The Keystone - John
The Endless Journey - John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsIntroducing the gospel of John.
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
Introduction:
This is a Keystone.
The seemingly insignificant stone in the stone archway.
It is something that we can easily pass underneath and not give a second thought to.
Yet if that stone were missing there would be no arch at all, it would collapse.
The primary function of the keystone is to distribute the weight of the structure evenly across the arch, preventing the arch from collapsing under its own weight.
The keystone achieves this by acting as a lock, holding the other stones of the arch in place and allowing the arch to bear weight without crumbling. - AF Jones Stone Masons.
“It’s the stone that holds it all together!”
This tracks with our lives as believers in the sense that our beliefs and convictions are held together by keystones.
All throughout the New Testament we find terms that describe our lives as buildings being built up.
Until the day we die, we are a building being built.
As a believer our building begins at the foundation, starting with the cornerstone.
Who provides direction, morally and spiritually.
Each building represents it’s builder to the onlookers.
As we are being built, we can consider ourselves as a series of arches relying on the keystone to hold it together.
Our beliefs and convictions, choices, and the lenses we see the world and situations through are going to be focused through the keystones that hold them together.
Illustration:
There was an pre-law student who set out on a journey to use his fact finding skills to gather evidence for
the historical un-reliability of the Bible.
His “proof” would cause Christianity to crumble!
In all his compiled evidence his statement about it was:
“If I were to remain intellectually honest, I had to admit that the Old and New Testament documents were the most reliable writings in all antiquities.” - Josh McDowell.
His convictions against God crumbled because the keystone that held it all together wasn’t strong enough.
When the keystone of a belief system is weak, everything built on it eventually collapses.
Connection:
The book of John is a keystone strong enough to hold the whole of our faith together.
In each of our lives I believe that we need to build the arch attaching our convictions and beliefs to a keystone.
That keystone for our next series is found in the book of John.
Titled: The Endless Journey.
Why have I titled the book of John this way?
What used to be the normal response when asked by a new believer: Where should I begin to read?
It was always the book of John.
This always puzzled me, because why wouldn’t we want to begin at the beginning with Genesis?
Because there is a:
Simplicity to John:
Simplicity to John:
John is simplistic in the language it uses.
J. Vernon McGee explains it this way:
“There are a majority of ‘Monosyllabic’ and ‘disyllabic’ words used”.
They are single or double syllable words that make up the majority of the writing.
Example:
20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
This is a simple sentence with elementary syllables used to explain a deep truth!
The truth is that Jesus and the Father are 1, and we are together with them.
Yet if you were to dissect that sentence much further into the doctrine that it teaches, the theology that it reveals is endless.
Yet it’s simplistic.
So we find that almost any 6 year old could read the gospel of John and understand the surface meaning of what is being said.
And...It is deeper than any philosopher or theologian could dive into.
If you want to know how to have eternal life John provides it in a simple statement.
31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
This is typically the theme verse for the book.
John has been given for us to believe and live!
As a comparison:
In the synoptic gospels you can find the word believe less than 40 times; but in John it is over 100.
The word eternal life is found 35 times where it can only be found in the synoptic gospels 12 times.
There is an emphasis for belief and eternal life in the book of John.
Yet you see that without Jesus that isn’t possible!
Eternal life is given, through the belief in Jesus and He is trustworthy of your faith!
That keystone will hold up to everything that comes against it, and never crumble or faulter.
What makes John Different:
What makes John Different:
One way is that John records Jesus miracles from a different perspective than the synoptic gospels.
Matt. and Mark emphasize Jesus miracles
Luke’s attention is on the parables.
John records Jesus’ miracle similarly to a sign, then a discourse to teaching and interpreting certain truths from it.
Example:
John 6:1-15 is the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000; but the part that John has that Matt. Mark or Luke doesn’t is what follows.
John institutes a format.
Sign (miracle), followed by a discourse connected to the sign.
