1 00:00:00,387 --> 00:00:00,388 Dr. Gregg Marutzky: 2 00:00:00,388 --> 00:00:02,317 Good morning, church. 3 00:00:03,147 --> 00:00:03,267 Good morning. 4 00:00:03,277 --> 00:00:05,887 Wow, it's a good crowd this morning. 5 00:00:06,847 --> 00:00:09,877 Bunch of young, good-looking people right up front here, too. 6 00:00:10,427 --> 00:00:11,577 Now smile at me. 7 00:00:11,817 --> 00:00:12,607 Smile at me. 8 00:00:13,387 --> 00:00:13,857 All right. 9 00:00:15,107 --> 00:00:19,927 There, there's a, there's a, a c- a, some guests visiting here for the first time. 10 00:00:19,997 --> 00:00:23,057 I met them this morning and I told them I'm gonna be looking at them, and s- 11 00:00:23,107 --> 00:00:25,147 here they are, looking back, smiling. 12 00:00:25,237 --> 00:00:26,057 Amen. 13 00:00:26,057 --> 00:00:26,647 Amen. 14 00:00:26,647 --> 00:00:27,197 Amen. 15 00:00:27,517 --> 00:00:28,367 Come and See. 16 00:00:29,497 --> 00:00:31,897 Written by the Apostle John. 17 00:00:32,927 --> 00:00:37,377 That's our series, and the reason this is so important, I feel a 18 00:00:37,377 --> 00:00:42,437 heavy burden in some ways, is because John was the beloved. 19 00:00:43,527 --> 00:00:51,517 John felt the love of Jesus so strongly, and he was so in love with Jesus, 20 00:00:51,867 --> 00:00:54,651 that he called himself the beloved. 21 00:00:54,651 --> 00:00:56,587 Now, we know that Jesus was the one and only, the begotten 22 00:00:56,587 --> 00:00:57,687 Son of Jesus, the beloved 23 00:01:01,007 --> 00:01:02,107 of God, I mean. 24 00:01:02,247 --> 00:01:04,257 Jesus was the beloved of God. 25 00:01:04,837 --> 00:01:10,287 And you and I, there's a prayer called the beloved that eventually 26 00:01:10,287 --> 00:01:15,357 even gets to us, and we're to claim that we're the beloved of God. 27 00:01:16,396 --> 00:01:23,187 But the goal of this series is if Jes- if John was so in love with Jesus, 28 00:01:23,787 --> 00:01:28,967 then hopefully after this series, we'll be so in love with Jesus, amen? 29 00:01:28,967 --> 00:01:29,207 Yes. 30 00:01:30,176 --> 00:01:32,327 Can you fall more in love with Jesus? 31 00:01:32,327 --> 00:01:33,167 Yeah. 32 00:01:33,167 --> 00:01:36,337 Yeah, we all can, and we should, and we want to. 33 00:01:36,337 --> 00:01:41,217 And that's why we constantly strive in our relationship with God to give more and 34 00:01:41,217 --> 00:01:47,116 more of our heart to Him, to understand His will, and to seek a relationship. 35 00:01:47,116 --> 00:01:52,937 Not just to believe, not just to know the right things, not just to understand, 36 00:01:53,207 --> 00:01:59,366 not to just have rationality or logic, but to truly have a connection with 37 00:01:59,377 --> 00:02:01,687 God and a relationship with God. 38 00:02:01,697 --> 00:02:01,897 Yeah. 39 00:02:02,797 --> 00:02:04,517 There was a time when I was… 40 00:02:04,637 --> 00:02:08,866 I became a Christian, I was connected to God, and I got baptized and I got my sins 41 00:02:08,866 --> 00:02:11,387 forgiven, and that was such a relief. 42 00:02:11,807 --> 00:02:15,197 Such a great feeling to be forgiven. 43 00:02:15,367 --> 00:02:19,187 And it was such a great feeling to have the Holy Spirit and have power 44 00:02:19,237 --> 00:02:23,387 to change, and I started changing some radical things in my life. 45 00:02:23,887 --> 00:02:27,177 But then later on in my Christian life, I… 46 00:02:27,177 --> 00:02:31,767 it just seemed like I was going through the motions, and I needed to fall 47 00:02:31,777 --> 00:02:35,237 deeper in love with Jesus and with God. 48 00:02:35,997 --> 00:02:38,347 And Jesus is my very best friend. 49 00:02:39,077 --> 00:02:41,397 I love Jesus with all of my heart. 50 00:02:41,977 --> 00:02:43,357 I need Jesus. 51 00:02:43,947 --> 00:02:44,247 My… 52 00:02:44,287 --> 00:02:48,607 I have two of my beloved here on the front row, my wife and my 53 00:02:48,607 --> 00:02:50,117 daughter, one of my daughters. 54 00:02:50,527 --> 00:02:53,587 And my daughter gave me a big hug this morning. 55 00:02:55,223 --> 00:02:56,753 And I don't know why she did. 56 00:02:56,763 --> 00:02:58,293 She must have thought I needed it. 57 00:02:59,673 --> 00:03:00,843 But oh, it felt good. 58 00:03:01,953 --> 00:03:06,253 And so as I'm thinking about beloved, I thought, "Oh, she's so beloved." 59 00:03:07,273 --> 00:03:12,233 And my wife, it just shocks me sometimes that she still loves 60 00:03:12,233 --> 00:03:16,123 me so deeply and loves me more, and that we have a good time. 61 00:03:16,593 --> 00:03:20,723 I mean, we're such good friends, and we, we, uh, took a couple days and went 62 00:03:20,763 --> 00:03:22,903 to the mountains on Monday and Tuesday. 63 00:03:22,903 --> 00:03:26,493 And it was just so fun, 'cause when you're with your best friend, 64 00:03:26,863 --> 00:03:28,613 I mean, it, everything's fun. 65 00:03:29,523 --> 00:03:35,343 And, and just eating a breakfast sandwich a- at a, at a mountain cafe is fun, amen? 66 00:03:35,863 --> 00:03:41,513 So but we need to start with just a little bit of fun, okay? 67 00:03:41,983 --> 00:03:47,073 So I was looking up, and I wanna say things, uh, well this morning. 68 00:03:47,073 --> 00:03:51,213 I wanna say them well, because when you don't say things well, then 69 00:03:51,213 --> 00:03:52,573 you can get yourself in trouble. 70 00:03:52,753 --> 00:03:56,523 And there were some translations of the scripture that weren't 71 00:03:56,563 --> 00:04:01,693 done well and really gave some false meaning to the Bible. 72 00:04:01,703 --> 00:04:02,823 Listen to this. 73 00:04:02,923 --> 00:04:10,063 Uh, in, uh, 1832, uh, a certain Bible read when Rebecca came out of the 74 00:04:10,073 --> 00:04:14,453 tent to meet Isaac, it's supposed to say that, uh, her and her damsels 75 00:04:15,453 --> 00:04:20,572 came out to meet him, but it says her and her camels came out to meet him. 76 00:04:21,593 --> 00:04:26,063 And another one, it says, uh, "If any man would come after me, 77 00:04:26,332 --> 00:04:29,873 he must," uh, you know, uh, uh- 78 00:04:32,905 --> 00:04:35,085 Uh, hate his own life, right? 