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Intro to the Gospel According to John · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, good morning. It's good to see you all. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in the Gospel according to John.
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Let's see.
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I am not perfect, and I cannot plead my perfection before God, but must plead the perfection of Christ.
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What a good reminder this morning as we sang a song called, It Was Finished Upon That Cross.
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Today we're going to have an introduction to the Gospel according to John.
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It's been some time since I have preached, and I'm very grateful to be back at it today.
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So this marks the beginning of a verse-by-verse exposition of this Gospel.
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So the verse-by-verse part of that will begin next week.
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And I just want to say a brief word about verse-by-verse exposition.
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Well, the idea of an exposition or to exposit a text means that you bring out the completion of it.
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You're not neglecting any part of that text.
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And we find as a general habit that verse-by-verse exposition is an important task to take up.
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That's not to say that it's more holy than any other kind of preaching, but it's just a good habit.
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Sometimes the word exposition and the word exegesis is used interchangeably, and this just shouldn't be the case.
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I was speaking to a pastor earlier this week who kept saying he was going to exegete something,
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and I think what he meant was exposit it.
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But if you're expositing it, you're also exegeting it to be clear.
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So exegesis, that word comes from the Greek, and it simply means to come from the source, to come out of the source.
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And it's put in opposition to eisegesis, which means to read things into the source.
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And so any good preaching, faithful preaching, God-exalting preaching is going to be exegesis.
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It's going to come out of the text.
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But not all preaching can be exposition because not all preaching can lay out the entirety of a given matter.
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So like when we preach topically, it's very difficult.
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I think it can be done, but it's very difficult to exposit a topic because that's to say you'd have to say everything there is to say about that topic.
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That's difficult to do.
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Sometimes topical preaching is the most difficult because you have to figure out what not to say versus what should be said.
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So for those reasons, we like verse by verse.
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It's a wonderful thing to have a text just laid before you and to say,
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okay, this is what God intends for his people to hear on this day.
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That said, an introduction really can't be an exposition.
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I can't give you an entirety of John's gospel this morning.
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We're going to do that across some time, but it should be exegetical.
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It should still derive from the source the information.
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So we're not going to rush our study of this gospel.
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It's looking like, as I'm working through an outline, it's going to be something like 70 or so sermons.
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So we'll spend the next year, year and a half in this text.
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It surely shouldn't be the only Bible that you're getting.
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You need to be reading the Bible more broadly, but I really, really hope that us drilling down, expositing this text will serve you.
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And because we're about to set ourselves on this journey, we need to do some introductory work.
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It's helpful for us to kind of prerequisite the study of John's gospel.
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So today we're going to consider the book's authorship, its context, its purpose, and its major themes.
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And my hope for today is that you get excited about the time our church will spend together in this portion of God's word.
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So first, let's talk about the authorship.
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Now you have already heard me say that this book is titled The Gospel According to John.
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Your Bible likely has that exact title or some variation of it.
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However, the book never names John as its author.
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That said, and while there is some minor disagreement about its authorship,
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the widely accepted understanding is that the apostle John wrote it.
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I don't really think we need to have any arguments about it,
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but I do want to give you some evidences that John did in fact write this gospel account.
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The testimony of the early church bears witness to what I just don't mind stating as a fact.
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John wrote this gospel.
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Irenaeus was the first person to name John as its author in his work against heresies written in the 2nd century.
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Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John.
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So just a generation of discipleship removed.
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Also, Theophilus of Antioch, who lived at the same time, wrote,
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quote, quote,
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The holy writings teach us, and all the inspired men,
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one of whom, John, says,
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in the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with God, end quote.
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I could go on.
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There's lots of early church evidence that they consider John its author,
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but I will spare you more historical names that I likely can't pronounce and further quotations.
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The point is, the early church understood this book to be authored by John,
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so we have them as a strong external testimony.
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We also have some internal testimony, though not definitive,
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that gives strong evidence of John's authorship.
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So let me show you four.
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I told you to take out your Bibles to John.
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You may appreciate flipping around to some of these and seeing them.
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I'm going to move fairly quickly through these,
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because this is not the ultimate point of this morning.
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Firstly, though, the author was a Jew,
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and we get this evidence because he was familiar with Jewish traditions
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and opinions about a number of matters,
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including the Messiah.
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We see this in chapter 1, verse 21,
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chapter 6, verse 14 through 15,
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chapter 7, verse 26 through 27, etc.
