Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: John | Here is the outline to help you follow along. Read the full sermon with a click below.

5.05.19 ~ John 21:15-25,

Jesus’ Final Words to Peter

Deuteronomy 10:12-13, “What does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good.” (Mark 12:30-31)
Read John 21:15-17… Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him; twice with agapaó, once with phileó.
Peter all three times answers with phileó.
Jesus wants Peter to care for, feed and shepherd His sheep [“pasture My lambs”]. As an under shepherd (1Peter 5:2), Christ is Chief Shepherd (1Peter 5:4).
Read John 21:18-25… Jesus tells Peter that in the future, he will be taken prisoner and crucified.
Then Jesus says to him, “Follow Me!”
In Christ’s death He brought glory to the Father; in Peter’s death he will bring glory to God.
Peter turns around, sees John, then asks Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him’? Jesus says to Peter, what does it matter to you if I want John to stick around longer, it is really none of your business. “You just follow Me!”
Some people thought that John would not die at all. But that is not what Jesus said or meant, in fact, John died at the end of the first century, in exile.
Actually, John was Peter’s companion, from the Day of Pentecost through the first part of the book of Acts, as they were constant companions.
John was eyewitness to the things he has written about and is basically saying, “It’s the truth.”
In John 20:31, we are given the reason for this record of Jesus’ life and ministry, “These things have been written that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing might have life in His name.”
John closes his (John 21:25) gospel with, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.”
John was not omniscient, he was just a man who love and served the Lord. He had no idea about the fascinating technological future of the world, with internet, Google Search, and the Cloud.
John didn’t know about that, but he did know that if everything Jesus ever did was written out in full, and everything He ever said was recorded, the world wouldn’t be able to contain the full story.
But you know, one day we will be with the Lord in heaven, and we will have an eternity to ponder these things. But for now, we have God’s marvelous, supernatural, and authoritative revelation to us in the 66 Books of the Bible, along with His Holy Spirit who lives in us, protects us, provides for us, and works to conform us to the character and nature of God’s Son, as He reveals the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
In our Lord’s last words to Peter, we are made aware of God’s great and merciful love for all of His sheep.
Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins, and raised from the dead to demonstrate the eternal life, which is given to everyone who repents of sin, confessing Christ as Lord, believing in Him as Savior.

Bible Text: John 21:1-14 | Pastor: Mike Hale | Series: John | Here is the bulletin insert. Full sermon is a click below.

4.28.19 ~ John 21:1-14,

Jesus Appears to Some Fishermen.

Read John 21:1-5… After the events of chapter 20, the
disciples traveled to Galilee (see Mark 14:28); Jesus also told the women, Sunday morning (see Mark 16:7).
There are seven apostles in this story: Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, John and James, and two others, possibly Philip and Andrew.
The disciples were told (Matthew 28:10, 16), “Go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.” “The eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.”
Peter told the other six, “I am going fishing,” and they went with him, fishing all night, catching nothing.
John 16:32, “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home.” In 1Thessalonians 4:11, his own = “your own business.”
These men followed Jesus to become fishers of men (see Matthew 4:19-20; cf Luke 9:23), to preach the Good News of Jesus (Acts 1:8).
As they head in, the sun is coming up, and Jesus is standing on shore, but they don’t recognize Him, until He says, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” “No.” Read John 21:6-14… The Lord calls out to put their net on the right side of the boat, immediately their net is full. John says, “It is the Lord.” Peter jumps in the lake! The other six, dragging the net, finally reach shore and get out, Jesus has a fire with fish and bread cooking.
Jesus tells them to bring some of their fish, so He can add them to the meal; Peter pulls up net full of fish.
John tells us, this is the third time Jesus has revealed Himself to the disciples since He rose from the grave, as John’s gospel records (see John 20:19-20, 26-29).
These seven couldn’t catch their food, but the Lord demonstrated to that He was still taking care of them, providing, even when they couldn’t even catch fish, apart from His provision.
1Corinthians 1:26-31, “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”
1Timothy 1:12-1, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”
Ephesians 2:3-5, “Among them [sinners] we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” 8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
Although these guys were dull minded, weak and sinful, the Lord used them for His glory, just as He uses us, when we commit to pray, obey His Word, and share the message of Jesus Christ: Crucified, Resurrected, and Coming Again, to take us to be with Him in heaven.

