To Tell the Truth
Seeing Jesus Through the Eyes of a Friend • Sermon • Submitted
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· 4 viewsJesus is dead and still fulfilling prophecy!
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Introduction
After sermon is written, ask these three questions to edit
After sermon is written, ask these three questions to edit
What do my hearers NEED to know?
What is NICE for them to know?
Where CAN they go (if they would like to know more)?
Keep it at 45min which is 3000 words (Murder the Darlings)
What is the “Elevator Speech”?
Make sure you have a compelling hook!
Why should they listen to you?
Introduction
Soul Soaking Notes From Text
Soul Soaking Notes From Text
Greet everyone (be in front of the pulpit)
After sermon is written, ask these three questions to edit
After sermon is written, ask these three questions to edit
Attention (Why should they listen to you?) The Volcano issue in Hawaii...
What do my hearers NEED to know?What is NICE for them to know?Where CAN they go (if they would like to know more)? Keep it at 45min which is 3000 words (Murder the Darlings) What is the “Elevator Speech”? Make sure you have a compelling hook! Why should they listen to you? IntroductionGreet everyone (be in front of the pulpit)Attention (Why should they listen to you?)What is the Hearer’s problem? What is the Biblical Solution? What do the hearers need to know? Main Textual Idea:Main Sermon Idea: Interrogative:Transition: Body (Satisfaction)Division 1 Statement: Explanation - Illustration - Argumentation - Application - Review - Division 2 Statement: Explanation - Illustration - Argumentation - Application - Review - Division 3 Statement: Explanation - Illustration - Argumentation - Application - Review - Division 4 Statement: Explanation - Illustration - Argumentation - Application - Review - Division 5 Statement: Explanation - Illustration - Argumentation - Application - Review - Conclusion (Visualization)ReiterationAction
Invitation
Connection Group Questions / Reflection Questions
What is the Hearer’s problem? Our capacity to believe is broken! Specifically, our belief in the Christ of the bible. Oh, we can believe stuff, in some cases we can believe some quite ridiculous stuff…But our capacity to accept God’s glorious plan of redemption is broken beyond repair.
We need a work of Grace to understand just how amazing God’s plan truly is.
What is the Biblical Solution? This is what John has given his redeemed life to accomplish. He, urges people to believe. He doesn’t want them to be steamrolled by the inevitable, powerful and very real wrath of God!
What do the hearers need to know?
Think about what a person takes home - If you do not believe that Jesus Died, you can never truly live!
Main Textual Idea: John wants everyone reading His gospel that Jesus was 100% officially dead!
Jesus had to die! Why? To fulfill Scripture!
Why is this important? To ratify the truth that God is and is who He says He is and has accomplished what He set out to do for us through Christ.
If Jesus was not dead, then this whole movement called Christianity would be false and nonexistent.
If Christianity is false, then life has no meaning. But because He did die and did so to pay your Hell debt, then life has ultimate meaning!
And John wants everyone who reads His gospel to believe this in their heart!
The Witness to an Execution Urges Belief in your heart...
Main Sermon Idea: If You do not Believe that Jesus Died, You Can Never Truly Live!
Jesus Died so You’d Believe
A “Criminal’s” Death Brings Meaning to My Life
Jesus Died so You’d Believe
This is Not Fake News, I’m Telling you the Truth!
Jesus Died that Scripture Would Be Fulfilled
I live because another died.
This is Not The Fake News, It’s The Good News!
Interrogative:
The death of another changed my life.
A Gruesome Death Validates His Life-giving Word.
A Gruesome Death Validates His Life-giving Word.
The Witness to an Execution Encouraged Belief in my Heart
Interrogative: Why? Because Belief in the Death of Christ is part of the Gospel message. If Jesus never died, then He never resurrected from the dead. And if Jesus never resurrected from the dead, we are still dead in our sins and without any hope for eternal life. Without His death, there is no life!