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The importance of religious training,
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the relationship of suffering to personal sin,
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avoiding ceremonial defilement,
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wedding and burial customs,
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the need to be purified before celebrating Passover,
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and more.
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There's a lot of evidence that he was very familiar with Jewish traditions
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and opinions about a bunch of different matters.
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Secondly, we can derive from the text that the author was a Palestinian Jew.
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His knowledge of local places could only be known
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by someone who had lived in Palestine.
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He gives specific distances from one place to another as an example.
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They didn't have maps to reference or some device to look it up on.
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He would have had to travel those distances.
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A simple example is he distinguished between
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the Bethany beyond the Jordan,
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in chapter 1, verse 28,
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and the Bethany on the outskirts of Jerusalem,
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chapter 11, and verse 1.
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So his familiarity with the geography
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speaks to the fact that he was a Palestinian Jew,
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lived in that region.
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Thirdly, the author was an eyewitness.
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He includes specific details
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that aren't essential to the stories that he tells,
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which are not found in the other three gospel accounts.
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So he's not pulling these details from someplace else.
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He must have himself witnessed these things.
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Details like the name of Judas Iscariot's father,
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you can see in chapter 6 and verse 71,
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as well as other details.
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And then fourthly, the author is not mentioned.
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Let me explain.
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The other three gospel accounts mention the apostle John.
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John was one of the three apostles
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who were closest to Jesus,
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often called his inner circle.
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It was John, his brother James, and Peter
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that were, for example,
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invited to witness Jesus' transfiguration.
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The other three gospels mention him by name.
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This one does not.
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The gospel before us does mention
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the apostle whom Jesus loved.
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Chapter 13, verse 23.
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Chapter 19, verse 26.
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Chapter 21, and verse 20.
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Which strongly implies that John is referring to himself.
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And what a wonderful way to refer to yourself.
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So John was a Jewish, a Palestinian Jew,
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an eyewitness,
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and he's not mentioned in the text.
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All of this evidence, taken together,
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gives us plenty to be confident in this book's authorship.
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But I encourage you to shut down anybody
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who wants to argue with you otherwise.
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It is the gospel according to John.
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Second, and very briefly,
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John's context.
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This book was written in the last part of the first century,
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most likely between 80 and 90 A.D.
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Once again, there's some controversy about this dating.
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Typically meant to erode confidence in this gospel,
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and I would be really glad to speak with you further
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about the dating if you'd like to hear it.
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I think most people don't,
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so I'm not going to at this moment.
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But there's some really good reason to believe
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that it was written between 80 and 90 A.D.
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Church tradition holds that John was in Ephesus
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at the time of its writing.
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Text doesn't give us any clue to that,
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but the church tradition says
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that that's where he was located
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in the later years of his life.
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Third, what was the purpose
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for the writing of John's gospel account?
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Now, we, of course, believe
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that the scripture is inspired.
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So John is being led to write this
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by the Spirit of God who dwelt within him,
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but he's got something in mind
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as he sits down to write this particular gospel account.
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John is unique among the gospels.
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The other three are often called the synoptics
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or the synoptic gospels.
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This word comes from a Greek word
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which means to see together,
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and often we just think of that word
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as meaning similar.
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Matthew, Mark, and Luke
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all have distinct emphases and themes,
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but they follow the same general outline of events
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and have similar content,
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structure, and perspective.
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So in that way, they kind of sit together,
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and John sits a little oddly, uniquely,
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off to itself.
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More than 90% of John's gospel
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is not found in the synoptics.
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John speaks of Christ's preexistence
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and creative power,
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chapter 1, verse 1 through 3.
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Jesus' early ministry in Judea and Samaria,
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chapters 2 and 3.
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His dialogue with Nicodemus,
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chapter 3, verse 1 through 21.
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His bread of life teaching,
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chapter 6, verse 22 through 71.
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His discourse about being the good shepherd,
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chapter 10, verse 1 through 39.
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The washing of the disciples' feet,
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chapter 13, verse 1 through 15.
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The upper room discourse
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and the high priestly prayer,
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chapters 13 through 17, and more.
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We find all of this in John
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and not in the synoptic gospels.
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It explores the tragedy
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of the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah.
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And then John, with great clarity,
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lets us know exactly why he wrote it.
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And I just love that he does this for our sake.
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John, chapter 20, verse 30 and 31.
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He writes this,
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Now Jesus did many other signs
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in the presence of the disciples
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which are not written in this book.
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But these are written
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so that you may believe
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that Jesus is the Christ,
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the Son of God,
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and that by believing,
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you may have life in his name.
