SEEING IS BELIEVING BUT BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING

Proclamation:

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’”  John 20:29 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the events surrounding the resurrection of Jesus and His post resurrection appearances to Mary and to His disciples.  Mary was the first to get to the tomb but Peter and John looked into the tomb and saw that the linen which Jesus had been wrapped in was lying where they had laid Him. (John 20:1-8)  After the men left, Jesus appeared to Mary outside the tomb. (John 20:11-17)  Later Jesus appeared to His disciples when Thomas was absent (John 20:19-24) and then again eight days later when he was present. (John 20:26-29)  Thomas said that he would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead unless he saw Him for himself and saw the print of the nails in His hands. (John 20:25)  Thomas believed because he saw the evidence for himself.  Then Jesus offered a special blessing for those who would believe in Him without seeing the evidence for themselves.

Application:

Some people only believe that which they see for themselves.  There is an empty tomb where they laid the body of Jesus, The Christ, to provide proof that He lives.  However, those who do not believe will not accept this as evidence.  After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joses, (Matthew 28:1) Cleopas and the man walking with him, (Luke 24:18-34) and to His disciples three times. (John 20:19-24 and 20:26-29 and 21:4-14)  Jesus showed Himself alive and appeared to them over a period of forty days before ascending to heaven. (Acts 1:3)  Blessed are those of us who believe in His death, burial, and resurrection without having seen Him.

THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS THE CHRIST

Proclamation:

“Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’  With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”  John 19:30 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the events related to the trial of Jesus by Pilate, the crucifixion of Jesus, and the words which He spoke while He was on the cross.  Jesus was scourged, beaten, and had a crown of thorns placed on His head. (John 19:1-3)  After making Him carry His cross to Golgotha, they nailed Him to the cross. (John 19:17-19)  He spoke seven times while hanging on the cross before He died. (He said, Father forgive them, Luke 23:34; He pardoned the thief on the cross next to Him, Luke 23:43; He told the Apostle John to take care of His mother, John 19:26-27; He said, Father God, why have You forsaken Me, Matthew 27:46;  He said, “I thirst.” John 19:28; He said, “It is finished.” John 19:30, and then He said, Father into Your hands I commend My spirit. Luke 23:46)  He suffered and He died but they did not kill Him; He willingly gave up His life.  Although He died and was buried, three days later He rose for the dead. (Matthew 28:5-6)

Application:

When Jesus, The Christ, said, “It is finished” He was referring to the redemptive work which He was assigned to do as payment for our sins. (John 17:4)  He had also fulfilled the prophecies which were written in the Old Testament regarding His death. (Genesis 22:18 and Isaiah 53:1-12)  As it was written, none of His bones were broken (Psalm 34:20 and John 19:33) and they pierced Him in the side. (Zechariah 12:10 and John 19:34)  The crucifixion did not kill Him.  He willingly gave up His life as the sacrificial lamb, dying for the sins of the world. (John 1:29 and John 15:13-14)  He who was without sin, took on the sins of mankind to redeem us and give us a chance at salvation.  However, in order to benefit from His redemptive work, we must believe in Him and His death, burial, and resurrection. (John 3:16, Romans 5:8 and 10:9)

THERE IS POWER IN THE WORDS OF GOD

Proclamation:

“So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of solders and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees.  They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.  Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’  ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied.  ‘I am He,’ Jesus said.  And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.  When Jesus said, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.”  John 18:3-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the events which occurred in the garden by the brook of Cedron.  It documents His betrayal by Judas, His arrest, His trials, and the three times that Peter denied knowing Him.  Here, Jesus responds to the soldiers and the religious leaders who had come to arrest Him.  Jesus approached them and asked them who they were looking for, and they responded, “Jesus of Nazareth.”  When Jesus replied, “I am He,” they were all knocked backwards by His words and fell to the ground.  They were not harmed and got up, then He asked them again who they were looking for and they gave the same reply. (John 18:7)

Application:

There is power in the words of God.  When Jesus, The Christ, spoke and said “I am He,” all those who were against Him were knocked backwards and fell to the ground.  They did not fall forward to worship Him; they fell backwards in fear and dismay.  However, because of their disbelief, their hard hearts were not changed and they approached Him again to arrest Him.  Non-believers are not changed by acts of God.  They frequently come up with some earthly reason to explain the occurrence and continue in their non-believing sinful ways.  They do not give God credit for the things that He has done.  As believers, we need to acknowledge the presence of God in our lives (Proverbs 3:6) and give Him praise for the things which He had done. (2 Samuel 7:21, Isaiah 25:1, and 1 Chronicles 17:19)

JESUS THE CHRIST PRAYED FOR ALL BELIEVERS

Proclamation:

“My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You.  May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”  John 17:20-21 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, and recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the prayer which Jesus prayed for His disciples and for all future believers.  As Jesus neared the end of His earthly ministry, He prayed for His disciples. (John 17:1-3)  He made it clear that He was not praying for all of the people in the world, He was just praying for His people. (John 17:9-10)  Jesus also made it clear that He was not just praying for His disciples alone, but also for all of the people who would hear their message and believe in Him. (John 17:20-21)  He also prayed that they would be with Him where He would be. (John 17:24)

Application:

Once we became a believer, this prayer that Jesus prayed also applied to us.  He prayed that God, The Father, would keep us safe and protected from the evil one. (John 17:15)  He also prayed that The Father would love us as He loved Jesus Himself. (John 17:26)  It is also important to note that He prayed that there would be unity among the believers, and that we would be as one, the unity of the church. (John 17:21)  The more we bicker with other believers, the less likely that the world will see Christ in us.  We need to show more love towards our fellow believers.  Three times Jesus repeated this command for us to love one another. (John 13:34, 15:12, and 15:17)  Jesus prayed for us because He knew that we would need God’s help to make it in this world.  We need to pray for ourselves and for each other that we might be more loving towards one another.

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

Proclamation:

“But when He, The Spirit of Truth, comes, He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.  He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you.”  John 16:13-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, and recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the words which Jesus spoke to His disciples to explain why He was leaving them and what it would mean for them.  Jesus said that after He left them, The Holy Spirit would come and guide them into all truth, (John 16:13) teach them, and increase their understanding.  What The Spirit will reveal to them would not be anything new, He will help them recall and understand the things which Christ spoke to them. (John 14:26 and 16:14-15)  Jesus told them that He would soon leave and they would lament and be sorrowful for a while but their grief would soon turn to joy. (John 16:19-20 and 22)

Application:

Jesus, The Christ, had to leave.  His death was necessary to pay for our sins.  Additionally, while He was wrapped in flesh, He could only be in one place at a time, but His Holy Spirit could be everywhere all at the same time.  The Holy Spirit can guide us and teach us, each one of us as we need it, all at the same time.  We know that The Holy Spirit is working within us when we are glorifying God.  However, The Holy Spirit of God only dwells within those of us who believe in Jesus, The Christ, and have accepted Him as our personal savior. (John 14:17, Romans 8:11, 1 John 3:24 and 4:13)

CHRIST IS THE VINE AND WE ARE THE BRANCHES

Proclamation:

“I am the vine, you are the branches.  If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, and recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the words which Jesus used to describe His relationship to His disciples and to His heavenly Father.  He describes Himself as the vine, His Father as the gardener, and His disciples as the branches of the vine which occasionally need to be pruned. (John 15:1-2)  Jesus also talks to them about effectual prayer, getting whatever they ask for if they remain in Him. (John 15:7)  He wants them to be productive and bear fruit for the glory of God, The Father. (John 15:8)  Later on, Jesus tells them that the world will hate them because it hates Him (John 15:18-19) and then He goes on to explain why this is the case. 

Application:

There is some debate among the Bible scholars as to the meaning of the word “fruit” as it is used here.  Some think that it refers to soul-winning.  Others think that it refers to the fruit of The Holy Spirit which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)  Bearing fruit is the result of our salvation.  If we stay connected to Christ, then we will bear fruit, and the fruit that we bear will glorify God and show that we are disciples of Christ. (John 15:8)  If you are not connected to Him, get connected.  If you are connected, stay connected, for without Him we can do nothing.

JESUS THE CHRIST IS THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

Proclamation:

“Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where You are going, so how can we know the way?’  Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to The Father except through Me.’”  John 14:5-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records what Jesus, The Christ, said to comfort His disciples after telling them that He was going away. (John 14:1-31)  He said that He was going to prepare a place for them so that they could be with Him. (John 14:2-3)  Then He said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.”  It was this statement which prompted Thomas to ask his question, and the reply which Jesus gave him. (John 14:5-6)  Jesus later tells them that He will ask The Father to send The Holy Spirit to abide with them. (John 14:16-18)  The Holy Spirit will teach them and remind them of all of the things that He had said to them. (John 14:26)

Application:

When Jesus, The Christ, said, “I am the way …” He was not merely referring to Himself as the leader, or one who points out the right direction to them.  He was not pointing to His doctrine of salvation but to Himself as the way to salvation.  Not only is what He says true, but He is truth itself.  He is also the giver of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal life.  The only way that we can get to God, The Father, and the kingdom of heaven is through our belief in Jesus, The Christ, The Son of God. (John 3:16)  For The Father, The Word, and The Holy Spirit are one. (1 John 5:7)  The Word is Christ Jesus who became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)

LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU

Proclamation:

“A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, and recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the events surrounding the last meal that Jesus had with His disciples before His crucifixion, including Jesus washing their feet, (John 13:4-12) His explanation for doing it, (John 13:12-20) His identification of His betrayer, (John 13:21-27) and His giving them a new commandment telling them to love one another as He loved them. (John 13:34-35)

Application:

As Christians we believe in the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ.  We also know that we are to share the gospel with others.  However, in order for us to effectively spread The Word of God, we must live it.  People will know that we belong to Christ if we demonstrate our love for one another.  To them our actions speak much louder than our words.  If we do not act Christ-like, we may, in fact, turn people away from being a Christian.  Not only are we to love those who love us, we are to love all believers.  We should be very careful regarding how we treat our Christian brothers and sisters.  Our bad behavior towards one another weakens the church and ruins our effectiveness in promoting the gospel and saving the lost.  The unsaved people of the world will judge us, and all Christians, by what they see in us and by how we treat each other.

LIFT UP JESUS THE CHRIST AND HE WILL DRAW THE PEOPLE TO HIMSELF

Proclamation:

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  John 12:32 (NIV)  “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”  John 12:32 (KJV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, and recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John begins the recording of the last seven days in the earthly life of Jesus.  After He had raised Lazarus from the dead, the chief priests and the Pharisees came together plotted to kill Jesus and Lazarus. (John 12:9-11)  After He entered Jerusalem riding on a young donkey with the people shouting “Hosanna,” Jesus predicted His own death. (John 12:12-19 and 23-26)  Then He told the crowd how He was going to die. (John 12:32-33) 

Application:

The Roman solders nailed Jesus to a cross and then lifted Him up physically.  Today, we can praise His name publicly and lift Him up figuratively, and He will draw the people unto Himself.  His death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection has been spread throughout the world through the preaching of the gospel and large numbers of people have come to believe in Him.  Those who believe will be saved, and those who reject Him will be lost. (John 12:44-48)  

THE LORD SHOWS HIS POWER OVER DEATH AND THE GRAVE

Proclamation:

“… Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You heard Me … for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that You sent Me.’  When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’  The dead man came out, his hands and feet were wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.  Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’”  John 11:41-44 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here, John recorded the events around the seventh public miracle which Jesus, The Christ, performed, the raising of Lazarus from the dead.  Jesus got word that His good friend Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, was sick. (John 11:1-5)  However, Jesus did not go immediately to see about him.  He waited two days before beginning the journey back to Judea. (John 11:6-7)  When Jesus arrived there, He found that Lazarus had already been dead for four days. (John 11:17)  Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)  Jesus told her that her brother would rise again, and she said that he would rise again in the resurrection.  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:23-25)  After that they took Jesus to the place where Lazarus was buried.  He told them to take away the stone which sealed the entrance, and then He prayed. (John 11:41-42)  Then He called Lazarus from the grave and he came out.  After this, the Pharisees again plotted to kill Him. (John 11:47-50)

Application:

The miracles which Jesus, The Christ, performed caused some people to believe that He was The Son of God, but they caused some people to hate Him even more. (John 11:43-50)  The same is true today, some people who hear and learn about Jesus believe and love Him, while others refused to believe and deny or hate Him.  Once we have heard The Word of God, each of us must choose for ourselves where we stand with respect to belief in Jesus, The Christ.

THE LORD JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Proclamation:

“I am The Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”  “I am The Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know me; …”  John 10:11 and 14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here, John records the remainder of the conversation with the Scribes and the Pharisees which Jesus began in the previous chapter. (John 9:39-41)  They were upset that Jesus had implied that they were blind, and now He was referring to them as robbers and thieves but they did not understand Him. (John 10:1 and 6)  Jesus explained it to them again. (John 10:7-10)  Then He said, “I am The Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)  He said the hired hand will not die for the sheep; instead he will run away and abandon them in the face of trouble. (John 10:12-13)  Throughout this conversation, Jesus continued to refer to God as His Father. (John 10:15, 17, 18, 25, 29, 30, 36, 37, and 38)  However, when He said, “I and The Father are one” they again picked up stones to stone Him. (John 10:30-33)

Application:

We ought to really love The Lord.  He knows each of us by name. (John 10:3 and 14)  He also knows all about each of us intimately, and He still loves us.  He willingly laid down His life for us and paid the debt for our sins.  Some people have trouble believing in Him.   He causes division among the people, between the saved and the unsaved.  He also causes division within each of the saved believers, between our sinful human nature and our Christian nature.  The devil has some influence but The Lord God had control over everything.  He has all power. (Matthew 28:18)  He provides for us, He protects us, and He preserves us.  That is why we can say, “The Lord is my Shepherd ...” (Psalm 23:1)  The Lord is The Good Shepherd, and gladly, we are His sheep.

FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

Proclamation:

“As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’  ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”  John 9:1-3 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here, John records the events surrounding the fifth public miracle that Jesus performed, giving sight to a man who was born blind.  Jesus, The Christ, said that this man was born blind so that the works of God could be manifested in him. (John 9:3)  This situation occurred so that The Lord God could be glorified.  Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud with His saliva, and put it on the blind man’s eyes, then told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. (John 9:6)  The blind man did this and gained sight in his eyes.  When the Pharisees learned of this they were upset because Jesus had again performed a miracle on the Sabbath. (John 9:14-16)

Application:

Sometimes bad things happen to good people, as part of God’s permissive will, that leave us helpless so that He can get the glory when He makes a way out for us when there appears to be no way.  We may at times be helpless but we are never without hope.  Our hope is in The Lord God. (Psalm 31:24 and 33:18)  We may not understand why some things happen, but we know that all things work together for our good. (Romans 8:28)  So, whatever happens, to God be the glory. (Jude 1:25)

CHRIST IS NOT OF THIS WORLD AND NEITHER ARE BELIEVERS

Proclamation:

“Once more Jesus said to them, ‘I am going away, and … Where I go, you cannot come.’ … But He continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above.  You are of this world; I am not of this world.’”  John 8:21-23 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  John begins this chapter with Jesus, The Christ, in the temple in Jerusalem teaching when the scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman who was caught in the act of adultery.  They recounted the law to Him and then asked Him what His opinion was, so that they could trap Him and have a basis for accusing Him.  If He agreed with the law of Moses, they would accuse Him to the Roman governor for taking it upon Himself to condemn a person to death.  If He disagreed with the law of Moses, they would accuse Him to the Jewish people as being an enemy of Moses.  Jesus did neither and said to them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7)  Being convicted by their conscience, those who brought the woman left, (John 8:9) and Jesus resumed teaching.  However, the Pharisees within the crowd in the temple challenged Him with respect to His authority. (John 8:13)  In His explanation of who He was, Jesus said that He was not of this world. (John 8:23)  Later, He told them that they were children of the devil and not of God. (John 8:44-47)  They claimed to be the children of Abraham and asked Jesus if He was greater than Abraham. (John 8:52-53)  To this Jesus responded, “Before Abraham was, I Am!” (John 8:58)  Hearing this, they picked up stones in order to stone Jesus but He slipped away passing through the midst of them. (John 8:59)

Application:

Here are four of the many points in this chapter.  First, people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.  The reason that the people who accused the woman of adultery could not stone her was because all of them were guilty of sin themselves. (John 8:7-9)  We should not go around accusing others of sinning when we are guilty of sinning, maybe a different sin, ourselves.  Secondly, as believers we have The Holy Spirit of God within us; and since God is not of this world, we are not of this world.  We are just strangers here passing through on our way to our home in heaven.  Thirdly, the devil is a liar and the truth is not in him.  He is the father of lies. (John 8:44)  It is not Christ-like to tell a lie.  Fourthly, the people of God hear the voice of God, (John 8:47) and we know His voice, (John 10:27) even if we do not always obey it. 

MY TEACHING IS NOT MY OWN IT COMES FROM GOD

Proclamation:

“The Jews there were amazed and asked, ‘How did this man get such learning without having been taught?’  Jesus answered, ‘My teaching is not my own, it comes from the one who sent me.  Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.  Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.’”  John 7:15-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the teaching of Jesus, The Christ, at the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles and His dialogue with the Jews who did not believe Him.  Jesus went to the feast in secret because there were those there who sought to kill Him. (John 7:1 and 10)  The people there murmured about Him, some saying that He was good, and others saying that He was a deceiver. (John 7:12-13)  During the festival Jesus went to the temple courts and began to teach. (John 7:14)  The Jews were amazed at His teaching.  He told them that His teaching was not His own, it came from God, The Father, who sent Him.  He also offered an explanation for His healing of the lame man on the Sabbath. (John 7:21-24)  Then He repeated that He was not there on His own authority but that God, The Father, had sent Him there. (John 7:28-29)  After that, He said that soon He would leave them and return to God, The Father, who sent Him. (John 7:33-34)

Application:

When we present The Word of God to others, whether it be by telling them, teaching them, or preaching, the purpose is to glorify God and not self.  We are not to seek personal glory; we are to give God the glory.  We must choose to do the will of God, to spread His Holy Word, and to give Him glory.  Spread The Word of God, share The Word with others, but remember that it is not about us, it is all about Him.