Study of JOHN 19:1-20

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John 19:1-18 JESUS: THE CRUCIFIED KING
Sermon from Alan Carr

Intro: On December 7, 1941, the Japanese armed forces bombed the US Naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. President Roosevelt delivered a radio address the next day that described the event as a "day that will live in infamy." Webster's Dictionary describes infamy as, "disgrace, dishonor, great wickedness." Now, there is no one who will deny that what the Japanese did that day was an act of extremely great wickedness. In fact, it lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers all over the South Pacific. I have heard the assassination of President Kennedy described as the most "infamous" day in the history of our great nation. That may very well be so. However, I would like to take you back in time to a day 2,000 years ago that will forever stand as the most infamous day in the history of humanity. On that day, the creature took steps to kill its Creator. On that day, mankind raised its rebellious fist against the Almighty. On that day, the darling Son of God became the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world. The day Jesus Christ was crucified is the most infamous day in the history of the world.

This morning, I want us to see a portrait of Jesus: The Crucified King. Today, I want us to remember what He endured to provide salvation for sinners. Today, I want us to look at the King of kings and the Lord of lords as He dies for you and for me. Today, I would like for us to take a fresh look at Calvary and the events that took place there that day. As we consider Jesus: The Crucified King, I want you to see just how much this man Jesus loves you. I want you to see what He was willing to endure for your sake. I want you to see how His death on the cross can become the means of your salvation if you do not know Him, and what this means to you if you are saved. Let's take a look at the various aspects of this chapter as we consider Jesus: The Crucified King.


I. V. 1-17 THE KING CONDEMNED

(Ill. There were several groups that were involved in the rejection and the condemnation of the King on that infamous and awful day. Let's take a moment to consider those directly involved in the death of the King of kings.)

A. V. 2-3 The Ruthless Men (The Soldiers) - These verses tell us that these hardened men took the Lord Jesus, scourged Him and then mocked Him by placing a crown of thorns upon His head and treating Him cruelly. These were some of the same men who would later take the Lord Jesus to Calvary, nail Him to a cross and gamble over His garments as He died for sin. These men were directly responsible for the death of Jesus Christ!

B. V. 4-7, 15 The Religious Men - The chief priests and scribes were involved in the death of Jesus in that they arrested, accused and condemned Him under false charges. These same men would later walk by the cross and mock Jesus as He died, Mark 15:29. These men were directly responsible for the death of Christ!

C. V. 6-16 The Ruling Men - Both Pilate and Herod were guilty of ignoring what they knew to be true about Jesus. It would appear from the story that Pilate tried everything short of bravery to get Jesus released. Be that as it may, these men had the power and the ability to set Jesus at liberty, yet they chose to let Him die. Therefore, they are directly responsible for the death of the Lord Jesus.

D. V. 18 The Rebellious Men - The Bible tells us that Jesus was crucified between two thieves. The Bible also tells us that these men ridiculed Jesus and rejected Him vocally that day, Luke 23:39. Even though one of the thieves came to Jesus later, they were both directly responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.

E. Luke 23:21-23 The Riotous Men - Among those who rejected Jesus on that fateful and infamous day were the crowds that had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Without a doubt some of these people were the same ones who had lined the road into the city just a few days before and had hailed Him as their coming King. Now, they stand with their leaders and call for the blood of their innocent Messiah. These people were directly responsible for the death of the King.

F. All Regular Men - Lest be quick to condemn those who condemned the Lord, we need to take a step back and look at the real reason Jesus went to the cross. Why did He go? He went there because all men are sinners and stand in need of a Savior. When Jesus went to the cross, He was dying for the sins of all humanity, 2 Cor. 5:15. When Jesus went to the cross, He literally became sin for you and me, 2 Cor. 5:21. Since that is true, then you and I are responsible for the condemnation of the King. Why did the cross happen? For you and me! The King was crucified and it was my fault!

I. The King Condemned

II. V. 18-29 THE KING CRUCIFIED

(Ill. These verses give us a brief account of the time Jesus spent on the cross at Calvary. John doesn't give us some of the detail of the other Gospel writers, but his account is vivid enough to give us insight into that infamous day when Jesus died for humanity.)

A. The Pain Of The Cross - The Bible sums up the crucifixion in one verse. Actually, verse 18 simply says, "they crucified him..." However, we need to realize just what He suffered for you and me. Can you imagine having long, iron spikes driven through your hands and feet? Can you imagine hanging on a cross for 6 hours after you had been beaten and whipped by a band of soldiers? We can't even begin to comprehend the pain that Jesus endured on the cross that day to atone for the sins on man. In fact, crucifixion is widely regarded as the most horrible form of execution ever devised by man. When a person was nailed to the cross, the nails would come into contact with the median nerve that runs though the forearms and into the hands. This would irritate this nerve and cause the body to undergo violent spasms, which would result in the body being slammed into the upright wood of the cross. Also, the body would sag due to fatigue and weakness in the limbs. This collapsing of the body would result in the chest muscles preventing the lungs from expanding. The only way the condemned man could breath would be for him to push against the nails in his feet as he pulled against the nails in his hands. This action would raise him up and allow his to fill his lungs. This would have to be repeated each time a breath was needed. Eventually the body would be so weak from the combined influence of gangrene, blood loss, dehydration and exhaustion, that the victim would be unable to lift his body and would suffocate. Jesus Christ died a horrible death, a painful death, a death unspeakably cruel and vile, all because He loved you!

B. The Purpose Of The Cross - When we think of the death Jesus endured for us on the cross, the question comes as to why He would do this. The reason is simple and straightforward. Jesus died the death He did, He suffered the agony He did, He endured the pain a suffering that He did so that He might manifest the love of God to lost sinners, Rom. 5:8, and that He might pay the price for our sins, 1 John 2:2! Why did He go to Calvary? He went to the cross so that you would not have to go to Hell!

C. The Primacy Of The Cross - There seems to be a movement afoot today that would take down the cross and undermine the necessity of blood atonement for sins. However, try as they might, men can never take away the need for the cross! In fact, what the world calls foolish is called powerful and necessary by the Lord, 1 Cor. 1:18, 1 Cor. 1:23-24; 1 Cor. 2:14. Man may try to sanitize the Gospel to make it more appealing to a lost world, but when the blood of Jesus and His agony on the cross is stripped away from the Gospel message, there is no Gospel left! There is only some religious message that doesn't have the power to save one sinner from an eternal Hell! Let the world take what it will, I'll take the old rugged Cross and the blood of Jesus that was shed there as the payment in full for all of my sins!

I. The King Condemned

II. The King Crucified

III. V. 30-42 THE KING CONQUERING

A. The Cry - After 6 hours on the cross, Jesus had spoken a few times already, yet when He is about to give up His spirit into the hands of death Jesus makes this cry, "It is finished!" Please note that Jesus did not say, "I am finished!" This was not the cry of a defeated man, no! Rather, this was the cry of a Victor! This is the cry of one who has paid the price and finished the work He came to do! In truth, this word, "Tetelestai", is a very vivid and expressive word. Understanding how it was used in that day may help us have a better grasp of what Jesus said when He said "It is finished!"

1. It Was A Servant's Word - Used when a task was finished!

2. It Was A Priest's Word - Used When a sacrificial animal was examined and found worthy.

3. It Was A Farmer's Word - Used when an animal was born that was a perfect specimen.

4. It Was An Artist's Word - Used when an artist had applied the finishing touches to a masterpiece. It meant that nothing more could be done to make it better.

5. It Was A Merchant's Word - Used when a merchant and a customer had haggled over a price and had reached a price that was acceptable to both. This implied that the haggling was over, the deal was struck and everyone involved had been fully satisfied.

(Ill. When Jesus made this cry, He was telling us that the price had been paid, salvation had been finished and that God was satisfied with the price that had been paid.)

B. The Completion - After Jesus uttered this cry, He died and was taken down from the cross and was buried. Please understand that when Jesus went to the cross, it was absolutely necessary for Him to die. If He hadn't died on the cross, sin would have never been paid for. After all, the wages of sin was, is and will ever be death - Rom. 6:23! People think the cross is bloody, and they are right! But, you cannot be saved without faith in the shed blood of Jesus!

C. The Continuation - I am about to get into next week's sermon, but I decided many years ago that I would never leave Jesus hanging on the cross and that I would never leave Him dead. The good news is that 3 days after He died, He also arose from the dead. He did to pay for our sins and He arose to provide for our justification. The greatest words in the Bible are probably those found in Matthew 28:6. The fact that Jesus is risen is what sets Christianity apart from the rest of the world's religions. Our is a living faith in a living Lord. Jesus is alive and so is everyone who places their faith in Him for salvation!

Conc: I thank God this morning for Jesus The Crucified King! I am thankful that He was willing to suffer what He did so that we might be saved. The question that remains today is this; have you been saved? Are you trusting in Jesus and Jesus alone for your soul's salvation? If you are trusting anything else, then you are lost and need to be born again. What will you do with Jesus? When you think of what He has done for you, there is only one answer that makes sense. You must give Jesus you heart and your life and then serve Him until He calls you home. Now, for the Christian, there is this question: When faced with all that Jesus did for you on the cross, can you honestly say that you are living for Him like you should? If not, or if you need to be saved, then I invite you to come to Jesus right now and to allow Him to have His way in your life. Will you respond as the Lord has spoken to your hearts today?

Study of JOHN 18:1-14

John 18:1-14 JESUS: THE MODEL SUFFERER

Sermon from Alan Carr

Intro: Our study of John's Gospel is swiftly reaching its conclusion. As we approach the end of this book, we are also approaching the end of our Lord's life and ministry here on the earth. In this 18th chapter of John we are presented with a suffering Christ. At this point, He is being betrayed, He is being arrested and He is being tried before His enemies. Yet, through it all, He manifests a strength of character that paints a wonderful picture for you and me. In these verses, we are shown Jesus: The Model Sufferer. You see, when it came time for Jesus to fulfill His destiny and go to the cross, we do not find Him shrinking from the task. On the contrary, we find Him standing tall and carrying out the redemptive plan of His heavenly Father without flinching nor failing. Isaiah saw this time many centuries before and described Jesus in this manner, Isa. 50:6. Even the Gospel writers were moved by His determination, Luke 9:51. All of this leads us to see that Jesus was no shrinking violet. He was no victim of circumstance. No! Instead, He was the Master of the moment. As we go through these verses, it will be clear to any thinking person that Jesus Christ suffered humiliation, betrayal and eventually death with His head held high and His eyes firmly fixed on the goal. This morning, as the Lord gives liberty, I would like for us to take a moment and look together at Jesus: The Model Sufferer.

