A Beloved’s Witness Pt 4

But people would take their Bibles
once again and turn to the Gospel of John. We will actually get into the
Gospel of John here momentarily. We have begun our introduction
and it has been a protracted introduction, no doubt. I think
I have found the gas pedal, and I may even utilize that in the
weeks to come, but so far we have begun to lay the foundation
in looking at this gospel. We have found it to be invaluable,
as one said, one of the most literary important, rather, literary
productions ever produced. We have found it to be dynamic.
A young believer can find usefulness of this gospel and so can the
most seasoned believer. It is Beloved, one of the most
favorite books in all of the Bible. We began by asking the
question, who wrote the gospel? And it was a very short process
of determining that John wrote this gospel. It isn’t a silly
question in light of so much of the liberal agenda of so much
of the church that seeks to discredit an eyewitness account, which
John’s gospel professes to be. Though John is never mentioned,
we know that the author was almost certainly Jewish, we know that
he was from Palestine, we know that he was an apostle, we know
that he was an eyewitness, we know that he was intense, and
we know because he says of himself that he was the disciple whom
Jesus loved. The only one that fills all of
those things is John. John, the member of a four-person
family, son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James. They were fishermen
people. They were from Galilee. John
himself was an early disciple of John the Baptist and then
almost immediately of Christ. We know that John with his brother
had a fiery temperament. Jesus himself labeled them the
sons of thunder. John’s official ministry in the
Book of Acts begins to fade almost immediately and completely by
chapter eight. And then tradition picks up and
places him in Ephesus as the leader of the churches in that
region. From our study last week, we
discovered that John very likely lived to nearly 100 years old,
approximately. begin this morning just by looking
at the Gospel of John in comparison with the other Gospels, that
it is very unique. The fourth Gospel, John’s Gospel,
does indicate some awareness of the other Gospels. John no
doubt knew of these other Gospels and not only knew about them
but had read them and utilized them even in his own devotional
life as he remembered those scenes of Christ. But he makes very
little use of those Gospels in his particular account. And there
are very remarkable differences not only in the chronology that
the gospel writers use, but in the material that is contained.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke, to a very great degree, stick with these
very strict historical accounts. John, on the other hand, has
this regular habit of taking an opportunity to explain historical
detail and even apply some of that detail. John leaves out
a great many things that the synoptics include. And the synoptics
contain much detail that John never mentions. As one said, there are two great
themes contrasted in this book, faith and unbelief. That’s not untrue of the other
synoptics, it’s just more so of the gospel of John. Time and
time again, John points out that those who were confronted by
Christ made either the one response or the other. We’ll see that
even this morning. I’m sure that you are all eager
to hear, as I promised you last Lord’s Day, the answer to this
question, the next question, what about the date? When was
it written? When was it written? We know
that it was likely written from Ephesus in the latter years of
John’s life. The early church father Irenaeus
states that it was the last gospel of the four that was written.