My Life Has Meaning Because of Another’s Death
Interrogative:
The apostle John, the firsthand witness to the death of Jesus, understands this clearly and wants to be as clear as He can with the truth so that we, his readers might truly believe! And so the first thing He does is something that makes a lot of sense. Like a good teacher, he presents us with simple, historical, truth!
Jesus died before the Rest
1. The Witness Lays Out the Facts for You to Understand (vs. 31-34)
In the first few verses, John lays out the simple fact that Jesus is dead. He gives clear evidences in his historically reliable account. Can you see the evidences in verses 31-34?
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
Vs 31
The Day of Preparation (Vs 31) - This is the day before the Sabbath when everything must be prepared (food, etc), to ensure no work was done on this holy day...
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
But you can see in John’s text that this was more than a regular Sabbath day that would occur on a weekly basis, this was a high Sabbath day. What does this mean?
When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
The “day of preparation of Passover week” was Friday, Nisan 15 (between March and April of our Calendar). The Sabbath following it was special because it was the Sabbath of Passover week. An important sheaf offering was made on this day as well.
and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 551.
Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 551.
Hasten the Death of the Christ - And especially because it was the high Sabbath day, The Jewish leadership once again approached Pilate and asked him for yet another request. They wanted Jesus and the criminals next to Him to be killed and removed from the cross before the Sabbath arrived. Why? Because they didn’t want to break God’s Law! Imagine that! How ridiculous...
“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
Pilate Honored their Request - I’m sure Pilate was growing weary of this whole situation and simply wanted it to be done. So he, yet again, gave the Jewish leadership what they wanted
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.
The Soldiers Do Their Job (Vs. 32) - we see in verse 32 the soldiers following Pilates orders and proceeded to expedite the death of Jesus and the criminals. According to John’s account, they start with the criminals. Lest you think these Roman Soldiers had some measure of compassion, this account removes all doubt.
These soldiers engaged in a cruel process called cruri-frag-ium (“breaking of the shinbone”) by using an iron hammer...
Isn’t it amazing how God used the Jewish leadership and Pilate to accomplish His plan and will that Jesus die, be buried and rise again on the third day!
crurifragium (“breaking of the shinbone”)
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
Jesus Declared it His Death - There is no way that Jesus was not dead. He was as dead as He could be. John earlier informs us that Jesus gave up His Spirit. Remember....
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
The Romans Determined Jesus was dead - Friends, the importance of this verse cannot be overstated. The Roman Soldiers made the call that Jesus was dead. First of all, they knew when someone was dead. They would never make this kind of mistake.
The Romans Determined Jesus was dead - Friends, the importance of this verse cannot be overstated. The Roman Soldiers made the call that Jesus was dead. First of all, they knew when someone was dead. They would never make this kind of mistake.
And when Jesus gave up His spirit, his physical body died. Not His divinity, God doesn’t die. But His human body no longer was alive.
The Romans Determined Jesus was Dead - Friends, the importance of this verse cannot be overstated. The Roman Soldiers made the call that Jesus was dead. First of all, they knew when someone was dead. They would never make this kind of mistake.
No Roman soldier in charge of a crucifixion would dare be found compassionate by letting someone live through the crucifixion process. Remember, the bottom line goal of crucifixion is death. The process, however was as painful as you might imagine. No Roman soldier would allow someone on the cross to live. In part because they would lose their own life if they were found derelict in their own duties...
However, Many have denied His Death - There are many theories that have made the rounds over the years suggesting that Jesus didn’t actually die...
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
There are many theories that have made the rounds over the years suggesting that Jesus didn’t actually die...
Docetism - Starting becoming popular near the end of the 1st century. According to Larry Gregg, “Docetism made a radical distinction between the material and the spiritual, and thus denied that the spiritual Christ actually assumed material human form. With the denial of the Incarnation, it became logically impossible to sustain that Christ experienced genuine suffering and death on the cross, a fact that made irrelevant any discussion of authentic resurrection.”
made a radical distinction between the material and the spiritual, and thus denied that the spiritual Christ actually assumed material human form. With the denial of the Incarnation, it became logically impossible to sustain that Christ experienced genuine suffering and death on the cross, a fact that made irrelevant any discussion of authentic resurrection.
