Well, thank you, Tim and the worship team.
It's always great to be led into the presence of the Lord through singing,
! Through the ministry of the word that comes through our singing together
! And reminding ourselves what the word says, who Jesus Christ is, what he's accomplished for us,
and what it means for us as a result of those truths.
Those truths aren't truths in and of themselves.
They're meant to have a connection to your life.
They're meant to lead to change in your heart.
And this morning, we will come to John chapter 20.
So turn with me to John chapter 20, if you will.
If you're a guest with us this morning in the Pew Bible, in front of you, it's on page 906.
We're moving now into the resurrection narrative.
And any of you who are paying attention through the songs that we were singing
would realize that the songs had very much to do about our resurrected Savior
and what the resurrected Savior does for us.
What the reality of Christ and the new life that he had, the resurrected life of Christ,
what it does for you.
And through the next several weeks, as we look at the resurrection narrative,
I want to be able to make a connection for each of us as we look into the word
to know that the resurrection isn't just a truth that stands on its own
without having some sort of effect in your life.
I want you to recognize this morning, as we maybe show the first slide here,
that the resurrection life, the empty tomb,
will result in rising faith for those people who are truly followers of him.
Now, this morning, we may or may not be able to see all those slides,
but you do have in your bulletins and inserts,
so you can follow along one of two ways.
You can either follow along here as a result of the bulletin insert,
and hopefully we'll be able to follow along on the board too,
but that may or may not actually take place.
So, yesterday as I was looking at the passage,
my daughter was sitting next to me and she says,
Daddy, it's not Easter yet.
What are we doing looking at the resurrection?
I want you to know the reality of the resurrection,
whether it's in Easter or it's on this day,
should connect with our hearts,
should lead us to resurrection life,
and should lead us to rising faith,
as we'll see in our passage before us.
Several years ago,
as I had just graduated from college
and moved to Southern California,
I was working full-time at a company there,
but also thought I would make some income on the side.
So, seeing some friends who were growing up in my hometown of Cedarville,
thousands of miles away,
and they were beginning the process of building this business,
if you remember, it was about the time when all the utilities,
the monopolies were beginning to be deregulated and broken apart,
and so communication was one of those things that the phone company,
AT&T in particular,
they were being broken up,
and now other people could be part of the game of selling communication.
Well, this being at the very beginning of the process,
many people in building a business,
in selling their communication service,
and this kind of pyramid scheme of getting customers,
and benefiting from their calls,
and making revenue on the people that they signed up,
it was really attractive,
at least at first,
and for people who were go-getters,
it was a great investment of time.
But as more companies came into play,
and as cell phone service began to rise,
and now long distance was no longer an issue,
the people who had invested so much time
in building this communication business
were left with something that no one really needed or wanted anymore.
So all of that investment left them feeling a bit depleted,
a little discouraged,
that anyone who had set their hopes on this being a future moneymaker,
this was going to be their retirement down the road,
now we're left with the reality,
the fact that what they were putting their hope in
was really not going to play out the way they had anticipated.
They were left, probably many of them,
with some feelings of hurt,
a little betrayal perhaps,
a little discouraged about all of the hard work
that they had put into this company
wasn't going to pay the dividends that they had hoped for.
Now, maybe you have had a similar experience,
where you've put your hope and confidence in a product,
or in a person,
and through the course of life,
the promises that you were given about that product,
or the hope that you had in that individual
as being able to deliver for you.
Over time, there was this reality check,
this gut check,
that they really weren't going to,
they weren't going to follow through the way you had anticipated.
And maybe there was a sense in your own heart of betrayal,
a sense of discouragement.
How could I have been so foolish
to put so much hope in this product,
or so much hope in this individual?
What was I thinking?
How could I have been so silly?
I explain this to you because I wonder if maybe that's where the disciples were at this point in the journey.
As far as Jesus was concerned,
and as far as their discipleship was concerned,
they were all in.
They had made a significant investment in this ministry.
They had left family,
and friends,
and income,
and property,
and inheritance,
so that they could follow after this one,
Jesus Christ,
who made the claim that He was the Messiah,
that He was the one to follow.