We don’t know what material he used. We don’t know what means
he used to back up that statement. He didn’t provide any. There’s
nothing that goes against the conventional wisdom that it was
the last of the four written. But as far as coming with a hard
and fast date of the Gospel of John, it is very difficult. Some say that it was written
as early as A.D. 70. Some say, most say that it was
written no doubt before A.D. 100. So between those 30 years,
70 and 100 A.D., and as you begin to read the argumentation, the
opinion, of so many of these, you can
get quite bewildered. One said it had to be between
70 and 85. The very next guy says it has
to be between 80 and 90. One said that it was as early
as 70 to 80 and then as late as 90 to 100. So you get the
drift. Somewhere between quite likely
80, 70 and 80, 100, John wrote his gospel. And there
are a lot of different factors that go into reasoning, and that’s
really all that you have to go on, reasoning when this was written. The fact that Paul never mentions
John in any of his writings. Some of the theological themes
that John treats seem to be addressing errors that were not even in
full bloom until first century Christianity, forgetting entirely
that God could certainly forecast what was coming. Some were quite bewildered and
caught up in the discussion of which writings of John came first. Was it the gospel? Was it the
book of Revelation? Was it his three epistles? What
was the order? John, also in his gospel, seems
at least to refer to Jews and Jewish things as being distant,
although that is a very subjective approach. The dates, the dates
range, as I said, in conservative scholars between 70 A.D. and A.D. 100. John never mentions the fall
of Jerusalem, and so most scholars think that the closer you get
to A.D. 70, that would have been a pretty monumental event for
John to ignore completely. And yet, in my studies, I’ve
determined exactly when this gospel was written. Would you
turn to 2 Peter? 2 Peter, in the opening of that
chapter, Peter is giving what I would, what I have titled as
brotherly encouragement there in chapter one. Brotherly encouragement,
and I want you to begin in verse 12 with me. What Peter is doing is not, he’s
not saying anything novel. What he’s doing is what any good
pastor does is point people back to truths really that they already
know and reminding, refreshing their minds. Look at verse 12,
therefore I shall always be ready to remind you of these things
even though you already know them. That’s what we need, isn’t
it? That’s what we need in the encouragement of others and the
admonition from other believers is somebody to come alongside
and echo and even repeat what the scriptures have already said
to us in times past. Even though you already know
them, Peter says, and have been established in the truth which
is present in you. He’s not doubting their salvation.
And I consider it right, verse 13, as long as I am in this earthly
dwelling. In other words, he says, don’t
look for me to leave off this pattern anytime soon. As long
as I’m alive, I’m gonna continue to come alongside believers and
I’m gonna continue to open the word and remind them of what
they already know. I consider it right as long as
I am in this earthly dwelling to stir you up by way of reminder.
Isn’t that an admonition to us? How can we leave that off? To stir you up by way of reminder,
knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent,
as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. In other
words, Peter says, I know that I’m gonna die. I know the Lord
is going to take me. And, verse 15, I will also be
diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able
to call these things to mind. You see what he says here? I’m
going to remind you and remind you and remind you so often that
these things become ingrained in your mind so that even after
I’m gone and I can no longer do so, you’re going to have recall. What a beautiful thought. Why
does he do this? Look at this. Verse 16. For we
did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He says we didn’t
make this up. This is divine revelation. And
I’m going to continue to remind you. I’m going to continue to
point you back to the scriptures. I’m going to continue to take
you back to what God has said. We didn’t follow cleverly devised
tales, man-made narratives, when we made known to you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses
of his majesty. We saw it for ourselves. When? When did you see it, Peter? Look
at verse 17. For when he received honor and
glory from the father, and he’s pointing clearly here to the
Mount of Transfiguration, such an utterance was made by him
in the majestic glory. That voice that echoed from that
bright shining cloud. This is my beloved son with whom
I am well pleased. Peter says I was there. We’re
not coming up with some man-made story. We’re not pronouncing
some myth. We have no homespun wisdom. We
have no worldly wisdom to offer to you. We have divine revelation. And we ourselves heard this utterance
made from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
And so we have the prophetic word made more sure to which
you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark
place. Until the day dawns and the morning
star arises in your hearts. Do you look at scripture that
way? Do you look at your own time and God’s word that way
that it is as a lamp shining in a dark place, God given? God given. Then he says this, but, you have
this Bible, I’m gonna continue to use this Bible, I’m gonna
continue to drive it home, I’m gonna continue to remind you
so that even after I’m gone, because I was there on the mountain,
I know divine revelation because I was there when it was uttered,
and I’m gonna continue to remind you even after I’m gone, you’ll
be able to bring it to recall, but, know this first of all. No prophecy
of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. And people,
if we paused right there, I’d be able to give you illustration
after illustration until the Lord returns. Of our day and
age of people opening or even not opening the scriptures and
coming up with their own interpretations of what the scriptures say for
the purpose of advancing their own particular agenda. No scripture,
he says, is a matter of one’s own interpretation. There’s one
interpretation of scripture, God’s interpretation, God’s purpose
in giving it in the first place. Know this, first of all, that
no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.