My aim this morning is to show you what He suffered for you and why He did what He did. My desire is to help you to see that Jesus has made a way for you to be saved. That He has done everything that is necessary to deliver you from Hell and from judgment. I want to show you that He is worthy of your trust and faith this morning. Now, let's look into these verses and look at John's portrait of Jesus: The Model Sufferer.

I. V. 1-11 WE SEE HIM IN HIS DEITY

(Ill. Several times in this chapter, Jesus proved His identity to those around Him. Through our His ministry, He had claimed to be God in the flesh, John 10:30; John 8:58. He had also proven this claim time and again. Yet, here, in the closing hours of His life, He once again steps up and claims equality with God Almighty.)

A. V. 4-7 His Claim - When the soldiers come to arrest Jesus, He asks them Who they are seeking. They respond by saying, "Jesus of Nazareth." His simple response is to say, "I AM!" This exclamation from Christ was a claim of deity! By saying "I AM" He was again claiming to be God. Notice what happened when He said this. Verse 6 tells us that they all fell backward to the ground! Verse 3 tells us that this was "band" of soldiers. This means that somewhere between 400 and 600 highly trained and well conditioned Roman soldiers fell to the ground when Jesus spoke the simple, single syllable words, "I AM!"

(Ill. I don't know about the rest of you, but if I had been in that number, I would have had second thoughts about trying to arrest this fellow!)

(Ill. What does this mean for us? Simply this, Jesus is God! John 1:1 and 14 make this perfectly clear. My friend, you will never be saved until you first come to the place where you acknowledge and receive Jesus as more than a teacher, as more than a good man, as more than some religious leader. You can never be saved until you come face to face with and accept the fact that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh! The soldiers never saw and they became participants in the death of Jesus. They were given a sign and an opportunity to back down. Yet, they pressed on in their unbelief and eventually perished in Hell! Don't let that happen to you! Receive Jesus today!)

(Ill. In Luke 22:70 and again in John 18:37, Jesus claimed deity during His trial. When He was asked point blank about his relationship to God and where He was the actual Son of God, Jesus responded by saying, "You said it!" Now the question that comes into my mind this morning for you is this, "Whom say ye that He is?" (Matt. 16:15-16).)

B. V. 8-9 His Concern - The deity of Jesus is also seen in the concern He possessed for His Disciples. He is concerned that they not be arrested, but that they be allowed to go free. You see, Jesus was concerned with the protection of His men. They were special to Him and He was determined to see that their need was met that night. How does this demonstrate His deity? By the simple fact that He cared more for their welfare than He did for His own! In His actions you do not see the selfishness manifested by most humans. He shows a self-sacrificing love that defies description. Only God is able to love to that degree!

(Ill. May I remind you this morning that things have not changed? Jesus is still very concerned about the needs you and I have this morning. His concern translates into action on our behalf. After all, God has promised to take care of our needs - Phil.. 4:19.)

C. V. 10-11 His Compassion - When the soldiers come to take Jesus away, Peter draws his sword and cuts the ear off of a man named Malchus. I do not for a minute believe that Peter was trying to wound Malchus, but that He was trying to kill him graveyard dead. But, Peter missed and only got and ear. When this happened, Jesus reached out to Malchus and restored his ear, Luke 22:51. Folk, only God can do things of that nature!

(Ill. Most of us would have been glad to see our friends fighting for us and inflicting damage on the enemy. Not Jesus! He was moved with compassion for one who was His enemy and reached out to Him in love. By the way, that's what He did for you! You and I were the enemies of God, Rom. 8:7. Yet, He still reached out to us through His matchless, marvelous grace, Eph. 2:8-9. Oh, what a Savior! Oh what a Lord! I am glad this morning that the Lord was moved with compassion when He saw me. Had it not been for the love and compassion of our Lord, I would be dead and in Hell this morning and so would you. That is something to rejoice over and to think about!)

D. V. 11b His Commission - A final proof of His deity is seen in the fact that He seems determined to go to the cross! Had this been you or I, we would have been looking for a way out. We would have been looking for some escape clause. We would have tried to cut a deal. Not Jesus! No, He set His face like a flint and went to the cross and drank the bitter cup of death for you and me!

(Ill. Folk, I am grateful this morning that Jesus did not flinch in the face of Calvary. I am so thankful today that He was willing to go to the cross and to die for my sins so that I could be saved. I tell you, we serve a wonderful Lord who deserves to be exalted and praised for the unspeakable gift He gave us when He willingly died on the cross for our sins! What a Savior!)

I. We See Him In His Deity

II. V. 12-36 WE SEE HIM IN HIS DIGNITY

(Ill. Even as Jesus was being lead away to an illegal trial on trumped up charges, He was retained His dignity. Not one time do we see Him begging for mercy. Never do we hear Him cry for freedom. Not one time do the lips of our glorious Savior part and ask men to let Him go free. He was dignified at all times. That may not mean much to you, but it speaks worlds to my heart! It just reminds me that He knew what He was doing the whole time. Not one aspect of the trial caught Him by surprise. He knew every bend in the road and He faced it like a true man, like a true God-man!)

A. V. 12-13 In His Arrest - When the soldiers came to carry Jesus way, He did not resist and He did not retaliate. He submitted to them and went to trial because He was determined to die on the cross so that you and I might have a means whereby we could be saved.

(Ill. At any moment Jesus could have destroyed all His capture with one word from His lips, yet He allowed it be cause He loved us!)

B. V. 19-24; 28-36 His Arraignment - After Jesus was arrested, He was forced to appear before Caiaphas, the High Priest, then He was tried by Pilate and be Herod. During His trial, Jesus was subjected to many injustices. In fact, there are several reasons why His trial would have been illegal in that day they are:

The Illegal Aspects Of Christ's Trial

Arrests could not be made at night.
The time and date of the trial were illegal because it took place at night and on the eve of the Sabbath. This time precluded any chance for the required adjournment to the next day in the event of a conviction.
A guilty sentence could only be handed down on the day following the trial.
The Sanhedrin was without authority to instigate charges. It was only supposed to investigate charges brought before it. In Jesus' trial, the court itself formulated the charges.
The charges against Jesus were changed during the trial. He was initially charged with blasphemy based upon His statement that He would be able to destroy and rebuild the Temple of God within three days, as well as His claim to be the Son of God. When He was brought before Pilate, the charge was that Jesus was a King and did not advocate paying taxes to the Romans.
The requirement of two witnesses in agreement to merit the death penalty was not met. (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Mark 14:65)
The court did not meet in the regular meeting place of the Sanhedrin, as required by Jewish law.
Christ was not permitted a defense. Under Jewish law, an exhaustive search into the facts presented by the witnesses should have occurred.
The Sanhedrin pronounced the death sentence. Under law, the Sanhedrin was not allowed to convict and put the death sentence into effect. (John 18:31)

(Ill. Through all the injustice and through all the lies and deception, Jesus retained His dignity. He stood, the Creator before the creature and took every blow that came His way. He did this so that you and I might have a plan of salvation to place our faith in today. Like the song says, "He suffered it all because He loved me!?)

C. V. 2-3; 15-18, 25-27; 38-40 His Alienation - Perhaps the hardest part of the whole process for Jesus was the utter and bitter rejection by the very people He came to save in the first place. In this chapter, we find Jesus suffering at the hands of friend and enemy alike. Notice those who turned on Him in these verses.

1. V. 2-3 He Was Betrayed By Judas - This man who had lived and walked with Jesus for 3 years turned on Him and led His captors to Him. This must have stung the heart of Jesus! Ill. The Kiss! Luke 22:47. Judas kissed the gates of Heaven and went to Hell!

2. V. 15-18, 25-27 He Was Denied By Peter - The very man who swore that all others might leave Jesus, but that he would stay by Him to the death was the very one who denied Jesus publically -Matt. 26:35; Mark 14:31. This certainly touched the heart of the Savior.

3. V. 38-40 He Was Rejected By Israel - When Jesus came into the world, He came in fulfillment of all the Jewish prophecies concerning the Messiah. He came to establish the Kingdom of God in the world and to liberate the people of God. Yet, when He came they refused to have Him and demanded that He be put to death, John 1:11; John 19:6; John 19:15; Luke 19:14. This was the ultimate blow, surely this crushed the heart of the Savior!

(Ill. What amazes me is that men are still guilty of doing this very same thing. Consider this, Israel and Judas rejected Jesus out of pure unbelief. Peter denied Him in a moment of weakness. But, every day in this world, people reject Jesus in an effort to enjoy a life of sin for a few more days. Perhaps it is out of pride that men say no. Some do so simply because they are fools. What ever the reason that men reject the salvation that is offered through Jesus, it is a foolish reason and is not worth dying and going to Hell over - Mark 6:36-37.)

(Ill. Dear friend, please do not make the same mistake billions have already made. Trust Jesus, today, while there is still time and be sure that you will miss Hell when you leave this world. To be saved is simply! All one must do is trust Jesus and His finished work on the cross. When we do that, we are saved eternally!)

I. We See Him In His Deity

II. We See Him In His Dignity

III. V. 37 WE SEE HIM IN HIS DESTINY

(Ill. In this wonderful verse, we see Jesus on trial before Pilate. Yet Pilate seems like a little court jester in the presence of the King of Kings. Jesus makes it clear to Pilate that He came to this world, not to live, but to die! Jesus had His sights set on three majestic peaks. Jesus knew something that Pilate would never realize in his lifetime. Jesus was looking ahead to what would be accomplished by seeing this thing through to its conclusion. Notice with me what they are.

A. There Had To Be A Cross - Jesus plainly states that His purpose in coming into the world was to go to the cross and die. For many this causes confusion. They fail to understand that it takes blood to deal with sin, Heb. 9:22. If Jesus had not shed His blood on the cross, then nobody could have been saved, ever! Salvation is totally dependent upon the blood of Jesus. Therefore, people ought to beware of religion. Religion tells us that works is where the answer lies. Let others in trust in the waters of the baptistry. Let others count on being good to get the job done. Let others look to the church affiliation to get them into heaven. As for me, I'll take the blood of Jesus.

(Ill. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness! What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!)

(Ill. My dear friends, it took the death of Jesus on the cross at Calvary to open the way into salvation for you and me. He had to suffer. He had to die. It was the only way God could redeem fallen men, Rom. 6:23.)