Imagine, for a moment,
the shock that they experienced,
the feelings of betrayal,
when after this amazing week of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem,
it ends in tragedy.
It ends abruptly.
It ends in public humiliation for the person that they were following.
So much so that every pilgrim in all of Israel
had come to Jerusalem for this important festival.
The Passover.
This was the high point of the Jewish calendar.
When all the pilgrims had come,
and so Jesus,
in ministering to people in Galilee,
and people in Judea,
and people in Perea,
on the other side of the Jordan,
and people in Jerusalem,
they came,
and they knew Jesus.
He had taught them personally in their hometown.
But here He was,
hanging on a cross.
Huh.
It's a good thing I didn't follow that guy.
Look at where His life ended.
Look at the tragedy of His life.
And the feelings, perhaps,
of shame and embarrassment,
and being a bit perplexed.
How could they have put all of their hope
in this one, Jesus?
Jesus.
But here they are,
and we find them in John chapter 20.
They show up here at the tomb.
And although in their future,
as they look down the road,
there is no place that is safe for them,
not only in terms of potential persecution
because of following after Jesus,
but also the humiliation of everyone
and all the surrounding regions
knowing just who they were,
through feelings of personal loss
and the nagging feeling
that the last three years had been wasted,
they're still here.
They're still here at the tomb.
We find them
experiencing the benefits of the resurrection
as we look at this passage this morning.
The empty tomb would make all things new for them.
It would make all things new.
And this morning as we look at this,
I want you to understand
that the resurrection leads to rising faith.
It leads to rising faith.
First, I want you to see
that faith is a personal journey.
Faith is a personal journey.
We find that here in verse 1 and 2.
Let me read this for us.
It says,
Now, on the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early,
while it was still dark,
and saw that the stone had been taken away
from the tomb.
Period.
Now, for any of you who have grown up in church,
and for any of you who are familiar
with the resurrection accounts,
recognize the spotty detail
that John gives to us in this moment.
One verse to essentially summarize
the entire events that are taking place
for Mary at the tomb.
Keep your finger
here in John chapter 20,
and turn with me, if you would,
over to Luke 24.
I want to fill this out for you a little bit
so you can see for yourself
what is taking place,
and so we can ask ourselves the question,
what in the world does John have in mind?
What is the point
of this passage for us?
In Luke chapter 24,
beginning at verse 1.
And we could look at Matthew,
we could look at Mark,
I have those passages noted for you
in your handout,
but this morning we only have time
to look at one of these
three other accounts.
It says,
But on the first day of the week,
at early dawn,
they went to the tomb,
taking the spices they had prepared.
Now, who is the they?
Jump down just for a second
to verse 10,
and you'll see who the they was.
Now, it was Mary Magdalene,
and Joanna,
and Mary the mother of James,
and the other women with them
who told these things to the apostles.
So how many women are we talking about?
At least four,
and probably many others.
That's who shows up to the tomb.
Verse 2.
And they found the stone
rolled away from the tomb.
But when they went in,
they did not find the body
of the Lord Jesus.
While they were perplexed about this,
behold,
two men stood by them
in dazzling apparel.
And as they were frightened
and bowed their faces to the ground,
the men said to them,
Why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here,
but he is risen.
Remember how he told you
while he was still in Galilee
that the Son of Man
must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men
and be crucified
and on the third day rise?
And they remembered his words
in returning from the tomb.
They told all these things
to the eleven
and to all the rest.
That's verse 1 of John,
chapter 20,
verse 1.
So, you might ask yourself
the question,
Where are all of the other women?
What about the earthquake
that we find in Matthew?
What about the soldiers
that they seem to have stepped
around in order to get to the tomb?
What about the angels
that show up in radiant splendor?
And what about the message
that the angels deliver
to these women?
And what about the faith
that we seem to find
in this group of women
in returning to tell the apostles
about the news?
Why is John
seem to be so fascinated with Mary?
Why her story?
Why is it just Mary
that we find here
in John's account?
