Bible Text: John 13:31-38 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | This is the insert that was in Sunday’s bulletin. The full sermon notes are on a link below.

08-26-2018

Jesus Tells His Disciples He is Going Away.

John 13:31-38

Read John 13:31-35… The Son’s greatest desire is to bring glory to His Father; the Father’s greatest desire is His Son’s glory.
Jesus’ glory as was hidden, except when Transfigured on the mountain (cf. Matthew 17:1-8), Jesus set aside His glory to go to the cross (see Philippians 2:5-11).
At the cross Jesus experienced humiliation, receiving God’s wrath for our sin, being separated from the Father.
His death brought salvation, destroyed sin’s curse, defeated Satan, as Jesus declared, “It is finished.”
The penalty for sin is death; Jesus paid it (Isaiah 53:6), “[God]… caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” No wonder Jesus cried out (Matthew 27:46), “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”.
1John 4:10, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Jesus calls the 11 (verse 33) “little children,” saying He must leave, they can’t follow. Jesus had told the Jews (John 7:34), “You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
Again, Jesus says to the Jews (John 8:21), “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come,’” adding (John 8:24), “I said to you that you will die in your sins; unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
Jesus’ disciples could not follow Him, but they weren’t in danger of dying in sin, for they belonged to Him, and their purpose was to glorify Him (verses 34-35), ”A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
1John 3:11, “For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”
God’s children have a God-given capacity to love others as Christ loved us.
Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender- hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Jesus’ loved these men deeply, but staying with them was not an option; He had come to die for their sins, for everyone’s sins, and then return to the Father.
Read John 13:36-38… Peter doesn’t seem to be giving much attention to this “new commandment,” for he is struggling with the statement that Jesus won’t be with them much longer, and they can’t go where He is going.
Jesus repeatedly told these guys (cf. Matthew 20:18; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:32) He would be betrayed, taken away, put to death, buried, but would rise from the grave.
Peter is fixated on Jesus’ leaving and not being able to go with Him, Jesus says to Him (verse 36), “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
Peter doesn’t want later, he wants now, as he expresses (verse 37), “I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus responds (verse 38), “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.”
Not only is Jesus leaving and Peter can’t go with Him, but now he is told that he will deny the Lord three times (more on that later, in chapter 18).
What a nightmare for the disciples: they’ve been with Jesus, God’s Son, almost daily, for over three years, now He is going away and they can’t go with Him?
They cannot grasp what the Scriptures declare, i.e., Jesus must go away, if He is to come back to take them to be with Him forever.
Jesus has now been with these guys for over three years, this is a Thursday, and He will be taken away from them tomorrow, Friday; but come Sunday, He will return to them, and He will never leave them alone again.
To be continued…

Bible Text: John 13:18-30 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | 08-19-2018

Jesus Reveals the Betrayer

John 13:18-30

See John 13:12-17… Judas is always identified as the one who betrayed Jesus (Matthew 10:4; 26:25, 48; 27:3; Mark 3:19; 14:44; Luke 6:16; John 6:71; 12:4; 18:2).
According to Matthew’s narrative, right after the incident with the expensive perfume (John 12:5), Judas went to the Chief Priests (Matthew 26:14-16), “Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me to betray Him [Jesus] to you?’ And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.”
Read John 13:18-19… Jesus knew (John 13:11), “the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Judas heard Jesus teach on love of money (Matthew 6:19-34) greed (Luke 16:13), pride (Matthew 23:1-12).
Jesus’ declared (John 6:70), “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”
Psalm 41:9, “my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”
Luke 22:22, “the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
God did not make Judas betray Christ, but used him to carry out God’s plan (see Acts 2:22-24).
Remember Joseph, son of Jacob? Favored by his father, despised by his brothers, they threw him into a well, saying he had been killed by a wild animal; his brothers sold him to a caravan headed for Egypt.
God used what happened to Joseph to save his family and all of Israel. Speaking to his brothers later, Joseph said (Genesis 50:20), “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
Read John 13:19-21… Jesus reassures His disciples that neither Judas’ betrayal or His own death can stop what is going to happen.
Jesus is troubled in His spirit, thinking about Judas’ treachery, the cross, and the reality of being separated from the Father, as God’s wrath is poured out on Him.
Read John 13:22-25… Who would dare betray the Lord? Peter asks John to find out, so, John asks Jesus, “Lord, who is it?”
Read John 13:26-30… Jesus says, the one whom I give the dipped bread to, is the betrayer. Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas, who took the bread, at which time (verse 27), “Satan then entered into him.”
Turn to Luke 22:1-6… This is the first time it is mentioned that Satan entered Judas; the second time is in John 13:27, when Judas took the bread from Jesus.
Jesus had washed Judas’ feet, allowed him to sit close to Him, and offered the bread dipped in sauce; after which, Judas’ heart was hardened, He had crossed the line and would do the Devil’s bidding for him.
Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
John is writing this 50 years after Christ’s death and resurrection; looking back and giving us an account of what the disciples were thinking, at the time.
Verse 30 tells us, after receiving the bread, Judas went out immediately, and it was night.
Judas will forever be aligned with the words deceiver, betrayer, and traitor.
Jesus will forever be aligned with the words grace, mercy, and loving-kindness.