79 00:04:35,485 --> 00:04:38,034 And instead of life, it says, "Hate his wife." 80 00:04:39,565 --> 00:04:40,405 Not good. 81 00:04:40,965 --> 00:04:46,465 And another translation, 1716, says that we should sin no more. 82 00:04:46,465 --> 00:04:47,965 Well, it didn't say that. 83 00:04:47,975 --> 00:04:51,865 It said, "Sin s- sin on more." 84 00:04:52,605 --> 00:04:53,645 Sin on more. 85 00:04:53,835 --> 00:04:58,975 And another one, instead of, uh, uh, the King Charles translation, instead 86 00:04:58,975 --> 00:05:03,175 of saying, "Thou shall not commit adultery," they left a word out. 87 00:05:03,225 --> 00:05:05,265 "Thou shall commit adultery." 88 00:05:05,275 --> 00:05:05,285 Ooh. 89 00:05:05,825 --> 00:05:07,025 That's not a good one. 90 00:05:07,575 --> 00:05:10,155 And then, uh, this one, nobody understood. 91 00:05:10,415 --> 00:05:14,805 Uh, in the 16th century, a translation came out, says Jesus 92 00:05:15,005 --> 00:05:19,595 was, was, bl- bless the peacemakers, and it said, "The placemakers." 93 00:05:20,985 --> 00:05:22,165 I don't know what that means. 94 00:05:22,595 --> 00:05:24,585 And then, uh, this is a funny one. 95 00:05:24,765 --> 00:05:30,345 One translation came out in 1702, the Parable of the Vineyard, it 96 00:05:30,345 --> 00:05:33,125 said, "The Parable of the Vinegar." 97 00:05:36,105 --> 00:05:37,625 That, that was a funny one. 98 00:05:38,085 --> 00:05:40,885 You know, you gotta be careful, especially as a preacher. 99 00:05:40,885 --> 00:05:44,835 There was a preacher that, uh, his car broke down, and it was out in 100 00:05:44,835 --> 00:05:48,705 front of a 7-Eleven, and he, uh, went in to, to call for some help. 101 00:05:48,715 --> 00:05:50,115 That was before cell phones. 102 00:05:50,455 --> 00:05:54,945 And, uh, a fellow was, was right outside and was, was asking for some help, 103 00:05:54,945 --> 00:05:57,005 some money, and he recognized him. 104 00:05:57,005 --> 00:05:59,275 And he says, "Frank, what's going on? 105 00:05:59,275 --> 00:06:00,775 You were so successful. 106 00:06:00,775 --> 00:06:02,455 You're so wealthy and so rich. 107 00:06:02,495 --> 00:06:03,185 What's happened?" 108 00:06:03,185 --> 00:06:05,615 He says, "Oh, I made some really bad investments. 109 00:06:05,615 --> 00:06:06,855 I've lost everything." 110 00:06:07,245 --> 00:06:12,225 And so, so he gave him some, some money and he said, "I wanna pray for you, and 111 00:06:12,225 --> 00:06:16,395 I want you to go home, and I want you to just open up your Bible, let it fall 112 00:06:16,395 --> 00:06:20,915 down, and put your finger down, and whatever it says, claim it and live it. 113 00:06:21,095 --> 00:06:22,675 And I think God will bless you." 114 00:06:23,205 --> 00:06:27,435 And so months later, he saw Frank again, and Frank was in this Gucci suit, and he 115 00:06:27,435 --> 00:06:29,345 was looking all good and feeling all good. 116 00:06:29,605 --> 00:06:30,955 And so the preacher went up to him. 117 00:06:30,955 --> 00:06:33,105 He says, "Frank, it all turned around. 118 00:06:33,284 --> 00:06:34,005 What happened? 119 00:06:34,095 --> 00:06:35,835 What, what verse did you find?" 120 00:06:36,055 --> 00:06:39,835 And he said, "I put my finger down," and it said, "Chapter 11." 121 00:06:47,351 --> 00:06:51,201 If you know business, you know what that, the, the punchline there. 122 00:06:52,431 --> 00:06:55,241 My a- my wife asked me, "What, what joke are you telling?" 123 00:06:55,241 --> 00:06:57,011 She wants to screen them nowadays. 124 00:06:57,861 --> 00:07:00,151 And, uh, she said, "Don't tell that. 125 00:07:00,291 --> 00:07:00,981 I don't get it." 126 00:07:03,873 --> 00:07:06,033 I told her and then she thought it was humor. 127 00:07:06,033 --> 00:07:07,483 She still said, "Don't do it." 128 00:07:10,355 --> 00:07:11,395 But let's dive in. 129 00:07:11,955 --> 00:07:16,524 This is the commentary I'm gonna be using and the staff will be using as 130 00:07:16,555 --> 00:07:18,515 we're preaching through the Gospels. 131 00:07:18,555 --> 00:07:22,595 It's a concise commentary on the Gospel of John by the fore- 132 00:07:22,715 --> 00:07:27,254 one of the very foremost, uh, scholars of the Gospel of John. 133 00:07:27,315 --> 00:07:32,295 He wrote a commentary, very thick, very scholarly, in the Anchor Bible Series. 134 00:07:32,735 --> 00:07:36,435 But, uh, this one, he's written a concise one, and it's really good. 135 00:07:36,534 --> 00:07:37,335 Raymond Brown. 136 00:07:37,895 --> 00:07:42,975 I read his commentary, uh, years ago, probably about 30 years ago, and 137 00:07:43,034 --> 00:07:48,055 that's what, uh, caused me to start really pursuing the Gospel of John. 138 00:07:48,375 --> 00:07:49,655 So I wanted to share that with you. 139 00:07:50,445 --> 00:07:58,875 But in the beginning, in the beginning, in anchen, in anchen. 140 00:08:00,575 --> 00:08:02,115 We know where that comes from, right? 141 00:08:03,215 --> 00:08:06,655 In the beginning, God created. 142 00:08:07,775 --> 00:08:11,015 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth. 143 00:08:11,275 --> 00:08:13,365 God created something from nothing. 144 00:08:13,795 --> 00:08:17,715 So John begins his gospel, "In the beginning." 145 00:08:17,795 --> 00:08:20,795 Why doesn't he do it like Matthew, Mark, and Luke? 146 00:08:21,335 --> 00:08:25,715 Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us a, a, a genealogy story. 147 00:08:25,815 --> 00:08:31,215 They tie Jesus into the history of the Jews and the history of, of, of people. 148 00:08:32,955 --> 00:08:35,145 He really is giving us a genealogy. 149 00:08:36,534 --> 00:08:42,135 He's tying it all the way back to creation and beyond creation. 150 00:08:42,975 --> 00:08:43,174 That's right. 151 00:08:43,174 --> 00:08:47,155 That Jesus has existed forever because He's God. 152 00:08:47,585 --> 00:08:51,835 And so even though we read His birth story, that's just when He became 153 00:08:51,955 --> 00:08:54,015 human, that's not when He became. 154 00:08:54,375 --> 00:08:54,545 That's right. 155 00:08:54,955 --> 00:08:59,055 Because He's always been in the beginning. 156 00:08:59,555 --> 00:09:04,425 And so that's why people look at John, oh, my goodness, John is so audacious. 