class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>John the Apostle“The Beloved Disciple”

·       Author of 5 New Testament books - One of those closest to Jesus – Very prominent member of the early church – Most of all he knew that he was the “disciple whom Jesus loved” which is a self title that we need to all embrace.

·       Hebrew name means “Jehovah has been gracious” or “Jehovah has graciously given”.

·       New Testament has several individuals named John – John Mark – John the Baptist – John in Acts 4:6 who along with the high priest were upset because Peter and John were healing people and over 5000 people got saved in one day! – Our John – “the disciple whom Jesus loved”

·       Son of Zebedee who we do not know much about other than that he was a commercial fisherman on the lake of Galilee and most likely financially well off since in Mark 1:20 we are told that he had hired servants. We do not hear any more about Zebedee in the NT.

·       He worked with his brother James in the family fishing business before they were called into ministry by Jesus Himself. We are told in John 1 that as soon as John the Baptist made the declaration “behold the Lamb of God” both John and his brother James left the fishing business and followed Jesus.

·       Mother’s name is Salome who makes several appearances in the Gospels. Historically Salome is also the name of the daughter of Herodias who requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter after dancing for Herod (Matt. 14) – The name Salome means either “peace” or “shady character”

·       Matthew 20:20-28 is where the Salome, the mother of James and John comes and makes a special request of Jesus.

·       Before we bash Salome we need to know that she plays a very prominent part in the ministry of Jesus. She was there at the crucifixion. As they prepared the body of Jesus for burial she was there bringing the necessary spices and

·       In Mark 16:1 we are told that she even waited until the Sabbath was over showing that she was dedicated to keeping the Law at the time. Little did she know that in Jesus the entire Law had been fulfilled and that it was now going to be her faith that will be the basis of her relationship with God and no longer trying to keep the Law. Matthew  5:17 says “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”  (We all struggle with trying to earn the acceptance of others and God…) Does anyone know what the greatest commandments are? Matthew 22:36-40 - “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (All sin)

·        Let me talk about mothers (and fathers).

·       There is no reason to think that she was not with the disciples as they waited in upper room in Acts 1.

·       Back to our story: Take a look at Matthew 20:20-28 “My cup you shall drink” – suffering is coming. James, the brother of John is killed in Acts 12 by Herod– John is exiled to the prison island of Patmos for nothing more than spreading the Gospel –  He was the only apostle to die of old age. The rest were martyred: (tradition)

Simon Peter                             crucified upside down

Andrew - Peter’s brother.        Crucified - His followers reported that when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: "I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it." He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he died.

James                                       (John’s  brother) beheaded – Only recorded death of an apostle in the Bible in Acts 12.

Matthew                                    speared to death

Bartholomew                            (aka Nathanael) beaten then crucified.

Philip                                         crucified

Thomas                                    speared to death while on a mission trip to India trying to start a church there.

Simon                                        (the zealot) crucified,

Thaddaeus                                         stoned to death. (aka Judas son of James)

James (brother of Jesus)        (not officially an apostle) thrown off the same pinnacle of the temple  that Jesus was with Satan because he would not deny his faith in Christ– Did not die and then was beaten to death by the crowd.

Matthias                                    (chosen to replace Judas) Stoned and then beheaded

Paul                                           Stoned and then beheaded by emperor Nero in AD 67.

Judas Iscariot                          suicide by hanging

·       John is said to have lived to a very old age there is a story given to us by tradition that says that they attempted to martyr him in Rome in a boiling pot of oil . He got out of the oil without a burn on his body and because of this miracle many people believed.

Several cases of God miraculously delivering His people – Daniel, Shadrach, Israel, and the stoning of Stephen. Even though Stephen was stoned to death I submit to you that Jesus still delivered him. (go to Acts 7:54 – Stephen personified love and forgiveness) God does not always take away our trials and sufferings.  Is God able to deliver you from your trials? What is true deliverance?

·       Go back to Matthew 20.23

·       Talk about mothers and fathers and relationships and not having a mother or father.

·       “sit on my right and on my left” could have been referring to Matthew 19 when Christ told the disciples they would sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:27-28 - Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Warren Wiersbe says of this event:

Before we criticize what they did, let’s notice some commendable features in this event. For one thing, they did believe in prayer, and they dared to believe the promise Jesus had given about sitting on thrones (Matt. 19:28). The word “regeneration” in that verse means “new birth,” and refers to the new world over which Jesus and His followers will reign when He returns to earth. It must have taken faith on their part to believe He would establish these thrones, because He had just told them that He was going to die.

But there were several things wrong with their request. To begin with, it was born in ignorance. “Ye know not what ye ask,” Jesus replied. Little did Salome realize that the path to the throne is a difficult one. James was the first of the disciples to be martyred, and John had to endure hard days on the Isle of Patmos. These three believers wanted their will, not God’s will, and they wanted it their way.

Another factor was their lack of heavenly direction. They were thinking like the world: James and John wanted to “lord it over” the other disciples the way the unsaved Gentile rulers lorded it over their subjects. Their request was fleshly (sensual), because they were selfishly asking for glory for themselves, not for the Lord. No doubt they felt relieved that they had gotten to Jesus with this request before Peter did!

Finally, the request was not only of the world and the flesh, but it was of the devil. It was motivated by pride. Satan had sought a throne (Isa. 14:12–15) and had been cast down. Satan had offered Jesus a throne and had been refused (Matt. 4:8–11). Satan magnifies the end (a throne) but not the means to that end. Jesus warned Salome and her sons that the special thrones were available to those who were worthy of them. There are no shortcuts in the kingdom of God.

·       Jesus was speaking to them about a cross but instead they were interested in a crown. (that is what most of us are interested in as well) In verse 26 it says that “whoever wishes to be great will be a servant”

·       The Christian life should be defined by being a servant and by our love.

·       Vs. 28 – Our supreme example of love and being a servant is Jesus Himself.

·       Mark 3.17 John and his brother James were given the name “Boanerges” which means “Sons of Thunder” for their feisty attitude and zeal.

·       Luke 9.54

·       John was in the innermost circle with Jesus and plays a very prominent role being mentioned frequently in all four Gospel accounts.

·        

John asking to call down brimstone

Sons of thunder

Garden

All the events john was present for

Most of all he was the disciple who Jesus loved.

Challenge to read the book of 1 John once a day

Introduction

Sermon text with italics and bold and John 3:16 and v. 20.

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