Bible Text: John 13: 1-17 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | The following is the bulletin insert:

08-12-2018

Exemplifying the Love of Christ

John 13: 1-17

Galatians 3:26-29, “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. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Read John 13:1… Jesus “loved His own to the end.”
God loves sinners (cf. John 3:16), but His love for His own (Ephesians 3:19) “surpasses knowledge” (Romans 8:35, 38), “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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.”
Read John 13:2… God used an pagan to kill His Son. Read John 13:3-11… Jesus, God’s Son (John 1:1-3, 14, 18), came from heaven to show us the Father.
Peter understood later:
1Peter 2:24, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” 1Peter 3:18, For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit”
1Corinthians 6:11, “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
1Peter 3:21, “not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
2Corinthians 5:21, “[God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1John 1:7, “the blood of Jesus [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Read John 13:12-17… Jesus has washed the disciples feet (including Judas), as a lowly slave, shouldn’t they follow His example of humble servitude?
Mark 10:43-45, “whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
After washing their feet, He said (Luke 22:27), “who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”
Psalm 119:1, “How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.”
Mark 3:33, 35, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” ”Whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Luke 11:28, “blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
Philippians 2:5-8, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
1John 2:6, “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”
John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Mark 12:30-31, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength’ [and] ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Bible Text: Matthew 15:20-28 | Pastor: Jim Shepherd | ( no sermon notes were provided)

08-05-2018

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

Matthew 15:20-28

Do you have any needs? Today, elder Jim Shepherd taught about the Canaanite woman’s needs and how Jesus responded.

Bible Text: John 12:37-50 | Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: John | 07-29-2018

True Israel = Saved Jews + Saved Gentiles

John 12:37-50

The True Children of God are not those who merely descended from the Twelve Tribes of Israel, under the Law and according to the covenants, ceremonies and sacrifices. The True Children of God are those who belong to Him through Jesus Christ the Lord.

Sermon Notes:

Read John 12:37-41… This is one of those times when John inserts important
information from outside the chronology of the narrative he has been recording.
Here John reminds us of how Jesus had performed many signs before the people
and yet, they do not believe in Him.
John cites here (verses 38, 40) a prediction from Isaiah 53:1; 6:10, saying
Israel’s eyes have been blinded and their hearts hardened, so that they can’t see
nor understand the things of God, i.e., they will not receive God’s Son, but instead,
reject Him in unbelief.
Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 4:17-18, is similar to Isaiah’s prediction, “So
this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer as the
Gentiles [unbelievers] walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their
understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in
them, because of the hardness of their heart.”
Notice again in John 12:38 the phrase, “the arm of the LORD,” speaking of the
power, plan and purpose of God, fulfilled in and through Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
Notice, John says (verse 39) they rejected the Lord (verse 40) because their
eyes were blinded by their unbelief, and their hearts were hardened; even so, this
did not release them from their responsibility to believe in Christ, for it was by their
own willful unbelief that they rejected God’s Son as their Savior and Lord.
John says (verse 41) that Isaiah was clearly talking about God’s Son, and that
those who continually opposed God in the OT, or reject Christ in the NT, bring about
the hardening of their own hearts toward God.
Remember Pharaoh, he would not let the Israelites go, even when God brought
plagues on Egypt? Ten times it says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 4:21;
7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20 ,27; 11:10; 14:4, 8 ,17); ten times it says Pharaoh hardened
his own heart toward God (Exodus 7:13, 14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 34, 35; 13:15).
If Pharaoh had heeded God’s warnings and obeyed, his heart would not have
been hardened, but Pharaoh made it clear that he would not bow to the Hebrew
God, and so, Pharaoh hardened his own heart toward God.
Judas, one of the Twelve Disciples, betrayed the Lord, and he is responsible for
the hardening of his own heart toward God, as we will see when we study John 13.
God often used those who opposed Him, to bring about His own plan and
purpose.
See Acts 2:22-24, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a
man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God
performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 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. But God raised Him up
again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be
held in its power.”
1
Read John 12:42-43… At the time John is writing this account, he is looking back
60 years, to days just before Jesus was arrested and put to death.
John says here that many of the religious rulers “believed” in Jesus; but this was
clearly not genuine saving faith; for we are told (verse 42) that these rulers who
“believed” were not confessing Jesus, i.e., they were not openly confessing belief in
and following Christ (cf. Romans 10:9-10; Mark 1:15, 17).
Instead of believing in and honoring Christ they feared that the Pharisees would
put them out of the Synagogue and they would lose their place of favor among, and
power over, the people (verse 43) “for they loved the approval of men rather than
the approval of God.”
These religious leaders cared more about their own honor and glory then they
did God’s, they were self-righteous and self-serving, they didn’t have room for
Christ in their religious idolatry, nor did they want or need Him, for they thought
themselves to be without sin.
See Luke 18:9-14, (Jesus told this parable to some people who trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt): “Two men
went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The
Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like
other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast
twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some
distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his
breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his
house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Read John 12:44-50… This declaration made by Jesus was not spoken at this
place in the narrative, but John is providing this information in order to summarize
the public ministry of Christ to Israel, which ended when Jesus left the crowd (John
12:36).
Jesus had on several other occasions made a similar statement to this one in
verse 44, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.”
The clear meaning in Jesus’ statement is that you cannot believe in the Father
apart from Christ, nor Christ apart from the Father, i.e., John 5:24; 8:19; 10:38.
Jesus’ statement (verse 45), “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me,” is
clearly put in John 14:9, where Jesus says, “He who has seen Me has seen the
Father.”
Jesus taught repeatedly (verse 46) that He is the Light of God who has come
into the world, and those who believe in Him will not remain in darkness, but will
instead become sons and daughters of Light (cf. John 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36).
In verses 47-48, Jesus’ declaration moves from the blessings to those who
believe in Him, to the condemnation that remains on those who reject Christ; even
though, during Jesus’ first advent or coming to the earth, He did not come to judge,
He came to save (see John 3:16-18).
2
The eternal destination of all people is determined by the words of Jesus, for He
is the Word of God; He speaks on behalf of the Father in heaven, and is equal in
nature and authority with the Father, as God the Son, yet He was submissive to the
Father during His incarnation [Immanuel] God in human flesh, as the Son of Man.
Israel received many blessings as God’s chosen people, Pauls says, in Romans
9:3-5, he would sacrifice himself for their sake, to bring them to a knowledge of
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, for he is a Jew, and they are his brothers and
sisters racially, the people of Israel; whom God set apart from all other nations on
the earth, allowing them to be blessed by His covenants, see His glory and receive
His Law; to them God sent His prophets, and also granted them blood ancestry
through which Christ, God’s One and Only Son, would come.
But when Christ came, the Jews didn’t receive Him, they rejected Him, finally
putting Him to death; for they ignored all His warnings and all the demonstrations
of His power and equality with the Father, through miracles.
Because Israel did not receive God’s Son, Paul writes in Romans 9:25-28 what
God says in Hosea (2:23), “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’
and her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’ (1:10) And it shall be that in the place
where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ there they shall be called sons
of the living God.” [Also] Isaiah cries out concerning Israel (10:22-23), “Though
the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that
will be saved; for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and
quickly.”
Paul writes (Romans 11:25-26), “For I do not want you, brethren, to be
uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—
that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has
come in; and so all Israel will be saved.”
Pauls says (Romans 9:27-28), Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the
number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will
be saved”? Romans 11:26, “all Israel will be saved.”
Unless you have a good understanding of what both the Old and New Testament
teach on this subject, you may not grasp it, but I pray it will be clear to you today.
First – There is the nation of Israel, set apart through the blood ancestry of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [the twelve tribes of Israel]; this nation was given the
Law, the Prophets and the Covenants, even so, they rejected God’s Messenger, the
Messiah, the Savior and Lord, God’s One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.
Second – There is also another group of people in the Scripture known as the True
Israel, made up of people from every tribe, tongue and nation, of which there are
some blood descendants of Abraham, but only those who are considered righteous
with God; as we read in Romans 9:27-28, Isaiah cries out concerning Israel,
“Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the
remnant that will be saved”? And in Romans 11:26, “all Israel will be saved.”
3
See Ephesians 2:11-18, “Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in
the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” [that
being the Jews] which is performed in the flesh by human hands [first by Abraham,
then his descendants] — remember that you were at that time separate from
Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants
of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus
you [Gentiles] who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of
Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups [Jew and Gentile] into
one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the
enmity [hostility], which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so
that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile them both in one body to God [Christ the head, Colossians
1:18; we the body parts, 1Corinthians 12:12-27] through the cross, by it having
put to death the enmity. And He [Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were
far away [Gentiles], and peace to those who were near [Jews]; for through Him we
both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Revelation 5:9, “[Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God] was slain and purchased for God
with His [own] blood – men [women and children of age] from every tribe and
tongue and people and nation.”
The True Children of God are not those who merely descended from the Twelve
Tribes of Israel, under the Law and according to the covenants, ceremonies and
sacrifices. The True Children of God are those who belong to Him through Jesus
Christ the Lord.
Galatians 3:26-29, “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. And if you belong to Christ, then you
are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”
Do you see? We are children of God, God’s people, not based upon an ancestral
blood line through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah; that blood line was necessary
so that in Jesus’, both the legal and blood requirements were fulfilled to be the
Messiah-King, Lord and Savior. But it was through Abraham’s obedience that he
was considered righteous by God, granting him spiritual [eternal] life as God’s child;
and so it is the spiritual descendants of Abraham who are True Israel, including both
Jew and Gentile.
1Peter 2:9-10, “But you [the Church, NT Christians] are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may
proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of
God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Pastor Mike
°°°° >‘(((><