157 00:09:04,815 --> 00:09:07,835 He starts with the beginning of the Bible. 158 00:09:07,915 --> 00:09:10,445 I mean, h- h- why does he do that? 159 00:09:11,515 --> 00:09:13,515 For a very good reason. 160 00:09:13,555 --> 00:09:16,655 Because his audience is non-Christians. 161 00:09:17,595 --> 00:09:21,095 His audience aren't people that believe in God. 162 00:09:21,615 --> 00:09:26,735 His audience have a Roman and Greco culture, and they're very worldly. 163 00:09:26,835 --> 00:09:32,715 And the, the Roman a- a- and Greek culture had so many temples and so many deities, 164 00:09:32,755 --> 00:09:36,315 and they just worshiped everything they could see and everything they could 165 00:09:36,375 --> 00:09:39,435 touch and everything they could create and everything they could make up. 166 00:09:40,035 --> 00:09:45,775 And John wants them to worship and fall in love with who he's fallen 167 00:09:46,175 --> 00:09:48,495 in love with, the eternal one. 168 00:09:49,435 --> 00:09:49,535 That's right. 169 00:09:49,535 --> 00:09:53,135 The eternal one, the true one, the greatest. 170 00:09:53,615 --> 00:09:58,835 And so he starts out very boldly, "In the beginning." 171 00:09:59,635 --> 00:10:06,717 And he says in verses one through five, "In the beginning was the Word-" The Word. 172 00:10:07,547 --> 00:10:09,737 And in the Greek, this is Logos. 173 00:10:10,497 --> 00:10:18,017 In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God. 174 00:10:18,577 --> 00:10:23,899 And He, and He shifts there He was with God in the beginning. 175 00:10:24,379 --> 00:10:27,949 Through him all things were made that without him nothing 176 00:10:27,949 --> 00:10:29,689 was made that has been made. 177 00:10:30,209 --> 00:10:38,259 In him was life, and that life was the light, the guide, the path, the direction, 178 00:10:38,259 --> 00:10:41,349 the beauty, the heat, the energy of men. 179 00:10:41,999 --> 00:10:45,859 The light shines in the darkness, in the wickedness, in the evil of 180 00:10:45,859 --> 00:10:53,299 this world, but the darkness has not understood or overcome it. 181 00:10:54,109 --> 00:10:54,139 Yes. 182 00:10:54,519 --> 00:10:56,519 I mean, we could just stop there. 183 00:10:57,669 --> 00:10:59,739 There's so much profundity there. 184 00:10:59,739 --> 00:11:00,889 There's so much meaning. 185 00:11:00,889 --> 00:11:06,289 There's so much depth that that tells us so much rich theology, 186 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:10,539 and there's books written just on these first five verses because 187 00:11:10,869 --> 00:11:14,649 they have so much foundation for us. 188 00:11:14,919 --> 00:11:18,259 But this morning I just wanna introduce the Gospel of John and 189 00:11:18,269 --> 00:11:22,639 hopefully wet our appetite for all the coming attractions, right? 190 00:11:23,249 --> 00:11:26,189 All the things that we're gonna see through the chapters. 191 00:11:26,279 --> 00:11:32,089 But this idea of Jesus as the logos, let's dive into it just a little bit. 192 00:11:32,169 --> 00:11:35,499 We won't spend a lot of time on it, 'cause we're gonna go in depth on Wednesday. 193 00:11:35,959 --> 00:11:43,119 But in Greek philosophy, the logos was what everyone was pu- pursuing, what Plato 194 00:11:43,299 --> 00:11:44,659 and Aristot- Aristotle and Heraclitus 195 00:11:47,139 --> 00:11:47,919 was after. 196 00:11:47,949 --> 00:11:52,829 The logos described the rational, the governing principles of the cosmos. 197 00:11:53,239 --> 00:11:59,879 Logos was the knowledge to transcendence, to eternity, to 198 00:11:59,879 --> 00:12:02,659 live forever, to know the answer. 199 00:12:03,329 --> 00:12:03,829 All right? 200 00:12:04,309 --> 00:12:07,459 So if you wanted to know the answer in the ancient world, 201 00:12:07,739 --> 00:12:10,019 you sought and studied logos. 202 00:12:10,019 --> 00:12:14,389 You became a Stoic or, or these different k- types of philosophies 203 00:12:14,409 --> 00:12:16,419 tried to explain the logos to you. 204 00:12:16,719 --> 00:12:24,159 In Jewish thought, the, uh, the Jewish writer Philo used the term and des- 205 00:12:24,159 --> 00:12:29,349 used it to describe God's mediating power and active presence in creation, 206 00:12:29,349 --> 00:12:34,769 and especially from Proverbs chapter 8, that the artist, the designer, 207 00:12:34,939 --> 00:12:39,279 the actual Hebrew words there, uh, the designer of the universe. 208 00:12:39,279 --> 00:12:42,839 And, and we know he's talking about Jesus now looking back, and we put 209 00:12:42,839 --> 00:12:46,929 it in context, but at the time, Phi- Philo thought, well, the logos, that 210 00:12:46,929 --> 00:12:50,169 creative power, has made the universe. 211 00:12:50,689 --> 00:12:55,549 And then John makes it all clear for us just in these few verses, and he 212 00:12:55,559 --> 00:13:04,969 says he applied the logos to Jesus, a transformed and impersonal philosophical 213 00:13:05,009 --> 00:13:15,951 idea and force into a living, personal being who entered human history If your 214 00:13:15,961 --> 00:13:21,671 faith, your religion, your beliefs just stay mental, stay in your head, it's not 215 00:13:21,671 --> 00:13:29,115 really gonna help you, folks You need to connect Right You need to connect to God. 216 00:13:29,115 --> 00:13:31,245 You need to connect to other people. 217 00:13:31,345 --> 00:13:35,795 I, I pray for the young people because of all the screen time and the way 218 00:13:35,955 --> 00:13:39,235 that they've been raised, w- They're, they're not, they, they're, they're 219 00:13:39,235 --> 00:13:41,095 not as relational, people are saying. 220 00:13:41,095 --> 00:13:42,655 Now, our kids are. 221 00:13:42,655 --> 00:13:43,685 They're very relational. 222 00:13:43,725 --> 00:13:45,775 They're always smiling at me and saying hi. 223 00:13:45,775 --> 00:13:46,495 They're cool. 224 00:13:47,015 --> 00:13:47,445 All right? 225 00:13:47,895 --> 00:13:50,205 But that's probably 'cause they've been going to church and because 226 00:13:50,205 --> 00:13:54,745 they've connected to God and connected Je- to Jesus, but that's not common. 