The Gospel of John
The Word Dwelt Among Us
Follow Me
December 12, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 21
After the arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial, and glorious resurrection of Jesus (John chapters 18-20), one would think that John would have said all that needed to be said. Yet, there was one matter that needed to be dealt with - Peter’s restoration. You see, Peter denied the Lord in a public setting so his restoration needed to be in a public forum also. In this chapter, there are several themes that reminded Peter of Jesus’ call to “Follow Me.” We are fishers of men — obey Him, vv. 1-14. We are shepherds — love Him, vv. 15-17. We are disciples — follow Him, vv. 18-25. Regardless of our past sins, failures, and mistakes, always remember “failure is NOT final.”
Changed Lives
December 5, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 19:38—20:31
TAP "NOTES" TO TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. Popular author Max Lucado wrote in the first chapter of his book Just Like Jesus, “God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.” The process of this ongoing transformation is called sanctification. The scriptural statement of this truth is 2 Corinthians 3:18. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another . . .” In today’s passage, this transforming power of Jesus is seen in a steady stream of people. Ask yourself if one of these fits your situation. Joseph & Nicodemus — from cowardice to courage, 19:38-42. Peter & John — from fear to faith, 20:1-10. Mary Magdalene — from despair to hope, 20:11-18. The Disciples — from sorrow to joy, 20:19-23. Thomas — from unbelief to belief, 20:24-29. The purpose of the book — from death to life, 20:30-31. Did you see yourself in one of these groups? Look to the Savior and receive a changed life.
Jesus on the Cross
November 28, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 19:17–37
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. Although the Romans did not invent crucifixion as a form of capital punishment, they perfected it. Our English word “excruciating” means “out of the cross.” Death by crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminals. One of the privileges of being a Roman citizen was that they were exempt from this type of execution. In today’s passage, we see Jesus on the cross. There are five powerful messages conveyed by Jesus on the cross. • On the cross His ______ was announced, vv. 17-22. • On the cross His ______ was shown, vv. 25-27. • On the cross His ______ was declared, vv. 29-30. • On the cross His ______ was demonstrated, v. 30. • On the cross the ______ was fulfilled, vv. 23-24, 28, 31-37. If you ever begin questioning God’s love for you, look at Jesus on the cross. He did that for you!
The Fellowship of His Sufferings
November 21, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 19:1–16
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. In His suffering for us, Jesus provided an example of our sufferings for Him. “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). In John 19 we read of Christ’s sufferings for us. The first 16 verses describe the pre-cross suffering. In these, we discover how we can follow Christ’s example when called upon to suffer. • Jesus was _____ by the Romans, vv. 1-3. • Jesus was _____ by the Jews, vv. 4-7. • Jesus was _____ by Pilate, vv. 8-16. “Pilate had to choose. Tiberius or Jesus? The kingdoms of earth or the kingdom of heaven? Power or truth?” (Chuck Swindoll, John, p. 362)
Certainties to Take to Court
November 14, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 18:28–40
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. Trials are supposed to be that which determine truth. A court that has a pre-determined outcome is called a “kangaroo court.” Jesus had just experienced this kind of court in John 18:12-27. The Jews then sent Jesus to the civil authorities represented by Pontius Pilate. In this trial, three facts emerged that are relevant to our lives today. 1. God’s ____ will be accomplished, vv. 28-32. 2. God’s ____ will be established, vv. 33-36. 3. God’s ____ will be manifested, vv. 37-38. What is YOUR verdict concerning Jesus? Would you choose the robber over the Redeemer?
Jesus: The Reason Failure Isn’t Final with God
November 7, 2021 • John 18:1–24
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. I. JESUS KNOWINGLY WENT TO THE GARDEN: John 18:1-3 A. Knowing He must _____ B. Knowing He must be _____ II. JESUS KNOWINGLY ACCEPTED THE CONSEQUENCE OF: John 18:4-8, John 18:19-24 A. stepping forward B. identifying Himself C. protecting His own D. going before the high priest Jesus knowingly offered Himself to be arrested, tried, and eventually crucified for humanity so that failure in your life and my life would not be final with God. Specifically for those who have trusted what Jesus did on the cross to pay for their sin.
A Case Study in Failure
October 31, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 18:1–27
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, the Twelve Apostles — what do all these men have in common? EVERY ONE of them failed the Lord. Some of them were especially close to God. Abraham was called “a friend of God” and David was “a man after God’s own heart.” Yet they failed. Woven into the account of Jesus’ arrest and trial is a case study of Peter’s failure. His downward slide began hours before the events of John 18. He boasted too _____ (John 13:36-38). He prayed too _____ (Mark 14:36-37). He acted too _____ (John 18:10-11). He followed too _____ (John 18:15-18). He remembered too _____ (John 18:25-27). Do you find yourself on one of the steps to the downward slide of failure? Let Peter’s failure serve as a warning to all of us!