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So there it is.
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The purpose of the writing
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of this gospel account.
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Now it could be argued, of course,
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that this is the purpose of the writing
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of the entirety of the Bible.
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But John doesn't leave us guessing at all
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why he is penning this letter.
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John's focus is on proclamation,
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not on instruction.
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He desires for his readers
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to behold Christ,
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to see Christ,
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to understand his person
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and his work,
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that by believing in him,
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we might have life.
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Calvin said this gospel
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is the key to understanding
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the person and work
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of Jesus Christ.
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Christ.
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Now we are going to return
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to chapter 20, verse 31,
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time and time again
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as we study this book.
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Written so that you may believe
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that Jesus is the Christ,
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the one, the Messiah,
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the one who has come
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to redeem his people,
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to deliver them from sin and death
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and to give him life.
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The Son of God,
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that by believing you may have
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life in his name.
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The purpose is abundantly clear.
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But we shouldn't,
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and won't,
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neglect the major themes
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that serve the purpose
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of John's gospel account.
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You may hear that
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and you may think,
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well, I've already believed
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in the person and work
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of Jesus Christ, right?
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I've already been granted
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this life that John speaks about.
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Do I have any need
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to read this
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and to hear it preached
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over so much time?
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I will say to you,
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yes, yes,
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you most certainly do.
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There are undergirding themes
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that are going to be
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of great help to us
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in thinking about our salvation.
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So, fourth,
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let's consider five major themes
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of the book of John.
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First major theme
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is the deity of Christ.
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The opening words
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in the beginning
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was the word.
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John chapter 1 and verse 1.
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Echoes Genesis chapter 1
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and verse 1,
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declaring Christ
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as the eternal God.
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Next week,
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we're going to celebrate Easter,
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and we're not going to stop
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just to talk about the resurrection.
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We're going to get right
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into the very beginning
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of John chapter 1, right?
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The resurrection affirms
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everything that Jesus said
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about himself,
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namely,
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most importantly,
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his deity.
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In the beginning
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was the word,
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and the word was
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with God,
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and the word
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was God.
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Jesus is explicitly
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called God
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in the Gospel of John.
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He calls himself this.
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John chapter 10,
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verse 30,
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is an example.
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I and the Father
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are one.
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We see it in chapter 8,
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verse 58,
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and chapter 20,
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verse 28.
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Jesus makes
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seven I am statements
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that reveal
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his divine nature.
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Jesus calls himself
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the bread of life.
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I am the bread of life.
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Chapter 6,
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verse 35,
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and verse 48,
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and verse 51.
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Jesus says,
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I am the light
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of the world.
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Chapter 8,
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and verse 12.
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He says,
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I am the door.
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Chapter 10,
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verse 7,
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and verse 9.
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He says,
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I am the good shepherd.
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Chapter 10,
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verse 11,
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and verse 14.
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He says,
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I am the resurrection
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and the life.
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Chapter 11,
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verse 25.
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He says,
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I am the way,
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the truth,
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and the life.
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Chapter 14,
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verse 6.
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And he says,
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I am the vine.
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Chapter 15,
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verse 1 through 5.
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He's got a lot to say,
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right?
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And this is why
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this is not exposition
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because I want to develop
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all of those thoughts
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and we will
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when we get to those
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verses.
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So it sets out for us
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a major theme
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of the deity
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of Christ.
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Second major theme,
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the sovereign work
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of God
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in salvation.
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The sovereign work
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of God
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in salvation.
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We cannot
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save
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ourselves.
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It must be known
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that your sin
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makes you
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utterly incapable
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of saving
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yourself.
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Right?
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You have
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nothing to plead
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before God
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except for
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the saving work
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of God
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on your
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behalf.
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So John makes
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a case for
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monergistic
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salvation.
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God coming
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and saving
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a people.
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Let me show you
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a couple examples.
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John chapter 1
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and verse 13.
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John says that
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men,
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people who believe
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in Christ
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are born not of blood
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nor of the will
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of the flesh
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nor of the will
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of man
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but of God.
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People who belong
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to God
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are born
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of God.
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John chapter 6
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verse 37.
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No one can come
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to me
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unless the Father
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who sent me
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draws him.
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Draws him.
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And this
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word draws
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is used
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in extra-biblical
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language
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to talk about
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the drawing
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of water
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out of the well.
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Water is brought
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forcefully
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up out of a well.
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Chapter 10
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verse 26
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through 29
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says,
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But you do not believe
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because you are not
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among my sheep.