227 00:13:55,535 --> 00:13:58,165 In p- most places, you walk around, you see young people that 228 00:13:58,165 --> 00:13:59,205 aren't talking to each other. 229 00:13:59,205 --> 00:14:00,785 They're just looking at their phone. 230 00:14:01,375 --> 00:14:01,395 Yeah. 231 00:14:01,805 --> 00:14:05,115 And, and when I catch myself, like Cathy and I at a restaurant 232 00:14:05,115 --> 00:14:07,755 and we're both looking at our phone, I think, "Uh, put it down. 233 00:14:07,835 --> 00:14:08,355 Talk." 234 00:14:09,125 --> 00:14:09,145 Mm-hmm. 235 00:14:09,225 --> 00:14:10,235 "Be a good husband. 236 00:14:11,025 --> 00:14:11,875 You know, connect. 237 00:14:11,875 --> 00:14:13,005 You know how to do it, Greg. 238 00:14:13,055 --> 00:14:17,315 You've even taught people to do it, so just remind yourself and do those things." 239 00:14:17,835 --> 00:14:18,305 All right? 240 00:14:18,765 --> 00:14:21,225 So this is a very important thing. 241 00:14:21,225 --> 00:14:26,355 It's basically saying, I'll put in simple terms, Jesus is the bridge. 242 00:14:26,435 --> 00:14:26,475 Amen. 243 00:14:27,815 --> 00:14:32,055 He's the bridge- Yeah … between humans and God. 244 00:14:32,075 --> 00:14:32,255 Yeah. 245 00:14:33,145 --> 00:14:38,085 Between this world and the next, between the physical and the spiritual. 246 00:14:38,115 --> 00:14:39,365 He's the bridge. 247 00:14:39,375 --> 00:14:39,395 Yeah. 248 00:14:39,895 --> 00:14:40,545 All right? 249 00:14:40,695 --> 00:14:42,405 He's the bridge for you and me. 250 00:14:42,535 --> 00:14:44,155 The religious word is priest. 251 00:14:45,415 --> 00:14:46,885 He's the intermediary. 252 00:14:47,205 --> 00:14:48,445 He's the interceder. 253 00:14:49,015 --> 00:14:52,725 He's the one that inter- does intercession for us to connect to God. 254 00:14:52,855 --> 00:14:58,365 He's the connection, and that's why it's so cool that he's the Logos, 'cause I 255 00:14:58,615 --> 00:15:00,725 want connection with God, don't you? 256 00:15:00,725 --> 00:15:01,410 Yes. 257 00:15:01,410 --> 00:15:02,095 Yes. 258 00:15:02,095 --> 00:15:03,135 Yes, we do. 259 00:15:03,575 --> 00:15:04,365 We want it. 260 00:15:04,385 --> 00:15:07,235 We need it, 'cause we know that's where the power is. 261 00:15:07,235 --> 00:15:08,625 We wanna be plugged in. 262 00:15:08,805 --> 00:15:11,665 Don't you hate it when you turn on the light and it's not plugged in? 263 00:15:11,675 --> 00:15:11,695 Yeah. 264 00:15:12,985 --> 00:15:16,375 We, we moved into our house, and there's a light we haven't 265 00:15:16,375 --> 00:15:18,085 even put into the plug yet. 266 00:15:18,615 --> 00:15:19,995 It's behind the sectional. 267 00:15:19,995 --> 00:15:23,455 We'll have to move the sectional out, so we just use the other lights. 268 00:15:24,525 --> 00:15:27,485 And I told myself yesterday, "I need to get under there 269 00:15:27,485 --> 00:15:29,585 and just plug in this lamp." 270 00:15:30,385 --> 00:15:31,925 But I, we've lived there, what? 271 00:15:31,995 --> 00:15:32,665 Two months? 272 00:15:32,885 --> 00:15:33,855 Haven't done it yet. 273 00:15:34,465 --> 00:15:34,885 Haven't done it. 274 00:15:34,915 --> 00:15:37,185 If you wanna come over and help, come on over and help. 275 00:15:37,705 --> 00:15:38,095 All right? 276 00:15:38,525 --> 00:15:40,105 What a servant thing to do. 277 00:15:40,485 --> 00:15:41,265 He goes on. 278 00:15:41,405 --> 00:15:42,715 Jesus the Logos. 279 00:15:43,045 --> 00:15:45,875 It means God is with us. 280 00:15:46,865 --> 00:15:49,555 Guys, that's the greatest feeling in the world. 281 00:15:50,055 --> 00:15:50,075 Yeah. 282 00:15:50,075 --> 00:15:50,655 Yeah. 283 00:15:50,655 --> 00:15:55,525 And it's the worst feeling in the world to be lost, for God not to be with you. 284 00:15:56,965 --> 00:15:59,735 I became a Christian a- as a freshman in… 285 00:15:59,825 --> 00:16:02,145 Well, I started seeking as a freshman in college. 286 00:16:02,145 --> 00:16:06,495 I became a Christian as a sophomore in college 'cause that first year 287 00:16:06,495 --> 00:16:10,255 of college beat me up, broke me. 288 00:16:11,145 --> 00:16:15,715 And I remember a cold winter day, one evening coming out, 289 00:16:16,015 --> 00:16:23,215 unfortunately of a bar- And just feeling so lost, so disconnected. 290 00:16:24,145 --> 00:16:27,745 Not connected to my family, not connected to anyone. 291 00:16:27,985 --> 00:16:32,305 And I was on the football team, and I was, I was in a fraternity, and I was 292 00:16:32,305 --> 00:16:42,075 popular, but I wasn't connected to God, my source My energy, my hope, my salvation, 293 00:16:42,075 --> 00:16:45,555 my forgiveness Yes And I started seeking. 294 00:16:46,515 --> 00:16:49,735 God with us is so, such a blessing. 295 00:16:50,455 --> 00:16:51,775 This is so good. 296 00:16:52,025 --> 00:16:57,145 Jesus, the eternal Word, the logos means that Christ is divine reason 297 00:16:57,145 --> 00:17:02,445 and divine wisdom as an expression of God who has existed forever 298 00:17:02,735 --> 00:17:07,234 and became human in Jesus Christ. 299 00:17:07,675 --> 00:17:10,775 On Wednesday night we're gonna talk about two of the, the great heresies 300 00:17:10,775 --> 00:17:16,915 of Christianity, Aaronism and, uh, uh, Gnosticism, and they argued 301 00:17:16,915 --> 00:17:19,115 over the deity of Jesus Christ. 302 00:17:19,115 --> 00:17:23,285 If we can get it right, it's gonna keep us on track. 303 00:17:24,075 --> 00:17:27,275 And a few of the scholars of the 1st century, I just wanna read this 304 00:17:27,275 --> 00:17:32,365 real quick, some good stuff that, uh, what they thought about logos. 305 00:17:32,435 --> 00:17:36,075 Justin Martyr says he was a philosopher, he turned Christian, 306 00:17:36,335 --> 00:17:41,515 and he said, "The idea of logos is spermatikus, a seed-bearing word." 307 00:17:41,515 --> 00:17:45,975 He argued that a seed of the divine logos was planted in all humans, 308 00:17:46,215 --> 00:17:50,475 and ancient thinkers like Socrates and Plato grasped fragments of that 309 00:17:50,475 --> 00:17:57,715 truth, but Jesus came and brought the entire logos in physical human form. 310 00:17:57,945 --> 00:18:01,595 Irenaeus said that writing against Gnosticism, he claimed 311 00:18:01,785 --> 00:18:04,405 the physical world was, was evil. 312 00:18:04,415 --> 00:18:07,945 See, see, the, the, the ancients, they thought there was this dualism, 313 00:18:07,945 --> 00:18:11,095 the, everything physical was evil and everything spiritual was good, 314 00:18:11,245 --> 00:18:14,775 so it didn't matter what you did in the body because that's evil anyway. 