Was John uninformed
about what had happened?
Is John confused
in some way?
Or does John have
a special objective,
a focus that he desires
to communicate?
Well, there's some truths
we need to remember
when we look at passages
like this.
We need to understand,
first of all,
that Scripture is true,
not just in concept,
but in content.
not just in the ideas
that it shares,
but in the actual words
that it uses.
Scripture is true.
And because it's true
that the details
of the word
can be harmonized.
They work together.
They don't contradict
each other.
So the accounts
that we find
in Matthew
and Mark
and Luke
fill out
for us
a deeper,
fuller view
of the events
that take place
here at the tomb.
But John has a reason.
What is John's purpose
for focusing
on Mary?
I believe we can find
the purpose
as we think about
his purpose statement
we find here
in this chapter.
We're finally getting
to the end.
We're finally getting
to this purpose statement
that John shares with us
in John 20, 31.
These are written
so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God.
John wants us,
the readers,
to come to faith.
And he wants you
to realize
that coming to faith
is a personal journey.
No one can believe
for you.
It is something
you must believe
for yourself.
And all throughout
the Gospel of John,
John brings this point
to bear in our hearts.
We read several accounts
through all of the Gospel
that focus on individuals.
John is interested
in the unique stories
of individual people.
We find specific stories
only in the Gospel of John
that concentrate
on individuals.
In chapter 1,
the story of Andrew.
In chapter 1,
the story of Philip
and Nathaniel.
In chapter 3,
the story of Nicodemus.
In chapter 4,
the story of the Samaritan woman.
Towards the end
of chapter 4,
the story of the nobleman's son.
And then the lame man
by the pool of Bethesda.
Remember,
Jesus walks by
all of these sick people,
picks out one,
and ministers to the one.
The woman caught in adultery
in chapter 8.
The man born blind
in chapter 9.
The raising of Lazarus
in chapter 11.
And then this concentration
of ministry we find
from chapters 13
to chapter 17
where Jesus focuses in
on his disciples.
Ministry specifically to them.
And here,
his focus on Mary Magdalene.
John is interested
in reinforcing the message.
Faith is a personal journey.
It can be reinforced
by a faith community.
But it must be embraced
by you personally.
So how does Mary respond?
Where is Mary
in this narrative?
What is her conclusion?
What does she walk away with?
What is Mary's initial conclusion?
That is point number two.
Let's look at it here
in verse 2
and see.
It says,
So she ran
and went to Simon Peter
and the other disciple
and the one whom Jesus loved.
And she said to them,
They have taken
the Lord
out of the tomb
and we do not know
where they have laid him.
That's
her conclusion.
There are so many
positive things
about Mary Magdalene.
We'll look at her story
a little bit more
in depth next week.
So please come back
so we can see
the rest of the story
from Mary Magdalene.
It is an exciting story.
Here we find
she comes up.
She shows up
immediately after
the Passover.
The morning after
the Passover.
She is there when?
Look at the text.
When does she show up
in verse 1?
The sun hadn't even
come up yet.
She is ready
to go
to minister
to her Lord.
She has a plan
we find from
the other
gospel records.
She comes prepared
with her friends
to tend
to the body
to anoint it
with spices.
You may ask
yourself the question
what is the point
of Mary
anointing Jesus'
body
when it had already
been done
as we saw last week
by Nicodemus
and Joseph
of Arimathea?
Well
if you remember
the urgency
of the moment
that the Roman
soldiers had to
break the legs
of those criminals
hanging on the cross
because the Sabbath
was coming
quickly
you realize
that there was
a condensed
window of time
in which
to get the body
down
to get permission
from Pilate
to run the body
to the tomb
to put it in
the right place
to anoint
and prepare it
the right way
wrapping it
the way it was
supposed to be wrapped
get all of that done
get back home
before Sabbath begins.
And Mary
Magdalene
the other Mary
and several other
women with her
only ones
to observe this
from a distance
recognize
that the preparation
of the body
had not
quite been
to their
satisfaction.