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My sheep hear my voice
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and I know them
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and they follow me.
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I give them
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eternal life
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and they will never perish
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and no one will snatch
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them out of my hand.
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My Father who has given
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them to me
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is greater than all
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and no one is able
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to snatch them
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out of the Father's.
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hand.
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Praise God
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that God saves
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because we would not
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save ourselves.
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We find ourselves
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this morning
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in Christ
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because of God's
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sovereign work
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on our behalf.
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John chapter 15
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and verse 16.
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There Jesus says,
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You did not
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choose me
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but I chose you
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and appointed you
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that you should go
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and bear fruit
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and that your fruit
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should abide.
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We sing a
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song called
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My Lord.
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And so I get
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one of my
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and every time
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we sing it
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I just expect
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somebody to come up
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to me upset
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about that song
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and so I get
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one of my
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ribbon markers
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and I put it
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in John chapter 15
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verse 16
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and to date
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nobody's been upset
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at me about that
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song.
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I think that's
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a wonderful thing.
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It's a profession
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of what Jesus
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says is true
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in John chapter 15
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and verse 16
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and all of this
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is taught
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so that God's
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people will be
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comforted.
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God is the one
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who saves.
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I'm so grateful
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this morning
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that it is not
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my supposed
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perfection
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that I plead
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before God
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because my
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supposed perfection
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is not
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perfection.
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I've shown myself
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to be imperfect
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as my eyes
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opened this morning.
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I need to plead
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a true perfection.
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A righteousness
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that doesn't come
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from me.
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An alien righteousness
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as Luther called it.
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The righteousness
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that belongs
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to Christ.
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He also
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under this theme
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of the sovereign
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work of God
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and salvation
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argues for the
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necessity
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of regeneration.
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That we need
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to be changed
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not in degree
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but in kind.
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We need to be
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changed from one
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type to another
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type.
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We see the record
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of a conversation
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between Jesus
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and a man
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named Nicodemus
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in John chapter 3.
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There we read
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this man came
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to Jesus by night
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and said to him
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Rabbi we know
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that you are a
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teacher come from
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God for no one
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can do these
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signs that you do
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unless God
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is with him.
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Jesus answered him
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truly truly I say
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to you unless
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one is born again
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he cannot see
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the kingdom
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of God.
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Nicodemus said
22:41
to him
22:42
how can a man
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be born when
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he is old?
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Can he enter
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a second time
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into his mother's
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womb and be
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born?
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He is basically
22:48
saying what
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are you talking
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about to be
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born again?
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Jesus answered
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truly truly I say
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to you unless
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one is born
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of water
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and the spirit
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he cannot enter
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the kingdom of
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God.
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That which is
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born of the
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flesh is flesh
23:04
and that which
23:04
is born of the
23:06
spirit is spirit.
23:09
So we are born
23:10
once that natural
23:13
way that biological
23:14
way and we must
23:15
be born again
23:16
that supernatural
23:17
way of the
23:19
spirit to be
23:19
accepted into
23:21
the kingdom of
23:22
God.
23:23
So that first
23:24
major theme again
23:25
is the deity of
23:25
Christ, the
23:26
second the
23:26
sovereign work
23:27
of God in
23:28
salvation.
23:30
Thirdly the
23:32
glory of Christ
23:33
revealed in
23:34
signs or you
23:36
could replace
23:36
that word with
23:37
miracles.
23:39
John's gospel
23:40
records seven
23:41
miracles that
23:42
demonstrate Christ's
23:44
divine power.
23:47
John chapter
23:47
two Jesus
23:48
turns water
23:49
into wine.
23:51
In John
23:52
chapter four in
23:53
a declaration of
23:54
Christ's authority
23:55
over life he
23:57
heals the
23:58
official's son.
24:00
In John
24:01
chapter five in
24:02
declaring a
24:03
sovereignty over
24:04
the Sabbath he
24:06
heals the
24:08
lame man.
24:09
John chapter six
24:10
Jesus feeds the
24:12
five thousand.
24:13
John chapter six
24:14
also the walking
24:16
on water.
24:19
John chapter nine
24:20
he heals a
24:21
blind man and
24:23
he declares his
24:24
power over death
24:25
in chapter 11 by
24:27
raising Lazarus
24:28
from the dead.
24:30
So we see the
24:30
glory of Christ
24:32
and these miracles
24:34
recorded for us.
24:35
fourthly the
24:37
major theme that's
24:38
developed is the
24:39
cross and the
24:41
lamb of God.