For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but
men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. There’s a very
interesting word that is used over and over again in this section.
May I take you to it? It’s used four times and it’s
translated very plainly. Look back at verse 17. Was made
and made. That’s the first two times that
it occurs in this section. And again, twice more, look down
at verse 21. And they’re translated, first,
by an act of human will, and secondly, by that little word,
moved. All four words are derived from
the same Greek word. And you know the interesting
thing is, this is a nautical word. This is a word referring
to what happens when the wind fills the sails of a ship. and
moves it along where that ship is impelled or moved by that
wind. It’s talking about the motivating
force. And what Peter is saying here
is that prophecy was never self-inspired, ever. It never has been self-inspired. It never was prompted by men.
They were never the motivating force in prophecy. And Peter’s
whole point in saying it is the message was never impelled by
men. It was always God who moved them.
And when the prophets spoke, they were merely functioning
as the mouthpieces of the Almighty. Never by their own will. Even if the Old Testament prophets
couldn’t initiate prophecy. And if you stand back and think
of that, that Isaiah didn’t have the authority in himself even
to admonish anyone. The only time Isaiah spoke was
when God told him to speak. When God prompted him, when God
impelled him, moved him to speak. If the Old Testament prophets
did not initiate prophecy, and did so only at the precise instant
that God prompted them and equipped them to speak, even giving them
the words, Peter says, then we are absolutely depending upon
him for the understanding of the scriptures. When did the apostle John write
the gospel? At the precise moment that God
moved him. That’s the simple answer. The
precise moment that God prompted him to move is when the apostle
John wrote the gospel. We don’t need to know the exact
date. You can stand back and look at the gospel of John, read
it cover to cover, and you know that you have before you divine
revelation. You don’t need a date stamped
upon it to know that it’s truth. But John’s gospel is unique,
very unique. It’s not that it’s completely
unrelated to the other Gospels, it is. All three Gospels, or
all four Gospels rather, in comparing with the other three. all talk
about the Judean ministry, all talk about the Galilean ministry,
all talk about Christ’s ministry outside of Galilee, all of them
record the feeding of the 5,000, all of them speak of the walking
on the water, all of them talk about a ministry, a second ministry
in Judea, all of them talk about the tabernacle journey, All of
them talk about a protracted ministry in Perea. All of them
talk about the triumphal entry, the king’s arrival into Jerusalem. All of them talk about ministry
in Jerusalem. All of them talk about the Lord’s
Supper, the Last Supper rather. All of them talk about the prediction
of betrayal. Each gospel talks about the passion
of Christ, His arrest, His crucifixion, His burial. and his resurrection. But the interesting thing is, the gospel of John never talks
about John the Baptist, his birth and early life, that is. They
never talk about Jesus Christ in his early days, his infancy,
the prophecy that led to his birth. No one talks, John, rather,
doesn’t talk about The baptism of Christ. He doesn’t give us
his genealogy. He doesn’t talk about the temptation
by Satan. He doesn’t talk about even mentioning
the Sermon on the Mount. He doesn’t give us parables.
Not like the other three. The hidden treasure, the soils,
the parable of the lamp, the tears. John’s Gospel doesn’t even contain
Peter’s confession of faith in Christ. John’s Gospel doesn’t
tell us about the discussion of who was greatest in the kingdom.
John’s gospel doesn’t give us the parable of the $10 million
sin. John’s gospel doesn’t tell us
the parable of the chaos in the vineyard or the Olivet discourse.
John’s gospel doesn’t give us the plot to kill Jesus or Judas’s
betrayal or the Passover. John’s gospel doesn’t give us
the Great Commission. And yet I would tell you that
without John’s gospel, We are impoverished. We would not have
a complete picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and his ministry
on the earth. John’s gospel gives us that opening
account, the detailed description of the word from eternity past.