So they make
a personal
investment
they go out
and buy
the right
spices
so they can
come ready
to do it
the right way
to prepare
the body
the way
devotion
demanded.
These were
women who had
been devoted
to Jesus
not only here
in the final
moments
but they had
been devoted
to Jesus
throughout
his entire
ministry.
We find
again from
the other
gospel records
these are
women who
followed him
from Galilee.
That's significant.
Have you missed
that in the past?
Do you realize
that Mary
came with an
entourage
of individuals
along with the
rest of the
pilgrims
and disciples
with Jesus
to Jerusalem?
Jerusalem?
They were
there
ministering
to him
in Jerusalem
but they
had ministered
to him
throughout
his earthly
ministry.
We find
from Luke
chapter 8
that Mary
had made
a personal
investment
she was
essentially
a financer
of
Jesus'
ministry
not only
vested
in the process
of being a
part of his
ministry
but vested
in
contributing
to the
ministry
so that
it could
continue.
They were
among the
only loyal
disciples
at the
cross.
They were
the only
ones to
show up
at the
tomb
when the
body was
being
prepared.
And now
here they
are the
first to
show up
now the
tomb
is empty.
But what
screams
through this
text and
what you
walk away
from in
reading
verse 2
says what
about her
faith at
this point?
Go ahead
read it
for yourself.
What does
verse 2
say about
Mary's
faith
in light
of her
incredible
devotion?
Her
faith was
still
inadequate.
They have
taken the
Lord out
of the
tomb.
We don't
know where
they have
laid him.
For all
of Mary's
devotion it
could not
lead her
to faith.
For all
of Mary's
previous
faith it
could not
endure the
test of
time when
hardship hit
at this
point.
She had
been a
woman of
faith but
now faith
was fleeting
for her.
But she
becomes a
catalyst for
Peter in
John.
And again
we'll follow
her narrative
next week
where Jesus
reinforces
faith in
her and
leads her
to true
genuine
enduring
faith.
Come back
next week
for that.
The rest
of the
story.
But John
wants to
draw our
attention this
morning to
this personal
journey of
faith.
Wherever you
are this
morning you
are a person
of faith.
Whether you
believe in
Jesus or
you choose
not to
believe.
You're
believing in
this world.
You're
believing in
the satisfactions
of this
life.
Where do
you stand
on the
spectrum of
faith today?
You can't
put your
confidence in
a faith that
happened sometime
in the past.
It must be a
faith that
endures, that
lives, that
continues.
I'm reminded
of Ephesians
chapter 3 where
the apostle Paul
is praying for
the church of
Ephesus.
He prays that
Christ may dwell
in their hearts
through faith.
Is faith
flourishing in
your life?
Faith in
Christ and
what he's
accomplished?
Does it
spill out in
affection for
him, in
trusting him
for what he
says?
Guiding your
decisions by
the things that
God has said
are right and
true?
guiding your
affections by
your own
personal cravings
and desires?
Do you realize
this morning that
devotion, however
strong in your
life, can never
lead you to
true faith?
No matter how
disciplined you
might be,
no matter how
dedicated you
think you are,
your devotion to
God is inadequate
to lead you to
faith.
Coming to
church, reading
your Bible,
loving your
spouse, being a
good student,
giving your money
to the poor,
being a good
neighbor, loving
the people around
you, having a
happy spirit,
being generally
positive in your
dealings with
individuals, being a
model citizen,
showing up to all
the events, even
being a part of
ministry, your
devotion cannot
lead you to
genuine faith.
And Mary is
coming face to
face with that
reality.
Faith is a
personal journey.
Are you living by
faith today?
But faith is
also reinforced by
evidence.
Praise the
Lord that faith
can be reinforced
by evidence.
And that's our
next point this
morning.
We find that in
verses 3 to
7.
Let me read
that for us.
It says this,
So Peter went
out with the
other disciple,
and they were
going towards
the tomb.
Both of them
were running
together, but
the other
disciple outran
Peter and
reached the
tomb first.
And stooping to
look in, he saw
that the linen
clothes lying
there, but he
did not go in.
