Roger Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

When you stand for Jesus, don’t be surprised if the world stands against you.

In this message, Pastor Darien Gabriel unpacks Jesus’ words from John 15:18–16:4, where He warned His disciples about opposition, rejection, and persecution — and gave them the key to stand strong through it all.

Bottom Line:

Because the world hated Jesus, it will also oppose His followers — but the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm and bear witness in the face of rejection.

If you’ve ever felt misunderstood, mocked, or “canceled” for following Christ, this message will remind you that you’re not alone, and you’re not without help.

Watch now and learn what it means to stay faithful, courageous, and Spirit-empowered when the world pushes back.

👉 Subscribe for more messages and short clips from Grace Christian Fellowship.

📍 Visit: gracetoday.net

#John15 #Persecution #Faith #HolySpirit #Jesus #Discipleship #DarienGabriel #GraceChristianFellowship

🖼️

Thumbnail Text Ideas

(Choose one bold main line with a short subline)

  1. CANCELED for CHRIST

    How to Stand Strong When the World Turns Against You

  2. When Faith Costs You

    Jesus Warned Us About This

  3. Rejected — But Not Alone

    The Spirit Gives Courage When the World Hates You

  4. Following Jesus Isn’t Always Popular

    But It’s Always Worth 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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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 FellowshipLadson, SC, non-denominational church, bible-believing church, Darien Gabriel, JOhn, John, Signs & Glory, Grace Christian Fellowship
How Do I Live as a Disciple of Jesus Today? Part 2 | John 15:7-17 | Darien Gabriel
How Do I Live as a Disciple of Jesus Today? Part 2 | John 15:7-17 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: How do I live as a disciple of Jesus today?

Subtitle: Part 2

Scripture: John 15:7-17 NIV, Isaiah 5, Psalm 80

Bottom Line: A disciple of Jesus today is growing to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 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

What does a disciple of Jesus look like today? Well, these examples are a good place to start. They loved their enemies and forgave them.

Bottom Line: A disciple of Jesus today is growing to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

CONTEXT

Jesus's disciples are deeply troubled because they have just heard 3 things:

  1. One of them will betray Jesus,

  2. Jesus is about to leave them and go where they cannot go, and

  3. Peter will deny Jesus 3 times that night.

  4. He's taught them again to love each other as he has loved them

  5. He's told them his spirit will come and empower them to do all that he's taught them to do

  6. He's coming back (resurrected, as his spirit, second coming)

They leave the upper room where they've had their feet washed, heard all of this, and now they're heading to the garden of gethsamene to pray and be arrested.

Sub questions for today:

Q. What does spiritual fruit look like?

Q. How do I bear spiritual fruit that will last?

OUTLINE (w/ help from Matt Carter & ChatGPT)

Transition: This passage breaks down into 2 sections: 1) True disciples bear fruit, and 2) What that fruit looks like. Today we'll focus on part 2: What does true spiritual fruit look like and how do we bear it?

Let's ask some questions:

Q. What do I want you to know today?

A. What the fruit of a true disciple of Jesus Christ looks like.

Spiritual fruit

  • Is from God through his spirit

  • Lasts forever

What does this fruit look like according to this passage?

  1. Answered prayer. God tells us to ask whatever we want in Jesus' name and it will be given to us. (15:7, 16)

  2. Proof that we're true disciples of Jesus. (15:8, 14)

  3. Glorify God (15:8) which is why we were created.

  4. Overflowing with his joy (> happiness, which is based solely on circumstances). (15:11)

  5. Love of God (in obeying his commands) and people (in obeying his commands). (15:10, 12, 14, 17)

  6. Friendship with God through Jesus. (15:14-15)

  7. Security in your salvation:

    1. "Already clean" (15:3)

    2. "I chose you" (15:16)

Q. Why do I want you to know this?

A. Because you will know where you stand as a disciple of Jesus Christ: true or false; fruit-bearing or not.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Bear spiritual fruit that will last forever.

Q. Why?

A. Because Jesus says this is why he chose you and me. Therefore, we should do this.

Q. How?

A. By training to remain in Christ. Here are 4 training regiments that will help:

  1. Know, believe, and obey God's word.

  2. Pray bold, specific, and believing prayers in Jesus' name.

  3. Love each other sacrificially ("As I have loved you").

  4. Recognizing and embracing the principle of pruning requires suffering, trials and testing.

Conclusion

Bottom Line: A disciple of Jesus today is growing to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

When we train to remain/abide in Christ, we will grow in the character and competencies of Jesus Christ, in his power (not ours), and we will lead others to do this as well.

Q. How do I know I'm doing this?

A. You'll multiply yourself.

  1. You'll lead people to Christ deep and wide.

  2. You'll help others lead people to Christ deep and wide.

  3. You'll see God's love spread through his word in you.

Q. What's next?

A. Commit to getting a good grip on God's word by reading it daily, praying it daily, and obeying it daily.

B. Consider H.E.A.R. Method. https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/bible-journaling-method-to-hear-god-speak

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

Outline with help from Matt Carter and ChatGPT

II. Spiritual Fruit in a Disciple of Jesus today looks like this: (15:7-17)

A. Answered prayer--this happens because of the union with Jesus. The "sap" is the back and forth communication. "My words remain in you" (7)

      1. Jesus speaks through his word. God prunes and cleans through his word (3).

      2. We respond in prayer. Where there is prayer, there are answers. God listens to his people.

      3. It looks like breathing. "When the Holy Spirit is pulsing through you, you pray without thinking. You just talk to God." -Carter

      4. Prayer is as important to the soul as breathing to the body.

B. Obedient love--we obey because we love.

    • Our love flows from our obedience. Obedience is the evidence of love.

    • A persistently, willfully, disobedient person is not a Christian.

    • What's cool here is that even though Jesus is our King and has every right to demand our obedience, he doesn't treat us like slaves. He sees us as friends. Slaves are given commands without explanation. Jesus invites us into his inner circle. He shares his friendship and explains what he's doing. Not always as much as we'd like but he tells us what the Father says to him. (14-15)

C. Inexhaustible joy--Jesus, who fills our Dixie cup/cone cup with joy, immerses our Dixie cup of joy into his ocean of joy.

    • Happiness is dependent on your circumstances. Joy transcends your circumstances.

      • Examples

        • Paul in Prison (Philippians 1:12–21; 4:4)

        • Happiness: No one would be happy about being chained up, falsely accused, and awaiting trial. His circumstances were bleak.

        • Joy: Paul still wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). His joy was rooted in Christ being proclaimed and in knowing that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” His joy transcended his imprisonment.

      • The Apostles Beaten (Acts 5:40–42)

        • Happiness: After being flogged by the Sanhedrin, they weren’t happy about the pain or humiliation.

        • Joy: They “rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” Joy came from sharing in Christ’s sufferings and being faithful witnesses.

      • Jesus on the Cross (Hebrews 12:2)

        • Happiness: The cross was excruciating, shameful, and horrific—nothing about it was happy.

        • Joy: Yet Hebrews says Jesus endured it “for the joy set before him”—the joy of redeeming us, glorifying the Father, and sitting down at His right hand.

      • Job Loss

        • Happiness: Losing your job doesn’t make you happy. The stress, loss of income, and uncertainty feel heavy.

        • Joy: A believer can still have joy by trusting God’s provision, remembering His past faithfulness, and resting in His promises. Joy looks like saying, “This is hard, but I know God is still with me and will provide,” even while updating your résumé.

      • It's no coincidence that Jesus follows, "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love" (10) with, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in your and that your joy may be complete." (11) "Joy comes through obedience." -Carter

    • 👉 In short: Happiness is when circumstances go your way. Joy is when your heart goes God’s way—even when circumstances don’t.

D. Sacrificial love--how is this demonstrated? Well, in a way that costs us.

    • Jesus loved his Father as demonstrated in his perfect obedience to go and die on the cross for the sins of the world.

    • Jesus calls us to love one another in this way--as he has loved us.

    • An apple tree bears apples.

    • An orange tree bears oranges.

    • A follower of Jesus Christ bears loves, prays and obeys Jesus.

E. Friendship with Jesus. No longer slaves.

F. Desire to bear fruit that will last forever.

III. How do we bear spiritual fruit that will last?

  • We train to remain (abide) in Jesus Christ by:

    • Leaning into his pruning (2)

    • Remembering he picked me!

    • Obeying his word

      • Hear it regularly

      • Read it daily

      • Study it (reading with a pencil/pen or highlighter)

      • Memorize it (Ps 119:11)

      • Meditate on it (focused thinking)

    • Loving Jesus obediently

    • Loving Jesus sacrificially

    • Praying with confidence that he hears and answers our prayers

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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 FellowshipLadson, SC, non-denominational church, bible-believing church, Darien Gabriel, John, Grace Christian Fellowship
How Do I Live as a Disciple of Jesus Today? Part 1 | John 15:1-6 | Darien Gabriel
How Do I Live as a Disciple of Jesus Today? Part 1 | John 15:1-6 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: How do I live as a disciple of Jesus today?

Subtitle: Part 1

Scripture: John 15:1-6 NIV, Isaiah 5, Psalm 80

Bottom Line: A disciple of Jesus today is growing to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 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

"(Jesus said from the cross), 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' That young man—I forgive him. I forgive him, because it is what Christ did, and it is what Charlie would do." Erika Kirk

Cf. Members of Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston forgave the murderer of their family members (Dylan Roof). (2015)

Cf. Tim Allen forgiving his father after hearing Erika Kirk forgiving the young man who assassinated her husband Charlie.