John’s gospel details the first miracle. John’s gospel tells
us about his interaction with Nicodemus and the admonition
that every person ever born must be born again. John’s Gospel
details the Samaritan woman and the villagers. No other gospel
addresses it. John’s Gospel addresses bread
from heaven, which we read last Lord’s Day. John’s Gospel tells
us about the light of the world and that liberating truth of
Christ. John’s Gospel tells us about
the equation of physical and spiritual blindness. He tells
us about the good shepherd. He tells us about division and
hostility. Only John’s gospel contains Lazarus’
resurrection as his response. Only John’s gospel in that intimate
moment in the upper room gives us the foot washing that Christ
washed his disciples’ feet. Only in John’s gospel do we learn
of the vine and the branches, that we are to love one another,
that there is a ministry of the Holy Spirit that is coming for
every believer. Only John’s gospel details that
high priestly prayer. Only John’s gospel gives us the
restoration of Peter to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only
John’s gospel. Would you turn in your Bibles
to John chapter seven? John chapter seven. After these things Jesus was
walking in Galilee for he was unwilling to walk in Judea because
the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the feast of the Jews,
the feast of booths was near. Therefore his brothers said to
him, leave here and go to Judea. so that your disciples also may
see your works which you are doing. For no one does anything
in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If you
do these things, show yourself to the world. For not even his
brothers were believing in him. So Jesus said to them, my time
is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. The world
cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it, that
its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves.
I do not go up to this feast because my time is not yet fully
come.” Having said these things to him, he stayed in Galilee,
but when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he himself
also went up, not publicly, but as if in secret. So the Jews
were seeking him at the feast and were saying, where is he?
There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning him, but
some were saying, he is a good man. Others were saying, no,
on the contrary, he leads the people astray. Yet no one was
speaking openly of him for fear of the Jews. But when it was
now in the midst of the feast, Jesus went up to the temple and
began to teach. The Jews were astonished, saying,
how has this man become learned, having never been educated? So
Jesus answered them and said, my teaching is not mine, but
his who sent me. If anyone is willing to do his
will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether
I speak for myself. He who speaks from himself seeks
his own glory, but he who is seeking the glory of the one
who sent him, he is true, and there is no unrighteousness in
him. Did not Moses give you the law,
and yet none of you carries out the law? Why do you seek to kill
me? The crowd answered, you have
a demon who seeks to kill you. Jesus answered them, I did one
deed and you all marvel. For this reason, Moses has given
you circumcision, not because it is from Moses, but from the
fathers. And on the Sabbath, you circumcise a man. If a man
receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses
will not be broken, are you angry with me because I made an entire
man well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance,
but judge with righteous judgment. So some of the people were saying,
is this not the man they were seeking to kill? Look, he is
speaking publicly and they are saying nothing to him. The rulers
do not really know that this is the Christ, do they? However,
we know where this man is from, but whenever the Christ may come,
no one knows where he is from. Then Jesus cried out in the temple,
teaching and saying, you both know me and know where I am from. And I have not come from myself,
but he who sent me is true whom you do not know. I know him because
I am from him and he sent me. So they were seeking to seize
him. And no man laid his hand on him because his hour had not
yet come. But many of the crowd believed
in him, and they were saying, when the Christ comes, he will
not perform more signs than those which this man has, will he? The Pharisees heard the crowd
muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and
the Pharisees sent officers to seize him. Therefore, Jesus said,
for a little while longer, I am with you. Then I go to him who
sent me. You will seek me and will not
find me, and where I am you cannot come.” The Jews then said to
one another, where does this man intend to go that we will
not find him? He’s not intending to go into
the dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is he?
What is this statement that he said, you will seek me and not
find me, and where I am you cannot come? Now on the last day, The
great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, if
anyone is thirsty. Let him come to me and drink.