315 00:18:15,095 --> 00:18:20,955 And so, and that dualism mindset still is in our mindset today, all right? 316 00:18:21,225 --> 00:18:25,155 That we can do whatever we want as long as we, we believe the right things 317 00:18:25,155 --> 00:18:27,365 or have the right heart about things. 318 00:18:27,415 --> 00:18:30,555 But Irenaeus used logos to prove the unity of God. 319 00:18:30,565 --> 00:18:35,135 He explained that the Word who created the world is the exact same word who 320 00:18:35,135 --> 00:18:42,505 redeemed it in the flesh, marrying creation and salvation, human and divine. 321 00:18:42,535 --> 00:18:43,835 Can we get an amen? 322 00:18:44,175 --> 00:18:44,215 Amen. 323 00:18:44,435 --> 00:18:49,545 And Origen said he helped formalize the concept of eternal generation. 324 00:18:49,815 --> 00:18:53,905 He explained that the Father did not create the logos at some point in 325 00:18:53,905 --> 00:18:58,435 time, and, and that's one of the false teachings of the 1st century, that Jesus 326 00:18:58,435 --> 00:19:00,965 was created, that he was an emanation. 327 00:19:00,975 --> 00:19:01,645 That's Gnosticism. 328 00:19:02,955 --> 00:19:04,205 But, uh, uh, he… 329 00:19:04,245 --> 00:19:08,515 it's just like a light bulb that cannot exist without light. 330 00:19:08,675 --> 00:19:12,045 God is a light bulb, and h- the light is Jesus. 331 00:19:12,075 --> 00:19:16,625 The Father is eternally generating light in the Son. 332 00:19:17,755 --> 00:19:22,655 It's good to read those ancient scholars to truly understand. 333 00:19:24,599 --> 00:19:28,689 This idea of logos, guys, take a picture of this, if you will. 334 00:19:28,689 --> 00:19:33,599 I'm not gonna spend much time on it, but as far as nature, instead 335 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:35,779 of a cosmic force, it's a person. 336 00:19:36,219 --> 00:19:41,119 As, and as far as function, it, it, it, it's, it's an illustration. 337 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:42,499 It's not just a thought. 338 00:19:42,789 --> 00:19:47,879 And materially, he became flesh, and he became relatable to be known 339 00:19:47,879 --> 00:19:52,649 and loved and followed, and it's all throughout the Gospel of John. 340 00:19:52,649 --> 00:19:56,969 Unless we understand this, we won't understand the Gospel of John. 341 00:19:57,619 --> 00:19:59,319 Jesus' incarnation. 342 00:20:00,349 --> 00:20:04,819 You know, as an early Christian, I was a cross man, and I still am. 343 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:08,569 I think the cross is the, the fulcrum of Christianity, 344 00:20:08,619 --> 00:20:10,129 the turning point of history. 345 00:20:10,129 --> 00:20:13,039 It's the most important event that's ever happened. 346 00:20:13,499 --> 00:20:15,779 But the incarnation was pretty important, too. 347 00:20:16,759 --> 00:20:21,959 Jesus becoming like me and like you, human. 348 00:20:22,699 --> 00:20:23,749 The incarnation. 349 00:20:25,429 --> 00:20:28,919 The eternal Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. 350 00:20:28,979 --> 00:20:30,709 This is 1 John 1 through 4. 351 00:20:31,569 --> 00:20:36,169 His eternal existence, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." 352 00:20:36,889 --> 00:20:38,949 Deity, "The Word was God." 353 00:20:39,299 --> 00:20:43,029 The Creator, "All things were made through the Logos," and then the 354 00:20:43,069 --> 00:20:49,179 ultimate revelation that Jesus shows us the true message in human form. 355 00:20:49,889 --> 00:20:55,009 You know, sometimes getting into the Greek is just showing off, all right? 356 00:20:55,479 --> 00:20:56,769 Somebody studied Greek. 357 00:20:56,769 --> 00:20:58,169 I studied it for two and a… 358 00:20:58,229 --> 00:21:01,809 A year and a half, and so I know enough to be dangerous. 359 00:21:02,809 --> 00:21:07,759 But there's a couple of words here in the first chapter of John that really 360 00:21:07,769 --> 00:21:09,829 have made some stuff come alive for me. 361 00:21:10,239 --> 00:21:15,649 The incarnation is the embodiment of God in human form in the person of Jesus. 362 00:21:15,999 --> 00:21:22,939 The Word, Jesus, became flesh, sarx, and dwelt, tabernacle, Shekhinah, 363 00:21:23,379 --> 00:21:27,789 which means pinched His tent among us. 364 00:21:28,719 --> 00:21:35,769 We wouldn't know God unless Jesus pitched his tent here, camped out with us, came 365 00:21:35,769 --> 00:21:38,449 and lived with us, and became like us. 366 00:21:38,899 --> 00:21:42,329 In John 10:10, one of my favorite scriptures, "The thief comes only 367 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:47,879 to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life 368 00:21:47,909 --> 00:21:51,249 and may have it to half a tank." 369 00:21:54,209 --> 00:21:55,199 That's not what it says. 370 00:21:55,199 --> 00:21:57,539 That you may have life to the full. 371 00:21:58,279 --> 00:22:00,239 You don't have to just exist. 372 00:22:00,819 --> 00:22:03,699 You don't have to just settle for the life you have. 373 00:22:03,849 --> 00:22:10,419 You can have abundant, thriving, prosperous life in Jesus Christ. 374 00:22:10,459 --> 00:22:11,019 Amen? 375 00:22:11,019 --> 00:22:11,819 Amen. 376 00:22:11,819 --> 00:22:12,419 Amen. 377 00:22:12,429 --> 00:22:14,059 That's the promise of God. 378 00:22:14,059 --> 00:22:15,269 Let's claim it, folks. 379 00:22:15,269 --> 00:22:16,099 Let's claim it. 380 00:22:16,559 --> 00:22:20,009 And then just a couple more verses from this, uh, chapter. 