BIBLE STUDY:

You may have noticed that some scripture verses are hyperlinked to Bible Gateway.com.  Please use this as a convenient tool for study - I'll be doing more and more of this to save space on my study documents.  Oh yes, please note that for some reason when a hyperlink spills over to the next line that only the last part that is on the second line actually works - don't know why this is happening.

Edited April 17, 2005.  The Rest of Redemption's Story.

We conclude our series of the Gospel of John by taking a look at Redemptive history - the only history that really matters.  The resurrection of Christ is covered as well as Jesus' post-resurrection ministry to the disciples.   Peter is restored in ministry.  In the final verse of John the hint is that the acts of Jesus are still being written - all libraries in the world cannot contain all the wonderful stories of sinners drawn to Jesus Christ

Edited April 10, 2005.  "It is Finished!"

The final moments on the Cross, Christ's death, the resurrection and the battle for the souls of men.  Comments on the Finished Work of Christ.  We had some really good response from the class on this one, especially from those who had been members of the Roman church.  Not only had the sins of the world been judged and paid for but the righteousness of man had been reduced worthlessness.  When Jesus Christ died, was buried and resurrected He forever became the righteous of all believers.   There is no room for man's filthy rags of righteousness at the foot of the cross.

March 6, 2005. Christ the Slain Lamb.

"It is finished", Jesus cries triumphantly.  We look at events surrounding the cross - first Jesus being numbered among "the others" and then the tender moment when Jesus provides for His mother and His beloved disciple, John.  Redemptive History is covered.

February 27, 2005, Christ the Submissive Lamb (part 3).

Jesus has been convicted in the "kangaroo" court of the Jewish leaders and found guilty.  We now see the Lamb of God taken, bound, to Pilate, the Roman governor.  Please view this lesson and see how the mob who wanted Jesus crucified and Pilate who really did not want to have anything to do with Jesus wrestle each other.  Pilate's strategy was to marginalize Jesus and make it unnecessary to have Him crucified but the mob would have none of it.  Read on.

February 20, 2005, Christ the Submissive Lamb (part 2).

A parenthetical narrative is the denial of Christ by Peter.  Some lessons are explored based on what Peter experienced from his denial to his restoration.

February 6, 2005, Christ the Submissive Lamb (part 1).

We come to the trial of Jesus Christ.  We will be covering this section in three parts.  Today we meet the accusers.  The Jewish leaders have already decided to kill Jesus (see John 11:45-53)  it was just a matter of how.  So the so-called trial was just a means of entrapment to get Jesus to say something they could use against Him.  The lesson also explores "Just Who was on Trial?"  Read on.

January 30, 2005, Christ the Sovereign Lamb.

John 18:1-9.  We enter the Passion of Christ as referenced by many.   The world makes Jesus Christ out to be the victim who was betrayed by Judas, arrested, judged and crucified as a helpless victim.  The biblical view has a different view.  Jesus was in complete control of all the events.  He had submitted to the plan of the Father to become the Lamb of God in dying for the sins of the world.

John 18 - 21 Outline.

Here is an outline for the remaining section of the Gospel of John.   I'm referring to this section as the Passion of Christ.  I'm open for suggestions.

January 16, 2005, Christ the Intercessor, Part 3.

John 17:20 - 26.  Jesus prays for all believers that they will share the wonderful fellowship that is between the Father and the Son.

January 9, 2005, Christ the Intercessor, Part 2.

John 17:6 - 19.  Jesus prays for the 11 disciples and by extension for us.  A look into the progression of the names of God.  A look at the name of God: Heavenly Father.

January 2, 2005, Christ the Intercessor, Part 1.

John 17:1 - 5.  A look into the heart of the Gospel.  Jesus prays to the Father to be returned to His former Glory.

December 19, Where Were You when the Other Shoe Dropped?