The Real Lord’s Prayer: Jesus Prays for His Future Disciples
October 24, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 17:20–26
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. For the last two weeks, we have been listening to Jesus pour out His heart to the Father. He prayed that He would be glorified and that in turn, He would glorify the Father (vv. 1-8). Then He turned His attention to His immediate disciples (vv. 9-19). He requested that they would be one, have His joy, be protected from the evil one, and be set apart. Finally, Jesus prayed for us (v. 20)! What was included in Jesus’ prayer for His future followers? As Jesus peered into the future of His church, He prayed specifically for three crucial needs. 1. Jesus prayed for our _____ _____, vv. 21-23. 2. Jesus prayed for our _____ _____ , v. 24. 3. Jesus prayed for our _____ _____, vv. 25-26. Does your life bear witness that God the Father sent the Son into the world?
The Real Lord’s Prayer: Jesus Prays for His Present Disciples
October 17, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 17:9–19
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. When one approaches death the really important things take on added significance. It was no different for our Lord Jesus. The night before He died He uttered the longest prayer on record. What or who received His special attention? Last week we learned the glory of His Father was first on His heart (vv. 1-9). Today we discover four requests Jesus made for His immediate disciples. He was going back to the Father by way of the cross. They would remain in the world. What was important to Jesus in light of this? He prayed for their ______ in the world, vv. 9-12. He prayed for their ______ in the world, v. 13. He prayed for their ______ in the world, vv. 14-15. He prayed for their "___ _____" in the world, vv. 16-19. What Jesus believed important for His own should be important to us!
The Real Lord’s Prayer: Jesus Prays for Himself
October 10, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 17:1–8
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. Without a doubt, Jesus was a man of prayer. In the gospels we find Him teaching often on prayer. We also discover Him rising early in the morning while it was still dark, going to a desolate place and praying (Mark 1:35). Many times it is recorded that Jesus prayed, but very few times do we read the content of His prayer. In John 17 we have the longest recorded prayer of our Savior. In this chapter, Jesus turned His attention from earth to heaven, from the disciples to the Father, from instruction to prayer. Jesus began His prayer by praying to glorify His Father. There are three ways Jesus glorified His Father. 1. By receiving the Father’s ______, vv. 2-3. 2. By accomplishing the Father’s ______, vv. 4-5. 3. By revealing the Father’s ______, vv. 6-8. As children of God, do we seek to glorify Him? The world is a troubled place. We face the troubles common to everyone else who inhabits this planet — pandemics, wars, famines, political unrest, and on and on. But as a follower of Jesus Christ, you face the added troubles of hatred (15:18), persecution (15:20), ostracism (16:2), and even death (16:2). Yet as Jesus concluded His upper room discourse, He stated that you can experience peace in a troubled world (16:33). There are three assurances Jesus gave you to have peace in a troubled world. 1. The assurance that your sorrow can be transformed into joy, vv. 16-22. 2. The assurance that you can ask for anything in Jesus’ name, vv. 23-28. 3. The assurance that you can share in Jesus’ victory over the world, vv. 29-33. When the troubles of the world surround you, take heart, Jesus has overcome!
Peace in a Troubled World
October 3, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 16:16–33
TAP "NOTES" TO TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. The world is a troubled place. We face the troubles common to everyone else who inhabits this planet — pandemics, wars, famines, political unrest, and on and on. But as a follower of Jesus Christ, you face the added troubles of hatred (15:18), persecution (15:20), ostracism (16:2), and even death (16:2). Yet as Jesus concluded His upper room discourse, He stated that you can experience peace in a troubled world (16:33). There are three assurances Jesus gave you to have peace in a troubled world. 1. The assurance that your sorrow can be transformed into joy, vv. 16-22. 2. The assurance that you can ask for anything in Jesus’ name, vv. 23-28. 3. The assurance that you can share in Jesus’ victory over the world, vv. 29-33. When the troubles of the world surround you, take heart, Jesus has overcome!
Keep in Step with the Spirit
September 26, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 16:5–15
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. In today’s passage, Jesus continued the teaching about relationships which He began in chapter 15. The believer’s relationship to Christ is like that of a branch to the vine (15:1-11). The believer’s relationship with other believers is to love one another (15:12, 17). The believer’s relationship to the world is to be a witness (15:18—16:4). Today’s passage highlights the Spirit’s relationship to the world. The world may work us, but the Spirit works in the world! Our job is to stay in sync with the Spirit. The Spirit convicts people of _____, vv. 5-11. The Spirit guides people to _____, vv. 12-13. The Spirit points people to _____, vv. 14-15. To stay in sync with what the Spirit is doing we must: _____ Christ: be _____. _____ Christ: be _____. _____ Christ: be _____.
Witnesses in a Hostile World
September 19, 2021 • Dr. Larry Greene • John 15:18—16:4
TAP "NOTES" TO FILL IN THE BLANKS & TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. YOU CAN SAVE THEM OR EMAIL THEM TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS. Too often we greet one another with empty phrases like, “How are you?” or “How is the world treating you?” That second question honestly asked and answered is actually a good indicator of one’s spiritual condition. How is the world treating you? Beginning with chapter 15, Jesus began teaching His disciples about relationships. Jesus’ relationship to His disciples is like the vine and the branches (vv. 1-11). The disciples’ relationship to one another is to love (vv. 12-17). Today’s passage teaches about the disciples’ relationship to the world. We are to be witnesses to a world that is hostile toward us. The _____ of a hostile world to us. The _____ for the world’s hostility against us. The _____ to the world’s hostility by us. Christian, how IS the world treating you?