He who believes in me as the scripture said from his innermost
being will flow rivers. Of living water. But this he
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. Some of the people, therefore,
when they heard these words, were saying, this is certainly
the prophet. Others were saying, this is the
Christ. Still others were saying, surely the Christ is not going
to come from Galilee, is he? Has not the scripture said that
the Christ comes from the descendant of David and from Bethlehem,
the village where David was? So a division occurred in the
crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to seize
him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to
the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they said to them, why did
you not bring him? The officers answered, never
has a man spoken the way this man speaks. The Pharisees then
answered him, you have not also been led astray, have you? No
one of the rulers or Pharisees have believed in him, has he?
But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” Nicodemus. He who came to him before, being
one of them, said to them, our law does not judge a man unless
it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it? They
answered him, You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search
and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee. Everyone went
to his home. But Jesus went to the Mount of
Olives. Early in the morning, he came again to the temple,
and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began
to teach them. The scribes and Pharisees brought
a woman caught in adultery and having sat her in the center
of the court, they said to him, teacher, this woman has been
caught in adultery even in the very act. Now in the law of Moses,
the law of Moses commanded us to stone such women. What do
you say? They were saying this, testing
him so that they might have grounds for accusing him. Jesus stooped
down and with his finger rode on the ground. But when they
persisted in asking him, he straightened up and said to them, he who is
without sin among you, Let him be the first to throw a stone
at her. He again stooped down and wrote
on the ground, and when they heard it, they began to go out
one by one, beginning with the older ones. And she was left
alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court,
straightening up, Jesus said to her, woman, where are they?
Did no one condemn you? She said, no one, Lord. And Jesus
said, I do not condemn you either. From now on, sin no more. Then
Jesus again spoke to them saying, I am the light of the world.
He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have
the light of life. So the Pharisees said to him,
you are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not true. Jesus
answered and said to them, even if I testify about myself, my
testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I
am going, but you do not know where I am, where I am come from,
or where you are going. You judge according to the flesh.
I am not judging anyone, but even if I do judge, my judgment
is true, for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who
sent me. Even in your law it has been
written that the testimony of two men is true, I am he who
testifies about myself and the father who sent me testifies
about me. So they were saying to him, where
is your father? Jesus answered, you neither know
me nor my father. If you knew me, you would know
my father also. These words he spoke in the treasury
as he taught in the temple and no one seized him because his
hour had not yet come. Then he said again to them, I
go away and you will seek me and will die in your sin. Where
I am going, you cannot come. So the Jews were saying, surely
he will not kill himself, will he? Since he says where I am
going, you cannot come. And he was saying to them, you
are from below. I am from above. You are of this
world. I am not of this world. Therefore,
I said to you that you will die in your sins for unless you believe
that I am he, you will die in your sins. So they were saying
to him, who are you? Jesus said to them, what have
I been saying to you from the beginning? I have many things
to speak and to judge concerning you, but he who sent me is true. And the things which I heard
from him, these things I speak to the world. They did not realize
that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus
said, when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that
I am He. And I do nothing on my own initiative,
but I speak these things as the Father taught me. And He who
sent me is with me. He has not left me alone. For
I always do the things that are pleasing to Him. As He spoke
these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying those
words to the Jews who had believed in Him. If you continue in My
Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine. And you will know the
truth, and the truth will make you free. They answered and said
to him, we are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved
to anyone. How is it that you say you will become free? Jesus
answered them, truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits
sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in
the house forever. The son does remain forever. So if the son makes you free,
you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s
descendants, yet you seek to kill me because my word has no
place in you. I speak these things which I
have seen in my father. Therefore, you also do the things
which you heard from your father. They answered and said to him,
Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, if you are
Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you
are seeking to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which
I heard from God. This Abraham did not do. You
are doing the deeds of your father. They said to him, we were not
born of fornication. We have one father, God. Jesus
said to them, if God were your father, you would love me. For
I proceeded forth and have come from God. For I have not come
on my own initiative that he sent me. Why do you not understand
what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear
my word. You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do
the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning
and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in
him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature,
for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak
the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me
of sin? If I speak the truth, why do
you not believe me? He who is of God and hears the
words of God, for this reason you do not hear them because
you are not of God. The Jews answered and said to
him, do we not rightly say that you are a Samaritan and have
a demon? Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor
my father and you dishonor me. But I do not seek my glory. There
is one who seeks and judges. Truly, truly, I say to you, if
anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. The Jews said
to him, now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and the