Then Simon Peter
came, following
him, and went
into the tomb.
He saw the linen
clothes lying
there, and the
face cloth, which
had been on
Jesus' head, not
lying with the
linen cloths, but
folded up in a
place by itself.
Then the other
disciple, who had
reached the tomb
first, also went
in, and he saw
and believed.
I want you to
understand this
morning that Jesus
gives us confirming
witnesses.
He is not afraid of
evidence to
reinforce his
truth claims.
witness.
The first witness
that we see is
the witness of
the empty tomb.
That was a
confirming work of
Christ to state
categorically, the
promises that I
have made in the
past are promises
that you can count
on.
They have been
fulfilled.
Something that
strikes my
attention is that
Jesus could have
risen and left
the tomb shut.
He could have
passed through that
rock just as he
passed through the
door of the
upper room.
But Jesus gives
an open invitation
to anyone who
would come and
observe.
Look in the
tomb.
It is empty.
I have risen from
the dead.
The evidence is
there.
Come see for
yourself.
He's happy to
put the evidence
on display.
He's happy to
give witness to
the truth that
he has proclaimed.
He's not afraid
to give us that
confirming witness,
the witness of
the empty tomb.
Jesus had stated
on at least three
occasions to his
disciples and to
the public, I
will go to trial
by the Jews.
I will be handed
over to the
Gentiles.
I will be
crucified.
And on the
third day I will
rise.
And if that
had not happened,
you would say
that Jesus'
truth claims
were a sham.
But he gives
clear and
sufficient evidence,
even in this
moment, to the
truth that he
had proclaimed.
The stone is
removed.
John, who is
that other
disciple that he
refers to,
apparently is
quicker than
Peter, makes it
to the tomb.
He's looking
inside.
And he sees
the linen
clothes that
are lying
there.
Peter, who
eventually catches
up, does what
we would expect
Peter to do.
He runs right in
without giving a
second thought.
He sees the
scene.
He checks out
the linen
clothes lying on
that stone table.
He sees the
face cloth that
is not where it
should be, where
the head would
normally be
placed.
He sees it in a
different spot,
folded.
Jesus is
gone.
The clothes are
not strewn out
over the floor.
They're not
torn or cut.
The body had
not been
manhandled in
any way.
It should have
been obvious
what had
happened.
They, of all
people, should
have known,
I know what
this means.
Jesus is
risen.
But they're
not there.
They're not
there.
It does give
some indication
that there is
rising faith in
the heart of
John.
There seems to
be a glimmer of
hope for him.
It does indicate
that he saw
and believed.
We'll look at
that in a
moment.
But not only
is there the
evidence or
the witness of
the empty
tomb, there
is also the
witness of
confirming works.
The witness of
confirming works.
These disciples
are not
rookies when
it comes to
time with
Jesus.
They had
spent three
and a half
years in
ministry seeing
the power of
God flowing
through the
person of
Christ.
They saw
his power over
the wind,
wind, in the
waves.
They had
experienced it
for themselves.
There they
were on the
Sea of Galilee
rowing for all
they were worth
for hours in
the dark,
wondering if
they would
survive the
journey.
And here
comes this
figure across
the lake,
this shadowy
figure that
looked like a
specter.
And they know
it is Jesus.
Jesus.
And Jesus
with a word
in a moment
brings peace
and calm to
the wind and
waves.
They see his
power.
The power to
trump any of
their human
energy.
Power over
wind and
waves.
Power over
the elements.
They saw his
power over the
demons.
How many times
had Jesus
encountered men
and women
who had been
in bondage
to the
supernatural
for the
duration of
their life.
Communities
who had
tried to
remove this
menace from
among them
had shackled
them in
chains,
had driven
them out of
their community
and yet the
menace still
existed for
all of the
energy that
they had to
try to
confine and
constrain
this individual.
And Jesus
shows up and
with a word
commands the
demons to
flee.
In a moment
he exercises
his superior
authority over
the supernatural.
They had seen
the witness
of his power
over illness.
People who
had been
gripped by
illness for
their entire
lives.