24:44
John alone
24:45
records John the
24:46
Baptist's
24:47
declaration
24:47
quote behold
24:48
the lamb of God
24:49
who takes away
24:51
the sin of the
24:53
world.
24:53
John chapter one
24:54
and verse
24:55
twenty nine.
24:57
John makes it
24:58
clear that the
24:58
cross is not a
25:00
plan gone wrong
25:02
but the preordained
25:03
mission of
25:05
Christ.
25:07
Jesus says in
25:08
John 10 and
25:08
verse 18
25:09
no one takes my
25:11
life from me
25:12
but I lay it
25:13
down of my own
25:15
accord.
25:16
I have authority
25:17
to lay it down
25:17
and I have
25:18
authority to take
25:18
it up again.
25:20
This charge I have
25:21
received from my
25:23
father.
25:23
See also John
25:24
chapter 12 and
25:25
verse 27.
25:28
Further John's
25:29
gospel emphasizes
25:31
the Passover
25:32
connection.
25:33
That Passover
25:34
meal just before
25:35
God's people were
25:36
delivered from
25:37
Egypt.
25:38
The Exodus
25:39
account that
25:41
they huddled in
25:42
their homes at
25:43
night and they
25:44
killed a lamb
25:46
and they spread
25:46
its blood over
25:47
their doorposts
25:48
so that the
25:49
angel of death
25:50
would pass over
25:51
their homes.
25:54
Jesus is the
25:55
fulfillment of
25:56
that type.
25:57
He's the true
25:59
Passover lamb.
26:01
His blood
26:02
takes away
26:03
the death
26:04
that is owed
26:06
us.
26:06
John chapter 19
26:07
and verse 36.
26:09
So we see this
26:10
developing major
26:11
theme of the
26:11
cross and the
26:12
lamb of God.
26:16
And the fifth
26:16
major theme that
26:18
we see is the
26:18
triune God
26:19
at work.
26:22
John's gospel
26:22
gives profound
26:24
insight into the
26:26
trinity.
26:27
We see the
26:28
father sending
26:29
the son.
26:30
John chapter 3
26:31
and verse 16.
26:32
For God so
26:33
loved the world
26:35
that he gave
26:36
his only son.
26:37
The Lord
26:37
believes in him
26:38
should not perish
26:39
but have eternal
26:41
life.
26:43
We see the
26:43
son accomplishing
26:45
the work of
26:46
three quarters of
26:48
that song and
26:49
Alex led us in
26:50
the rest of it.
26:52
There in John
26:52
chapter 19
26:53
verse 30
26:53
Jesus says
26:54
it is
26:56
finished
26:57
and he bowed
26:58
his head
26:59
and he gave
27:00
up his spirit.
27:02
He accomplished
27:02
the redemptive
27:03
work on behalf
27:05
of the people
27:06
that the father
27:07
sent him
27:08
for.
27:09
And we see
27:10
the spirit
27:11
applying that
27:12
salvation.
27:14
John chapter
27:15
14
27:15
verse 16
27:16
and 17
27:17
Jesus says
27:18
and I will
27:18
ask the father
27:19
and he will
27:20
give you another
27:21
helper to be
27:22
with you forever
27:23
even the spirit
27:24
of truth
27:25
whom the world
27:26
cannot receive
27:27
because it
27:27
neither sees him
27:28
nor knows him.
27:30
You know him
27:30
for he dwells
27:31
with you
27:32
and will be
27:33
in you.
27:35
The father
27:36
the son
27:37
and the spirit
27:38
doing this
27:39
great work
27:39
on behalf
27:40
of his people.
27:43
Additionally
27:43
the high priestly
27:44
prayer
27:45
John chapter 17
27:46
shows
27:46
trinitarian unity
27:48
in the
27:49
work
27:50
of redemption.
27:53
So those are
27:53
the five major
27:54
themes that are
27:54
serving that
27:55
great purpose
27:56
that we believe
27:57
that Jesus
27:58
is the Christ
27:58
the son of God
28:00
that we would
28:00
believe in him
28:01
have the salvation
28:02
of our souls
28:03
and life
28:04
forevermore
28:05
the deity
28:06
of Christ
28:06
the sovereign
28:07
work of God
28:08
and salvation
28:08
the glory
28:09
of Christ
28:10
revealed
28:11
in miracles
28:12
the cross
28:13
and the lamb
28:14
of God
28:14
and the
28:15
triune God
28:16
at work.