B. There Had To Be A Crown - Jesus states in this verse that He is to "bear witness to the truth." He bore witness to the truths of His claims when three days after His death, He arose from the dead. Now, thank God, He forever lives to make intercession for you and me, Heb. 7:25. You see, a dead Savior could have paid for sin, but as our High Priest, Jesus had to get up from the grave and place the sacrifice before the Lord God Almighty in Heaven. I serve a risen Savior! How about you?

C. There Had To be A Call - Notice that Jesus said that those who were of the truth would hear His voice! As men walk through this world, God calls them to Him through His Spirit. When they hear His voice, they can respond to Him and be forever saved by grace! However, before the call could be given, the Savior had to die and rise again from the dead. This, my friends, is the Gospel! That Jesus died for sin, rose from the dead and calls all men to come unto Him. If you will come unto Him, you will be saved right now!

Conc: I wonder if you can understand this morning the truth that what Jesus did, He did for you? I wonder if it makes sense to you today? Perhaps you have heard the old, old story many times before and you have never received Jesus into your heart and life. Maybe this morning, you feel Him calling you to come to Him. Why not do that today? If you have never been saved, let me remind you that Jesus loves you and has made a way for you to be born again and be liberated from sin, judgment and damnation. That Way is none other than Jesus Himself. Won't you come to Him while He calls for you?

Study of JOHN 17:1-26

John 17:1-26 JESUS: THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

sermon from Alan Carr

Intro: As we have journeyed through John's majestic Gospel, we have encountered many glorious portraits of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have seen His heart of compassion on display as He healed the sick, we have sen His power revealed as He raised the dead and fed the hungry, we have seen His grace revealed as He saved the sinner. Every portrait that each chapter given to us has been an encouragement and a blessing. This chapter is no exception! When we come to chapter 17, we find ourselves standing on holy ground. In these verses, the Holy Spirit of God gives us access into the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus pours His heart out to His Heavenly Father.

On this, the last night of the earthly life of Jesus, He is found serving as our great High Priest making intercession with the Father. In fact, the Bible declares Him to be our Great High Priest - Heb. 3:1; 6:20. As He prayed that night, His prayer focused on four great themes that we need to consider this morning. As we look into these verses and listen in on the prayer of our wonderful Lord, please understand that what Jesus prayed about that night in the Garden still impacts your life and mine this morning. His was a prayer that had power then and will have power throughout the remainder of time and on into eternity. With all that in mind, allow me to share with you this morning those things that were the focus of our Lord's prayer in the Garden. What we will learn is that there is a lesson here about prayer and several lessons about the Lord's will for His people. By the way, this is a very encouraging passage! When you stop to think that on the eve of His death, Jesus took the time to pray for you and me. I find that pretty encouraging! Please join me in these verses as we encounter Jesus: The Great High Priest.

I. V. 1-26 HIS PRAYER HAD AN UPWARD FOCUS

A. V. 1, 4 The Father's Glory - Jesus began His prayer by expressing a desire to glorify the Father. The entire ministry of Jesus on earth had revolved around a single purpose. That purpose was to reveal God to men - John 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3. Jesus was the perfect expression of God. When a man saw Jesus, he was seeing the Father.

(Ill. So it is today! Jesus is still the only way for a person to see God, John 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." The Bible tells us that no one can come to God except they go through Jesus - John 14:6. Men may say they believe in God and try to bypass Jesus, but that is a totally useless endeavor. Jesus is the only way anyone ever comes to God - 1 Tim. 2:5; Acts 4:12.)

B. V. 6, 26 The Father's Gift - Next, Jesus referred to those the Father had given unto Him. Jesus knew something that many in our day have forgotten: salvation is not the decision of man, but it is the Sovereign act of God. What I mean is this, no man just decides that he will be saved! That is an impossibility. After all, man, in his natural state is dead, Eph. 2:1. Dead men have no thought, no will and no movement toward God. Before that dead man can live, he must be made alive, Eph. 2:1. This is accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit who quickens the dead heart and gives the sinner an awareness of sin and judgment and of the need of getting right with God, John 16:8-11. This is called conviction and no man can ever be saved until he first has his wicked heart stirred by the Father and is drawn to Jesus - John 6:44; 6:65. Therefore, salvation is not something to be toyed with! The Bible teaches us that God's Spirit will not always strive with man, Gen. 6:3. The time to be saved is when God is dealing with your heart. 2 Cor. 6:2. Remember, we are the Father's gift to the Son and what the Father gives, the Son never refuses - John 6:37.

C. V. 6, 8-12, 22, 26 The Father's Grace - In these verses, Jesus calls to mind the great grace of God calling these men, in using these men and in keeping these men. In praying this prayer, Jesus reminds us that what we have and are is not of our own making. We are what we are by the grace of God, 1 Cor. 15:10.

(Ill. Like Jesus, we ought to praise God for His wonderful grace! After all, we were nothing when He found us and did not deserve to be saved. But, in grace He reached out to us and redeemed us, Eph. 2:8-9. Even after we were saved, we are still capable of nothing in and of ourselves, John 15:5. Everything we are, have or ever hope to be, we owe it all to the great grace of God! If there was ever a theme that should produce praise in the hearts of the believers, it is the grace of God!)

I. His Prayer Had An Upward Focus

II. V. 1-5 HIS PRAYER HAD AN INWARD FOCUS

(In these verses, Jesus turns the focus of His prayer inward and prays for the mission to which He has been called. He prays about His work!)

A. V. 1 He Prayed For Assistance - The hour for which Jesus came into this world has finally arrived. During the course of His life and ministry, we are reminded often that "His hour was not yet come." This was a reminder to those around Him that He came for a high and noble purpose. You see, Jesus came to this world for one purpose, and that purpose was to die for sin, John 18:37. Now, at long last, the hour has arrived. Jesus is about to be betrayed, arrested, tried and crucified. His prayer is for the Father to aid Him in these last hours of life that He might accomplish the task for which He came. His desire is to go to the cross, die for sin, satisfy the Father and then be glorified in being raised from the dead!

(Ill. Why did Jesus pray such a prayer? It seems to me that every attempt was made by man and Satan to keep Jesus away from the cross. Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus came under direct satanic attack. It is my opinion that Satan tried to kill Jesus in the Garden to prevent Him from reaching Calvary, Luke 22:41-44. After that, Pilate's made brutalized the Lamb of God and could have easily killed Him then, Matt. 27:27-31; John 19:1-5. Christ's prayer was answered in that the Father brought Him safely to the cross where He was crucified and paid the price for the eternal redemption of our souls.)

(Ill. What proof do we have? 2 days after they laid Him in the tomb, He arose from the dead, victorious over death, hell and the grave - Matt. 28:1-6)

B. V. 2-4 He Prayed About His Accomplishment - Jesus knew the hour of His death was upon Him. He knew that He was about to finish all that the Father had sent Him to do. Therefore, He mentions His great accomplishment to the Father in Heaven.

(Ill. What is His accomplishment? Providing a way for sinners to enter into eternal life, v. 2-3! When Jesus died on the cross, He cried, "It is finished!", John 19:30. What Jesus meant by this statement was that the price of eternal redemption had been paid in full! Now, the door of salvation had been blown off the hinges and whosoever will could enter and be saved! What a blessing! Now, regardless of who you are, or what kind of a background you might have come from, regardless of what kind of life you have lived, you can be eternally saved by coming to Jesus and receiving Him into your heart and life, Rev. 22:17! That is what Jesus accomplished on your behalf! Have you received Him as your Savior?)

C. V. 5 He Prayed About His Assurance - Jesus knew that after the cross and after the grave, He would return to His Father in heaven and would, once again, enjoy the glory He had left behind to come to the earth. He was going home!

(Ill. Few, if any, of us can realize the agony Jesus suffered in just coming into this world. Phil. 2:5-8 sheds a little light on it for us. These verse make it clear that Jesus was living in absolute equality with His Father. Then, He willingly allowed His glory to be concealed under human flesh and entered a sinful world as a man. He did this for one purpose, and that purpose has already been stated. He came so that man could see God and so that God could die for man! Now, praise His Name, He sits enthroned in Heaven! No more to die, no more to suffer, but ever to be praised!)

(Ill. Here is the good news: All who place their faith in Jesus are going to be with Him in that Heavenly city! More about that later!)

I. His Prayer Had An Upward Focus

II. His Prayer Had An Inward Focus

III. V. 6-19 HIS PRAYER HAD AN OUTWARD FOCUS

(Now, Jesus turns His focus outward and prays for those men who have given Him their hearts and lives; His Disciples. In this prayer, we can find some nuggets of truth that will help us as well.)

A. V. 6-11 He Prayed For Their Preservation - In this section, Jesus prayed for His men that they would be Kept by the Father. Jesus knew the wickedness of the world and He had seen first hand the wretchedness of the human heart. He knew that left to themselves, the Disciples would not be able to maintain their relationship with the Father. Therefore, He took that responsibility and placed it squarely upon the shoulders of the Father.

(Ill. I praise the Lord this morning that it is not my duty to keep myself saved! I am grateful that salvation is not like a bicycle, but that we are kept by the power of God, 1 Pet. 1:5. You see, we are wicked! If we had to maintain a life of sinless perfection to remain saved, we would all be in Hell eventually! Salvation is God's gift and maintaining it is His responsibility. That does not mean that you and I do as we please. After all, if salvation is a reality in your life and mine then there will be a hunger for righteousness and clean living. Being a new creature is part and parcel of the new life, 2 Cor. 5:17. Anyone who claims to be saved but who does not exhibit a clean life is deceived and needs to be born again. However, even the redeemed fall into sin occasionally. When they do, they are convicted and chastened by the Lord, but they are not removed from the family. What I am saying is that salvation is eternal, Eccl. 3:14. If salvation were something that was mine one day and gone the next, why did Jesus call it "eternal" and "everlasting"? Either Jesus doesn't know what He is talking about, or salvation is "eternal" and it is "everlasting"! You can believe anything you want to about this subject, but I say, "Let God be true and every man a liar!", Rom. 2:4. I'll just believe the Book if it's all the same to you - John 10:28!

B. V. 12-15 He Prayed For Their Protection - Next, Jesus prayed that His Disciples would be protected from "the evil." Literally, "the evil one!" Jesus is merely praying that they be given strength to face the task at hand and that they be given strength to stand against the attacks that are sure to come from the devil.

