So, Spiritual maturity begins with some fundamentals…an attitude of self-control, defense, resistance, hope, worship, faithfulness, affection, submission to those in spiritual authority, an attitude of humility toward others, toward God under His mighty hand, and an attitude of trust that says I can humble myself because I’m going to give this whole burden to the God who really cares
In the midst of being hunted by our enemy is that the attitude that represents your life? How are you holding up in the battle? Do you have an attitude of vigilant defense? Do you have your priorities right? If you don’t Satan is going to chew you up and make you in effective for Christ.
If you are a “younger man” do you seek to honor and learn from those who are older? If you are the” older one” are you living a life that is a good spiritual model to those who are younger?
Do you resent or appreciate spiritual warfare? Do you see suffering and adversity as a way to strengthen you, to establish you, to confirm you, to perfect you, to make you more the man and woman of God that you should be ? Or is it more of an inconvenience to you?
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.
15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;
16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”
17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “ Zeal for Your house will consume me.”
18 The Jews then said to Him, “ What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”
19 Jesus answered them, “ Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20 The Jews then said, “It took forty- six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken
Theme: Four reasons Jesus had to cleanse the temple
I. It was an egregious abuse of the temple grounds vv. 13-16
II. It was a clue to His disciples that He was the Messiah vs. 17
III. It was a demonstration of His spiritual authority vs. 18
IV. It was a prophetic allusion to His resurrection from the dead vv. 19-22
I. They abandon all others to follow Him vv. 35-37
II. They seek after Him to be with Him vv. 38-39
III. They bring others to follow Him vv. 40-42a
Evangelism Andrew and Peter
“. . . who argued in the nineteenth century that the true knowledge of Christ includes (and does not just lead to) delight in Christ. This knowledge ‘is not the apprehension of what he is, simply by the intellect, but also . . . involves not as its consequence merely, but as one of its elements, the corresponding feeling of adoration, delight, desire and complacency [=contentment].’ ”
John Piper, When I Don’t Desire God (17, emphasis his)
43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He *found Philip. And Jesus *said to him, “ Follow Me.”
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip *found Nathanael and *said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 Nathanael said to him, “ Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered Him, “ Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”
50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”
51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man
(John 1:43-51 NASB)
Homiletical Proposition: Three possible responses to Jesus Christ
I. Simple faith: evidenced in following Jesus and recruiting others vv. 43-45
II. Brazen skepticism: unbelief that initially opposes the truth vv. 46-48a
III. Resolved conviction: belief that leads to vocal proclamation vv. 48b-51
19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “ I am not the Christ.”
21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said, “I am A voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘ Make straight the way of the Lord, ’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John answered them saying, “ I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.
27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘ After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me. ’
31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
32 John testified saying, “ I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. ’
34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God
(John 1:19-34 NASB)
Introduction:
Theological Questions
1. Who was John the baptist and what was his role?
2. What did he testify about Jesus?
3. What is the difference between the baptism of John in water and of Jesus in the Holy Spirit?
Practical Questions
1. Why is John’s testimony relevant to us in the church today?
2. How do these baptisms relate to us, if at all?
3. Have you believed John’s testimony about Jesus?
Theme: Two stages of John’s testimony about Jesus so you will believe that He is the Son of God and live according to that belief
I. John’s General Testimony of the Christ (Day 1) vv. 19-28
A. His negative testimony clarifies who he himself was not vv. 19-22
1. The Christ vs. 20
2. Elijah vs. 21a
3. The Prophet vs. 21b
B. His positive testimony clarifies who he himself was vs. 23
1. What his testimony reveals about himself
2. Why his testimony matters to us today
C. His explanation of his ministry clarifies what his role was vv. 24-27
1. The Question vv. 24-25
2. The Answer vv. 26-27
II. John’s Specific Testimony of Jesus (Day 2) vv. 29-34
A. Jesus is the savior of the world vv. 29-30
1. Lamb of God vs. 29
2. Higher rank than John vs. 30
B. Jesus subjected Himself to water baptism vv. 31-33
1. This was the manner of His manifestation to Israel vv. 31-33a
2. This was the mode of His own ministry of the Spirit vs. 33b; cf. vv. 26, 31, 33a
19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “ I am not the Christ.”
21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23 He said, “I am A voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘ Make straight the way of the Lord, ’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 John answered them saying, “ I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.
27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘ After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me. ’
31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
32 John testified saying, “ I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. ’
34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God
(John 1:19-34 NASB)
Introduction:
Theological Questions
1. Who was John the baptist and what was his role?
2. What did he testify about Jesus?
3. What is the difference between the baptism of John in water and of Jesus in the Holy Spirit?
Practical Questions
1. Why is John’s testimony relevant to us in the church today?
2. How do these baptisms relate to us, if at all?
3. Have you believed John’s testimony about Jesus?
Theme: Two stages of John’s testimony about Jesus so you will believe that He is the Son of God and live according to that belief
I. John’s General Testimony of the Christ (Day 1) vv. 19-28
A. His negative testimony clarifies who he himself was not vv. 19-22
1. The Christ vs. 20
2. Elijah vs. 21a
3. The Prophet vs. 21b
B. His positive testimony clarifies who he himself was vs. 23
1. What his testimony reveals about himself
2. Why his testimony matters to us today
C. His explanation of his ministry clarifies what his role was vv. 24-27
1. The Question vv. 24-25
2. The Answer vv. 26-27
II. John’s Specific Testimony of Jesus (Day 2) vv. 29-34
A. Jesus is the savior of the world vv. 29-30
1. Lamb of God vs. 29
2. Higher rank than John vs. 30
B. Jesus subjected Himself to water baptism vv. 31-33
1. This was the manner of His manifestation to Israel vv. 31-33a
2. This was the mode of His own ministry of the Spirit vs. 33b; cf. vv. 26, 31, 33a
