4 Insights in John's Testimony
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Introduction
Four months into the year of 2017 - how are you doing reading your Bible?
Are you reading a little every day?
Did you start out strong, but have fallen out of the habit?
There are some interesting statistics that Lifeway, American Bible Society and Barna have recently put out.
In an article posted on Christianity Today this morning written by SARAH ZYLSTRA says this: Quote
For the most part, Americans have positive things to say about the Bible. More than half call it a good source of morals (52%). About a third say it’s helpful (37%), true (36%), and life-changing (35%), according to a new LifeWay Research survey.
Even more told the American Bible Society (ABS) and Barna Group that they believe it’s the actual or inspired word of God (81%).
But a growing segment— 19 percent in 2017, up from 10 percent in 2011—say it’s simply a book of teachings and stories written by men.
“Twenty-two percent read a little bit each day, in a systematic approach. A third (35%) never pick it up at all, while 30 percent look up things in the Bible when they need to,” reported Facts & Trends. “Nineteen percent re-read their favorite parts, while 17 percent flip open the Bible and read a passage at random. A quarter (27%) read sections suggested by others, while 16 percent say they look things up to help others.” End Quote
http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2017/april/skeptical-state-bible-reading-antagonists-abs-barna-lifeway.html
We have been working through the Gospel of John verse by verse and Chapter by Chapter - and today we are in .
We have been working through the Gospel of John verse by verse and Chapter by Chapter - and today we are in .
If you are able would you please stand.
After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.
John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—
for John had not yet been thrown into prison.
Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.
And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”
John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
“You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.
“He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
“What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
“He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),
He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.
And He had to pass through Samaria.
So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;
and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.
John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—
for John had not yet been thrown into prison.
Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.
And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”
John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
“You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.
“He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
“What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
“He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Let’s Pray
John 3:22-27
John 3:22-27
After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.
John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—
for John had not yet been thrown into prison.
Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.
And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”
John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
John 3:22-
Insight #1
Four Insights from John’s Testimony
#1 - A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
This theology is putting God in a proper context.
Only God allows us to have the things that we have.
Think about your job, your money, your car, your home - all gifts from God.
When we put our lives in this context - nothing we own is ours. It is all from God.
I read recently that the best way to get out of depression is to think about the things that you are grateful for.
Are you grateful for your spouse?
Are you grateful for your family?
Are you grateful that you had a bed to sleep in last night?
Are you grateful that you had breakfast this morning?
Are you grateful for you job?
Are you grateful for the money in your bank account?
All things given to you by God.
Will you be grateful today?
John 3:28-30
“You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:28-
Insight #2
Four Insights from John’s Testimony
#1 - A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
#2 - He must increase, but I must decrease.
This is the pastor’s battle cry - He must increase, but I must decrease.
Nearly every pastor I know has said this during a sermon, Bible study, or post on Facebook
Nearly every pastor I know prays that you will see Jesus when we preach.
Not the preacher, but Jesus.
I was really challenged this week by Pastor Mark Clifton from Kansas City - he said, Jesus is the pastor of the church, He is the Good Shepherd. I am the under shepherd.
My goal is to make Jesus known - God is love
1 John 4:8
The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Circle this in your Bible - God is love.
If we want Jesus to increase and we want to decrease then we need to love like Jesus loved.
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
What if we were known for our love?
What if we were known for our love?
What if the kids we taught said, “that teacher really loves me.”
Or someone in your Sunday School class said, “our teacher really loves me.”
What if we were the church that showed love to our neighborhood?
Our neighborhood is changing around us.
God is sending the mission field to us.
I am meeting with a Chinese man in Fort Collins that is trying to figure out how to lead American Born Chinese children to Jesus.
Think about that - a Chinese man trying to figure out how to reach the community of Fort Collins for Jesus. Now he has put me into contact with another Chinese man in Newton Kansas that wants to know more about Jesus and reaching his community.
The opportunities are all around us.
But we must decrease. Jesus must increase.
John 3:31-33
“He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
“What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.
“He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.
John
Insight #3
Four Insights from John’s Testimony
#1 - A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
#2 - He must increase, but I must decrease.
#3 - He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.
I wrestled with this insight this week.
What does it mean to set your seal to something?
I looked up references, looked up Spurgeon’s comments on this verse, and here is what I found.
To set your seal meant to attach your signature to a letter - showing it was you that sent it.
We’ve seen this in movies - where someone would drop wax on a letter and then push their seal into the wax.
The question for us today is - do you believe that God is true?
We worship just blocks away from thousands of students who would say that God is not true.
What can we do that will help to reach this next generation?
I am constantly challenged and convicted by Ian McEntyre.
Ian meets with 5-6 guys each week disciplining them, teaching them about Jesus, teaching them the commandments of Jesus. Living life with these young men.
5-6 guys each semester, every week.
When we think about our church growing - everyone of us would say we need more families with kids, we discussed this last Wednesday night.
The easiest way for this to happen is for us to follow Ian’s lead - to disciple one person.
Just one.
If 60 of us discipled one person in 2017 and they began coming to church that would increase our weekly attendance to 120 people!
That is if each one of us would take on the challenge of meeting and discipling just one person.
Church could we do this?
Would you take the challenge to meet one person and begin a relationship with them. Meet with them. Walk with them.
Now imagine if we did this next year in 2018 - if the 120 people each discipled 1 person. That would be 240 people in 2018.
That is reaching one family at a time.
That is my prayer.
That we would make the difference in one family at a time.
If each of us would take that challenge we would see more baptisms, more children, more weddings, and hopefully no more funerals - amen?
John 3:34-36
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Insight #4
Four Insights from John’s Testimony
#1 - A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
#2 - He must increase, but I must decrease.
#3 - He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.
#4 - He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
The best insight of today - we have a choice
We can have eternal life or we can experience the wrath of God.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life.
This is great news -
It does not mean - you must be a good person and never sin.
It does not mean - you must be a good little christian
It does not mean - stop doing everything that is fun
It means believing in Jesus that is what it takes to receive the gift of eternal life.
Jesus + Nothing = Everything
It’s just Jesus - it’s all about Him
If you have not made the decision to follow Jesus and accept the gift of eternal life would you do it today?
Let’s pray.
Conclusion
John 3:30
“He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:33
“He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.