Jesus loved and forgave his enemies as they were executing him.

What does a disciple of Jesus look like today? Well, these examples are a good place to start. They loved their enemies and forgave them.

Bottom Line: A disciple of Jesus today is growing to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

Draw the matrix showing that high or Christlike character and high competency results in spiritual fruitfulness forever.

CONTEXT

Jesus's disciples are deeply troubled because they have just heard 3 things:

  1. One of them will betray Jesus,

  2. Jesus is about to leave them and go where they cannot go, and

  3. Peter will deny Jesus 3 times that night.

  4. He's taught them again to love each other as he has loved them

  5. He's told them his spirit will come and empower them to do all that he's taught them to do

  6. He's coming back (resurrected, as his spirit, second coming)

They leave the upper room where they've had their feet washed, heard all of this, and now they're heading to the garden of gethsamene to pray and be arrested.

OUTLINE (w/ help from Matt Carter & ChatGPT)

Bottom Line: A disciple of Jesus today is growing to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

Transition: This passage breaks down into 2 sections: 1) True disciples bear fruit, and 2) What that fruit looks like. We'll follow that with how we bear this spiritual fruit that lasts.

I. True Disciples of Jesus Today Bear Spiritual Fruit that will last. (15:-1-6)

    • 7th of 7 "I am" statements

      • I am the bread of life

      • I am the light of the world

      • I am the gate

      • I am the good shepherd

      • I am the resurrection and the life

      • I am the way, the truth and the life

      • I am the true vine

    • Not "a" but "the"

    • "True vine" implies that there are "false vines"

    • While the vineyard was a picture of Israel (Isaiah 5, Psalm 80), Jesus says it's a false vine because they produced "sour, inedible grapes". Jesus is the True Vine.

    • Jesus is also the true Israel or God and man in fellowship through Jesus Christ. -Johnston

    • Fruitfulness = Living to our God-given potential out of the overflow of our relationship with Jesus.

    • God calls Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. (Genesis 1:28) "The fruitfulness that was lost thorugh the Fall, is recovered through Christ and his redemption." -Johnston

    • "The recovery of true fruitfulness in life is bound up in the recovery of fellowship with God through Jesus Christ." -Johnston

    • Jesus connects fruitfulness to fellowship.

    • We are Grace Christian FELLOWSHIP. That is we are a people connected in fellowship to one another through our fellowship with Jesus Christ.

    • The Point: "The path to God doesn't go through the nation of Israel; it goes through Jesus." -Carter

    • It's about union with Jesus. (Connection to the true vine)

    • Jesus is the True Vine, Father is the Vinedresser, we are the branches.

    • 2 types of disciples:

      • Living and (alive in Christ)

      • Dead (never exercised saving faith; Ex. Judas Iscariot); "They hang around Jesus without a genuine, life-giving relationship with him." False disciples will be cut off and burned in judgment.

    • If you are alive in Christ, God will do his part to insure you are fruitful--pruning is key:

      • Dead wood

      • Good wood that will decrease fruitfulness if not removed

    • God's commitment to your fruit-bearing > Your commitment to comfort

    • "God will do whatever it takes for you to bear fruit. John Newton, the great eighteenth-century English pastor and songwriter, began a letter this way:

      • 'At length, and without further apology for my silence, I sit down to ask you how you fare. Afflictions I hear have been your lot; and if I had not heard so, I should have taken it for granted: for I believe the Lord loves you, and as many as He loves He chastens.

      • I think you can say, afflictions have been good for you, and I doubt not but you have found strength according to your day; so that, though you may have been sharply tried, you have not been overpowered.'" -Newton, Amazing Works, 156-57

    • True disciples abide or remain connected to Jesus. Ex. Like a branch drawing life-giving sap from the vine is essential to life and fruit-bearing.

    • “Here Jesus introduced that rich word abide, which has to do with remaining close to Him. Jesus declared that our productivity, our fruitfulness, is directly linked to our abiding in Him. As Christians, we will bear fruit, but it will vary in degree. The closer we stay to Christ, the more fruit we will bear. The more we wander out from the center and neglect the means of grace that He has given to us, the less fruit we will produce” -RC Sproul

    • "People who claim to be Christians but do not show evidence of his life flowing through them will be cut off, gathered up nd burned." V. 6

    • "A fruitless disciple is not a disciple at all."- Carter

    • How does God cause us to bear spiritual fruit? Through his word.

II. Spiritual Fruit in a Disciple of Jesus today looks like this: (15:7-17)

A. Answered prayer--this happens because of the union with Jesus. The "sap" is the back and forth communication. "My words remain in you" (7)

      1. Jesus speaks through his word. God prunes and cleans through his word (3).

      2. We respond in prayer. Where there is prayer, there are answers. God listens to his people.

      3. It looks like breathing. "When the Holy Spirit is pulsing through you, you pray without thinking. You just talk to God." -Carter

      4. Prayer is as important to the soul as breathing to the body.

B. Obedient love--we obey because we love.

    • Our love flows from our obedience. Obedience is the evidence of love.

    • A persistently, willfully, disobedient person is not a Christian.

    • What's cool here is that even though Jesus is our King and has every right to demand our obedience, he doesn't treat us like slaves. He sees us as friends. Slaves are given commands without explanation. Jesus invites us into his inner circle. He shares his friendship and explains what he's doing. Not always as much as we'd like but he tells us what the Father says to him. (14-15)

C. Inexhaustible joy--Jesus, who fills our Dixie cup/cone cup with joy, immerses our Dixie cup of joy into his ocean of joy.

    • Happiness is dependent on your circumstances. Joy transcends your circumstances.

      • Examples

        • Paul in Prison (Philippians 1:12–21; 4:4)

        • Happiness: No one would be happy about being chained up, falsely accused, and awaiting trial. His circumstances were bleak.

        • Joy: Paul still wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). His joy was rooted in Christ being proclaimed and in knowing that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” His joy transcended his imprisonment.

      • The Apostles Beaten (Acts 5:40–42)

        • Happiness: After being flogged by the Sanhedrin, they weren’t happy about the pain or humiliation.

        • Joy: They “rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” Joy came from sharing in Christ’s sufferings and being faithful witnesses.

      • Jesus on the Cross (Hebrews 12:2)

        • Happiness: The cross was excruciating, shameful, and horrific—nothing about it was happy.

        • Joy: Yet Hebrews says Jesus endured it “for the joy set before him”—the joy of redeeming us, glorifying the Father, and sitting down at His right hand.

      • Job Loss

        • Happiness: Losing your job doesn’t make you happy. The stress, loss of income, and uncertainty feel heavy.

        • Joy: A believer can still have joy by trusting God’s provision, remembering His past faithfulness, and resting in His promises. Joy looks like saying, “This is hard, but I know God is still with me and will provide,” even while updating your résumé.

      • It's no coincidence that Jesus follows, "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love" (10) with, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in your and that your joy may be complete." (11) "Joy comes through obedience." -Carter

    • 👉 In short: Happiness is when circumstances go your way. Joy is when your heart goes God’s way—even when circumstances don’t.

D. Sacrificial love--how is this demonstrated? Well, in a way that costs us.

    • Jesus loved his Father as demonstrated in his perfect obedience to go and die on the cross for the sins of the world.

    • Jesus calls us to love one another in this way--as he has loved us.

    • An apple tree bears apples.

    • An orange tree bears oranges.

    • A follower of Jesus Christ bears loves, prays and obeys Jesus.

E. Friendship with Jesus. No longer slaves.

F. Desire to bear fruit that will last forever.

III. How do we bear spiritual fruit that will last?

  • We train to remain (abide) in Jesus Christ by:

    • Leaning into his pruning (2)

    • Remembering he picked me!

    • Obeying his word

      • Hear it regularly

      • Read it daily

      • Study it (reading with a pencil/pen or highlighter)

      • Memorize it (Ps 119:11)

      • Meditate on it (focused thinking)

    • Loving Jesus obediently

    • Loving Jesus sacrificially

    • Praying with confidence that he hears and answers our prayers

Bottom Line: A disciple of Jesus today is growing to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him, and leading others to do the same.

Conclusion

As I said before one fruit of the spirit is answered prayer. And God answers specific prayer specifically. Try him on this. Ask for specific prayers to be answered this week in accordance with his Will with a heart that is bent towards his desires. Watching him work!

God's Benefit Package by Nicky Gumbel

I rediscovered one of my prayer diaries in which I recorded some of my early experiences of answered prayer.

On 26 September 1976, I wrote about a prayer for my mother: ‘Prayed for the Lord to heal her insomnia.’ (I did not tell her I was praying for her.)

Exactly three months later, on 26 December 1976, I wrote that my mother ‘says she has slept better in the last few weeks than for four years and it is no longer a problem’.

Of course, it is not possible to prove Christianity on the basis of answers to prayer, because cynics can always explain them away as coincidence.

But as former Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple said, ‘When I pray, coincidences happen; when I don’t, they don’t.’

The cumulative effect of answered prayer is to reinforce our faith in God.

Over the last thirty years, I have written by the New Testament passage for today some of my prayers for the year ahead. It is amazing to think back and remember the ways in which God has answered so many of these prayers. I find it very easy to forget all the answers to prayer. It is so easy to forget blessings. David reminds himself in the psalm for today *not to forget* ‘*all his benefits*’ (Psalm 103:2). Many are conscious of the ‘benefits’ they receive associated with their employment, or from the state. But what about the ‘benefits’ that we receive from our loving heavenly Father?