Bible Text: John 20:19-31 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | The audio is not currently available.
This is the bulletin insert. For full sermon notes, please click below.

4.07.19 ~ John 20:19-31,

Jesus Appears to the Eleven

Read John 20:19-23… The disciples behind locked doors, Jesus appears (Luke 24:39), “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
Did Jesus give them the Holy Spirit at that time?
See John 14:16-17, 25-26; 15:26-27; Acts 1:4-5, 8).
On the day after Jesus’ baptism, John said (John 1:32-34) he saw the Spirit of God descend and remain on Jesus; setting Jesus apart as the Messiah.
Ten days after Jesus’ ascension back to the Father, the Holy Spirit came to indwell the believers in Jerusalem.
Look at verse 23… Jesus isn’t saying the apostles have been given authority to forgive sins; Scripture is clear (cf. Mark 2:1-12) only God can forgive sins.
However, Christians can declare that all who genuinely repent of their sins, believing in Christ, will be forgiven by God; and all who reject Christ as Lord and Savior will die in their sins, as Jesus said (John 8:24), “unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
The authority given to the Church comes from the Word of God, as we proclaim the message of forgiveness through Christ alone.
Read John 20:24-25… Thomas, called Didymus, was not there, but later he made a strong statement that he wouldn’t believe until he could touch the nail wounds on Jesus’ hands or the spear wound on His side.
Read John 20:26-29… The next Sunday, the Lord appears again, this time, Thomas was present. The Lord immediately invited Thomas to touch His wounds, so that he might believe. We are not told as to whether or not Thomas reached out and touch the wounds in Christ’s body, but more importantly, we have Thomas’s strong confession of belief in the risen Christ, God’s Son, as the Messiah (verse 28), “My Lord and my God!”
2Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Hebrews 9:22, “according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Hebrews 10:3-7, “But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me. Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’” 10, “By this will we have been sanctified [made holy] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” 12, “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.” 14, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” 17, “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
Read John 20:30-31… This account of Jesus’ life is a first person record of what God did through Christ, to provide us with forgiveness and eternal life.
1John 1:1-3, “From the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life —and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
John’s narrative has been written so that you might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing you may have eternal life in His name.
God loves you, He turns no one away! Jesus Christ’s death can set you free from the penalty of sin; His resurrection provides eternal life?
Why wait any longer? Repent of your sins, confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.

Bible Text: John 20:1-18 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | This is the bulletin insert to help you follow along the sermon. Full sermon notes are a click below.

3.31.19 ~ John 20:1-18, The Empty Tomb

Read John 20:1-10… It is Sunday (cf. Luke 24:1), the day after the Sabbath (cf. Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1).
The synoptic Gospels record a variety of women who come to the tomb that morning (cf Mark 16:1-2). Mary M came in the dark, the tomb was open, she ran to get Peter and John; other women arrived at the tomb, angels appeared, announcing Christ’s resurrection (cf. Matthew 28:5-6; Mark 16:5-7; Luke 24:4-8); these women told Peter and John (Luke 24:11, “But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.” Luke 24:12, “Peter saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. Read John 20:11-18… Mary, at the tomb, is weeping, two angels ask her “why?” She said, the Lord is gone and I didn’t know where He was. Then saw Jesus standing there, but did not recognize Him, perhaps because of His resurrected body (see Luke 24:13-16; John 21:1-10).
Jesus says her name, she recognized Him (cf. John 10:27) saying, “Rabboni!” (cf. Mark 10:51, blind man). Mary fell at His feet, holding onto Him. What did she know (see John 14:1-3, 16-20; 16:7, 11)?
John 15:15, “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
Our relationship with God is as the child of a loving father, as brothers and sisters in the Lord:
John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God… born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 3:3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:6-8, That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Through the Christ’s death and resurrection, we become sons of God (Ephesians 1:5), “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself.”
How does that happen?
Ephesians 1:13, “after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit.”
1Corinthians 12:12-13, “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized [immersed, placed] into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” 27, “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”
Colossians 1:15-20, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
Hebrews 11:2, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren [His brothers and sisters].”
Galatians 3:26-28, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Bible Text: John 19:31-42 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | Use this index to follow along; full sermon notes are found below.