381 00:22:20,289 --> 00:22:21,729 It's, uh, so good. 382 00:22:22,039 --> 00:22:27,469 In J- John 1:14 is one of the key verses, one of the paradigm-setting, 383 00:22:27,729 --> 00:22:30,179 uh, scriptures of the whole book. 384 00:22:30,549 --> 00:22:36,129 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling, his shekinah, among us. 385 00:22:36,499 --> 00:22:41,229 He- we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, the 386 00:22:41,229 --> 00:22:47,959 begotten Son who came from the Father full of grace and truth." 387 00:22:49,389 --> 00:22:51,279 Full of grace and truth. 388 00:22:52,619 --> 00:22:53,739 You know what that means? 389 00:22:54,289 --> 00:22:55,789 There's enough grace for you and me. 390 00:22:57,719 --> 00:23:00,839 You're not gonna run out of grace, 'cause Jesus is full of grace. 391 00:23:01,619 --> 00:23:03,199 He's overflowing with grace. 392 00:23:03,479 --> 00:23:07,979 In fact, the, the Greek term is, is, is, uh, is, is, uh, is, uh, the idea 393 00:23:07,989 --> 00:23:13,099 of it, of it being pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, that Jesus' 394 00:23:13,099 --> 00:23:18,469 grace is just overflowing from him, and his truth is just overflowing from him. 395 00:23:18,949 --> 00:23:20,669 Haven't you been around some people like that? 396 00:23:20,719 --> 00:23:23,049 Kindness just overflows from them. 397 00:23:23,059 --> 00:23:23,099 Amen. 398 00:23:24,029 --> 00:23:26,349 Happiness just overflows from them. 399 00:23:26,349 --> 00:23:29,549 I know I'm not one of those people, but don't you love those people that are? 400 00:23:30,219 --> 00:23:30,249 Yes. 401 00:23:30,249 --> 00:23:30,619 All right? 402 00:23:30,839 --> 00:23:33,199 That just, it just overflows from you. 403 00:23:33,219 --> 00:23:34,899 You just wanna be around them some more. 404 00:23:34,899 --> 00:23:36,569 You just wanna hang out with them. 405 00:23:36,759 --> 00:23:41,899 Or, or people where humor just overflows from them, that everything 406 00:23:41,899 --> 00:23:43,439 they say, you just crack up. 407 00:23:43,459 --> 00:23:45,709 You, you act like a child again all of a sudden. 408 00:23:45,719 --> 00:23:46,839 You just laugh so hard. 409 00:23:47,249 --> 00:23:49,399 Some people just crack, crack you up. 410 00:23:50,699 --> 00:23:53,939 It's, that's what it means, so full of grace and truth. 411 00:23:54,339 --> 00:23:58,069 And w- 1:17 says, "For the law was given through Moses." 412 00:23:58,069 --> 00:23:59,269 What's the law good for? 413 00:23:59,489 --> 00:24:01,889 Romans 7 says it tells us what's right and wrong. 414 00:24:01,899 --> 00:24:03,169 You gotta know what's right and wrong. 415 00:24:04,139 --> 00:24:05,219 I want law. 416 00:24:05,259 --> 00:24:06,459 I want truth. 417 00:24:06,459 --> 00:24:10,369 I want r- you know- Amen … protection from evil. 418 00:24:10,369 --> 00:24:13,189 I don't want people doing evil against me, and I don't want 419 00:24:13,189 --> 00:24:14,429 to do evil against others. 420 00:24:14,429 --> 00:24:15,799 So it's good to have law. 421 00:24:16,269 --> 00:24:22,089 But grace and truth came through Jesus. 422 00:24:22,479 --> 00:24:22,509 Yes. 423 00:24:23,469 --> 00:24:27,719 You know, if you ever have been in a legalistic religion, you get 424 00:24:27,719 --> 00:24:32,679 burned out quick- Yeah … just doing what's right, not doing what's wrong. 425 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:33,139 Yeah. 426 00:24:33,619 --> 00:24:34,149 You know? 427 00:24:35,429 --> 00:24:38,969 You need a religion where you connect- That's it … with that 428 00:24:38,979 --> 00:24:44,519 bridge, where you become the beloved disciple, where you're so in love 429 00:24:44,519 --> 00:24:46,799 with Jesus that you're connected. 430 00:24:46,799 --> 00:24:48,259 It's not just legalistic. 431 00:24:48,259 --> 00:24:49,469 It's not just doing what's right. 432 00:24:49,699 --> 00:24:51,189 "Oh, I just want a better life." 433 00:24:51,189 --> 00:24:52,639 We all want a better life. 434 00:24:53,379 --> 00:24:55,239 Even non-Christians want a better life. 435 00:24:55,249 --> 00:24:55,319 Yes. 436 00:24:55,969 --> 00:24:58,069 But the way to get it is the connection. 437 00:24:59,485 --> 00:25:02,225 The connection, the logos of God. 438 00:25:02,985 --> 00:25:03,975 How do I know that? 439 00:25:04,085 --> 00:25:07,145 Well, this next verse, it's a good one. 440 00:25:08,265 --> 00:25:13,595 Says in verse 12 and 13, "Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who 441 00:25:13,595 --> 00:25:19,495 believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, sons and 442 00:25:19,495 --> 00:25:25,765 daughters of God, children born not of natural descent nor of human decision," 443 00:25:26,665 --> 00:25:32,165 not just 'cause you chose God, "or a husband's will," not just 'cause of the 444 00:25:32,165 --> 00:25:36,335 family you're in, "but born of God." 445 00:25:37,665 --> 00:25:40,945 And we're gonna have a little sermon on that in John chapter 3, being born again, 446 00:25:40,945 --> 00:25:42,915 how awesome it is to be born again. 447 00:25:42,915 --> 00:25:45,015 But this is just coming attractions. 448 00:25:45,025 --> 00:25:48,995 This is just preview, but you get the right when you what? 449 00:25:50,025 --> 00:25:50,765 Believe. 450 00:25:51,815 --> 00:25:52,875 I believe, Lord. 451 00:25:53,635 --> 00:25:54,605 Do you really believe? 452 00:25:55,545 --> 00:25:58,575 Jesus was always challenging people when they started following Him. 453 00:25:58,575 --> 00:25:58,595 Yeah. 454 00:25:59,115 --> 00:26:00,115 Why are you following me? 455 00:26:00,125 --> 00:26:00,145 Yeah. 456 00:26:01,155 --> 00:26:01,675 You know? 457 00:26:02,565 --> 00:26:04,865 And when His disciples say, "I believe," they… 458 00:26:04,895 --> 00:26:05,835 He, "Do you really believe? 459 00:26:07,275 --> 00:26:11,105 Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son 460 00:26:11,105 --> 00:26:13,875 of Man has nowhere to lie down." 461 00:26:14,545 --> 00:26:16,095 Do you really wanna follow? 462 00:26:16,095 --> 00:26:17,595 Do you really believe? 463 00:26:17,605 --> 00:26:17,625 Yeah. 464 00:26:18,435 --> 00:26:21,805 We gotta get to that point when we are, we believe 'cause we're- Yeah 465 00:26:22,455 --> 00:26:23,695 He's our beloved. 