28:20
So
28:20
I think we've
28:21
hinted around
28:22
that it a bit
28:23
but why
28:24
is the study
28:24
of John
28:25
a timely
28:26
study
28:27
for our church?
28:29
People ask
28:30
that question
28:30
sometimes.
28:31
Are your elders
28:32
decided together
28:33
we're going to
28:33
preach through
28:34
the gospel
28:35
of John
28:36
at a bunch
28:37
of Bible
28:38
book names
28:40
on a board?
28:41
We stop
28:42
and we think
28:43
we consider
28:44
together
28:44
what might be
28:45
good for us
28:46
to spend time
28:47
studying together
28:48
and
28:48
there's
28:49
four reasons
28:50
that I want
28:51
to share
28:52
with you.
28:53
I hope
28:53
there are
28:54
more.
28:54
I hope
28:54
there are
28:54
other ways
28:55
that our
28:56
study of
28:56
this
28:56
is helpful
28:57
to you
28:58
but four
28:58
reasons
28:59
that I
28:59
could think
28:59
of
29:00
that this
29:00
would be
29:01
good for
29:01
us to
29:01
study
29:02
together
29:02
and then
29:03
we'll
29:03
close our
29:04
time
29:04
together.
29:05
Number
29:06
one
29:06
it is
29:08
always
29:09
always
29:10
good
29:11
to know
29:12
more
29:12
of Christ
29:14
and we
29:15
know him
29:16
by beholding
29:18
him in
29:19
the word.
29:21
You will
29:21
not ever
29:22
get bored
29:23
studying the
29:24
scripture.
29:26
Read it
29:27
and read it
29:28
and read it
29:29
by the power
29:29
of the spirit
29:30
he's going to
29:31
continue to
29:31
unfold for
29:32
you in
29:33
these pages
29:34
is our
29:36
Lord and
29:36
Savior
29:37
Jesus
29:37
Christ.
29:39
In an
29:39
age where
29:40
people
29:40
form Christ
29:42
they imagine
29:43
a Christ
29:44
to suit
29:44
their own
29:45
desires
29:45
we need
29:47
to be
29:47
laser
29:48
focused
29:48
on who
29:49
Jesus
29:49
really
29:50
is.
29:51
As he's
29:52
revealed in
29:52
the text
29:53
as he's
29:53
revealed
29:54
himself
29:54
we need
29:56
the actual
29:57
Jesus
29:58
clear in
29:59
our minds
29:59
to help
30:00
us discern
30:01
the false.
30:03
Christ
30:03
we will
30:04
never
30:04
fail
30:05
if we
30:06
hold up
30:06
to one
30:07
another
30:07
in
30:08
scripture
30:08
Christ
30:09
it's
30:10
always
30:10
good
30:11
to
30:11
know
30:11
more
30:12
of
30:13
Jesus
30:13
second
30:15
reason
30:16
I think
30:16
it's
30:17
helpful
30:17
for us
30:17
to study
30:17
John
30:18
to
30:18
nudge
30:20
at a
30:21
growth
30:21
in
30:22
reverence
30:23
the high
30:25
view of
30:25
Christ
30:25
in
30:26
John
30:26
should
30:26
lead
30:27
us
30:27
to a
30:28
high
30:28
view
30:29
of
30:29
gathered
30:30
worship
30:30
of
30:31
this
30:32
Christ
30:33
Sundays
30:35
beloved
30:35
are
30:36
serious
30:37
days
30:38
and I
30:39
don't
30:39
mean
30:39
that they
30:40
are
30:40
an
30:40
unjoyful
30:41
day
30:42
Sunday
30:43
should
30:43
be
30:43
full
30:43
of
30:44
joy
30:45
but I
30:46
do
30:46
mean
30:46
that
30:47
they
30:47
are
30:47
weighty
30:48
days
30:49
we
30:50
are
30:50
invited
30:50
to
30:51
come
30:51
together
30:52
as an
30:53
outpost
30:53
of
30:54
God's
30:54
people
30:55
to sing
30:56
praises
30:56
to his
30:57
name
30:57
to open
30:58
up his
30:58
word
30:58
and to
30:59
learn
30:59
from it
31:00
to speak
31:00
truth
31:00
to one
31:01
another
31:02
and I
31:04
think that if we
31:04
give serious