L. Larry Gregg, “Docetism,” ed. David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck, Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000), 351.
The Judas Swap - (Primarily a Muslim Perspective) Muhammad Ataur-Raheem from his writings called Jesus Prophet of Islam says this. - “Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus, was won over on the promise of receiving thirty pieces of silver, if, through his help, Jesus was arrested. In order to avoid any further trouble, it was decided to make the attempt at night. On reaching the place where Jesus had gone with a few of his followers, Judas was told to kiss Jesus, so that the foreign Roman soldiers could identify him. The plan miscarried. When the soldiers materialised from the darkness, a tumult ensued. The two Jews were mixed up in the dark, and the soldiers mistakenly arrested Judas instead of Jesus. Thus, the latter made good his escape.” (Muhammad Ataur-Raheem, Jesus Prophet of Islam, p. 36) http://www.answering-christianity.com/abdullah_smith/crucifixion_of_judas.htm
Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus, was won over on the promise of receiving thirty pieces of silver, if, through his help, Jesus was arrested. In order to avoid any further trouble, it was decided to make the attempt at night. On reaching the place where Jesus had gone with a few of his followers, Judas was told to kiss Jesus, so that the foreign Roman soldiers could identify him. The plan miscarried. When the soldiers materialised from the darkness, a tumult ensued. The two Jews were mixed up in the dark, and the soldiers mistakenly arrested Judas instead of Jesus. Thus, the latter made good his escape. (Muhammad Ataur-Raheem, Jesus Prophet of Islam, p. 36)
“The Swoon Theory is the belief that Jesus didn’t really die at His crucifixion, but was merely unconscious when He was laid in the tomb and there He resuscitated.” (GQ)
The Judas Swap -
Swoon Theory - Perhaps the most popular was the Swoon Theory. “The Swoon Theory is the belief that Jesus didn’t really die at His crucifixion, but was merely unconscious when He was laid in the tomb and there He resuscitated.” (GQ)
Three of many theories that try and disprove a historically attested fact that Jesus died! His death is both claimed from within the Scriptures as well as outside the Scriptures.
Tacitus—or more formally, Caius/Gaius (or Publius) Cornelius Tacitus (55/56–c. 118 C.E.)
Outside the bible there are several sources. Two of which are Tacitus, a Roman historian (55/56–c. 118 A.D.) and Josephus, a Jewish priest turned historian who grew up in the first century and ended up working for the Roman Government.Both, not only talk about the historical Jesus, but that he was sentenced to Roman execution by Pontius Pilate during Tiberius Caesar’s reign. These guys had no skin in the game to report about Jesus. They were simply doing good history.
Illustration -
One more proof - Look at verse 34. They may not have broken His legs to hasten His death, but what this Roman soldier did certainly proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was dead...
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
Just to make sure He wasn't faking, one of the soldiers took a spear and thrust it into His side. This was no little poke or stab with a spear
Just to make sure He wasn't faking, one of the soldiers took a spear and thrust it into His side.
What kind of spear? What did it look like?
Why did blood and water flow out?
"Medical experts disagree on what was pierced. The two most common theories are these:
(a) The spear pierced Jesus’ heart, and the blood from the heart mingled with the fluid from the pericardial sac to produce the ‘flow of blood and water’.
(b) By contrast, it has been argued that fluid from the pericardial sac could not so readily escape from the body by such a wound; it would fill up the chest cavity, filling the space around the lung and then oozing into the lung itself through the wound the spear made. In tests performed on cadavers, it has been shown that where a chest has been severely injured but without penetration, hemorrhagic fluid, up to two litres of it, gathers between the pleura lining the rib cage and the lining of the lung. This separates, the clearer serum at the top, the deep red layer at the bottom. If the chest cavity were then pierced at the bottom, both layers would flow out."
D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 623.
We must be careful not to spiritualize this event...