Jesus feeds 5000 people with just 5 loaves and 2 fish, then teaches how He is the bread of life!
A question was asked that allowed for a teaching moment:
25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
They acknowledge Him as “teacher”.
They didn’t admit He was God only a teacher.
He replies to them with a statement that gets down to the heart of the question:
26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal.”
Jesus is setting the stage for them to understand they can have eternal life by believing in Him!
Not as a teacher or prophet; but as God Himself in the flesh.
Point:
John doesn’t just present the miracle and go on to the next one, John sits with Jesus!
Illustration:
In 1962 U.S. spy planes discovered Soviet nuclear missiles being installed in Cuba.
President John F. Kennedy and his advisors (the ExComm) faced a terrifying choice:
Strike immediately and destroy the missiles, risking Soviet retaliation and all-out war… or find another way.
Initially, many in Kennedy’s team urged an airstrike to take out the missiles immediately.
It seemed like the most direct solution, and emotions were high.
People assumed speed and strength would solve the crisis.
Kennedy did not rush.
Instead,
He Carefully reviewed intelligence.
Kennedy demanded that analysts and military leaders present every piece of evidence — from photos of missile sites to assessments of Soviet capabilities and intentions.
He Listened to competing perspectives.
Some favored force.
Others, like Attorney General Robert Kennedy and diplomat Adlai Stevenson, warned that a strike could trigger a nuclear war.
Kennedy didn’t just hear them — he listened.
He Weighed the costs of every option.
Before acting, Kennedy and his team spent days debating alternatives:
A naval blockade (“quarantine”), diplomatic channels, potential Soviet responses, and risks to American forces and civilians.
He Turned Toward Thoughtful Action.
Because Kennedy slowed down and absorbed all the details — not just the loudest voices — he chose a course of action that avoided war.
A naval blockade to prevent more missiles from arriving.
Negotiating behind the scenes with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
A secret agreement to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey later.
This approach gave both superpowers a way out — saving millions of lives and ending the crisis peacefully.
Connection:
John writes his Gospel the same way Kennedy led during the crisis—not rushing past the evidence, but slowing us down to understand who Jesus really is.
God took on flesh to live as a perfect human.
So that we could believe in Him and have eternal life.
With each discourse Jesus presents truth that attaches to the keystone for our faith: -
He is God and He reveals it to us for us to believe!
There are truths we can take in, if we’re willing to sit and pray over His teachings.
John provides truth that is deep; but is simple.
Truths that will carry us through tough times in our lives.
Because we know the truth: He is God and He is trustworthy!
Transition:
John presents Jesus’ life from the beginning to the end.
All with the focus to believe He is the Christ, and through belief we can have eternal life!
The truth about Jesus is what we are given in John; but that truth isn’t just for informational purposes, it is a calling.
We are accountable to what we know, and John has a direction with what he teaches.
John Builds Faith:
John Builds Faith:
The content of John focuses on belief in Jesus.
John continues to re-iterate this fact: Believe in Jesus.
Belief isn’t a one-time decision, It is a “settled direction.”
The possibility of changing the direction of a person is quite slim; but not impossible.
Illustration:
Katie and I when we’re driving sometimes.
We see a billboard advertisement for the Powerball or a lottery thing in general.
It boasts a 7 billion jackpot, or at least a high number!
Then the question: What would you do if you won?
I’d say it’s a miracle, because I would have to buy a ticket..
The statistics behind the lottery are against you, so much so that you have better odds at Vegas.
I wouldn’t buy a ticket, unless I knew 100% that I would have the winner!
Would you buy a ticket if you knew 100% that you would win?
Of course; because there is a guarantee!
Connection:
The Gospel of John provides a guarantee for our Eternity!
The guarantee provides confidence to live according to our faith.
Why would we need confidence to live out our faith?
Have you noticed that the world is not supportive of you living your life according to what you believe?
Only as long as your belief lines up with theirs your accepted.
When you go on a Grand Canyon tour your guide will let you know that evolution created all that we see, it just took millions of years to do it.