prophets also. And you say, if anyone keeps
my word, he will never taste death. Surely you are not greater
than our father Abraham who died. The prophets died too. whom you
make yourself out to be. Jesus answered, if I glorify
myself, my glory is nothing. It is my father who glorifies
me, of whom you said, he is our God. And you have not come to
know him, but I know him. And if I say that I do not know
him, I will be a liar like you. But I do know him and keep his
word. Your father Abraham rejoiced
to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. So the Jews said
to him, you are not yet 50 years old, and yet you have seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, truly, truly,
I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am. Therefore they
picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and
went out of the temple. As he passed by, He saw a blind
man from birth. And his disciples asked him,
Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be
born blind? Jesus answered, it was neither
this man sinned nor his parents, but it was so that the works
of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of
him who sent me as long as it is day. Night is coming when
no man can work. While I am in the world, I am
the light of the world. When he had said this, he spat
on the ground and made clay of the spittle and applied the clay
to his eyes and said to him, go wash in the pool of Siloam,
which is translated scent. So he went away and washed and
came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those
who previously saw him as a beggar were saying, is this not the
one who used to sit and beg? Others were saying, this is he.
Still others were saying, no, but he is like him. He kept saying,
I am the one. So they were saying to him, how
were your eyes opened? He answered, the man who is called
Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, go to
Siloam and wash. So I went away and washed and
I received sight. They said to him, where is he?
He said, I do not know. They brought him to the Pharisees,
the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day
when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees
were also asking him how he received his sight. And he said to them,
he applied clay to my eyes and I washed and I see. Therefore,
some of the Pharisees were saying, this man is not from God because
he does not keep the Sabbath. But others were saying, how can
a man who’s a sinner perform such signs? There was division
among them. So they said to the man born
blind, what do you say about him since he opened your eyes?
He said he’s a prophet. The Jews then did not believe
it of him that he had been blind and had received his sight until
they called the parents of the very one who had received his
sight and questioned them saying, is this your son who you say
was born blind? Then how does he now see? His
parents answered them and said, we know that this is our son,
and that he was born blind. But we know now, but how he now
sees, we do not know. Or who opened his eyes, we do
not know. Ask him, he is of age, he will speak for himself. His
parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for
the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him to be
the Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this
reason, his parents said, he is of age, ask him. So a second
time, they called the man who had been blind and said to him,
give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.
He then answered, whether he is a sinner, I do not know. One
thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see. So they
said to him, what did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?
He answered them, I already told you and you did not listen. Why
do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become his
disciples, do you? They reviled him and said, you
are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that
God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know
where he’s from. The man answered and said to
them, well, here’s an amazing thing. that you do not know where
he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not
hear sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will,
he hears him. Since the beginning of time,
it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person
born blind. If this man were not from God,
he could do nothing. They answered him, you were born
entirely in sins, and are you instructing us? So they put him
out. Jesus heard that they had put
him out and finding him. He said, do you believe in the
Son of Man? He answered, who is he, Lord,
that I may believe in him? Jesus said to him, you have both
seen him. and He is the one who is talking
with you.” And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped
Him. And Jesus said, for judgment
I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see,
and those who see may become blind. Those of the Pharisees
who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, we are
not blind too, are we? Jesus said to them, if you were
blind, you would have no sin, but since you say we see, your
sin remains. Truly, truly, I say to you, he
who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep but
climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But
he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him
the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls
his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth
all his own, he goes ahead of them. And the sheep follow him
because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not
follow, but will flee from him because they do not know the
voice of strangers. This figure of speech, Jesus
spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things
were which he had been saying to them. So Jesus said to them
again, truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
All who come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did
not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters
through me, he will be saved. We’ll go in and out and find
pasture. The thief comes only to steal
and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life
and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not
a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming
and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches and scatters
them. He flees because he is a hired
hand and not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. And I know my own and my own
know me. Even as the father knows me and
I know the father, I lay down my life for the sheep. I have
other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them
also and they will hear my voice and they will become one flock
with one shepherd. 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 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.” A division occurred again among the Jews because
of these words. Many of them were saying, he has a demon and
is insane. Why do you listen to him? Others
were saying, these are not the sayings of one demon possessed.