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

“I’m sure that everyone reading this book has been touched by the death of a loved one. I have; by the mercy of God, both of my parents died at home in bed. My mother slipped away at night when I was asleep, but I was next to the bed, more than fifty years ago, when my father breathed his last. I watched death in front of my eyes, and in that moment I lost the person who meant more to me than any person on the face of the earth. When it happened, something stabbed my soul, causing me to say: “This is insane. This can’t be real. He must merely be sleeping. O God, will he live again?”

R.C. Sproul

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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 FellowshipLadson, SC, non-denominational church, bible-believing church, Darien Gabriel, Signs & Glory, John, disciple
What Assurances Do We Have in Jesus' Absence? | John 14:15-31 | Darien Gabriel
What Assurances Do We Have in Jesus' Absence? | John 14:15-31 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: What assurances do we have in Jesus’ absence?

Scripture: John 14:15-31 NIV

Bottom Line: Even though Jesus is leaving, the relationship between Jesus and His Disciples will continue to be defined by love.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. 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

In my college days, I couldn't wait to go home. Now I didn't go home every weekend as I was 4 hours away. But I always looked forward to seeing family, friends and familiar surroundings.

But, I'll admit, I also couldn't wait to go back to school. My newer friends and life there was also great. (Most of the time)

Some of that can be chalked up to a lack of contentment where I was at the time. An on-going challenge in my life, to be sure.

But what made is easy for me to go back to school, in part, was because I knew I was loved at home. I was loved, supported and provided for by my parents. They and my brother were there for me. This was a great comfort to me during my college years.

Jesus is about to leave his disciples behind. For a while. 3 days actually. Then, after 40 days, he'd leave them for good. And, yet, not at all at the same time.

What assurances did they have from Jesus in his absence? He gives them 3. But they are possible because of a relationship defined by love both ways.

The love Jesus had for his disciples held them in union with him. His love for them and their love for him is the defining ingredient to knowing God.

Their obedience to his words, ways and works showed their love for him.

Bottom Line: Even though Jesus is leaving, the relationship between Jesus and His Disciples will continue to be defined by love.

CONTEXT

Jesus's disciples are deeply troubled because they have just heard 3 things:

  1. One of them will betray Jesus,

  2. Jesus is about to leave them and go where they cannot go, and

  3. Peter will deny Jesus 3 times that night.

On top of all of this, Jesus is still wanted for arrest and likely crucifixion for treason and blasphemy. If they are looking for him, they are likely looking for them as well. They're terrified.

OUTLINE (w/ help from ChatGPT)

Bottom Line: Even though Jesus is leaving, the relationship between Jesus and His Disciples will continue to be defined by love.

I. The Disciples’ love for Jesus

• Verses 15, 21, 23–24, 28, 31

• Love for Jesus is expressed in obedience (vv. 15, 21, 23–24, 31).

• Their grief at his leaving should be transformed into joy if they truly love him (v. 28).

II. Jesus’ love for His Disciples

A. The assurance of his resurrection

• Verses 18–20

• He will not leave them as orphans but will come to them.

• They will see him again because he lives, and so will they.

• Their union with him and the Father will be made clear.

B. The assurance of his Spirit

• Verses 16–17, 25–26

• The Father will send another Helper, the Spirit of truth, to dwell in them.

• The Spirit will teach them all things and remind them of Jesus’ words.

C. The assurance of his peace

• Verses 27–29

• Jesus leaves them his peace—not as the world gives.

• This peace should quiet their troubled hearts.

• His return to the Father is part of God’s plan and a cause for joy.

III. Conclusion (Transition to Gethsemane)

• Verses 30–31

• The ruler of this world is coming, but he has no claim on Jesus.

• Jesus goes willingly out of love for the Father, modeling the love/obedience relationship he calls his disciples into.

Bottom Line: Even though Jesus is leaving, the relationship between Jesus and His Disciples will continue to be defined by love.

One of the most popular Christian anthems is also the simplest. It says,

"Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so" (Anna B. Warner, "Jesus Loves Me").

At the height of persecution in Communist China, a Christian sent a message to a friend. The message escaped the attention of the censors, because it said simply:

"The this I know people are well"—but that phrase, the "this I know people" clearly identified the Christian community in China. (Donovan, "Jesus Loves Me"; emphasis original)

"This I know people."

Our confidence is in the love of Jesus. We know he loves us because we've experienced his love. His love defines us individually and as a community. -Matt Carter

So what assurances do we have in Jesus's absence?

We're sure of his resurrection that will be together with him again. We're assured of his Holy Spirit, the advocate. And we're assured of his peace that surpasses all understanding and will guide our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7)

This assurance reminds us of why we love Jesus and that he loves us. May we be found faithful to rest in this love.

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

“I’m sure that everyone reading this book has been touched by the death of a loved one. I have; by the mercy of God, both of my parents died at home in bed. My mother slipped away at night when I was asleep, but I was next to the bed, more than fifty years ago, when my father breathed his last. I watched death in front of my eyes, and in that moment I lost the person who meant more to me than any person on the face of the earth. When it happened, something stabbed my soul, causing me to say: “This is insane. This can’t be real. He must merely be sleeping. O God, will he live again?”

R.C. Sproul

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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, Assurances, Signs & Glory, John 14, Grace Christian Fellowship, non-denominational church, bible-believing church
Why Pray for the Peace and Prosperity of the City? | Jeremiah 29:4-7 | Darien Gabriel
Why Pray for the Peace and Prosperity of the City? | Jeremiah 29:4-7 | Darien Gabriel

Series: "For the City" (Vision), Jeremiah 29:4-7 #FTC

Title: “Why pray for the peace and prosperity of the city?"

Subtitle: "Our plan for loving God and loving people in our city and beyond."

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:4-7; Mark 4:26-29; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

  1. Go: John 17:20; Luke 10:1-11

  2. Gospel: Acts 17:32-34 (4 responses/traffic light)

  3. Grow: Matthew 22:37-39; 28:18-20 + 411 + Commands of Christ

  4. Gather: Acts 2:36-47 + Commands of Christ

    1. 3/3rds groups; DBS; Hi/Lo; Follow & Fish; etc.

  5. Guide: (MAWL)

Bottom line: We pray for and seek the peace and prosperity for our city because it's God's missionary plan for loving God and loving 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

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

I love coffee cups.

I don't drink coffee.

I know, I know, that's weird on multiple levels. Let me tell you how hopeless I am. I don't drink coffee (and hot chocolate on a little), but I love to shop for coffee cups.

Now, I do have a pet peeve about coffee cups. When we get our theology from coffee cups.

Coffee cup theology can be misleading. I mean, there's just no room for context on that shiny cup of ceramic goodness.

It's not like the coffee cup with Jeremiah 29:11 on it (“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” NIV‬‬) has room to say that Israel was told this by God while living in exile in the capital city of their arch enemy the Babylonians because they were spiritually unfaithful to him. Not sure that would sell well either.

Transition:

“Have you ever found yourself somewhere you didn’t want to be, facing a situation you didn’t choose?

That’s where the Israelites found themselves—exiled in Babylon. And yet, God speaks into their situation, not with an escape plan, but with a call to pray for and to seek the peace and prosperity of the place in which they’re stuck.”

Understanding Exile

Definition (Jeremiah 29 context):

In this passage, exile refers to the forced relocation of the people of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon after its conquest by King Nebuchadnezzar in 597–586 BC. It wasn’t just geographic—it was spiritual, cultural, and emotional dislocation.

They were living among people who didn’t share their faith, customs, or values—a godless empire with strange idols and foreign tongues. Yet God didn’t say, “Escape.” He said, “Engage.”

Key insight:

Exile is not just displacement; it’s God’s discipline with a redemptive purpose.

It reminds us that home isn’t always where we are, but where God is.

OUTLINE

WHY we should pray for the peace and prosperity of our city:

Because the Lord told us to. (29:4) Our faith is that simple.

A. Either we trust and obey the Lord, or

B. We don't. To not trust and obey is sin.

Because it's part of God's way of rescuing his people from the kingdom of darkness.

He tells Israel to settle down and live their lives in the midst of their (and his) enemies. But to do it with an eye to the crowds (the harvest) and the clouds (his return) for their transformation. This requires prayer. Abiding in Christ.

The crowds, in this case, happen to be his enemies--the Babylonians.

The clouds, in this case, refer to the end of their exile in 70 years.

WHAT does this look like?

  1. We "bloom where we're planted." We settle in to our circles of influence and accountability.

    1. Influence--those circles of people we interact with where we live, work, learn and play.

    2. Accountability--we will stand before God one day and answer for how we did or didn't do this; for how we led or didn't lead our family to do this.