I think of
the woman who
had been
hunched over
for 15 years
had tried to
access all
of the
resources that
were at her
disposal,
all of the
physicians,
all of the
help she
could get.
Actually she
had an issue
of blood.
So remembering
the story.
And Jesus
comes and
she touches
the hem of
his garment
and in a
moment she's
healed.
Others who
were blind
or lame
or deaf
for their
entire lives.
And Jesus
in a moment
with a word
demonstrates
his authority
over their
illness.
And of course
his power
over death.
Jairus'
daughter,
the widow's
son,
and recently
in their
recent history
the resurrection
of Lazarus.
Who when
Jesus raises
him says
to his
disciples,
I am glad
we were not
there so
that I
could lead
you to
believe.
It would
be the
moment that
they would
look back
on and
remember
eventually.
But they
were not
there in
this moment.
Still fresh
in the
people's
minds,
the resurrection
of Lazarus
as the
triumphal
entry took
place and
all of the
people who
remembered
Lazarus
were parading
in with that
company and
Jesus into
Jerusalem.
with the
triumphal
entry.
And even
the night
before Jesus
was crucified,
he points
to his
works in
John 14.
He says,
believe me
that I am
in the
Father and
the Father
is in me
or else
believe on
the account
of the
works
themselves.
Jesus had
given them
a witness.
Jesus'
confirming
power was
undeniable
proof of
his divinity.
proof of
his
authority.
God does
that for us
as well.
He gives
us confirming
witnesses.
The witness
of creation
to testify
to his
splendor
and glory.
The proof
of his
intervention
especially with
the people of
Israel throughout
history.
The proof
of a changed
life.
proof.
The proof
of answered
prayer.
The proof
of fulfilled
promises.
The proof
of abounding
joy.
The proof
of enduring
peace.
Jesus is not
afraid of the
evidence.
Jesus is not
afraid to
help us
understand that
the truth
claims that he
makes will be
things that he
will follow
through on.
He can be
trusted.
And as we
see in verse
8, there
seems to be
evidence that
faith is
beginning to
rise in
John's heart.
But what
kind of faith
does John
have at this
point?
What does
John believe?
What is
going on in
his mind?
Is this
saving faith?
Or is this
something else?
And as a
side note, I
just want to
take a quick
detour for a
moment.
And I want to
encourage you
not only in
relationship to
the message
today, but I
want to encourage
you that these
are the kinds
of questions
you should be
asking yourself
in your own
Bible study.
Why is this
here?
Why does
John leave out
certain details?
Why is he
focused on
Mary?
What does it
mean that he
talks about
his faith?
What is he
really believing?
And so for
this last point,
I want to
kind of walk
you through
briefly some
of the steps
that you can
take for
yourself in
arriving at
some of the
answers to
big questions
in the
scripture.
Because my
premise now,
this point
number three,
is faith is
incomplete
without the
scripture.
Faith is
incomplete
without the
scripture.
You say,
now, wait
a second,
that's not
what I see
here.
That's not
what it seems
to indicate
in verse
eight.
It seems
to indicate
that John
shows up,
he sees
the tomb,
and he
believes.
But what
does verse
nine say?
for as
yet,
they did
not
understand
the
scripture,
that he
must rise
from the
dead.
Why does
John put
that there?
Because he
wants to
qualify the
kind of
faith that
he actually
had at this
point.
And it
was not a
faith
necessarily
in the
resurrection,
but a
faith in the
fact that
Jesus was
just gone.
commentators
are mixed
on this,
and I
am going
to shake
probably
dangerously
all of the
things that
the commentators
are saying,
because as
I study
through the
gospel,
I think
there's a
different
conclusion to
draw here.
So bear
with me as
I walk
this through
with you,
and I'm
going to put
it in your
hands to
decide whether
or not you're
going to agree
with me or
agree with
the commentators.
It's probably
safer to agree
with the
commentators.
Faith is
incomplete
without the
scripture.
Why do I
say that?
What is
believing here?
I want you
to understand
the use of
the word
believing
throughout the
gospel of
John is
not necessarily
believing to
faith in
salvation,
but believing
in the
moment.