(Ill. Let's face it this morning, we are in a battle. For too many believers, the Christian life is a ballfield and not a battlefield. When will we learn that the devil hates us, opposes us and often attacks us? I am grateful that I have the Lord's promise of His protection, Psa. 34:7 and of His presence, Heb. 13:5; Matt. 28:20, as I go through this life. I just praise the Lord that when the devil comes against the saint of God, the Lord takes up our defense! Ill. Job - Job 1-2. Before the devil can get to me, he has to go through the Father and then through the Son. If he could do that, then he would have to go through the blood and then he would be a saved devil. But that's not going to happen! He roars, 1 Pet. 5:8, but he cannot touch the child of the King! We are hidden in our Lord, Col. 3:3.)

C. V. 16-19 He Prayed For Their Purity - Jesus asked the Father to set these men apart from the world by the Word of God! His prayer is that they might live their lives against the backdrop of the Scriptures and that they might live lives pleasing to the Father.

(Ill. The Lord's will hasn't changed one bit! He still intends for His people to live clean, holy and separated lives - 2 Cor. 6:17. This purity that the Lord desires is not a purity based on the opinions and rules of men, but rather it is a righteousness based squarely upon the Word of God! His Word is truth and in this divinely inspired Book, we find the keys to living holy and righteously in the midst of a corrupt world. God's desire for our lives is summed up in Phil. 2:15.)

I. His Prayer Had An Upward Focus

II. His Prayer Had An Inward Focus

III. His Prayer Had An Outward Focus

IV. V. 20-26 HIS PRAYER HAD AN ONWARD FOCUS

(Finally, Jesus turns His attention to those who would receive Him down through the ages. Think of it, on the eve of the crucifixion, with the weight of the world's sins beginning to press down upon His shoulders, Jesus took time to pray for you and me! I don't know about you, but that thrills my heart!)

A. V. 21-23 He Prayed For Our Harmony - Jesus prayed that His followers might be marked by unity! His desire is that we be able to get along in front of the world. Now, you know as well as Id do that a lack of unity in the church is a bad witness in the world! God's desire is that we learn to get along one with another and that we have a oneness of heart that unites us regardless of the storms we are called upon to weather. Now, it is obvious that when you have 2 people, you are going to have 2 opinions. When you have a 100, you will have a 100 opinions. The secret is being able to disagree without being disagreeable! In other words, everything we do must be done with a view to maintaining unity within the body! There is no room for struggles within the body of Christ! Notice the Lord's will for His people - 1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 1:27; Phil 2:1-4; 1 Thes. 5:13; 1 Pet. 3:8.

(Ill. You can mark this down, when there is disunity within the church, someone is outside the will of God!)

(Ill. Why is unity so important in the church? Because we are a living advertisement for the Lord Jesus. When the world sees the people of God, they either see the presence of the Lord or the presence of strife. Where there is strife, there is confusion and God is not the author of confusion, 1 Cor. 14:33. Therefore, strife and trouble in the house of God is never His will!)

B. V. 24 He Prayed For Our Homegoing - In this verse, Jesus says that His will is for all of His followers to be with Him in Heaven where they can behold and share in His glory.

(Ill. In the New Testament, there are 2 Greek words that are translated "to will". They are 1.) Thelo - which means to purpose. It is used for the will of God which is unalterable and firmly fixed. It is the will of God and will come to pass. 2.) Boulomai - which means to have a wish of a desire about something. This word is used of God's desires that may or may not come to pass depending upon the actions of others. For instance, this word is used in 2 Pet. 3:9. It is not God's wish that any perish, however, for that wish to be realized, men must receive te Lord. In John 17:24, Thelo is the word used. Jesus is saying, "I am declaring that it is my purpose that every one who receives Me will be with Me in Heaven and will behold My glory!" In other words, if you are saved, you are going home!

C. V. 25-26 He Prayed For Our Hearts - As Jesus brought His prayer to a close, He took a minute to pray that we would be filled with His love. That is, He desires that His people be characterized by a life of love one for the other. This kind of Love is God's demand for His children - 1 Cor. 13:1-8. In fact, Jesus declared that our mutual love would be a sign to the world that we were genuinely of the Lord - John 13:35.

(Ill. This is a love that cannot be duplicated in the world. But it is produces by God in the hearts of every born again child of God. Who but God could produce within us a love for people who are of differing backgrounds, of differing social and financial standing, of varying race and creed? The love of God in the hearts of His children is a thing of beauty and a thing of great wonder. We must ever strive to see that we are indeed characterized by genuine godly love.)

Conc: As I close this message, let me remind you that Christ's prayers are always heard and answered - John 11:41-42. The question that remains is are they being fulfilled in your life and in the life of this church? A quick review is in order.

1. Are you saved? It is His desire that you come to know Him.

2. Is there unity in the church? It is His desire that there be.

3. Are we walking in love, one to the other as we should? That is His prayer for us!

Has the Lord touched areas of your life that need to be attended to this morning? If so, then I beg you to come to Him and allow Him to have His way in your heart and life right now. Will you do as He would have you to?

Study of JOHN 16:7-15

JESUS: THE GREAT GIFT GIVER
Sermon from Alan Carr

Intro: As Jesus and His Disciples made their way from the Upper Room to Gethsemane, Jesus taught them many valuable truths. As I have stated previously, these men are understandably upset at the notion that Jesus is going to be taken from their midst. Because of their distress, Jesus gave them the truths contained in chapters 14-16 to encourage them and to comfort them concerning the future. In this passage, Jesus is telling them of His Spirit. He promises that when He goes away, He will deliver unto them a great gift. That gift is the Holy Spirit of God.

This morning, I would like for us to look into these verses and see a portrait of Jesus: The Great Gift Giver. While the passage is all about Jesus Christ, the emphasis is on the gift. Therefore, let's take some time this morning to come to understand the Holy Ghost a little better.

By way of introduction, let me say that I often feel sorry for the Holy Spirit. Why? Because He is the most misunderstood, the most often ignored and the most underappreciated member of the Trinity. My aim this morning is to have you become better acquainted with this wonderful gift that we have been given. Let's consider Jesus: The Great Gift Giver this morning.

I. V. 7 THE WORTH OF THE GREAT GIFT

(Ill. Jesus told His men that it was "expedient" the He go away. This word simply means that it is profitable for the Disciples of Jesus for Him to leave. How would that be possible? Well, to understand the worth of this great gift, we must first come to understand something of His nature. Consider the following:

A. The Personality Of The Great Gift - Please notice that the Spirit of God is a "He" and not and "it"! He is co-equal with the Father and the Son and is as much God as they are, 1 John 5:7. However, His status as a Person is further illustrated by the Bible's use of pronouns when referring to the Holy Spirit. Notice John 16:7-8; 15-13; 14:16-18. Look at every instance of He and Him. Other truths that let us know the He is a Person are these:

1. He can be "grieved." - Eph. 4:30 (Grieve - to make sad or sorry.)

2. He can be "quenched." - 1 Thes. 5:19 (Quench - To put out a fire.)

3. He can be "lied to." - Acts 5:1-11

(Ill. Two other facts are worthy of special notice:

1. In John 14:16, Jesus referred to the Spirit as "another Comforter." The word "another" comes from the word "allos" which refers to "one of the same kind or quality." It implies a state of equality an sameness!

2. According to John 16:13-14 and John 15:26, the Holy Spirit will never promote Himself. He is in the sole business of pointing men to Jesus. I realize this flies in the face of many modern movements where the Spirit is emphasized in the services, but in truth, He did not come to make a name for Himself, He came to point men to Jesus!)

B. The Power Of The Great Gift - Note that the Spirit is called by the name "Comforter." This word comes to us from the Greek word "parakletos". It refers to "an assistant, a helper. One who comes alongside of another to offer aid. It can refer to a defense attorney." In reference to the Spirit, it refers to Him as One who comes alongside the saint of God to offer help for the journey. He comes to our aid. He encourages us. He teaches us those things we need to know. May I be so bold as to say that the Holy Spirit is the saint's best friend on earth?!

(Ill. It would be absolutely impossible to live the Christian life without the presence of the Holy Spirit. If He did not live within the child of God and give direction minute by minute, we would never be able to do the work of the Lord. Please bear in mind that even the Lord Jesus Christ lived His live solely in the power of the Holy Ghost, Matt. 3:17-18; Phil. 2:5-8. Jesus did not come into this world to live a God in a man's suit. He came to live as a man, fulfilling all the demands of God's righteousness. He came to live the kind of life that is possible only through the power of the Spirit of God.)

C. The Permanence Of The Great Gift - According to the Bible, the Spirit of God comes into a life at the moment of conversion, 1 Cor. 12:13, and then He just never leaves, John 14:16.

(Ill. There are many groups who say that a person must be saved by faith in Jesus and then at some later date that same person can meet a list of demands and then they can receive the Holy Spirit. When in truth, if you do not have the Spirit of God, then you do not have the Son of God, Rom. 8:9. They come together as part of the same package. You see, you can't have One without the Other!

(Ill. Here is where the true worth of the Great Gift is clearly in view. The fact the He comes into the life of the believer and dwells in him is a remarkable thing. You see, Jesus, in His human body, is limited to one geographic location at a time. Also, in his body, it is impossible for Him to dwell in you. However, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, He is able to dwell in every child of God at all times! That is a thing of great value!)

I. The Worth Of The Great Gift

II. V. 7-15 THE WORK OF THE GREAT GIFT

(Ill. In 2 Thes. 2:7, we are told of the Spirit's Restraining Ministry. In John 3:5, we are told of the Spirit's Regenerating Ministry. In these verses, we are told about the Spirit's Reproving Ministry.)

A. V. 8-11 In The Lives Of Sinners - In relation to those outside Jesus, the Spirit of God performs a two-fold work.

1.) He Convicts - That is, He points out wrong and sin.

2.) He Convinces - That is, He points the lost person toward the truth. He reveals the truth of God to hearts that have been opened to it through the ministry of conviction.

This ministry involves Conviction and Convincing in the areas of:

1. Sin - The Holy Spirit convicts the lost sinner of the fact of his sinfulness. He makes Romans 3:23 and 3:10 to become real to the heart of the sinner. He points out their sin! (Ill. Men may deny personal sin, but when the Spirit of God comes by in conviction, the sinner knows that he is guilty! Ill. Conviction may not be very pleasant, but it is essential and it is a blessing from the Lord!)