If you are a scientist that believes in God and records your findings in your research accordingly, your dismissed and discredited.
If you believe that every word of the bible is true and trustworthy, live your life and make your choices according to what it teaches.
Your intolerant, hateful, and outdated.
Point:
Live your life according to God’s word.
Speak the truth of God’s word.
What if people aren’t nice to you, what if they spread rumors about you and dismiss you?
Who cares...!
Live your life for the approval of the Lord not for the approval of man!
Strive to hear well done from the Lord, just like Jesus taught in Matthew.
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
We shouldn’t be burdened with the thought of whether or not the world will accept us, we should only focus on what the Lord says.
The Gospel of John offers the truths we need for the “new direction” to our lives to pursue it in confidence.
Diving into the gospel of John, we will hear the truth and it will ignite confidence in us to live by faith, trusting the Lord.
Truth’s like: “Believe and you will have eternal life”!
Giving us security that our destination is with the Lord in heaven, not in hell taking our punishment or being unsure of what will happen.
Transition:
We find the confidence that we need for every day life.
Confidence is defined as:
“A trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact.” -Noah Webster
John is offering the assurance of mind from the belief we have in Jesus.
It’s another stone in the archway attached to the Keystone of John.
We will find that:
John Promises:
John Promises:
Life - Now and Forever!
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
The abundant life is what John spells out and offers through faith in Jesus.
What does the abundant life look like?
Is it how some churches “sell” it?
Healthy, wealthy, and happy?
I think they are misunderstanding the truth’s of God’s word.
Jesus never says all you who come to me who are poor will be wealthy.
He never says all you who are unhappy will find eternal happiness.
He never says when you believe in me your sickness’ will go away.
He says:
Come to me and find rest; meaning you can have rest in Him and the peace He offers.
He says trust me through your sickness.
He says that happiness has nothing to do with the joy to be found in Him!
The abundant life is the fullness of us according to His will.
Did it seem like Jeff Kruchkow was miserable?
Did it seem like his joy wasn’t present?
No, It seemed like the things in a third world country didn’t bother him.
His joy was full, you could say that he is living the abundant life by doing what the will of the Lord is for him and his family.
Success isn’t measured the same by everyone.
To the world success is “comfortable” living, financially well off, perfect health, etc...
Success in the Lord’s eyes is obedience to His will, His word, and a testimony that reflects Him.
Jeff showed that success, just like many other missionaries.
He could’ve sought comfort and continued as a worker in the printing press world; but instead he is dedicated to printing a bible for the first time in the Mongolian language.
The people can hold God’s truth, learn God’s truth, and their lives can change because of it.
Connection:
What does the abundant life look like to you?
In what ways does God want to use you to reach those on their way to hell with the life saving gospel?
How are you measuring success?
Is it in money, health, or position?
Allow the Lord to show you what success for your life looks like.
What will you leave behind that will change lives?
The Lord wants to use each one of us for His will, and what we often don’t realize is:
Doing His will results in an abundant life.
Conclusion:
When John opens his Gospel, he doesn’t begin with a manger or a genealogy.
He begins with a declaration:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
From the very first verse, John lays the keystone in place.
Jesus is not merely a teacher.
He is not simply a miracle worker.
He is God in the flesh.
And John tells us that in Him was life — and that life was the light of men.
Everything we’ve talked about today flows from that truth.
If Jesus is God, then He is worthy of our belief.
If He is God, then He is trustworthy with our lives.
If He is God, then building our convictions on Him will never cause the structure to collapse.
John wrote his Gospel so that we would believe — and that by believing, we would have life in His name.
Not just life someday in heaven…
but life now!
Confident, anchored, and abundant.
The question for us is not whether Jesus is strong enough to be the keystone.
The question is whether we are willing to build everything on Him.
When Christ is the keystone,
The arch holds.
The structure stands.
And our lives reflect the Builder to everyone watching.
-Pray!