Bible Text: John 12:23-33 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | This is outline found in the Sunday bulletin. Click below for complete notes.

07-15-2018

Son of God: Son of Man

John 12:23-33

Read John 12:23-24… God’s Son, dying for our sins
and then raised from the dead demonstrates authority over sin, death, and judgement (see Romans 1:1-4).
The Jews were not the only “people of God,” after Christ’s death and resurrection, the gospel would provide salvation for people from every tribe, tongue and nation. John 12:25-26… If you belong to Christ, you are to serve, honor and obey His Word, this demonstrates the eternal life you have that can never be taken away (cf. Matthew 10:37-39; Luke 9:23-24).
John 14:3, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
All those who serve Christ are honored by the Father (1Samuel 2:30), “…those who honor Me I will honor.”
In less than a week, Jesus will die on the cross, for both Jew and Gentile (see Ephesians 2:14-16; 3:6).
Read John 12:27-28a… Jesus is very troubled in His heart and mind, concerning what lies ahead, for He is going to suffer God’s wrath, although He is sinless. 2Corinthians 5:21, “He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’”
1Peter 2:24, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” Hebrews 10:10, “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
1John 2:2, “He Himself [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation [full payment] for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (cf. John 3:16).
Jesus did Father’s will (see John 10:17-18).
Read John 12:28b-30… The Father speaks here and
(baptism, Matthew 3:17; transfiguration, Matthew 17:5). The people couldn’t hear for they were spiritually deaf.
In John 8:47, Jesus said the Pharisees couldn’t hear the words of God because they didn’t belong to God.
In John 10:27, Jesus says His sheep hear His voice because they belong to Him and follow Him.
The Father’s audible voice was was for disciples who were going to lose their Lord, when He was crucified.
Read John 12:31-33… The Cross of Christ is central to Christianity, bringing God’s judgement to all those who reject Christ and salvation to all who believe (see John 3:18-19; 5:22-27; 6:28-29; 8:24; 10:30).
Christ is victorious over the god of this world, the devil (see Ephesians 2:2).
1John 3:8, “The devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”
Hebrews 2:14, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself [Jesus] likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
John 3:14-15, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.”
In Matthew 16:16, Peter proclaimed to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Hebrews 9:22, “according to the Law, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
1John 5:11-13, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
The Son of Man bled and died on the cross; the Son of God, rose from the grave on the third day, demonstrating His authority over sin, death and judgement, forever!
If you aren’t sure you are saved, please see me.

Bible Text: John 12:17-26 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | Here is the sermon insert to follow along. There are also sermon notes below.