(Ill. Not only does the Spirit convict of sin, but He also convinces of unbelief. That is, He teaches men the foolishness of not believing in Jesus. He show the sinner that unbelief is wrong. In fact, if there must be a classification of sins by their awfulness. The worse son a person can ever commit is not murder, blaspheme, abortion, adultery, etc. The worse sin a person can commit is unbelief - John 8:24. After all, it is the only sin that will send man to Hell! Thankfully, the Spirit of God just doesn't show us the bad side and then leave us to twist in the wind, but He points us to where salvation can be found - John 3:16. Verses like that one have been sprinkled throughout the New Testament to give hope and direction to every seeking sinner.)

2. Righteousness - The Holy Spirit convicts the lost man of the need for getting right with God. He produces in the heart of the lost a deep seated feeling of filthiness. We need to remember that we are absolutely unrighteous in and of ourselves! According to Isaiah 64:6, the very best we can produce is a pile of filthy, stinking, putrid rags. The term in Isaiah literally refers to menstrual wiping cloths. Totally defiled and absolutely wretched!

(Yet, in His convincing ministry, He points us to the truth that Jesus has paid the price for sin and that He has been accepted by the Father. Now, anyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation will be saved and declared righteous by God in Heaven. The righteousness of Jesus will be "imputed" to anyone who receives Him, Rom. 4:24! There is hope! Don't run from Jesus, rather run to Him!)

3. Judgment - The Spirit of God convicts the heart of man about the reality of approaching judgment and condemnation. Ill. Men may joke about Hell, and they may even use the word Hell as a by word in every day language, but deep in the soul of man, he knows that when he leaves this world without Jesus, that he is headed to a Christless eternity in Hell!

(While He convicts men of approaching judgment, He also convinces men of the great truth that the price of judgment has already been paid in full! He teaches us that when Jesus went to Calvary and died, that He satisfied the demands of God for sin and that judgment has already been passed. You see, Satan and sin have already been judged, all that remains is for the death sentence to be carried out.)

B. V. 12-15 In The Lives Of The Saints - While the Holy Spirit is active in the lives of unbelievers, He is also very active in the lives of God's people. There are several ministries that He conducts in our lives. Notice what they are:

1. Indwelling - John 14:17 - He lives inside every child of God!

2. Instructing - John 16:13 - He is present to give direction in the way of God, the will of God and the Word of God.

3. Infilling- Ephesians 5:18 - The Spirit of God desires to fill our lives with His presence and power so that we might be able to serve the Lord in an abundant and glorious manner. (Ill. This is a command! We are told, "You go on being filled with the Spirit!"

4. Enabling - Acts 1:8 - What transformed the Disciples from a group of terrified men hiding in an upper room into a group of men who took the world by storm? The power of the Holy Spirit!

(Ill. The Spirit of God is a giver of gifts - 1 Cor. 12:7, 11.

5. Encouraging - John 14:18 - The Spirit of God carries out a blessed ministry of encouragement in the lives of God's children. He knows every trial we face and He is able to support us, aid us and keep us during all of life's difficult times. How is this possible? He is ever with us, Heb. 13:5; Matt. 28:20; He even helps us in our prayer lives - Rom. 8:26-27.

I. The Worth Of The Great Gift

II. The Work Of The Great Gift

III. 14:16-18 THE WONDER OF THE GREAT GIFT

(Ill. The fact that the Holy Spirit is a wonderful gift should be abundantly apparent by now. However, I would like to point out three great truths that illustrate the wonder of the great gift.)

A. V. 17 The Wonder Lies In His Presence In our Lives - Just the simple truth every child of God is a living, breathing Temple of God is astounding - 1 Cor. 6:19. Think about it, there is nowhere we can go and be separated from the presence of God. Everywhere we go, He goes in us! The key to experiencing this is learning to yield to him so that He won't just be in us, but that He will also be able to live through us.

B. V. 16 The Wonder Lies In His Permanence In Our Lives - Once and person is saved by the grace of God, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in that life. At the very instant of salvation, the Spirit of God is sealed in the heart of the believer and will remain there until this life is over - Eph. 4:30.

(Ill. Someone may ask about backsliders. When a person backslides, don't they lose their salvation and also the Holy Spirit? No! He will be quenched and He will be grieved, bu He is sealed inside the believers and He will abide there forever. You can't get away from Him - 2 Tim. 2:13.)

C. V. 16 The Wonder Lies In His Performance In Our Lives - As I said at the outset, the Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood, most neglected and most often ignored member of the Trinity. Yet, as far as our day to day lives are concerned, He is the most active in our lives and the One on Whom we are most dependent. Therefore, instead of ignoring Him and being afraid of Him, let's rejoice in the gift we have been given and allow him to have His way in our lives so that we might serve the Lord in a deeper, fuller way.

(Ill. His performance is astounding! He is able to take a man who is headed for Hell and who doesn't care about God, and take that man, bring him under conviction of sin, point him to Calvary and then save him by the grace of God. After he saves the lost man, he then takes that life that was so wicked and wretched and He turns it around and makes it a thing of honor and glory to the Lord, 2 Cor. 4:7. Then, He uses that new life to carry the Gospel to other sinners who need to meet the same life changing Savior, and the process begins again! To me, that is a thing of wonder!)

Conc: Where did this message find you today?

Did this message come to you as you are struggling in sin? Maybe you know that your are lost and that if you die, you will go to Hell. That is the Holy Spirit speaking to you. My challenge to you this morning is for you to come to this altar and for you to ask Jesus into your heart and life.

Did this message find you already saved, but living in your own power and energy? My challenge to you is also for you to come to this altar and confess you sins to the Lord and He will forgive you and use you again for His glory.

Did this message find you saved, but struggling with the difficulties and burdens of life? My challenge to you is that you also come to this altar and there lay your burdens out before the Lord who cares for you and who will come alongside of you in the Person of His Spirit and will help you through this difficult time.

Wherever the Lord may have found you this morning, please know that you do not have to remain there. Whatever your need is today, I challenge you to bring your life to Jesus and that you allow Him to do His great work in you. Why not come to Him and experience the great gift of the great gift giver right now?

Study of JOHN 15:1-11

John 15:1-11 JESUS: THE TRUE VINE

Sermon from Alan Carr

Intro: The last verse in chapter 14 tells us that Jesus and the Disciples are about to leave the upper room. They are headed to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus will pray His great High Priestly prayer and will later be arrested by the mob led by Judas. Apparently, Jesus speaks the words which make up chapters 15 and 16 in route to the garden.

In this chapter, Jesus is pictured for us as the True Vine. I can imagine Jesus and these men going through the darkened streets of the city and then passing beyond the walls into the surrounding countryside. During this time of year, mid April, the grape vines would be beginning to blossom with the promise of a fresh harvest. As Jesus walked with his Disciples, perhaps He reached out and took a vine in His hands and used it to teach an object lesson to His men. His desire is to teach them about the most vital relationship they have in their lives, the one that is with Jesus and His Father.

We might ask ourselves, "Why did Jesus give them this teaching now?" The answer is simple: They needed it! These men have just been informed that Jesus is going away, but that His work is going to continue, and that it is to continue through them and their lives, John 14:12. If they were to carry on the work of the Lord, then they needed to know how to produce that kind of fruit in their lives.

This morning, we are 2,000 years removed from that night, but the work of the Lord still marches forth. God is still working through the followers of Jesus Christ to accomplish His work and will in the world today. Many of us may sit here and wonder how we are supposed to do the work of the Lord and how we can produce that kind of fruit in our own lives. Well, the answer is found in these verses. Because this passage is all about being becoming a genuine Disciple and about how to bear fruit for the glory of the Lord. Let's take a few minutes this morning to view this portrait of Jesus: The True Vine and see how we can become more like Him.

I. V. 1-3 THE PERSONALITY OF THE TRUE VINE

A. The Genuineness Of The True Vine - Jesus and Jesus alone possesses life within Himself, John 14:6. All other vines are counterfeit. He alone is the true source of everlasting, abundant life.

B. The Gardener Of The True Vine - The word "husbandman" refers to the vine dresser, the gardener, the one who has the responsibility of caring for the vineyard. Jesus says that the Heavenly Father is the Gardener.

(Ill. The key phrase in verse 2 is "in me". This lets us know that we are dealing with genuine believers. Jesus is n't speaking about those who profess Christ and yet have never possessed Him, He is not talking about wheat and tares, but only wheat.)

The Gardener is involved in everything that has to do with the Vine. This verse zeros in on three specific duties the Gardener in regard to the Vine.

1. Protection - That is, the Gardener provides tender watch care and protection for the Vineyard. (Ill. Aren't you glad that the Lord sees it all? I praise the Lord for the sure knowledge that nothing passes the gaze of my heavenly Father - Pro. 15:3)

2. Purifying - The Gardener uses three primary methods of purifying his vineyard.

a. He Challenges The Branch - "Taketh away" means to lift up or to raise higher. That is, the Gardener will take the unfruitful branch and lift it from to dirt into which it has fallen giving it a better chance to be productive.

(Ill. On a personal level, this means that when we get to a place in our Christian lives where we are unfruitful and barren, the Lord will have to reach into our lives, disturbing our slumber and He will lift us up in an effort to challenge us and shock us to growth. There are times when the Lord can only accomplish this through chastisement. Which, if responded to with repentance, will help us to be fruitful for His glory. If, however, we choose to go on in our sins, there is a sin unto death, 1 John 5:16.)

(Ill. Has the Lord been challenging areas of your life? If so, do not run from His challenge. Instead of running from God, turn and run to Him. After all, His chastisement is always a proof of His love, Rev. 3:19, and of your relationship to Him, Heb. 12:8)

b. He Cleanses The Branch - That is, the Gardener removes things from the branch that sap it vitality and strength. Things like sucker branches, useless buds, misdirected shoots, spots, discolored leaves, etc. Anything that consumes life but produces no fruit must go!

(Ill. So it is in the life of the believer. When we allow things into our lives that hinder our walk with the Lord, then we are in danger of a pruning. Ill. "Pruning" by its very name sounds painful, and it isn't always easy to cut the junk from our lives, but if we do not do, the Lord surely will! Notice the advice given in Hebrews 12:1.)

(Ill. How is this pruning accomplished? By the Word of God - v. 3.)

1. Like a mirror, the Word of God reveals problems - James 1:23-24.

2. Like a knife, the Word of God cuts to the heart - Heb. 4:12.

(Ill. The question this morning is this, has the Lord been speaking to you through His Word? If so, have you been heeding the call from the Lord? If not, then I challenge you to allow the Lord to prune your life with His Word. If that is not accomplished, then he will take further and far more drastic measures.)