    3. God planted you at your address for a reason. For this season, you're to be Jesus to those around you there.

  2. We multiply.

    1. We build our career and homestead as if we're going to be here a while. For Israel, it was in the midst of their enemy, Babylon. For us, it is in America and in the midst of enemies of God. (29:5)

    2. We build our family. (29:6)

      1. This includes our biological family. (Kids, grandkids)

      2. Can include extended family.

      3. Can include adopted family. (Formally and not)

      4. Certainly includes your spiritual/church family.

    3. We do this until our "70 years" are over. Then we go home; back to Jerusalem/Zion. Cf. Revelation 21:1-8

  3. We pray for the peace and prosperity of our city where we live, work, learn and play. (7)

    1. We do this as we go about our lives.

    2. Why?

      1. Because it benefits us and our family tangibly.

      2. Because it benefits us, and family and our world spiritually/eternally.

  4. We do not believe those who live for other gods. (29:8-9)

  5. We do this until he takes us home. This is his plan for us.

HOW we pray for the peace and prosperity of our city: "A Vision For the City: Jesus & Paul's Strategy Illustrated by 4 Fields of Kingdom Growth" (Optional)o

  1. Go together:

    1. John 17:20 - that we may be one as we pray and go into the city

    2. Luke 10:1-11 - How Jesus trained his disciples to go:

      1. Pray for workers for the harvest

      2. Be a worker in the harvest

      3. Be prepared to suffer in the harvest

      4. Go empty-handed so you'll depend on the Lord

      5. Look for people of peace; they unlock many more

      6. Bless them and then receive what they offer

      7. Heal the sick; proclaim the good news that the kingdom of God is near

      8. Leave when not welcomed; tell them why you're moving on

  2. Gospel: Acts 17:32-34 (4 responses)

    1. Share the gospel wherever you go

    2. Some will mock you--move on

    3. Some will want to know more (or pretend to want to know more) - give them more

    4. Some will trust Christ--give them more & train them up

    5. Some will already know Christ--offer to train them up

  3. Grow: Matthew 28:18-20 + 411 + Commands of Christ

    1. Learn the words, ways and works of Jesus Christ

    2. Lead others in the words...

  4. Gather: Acts 2:36-47 + Commands of Christ - Shows us how to live as the church

    1. 3/3rds groups; DBS; Hi/Lo; Follow & Fish; etc.

    2. A church does not have to look like what we see most visibly in America

      1. It doesn't require a seminary degree

      2. It doesn't require bricks and mortar

      3. To say you follow Jesus but don't actively engage as a member of a church is not the NT way

  5. Guide: (MAWL) We lead others to follow us as we follow Jesus by

    1. Modeling for them

    2. Assisting them

    3. Watching them

    4. Leaving them to do it and lead others to do it

CONCLUSION

Consider sharing the story of why Neal McGlohon started the Cypress Project here (see notes).

So the Lord Jesus calls his disciples to keep their eyes on the clouds and the crowds. Keep your eyes on the people you see where you live, work, learn and play each day. For he has you there on purpose for a purpose.

Also, keep your eyes on the clouds. For this is not all there is. This is not our home. Our home awaits us. Our exile in this world is temporary. We will go and stand before our Creator one day. And as his kids we'll be welcomed home with great zeal from our Lord and Savior.

However, if we do known him as Lord and Savior, we'll simply meet him as Lord. And that means we'll be forever separated from him. And that will be eternal misery.

But if you're here today, know that God has surrounded you with people who have their eyes on the crowds and the clouds. As we await his return to take us home, we are looking for opportunities to show and tell the good news about a great kingdom and exalted king. A king who forgives and blesses beyond anything we could ever deserve.

He calls you to himself right now. Will you believe and receive his mercy and grace today?

Bottom line: We pray for and seek the peace and prosperity for our city because it's God's missionary plan for loving God and loving people.

Will you believe apart of that plan?

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

🎯The Context of the Babylonian Exile (Jeremiah 29)

📜When and Why It Happened

  • The Babylonian Exile occurred in stages (605, 597, and 586 BC) as Babylon defeated Judah and deported its people.

  • The first wave included nobles, artisans, and young elites (like Daniel and his friends, cf. Daniel 1).

  • The final blow came in 586 BC with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

🏘️Where and How They Lived in Babylon

🟢Freedoms:

The Jewish exiles were not slaves in chains or in prison camps. They lived under imperial control, but with considerable day-to-day freedom:

Area

Reality in Babylon

Housing

They could build and live in their own houses (Jer. 29:5).

Families

They were allowed to marry and have children (Jer. 29:6).

Work & Trade

Many became landowners, traders, and craftsmen. Archaeological records (like the Murashu Tablets) show Jewish names doing business.

Travel

Travel was limited but not impossible. They were not “locked down” but couldn’t return freely to Judah.

Religion

They couldn’t offer sacrifices (no temple), but they could gather, pray, teach Torah (e.g., synagogues emerged in exile).

Civic Engagement

God even told them to pray for Babylon’s peace—suggesting participation in civic life (Jer. 29:7).

It was forced relocation, not slave labor—more like deported citizens under imperial rule with monitored freedoms.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑Did They Live Mixed or Separate?

  • Many Jewish exiles lived in Jewish communities, but not in ghettos or prison camps.

  • For example, they settled in areas like Tel Abib along the Chebar Canal (cf. Ezekiel 1:1–3).

  • They had elders and leaders (Jer. 29:1) and maintained internal governance to some degree.

  • Some assimilated; others remained faithful (like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego).

They were among the people, not of the people—able to engage but called to remain distinct.

💰Economy & Taxes

  • They worked in agriculture, commerce, banking, and crafts.

  • Some became quite wealthy—suggesting they paid taxes like any other imperial subject.

  • Babylon benefited economically from the skills of exiled peoples (including Jews).

✈️Could They Travel?

  • Return to Judah was forbidden without imperial permission (hence Jeremiah’s promise of 70 years in exile).

  • Local movement within Babylon was possible—people could travel for work, trade, or community gatherings.

  • Travel to other provinces of the empire was probably limited and required authorization.

📚Supporting Sources

  1. The Bible

    • Jeremiah 29, Ezekiel 1–3, Daniel 1–6, Psalm 137 (emotional view), 2 Kings 24–25

  2. Archaeology & History

    • The Murashu Archive: Babylonian business tablets with Jewish names, showing participation in economic life.

    • Al-Yahudu Tablets: Letters and contracts involving Jewish families in Babylon during and after exile.

  3. Jewish Tradition

    • This period birthed synagogue life, oral Torah emphasis, and eventually the Talmudic tradition—spiritual roots planted in exile.

🧠 Summary: Life in Exile Was…

  • Disorienting (loss of temple, land, national identity)

  • Restrained, but not enslaved

  • Culturally pressured, but with space to remain faithful

  • Economically active, not destitute

  • A test of faithful presence in a foreign world

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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 Fellowshipnon denominational church, Ladson, SC, bible-believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, for the city, Jeremiah 29
Whose Voice Do You Trust in the Chaos? | John 10:1-21 | Darien Gabriel
Whose Voice Do You Trust in the Chaos? | John 10:1-21 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Whose Voice Do You Trust in the Chaos?”

Subtitle: "

Scripture: John 10:1-21

Numbers 27:15-16

Ezekiel 34:1-16

Bottom line: Jesus, as the good shepherd, is the voice we should listen to and follow because he loves us personally, practically, and sacrificially.

  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

Our world is chaotic.

Not only are there things happening beyond our control but seemingly beyond anyone's control.

Where were you on 9/11? Talk about a day when we felt out of control.

`   

Opening Story (recognizing a voice that brings calm in the noise)

During 9/11, amid the smoke and confusion inside one of the Twin Towers, a group of people huddled together trying to figure out where to go. Some were frozen. Some were frantic. But one man—blind from birth—knew exactly what to do. His guide dog, Roselle, led him down 78 floors through darkness, crowds, and debris.

Michael Hingson couldn’t see a thing, but he listened intently to Roselle’s steady movement. Later he said, “I had to trust the one who had always guided me before.” And that trust saved his life.

In a world filled with competing voices—some loud, some deceptive—we need to know who to trust. In John 10, Jesus says there’s a voice that can cut through all the noise. A voice that calls your name. A Shepherd who knows you and will lead you to life. But not all voices are safe. Not all gates lead to life. So how do we know which voice is worth following?

Bottom line: Jesus, as the good shepherd, is the voice we should listen to and follow because he loves us personally, practically, and sacrificially.

OUTLINE

Therefore, as his weak, vulnerable, needy, high-maintenance and wandering people, we listen to and follow the Good Shepherd by:

I. Resting in his personal love, despite what he knows about us. (1-6)

  • This knowledge is complete including our darkest secrets.

  • This knoweldge is familiar. He calls us sheep because like sheep we are

    • Defenseless

    • Dumb

    • Needy for help

    • Prone to wander

    • High maintenance

II. Resting in his practical provision and protection. (7-10)

  • He protects us in the day, when we stay near to him.

  • He protects us in the night by guarding the door/gate.

  • He abundantly provides for us as we stay near to him.

  • All this in contrast to the shepherds in his day.

III. Resting in his sacrificial love where he lays down his life for his people. (11-21)

  • We see this in the cross as the ultimate expression of his love. cf. Romans 5:8

  • We see this validated by the Father in the resurrection.

  • We see this in contrast to the way of the world's leaders.

  • We see this in contrast to how they treated the blind man healed.

  • We do this for the world to see and respond by following us as we listen to and follow the good shepherd.

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: Jesus, as the good shepherd, is the voice we should listen to and follow because he loves us personally, practically, and sacrificially.

“The Shepherd Who Stayed” (trust rooted in sacrificial love)

In war zones, shepherds often flee with the threat of danger. But there’s a story from Syria of a man who was both a literal shepherd and a village pastor. When ISIS forces were approaching, his friends begged him to flee. But he refused, saying, “If I leave, who will guide the people? If I run, what will they think of Christ?” He stayed—caring for the flock, sharing food, praying with them in secret. He was eventually killed. But his witness and courage led many to follow Christ. They said, “He was the one who showed us what God must be like.”