07-08-2018

Some Gentiles Seek Jesus

John 12:17-26

Look at:  John 11:18-19, 28-29, 31-35, 39-46

Read John 12:17-18… John 12:13 describes this marvelous scene, the people are waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.”
Jesus fulfills Zechariah 9:9, “Behold, your king is coming to you;… …humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Read John 12:19… The Pharisees are tracking Jesus’ movements (see John 11:47-48, 53-54; 12:1, 9-11).
Read John 12:20-22… These Greeks have come up to Worship the God of the Hebrews, proselytes to Judaism called God-fearers (cf. Acts 10:1-2; 17:4, 17).
God’s plan was always to save people from every culture, tongue and nation (cf John 10:14-16; see Acts 10:3-8, 13-16, 30-35, 39-48).
Philip was from Bethsaida, near the Decapolis [lit. a group of ten cities], mostly Greek; Andrew was also from Bethsaida (cf. John 1:44), together they go to Jesus.
Read John 12:23-24… The Religious Leaders of Israel want Jesus silenced, eradicated, even though He is the Messiah, Lord and Savior, through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
Jesus response, is the first time “His hour” is present; always before it is future (cf. John 2:4; 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20). From John 12:23 on, it is expected, imminent (cf. John 12:27; 13:1; 16:32: 17:1).
John 17:1-5, “Jesus… …lifting up His eyes to heaven, said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.’”
Daniel 7:13-14, “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a Son of Man was coming, He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”
Although Jesus will one day enter Jerusalem as a conquering King; first will come the rapture of those belonging to Christ into heaven, followed by the Anti- christ, setting off 7 years of Tribulation; after which, Christ returns to earth, riding a White Stallion. He is the Word of God, the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords, and everyone will see Him (cf. Revelation 1:7; 19:11-16).
John 12:23… the hour for the Son of Man to be glorified is when the Lamb of God dies for the sins of the world and is raised from the dead by God, demonstrating authority over Sin, Death, and Judgement forever.
Jesus’ statement in John 12:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit,” is antithetical to the Messiah the Jews were looking for, to rid Israel of all Gentiles, establishing His Kingdom, now.
Jesus will not be glorified without making full payment for our sins, taking God’s wrath upon Himself without which, there could never be a kingdom without sin’s curse (See Revelation 21:1-5).
2Corinthians 5:21, “He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1John 5:5, “Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
1John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

Bible Text: John 12:12-16 | Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: John | This is the insert from the morning bulletin:

07-01-2018

God’s Son Presents Himself to Israel

John 12:12-16

Read John 12:12-15… On “Palm Sunday” Jesus rode into Jerusalem; as a crowd of people wave palm branches shouting, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.”
The people were following an ancient practice (cf 2Kings 9:12-13) of expressing homage to a new king; they are recognizing Jesus as Messiah, King of the Jews. Psalm 118:25-26, “O LORD, do save, we beseech You; O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.”
Jesus [Greek], Yeshua [Hebrew] ”God’s salvation,” the people are shouting, “God’s Salvation, Please, Save Us!”
Read again John 12:14-15… Jesus rides a young donkey into town, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
See Matthew 21:1-7… Jesus sent two disciples into Bethphage to find a donkey and her young colt and bring them to Him; after which they laid coats on them both.
Matthew 21:8 says the people are throwing down their outer garments and palm branches, expression their hope and desire for their Messiah-King to liberate them.
Matthew 21:9, “The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!”
The Disciples have witnessed many wonderful things over the past 3+ years: Jesus changing water into wine in Cana; Jesus healing a royal official’s son who was 20 miles away; Jesus healing an invalid for 38 years; Jesus feeding 5,000 men, with one boy’s lunch; Jesus walking on water; Jesus forgives a woman caught in adultery; Jesus healing a man born blind; Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
See John 12:16… The disciples don’t understand God’s purpose in Christ until after He is glorified.
John 7:39, “[Jesus] spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
Jesus tells them (John 14:26), “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 16:13), “when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” John 17:1-5, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
Israel didn’t receive Jesus as Messiah because He didn’t ride in on a white stallion and conquer the Romans; but that was never God’s intention.
Mark 10:45, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” John 1:11, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.”
The Jews didn’t understand that Jesus came to free them from the penalty of sin; and that, one day He would return as KING of Kings and LORD of Lords, riding on a White Stallion (cf. Revelation 19:11-16).
John 20:31, “these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
1John 5:11-13, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Bible Text: John 12:1-11 | Pastor: Mike Hale | Series: John | This is the bulletin insert. The full notes are also available here.