I. The Personality Of The True Vine

II. V. 2-8 THE PURPOSE OF THE TRUE VINE

A. V. 2 There Is A Distinct Purpose - The Vine has but one purpose: to produce fruit. The Vine exists for that purpose alone. Without the fruit, the vine and all of its efforts are wasted. The True Vine has a singular purpose and that is to bear fruit to the glory of the Lord.

B. V. 8 There Is A Distinguished Purpose - The reason the Vine desires to produce fruit is so that the vine dresser might receive the honor. When fruit is yielded in a vineyard, the Vine, the branches, the soil, even the fruit does not get the credit. All the glory passes on to the Gardener. So it is with the Lord Jesus. Everything He did and does was and is to glorify His Father.

(Ill. This ought to be the burning desire of every child of God this morning. That is, to so live our lives that every waking minute is bringing glory to the Father in Heaven, 1 Cor. 10:31. There is something wrong in any life when there is no desire to bring glory and hone to the God who loves us, sustains us and cares for us along the way.)

C. There Is A Delegated Purpose - Notice this truth. The Vine itself does not bear fruit! Its fruit are the branches. The branches have the obligation of bearing the fruit. The Vine supplies its life to the branches and they take that life and use it to bear fruit. Here is a word to the branches about our fruit bearing.

1. The Qualifications For Bearing Fruit - There are only 2.

a. V. 2 The Branch Must Be Attached To The Vine - If you are not in the Vine, then there is no way for you to share in the Vine's life. This is all about a vital union between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ, the True Vine.

(Ill. We need to recognize our standing this morning. If we are in the Vine, then we were in Him at Calvary and when He arose from the dead, Rom. 6. If that is the case, then our old man has been crucified and we have been raised to walk a new life in Jesus. If we are in Him, then we are in Him today, that is, we have already ascended to Heaven and are seated there in the Person of our blessed Savior - Eph. 2:6)

b. V. 4-5 The Branch Must Abide In The Vine - That is, we must maintain a close fellowship with the Vine if He is to live through us produce His fruit in our lives. This is only accomplished by "abiding" in Him! How does one abide? Prayer, studying the Word, deny self, draw nigh to God! The closer we abide to the Vine, the more His life can flow through us to produce the fruit He desires. (Is there any wonder that so many Christian lives are fruitless and barren? How would you describe your life this morning? Are you bearing much fruit for the Lord?)

c. V. 5 The Branch Must Be Available To The Vine - May I remind you that fruit bearing is a passive activity on the part of the branch? If the branch will simply abide in the Vine, then the Vine will most certainly produce its fruit. I don't know about you, but I find that truth liberating! I am not required to do anything but abide. It is the Vine's responsibility to produce His fruit in my life. That frees us from having to work and labor to get His approval. If we will yield, He will live through your life and mine!

(Ill. When we speak of fruit, what do we mean? What will be produced in our lives when we yield? How will we know if fruit is being produced through us? There are three basic fruits the Lord bears in the lives of His children. They are:

1. Sanctification - That is, we become more like Him - Rom. 6:22; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:10.

2. Spirituality - That is, we behave more like Him - Gal. 5:22-23.

3. Souls - That is, we are burdened like Him - Rom. 1:13.

2. The Quality Of Our Fruit - This is not the branches' responsibility! When we are abiding in the Vine and He is reproducing His life in us, we can rest assured that the fruit that is produced is honoring to the Lord. Again, this is a liberating truth!

3. The Quantity Of Our Fruit - Again, this is not the responsibility of the branch. Some will produce much, some will produce little. Which depends upon the will of the Vine. Our duty, to repeat myself, is to abide!

(Ill. However, it is clear from these verses that God anticipates a steady progression in the level of our fruitfulness. Notice verses 2 & 8 - no fruit, fruit, more fruit, much fruit! The closer we abide in the Vine, the more fruit He will yield through our lives.)

4. V. 6 The Quagmire Of Fruitlessness - Not every branch abides in the Vine as it should. It is still attached, but it has ceased to draw life from the Vine's fulness. As a result, it is fruitless and withered. When this happens, there will be three certain results.

a. Loss Of Fellowship - Cast out - Not Abiding (Ill. Cannot lose relationship. The withered branch still possesses the same nature as the Vine, but it is not longer attached in the sense of life drawing fellowship.

b. Loss Of Vitality - Withered - Possessing no life! Death and dried up. This describes many Christians this morning! It didn't use to be this way, but now there is deadness where there used to be life. There is weakness where there used to be power. There is emptiness where there used to be fullness. My counsel is for you to come back and renew that long fellowship. Once again start to draw that life giving juice from the Vine and begin again to produce fruit for Him.

c. Loss Of Reward - When this life is over, there will be many who name the name of Jesus and were unfruitful. They will experience the loss of every reward, 1 Cor. 3:13-15. Many think they will be content just to get to Heaven, but there should be a desire to have rewards to lay at His feet. Will you hear, "Well done?" Only if you are a fruitful branch!

I. The Personality Of The True Vine

II. The Purpose Of The True Vine

III. V. 7-11 THE PROMISE OF THE TRUE VINE

Those who abide in the True Vine can rest assured of certain precious and sure promises!

A. V. 7 An Unhindered Prayer Life - (John 14:13-14) Why? When we are abiding as we should be, and when we are drawing our life from Him, then His will will be our will. That is, every time we pray and every thing we pray for will fit perfectly with His will and He will grant our requests.

B. V. 9 An Unending Love - Jesus loves all men always, but those who are abiding in Him have entered into a special, ever-deepening relationship with Him. This is the promise of the Vine to the branches!

C. V. 11 An Uncommon Joy - (Ill. Joy is not happiness, which depends upon happenings, but it is a deep settled inner pleasure.) It is the deep settled assurance and confidence in our relationship with the Father and with His Christ that fills the heart with "joy unspeakable and full of glory", and that ignites the heart to serve God.

Note these truths about joy:

1. Joy is Divine in nature - It originates with God and is only given by God. It is absolutely unaffected by earthly or material things.

2. Joy is not dependent upon happiness - God's joy abides at all times, even the most difficult!

3. Joy is the product of faith - When one is assured of one's standing in Christ, joy is the result!

4. Joy in the Lord produces faithfulness to the Lord - Neh. 8:10, His joy is our strength and that which gives us courage for the battles.

Conc: Jesus is the True Vine. His desire is to live through you life so that you might bear fruit unto the Heavenly Father. As we close, there are a couple of questions that need to be asked right now.

1. Are you "in the Vine"? Have you ever been saved and grafted into Jesus?

2. Are you "abiding in the Vine"? Are you drawing your strength from Him so that He is able to produce is fruit through you life?"

3. Are you bearing His fruit today?

Where do you stand with Jesus today? If God has revealed areas in your life that need to be pruned back or other wise dealt with today, then I challenge you to come to Jesus and let Him take care of you need. If you have never been saved, please come and let me show you how you can be placed into the Vine and become a child of God. Is there a need? If so, Jesus is the supply! You come if the Lord has called you!

Study of JOHN 14:1-31

John 14:1-31 JESUS: THE GREAT ENCOURAGER

Sermon from Alan Carr

Intro: Notice the first phrase found in verse 1. Jesus says to His Disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled..." On the surface, that may not appear to be such a great blessing, but when you consider that at this moment, Jesus is on the eve of His death and is standing in the very shadow of Calvary, yet He takes the time to encourage His Disciples. Were their hearts troubled? Certainly! Jesus has just told them of His impending death, 13:31-33; they had just learned that one of their number is going to betray Jesus into the hands of the enemy, 13:21; even Simon Peter has just been notified that he will deny Jesus three times before the morning comes. Yes, their hearts are heavy with sorrow and burdened with grief and questions. But, even in the hour of His greatest trial, Jesus still loved His own, 13:2, and reached out to them to comfort them and encourage them.

Now, it would be impossible to adequately cover every detail of the glorious chapter in one message. However, I would like to dive right into these verses this morning and lift out a portrait of Jesus: The Great Encourager. In this great chapter, Jesus addresses some very important areas of life and offers us hope in each of them today. In the hour of His greatest need, He takes the time to encourage the hearts of His Disciples, and of every person who takes the time to read and heed these words from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Join me this morning as we encounter Jesus: The Great Encourager.

I. V. 2-3 THERE IS HOPE FOR TOMORROW

He Speaks Of:

A. v. 2 A Heavenly Home - Jesus tells us about a prepared place for a prepared people! While we cannot go into great detail about the wonders of that Heavenly City this morning, I can tell you that when we arrive there, we will be home! We will dwell in the Father's House, in the Father's presence free from sin, sorrow, suffering, separation or any other thing that would hinder the glory of Heaven, Rev. 21:4; 27. Try as I might, I could never adequately describe the glories of that place. I think Paul summed up the concept pretty well in 1 Cor. 2:9. I look forward to entering that city some day!

(Ill. Barring the return of Jesus in the Rapture, the only way to get to Heaven is through the avenue of death. Isn't it interesting that Jesus would speak of Heaven as "Home"? Often people are frightened by the prospect of dying. Yet, for the child of God, death is not the end, it is simply a time to go home! This was the attitude of Paul - 2 Cor. 12:2-4. Paul had seen it, couldn't find the vocabulary to describe what he had seen, therefore he was reduced to telling us that whatever was over there was "far better" than what we have down here, Phil. 1:23.)

B. V. 3 A Heavenly Hope - In this verse, Jesus reminds us that there will come a day when He will return for His people. There are some who do not believe in the Rapture of the church, however the Lord does and I'll just stick with Him! Paul sheds a little more light on this monumental event in 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thes. 4:16-17. Men may doubt it, and men may mock it, but Jesus is going to come again and the best advise I have for you is for you to be ready, Matt. 24:44!

(Ill. The story is told of British House Of Commons member Benjamin Disraeli. It is said that when Disraeli was elected to Parliament, he was considered somewhat of an odd fellow. In his mannerisms and in his attire, he stood out from the rest of the members. Added to this was the fact that he was a Jew. When he arose to make his first speech before Parliament, he was mocked so loudly and so uproariously by the others Members of Parliament that he was forced to sit down. Before he sat down, however, he said this, "I will sit down now, but you will hear from me again."

In a very real sense, this is what Jesus is saying. He is telling these men, "I am going away, but you will hear from me again." In fact, the last recorded words of our Lord were given to John on the Isle of Patmos. In that statement, Jesus said this, "Surely, I come quickly.", Rev. 22:20.)