466 00:26:24,515 --> 00:26:24,535 Yeah. 467 00:26:24,585 --> 00:26:25,975 Because we love Him so much. 468 00:26:26,385 --> 00:26:26,405 Yeah. 469 00:26:26,895 --> 00:26:30,305 Not just 'cause we, we got the, the knowledge, but because 470 00:26:30,305 --> 00:26:31,615 we got the relationship. 471 00:26:31,625 --> 00:26:31,645 Yeah. 472 00:26:33,035 --> 00:26:34,985 See, I got the relationship with the Lord. 473 00:26:35,675 --> 00:26:40,445 I didn't think I'd make it, and with knowledge I wouldn't have just made it. 474 00:26:41,615 --> 00:26:44,135 And I can say that 'cause I got a lot of knowledge. 475 00:26:44,745 --> 00:26:47,715 But you're not gonna make it with knowledge only. 476 00:26:48,185 --> 00:26:52,625 My knowledge has helped me, but it's my relationship with the Lord. 477 00:26:52,625 --> 00:26:53,735 It's that bridge. 478 00:26:53,745 --> 00:26:54,715 It's that connection. 479 00:26:54,925 --> 00:26:57,575 That's that being born again. 480 00:26:57,585 --> 00:26:57,605 Yeah. 481 00:26:58,215 --> 00:27:01,645 And that renewal over and over again. 482 00:27:02,235 --> 00:27:03,185 Good stuff. 483 00:27:03,795 --> 00:27:05,055 What's He promising you? 484 00:27:05,055 --> 00:27:07,285 What's the Gospel of John promising you guys? 485 00:27:07,295 --> 00:27:08,225 Full life. 486 00:27:09,125 --> 00:27:09,955 Abundant life. 487 00:27:11,447 --> 00:27:14,097 If you don't have full life, then come to this series. 488 00:27:14,727 --> 00:27:16,177 Because here's the promise. 489 00:27:16,847 --> 00:27:21,927 We're gonna focus on Christ until we're just so in love and he's our beloved. 490 00:27:21,937 --> 00:27:21,957 Yeah. 491 00:27:22,617 --> 00:27:23,987 We're gonna focus on Christ. 492 00:27:24,287 --> 00:27:29,997 We're, we're gonna g- we're gonna get rid of that guilty, shame, legalism in our 493 00:27:29,997 --> 00:27:32,897 life, and just be connected to the Lord. 494 00:27:32,907 --> 00:27:33,437 Amen? 495 00:27:33,437 --> 00:27:34,297 Amen. 496 00:27:34,297 --> 00:27:40,077 We're gonna be led by truth, not all the waves and philosophies and thoughts and… 497 00:27:40,957 --> 00:27:43,427 coming at us from every direction. 498 00:27:44,237 --> 00:27:48,037 We're gonna focus on what the God's word says- Yeah … and his truth. 499 00:27:48,047 --> 00:27:48,067 Yeah. 500 00:27:48,447 --> 00:27:53,327 And we're gonna let him love us and just like he loved John. 501 00:27:53,337 --> 00:27:53,357 Yeah. 502 00:27:53,717 --> 00:27:58,887 Just like he loved everybody he connected with in this gospel until we 503 00:27:58,887 --> 00:28:01,247 feel that grace through and through. 504 00:28:01,837 --> 00:28:03,977 Just a preview of coming attractions. 505 00:28:03,977 --> 00:28:05,677 That's what all the first chapter is. 506 00:28:05,677 --> 00:28:08,567 It's telling us what we're gonna see throughout the book. 507 00:28:09,117 --> 00:28:13,767 And he first starts with logos here, and then secondly he says 508 00:28:13,957 --> 00:28:19,387 that this is the life, that he's the life and the light of the world. 509 00:28:19,517 --> 00:28:22,737 And then he says that, uh, he's the Lord. 510 00:28:23,167 --> 00:28:26,397 One of the testimonies, witnesses in the first chapter says, "No one 511 00:28:26,397 --> 00:28:30,987 has ever seen God, but the one and only Son who is himse- is himself 512 00:28:30,987 --> 00:28:36,117 God, is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." 513 00:28:37,027 --> 00:28:40,567 Verse 23, and same thing the whole book of Hebrews tells us. 514 00:28:41,277 --> 00:28:41,937 All right? 515 00:28:42,157 --> 00:28:43,627 And then the Lamb of God. 516 00:28:44,057 --> 00:28:45,817 Oh, I love this in verse 29. 517 00:28:45,877 --> 00:28:50,117 "The next day, John saw Jesus," John the Baptist, "saw Jesus coming toward 518 00:28:50,117 --> 00:28:54,827 him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God who will take away the sins.'" 519 00:28:54,837 --> 00:28:57,177 The whole book of Revelation is about the Lamb of God. 520 00:28:57,377 --> 00:29:01,297 Who can take us away the sins of the world, the evil of the world? 521 00:29:01,487 --> 00:29:05,067 And then all of a sudden, into the throne room comes the lamb. 522 00:29:07,031 --> 00:29:17,591 The Lamb of God, and the, the figure there is this, this lamb and its wool is stained 523 00:29:17,591 --> 00:29:21,601 with blood, the sacrificial lamb of God. 524 00:29:22,191 --> 00:29:24,471 That's a huge thought right there. 525 00:29:25,211 --> 00:29:26,631 And then he's a leader. 526 00:29:27,411 --> 00:29:32,971 Says in Deuteronomy 18 and then in verse 45, "Philip found Nathanael and told him, 527 00:29:32,971 --> 00:29:35,181 'We found the one Moses wrote about.'" 528 00:29:35,191 --> 00:29:40,161 And what Moses says in Deuteronomy 18 is a prophet, the Prophet is gonna come. 529 00:29:40,171 --> 00:29:42,841 The Messiah, the Chosen One will come. 530 00:29:43,571 --> 00:29:45,921 On whom the prophets also wrote. 531 00:29:46,401 --> 00:29:50,011 It's Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. 532 00:29:50,771 --> 00:29:54,501 You know what's gonna hit you somewhere along in your Christian life is, 533 00:29:54,651 --> 00:29:56,311 "Oh, I'm glad I'm looking back. 534 00:29:57,771 --> 00:30:02,751 I'm glad I didn't live in the time of the Old Covenant before Jesus came. 535 00:30:03,041 --> 00:30:05,971 I'm sort of glad I wasn't there right when Jesus was alive, 536 00:30:05,981 --> 00:30:07,521 because I w- might have missed it. 537 00:30:07,521 --> 00:30:10,431 I might have not recognized that he was the Son of God. 538 00:30:10,431 --> 00:30:15,991 I'm so glad I've, I'm now looking back in hindsight and see who Jesus 539 00:30:16,041 --> 00:30:21,211 really is, the Prophet, the One, the Messiah, the Chosen One, the lovely 540 00:30:21,211 --> 00:30:24,181 One, the King of Israel, the Rabbi." 541 00:30:25,241 --> 00:30:32,871 He says in verse 49, "Then Nan- Nathanael declared, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God. 542 00:30:32,881 --> 00:30:34,881 You're the King of Israel. 543 00:30:35,991 --> 00:30:43,271 I have seen and I testify that this is God's Chosen One.'" 544 00:30:43,271 --> 00:30:45,441 I hope that's what you get out of the Gospel of John. 545 00:30:46,541 --> 00:30:48,581 I hope you fall so in love with him. 546 00:30:48,621 --> 00:30:52,581 I hope you see all these things, and you believe with all of your heart. 