31:05
consideration to
31:06
who we
31:07
gather to
31:07
worship
31:07
we may
31:09
find ourselves
31:10
approaching
31:10
this day
31:11
more
31:12
importantly
31:13
now at
31:15
the fear of
31:16
indicting anybody
31:17
this morning
31:17
I'm not going to
31:18
give you
31:18
examples
31:19
but if you
31:20
want some
31:20
come ask me
31:21
I'll be
31:21
happy to
31:21
share with
31:22
you
31:22
some ways
31:22
I think
31:23
we could
31:23
grow
31:24
in our
31:25
reverence
31:25
as a
31:26
church
31:26
thirdly
31:29
I think
31:29
a study
31:29
of
31:30
John's
31:30
gospel
31:31
will be
31:31
good
31:32
it'll
31:32
serve
31:32
our
31:32
church
31:33
to
31:33
remind
31:33
us
31:34
of
31:34
God's
31:35
sovereignty
31:35
and
31:36
anchor
31:37
our
31:37
souls
31:38
for
31:38
difficult
31:39
days
31:40
once again
31:42
I think
31:42
this is a
31:43
thing we
31:43
need to be
31:43
reminded of
31:44
constantly
31:45
we need to
31:46
see God
31:47
held up
31:48
at the
31:48
center
31:49
of the
31:49
story
31:49
of the
31:50
Bible
31:50
and
31:50
therefore
31:50
at the
31:51
center
31:51
of ours
31:51
controlling
31:52
the
31:52
minutia
31:53
of every
31:54
single
31:55
moment
31:55
day
31:58
because
31:58
we're
31:58
going to
31:59
experience
31:59
difficult
32:00
days
32:01
and we
32:01
need to
32:02
remember
32:02
who is
32:02
ultimately
32:03
in control
32:03
of all
32:05
things
32:05
fourthly
32:07
good for us
32:08
to study
32:09
John's
32:11
gospel
32:11
account
32:11
to spur
32:13
on
32:14
bold
32:15
gospel
32:16
proclamation
32:17
God is
32:20
saving
32:20
a people
32:21
for his
32:22
praise
32:23
and he's
32:24
using
32:24
his
32:25
people
32:25
to
32:26
accomplish
32:26
that
32:27
work
32:27
we
32:28
gather
32:29
together
32:29
as a
32:29
church
32:30
in order
32:31
that we
32:31
might be
32:31
sent
32:32
in order
32:33
that we
32:33
might
32:33
go
32:34
and in
32:34
our
32:34
going
32:35
we're
32:35
meant
32:36
to go
32:36
gather
32:37
people
32:37
back
32:38
together
32:38
for the
32:39
praise
32:40
of
32:41
Christ
32:41
we're
32:42
going to
32:43
note
32:43
Jesus
32:43
saying
32:44
things
32:44
in this
32:44
gospel
32:45
account
32:45
like
32:46
in
32:46
John
32:46
chapter
32:46
12
32:47
verse
32:47
49
32:48
I
32:49
have
32:49
not
32:49
spoken
32:49
on
32:51
my
32:51
own
32:51
authority
32:52
but the
32:52
father
32:52
who sent
32:53
me
32:53
has
32:54
himself
32:54
given
32:55
me
32:55
a
32:55
commandment
32:56
what
32:56
to
32:56
say
32:56
and
32:57
what
32:57
to
32:58
speak
32:59
we
33:01
see
33:01
Jesus
33:01
just
33:01
going
33:02
in
33:03
his
33:03
going
33:04
about
33:04
right
33:05
he's
33:05
saying
33:05
the
33:06
things
33:06
that
33:06
the
33:06
father
33:07
tells
33:07
him
33:08
to
33:08
say
33:08
in
33:08
other
33:08
places
33:09
we'll
33:09
see
33:09
him
33:09
doing
33:09
the
33:10
things
33:10
that
33:10
the
33:10
father
33:11
tells
33:11
him
33:12
to
33:12
do
33:14
and
33:15
then
33:15
he
33:15
says
33:16
this
33:16
in
33:16
John
33:16
chapter
33:16
20
33:17
verse
33:17
21
33:18
peace
33:19
be
33:19
with
33:20
you
33:20
as
33:21
the
33:21
father
33:22
has
33:22
sent
33:22
me
33:23
even
33:24
so
33:24
I
33:25
am
33:25
sending
33:25
you
33:26
right
33:27
that
33:27
we
33:28
would
33:28