Why do I
say that?
Let me show
you some
examples.
Keep your
finger in
John chapter
20,
I want
to try
to walk
through this
quickly,
so bear
with me.
If you
need my
notes,
I'm happy
to give
it to
you.
Look
with me
at the
beginning
of the
book,
John
chapter 2,
verse 11.
I want you
to see this
for yourself
and even
circle them
as we go
through.
John
chapter 2,
verse 11.
It says
this,
the first
of his
signs,
Jesus did
at Cana
in Galilee
and manifested
his glory
and his
disciples
believed in
him.
This is the
wedding at
Cana.
This is
turning the
water to
wine.
And it
says that
his disciples
believed.
And yet,
if you know
anything about
the gospels,
you hear
Jesus in
the background
saying time
and time
again,
oh you
of little
faith.
Does that
sound like
saving faith
to you?
They were
believing in
something.
They were
believing that
Jesus did
actually what
he did here,
but there was
something missing,
something
superficial
about their
faith.
Jump down
to verse 23
of chapter 2.
Now,
when he was
in Jerusalem
at the
Passover feast,
many believed
in his name.
What happened?
Many
believed
in his name
when they
saw the
signs that
he was
doing,
but
Jesus,
on his
part,
did not
entrust
himself to
them because
he knew
all people.
Basically,
Jesus knew
their hearts.
Jesus knew
how bankrupt
their faith
really was.
It was
faith for
the moment.
It wasn't
faith that
was enduring.
Turn a page
over with me
to John
chapter 4,
verse 50.
John 4,
50.
It says
this.
This is
Jesus healing
the official's
son.
It says,
Jesus said
to him,
go,
your son
will live.
The man
believed the
word that
Jesus spoke
to him
and went
on his
way.
But then
if you drop
down to
verse 53,
you see
something else.
the father
knew that
was the
hour when
Jesus had
said to
him,
your son
will live,
and he
himself
believed
in all
his
household.
What in
the world
is going
on here?
I thought
he was
already
believing.
So there
is examples
here of
progressing
faith.
That's my
point.
And as
you look
through the
gospel of
John,
you'll see
progressing
faith that's
taking shape
in the hearts
of people as
they're responding
to the
moment.
They're responding
to the stimuli
that they
have right
in front
of them,
whether it's
the words
of Jesus
or the
works of
Jesus.
But it's
not the
testimony of
enduring
faith.
There's
also examples
in the
gospel of
John of
defective
faith.
Examples of
defective
faith.
Turn with
me to
John chapter
7 for
one of
those
examples.
John
chapter 7
verse
31.
John 7
31.
Yet,
many of
the people
believed in
him.
They said,
when the
Christ appears,
will he do
more signs
than this
man has
done?
Are you
kidding me?
Is he the
Christ or
not?
Are you
believing in
him as the
Messiah or
what?
What a
confused group
of individuals.
How about
in John
chapter 8
verse 30?
Turn a page.
John chapter
8 verse 30.
As he was
saying these
things,
many believed
in him.
Well,
that's good.
But what do
we find?
As you work
your way through
the narrative,
you find that
Jesus actually
calls them
son of the
devil.
And he
reinforces to
them in verse
45 that what
they thought was
faith was not
actually faith at
all.
Look at
John 8
45.
But because
I tell you
the truth,
you do not
believe me.
Defective
faith.
Misplaced
faith.
It was not
genuine.
Okay.
So John
believes.
He believes
in the
evidence
immediately in
front of him.
But I
want you to
understand that
it is not
necessarily
saving faith.
It is faith
in the moment.
faith for
the present.
In seeing
the events
and knowing
that something
quite extraordinary
was taking
place but not
quite knowing
what.
And now we
find John's
emphasis on the
scripture in
verse 9.
That's our
final point this
morning.
John's
emphasis on the
scripture.
And we could
look at myriads
of passages
this morning
in the gospel
of John to
point out that
very fact.
But I just
want to point
to a couple
that you
should be
familiar with.
