Untitled Sermon

Introduction

Before we get in to our passage for this morning I’d like to remind you to remember Pastor Mark and Carol in your prayers over the next few weeks as he will continue his visit in Michigan for his mother’s memorial.

Lets Pray

Our text for this morning is going to be ...

Candor

How many of you can define the word “candor”

Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary...“Openness of heart; frankness…a disposition to treat subjects with fairness; freedom from tricks or disguise.

Speaking with an economy of words.

Military view on Candor - The definition of candor is being frank, honest, and sincere with others. Professional candor is the use of appropriate, direct, and open discussion between Soldiers and leaders, especially those with opposing viewpoints.

General Colin Powell - “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through an argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” This from the the guy who had to mediate Dick Chenney and Norman Schwarzkopf during desert storm.

If you can’t communicate honestly and openly (even with opposing views) you cannot lead. Your right idea simply gets lost in the ever-growing sea of dumb ideas.

In fact, most of us can recall a time when you were discussing something of importance with a family member, coworker, friend, whatever and your disagreement sharply increased. What happened? Repeat. Intensify. Repeat. Intensify. Repeat. Intensify. That keeps going on and continues to bloat until you hit each other or stop talking forever.

William of Ockham (of the famous Ockham’s Razor) said… “It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.”

State your case simply and directly and free of tricks. Anything else is vanity.

We’ll be looking at today.

As you are turning there I’d like to give you just a few observations on the Gospel of John and its author, John the Apostle.

Little is known about the birth of John the Apostle outside of him being much younger than Jesus and he was possibly born in Bethsaida (northern tip of the sea of Galilee). Son of Zebedee and Salome and had a younger brother named James.

Given what we see of his access to Jewish leaders (he was personally acquainted with the high priest), his family was likely wealthy or at least influential.

His home, prior to following Jesus, was Galilee. This means that he was not only Jewish as a result of his upbringing, but also had some experience in Greek language and likely trade and perhaps even his outlook (think the teaching of the Word in ).

describes him in Jerusalem as sounding uneducated. He was likely not taught in rabbinical tradition but certainly brought up in the Jewish faith.

For some reason he is often pictured as an effeminate person (think paintings from the middle ages), his character was different from that. In the Gospels he is frequently pictured as causing just as much selfish and arrogant trouble as Peter (although Peter gets more publicity for what he says). describes him as a son of thunder. Galileeans where a hard working and fishing culture. In we get a glimpse of Galilean attitude as a group, impressed by Jesus teaching and the feeding of the 5000, try to kidnap him and force him to be king.

We don’t know a ton about how long John stayed in Jerusalem after Pentecost. What we do know is that John ended up as the pastor of the church in Ephesus toward the later part of the first century (there’s lots of external historical sources, Jewish and Romans as well as early church, that place him there).

John was likely written, in Ephesus, between 85-90AD (his letters were closer to 90AD. That’s 52-57 years after the Resurrection of Christ. If he was at Christ’s death this would put him at 67. If he was 20 that puts him at 72. Not an old man but in the time period not a young man either. Plato died at 80. Socrates 71. Caesar was very strong at 55 when he was killed. Caesar Augustus (at the birth of Christ ) died at 75. Tiberius (successor or Augustus) died at 77. I say all this to say that he could have easily lived to 75ish.

At the time of John’s writings most of the NT cannon was accessible verbally or in a physical copy. It’s important to remember that John had to have a reason to want to write his view at such a late stage. It’s a good idea to approach John with that in mind.

There are really two ways of looking a John and his writing...

Viewing only the Gospel of John (beneficial for focusing on the life of Christ and his teachings and death)

Viewing the Gospel of John in the greater context of John’s other writings (Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation). We have the benefit of an outstanding record of Jesus life as recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It’s helpful, as you are reading John to understand that John had easy access to their record as well. When we read John with the greater context of his writings it is truly beneficial in getting a the heart of John’s emphasis’ as well as perhaps answering surface level questions. John, more-so than any other NT writer, weaved his candor, simplicity and theology throughout all his writings.

So this morning we are going to try to blend both methods.

We’ll look into John’s theology a little bit more in depth later on. But for now I’d just like to point out that...

John is widely recognized as the “apostle of love” - in this Gospel as well as 1 John we have incredible and simple teaching that defines love as “placing someone else’s needs before your own.” As well as “loving God is obeying His commands.” Obviously Christ is the center of John’s teaching on love.

We believe is an essential passage when it comes to salvation. It is about the grace of God through our faith. NOT OUR WORKS. A recent article in the Grace in Focus magazine gave a list of 74 passages where the idea salvation by “faith-alone” is clearly taught (likely more…but these are the verses where the idea is expressly taught in one sentence). Of those 74 passages, 20 were found John’s writings (18 in John / 2 in 1 John). That’s 27%. One out of every 4 passages in the Bible that teach “faith-alone” salvation come from John. The majority of the “faith-alone” passages come from Paul’s writings. But if you take that list and include only the references in the Gospels, you have 19 “faith-alone” references in the Gospels. 0 in Matthew, 0 in Mark, and 1 in Luke (). That means 18 out of 19 Gospel references to the faith alone concept come from John. That’s 95%. John, admittedly, went out of his way to teach us the true path of salvation. He is also the “Apostle of Faith.” Or the Apostle of Biblical Grace. Or, if he were alive today, he would be branded the Apostle of Easy Believism. And I think he’d take that title gladly.

As you read through John’s writings, especially in the description of Jesus dealings with the Pharisee’s as well as John’s teaching in 1 John, he is clearly and “sternly intolerant of heresy.” A good portion of 1 John deals specifically the believer’s walk with the Lord as contrasted by that of a false teacher. And he pulls no punches. Perhaps he should also be named, the Apostle of Sound Teaching.

Charles Ryrie summed John up this way, “Perhaps the best way to describe his character would be to use the word intense. In actions, in love for the brethren, and in condemnation of Christ-rejectors, he was the apostle of intensity.”

Intensity and candor in love, in grace and faith, and in right teaching.

Perhaps the best way to describe his character would be to use the word intense. In actions, in love for the brethren, and in condemnation of Christ-rejectors, he was the apostle of intensity.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 7

[53 So each one went to his house.

8 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

An Adulteress Forgiven

2 At dawn He went to the temple complex again, and all the people were coming to Him. He sat down and began to teach them.

3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” 6 They asked this to trap Him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse Him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with His finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

8 Then He stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only He was left, with the woman in the center. 10 When Jesus stood up, He said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, Lord,” she answered.

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 7

[53 So each one went to his house.

8 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

An Adulteress Forgiven

2 At dawn He went to the temple complex again, and all the people were coming to Him. He sat down and began to teach them.

3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” 6 They asked this to trap Him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse Him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with His finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

8 Then He stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only He was left, with the woman in the center. 10 When Jesus stood up, He said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, Lord,” she answered.

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

Now lets read John 7:53-8:11...

[53 So each one went to his house.

8 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

An Adulteress Forgiven

2 At dawn He went to the temple complex again, and all the people were coming to Him. He sat down and began to teach them.

3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” 6 They asked this to trap Him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse Him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with His finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

8 Then He stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only He was left, with the woman in the center. 10 When Jesus stood up, He said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, Lord,” she answered.

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]