3.24.19 ~ John 19:31-42, Jesus is Laid in a Tomb

Read John 19:31-37… The Jews request Pilate expedite the death of the crucifixion victims, as it was not permissible to have dead bodies hanging after sundown, let alone on a Sabbath day, and especially on a high Sabbath day.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23, says a man guilty of a capitol crime must die, be hung on a tree, and buried on the same day.
Why break their legs? To expedite their death.
John 19:32 says the soldiers broke the legs of the two criminals, but not Jesus, as He was dead.
A spear was used to pierce the pericardium, thick blood came out first, and then the watery plasma, giving postmortem evidence that our Lord died of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.
Jesus gave up His own life (John 10:17-18), after completing His work; the Jews repeatedly tried to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:16; Luke 4:28-30; John 5:16-18; 7:1; 8:37, 40, 59; 10:31; 11:53) but it was not yet His “hour” (John 17:1).
Not breaking Jesus’ legs (John 19:36) fulfilled Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalm 34:20 – the ultimate Passover Lamb, God’s Son.
John 19:37 partly fulfills Zechariah 12:10, the complete fulfillment will happen at Revelation 1:7.
Read John 19:38-40… Isaiah 53:9,“His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death.”
Joseph of Arimathea a secret follower of Jesus, was (Matthew 27:57) a rich man, (Mark 15:43a) a member of the Sanhedrin, (Mark 15:43b) waiting for God’s kingdom, (Luke 23:50-51) didn’t agree with the Sanhedrin’s condemnation of Jesus.
Joseph asks Pilate for Jesus’ body. Nicodemus helps remove and prepare Jesus’ body for burial: a mixture of myrrh and aloes (in powdered form) was used to prepare Jesus’ body.
We are told (Luke 23:55-56) that some of the women followers of Jesus went and got more spices and perfumes and brought them also to prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
It seems strange that these women, Joseph and Nicodemus, go to such trouble preparing Jesus’ for burial. It doesn’t seem like they believe He is going to come out of the tomb alive.
Read John 19:41-42… Jesus is laid to rest in a new tomb (Matthew 27:60) that belongs to Joseph of Arimathea, carved out of the rock, to be sealed with a large stone against its opening.
Preparation day almost over, Jesus’ body must be buried, for at sundown all work must cease.
There is a much more important reason that Jesus must be buried before she start of a new day (Matthew 12:40) Jesus said, “just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Jews considered any part of a day as a whole day (cf 1Kings 12:5, 12; Ester 4:16; 5:1). Jesus would be in the tomb three days: part of Friday, all of Saturday, part of Sunday.
We see the sovereign hand of the Lord even in the events surrounding His death: none of His bones were broken, the Jews looked upon the One they had pierced, and although Jesus’ body should have buried in an unmarked grave among other criminals, He was buried in a rich man’s tomb.
Even in death, the Lord is still sovereign!

Bible Text: John 19:17-30 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | Use this outline to help you follow along. The full sermon notes are below.

3.17.19 ~ John 19:17-30, Jesus is Crucified!

Read John 19:17-22… Jesus couldn’t carry His cross, so Simon (cf. Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26), carried it to Golgotha [Hebrew,“skull place” [Greek, Kranion; Latin, Calvaria] (cf. Numbers 15:35).
Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written (cf Deuteronomy 21:23), ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’”.
It was about 9am, when Jesus was nailed to a cross, where he would endure a slow, agonizing death.
Read John 19:23-25a… Soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ tunic (verse 24), fulfilling Psalm 22:18.
Read John 19:25b-27… Luke and Matthew tell us:
Luke 23:35, the Jews were “sneering at Him, saying, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.’” Matthew 27:39-40, others “hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’”
John records that he and four women were standing near the cross: Jesus’ mother (Mary), her sister (Salome, Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40), another woman named Mary (she is thought to be the “other Mary,” in Matthew 27:61; 28:1; Luke 24:10, who is the mother of James, son of Alphaeus, Luke 6:15; Acts 1:15) the wife of Clopas (a variant of Alphaeus, ), and lastly, Mary Magdalene.
In the midst of His own pain and suffering, Jesus entrusts His mother to His beloved disciple John.
Read John 19:28-30… Jesus, “knowing that all things had already been accomplished,” fulfills Psalm 69:21b. After receiving the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”
Read Mark 15:33-37… At 12 noon, darkness covered the [Earth], lasting until about 3 pm, at which time Jesus cried out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?”
2Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.”
Romans 3:24-25, “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.”
Hebrews 9:22, “all things are cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness,” Hebrews 10:8-10, “…‘sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them (which are according to the Law)’, ‘He takes away the first in order to establish the second’ …‘we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.’”
Acts 2:21, “And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
1Peter 3:18, “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
God the Father and God the Son are in heaven. God the Holy Spirit indwells all who repent and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, making them God’s children.
Romans 8:9, “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
1Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that …the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” 13, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Is God speaking to your heart, don’t turn away: Admit you are a sinner. Believe Jesus died for your sins. Confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. Demonstrate new life in Christ: read His Word and obey what you understand, pray to Him, fellowship with His children by participating in a God-honoring church, and tell others about Him.
That is the Good News of the Crucifixion of Christ!