C. V. 3 A Heavenly Homecoming - Now, the Disciples are upset with the notion that Jesus is going away. Therefore, He tells them that where He is going, they can come also. Thank God this morning, the greatest glory of Heaven will not be golden streets, jasper walls, angelic hosts, crystal rivers, an endless day, or even seeing those who have gone on before. Even the thought of all these wonders pales when placed alongside that which will thrill our hearts more than anything else. That thing that excites me more than anything else. That one wonder that I most anticipate is the day when I shall at last look upon the face of the One who dies for my sins on Calvary, when I shall at last have the opportunity to bow at His nail riven feet and shout His praises in that Heavenly City on High.

What a day that will be,

when my Jesus I shall see.

When I look upon His face,

the One who saved me by His grace.

When He takes me by the hand,

and leads me through that promised land,

What a day, glorious day, that will be!


John saw Him and described Him this way, Rev. 1:13-19. However, the greatest description ever penned about our risen Lord is found in Rev. 5:6. That is the Jesus we will behold in glory!

I. There Is Hope For Tomorrow

II. V. 4-31 THERE IS HELP FOR TODAY

There is a help from Jesus in the matter of:

A. V. 4-11 Salvation - In these verses, Jesus tells the Disciples that there is only one plan of salvation for all men. He tells Thomas that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He declares Himself to be the only access to God for any man! He goes beyond that revelation and says that He is in fact the very physical representation of Almighty God, v. 9. Boiled down to its very simplest terms, Jesus is the only means of salvation for all humanity! Acts 4:12 Acts 16:31; John 3:16, all bear testimony to the truth that salvation is found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone.

(Ill. I realize that this is a pretty narrow view for our day and time, but it is a view that is taught by the Bible. Many feel that there are various routes one can take to reach God. Yet the Bible makes it clear that there is but one way for all men and that way is through faith in finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary! Jesus blazed the trail from earth to Heaven so that sinners might come to him by faith ane be saved.)

(Ill. A pioneer missionary in Africa tells how he was taking the gospel to a new tribe, far to the north. With his bearers, he arrived at a village, a point beyond which his porters refused to go. The missionary appealed to the local chief . Was there someone in his village who could act as his guide to the distant northern tribe? The chief summoned a man, tall, battle scarred, carrying a large axe. A bargain was made and the next morning the missionary set off through the bush, following his new guide. The way became increasingly rough and the path had all,? but disappeared. There was an occasional mark blazed on a tree, occasionally a narrow path. Finally the missionary called a halt. He asked the guide if he was sure he knew the way. The man pulled himself up to his full height. "White man," he said, "you see this axe in my hand? You see these scars on my body? With this axe I blazed the trail to the tribal village to which we go. I came from there. These scars I received when I made the way You ask me if I know the way? Before I came, there was no way. I am the way!"(1))

In this passage, Jesus gives us a threefold assurance:

1. How can I be saved? He is the Way!

2. How can I be sure? He is the Truth!

3. How can I be satisfied? He is the Life!

Thank God, Jesus is all you will ever need in the matter of your soul's salvation!

B. V. 12-14 Service - As we live in the here and now, we can rest assured that Jesus will aid us in His work. He gives us a threefold promise related to the matter of our service.

1. V. 12 He will Honor Us - Jesus declares that we will be able to do greater works than those which He did. What He means is that they will be greater in quantity, but not in quality! When Jesus was here, He was limited to one geographical locality. However, when He ascended back to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His people, He has the ability to be in many places working at the same time. While Jesus was on the earth, many of His miracles were physical in nature. Now, He uses His children to bring the Word of salvation to lost men. That is a tremendous miracle! For that which is spiritual is always greater than that which is physical!

2. V. 13-14 He Will Hear Us - Here we are given the blessed assurance that when we call upon the name of the Lord, He will hear us and will move in the time of our need. It makes serving Jesus much easier to know that we do not serve alone, but that we have His presence and His attention to our prayers. We serve a prayer hearing and prayer answering God, Jer. 33:3.

3. V. 13-14 He Will Help Us - Not only does Jesus promise to hear our prayers, but He also promises to move in such a way as to bring about and answer. He listens than He goes to work on our behalf! I am glad that we do not serve a God who has left us to make it the best way we can. No! We serve a Lord who is able to help us by giving us that which we need day by day! (Ill. Matt. 7:7-8)

C. V. 15, 19-24 Surrender - In these verses, Jesus speaks of about the area of our surrender to His authority. He declares that our surrender to Him should be based in love! He tells us that 2 great truths that must not go unnoticed.

1. V. 15, 21, 24 The Proof Of Love - Jesus makes it crystal clear that our obedience to Him and His word is the absolute proof of our love to Him. Our lips can say what they please, but until our lives match our lips, we are only deceiving ourselves!

2. V. 21, 23 The Promise Of Love - The promise to those who are obedient to the Lord Jesus and His will for their lives is that He and the Father will manifest themselves to them. That is, the believer who walks in obedient, surrendered love will experience and influx of power from on high. The promise of love is that surrender bring with it great authority in the work of Christ. Matt. 25:21.

D. V. 16-18, 26 The Spirit - These verses tell of the coming of the Holy Spirit. We are given several truths about Him and His ministry to believers that need to be looked into today.

1. V. 16a, 18 His Person - Jesus promised the Disciples that when He went to the Father, He would ask the Father to send the "Comforter." This Comforter is none other than the Holy Spirit. There are some facts about this divine Person that we need to acknowledge.

A. His Title - Comforter - "paraklete" - One who comes alongside another to offer protection and counsel. It carries the idea of and advocate, or a lawyer. The Holy Spirit is our divine "paraklete."

B. His Personality - Another - "allos" - Literally another of the same kind or quality. Jesus was a Comforter Himself, but the Spirit of God is Another Comforter. One just like Jesus.

C. His Ability - v. 17 - Jesus was able to abide with the Disciples and had been for 3 years. Now, through the coming of the Holy Spirit, He will not abide with them, but He shall abide in them. Hence, Jesus has the ability to promise every child of God that He will never leave them nor forsake them, but that He will be with always, Heb. 13:5; Matt. 28:20.

2. V. 16b His Permanence - When the Spirit of God takes up residence in the heart of the believer, He comes in to stay forever! As long as this life lasts here on earth, the Spirit of God will never desert the child of God. He will ever be present and ever be guiding us as we walk through this wicked, sin cursed world!

3. V. 17, 21, 26 His Purpose - The purpose of the Spirit in the believer's life is manifold. These verses tell us all about His plans for us and His purpose in coming into us at conversion.

A. To Indwell - v. 17 - At the moment of salvation, the believer literally becomes the Temple of God. God, in the form of His Spirit, comes in and takes up permanent residence. He dwells in the life of the believer! Just take a minute and let that truth sink in! Our problem is that we have become so familiar with the deep truths of the Bible that they no long hold much luster for us. We fail to see the glory in the thought that God lives in our hearts!

B. To Invest - v. 21 - That is, He fills us with the power to live and to labor for the Lord. Without Him, we would be able to accomplish nothing of glory for Jesus sake. However, with Him filling us and leading us we have the ability to accomplish things that would otherwise be impossible - Phil. 4:13.

C. To Instruct - v. 26 - One purpose of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to instruct us in the things of God. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches about the Bible. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the deep things of God unto us. It is He the Holy Spirit who teaches us how to reach our fullest potential for the glory of God. He is a divine Instructor!

D. To Inspire - v. 26 - Again, we are reminded that He is an encourager. When we become discouraged, the Holy Spirit in our soul rises up and wraps the comforting arms of Heavenly love and protection around us and reminds that we belong to Him. He encourages us to keep on running, to keep on going, to keep on living for Jesus. He inspires us to press forward for the glory of the Lord.

E. V. 27-31 Stillness - As Jesus brings the thoughts of chapter 14 to a close, He speaks to the Disciples troubled hearts once again. He reminds them that He is still the Prince of Peace and that just because He is leaving, that doesn't mean that He will remove His peace. Here, Jesus tells the Disciples that even though their world is about to be shattered, they can face it with the assurance that they have His peace to keep them during the difficult hours ahead.

(Ill. May I remind you that we have the same assurance today? Our world is in turmoil, there is uncertainty all around. Yet, through it all, the saints of God are possessed of a peace that defies all description. According to Jesus this peace is Heavenly in origin, therefore it cannot be affected by the events of earth. Our response in times of trouble is to lean on the peace of Jesus and trust Him to take care of His own - Phil. 4:6-7; Isa. 26:3)

Conc: I thank the Lord today for Jesus: The Great Encourager! I am glad that when I do not understand what is going to happen, when it seems that everything is falling apart, when I don't know which way to turn, I can count on Jesus! He has given us all we need today. Whether the need is for salvation of for peace of heart, the remedy will be found in Him. I invite you to come to Jesus today and cast your cares upon Him. Whatever you face today, you do not have to face it alone. Will you come to Jesus: The Great Encourager right now and find the help you need?

Study of JOHN 13:1-20

John 13:1-20 JESUS: THE HUMBLE SERVANT
Sermon from Alan Carr

Intro: The last night of Jesus' earthly ministry was very eventful. He prayed His great High Priestly prayer, taught His Disciples many valuable truths, observed the Passover meal with His Disciples and was betrayed into the hands of His enemies. Through all of this, Jesus knows that in the morning, He will go to Calvary and die on a cross for the sin of humanity. His is a bitter cup! However, before He begins the events of the evening, before they come to the table to eat their last meal together, Jesus takes some time to teach these men a lesson in servanthood that still speaks to us today. In these verses, Jesus reveals His heart and His mission. He proves to these men that He did not come to be served, but to serve, Mark 10:45. In showing Himself to be a servant of men, Jesus left us a vivid portrait of the kind of heart we are to have for others. In these verses, among other things, we will find out that God's will for our lives is that we learn to give ourselves in service to others. As we look into these verses today, I challenge you to let the Lord speak to your heart. It may be that you will be able to see yourself as you really are today and if you do, then you can come to the Lord and let Him fix whatever may be wrong in your life. Let's take the next few minutes and consider Jesus: The Humble Servant.

I. V. 1-5; 18-20 THE WORK OF THE HUMBLE SERVANT

A. V. 1 The Love Of The Humble Servant - This verse tells us that Jesus knows He is nearing the end of His earthly ministry. He knows that He is about to go to the cross and suffer for sin. He knows the end is near. Yet, through it all, His heart is still overcome with love for His Disciples. The Bible says, that He loved them "unto the end." That is, Jesus loved them perfectly, unconditionally and eternally. His love never wavered, even in the hour of His own crisis.