That’s what Jesus does in John 10—only greater.

He’s not a hired hand. He doesn’t flee in danger. He runs toward it. And He lays down His life not just to protect His sheep, but to save them.

So the question isn’t just, “Do you believe He’s the Good Shepherd?”

The real question is: “Will you follow His voice for the rest of your life?”

INVITATION

As we prepare to come to the Lord’s table, we’ve just heard the story of a shepherd who refused to flee—who stayed with his people even when it cost him everything.

That’s powerful. But Jesus, our Good Shepherd, goes even further. He didn’t just risk His life—He gave it. He laid it down willingly so we could be saved, forgiven, and brought home.

When we take the bread and the cup, we remember the Shepherd who stayed. The one who didn’t abandon us in our weakness but met us in it. The one who didn’t just die for the sheep but with us in mind, by name.

So if you’ve heard His voice today—if you’re trusting in Him—come. Rest in His personal, practical, and sacrificial love. Feed on His grace. And commit again to listen to his voice and follow Him… not just for a moment, but for a lifetime.

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

OUTLINE

See above

NOTES

Modern-Day Shepherding Parallel

  • Talk about how a shepherd today still knows sheep individually—calls them, corrects them, protects them.

    • Sheep were kept in pens usually made of stone walls with one opening where a gatekeeper or shepherd would sleep in as the gate or door.

    • Some pens were communal meaning that sheep from multiple shepherds would rest there in the night. This would create a problem in the morning of sorting out the sheep unless there were shepherds that the sheep recognized (their voice). He would then walk among them, calling them by name, and then leading them out into pasture the next day.

  • Compare it to a good parent or mentor who sacrifices and leads with love.

Voice Recognition

  • A baby knows her mother's voice.

  • A dog knows it's master's voice and tone.

C. The Hireling

  • Someone who’s just doing a job vs. someone who’s deeply invested. A substitute teacher vs. a lifelong educator who builds relationships.

  • A hireling shepherd will run when the wolf shows up vs. a good shepherd that will defend the sheep even if it costs him his life.

The Fence, door or the Gate?

The gatekeeper is the one who sleeps in the opening to the pen so that no one can get in unless they go through him.

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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, bible-believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, non denominational church, John 10, Signs & Glory, trust
Can You See What Jesus Is Doing? | John 9 | Darien Gabriel
Can You See What Jesus Is Doing? | John 9 | Darien Gabriel

Series: Signs & Glory

Title: “Can you see what Jesus is doing?"

Subtitle: "From Blindness to Belief”

Scripture: John 9

🎯 Bottom line: True sight doesn’t come from your eyes—it comes from humbling yourself & believing that Jesus is who he says he is and that he's doing all he promised to do.

Or put another way: Jesus gives sight to the blind—but those who think they see without Him remain blind.

This chapter isn’t ultimately about physical healing—it’s about spiritual vision. The man born blind receives both physical sight and spiritual insight as he responds to Jesus in faith. In contrast, the Pharisees, though physically able to see, are exposed as spiritually blind because of their pride and refusal to believe.

  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

Mammoth Cave

We're all born in a spiritual Mammoth Cave. Pitch dark...

How to Avoid Spiritual Infections

Joseph Lister, the nineteenth-century medic, is known as ‘the father of antiseptic surgery’. Lister was disturbed by the high proportion of patients who died from post-operative infections. He became convinced that infinitesimal microbes, invisible to the naked eye, were causing the infections. He began to develop a number of antiseptic solutions with which to treat the wounds. Sure enough, the proportion of patients dying from infections decreased.

In a similar way, there are evil spiritual forces at work in our world today. They cannot be seen, but they wreak havoc in people’s lives, causing them to fall into temptation, moving evil people into positions of national power, manipulating people’s emotions, tearing them apart and destroying them.

But just as Lister’s contemporaries dismissed his theory of destructive microbes, many people today are ignorant or dismissive of spiritual realities. Yet you have the powerful spiritual ‘antiseptic’ to use against these destructive forces. It is vital that you learn to do so.

Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel: Day 335 • Devotional

🎯 Bottom line: True sight doesn’t come from your eyes—it comes from humbling yourself & believing that Jesus is who he says he is and that he's doing all he promised to do.

Man with the world's highest IQ: 'Jesus Christ is God'

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, June 19, 2025

The man with the world’s highest IQ has proclaimed that “Jesus Christ is God,” building on his previous contention that belief in the afterlife is consistent with science. 

YoungHoon Kim, who identifies himself on his X profile as “the World’s Highest IQ Record Holder” and lists his intelligence quotient as 276, proclaimed his Christian faith in a statement posted to X on Tuesday. “As the world’s highest IQ record holder, I believe that Jesus Christ is God, the way and the truth and the life,” he wrote. 

In replies to posts reacting favorably to his embrace of Christianity, Kim vowed to “use this opportunity to lead many souls to God and declared, “Christ is my logic.” In a March 18 post, Kim wrote, “One of the best things I have ever done in my life is earning a BA degree in Christian Theology (nondenominational) from Yonsei University, # 1 private university in Asia.”

He referred to theology as “the ultimate discipline of all fields of study.”

🧱 Outline

1. A Setup, Not a Screw-Up (John 9:1–7)

Truth: Suffering isn’t always punishment—it can be a platform for God’s glory.

Takeaway: God uses our pain as a stage for His purpose. The man’s blindness was not a result of sin, but a setup for a miracle.

Illustration: "Amy Carmichael, the quiet, but greatly used missionary to India, was impelled into service by a disturbing dream. In the dream she saw hundreds of unreached people plunging over a cliff to their deaths, while Christians sat and made daisy chains!" -Mark Johnston, p. 133

2. Opposition from the Religious (John 9:8–34)

Truth: Religious people often resist what they can’t control or explain.

Takeaway: True sight threatens false religion. The Pharisees were more concerned with rules than rejoicing in restoration.

3. Revelation and Response (John 9:35–41)

Truth: Spiritual sight begins with recognizing Jesus and responding in faith.

Takeaway: The once-blind man worships Jesus; meanwhile, the seeing remain blind. Belief opens our eyes, but pride keeps us in the dark.

✅ Primary Applications (Direct, Universal, and Central to the Text)

  1. ` purpose in your suffering.

    • Application: Don’t assume hardship means punishment. Sometimes suffering is a stage for God’s glory (v. 3).

  2. Let Jesus heal your deepest need—even if it’s uncomfortable or unconventional.

    • Application: Respond in obedience even when the method (mud and spit!) doesn’t make sense (v. 6–7).

  3. Bear witness to what Jesus has done, even when you’re pressured to back down.

    • Application: Like the healed man, speak simply and boldly: “I was blind, but now I see” (v. 25).

  4. Reject fear of people and stand firm in your testimony.

    • Application: The man’s parents feared the Pharisees, but he did not (v. 18–23 vs. v. 24–34). Be like the son, not the parents.

  5. Move from physical sight to spiritual sight—through belief in Jesus.

    • Application: Jesus invites personal faith (v. 35–38). Salvation is not just about healing but about believing and worshiping.

  6. Recognize that spiritual pride leads to blindness.

    • Application: The Pharisees’ refusal to admit their need kept them blind (v. 39–41). Humility opens the eyes of the heart.

🔁 Secondary Applications (Contextual, Indirect, and Supportive)

  1. Be cautious of religious systems that prioritize rules over restoration.

    • Application: Systems that suppress God’s work in people often mask spiritual blindness (v. 16, 28–29).

  2. Don’t expect everyone to celebrate your healing or growth.

    • Application: Spiritual transformation invites both opposition and misunderstanding (v. 8–12, 26).

  3. God works in people before they can fully articulate faith.

    • Application: The blind man obeyed before he knew who Jesus really was (v. 11, 35–38). Obedience can precede understanding.

  4. Your personal story is powerful. Use it.

    • Application: You may not have theological credentials, but your testimony is undeniable (v. 25).

  5. Faith grows as we respond to increasing light.

    • Application: The man moved from calling Jesus “the man” → “a prophet” → “from God” → “Lord” and worshiped (v. 11, 17, 33, 38).

  6. Isolation for Jesus’ sake is a refining fire.

    • Application: When he was cast out (v. 34), Jesus found him again (v. 35). Rejection for Christ often leads to deeper revelation.

CONCLUSION

Illustration:

“For a moment, imagine your inner life as having a window.

Windows accomplish two things.

First, a window allows light from the outside to enter a room. This would have been especially important in the ancient world before the age of electricity. Without any windows, a person would live in relative darkness.

But secondly, a window also allows someone in the room to look through it to see outside of the house.

Thus, a window allows us to see both inside and outside.

But if the window is never cleaned, and grime is allowed to accumulate to the point that it eventually becomes caked over with filth, it will no longer serve any useful function. One will live in darkness and will be unable to see through to the outside. What we learn from Jesus' interaction with these religious experts is that the grime that accumulates on the window of the soul is not just any particular sin. It is the joint sins of hypocrisy, judgmentalism, and religious pride that keep us in spiritual blindness.

One of these confrontations occurs after an amazing miracle of Jesus healing a man who was blind from birth.

In that culture, it was commonly assumed that one who is blind must be bearing God's judgment for some grievous sin. When some of the Pharisees learn of this man's healing, they attempt to discredit Jesus and even call him as a sinner. In response, Jesus declares, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind."

This entire incident illustrates Jesus' point. The man who was born blind now has new sight, both physically and spiritually.

