The living water; John 4:1-42

I cannot read the story of the Samaritan woman at the well without thinking of a similar story my dad used to tell. He grew up in a very isolated rural area of North Carolina during the depression years. His family were what were known as sharecroppers, which is the poorest sort of farming. Others own the land, and basically you get to live on it and farm it, but the owners gets the lion’s share of the profits. So as a young man, dad would often hire himself out to other farmers in the area to work the fields

Read More…

The Light of Truth, John 3:17-36

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

Read More…

A universal solution to a universal predicament, John 3:16

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

Read More…

You must be born again, John 3:1-15

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

Read More…

Lord of the temple, John 2:12-17

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,

Read More…

The first sign, John 2:1-11

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

Read More…

The testimony of the disciples, John 1:35-51

As we continue in our study of the book of John, I would remind you that John has given a theological treatise, or opening argument in the first 18 verses that is unparalleled in scripture establishing the divinity of Jesus Christ. And then starting in vs. 19 he brought forth his first witness to testify to his premise which is stated in chapter 20vs.11, “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” That is the purpose of his epistle.

Read More…

The testimony of John the Baptist, John 1:19-34

The world is a very different place in the 21st century than it was in the days of our parents. But I am not talking about the obvious advancements in technology and science and so forth that enables our culture to think that we are so much more advanced than previous generations. The difference in our day from our father’s day is that at least in western civilization, man has become more egocentric rather than theocentric. A good illustration of that is that in our father’s day, young men cheerfully signed up to fight the Nazis, risking and even losing

Read More…

The Word became flesh, John 1:14-18

There is a lot of sentimentality at Christmas time. For a multitude of reasons, the holiday season evokes a lot of nostalgia, and it plays upon some of our deepest emotions. That is why Christmas is sometimes such a stressful time for many of us. It can seem ironic to wish people a Merry Christmas and yet find yourself almost overcome with sadness. The solution, of course, is to remember or be reminded of the real meaning of Christmas. But unfortunately, even the Christmas story has become so sentimentalized that the real joy to be found in the advent of

Read More…

The Word was Light, John 1: 5-13

As we are still in the prologue of the book of John, I think it would help us to realize that John is not occupied with merely presenting a biography of Jesus. We are all, I’m sure, more or less familiar with the history of Jesus Christ. So to simply retell the story of Christ’s life on earth would have limited benefit. But what John is presenting in his gospel is doctrine: the facts about Jesus which according to his stated purpose in chapter 20:31, “have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son

Read More…