(Ill. What a great encouragement this is for you and me! You see, Jesus loves us with the same kind of love with which He loved His Disciples. Jeremiah tells us that it is an everlasting love, Jer. 31:3. Paul tells us that nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus - Rom, 8:38-39. Regardless of what transpires in your life and mine, we are loved perfectly, unconditionally and eternally with the awesome, agape love of Almighty God!)

B. V. 3 The Life Of The Humble Servant - This verse speaks of the life of Jesus. When He came into this world, He came as One sent from God to live a sinless life and become sin for fallen men, 2 Cor. 5:21. He has accomplished everything but the cross and He knows that after the cross, He will return to His Father and once again share in the glory of Heaven.

(Ill. Jesus had one purpose when He came to this world and that purpose was to die for sin - Luke 19:10; John 18:37. Note: He accomplished His purpose on behalf of every man! He did this because of His great love for you. In fact, the cross is the absolute, indisputable proof of His love - Rom. 5:6-8! You may discount everything else God has ever done for you and write it off as luck or whatever, but you will never be able to shrug off the death of Jesus on the cross for your sins! The cross stands as a monument to the awesome love of God for you and me.)

C. V. 2, 4-5 The Labor Of The Humble Servant - In these verses, we see the Master doing the work of a slave. In those days, it was customary for a slave to wash the feet of visitors. To not provide this kindness would be considered uncivilized and inhospitable. Apparently, there were no servants available to do this job for Jesus and His Disciples, so Jesus Himself gets up from the table, removes His outer garment, pours Himself a basin of water and begins to wash the feet of the Disciples. I can imagine the amazement that must have filled their minds and faces as their Lord washed their dirty feet one by one. Yet, as incredible as this scene is, Jesus was doing something here that was unknown to all but one of the Disciples. He was washing the feet of the very man who would, later that same evening, betray Him to His enemies.

(Ill. Jesus knew the heart of Judas! He knew that this man had never been saved - John 6:64; 70. Just because Satan "put" the thought into Judas' heart to betray the Lord does not indicate that Judas was somehow saved and then lost his salvation. For Jesus Himself had already indicated that Judas was not one of His true followers!)

(Ill. Instead of focusing on some minor doctrinal issue, we should instead see the great truth contained here. That truth is this, even though Jesus knew the heart of Judas, even though He knew his motives, even though He knew His plans, still He loved Him and offered Him several opportunities to repent before it was too late. Even at this point, it was not too late for Judas to have been saved. Notice verses 18 and 20-27. In these verses, Jesus repeatedly shows Judas that He knows what he is up to. Jesus is giving Judas an opportunity to turn his life over to Christ. Jesus even served Judas as a slave would his master. His love never failed!)

(Ill. What a lesson for every person in this room today, but especially those who are outside Jesus Christ. Please understand that His love for you will never end! You may reject every attempt of Jesus to call you unto Himself, but rest assured that no matter how many times you rebuff His efforts, you will never be able to turn off His love for you and for your soul. In fact, He has already humbled Himself on your behalf, when He went to the cross and died for you!)

I. The Work Of The Humble Servant

II. V. 6-11 THE WORD OF THE HUMBLE SERVANT

A. V. 6-9 A Word For Simon

1. V. 6-7 Simon Peter's Shock - When Jesus makes His way around to Simon Peter, Peter is incredulous! He simply cannot believe that the Lord would want to serve Him.

(Ill. I stand amazed when I consider all that the Lord has done, is doing and will do in my life. That He would love me so is beyond my comprehension. After all, there is no merit in any one of us to commend us to God. If we got what we deserved, we would all be in Hell today, but thank God He doesn't give us that which we deserve, He gives that which we do not! Salvation and all the benefits of it are the products of God's grace. We enjoy what we do, not because we deserve it, but because God gives it even though we don't, Eph. 2:8-9. Notice that nobody is too bad for grace - Rom. 5:20.)

2. V. 8 Simon Peter's Stubbornness - When Peter hears that Jesus is really planning to do this, he responds with a triple negative. He tells the Lord, in effect, "you will never, no, never wash my feet!" This is the equivalent of irreverence. After all, the first condition of discipleship is obedience. Peter is simply refusing to submit to the Lord and he does so through a display of false humility. However, Jesus reminds him of a great truth. Unless a man is willing to submit to the commandments of the Lord, he can have no fellowship with the Lord - John 14:15; 21. Obedience is the proof of love.

(Ill. We may tend to feel ashamed when the Lord blesses us, because we know we do not deserve His goodness and grace. Yet, at the same time, we should gratefully accept His gifts and praise Him for them. True fellowship with Jesus is found only in humble submission to His plan. Even when that plan seems to contain the opposite of humility.)

3. V. 9 Simon Peter's Submission - When Peter hears this gentle rebuke, he throws himself before the Lord and says, "If washing my feet will bring me closer to you, then don't stop there, but wash all of me!"

(Ill. This is the attitude of surrender that God can bless! He wants us in a place where we are looking to His and His will before anything other consideration. Think about it for a moment. What is it that motivates you? Peter was motivated by the thought of being closer to the Lord. Does that move you? If you are right with God it will! If it doesn't then that is an indication that there is definite room for improvement in your walk with the Lord.)

B. V. 10-11 A Word For All Saints - Jesus is telling Peter that when a man has washed his entire person, louw, and he gets his feet soiled by walking through the streets, all he needs at that point is to wash, niptw, just the feet.) The image here is crystal clear for the believer. When we received Jesus as our personal Savior, He forever washed us from our sins - Rev. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:18-19. We have been eternally cleansed from head to toe already through His cleansing blood. However, as we walk through life, we tend to fall into sin and we need cleansing. Not for the entire person, since that was accomplished when we were saved and can never be repeated. But, just for that particular stain we gathered when we sinned in our daily walk. This is where 1 John 1:7 - 2:2 comes into play (1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1:8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1:10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

(Ill. Jesus is teaching us that we do not need to get re-saved every time we sin, but we do need to come to Him for forgiveness and restoration of fellowship. You see, if you allow yourself to go on in sin, you will keep widening the breach between you and the Lord. The secret to true spiritual joy is the practice of instant confession of sins and failures before the throne of grace. You see, Jesus is still washing feet this afternoon!)

(Ill. We need a heart like David's - Psalm 32:5 "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.")

(Ill. Please note that while Jesus said that the Disciples were clean, He also knew the condition of Judas! It is impossible to hide your condition from the all seeing eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows what we are and He knows when we are just religious. He knows when we are hypocritical, and He knows when we are insincere about of faith. He knows whether you are saved or not. You might fool the rest of us, but you will never pull the wool over Jesus' eyes!)

I. The Work Of The Humble Servant

II. The Word Of The Humble Servant

III. V. 12-17 THE WISDOM OF THE HUMBLE SERVANT

A. V. 12-15 Jesus Gave An Example - Jesus set the standard by which everyone of His servant is to live their lives. In this action of Jesus, we can see Him showing His followers that we are all expected to serve one another.

(Ill. His Disciples had been guilty of arguing about who would be first in the Kingdom of Heaven - Luke 22:24 They were all concerned over

Who would be the greatest in Heaven, but Jesus reminded them that true greatness is a great paradox. Men never earn the respect of others by forced obedience, but they earn the respect of others by first being a servant - Mark 10:42-44 42 "But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them." 43 "But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:" 44 "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.")

Jesus says that the path to greatness is trough humility. This is one of the great paradoxes of the faith! There are several others. The way to life is through death. The way to get is to give. The way to greatness is by becoming a servant to others. Let's face it, there are not many genuine servant ministers around these days. Everyone, it seems, is looking to get all they can. However, this attitude is diametrically opposed to that of our Lord. He was willing to make Himself the servant of all, and as a result, God has exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name, Phil. 2:5-11!

B. V. 16 Jesus Gave An Exhortation - The lesson here is simple. If Jesus was willing to be a servant, then all of His followers ought to be willing to serve as well.

(Ill. Notice that Jesus just didn't serve the ones He preferred. It might have been easy to wash John's feet. After all, John was the "Beloved Disciple." Yet, John and his brother James were always trying to get just a little bit ahead of the others. What about Simon Peter? He was the one who would deny Him three times before dawn. What about Thomas? He was the one who would doubt the word of the others and refuse to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. What about Judas? He was the one who for 30 pieces of silver would sell His Lord to the enemies. Jesus didn't allow any of the considerations to cloud His love or His service! He treated them all equally and, in doing so, taught us a tough lesson.) (Ill. We all have people that we seem to connect with and we have no trouble serving these folks. However, the true servant soon learns that he must serve all and serve them equally. The true servant is not allowed to pick favorites, but must have the heart of Christ and be willing to serve his enemies just as readily as he serves his friends!)

Matt 5:43-48

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

(Can we honestly say this morning that we serve all men alike? Not if we hold grudges. Not if we remember slights. Not if we think ourselves above others.)

C. V. 17 Jesus Gave An Expectation - Jesus says that if we know these things, we will be "happy" if we do them! Happy means "Blessed." When we take the example of Jesus and out it into action, we can be assured of the Lord's blessing on our lives. In fact, there will come a time when there will be no greater joy than that of being able to serve another in the name of the Lord!

(Ill. By the same token, not to serve when we know we should serves the opposite purpose. For if you know to do good, then you are sinning when you do not - James 4:17!)

(Ill. Why do we seem to find it so difficult to serve another human? Why does it seem to strain us so? Jesus never had a problem with serving. It came as natural to Him as breathing does to you and me. God help us to develop a servant's heart. That is, we need to get to the place where we are more concerned with the welfare of our neighbor than we are of our own - Phil. 2:4. We need to reach the place where we are more concerned with promoting our brother than we are ourselves. I don't know about you, but I have a lot of work to do in this area!)

Conc: Jesus left us a wonderful example to follow. His was a life lived in the service of others. If you were to sum up your life this morning, could you honestly say that others come before you in your thinking and your serving? Can you honestly say that you are following the Lord's example to the best of your ability? Or, maybe like the Disciples, you would have to confess that you are often guilty of promoting yourself over others. Whatever the need this morning dear brothers and sisters, there is hope and help in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It may be that some here are just like Judas. You are in the church this morning surrounded by the all the trappings of Christianity, yet like Judas you have never truly been saved by the faith in the Lord Jesus. You have a name that you are one of His, but you know deep down in your heart that you do not really know Him. There is hope for you too! Like Judas, Jesus loves you and will save you if you will come to Him right now. Will you respond as the Lord leads you this morning?