The real issue here is could He survive this kind of wound if He were alive? Absolutely not! Jesus was absolutely, positively dead!
Another Fulfillment of Scripture - ; ; ; )
No Broken Bones -
It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones.
This was yet another fulfillment of prophecy (; ; ; )
He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Ex
Why it so important to John that his readers understand that Jesus is dead? Why is he taking the time to communicate this information?
John wants his readers to understand this well. It is crucial, as he writes this years after the events took place, that the Messiah was dead!
Illustration -
Because our faith is rooted in History!
Does anyone question whether George Washington, our first president actually existed? No!
Does anyone ever argue that Alexander the Great never walked the earth, conquered the known world and then ended his life in despair because He had none left to subdue?
Why do you suppose people would the death of Jesus? Because there is a tremendous spiritual battle to keep as many people blind to the truth as possible.
The World wants you to believe that the significance of the death of Christ is utter foolishness.
The Devil wants you to believe that His death was nice but not necessary for your redemption
The Flesh is appalled at the idea that anyone
Have you considered the benefits of the death of Jesus for you, personally? There are several...
Jesus’ Death was for His Enemies -
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus Death Purchases life -
But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.
Jesus Death Purchases life -
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
;
Jesus Death was for You Personally -
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Jesus’ Death is the Definition of Love -
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Jesus’ Death Reconciles Us to God -
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
You, an enemy of the Creator, the one who knitted you together in the womb of your mother, can be called His son or daughter! How is this possible? How can we, an enemy of God become His friend?
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Review - If you do not believe that Jesus died, you can never truly live!
The Witness to an Execution Encourages Belief in Your Heart
1. The Witness Lays out the Facts for you to Understand
John doesn’t simply want your head to be filled with more and more knowledge for knowledge sake. The bible is clear that this goal ends in pride because Knowledge in itself, puffs up! John has a much nobler hope for you!
2. The Witness Lays Out His Desire for You to Believe (vs. 35-37)
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’
Yes, John wants His readers, which include you, to believe! In fact, this is his goal for his entire gospel! Look at what he says in...
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.
John is not hiding his plan, He is not hiding his motive, He wants you to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so you can live!!!
Take a look at the next verses that speak to his motive...
35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”
He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
John Speaks in the Third Person (vs. 35) - John (not using his name) is claiming to be a first-hand witness to the truth. Look at his words again...
“He who saw it (the crucifixion and death of Jesus) has borne witness (just like a witness in a courtroom...) - his testimony is true,
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 3141. μαρτυρία marturía
μαρτυρία marturía; gen. marturías, fem. noun from marturéō (3140), to witness. A witness, certification (John 1:7), testimony (Mark 14:55, 56, 59; Luke 22:71), that which someone witnesses or states concerning a person or thing (Acts 22:18; 1 Tim. 3:7; Titus 1:13).
Explanation -
μαρτυρία marturía - A witness, certification, testimony, that which someone witnesses or states concerning a person or a thing.
John, not using his name is claiming to be a first-hand witness to the true testimony.
μαρτυρία marturía
and he knows that he is telling the truth (he is under no delusion and he understands the cost) - that you also may believe.”
John’s desire is that his readers believe that Jesus died because he understand how crucial it is to believe the profound truth that God not only became a man a dwelt among us, but that He willingly subjected Himself to the ignominious, humiliating death as a criminal on a Roman cross!
John understood well that...Without Christ’s death, we would not have life! This fueled his desire to urge everyone he could to believe!
The purpose of John's true testimony is that you may believe! This, in fact, the purpose of John's gospel.
The purpose of John's true testimony and this, in fact, the purpose of John's gospel.
For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”
No Broken Bones (vs. 36) - "These things" refer to the two specific prophecies fulfilled in this passage - the first prophecy is that He will have no broken bones...
Vs. 36 - "These things" refer to the two specific prophecies fulfilled in this passage -
There is a beautiful picture of this in the book of Exodus in reference to the Passover meal which included the Passover lamb and how it is prepared...