06-24-2018

Mary Foreshadows Christ’s Death

John 12:1-11

Read John 12:1-3… Jesus comes back to Bethany (on Saturday), six days before Passover (on Thursday).
Martha serves supper, Lazarus reclines, Mary pours perfume on Jesus’ feet and wipes it with her hair.
Jesus and the 12 are at Simon the leper’s house (see Matthew 26:6-7; Mark 14:3). Simon is healed, for the OT gives instructions concerning lepers (Leviticus 13:45-46), “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.”
Read John 12:4… Judas is going to betray the Lord. See John 6:70-71… Judas witnessed the same miracles
as the other 11, yet, he was “a devil!”
Matthew 26:24 “woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
Judas never embraced Christ as Lord, he was a skilled imposter who fooled everyone except Jesus.
Whenever God’s work is being done, there will be imposters and hypocrites, like Judas, mixed in with the flock of God, for Satan’s servants (2Corinthians 11:15), “masquerade as servants of righteousness.”
Read John 12:5-8… Judas is a thief.
Jesus (verse 7) speaks up for Mary, defending her.
In (John 11:50) Caiaphas declares that either Jesus dies or the whole nation falls. John tells us (John 11:51) that Caiaphas did not say this on his own, but God used him to prophecy Christ’s sacrificial death.
Mary’s act of worship previewed the coming death and burial of Jesus.
Read John 12:9… A large crowd learns Jesus is in Bethany, they go to find Him and Lazarus.
John 11:53-54,”So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went to the country near the wilderness.” 57, “Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.”
Read John 12:10-11… Everyone responds in some way to Jesus: either believe in and serve Him; remain indifferent; or oppose Him.
A person’s response to Jesus will determine their eternal destiny (Acts 4:12), “for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
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, for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
1John 5:11-13, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Bible Text: John 11:37-57 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: John | The insert from our morning bulletin, different than the sermon notes:

06-17-2018

The Dead Shall Rise Again.

John 11:37-57

Read John 11:37-40… Why didn’t Jesus heal Lazarus? Jesus, now at the tomb, commands that the stone be
removed. Martha is shocked, he has been dead four days.
Jesus reminds her, if she believes, she will see the glory of God.
Read John 11:41-43… Jesus yells, “Lazarus come out!” John 5:25-29, “I say to you, an hour is coming and now
is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
All the dead will one day be raised (cf. 1Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 20:1-14).
Jesus commands, take off the wrappings (clean and feed him, cf. Jairus’ daughter Luke 8:41-42a, 49-55).
John doesn’t tell us about Lazarus’ reaction or his reunion with Mary and Martha; that is not the priority or purpose of this miracle; but instead, as John tells us (verse 45) it is so that, “many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.”
This event was witnessed by many people.
Read John 11:46-52… Many of the Jews believed in Jesus, others told the Pharisees what He had done. No one had ever resurrected a dead man..
Members of the Sanhedrin asked themselves, “What are we going to do? This man [Jesus] is performing signs [attesting miracles]. “If we don’t stop Him, all will believe in Him.” They feared losing their places of privilege.
Caiaphas scolds them, “don’t you know anything, this Jesus must die or the nation will fall to the Romans. Although he is unaware of it, he is speaking of Christ’s sacrificial death (1Corinthians 15:3-4; 2Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:27-28; 1Peter 2:24), but he is also speaking of Israel’s destruction in AD 70.
John states God’s plan to gather all who believe in and obey Him into one family, from Israel and also Gentiles outside of Israel (see Ephesians 2:11-18).
Read John 11:53-54… Caiaphas’ influence is seen, “from that day on they planned together to kill [Jesus].” Jesus goes to Ephraim, 12 miles NE of Jerusalem, where he stays until Passion week, except for a brief trip to Samaria and Galilee (cf. Luke 17:11-19:28).
Read John 11:55-57… This is the third Passover mentioned by John’s Gospel (2:13; 6:4). Attendance at this feast is mandatory (cf. Numbers 9:6); it is estimated there were over 1 million congregants attending Passover.
John tells us (verse 56) the people are looking for Jesus at the feast, but some think He may not come because (verse 57), “the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.”
The resurrection of Lazarus set Jesus at odds with the religious leaders of Israel like never before, but also, forced people to make a decision about Jesus. Their responses then are the same as today: some respond to Jesus in faith, some remain indifferent, and some are hostile toward the Savior, Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
Next week, we’ll pick up as Jesus returns to Bethany for a visit and a shared meal with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (who was previously raised from the dead, by Jesus, and is still very much alive).
The Jews not only want to kill Jesus, but also Lazarus, for he is proof of Jesus’ divinity for only God can raise the dead back to life.