Yet, the Pharisees who claim to have pristine spiritual perception, cannot identify the very Son of God who stands right in front of them.

Once the virus of religious hypocrisy takes root in one's heart, it has the potential to thoroughly destroy that person's ability to perceive and cooperate with the work of God on earth. What makes this virus particularly insidious is that as it grows within one's inner life, everything may look exactly right on the outside. Yet all along, the incongruence between the interior and exterior life only continues to worsen.”

Jesus People, pp. 149-151

🎯 Bottom line: True sight doesn’t come from your eyes—it comes from humbling yourself & believing that Jesus is who he says he is and that he's doing all he promised to do.`

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

I saw a tweet last week that showed me both sides of this pride/humility dynamic.

The first picture is of a line of 900 people hiking along a ridge to summit Mt. Everest. Most paying $50k to have a Sherpa (a Himalayan with exceptional mountaineering expertise and skill often hired to help others summit Mt Everest) personally help them succeed. Many doing this for personal glory (competition/pride). The comment by the tweeter was that the huge numbers put more people at risk to death than ever before.

The second picture is of Gelje Sherpa leading his client towards the top when he comes across someone laying on the ground dying. He’s only 500 yards from the summit. This Sherpa, on a job helping his client survive the same climb, runs over, wraps the man in a sleeping mattress, gives him oxygen (of which his client might need), put him on his back, and then hiked him down the mountain, a trip that took 6 hours.

The first picture is one of pride. The second, one of humility. We don’t know how many people walked past the guy on the ground. And I’m guessing few of those people could have carried anyone down with the incredible challenge that it is just to summit and descend Mt Everest without dying yourself. But to add the weight of a full grown man to your load…

I think of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Who didn’t walk past the dying man on the road but instead, at great personal cost and risk of life, helped this man recover. He saw this man and humbly saw his neighbor in need and helped him.

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

Let's Study John, Mark Johnston

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 FellowshipGrace Christian Fellowship, ladson, SC, John 9, Signs & Glory, non denominational church, bible-believing church
The 4th Man Always Finds His People | Daniel 3:1-30
The 4th Man Always Finds His People | Daniel 3:1-30

The 4th Man Always Finds His People - Daniel 3:1-30   


Babylonian records indicate there was a revolt against the king at his 10-year mark of rule, so it is possible Ch 3 may have been a loyalty test.


Gold Statue (image) 90 feet tall, 9 feet wide.  Could have been of false gods Marduk or Nabu or maybe even the king himself.

Officials summoned to the plain of Dura, ordered by rank.

Commanded to worship at the sound of the music.

Music to persuade, furnace to enforce compliance.

Possible jealous rivals, accused the Jews of not bowing in worship to the image.

Following God will not always be popular.  Decide ahead of time who we will follow.

The question, "Who is the god who will save you from my power?"

God will answer him by miraculously saving the three, who were not willing to break the 1st Commandment and worship the image.

King was alarmed by the 4th man in the furnace.  Angel or pre-incarnate Jesus?  Don't know for certain but I believe it was Jesus.

God rewards faith.


Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian FellowshipKen Dorrity, Daniel, bible-believing church, Ladson, Grace Christian Fellowship, non denominational church
Is the Glory of God Revealed in Today's World? | John 1:14-18 | Ken Dorrity
Is the Glory of God Revealed in Today's World? | John 1:14-18 | Ken Dorrity

Is the Glory of God Revealed Today John 1:14-18


The Fantastic 4 - Genesis 1:1, John 1:1, John 1:14, John 3:16


The Ministry of the Pre-incarnate King (1:1-18)

The Ministry of the Incarnate King (1:19-19:42)

The Ministry of the Risen King (20:1-21:25)


“Became flesh” – incarnation - God entered into human history through Jesus Christ, 100% God and 100% man.  


Matthew, Mark, and Luke started with the humanity of Jesus.

John started with the divinity of Jesus.


“Dwelt” this word translated “pitched His tent” or “tabernacled” or “tented."


If Jesus remained God and did not become a man:

  • then he could not be tempted.

  • then he could not be an example.

  • then he could not die.

Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian FellowshipJohn 1, Signs and Glory, non denominational church, bible-believing church, Ladson, SC, Ken Dorrity
How to Live Faithfully in These Last Days | 2 Timothy 3:1-9
How to Live Faithfully in These Last Days | 2 Timothy 3:1-9

Series: Guard the Treasure

Title: “How to live faithfully in these last days”

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-9 NIV (Read from 3 different translations)

Acts 20:28-31, Rev 2:2-5; Exodus 7:10-12; Acts 2:36-39 (Invitation)

All these are NIV

Bottom line: We love in the last days by humbling ourselves, living generously and with integrity from the inside out because we trust who first loved us.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. OUTLINES

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

INTRODUCTION

We used to play a game with our youth group to see how long they could go through the next hour without saying “I,” “me,” or “my”. They were dropping like flies within 60 seconds. We are consumed with ourselves. Few are consumed with the Lord.

If you’ve been following the SBC convention news you are likely to conclude that they spend a lot of time arguing. Now I know that they do a lot of good things. They support thousands of missionaries around the world who are sharing the gospel message faithfully because these churches cooperate financially and otherwise. But they argue a lot.

It’s worse online. People are just more comfortable speaking their mind (to a fault) than in person. People will say things to someone online they’d never say to that person face to face. Sometimes that’s because they are not godly people. They are not true Christians.

Kent Hughes tells the story of how a group of people decided to start a new church. “It started when several members of a church sensed a need for increased Bible knowledge and began attending a community Bible study, where they learned that their pastor’s denials of Christ’s virgin birth and resurrection were at variance with what the Bible actually taught. They came to see that, though their church weekly said the Apostles’ Creed, their pastors had personally redefined the terms so they could repeat the words without actually believing them. Their leaders viewed the incarnation and resurrection of Christ as metaphors for God’s presence and a life-giving source, not actual historical events. When parishioners protested, they were told they were bringing dishonor to the Body of Christ by their divisiveness. The intimidation worked, and they quieted down. After all, they were only laypeople.

But the situation reheated when one of the pastors was discovered to be an active pedophile, and it was further learned that the local church authorities knew it and had been covering it up! This time their parishioners would not be put off. They demanded changes.

Again the response was that they were dividing Christ’s Body and must no longer meet for Bible study or else. So it was that Bible-believing, creed-confession, Biblically-orthodox Christians (whose great offenses were believing in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ and in his ethical teachings) were kicked out of their church. Unbelievable! Sadly, ‘having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power; (v. 5) is nothing new.” -Hughes, p. 241

CONTEXT

In light of the continuous onslaught of false teaching throughout the church of Ephesus, Paul helps Timothy identify them and encourages him

Acts 20:28-31 written c. AD 57

2 Timothy written c. AD 67 (10 later)

Revelation 2 written c. AD 97 (30 years after that)

SERMON

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. How to live faithfully in these “last days”

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. Because we will be bombarded by false messages in these last days

Let’s look at 2 Tim 3:1-9 together…

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. 1. Mark this: last times = terrible days

  1. Avoid this = ungodly people in the church

  2. Rest in this = their folly will become clear to everyone

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because this is how you stay faithful in terrible times

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Answer some questions:

Questions we should be asking according to Merida:

  1. What kind of person are you, godless or godly? (Notice no inbetween)

  2. What kind of person are you becoming?

  3. Whom are you following?

  4. Paul says to avoid following ungodly people and to follow godly examples.

Merida and several other young pastors had the chance to talk to Rick Warren once and he shared a strong warning about the temptations of Satan. “Pastor Rick said that pastors must prepare for three main temptations that plunge leaders into ruin: narcissism, hedonism, and materialism. He said the first temptation is the temptation “to be” (narcissism), the second is the temptation “to feel” (hedonism), and the third is the temptation “to have” (materialism). He said that every moral failure of pastors is due to one of these three traps. He added that virtually every television commercial is aimed at one of these three temptations. He said he used to ask his kids after each commercial, ‘Which of the three temptations was that commercial?’”

“Pastor Rick said that leaders must fight these three temptations by pursuing the opposite of each: humility (in contrast to narcissism), integrity (in contrast to hedonism), and generosity (in contrast to materialism). Indeed we are to be ‘lovers of God’ ultimately. Out of the overflow of love for God, we can live lives of humility, integrity, and generosity.” -Merida, p. 186

“These two groups of sins, misdirected loves and corrupt relationships, reveal that the underlying failure in fallen humanity is disobedience to the Great Commands (Matt 22:36-40): they love neither God nor people.” -Merida, pp. 186-187

“The Bible is full of examples of religious showmen, those who have an appearance of godliness but are actually ungodly. Through the prophet Isaiah, God gave a mighty rebuke to the people of Judah. He urged them to wash themselves, remove evil, and repent. Why? They had big religious feasts, prayers, and worship services but were not doing good, seeking justice, correcting oppression, defending the fatherless, or pleasing for the widow (Isaiah 1:14-17). At which point God says, ‘I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood’ (1:15). In contrast, James writes that ‘pure and undefined religion’ in God’s sight involves caring for those in need, like widows and orphans in their affliction (James 1:27).” -Merida, p,. 187

CONCLUSION

Matthew 22:36-40

1 John 4:7

Romans 5:8

Revelation 2:4-5

Bottom line: We love in the last days by humbling ourselves daily, living generously and with integrity from the inside out because we trust who first loved us.

““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

  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.

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

Merida says 3:1-9 is ungodly examples and 3:10-13 is godly example.