just
33:28
go
33:28
about
33:28
in
33:29
our
33:29
going
33:30
right
33:30
believing
33:31
in
33:31
the
33:31
sovereign
33:31
God
33:32
that
33:32
saves
33:32
his
33:32
people
33:33
and
33:33
we
33:33
would
33:33
make
33:33
bold
33:34
gospel
33:34
proclamation
33:36
as we
33:37
do
33:37
we'll
33:38
talk a lot
33:38
about
33:39
that
33:39
in this
33:40
coming
33:40
year
33:40
beloved
33:43
the
33:43
Lord
33:43
is
33:43
blessing
33:43
our
33:44
church
33:44
with
33:45
children
33:45
I
33:46
am
33:47
so
33:47
so
33:47
grateful
33:47
for
33:48
this
33:48
we
33:49
had
33:49
two
33:49
born
33:49
just
33:50
this
33:50
past
33:50
week
33:51
and
33:51
they
33:52
and
33:52
their
33:52
families
33:53
are
33:53
in
33:53
our
33:53
prayers
33:54
if
33:55
I'm
33:55
correct
33:56
I
33:56
think
33:56
I
33:56
am
33:56
we
33:56
still
33:57
have
33:57
nine
33:58
women
33:58
currently
33:59
pregnant
33:59
right
34:00
now
34:00
130
34:02
children
34:03
85
34:04
of those
34:05
children
34:06
are
34:06
four
34:06
and
34:07
under
34:07
and
34:08
all
34:09
of
34:09
those
34:09
numbers
34:09
are
34:09
plus
34:10
or
34:10
minus
34:10
but
34:11
I
34:11
think
34:11
I'm
34:11
pretty
34:11
accurate
34:11
they're
34:13
precious
34:14
!
34:14
souls
34:15
!
34:15
we
34:15
are
34:16
grateful
34:16
for
34:16
each
34:17
and
34:17
every
34:18
one
34:19
of
34:19
them
34:19
if
34:21
you
34:21
are
34:21
a
34:21
parent
34:22
the
34:22
evangelizing
34:23
and
34:23
discipling
34:24
of
34:24
your
34:24
children
34:25
is
34:25
front
34:26
line
34:26
work
34:27
and
34:28
we
34:28
do
34:28
that
34:28
together
34:29
like
34:29
we
34:29
partner
34:30
in
34:30
that
34:30
effort
34:30
together
34:31
with
34:32
these
34:32
kids
34:33
but
34:33
let
34:33
us
34:34
not
34:34
forget
34:34
our
34:35
broader
34:35
command
34:36
to
34:37
go
34:37
we
34:38
have
34:38
neighbors
34:39
and
34:39
co-workers
34:40
and
34:40
classmates
34:40
that
34:41
need
34:41
the
34:42
gospel
34:42
of
34:43
Jesus
34:43
Christ
34:43
praise
34:45
God
34:45
for
34:46
our
34:46
biological
34:46
growth
34:47
don't
34:47
hear
34:47
me
34:48
for
34:48
a
34:48
minute
34:48
downplaying
34:49
biological
34:50
growth
34:51
we are
34:51
so
34:51
happy
34:51
for
34:51
it
34:52
but
34:52
let
34:52
us
34:53
also
34:53
not
34:53
lose
34:53
sight
34:54
of
34:54
the
34:54
wonderful
34:54
potential
34:55
of
34:55
conversion
34:56
growth
34:57
we want
34:58
to see
34:59
dead
34:59
people
34:59
come
35:00
to
35:00
life
35:01
and
35:02
be
35:02
part
35:02
of
35:02
our
35:02
church
35:03
I
35:04
hope
35:04
that
35:04
our
35:05
time
35:05
together
35:05
this
35:05
morning
35:06
this
35:06
brief
35:06
bit
35:07
of
35:07
moment
35:07
we've
35:07
had
35:08
has
35:08
given
35:08
you
35:08
some
35:08
bearing
35:09
for
35:09
our
35:09
intentions
35:11
and
35:13
pray
35:14
for
35:14
me
35:14
as
35:15
I
35:15
prepare
35:15
these
35:15
sermons
35:16
other
35:16
men
35:16
will
35:16
also
35:17
come
35:17
and
35:17
preach
35:17
from
35:18
this
35:18
book
35:19
as
35:19
well
35:19
pray
35:20
that
35:20
we
35:20
might
35:21
rightly
35:21
behold
35:22
Christ
35:22
and
35:23
grow
35:23
into
35:24
his
35:24
likeness
35:25
in
35:25
ever
35:26
increasing
35:26
ways
35:27
together
35:28
let's
35:28
pray
35:29
to
35:29
that
35:29
end