A demon cannot open the eyes of a blind, can he? At that time,
the feast of dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered around him
and were saying to him, how long will you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them,
I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s
name, these testify of me. But you do not believe because
you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice and I
know them and they follow me. And I give eternal life to them
and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of
my hand. My father who has given them to me is greater than all
and no one is able to snatch them out of the father’s hand.
I and the father are one. The Jews picked up stones again
to stone him. Jesus answered them, I showed
you many good works from the Father, for which of them are
you stoning me? The Jews answered, for a work
we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, being
a man, make yourself out to be God. Jesus answered them, has
it not been written in your law, I said you are gods? If he called
them gods, to whom the word of God came and the scriptures cannot
be broken, do you say of him whom the father sanctified and
sent into the world, you are blaspheming because I say I am
the son of God? If I do not do the works of my
father, do not believe me. But if I do them, though you
do not believe me, believe the works so that you may know and
understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father. Therefore
they were seeking again to seize him and he eluded their grasp.
And he went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where
John was first baptizing and he was staying there. Many came
to him and were saying, While John performed no sign, yet everything
John said about this man was true. Many believed in him there. Our merciful God, we thank you that our faith was
not self-generated, just like this gospel. that when you told John to speak,
he spoke. And while we may not know the
exact day and year which this gospel was written, we know it’s
the truth. We know that it’s true because
it speaks even of us that while we were yet sinners, blinded
by our own sin, you came to us. Lord, it is our one great prayer.
That whenever we open this gospel, if there are any who do not know
Christ in our midst, that you would move in their hearts and
lives. That you would open their own
eyes to see that there is one Savior provided for the sin of
the world. And that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord God, we thank you. We who
know you. We who have already been forgiven
by you. We thank you for your work in
our lives. We thank you that while we were
yet sinners, you came and you not only healed us of our physical
blindness and physical maladies, but you healed us of the greatest
and most pernicious foe that man ever faces, and that is his
spiritual blindness. Lord God, we rejoice before you
in the salvation that we possess. It’s in Jesus’ name that we rejoice.
Amen. You may take your bulletins,
and as we close, let’s stand together and sing, Speak, O Lord. Speak, O Lord, as we come to
you to receive the food Take your truth, plant it deep
in us Shape and fashion us in your likeness That the light
of Christ might be seen today In our acts of love, in the deeds
of faith Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us All Your purposes for Your
glory. Teach us, O Lord, full obedience,
Holy reverence, Test our thoughts and our attitudes
in the radiance of Your purity. Cause our faith to rise, cause
our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority. Words of love that can never
fail Let the truth prevail over unbelief Speak, O Lord, and renew our
minds. Help us grasp the heights of
your plans for us. True sun changed from the dawn
of time, that will echo down through eternity. And by grace we’ll stand on your
promises, and by faith we’ll walk as you walk with us. Speak, O Lord, till your church
is built, and the earth is filled with your glory. You are dismissed. Yeah, with the packs and stuff. So I was like, oh, I’m not going
to take that. And I was like, what? And then
he just was like, I’m doing D5. Kept from putting it in. Yeah,
kept from putting it in. Thank you. I see.