547 00:30:52,631 --> 00:30:54,051 I believe with all of my heart. 548 00:30:54,271 --> 00:30:57,201 When I made my confession of faith, I believed it with all my heart, and 549 00:30:57,201 --> 00:30:58,661 I still believe it with all my heart. 550 00:30:59,311 --> 00:31:02,581 I still believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God- Yes … and 551 00:31:02,591 --> 00:31:03,921 God raised him from the dead. 552 00:31:04,491 --> 00:31:07,011 I still want Jesus to be Lord of my life. 553 00:31:07,621 --> 00:31:12,961 I don't wanna be mastered by anything, by any sin, by any possession, by anybody. 554 00:31:14,623 --> 00:31:15,753 I'm in love with the Lord. 555 00:31:16,143 --> 00:31:16,183 Amen. 556 00:31:16,723 --> 00:31:17,223 Amen? 557 00:31:17,223 --> 00:31:18,053 Amen. 558 00:31:18,053 --> 00:31:18,863 Amen. 559 00:31:19,353 --> 00:31:24,763 And then just to, to give you a, a few points in, uh, uh, Signs Point 560 00:31:24,773 --> 00:31:28,323 to God, so throughout this book, we're gonna be pointing to God. 561 00:31:28,733 --> 00:31:32,543 In John 2, the water to wine, all these seven miracles. 562 00:31:32,623 --> 00:31:34,183 In John 4, when he get… 563 00:31:34,203 --> 00:31:35,593 the nobleman gets… 564 00:31:35,653 --> 00:31:37,043 huh, son gets healed. 565 00:31:37,333 --> 00:31:40,023 In John 5, the, the paralytic healed. 566 00:31:40,033 --> 00:31:42,313 John 6, the multitude fed. 567 00:31:42,323 --> 00:31:44,063 John 6, the walking on water. 568 00:31:44,063 --> 00:31:46,793 John 9, the blind man healed. 569 00:31:47,063 --> 00:31:51,223 John 11, Lazarus, the big one, resurrection. 570 00:31:51,953 --> 00:31:53,603 And then the seven I Am stories. 571 00:31:53,603 --> 00:31:55,263 You've heard series on this. 572 00:31:55,283 --> 00:31:58,033 We're gonna hit on this stuff, but we don't wanna miss the 573 00:31:58,033 --> 00:32:02,313 point, that Jesus is the beloved. 574 00:32:03,153 --> 00:32:07,953 The seven statements, "I'm bread, I'm light, I'm door, I'm gate, I'm 575 00:32:08,013 --> 00:32:12,753 shepherd, I'm resurrection, I'm way, truth, and life, and I'm the vine." 576 00:32:14,661 --> 00:32:16,461 And then don't miss the seven sermons. 577 00:32:16,461 --> 00:32:20,721 Oh, we like the signs, we like the metaphors, and in fact, in John, he 578 00:32:20,721 --> 00:32:25,291 has these metaphors and these signs and these, these miracles instead of parables. 579 00:32:25,351 --> 00:32:26,471 Isn't that interesting? 580 00:32:27,001 --> 00:32:28,681 Matthew, Mark, and Luke have parables. 581 00:32:28,701 --> 00:32:30,771 In this gospel, we don't have parables. 582 00:32:31,161 --> 00:32:32,401 We have these other things. 583 00:32:33,361 --> 00:32:37,831 But in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he had sermons, and in John, he has sermons. 584 00:32:37,831 --> 00:32:38,741 He has seven of them. 585 00:32:39,051 --> 00:32:43,241 Be born again, be true worshipers, be true disciples, bear fruit. 586 00:32:44,021 --> 00:32:45,481 You're gonna get the Paraclete. 587 00:32:46,201 --> 00:32:50,351 Be unified, and last of all, follow me. 588 00:32:50,351 --> 00:32:51,701 We'll look at all this stuff. 589 00:32:52,471 --> 00:32:52,891 But the… 590 00:32:53,471 --> 00:32:56,271 This is the theme verse, not the theme verse, but this 591 00:32:56,271 --> 00:32:57,851 is the purpose of the book. 592 00:32:58,651 --> 00:33:01,771 But I, I hope I've helped you see that it's a little 593 00:33:01,801 --> 00:33:03,431 deeper than just these words. 594 00:33:04,321 --> 00:33:10,861 Says in John 21:30-31, "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of 595 00:33:10,861 --> 00:33:15,221 his disciples," a lot of miracles, "which are not recorded in this book. 596 00:33:15,871 --> 00:33:20,271 But these are written that you and I may believe." 597 00:33:20,501 --> 00:33:21,241 Believe what? 598 00:33:22,081 --> 00:33:28,301 That Jesus is the Messiah, the Chosen One, the Anointed One, the greatest. 599 00:33:28,311 --> 00:33:28,391 Yes. 600 00:33:29,361 --> 00:33:31,651 The Son of God. 601 00:33:31,671 --> 00:33:33,581 It will make all the difference in your life. 602 00:33:33,591 --> 00:33:33,611 Yeah. 603 00:33:34,431 --> 00:33:37,931 And that by believing, you may have what? 604 00:33:38,511 --> 00:33:38,541 Life. 605 00:33:38,891 --> 00:33:39,431 Life. 606 00:33:39,461 --> 00:33:39,501 Amen. 607 00:33:40,631 --> 00:33:44,311 Any good preacher wants good for his, his flock. 608 00:33:45,571 --> 00:33:47,341 I want us to have abundant life. 609 00:33:47,391 --> 00:33:52,181 I, I love doing the Gospel of John 'cause I believe in this promise, and I believe 610 00:33:52,441 --> 00:33:55,621 that God gives it to us if we find Him. 611 00:33:56,561 --> 00:34:00,631 And there's a simple outline I made years ago that I still… 612 00:34:01,001 --> 00:34:05,531 I've seen what all the scholars' outlines are and everything, but I like mine, 613 00:34:06,041 --> 00:34:09,440 one I made when I was just in love with the Lord as a young Christian. 614 00:34:10,051 --> 00:34:14,021 You know, all my learning hasn't made me mad and crazy. 615 00:34:14,591 --> 00:34:20,071 This is my outline: John 1 through to chapter 4, Jesus is the Son of God. 616 00:34:20,251 --> 00:34:23,301 John 5 through chapter 12, Jesus is Lord. 617 00:34:23,701 --> 00:34:27,710 John 13 through 17, what is a true disciple? 618 00:34:28,150 --> 00:34:34,440 And then John 18 through 21, the Passion of Christ, the Cross of Christ. 619 00:34:35,781 --> 00:34:36,231 Why? 620 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:38,411 So we'll be full. 621 00:34:39,690 --> 00:34:40,841 That's His promise. 622 00:34:41,831 --> 00:34:47,150 So that's a big burden for us preachers up here to give you, that in, at 623 00:34:47,150 --> 00:34:49,860 the end of 12 weeks, you'll be full. 624 00:34:51,011 --> 00:34:54,251 But God's good, and you'll be full. 625 00:34:55,661 --> 00:34:56,511 God bless. 626 00:34:56,641 --> 00:34:57,101 Amen.