John - BridgeWay Christian Church

01 - Introduction: The Son Of God

September 20, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Known as the “Fourth Gospel,” the Book of JOHN recounts the eyewitness testimony of the apostle John concerning the public ministry of Jesus Christ. His retelling of events present a higher Christology than the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) in that he expounds upon Jesus as the incarnation of God—the divine Logos (Word)—through whom all things were made. Further distancing itself from the synoptics, JOHN focuses largely on the miracles of Christ (thereby substantiating Christ's deity) rather than on the Lord’s teaching parables. In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

02 - The Divine Word

September 27, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Mark began his gospel with the baptism of Jesus; Matthew and Luke, with the Lord's birth. John, however, outdoes them all by starting at the true beginning—with creation itself. In the Prologue to his gospel, John identifies Jesus Christ as the pre-existent logos, or Word, who is the Creator of all that is. The first five verses in chapter 1 reveal, in profound fashion, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the logos made flesh (v.14). In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

03 - The Lamp & The Light

October 4, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

God sent John the Baptist as a forerunner to Christ, to be a herald and sign that the Messiah had come. John was not the Light; rather, he was a lamp that reflected the Light, and for which he bore witness. More than just a testimonial, however, John 1:618 reminds us that becoming children of God is the work of God alone and that unbelievers are without excuse. Do you agree? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

04 - The Testimony Of John (Part 1)

October 18, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. But how, exactly, did he do that? In two ways: First, John the Baptist told his countrymen that, although he was not the Messiah, the Messiah had indeed arrived. And, second, he baptized the penitent in water. Being baptized by John demonstrated a recognition of one's sin and a desire for spiritual cleansing, But why was such a ritual necessary to prepare the way for the Messiah? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

05 - Interviewed By The Savior

October 25, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Although Jesus did not officially call his disciples into service until later in his ministry (Matt 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11), John includes a brief prelude which depicts the Lord’s first interaction with Peter, Andrew, Philip, Nathanael, and a fifth unnamed disciple (John). In the same way that Jesus interacted with these men, wooing and challenging them, so he also interacts with us and bids us to follow him daily in his kingdom. In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

06 - Christ's First Miracle

November 1, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Contrary to popular opinion, miracles in the Bible are infrequent. And on those rare occasions when they did occur, it was typically to substantiate the divine authority of the men who performed them. And so it was with Jesus. It was in Cana in Galilee that the Lord first revealed his glory to his disciples by miraculously turning water into wine. It is the one miracle of Jesus that is distinct from all his others. But how so exactly? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

07 - The First Temple Cleansing

November 8, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Enraged at Israel’s religious authorities for turning the temple into a flea market of sorts, Jesus purified God’s house by throwing out the barterers. His actions were reminiscent of Nehemiah who overturned the furniture of Tobiah the Ammonite who had, with the cooperation of the High Priest, leased out the storerooms of the temple, depriving the Levites of their rations (Neh. 13:1-10). But why did Jesus introduce himself to Israel in such a provocative way? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

08 - Jesus & Nicodemus: The New Birth

November 15, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Every sincere seeker knows instinctively that there must be something more to life than the life they live; a great spiritual truth yet to be discovered. That was the case with Nicodemus, a leading Pharisee in Israel, who came to Jesus at night for private counsel. In talking to the Savior, the Pharisee was told that unless a person is "born again" they cannot see the kingdom of God, much less enter it. But what exactly did the Lord mean by that cryptic statement? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

09 - The Testimony Of John (Part 2)

November 22, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Pride is arguably the deadliest and evil of all sins because it’s at the root of all other sins. If anyone easily could have fallen into the trap of pride, it was John the Baptist. Who else in history (apart from Jesus) could claim to have been filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb (cf. Luke 1:15)? And yet when the time came for John the Baptist to take a "backseat,” to promote the Lord rather than himself, he did not hesitate. He humbled himself by unceremoniously stepping aside. In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

10 - Jesus & The Samaritan Woman

December 6, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

We don't know her name or her age. But our Lord's conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4:1-26 is his longest one-onone chat recorded in Scripture. She typifies many today who worship God superficially rather than authentically. Consequently, her sinful life and abhorrent beliefs made her a target of ridicule. Yet Jesus chose to engage her rather than condemn her! Do you dismiss certain people as lost causes, or do you see them as worthy of knowing about the gospel? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

11 - The Savior Of The World

December 13, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Not everything Jesus taught was easy to understand. In John 4, the Lord was once again forced to explain his words to his disciples, particularly his explanation that the food on which he survived was his divine commission (to do the will of God). This cryptic statement led to his metaphor about the harvest season of souls, represented by the Samaritans who were stampeding toward him at that very moment (much to the dismay of the disciples). What exactly did this revival mean? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

12 - Jesus & The Royal Official

December 20, 2015 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

There are few things more heartrending than a parent pleading for the life of their child. The royal official in John 4:43-54 was such a parent! What a shock it must have been for him, after making the 20-mile journey, to realize that Christ would not accompany him back to Capernaum to heal his son. Worse yet, by refusing to go, our Lord’s response to this official’s plea for help appeared cold-hearted. How can Jesus respond so harshly to a father who is only trying to save the life of his son? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

13 - Sabbath Breaker

January 10, 2016 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

It is often said that ‘popularity breeds contempt’—meaning that inasmuch as someone is successful they are likely to also be resented. Why? One person’s success can remind another of their failures. In the case of Jesus, his year of popularity came to an end when, while walking poolside on the Sabbath, he healed an invalid. But why did such a popular act breed the resentment of the Jewish authorities? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

14 - Like Father, Like Son

January 17, 2016 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

Excited by his astonishing miracles and powerful preaching, people flocked to Jesus from everywhere just to get a glimpse of him. His popularity had reached a fever pitch, and crowds of considerable size followed his every move. But John 5 marks the beginning of the end, as the nation's attitude toward Jesus started to shift. But why? How could such mass popularity turn into reservation and then outright rejection? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.

15 - Evidence That Demands A Verdict

January 24, 2016 • Pastor Ronald H. Gann

The Lord’s opponents refused to accept his divine authority and his claim to be the Son of God. They demanded lofty evidence and a credible witness. In response, Jesus pointed them to the Old Testament prophecies, the testimony of John the Baptist, the witness of his Father, and his own miracles as proof of his claims. But the Jewish leadership refused to believe. Why? Was there something more that Jesus could have done? In this sermon series, Pastor Ronald H. Gann looks at the life of the Savior through the inspired prism of the beloved apostle John.