Bible Text: John 18:39-19:12 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | For the full sermon notes, click on “Notes”
This is the bulletin insert to help you follow along:

3.03.19 ~ John 18:39-19:12, Jesus before Pilate:Part 2 John 18:39-40

Ping – Pilate finds no guilt in Jesus
and sends Him to Herod (see Luke 23:4-6).
Pong – Herod sends Him back (see Luke 23:8-11).
Pilate (John 18:39) tries to release Jesus, the Jews want Barabbas set free. Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19-22; Acts 3:14-15 tell us Barabbas was a murderer.
Read John 19:1-7… Pilate had Jesus beaten, then allowed the soldiers to mocked Him (verses 2-3), after which (verse 4), Pilate said, “I find no guilt in Him.” But the Jews (verse 6), demand He be crucified!
The religious leaders have the upper hand, Pilate knows it and he doesn’t like it! The Jews are adamant that Jesus committed a capital offense (Leviticus 24:16), “the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death”
See Matthew 26:63-66…
John 19:8-12… Jesus might be a god or a son of a god
[Pilate’s wife sent him a message about Jesus]. Matthew 27:19, “While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.’”
In Acts 17:22-31, Paul mentions an altar in Athens, with this inscription: “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.”
In John 19:9, Pilate asks, “Where are you from?” Jesus doesn’t answer, that angers Pilate (verse 10), who thinks he actually has life or death authority over Jesus.
Jesus (verse 11) says God grants all authority, but God’s plan is for Jesus to die for our sins, nothing Pilate or the Jews can do will thwart that plan (Acts 2:23), “this Man delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”
The word translated godless in Acts 2:23, literally means, “men without the Law, i.e., pagans, non-Jews, Gentiles, Romans were used to execute God’s Son.
John 19:11… The one who delivered Jesus to Pilate was the high priest of Israel, Caiaphas.
God used Judas’ betrayal, the religious leader’s hatred, and Pilate’s authority, to crucify Jesus; but in reality it was according to the plan & purpose of God (Acts 2:23). John 19:12… The Jews have the upper hand, not Pilate. John 19:13-16… Pilate has Jesus brought to the place where he will make his judgement.
On the morning of the day of preparation for Passover (Mark 15 tells us Jesus’ was taken to Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod, and then Pilate again, all between 6-9 am; Jesus is then crucified around 9 am; at 12 pm darkness covers the earth; and about 3 pm Jesus died).
Note: The northern Jews consider a day from sunrise to sunrise, celebrating Passover on Thursday; the southern Jews, consider a day from sunset to sunset, celebrating Passover on Friday.
Pilate says, “here is your King!” The Jews (verse 15), start yelling, “take Him away and crucify Him!” Pilate asks with disdain, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests don’t miss a step, “we have no king but Caesar.” These Jews hated Caesar; but, they hated Jesus more.
Jesus (verse 16) is turned over to be crucified, and the Jews finally get what they want: Jesus dead! from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, His death!
2Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
John 3:16, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Romans 10:9-10, “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” 13, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Bible Text: John 18:28-38 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | 02-24-2019 – Jesus Before Pilate: Part 1

John 18:28-38

Today we look at Jesus standing before Pilate, after His arrest. Although Jesus was born like all other humans, from a woman, He has come into this world from outside this world; in fact, He has come from His Father, having been named Jesus (Yeshua) meaning “God’s Salvation,” and called Immanuel meaning, “God with us”. Jesus is clearly from another realm, in fact, He is from heaven.
Jesus did not come to conquer people or nations, but “to testify to the truth,” i.e., to proclaim the truth about God, men, sin, salvation, eternal life in heaven, eternal punishment in hell, as Peter writes (2Peter 1:3), the truth being,
“everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

Bible Text: John 18:12-27 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | This is the bulletin insert. Click on “notes” for the full sermon notes.