The first
is John
1.1.
In the
beginning was
the word.
The word was
with God.
The word was
God.
We know
that word
is Jesus.
Jesus
throughout his
ministry points
to faith in
the father that
comes through
him.
And thus
comes through
the word.
You cannot
have faith
in God
apart from
Jesus.
And thus
you cannot
have faith
in God
apart from
the word.
Just jot
down John
chapter 2
verses 20
to 23.
Again,
John points
to this
fact.
Jesus is
telling them
about the
temple.
He says
that it's
going to
what took
46 years
to build.
He's going
to be able
to destroy
it and raise
it up in
three days.
They're like,
huh?
How is that
going to
work?
And it
says he's
speaking about
his body.
But then
this in
verse 22.
It says,
When therefore
he was raised
from the dead,
his disciples
remembered that
he had said
this and they
believed the
scripture.
That is
faith.
Believing
the scripture.
scripture.
That's why
John gives
so much
attention to
the scripture
in the
upper room
narrative,
in our
crucifixion
narrative.
More than
any other
gospel record
keeper,
John gives
attention to
the scripture.
In John
13,
18,
you have it
in your
notes.
It says,
but that the
scripture will
be fulfilled.
In John
17,
12,
that the
scripture might
be fulfilled.
In John
19,
24,
this was to
fulfill the
scripture.
John 19,
28,
knowing that
all was now
finished,
said to
fulfill the
scripture.
John 29,
19,
36,
for these
things took
place that
the scripture
might be
fulfilled.
And now,
in 19,
37,
again,
another
scripture,
they will
look on
him whom
they have
pierced.
And now
John draws
attention to
something that
is missing
in his
faith.
For as
yet,
they did
not understand
the
scripture.
Faith had
not yet
dawned on
John's
heart,
but it was
beginning to
rise.
Faith would
not be
complete until
Christ initiated
the process.
That's what
we find
in our
study next
week with
Mary.
That's what
we find in
the gospel
of Luke
when Jesus
shows up to
the disciples
in the upper
room and it
says,
and he revealed
to them all
the things
related to the
scriptures.
He opened
their eyes
to see it.
Finally,
faith would
come.
the
resurrection
means life
for those
who believe.
Life for
those who
believe
personally.
Are you
here today
and you
have
personally
staked
your claim
in the
unwavering
faith in
Christ?
faith not
just for
the moment
but faith
that endures.
Listen to
what Paul
says in
1 Corinthians
1.18.
He says,
For the
message of
the cross
is foolishness
to those
who are
perishing,
present,
active,
continuous.
But to
those of
us who
are being
saved,
it is
the power
of God.
Present,
active,
continuous.
Not just
for some
time in
the past
but the
gospel connects
to your
heart today
and tomorrow
and enduring
for the rest
of your
life.
You see
how God
changes
everything
for you.
Changes
your
parenting,
changes
your
marriage,
he changes
your work,
he changes
your
neighboring,
he changes
your priorities
and how you
do your
finances,
he changes
your perspective
as a student,
he changes
everything for
you.
Not just
for a time
in the past
but for
today.
Are you
a person
of faith?
Without
faith,
it is
impossible
to please
him.
You want
to please
God?
He makes
it possible
through
his son
Jesus.
Not just
for those
who don't
know Jesus
and need
to come
to salvation
but for
those who
know him
and need
to remind
themselves
of that
fact
day after
day and
be people
who are
believing.
Are you
somebody
today
who is
believing
in him?
And is it
changing
everything
for you?
Let's pray.
Lord,
we want
to be
people
who are
believing.
Not just
for a
moment
and not
just
because
of the
immediate
situation
that we
see.
The evidence
of God
that shows
up here
and there
through our
lives.
But we
want to be
enduring.
We want
to change
our priorities.
Change
our
perspectives.
Change
our
orientation
as people
who are
not looking
to self.
We're not
looking to
please and
gratify our
own sense
of desire
but looking
to please
you.
Who are
seeking first
the kingdom
of God
and his
righteousness.
May that
be said of
us,
Lord.
We pray
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.