This is difficult material. It would be more gratifying perhaps to give a sermon that is more energizing, uplifting, or empowering rather than deep theology. But if our faith is going to really and truly be those things, if our faith is going to have any power, or any energy, or any ability to lift us up out of darkness, then it has to be grounded in truth. Jesus said in the previous chapter (4:23) that they that worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. He would later declare that He was the way, the truth and

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I have said before that every miracle presented in the gospels is given to illustrate a spiritual parable. And so it is with the miraculous account of the healing at the pool of Bethesda. In fact, this text perhaps more than many others offers several spiritual lessons which I would like to bring out today. Not the least of which is the nature of healing. That is the most obvious application in the context and so we should look at it first. I suspect that everyone sooner or later will come to a point of desiring to receive a healing

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There are many degrees of faith. Often, Jesus rebuked people for not having enough faith, or too small of faith. So as believers, it is important for us to consider our faith and examine it in light of what the word of God says. There are a lot of ideas out there which seek to say what constitutes faith, but the best definition of faith is found in the scriptures themselves. Several places in the scriptures speak of faith, but Hebrews 11:1 says it very succinctly; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not

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Today in 21st century Christianity, one of the most misunderstood words or principles in the church is the word worship. If I were to ask you this morning to write down a succinct sentence describing worship, I would not be surprised if there were as many definitions as there are attendees. Today when we think of worship, we think of a church service, or worship music, or even a worship pastor. The connotation is that worship is a part of a church service, or a separate experience in the church or life of the believer. But as I indicated, worship

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The other night as I was driving to pick up my daughter from a swim practice, I was able to witness a particularly beautiful sunset. There were these clouds that had reflections of all these colors in them and the sun’s rays shining through. It was really amazing. It’s almost sad though because it changes right before your eyes and soon it’s gone. I can’t help but think that sunsets are kind of like life. They are so beautiful, and yet so fleeting. By the time you think it’s really going great it’s basically starting to dim. But as tragic

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In this chapter, the author John the apostle has presented a universal predicament. A universal problem. And that is, that no man can ascend to God. That no man can be right with God through his own merits. The very best of mankind, the most religious, the most zealous person is still light years away from God. There is nothing we can do to leap across this great chasm that exists between God and man. Last week John introduced to us Nicodemus, the teacher of the Jews, a leader of the ruling religious body of the Jews. He was a

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The phrase “born again” is one that is not unfamiliar to most people today. However, I’m afraid it is not understood by the majority of people. Unfortunately, in a lot of circles it has taken on a denigrating characterization which is attached to someone that is considered to be sort of a religious right wing fanatic. However, in this passage, we find it’s origin in the words of Jesus Christ Himself, which He uses to describe those that will enter the kingdom of God. In fact, He said it is a requirement of the kingdom of God that you must

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John’s purpose for writing his gospel is found in chapter 20, “these things have been written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, that is the Messiah, and that believing you might have life in His name.” So to establish that purpose in his opening prologue, John puts forth his theological treatise concerning Jesus, that He was God, He was with God from the beginning, and that He is the source of life. Then you will remember that John presented witnesses, or expert testimony to those facts. That testimony was given by no less than John the Baptist,

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In our study of the first chapter of John, we saw the author under the inspiration of God give a masterful treatise stating the theology of Jesus Christ; that He is God in the flesh, He was with God from the beginning, He is Light and the light of the world, and that He is the Life of men, that is the Creator, the giver and sustainer of life. That was John’s opening argument in his gospel, which is given as an apologetic as well as an evangelistic message, the purpose of which is stated in John 20:31, “but these

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