It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones.
The purpose of John's true testimony is that you may believe! This, in fact, the purpose of John's gospel.
"These things" refer to the two specific prophecies fulfilled in this passage - No bones are broken (, )...
, )...
They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it.
An amazing picture of what will be in the person of Christ. However, these are not direct prophecies about Jesus. But the Psalmist gets more specific!
)...
He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Jesus was, from the foundations of the earth, determined to be the TRUE PASSOVER LAMB. Just as the death angel passed over the homes with the blood spread on their lintels and the doorposts, so those who are covered by the blood of the Lamb of God will not face the wrath of God, but His judgement will PASSOVER them and instead rest on the One who takes away the sin of the world, Jesus! This scripture was fulfilled in Christ!
But there was another Scripture Christ fulfilled!
He would be Pierced (vs. 37) -
And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
John is quoting a verse from the Old Testament Prophet, Zechariah...
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
Zech
Quite literally this happened as the Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus thus proving His death.
But also, this is a reference to the fact that it wasn’t the Roman’s who desired Jesus to be killed, but the Jews.
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
The Jews murdered the Christ! The killed Jesus for their own political agenda! They missed the fact that God would send and use the Messiah to save them!
They failed to remember their own revered prophet, Isaiah who said regarding the Messiah,
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Isa
Can you imagine the time that John understood the significance of all of this? He was there watching this whole event unfold. He saw the soldiers smash the legs of the criminals to hasten their death. He saw them recognize that Jesus was dead so they didn’t smash His bones! He saw them thrust the spear into His side and he watched the blood and water flow mingled down. It must have been an amazing aha moment when he realized this was all part of God’s plan! That Jesus was no victim, but in fact needed to go through all of this Hell on earth so he could offer salvation to the world! Now he had to tell the world!
Illustration - New Christians are the best when it comes to sharing their faith! They are so excited to share the information that, not too long ago they rejected! And they can figure out why people don’t simply believe their testimony....
Argumentation - John never got over that “New Christian zeal”! John has a tremendous desire to see His readers believe that He is speaking the truth. And if He is speaking the truth, they should listen!
Application - Do you hear John?
Do you have the same desire as John?
Review - If you do not believe that Jesus died, you can never truly live!
The Witness to an Execution Encourages Belief in Your Heart
37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
Explanation -
Illustration -
Argumentation -
Application -
Review -
Division 4 Statement:
Explanation -
Illustration -
Argumentation -
1. The Witness Lays out the Facts for you to Understand
Application -
Review -
Division 5 Statement:
Explanation -
2. The Witness Lays Out His Desire for You to Believe
Illustration -
Argumentation -
2. The Witness Lays Out His Desire for You to Believe
Application -
Review -
Conclusion (Visualization)
Jesus Christ went through the most traumatic event imaginable both physically and spiritually and HE WAS DEAD! John falls all over himself letting us know this simple reality. Jesus wasn’t faking his death. Jesus didn’t pass out and then revive in the coolness of the tomb, Jesus didn’t trade places with Judas! No, NO, NO!!
Jesus Died
Ladies and gentlemen, JESUS CHRIST, THE GOD / MAN WAS DEAD!!!
Believe that Jesus Died
And He had to be dead so you could live!
even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
Do you believe this? What if you really believed that Jesus truly, authentically, physically DIED!? How would your life change?
For the unbeliever, you would be one step closer to a saving knowledge - closer to redemption and eternal life
For the believer, I truly believe if you allow this truth to sink into your soul, you, like John will be compelled to share the gospel with others...
Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter. – Charles Spurgeon
Which one are you?
Invitation
Connection Group Questions / Reflection Questions
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
What challenged you from the text?
Why do you suppose John was so determined to have people believe in the Christ?
How do the facts that John gives help someone to believe?
Why is it important to remember that our Faith is rooted in history?
What impresses you about the two scriptures that John says are fulfilled?
Discuss Spurgeon’s quote, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.” Is this true? What do we do about it?