I. Avoid Ungodly Examples

A. Their lives are totally self-centered (3:2-4)

B. Their religion is a show (3:5)

C. Their proselytizing is evil (3:6-9)

Love of self = narcissism

Love of money = materialism

Love of pleasure = hedonism

This excessive and inverted love is not good and leads people to love what is not good. It’s idolatry and God hates idolatry. (No other gods before me)

that God’s love will carry them through to the other side of all of this.

The Great Commandment and Jesus’ warning to the church of Ephesus in Revelation remind us that God’s love is undefeated and will forever be so.

Paul encourages Timothy to be aware and avoid those who live ungodly lives and disciple ungodly disciples.

Merida summarizes: “Timothy and others were to

  1. Avoid these men

  2. And these practices

  3. They must avoid

    1. Self-centered lives

    2. With misdirected loves

    3. Corrupt relationships

    4. Religious forms devoid of Christ’s power

    5. The evil tactics of false teachers

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Questions we should be asking according to Merida:

  1. What kind of person are you, godless or godly? (Notice no inbetween)

  2. What kind of person are you becoming?

  3. Whom are you following?

  4. Paul says to avoid following ungodly people and to follow godly examples.

Other questions always worth considering:

  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?

Let’s ask some summary sermon questions:

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. How to live in the “last days”

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. Because we will be bombarded by false messages

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. 1. Mark this: last times = terrible days

  1. Avoid this = ungodly people in the church

  2. Rest in this = their folly will become clear to everyone

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because this is how you stay faithful in terrible times

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Answer some questions:

Questions we should be asking according to Merida:

  1. What kind of person are you, godless or godly? (Notice no inbetween)

  2. What kind of person are you becoming?

  3. Whom are you following?

  4. Paul says to avoid following ungodly people and to follow godly examples.

OUTLINES

Hughes outline

I. The False Teachers—Their lives (1-5); Last days = from resurrection until Christ returns; couplets from here:

A. Their inverse love. (2-4) This is the main point—they lost their first love (Christ, who died for them so that they could live); love of God replaced by love of self

      1. “Lovers of themselves, lovers of money” cf. Matthew 22:37-39 Great Commandment

      2. “Boastful, proud”

      3. “Abusive, disobedient to their parents”

      4. “Ungrateful, unholy”

      5. “Without love, unforgiving”

      6. “Slanderous, without self-control”

      7. “Brutal, not lovers of the good”

      8. “Treacherous, rash” rash = traitor, like Judas Iscariot

      9. “Conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

B. Their bogus godliness. (5)

      1. Experts on externals

      2. Masters of asceticism

        1. No marriage

        2. No to certain foods

      3. Legalisms—Rules for everything

      4. Myths and genealogies

II. The False Teachers—Their “Ministries” (6-9)

A. Their disciples. (6-7) Specifically, a group of weak “little women”

      1. Gullible

      2. Burdened with sin

      3. Easily swayed

B. Their futility. (8)

Outline Bible (Willmington) SECTION OUTLINE THREE (2 TIMOTHY 3)

Paul warns of the coming great apostasy.

I. THE PERVERSIONS (3:1-9)

A. The evil (3:1-5)

1. People will love only themselves and their money (3:1-2a).

2. They will be proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and unholy (3:2b).

3. They will be without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, and brutal (3:3).

4. They will be treacherous and will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (3:4).

5. They will have a form of godliness but will deny its power (3:5).

B. The examples (3:6-8): Paul lists two types of people involved in apostasy.

1. Sexually weak-willed, sin-burdened women (3:6-7)

2. Depraved men who will oppose God as Jannes and Jambres once opposed Moses (3:8-9)

—

OUTLINES

Outline by Merida

I. A Gospel-Centered Letter

II. A Gospel-Centered Leader (1:1-7)

A. Paul: Called by the will of God (1:1)

      1. The origin of Paul’s apostleship (1:1b)

      2. The purpose of Paul’s apostleship (1:1c)

B. Timothy: Shaped by the grace of God (1:2-7)

      1. A personal mentor (1:2-4)

      2. A godly mother (1:5)

      3. The Spirit and the gifts (1:6-7)

OUTLINE by WW

Key theme: Preparation for the ministry in the last days

Key verses: 2 Timothy 1:13–14

III. THE PROPHETIC APPEAL—chapter 3

A. Turn away from the false—3:1–9

B. Follow those who are true—3:10–12

C. Continue in God’s Word—3:13–17

IV. THE PERSONAL APPEAL—chapter 4

A. Preach the Word—4:1–4

OUTLINE by BKC

V. Predictions of Faithlessness (3:1–9)

VI. Challenge to Faithful Preaching (3:10–4:8)

A. Faithfulness in the face of opposition (3:10–13)

B. Faithfulness to God’s Word (3:14–4:5)

C. Faithfulness of Paul (4:6–8)

VII. Reminder of God’s Faithfulness in Paul’s Adversity (4:9–18)

A. Paul’s enemies and friends (4:9–16)

B. Paul’s deliverance by the Lord (4:17–18)

VIII. Final Greetings (4:19–22)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

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

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. 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?

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

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

  5. 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 get to 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

“1 - 2 Timothy,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Timothy” by John Stott

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus, David Platt, Daniel Akin, Tony Merida

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

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner (VW)

“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 in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

“The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational church, bible-believing church, Darien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, guard the treasure
What Matters Most: Character or Competency? | 2 Timothy 2:20-26
What Matters Most: Character or Competency? | 2 Timothy 2:20-26

Series: Guard the Treasure

Title: What matters most: character on competency?

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:20-26 NIV

Bottom line: Honorable vessels are used for honorable purposes. People with Christlike character will be used by God for kingdom purposes.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  7. OUTLINES

  8. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  9. MAIN REFERENCES USED

INTRODUCTION

I remember in the early 90’s, in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the argument about whether or not President Clinton’s character mattered regarding him being able to lead the country. One argument is that we’re not electing him to be our pastor or priest but our president.

This doesn’t have to be an either-or argument, first of all. Competency (skillfulness) matters, of course. But the case that Paul makes here is that in ministry, character is paramount. It’s essential. I’m making the case that it’s paramount in all leadership.

While I realize that there are some jobs that it matters less in, I think we still underestimate its importance.

Some would say do you want a surgeon with competency or character? Well, for starters, again, it’s not an either-or. I want both. But I think when dealing with life and death decisions in the moment I want someone with character that does the right thing every time. (At least strives for this) There are many ways that a doctor can be tempted to compromise on the operating table for their own benefit instead of for the person on the table.

And the President is certainly making moral and ethical judgments every day in that job.

Yes, character matters most. It’s not really close.

CONTEXT

Paul makes the point here with Timothy (regarding guarding the treasure) that character doesn’t just matter for those in ministry but it’s everything! (Hughes)

  • The making of his vessel/person requires a radical cleansing (purifying), so it can be used for honorable purposes.

  • The maintenance of his instrument involves intense flight and intense following—flight from youthful passions, impatience, quarreling, and harshness and the pursuit of profound virtues.

  • The ministry of his vessel must not be quarrelsome but pastoral—kind to all, teaching, enduring evil, gently correcting.

The hope of such a servant is the eternal blessing of his enemies. (Hughes)

Bottom line: Honorable vessels are used for honorable purposes. People with Christlike character will be used by God for kingdom purposes.

SERMON

Outline heavily influenced by Kent Hughes (see below)

I. The Making of a Noble Instrument (20-21) or How we get clean.

A. Honorable/noble/special articles/utensils/instruments—Believers in good standing with the Lord. When these cleanse themselves from the dishonorable, God

      1. Honors them

      2. Sets them apart (sanctifies)

      3. Makes them useful

      4. Prepares them (makes them ready for use)

B. Dishonorable/ignoble/common instruments—non-believers and false teachers within the church far from the Lord

II. The Maintaining of an Instrument for Noble Purposes (22) or How we stay clean.

    1. Flee the evil desires of youth

    2. Pursue

      1. Righteousness

      2. Faith

      3. Love

      4. Peace

      5. Along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (therefore, remain at peace here too)

III. The Ministry of a Noble Instrument (23-26) or How we serve the Lord cleanly.

    1. Don’t have stupid arguments, leads to fights

    2. Lord’s Servant must

      1. Not be quarrelsome

      2. Be kind to everyone

      3. Able to teach (rebuke, correct, train)

      4. Able to be treated wickedly without resentment

      5. Gently instruct/correct opponents with the goal

        1. Repentance

        2. Leading to knowledge of that truth

        3. Why? So that they will

          1. escape traps and

          2. gladly submit to the Lord

CONCLUSION

Last week we talked about how to shepherd well. (2 Tim 2:14-19) This requires Christlike character, for sure.

“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.” @GretchenRonnevik

It’s unlikely that these children would relax this way if this father didn’t have Christlike character. They felt safe with him. This is the fruit of Christlike character. It makes us better shepherds.

(I would add that sometimes 2 parents tackle this differently. The point is that the kids relaxed and submitted when they felt loved with boundaries.)

Bottom line:

  1. Pastors, elders and deacon teams should take note here on how to lead the church in ministry.

  2. Churches should pray for, care for, and provide for their leaders as they engage this essential work.

  3. We should all seek to lead our spiritual household (oikos) well shepherding the flock under our care starting with ourselves and moving to the ends of the eart.

  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

Gangrene

Okay, I'll try to explain gangrene in a way that's easy to understand for a middle school student.

