Saturday, October 22, 2011

A Fisherman's Story: A Study in the Gospel of John

by Samuel E. Ward

 

John 1:1-12:50

 

Introduction

 

"The Beginning of the Fisherman's Story"

 

John 1:1-18

 

I.  The Word  Is the Subject of the Story, John 1:1-5.

II.  The Word Was First Witnessed to by John the Baptizer, John 1:6-8.

III.  The Word Was Not Recognized  for the Light He Was and What He Offered, John 1:9-13.

IV.  The Word Was God Dwelling with Humans for a Season, John 1:14-15

V.  The Word Is a Source of Constant Blessing to Those Who Believe,  John 1:16-18

 

"The Telling of the Fisherman's Story"

 

John 1:18-12:50

 

I.  The Story Is an Unveiling of  the Redemptive Promise of God, 1:19-4:54.

 

From what have believers in Christ been redeemed?

 

·         From our sin that condemns us, Rom 3:23-24

·         From the frailty and decay of our physical bodies, Rom 8:20-23

·         From the curse of the law that condemns us as sinners, Gal 3:13, 4:4-5

·         From all wickedness, Titus 2:14

·         From an empty way of life, 1  Pet1:18

 

A. John the Baptist, the Presenter of the Promise, 1:19-34.

 

1.  The role of John the Baptist, John 1:19-23.

 

a.  The message John was proclaiming required explanation, John 1:19.

 

(John 1:19 NIV)  Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.

 

b.  The rumors that were spreading needed clarification, John 1:20-22.

 

(John 1:20-22 NIV)  He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." {21} They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." {22} Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

 

The religious Jews had an expectation for the appearance of certain messengers from God in advance of the restoration of Israel to its sovereign kingdom status.  Until this time they had been ruled for over three centuries by the succeeding empires of Persia, Greece, and Rome with various degrees of control over their freedoms and privileges. 

What the religious Jews wanted to know was whether John the Baptist was one of these that had been foretold in their Scriptures. 

 

·         The Christ

 

(Isa 42:1-4 NIV)  "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.  {2} He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. {3} A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; {4} he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."

 

·         Elijah

 

(Mal 4:5-6 NIV)  "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. {6} He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

 

·         The Prophet

 

(Deu 18:15 NIV)  The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.

 

c.  The explanation of John's proclamation was both an announcement and a command, John 1:23.

 

(John 1:23 NIV)  John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"

 

To what was John the Baptist referring?

 

(Isa 40:1-5 NIV)  Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. {2} Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.   {3} A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD ; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. {4} Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. {5} And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

 

2.  The revelation of John the Baptist, John 1:24-34

 

a.  The question of John's role as a baptizer by some Pharisees

 

(John 1:24-25 NIV)  Now some Pharisees who had been sent {25} questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

 

b.  The answer by John to the Pharisees concerning one greater than he who was already in their midst

 

(John 1:26-28 NIV)  "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. {27} He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." {28} This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

c.  The presentation of Jesus, John 1:29-344

 

1)  Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, John 1:29

 

(John 1:29 NIV)  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

 

2)  John was the one sent to reveal Jesus to Israel, John 1:30-31.

 

(John 1:30-31 NIV)  This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' {31} I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

 

3)  Jesus authenticated by God to be the Son of God to John by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus in John's presence, John 1:32-34.

 

(John 1:32-34 NIV)  Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. {33} I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' {34} I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

 

B.  The First Disciples, Attracted to the Promise, John 1:35-51

 

1.  The inquisitive ones—two disciples of John the Baptist, Andrew and another (possibly John the gospel's author)

 

(John 1:35-40 NIV)  The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. {36} When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"  {37} When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. {38} Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" {39} "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. {40} Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.

 

2.  The brought one—Simon (to be called Cephas, or Peter), John 1:41-42

 

(John 1:41-42 NIV)  The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). {42} And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

 

3.  The called one—Philip 

 

(John 1:43-44 NIV)  The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." {44} Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.

 

4.  The skeptical one—Nathanael, John 1:45-51

 

a.  He was skeptical of Jesus' background.

 

(John 1:45-46 NIV)  Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  {46} "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.

 

b.  He was surprised at Jesus' knowledge.

 

(John 1:47-48 NIV)  When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." {48} "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

 

c.  He was given confirmation of Jesus' identity.

 

(John 1:49 NIV)  Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

 

d.  He was promised even greater revelations.

 

(John 1:50-51 NIV)  Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." {51} He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

 

We gather from the various experience of the first disciples coming to Christ that:

 

·         Some come seeking Jesus.

·         Some are brought to meet Jesus.

·         Some sense a calling by Jesus.

·         Some need convincing about Jesus.

 

As Christ's witnesses, we must be ready to relate to lead all these types of lost souls.  If they come seeking, we must be ready to answer their questions.   If they are within our circle of relationships, we must bring them to meet Jesus.  If they sense the calling of Jesus to come to Him, we must be ready to lead them to faith,  If they are skeptical about Jesus, we must be ready to give them the reasons for the hope we have in Christ Jesus.

 

C.  The First Proof of the Promise's Power and Person:  The Miracle at Cana, John 2:1-11.

 

1.  It happened at a wedding in Cana, John 2:1a.

 

(John 2:1a NIV)  On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.

 

2.  It included Jesus, His mother, and his disciples, John 2:2b-3.

 

(John 2:1b-2 NIV)  Jesus' mother was there, {2} and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

 

3.  It was prompted by a need, John 2:3.

 

(John 2:3 NIV)  When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

 

4. It shows Mary's knowledge of Jesus' miraculous power and the gravity to which Jesus gave its use, John 1:4.

 

(John 2:4 NIV)  "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

 

5.  It enlightens us to the ease of Mary's and Jesus' relationship to each other, John 2:5.

 

(John 2:5 NIV)  His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

 

6.  It displays Jesus' creative power and authority over nature, John 2:6-10.

 

(John 2:6-10 NIV)  Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. {7} Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. {8} Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."   They did so, {9} and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside {10} and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

 

7.  It evidently had Jesus' intended effect, John 2:11.

 

(John 2:11 NIV)  This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

 

Summary:

 

What does it take to convince you that Jesus is the Christ, the Lamb of God, sent by the Father to redeem men from their sins and to give them eternal life.

 

1.  Do you have questions about Jesus?  We have answers.

2.  Does someone keep trying to bring you to Jesus?  We'll introduce you to Him.

3.  Do you feel Jesus calling Him to Himself today in your heart?  Listen and come.

4.  Do you have doubts about who Jesus is and whether the claims made about Him in the Bible are true?  We can show you reasonable evidence.

 

These are the types of attitudes the first disciples of Jesus had when they were introduced to Jesus.  Jesus met them where they were and because they spent time with Him, they became convinced that He was indeed the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  The testimony of John 2:11is that "his disciples put their faith in him."  It can happen for you, too!

Archive