02-17-2019 – Priests Persecute, Peter Denies

John 18:12-27

Read John 18:12-14…
Mark 14:50, the eleven “left Him and fled.”
Jesus is taken to Annas, although Caiaphas, was high priest at this time. Luke 3:1-6; Acts 4:1-6; 1:15; 2:41
Caiaphas had told the Jews it was better for one man to die rather than the nation perish (cf John 11:47-53).
Read John 18:15-18… Peter and “another disciple” follow the arresting party. The phrase “other disciple,” is also used in John 20:2.
Who is the disciple that Jesus loved? See John 13:23-25; 21:20, 24.
Read John 18:19-24… Jesus suggests that Annas question those who have heard His teachings.
The religious leaders fear Jesus’ teaching (see Matthew 7:28-29; John 7:15-16, 32, 44-46).
Annas sends Jesus to Caiaphas, who can bring Jesus before Pilate, who alone can render the death penalty.
Read John 18:25-27… What John doesn’t tell us, the other writers do (see Mark 14:66-67; Luke 22:54-56).
Peter, for the third time, denies being a follower of Jesus, immediately a rooster crows. Although John doesn’t mention it, Peter goes out and weeps bitterly.
Luke gives us insight to Peter’s brokenness over denying Jesus as Lord and Savior (see Luke 22:57-62).
Peter, confronted by the eyes of the Lord, wept loudly expressing unconsolable grief; Peter wept bitterly, expressing his deep and painful regret.
When Jesus looked at him (Luke 22:61), “Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”
During the Passover meal, Jesus told the eleven He was going to leave them, to which (John 13:36-38),
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.”
Peter was much like us, one moment willing to take on an army of God’s enemies for the Lord’s honor; the next moment, we fearfully deny any relationship with our Lord.
It should not be that way!
Isaiah 41:10, “‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”
Romans 8:38-39, “For… neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

Bible Text: John 18:1-12 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | This is the outline put in the bulletin. For the full sermon, click “notes” below.

02-10-2019 – Jesus is Arrested at Gethsemane

John 18:1-12

John 12:23, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.,” (John 13:1), “Jesus knew His hour had come,” John 17:1, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You.”
Read John 18:1-4… The disciples were with Jesus all evening, then they left the upper room, Jesus as they headed across the Kidron valley to a garden (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32) called Gethsemane, where Jesus, He had taken the disciples many times.
But Jesus goes there now to fulfill His purpose (1Corinthians 15:3), “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.”
Jesus wasn’t a victim, He willfully gave Himself up (John 10:17-18), “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
The Jews tried many times to capture Him, but His hour had not yet come (John 7:30; 8:20), it was now that hour (John 18:1, 4), “He went forth.”
Judas fulfilled his treachery (John 13:18-30), when he earlier left the upper room, willfully allowing Satan to control him, he led the Jews and Romans to Christ.
Matthew 26:47 says, “Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.” There were 200-600 soldiers and temple police.
Only Judas and Malchus are mentioned.
Read John 18:4-9… Judas points out Jesus with a kiss on the face (cf. Luke 22:48, “Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”).
Jesus repeatedly told His men He would be arrested, crucified, and buried, but on the third day He would rise from the grave (Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 8:31-33; 9:31; 10:33-34; Luke 9:22).
At the garden Jesus asks who they are looking for.
“Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus replies “I AM He!” This caused hundreds of men to fall like dominos. As they begin to get up, He asks again who they are seeking, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Again Jesus says, I AM He, so let these men go, it is Me that you want.
John inserts (verse 9), that this fulfills the Scripture, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”
John 17:12, “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition [Judas], so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.”
Read John 18:10-11… Peter pulls out his sword and takes a swing at the head of Malchus, cutting off his ear.
Jesus rebukes Peter here (verse 11). Matthew tells us (Matthew 26:52-54), Jesus says to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”
John doesn’t record the healing of Malchus, but Luke, records (Luke 22:51), Jesus commanded, “‘Stop! No more of this.’ And He touched [Malchus’] ear and healed him.”
In front of a large crowd of Jews and Romans, the Lord performs His last miracle before going to the cross, after which, He allows Himself to be taken captive (John 18:12), like a lamb being led to the slaughter.