Gangrene is a serious condition that can happen when part of your body doesn't get enough blood supply. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients that all parts of your body need to stay healthy and alive.

Imagine your body is like a house plant. If you don't water the plant, it will start to wilt and die. That's kind of what happens with gangrene. If an area of your body isn't getting enough blood flow, the cells in that area start to die off.

There are a few different reasons why blood flow might get blocked or reduced:

1) An injury that damages blood vessels and cuts off circulation.

2) Diabetes or other diseases that affect blood flow.

3) Severe infections that clog up blood vessels.

When cells start dying from lack of blood/oxygen, that area can turn black, green, or become smelly. It's your body's way of showing that part is dying.

If gangrene isn't treated quickly by doctors, it can spread to more areas of the body and become life-threatening. Treatments may involve giving antibiotics, surgically removing the dead tissue, or in severe cases, amputating the affected limb to stop it from spreading.

The best way to avoid gangrene is to take good care of any injuries, manage diseases like diabetes properly, and see a doctor right away if you notice any areas of discolored, smelly, or decaying skin or tissue.

Does this help explain what gangrene is in simpler terms? Let me know if you need any part clarified further.

-Claude.ai

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?

Let’s ask some summary sermon questions:

Q. What do I want them to know?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A.

OUTLINES

Outline Bible (Willmington)

—

OUTLINE (by WW)

“The essentials for a successful ministry have not changed: courageous enthusiasm, shameless suffering, and spiritual loyalty.” -WW

THE PASTORAL APPEAL—chapter 1

A. Courageous enthusiasm—1:1–7 4 Encouragements:

  1. Paul’s love. (1-2)

  2. Paul’s prayers. (3-4)

  3. Paul’s confidence in Timothy. (5)

  4. God’s gift to Timothy. (6-7)

B. Shameless suffering—1:8–12

  1. Be not ashamed of the Lord’s testimony. (8-10)

    1. God gives us power. (8)

      1. 2 Timothy 1:8 (The Bible Exposition Commentary): “Years ago, I read about a Christian who was in prison because of his faith. He was to be burned at the stake, and he was certain he would never be able to endure the suffering. One night, he experimented with pain by putting his little finger into the candle flame. It hurt, and he immediately withdrew it. “I will disgrace my Lord,” he said to himself. “I cannot bear the pain.” But when the hour came for him to die, he praised God and gave a noble witness for Jesus Christ. God gave him the power when he needed it, and not before.” (WW)

    2. God has called us by his grace. (9)

    3. Christ has defeated death. (10)

  2. Four reasons not to be ashamed of his association with Paul, the prisoner:

    1. Paul was called by God. (11)

      1. A herald—official messenger of the king

      2. An apostle—one sent with a commission

      3. A teacher—shepherd to the local church

    2. Paul was confident in Christ. (12)

C. Spiritual loyalty—1:13–18

  1. Be loyal to God’s word. (13-14)

  2. Be loyal to God’s servant. (15-18)

Outline by Merida

I. A Gospel-Centered Letter

II. A Gospel-Centered Leader (1:1-7)

A. Paul: Called by the will of God (1:1)

      1. The origin of Paul’s apostleship (1:1b)

      2. The purpose of Paul’s apostleship (1:1c)

B. Timothy: Shaped by the grace of God (1:2-7)

      1. A personal mentor (1:2-4)

      2. A godly mother (1:5)

      3. The Spirit and the gifts (1:6-7)

OUTLINE by WW

Key theme: Preparation for the ministry in the last days

Key verses: 2 Timothy 1:13–14

I. THE PASTORAL APPEAL—chapter 1

A. Courageous enthusiasm—1:1–7

B. Shameless suffering—1:8–12

C. Spiritual loyalty—1:13–18

II. THE PRACTICAL APPEAL—chapter 2

A. The steward—2:1–2

B. The soldier—2:3–4, 8–13

C. The athlete—2:5

D. The farmer—2:6–7

E. The workman—2:14–18

F. The vessel—2:19–22

G. The servant—2:23–26

III. THE PROPHETIC APPEAL—chapter 3

A. Turn away from the false—3:1–9

B. Follow those who are true—3:10–12

C. Continue in God’s Word—3:13–17

IV. THE PERSONAL APPEAL—chapter 4

A. Preach the Word—4:1–4

OUTLINE by BKC

I. Salutation (1:1–2)

II. Call to Faithfulness (1:3–18)

A. Thanksgiving for Timothy (1:3–7)

B. Call to courage (1:8–12)

C. Call to guard the truth (1:13–14)

D. Examples of unfaithfulness and faithfulness (1:15–18)

III. Challenge to Endurance (2:1–13)

A. Enduring hardship for Christ (2:1–7)

B. Christ’s example of endurance (2:8–10)

C. A faithful saying (2:11–13)

IV. Marks of a Good Workman (2:14–26)

A. Faithfulness in ministry (2:14–19)

B. A clean instrument (2:20–21)

C. Faithfulness in conduct (2:22–26)

V. Predictions of Faithlessness (3:1–9)

VI. Challenge to Faithful Preaching (3:10–4:8)

A. Faithfulness in the face of opposition (3:10–13)

B. Faithfulness to God’s Word (3:14–4:5)

C. Faithfulness of Paul (4:6–8)

VII. Reminder of God’s Faithfulness in Paul’s Adversity (4:9–18)

A. Paul’s enemies and friends (4:9–16)

B. Paul’s deliverance by the Lord (4:17–18)

VIII. Final Greetings (4:19–22)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

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

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. 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?

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

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

  5. 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 get to 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

“1 - 2 Timothy,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Timothy” by John Stott

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus, David Platt, Daniel Akin, Tony Merida

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

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner (VW)

“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 in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

“The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational church, bible-believing church, Ladson, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, 2 Timothy, Guard this treasure
What Are You Pursuing Most? | 1 Timothy 6:3-10
What Are You Pursuing Most? | 1 Timothy 6:3-10

Series: Guard the Treasure

Title: What are you pursuing most?

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:3-10; Matthew 6:19-34 NIV

Bottom line: What we pursue most tells us what we really treasure in life. But true contentment is only found in pursuing/treasuring Christ and his community on mission.

  1. INTRODUCTION

  2. CONTEXT

  3. SERMON OUTLINE

  4. CONCLUSION

  5. NOTES

  6. OUTLINES

  7. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  8. MAIN REFERENCES USED

INTRODUCTION

Treasure principle

Working for this life instead of the next

“When John D Rockefeller died, his aide was asked how much he left behind. The man wisely answered, ‘He left it all behind.’”

CONTEXT

SERMON OUTLINE (influenced by Willmington)

PAUL'S WORDS TO THE PEOPLE (6:1-10): Paul addresses four types of individuals.

A. The workers (6:1-2): Paul urges Christian servants to render faithful service to their masters, lest the name of God be slandered.

B. The wicked (6:3-5)

1. They deny the faith (6:3-4a).

2. They are conceited and argumentative (6:4b).

3. They cause confusion, envy, and friction (6:4c).

4. They use spiritual things for financial gain (6:5).

C. The wise (6:6-8): They realize that godliness with contentment is great gain.

D. The wealthy (6:9-10)

1. The desire (6:10): "The love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil."

2. The destruction (6:9): This kind of greed, if unchecked, will result in ruin and destruction.

CONCLUSION

“…the story of a king who was suffering from a persistent malady and was advised by his wise men that he would be cured if the shirt of a contented man were brought for him to wear. The search began for a contented man, but none could be found. So emissaries were sent to the edge of the realm, and after a long search a man was found who was truly content. But he had no shirt!“ -Kent Hughes, pp. 157-8

“Contentment is a constant feast, He's richest who requires the least.“ -Barnes

The “treasure principal” says that you can’t take it with you but you can send it ahead. This is Randy Alcorn‘s take on Matthew six versus 19 through 24.

Bottom line: What we pursue most tells us what we really treasure in life. But true contentment is only found in pursuing/treasuring Christ and his community on mission.

  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

Let’s ask some summary questions:

Q. What do I want them to know?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A.

OUTLINES

Outline Bible (Willmington)

SECTION OUTLINE SIX (1 TIMOTHY 6)

Paul addresses the workers, the wicked, the wise, and the wealthy.

He closes his letter with some final instructions for Timothy.

I. PAUL'S WORDS TO THE PEOPLE (6:1-10): Paul addresses four types of individuals.

A. The workers (6:1-2): Paul urges Christian servants to render faithful service to their masters, lest the name of God be slandered.

B. The wicked (6:3-5)

1. They deny the faith (6:3-4a).

2. They are conceited and argumentative (6:4b).

3. They cause confusion, envy, and friction (6:4c).

4. They use spiritual things for financial gain (6:5).

C. The wise (6:6-8): They realize that godliness with contentment is great gain.

D. The wealthy (6:9-10)

1. The desire (6:10): "The love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil."

2. The destruction (6:9): This kind of greed, if unchecked, will result in ruin and destruction.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process:

  1. Retell the story in your own words.

  2. 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 God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

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

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

  5. 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: 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 get to do? (In light of who I am)

Final Questions (Write this down)

  • What is God saying to you right now?

  • What are you going to do about it?

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“1 - 2 Timothy,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Timothy” by John Stott

Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus, David Platt, Daniel Akin, Tony Merida

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

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner (VW)

“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 in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app (BIOY)

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

“The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, 1 Timothy 6, pursue, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible-believing church, non-denominational church, guard this treasure