Events were overwhelming the disciples.  Jesus had been breaking the news, as it were and the news was not good.  They had really enjoyed the Presence of Jesus.  They had marveled in His teachings, the miracles.  They were looking forward to reigning in the Kingdom of God with Him.  But now everything has changed.   Jesus had told them He was going to die.  After that He would be going away - not the prospect they were looking for.  But Jesus told them their grief would be turned to joy.  Read on.

December 12, The Work of the Holy Spirit.

We enter John 16 with a wrap-up of Jesus' parenthesis comments of chapters 14 and 15.  This lesson covers the deep sorrow that the disciples and sometimes we must experience.  Jesus cares for us in our anxieties and wants us to share these painful experiences with Him.  Then the work of the Holy Spirit is continued.   Next time we will be looking at the Joy that comes from our relationship with Him.

December 5, Fellowship with Christ - Enmity with the World.

Now we come to the harsh reality of our fellowship with Christ.  The world will hate us because we love Christ.  Jesus delivers the "news" but continues to comfort them.

November 28, The Fellowship of the Vineyard, part 2.

Continuing on with this passage in John 12 - 17 we see the friendship that exists between Jesus and His disciples.  How can this be?  The Creator of the universe, the friend of sinners saved by grace?  Let's take a look.

November 7, The Fellowship of the Vineyard.

We continue to explore the wonderful passage in John 15:9 - 11 where we see "the other great passage on God's love" (Holman's comment, page 285.)   We see that our relationship with our Lord brings great love - God's love into our lives.  This results in the Joy of Jesus.  The Joy of Jesus is not dependent in any way on our circumstances - rather, it is a great Constant, like the speed of light, only more so, that we can depend on.

October 31, Fellowship with God - The Believers Responsibility.

!!NEW!! Corrected references.  We take a look at John 15:7 and find a challenge to conventional thought regarding prayer.  We explore what it means to abide in Christ and He in us.   Then some a challenging look at the fact that we are commanded to pray and to expect them to be fulfilled.

October 17, Christ the True Vine, part 2.

We continue this section as we delve into the word-picture of the vine.   The fruit of the branches is discussed.  We see the progression of Jesus' portrayal of our relationship with Him from "little children" to "brothers."  And what about those believers who have fallen along the way?   Again the picture of the The True Vine and the Vine-Dresser, our Heavenly Father gives us hope that there is effective ministry and relief.

October 10, Christ the True Vine.

Chapter 15.  Our fellowship with Christ is developed by the word-picture of the vine.   This pass is directed to the disciples.  Judas has left the fellowship forever to betray the Lord.  The disciples will be hitting even lower to the bottom of their spiritual experience.  Jesus offers this image as a form of comfort and a gentle warning to be ever careful of their relationship to Him.

October 3, Gospel of John Review.

We will take a look at where we have been and look to the end of the Gospel of John.  This will include the personal ministry of Jesus to his disciples (and to us) and the Consummation and Resurrection and final victory of Jesus Christ, our Savior.  This section has special meaning to me.  As a child, I did not enjoy a close intimate relationship with my parents.  Jesus' promise that He would not leave his disciples "orphans" (John 14:18) fills a deep emptiness in my life.  He is my Personal Savior!

May 2, 2004, Chapter 7, Belief and Unbelief Contrasted.

By the time we get to John chapter 7 there is sharp division among Israel whether not Jesus Christ is the Messiah.  The rulers have established a reign of fear strengthened by ostracism and even death, many of the people are afraid to voice their opinion about Christ.  Jesus condemns the tight reign of fear the rulers have over the people - Jesus popular ministry comes to a close - he must now be careful not to fall into the hands of the rulers before His time of going to the Cross.

April 25, 2004, Christ, the Bread of Life.

Jesus Christ uses the eating of bread as a figure of how He is able to give the sinner, life itself.  This follows the miracle of the feeding of the thousands which serves as a dramatic object lesson.  Other word pictures are referred to in this lesson.  Jesus' popular ministry is coming to a close.  We are introduced to the beginning of this ultimate rejection - even the Galilleens will eventually reject Jesus, the Bread, of Life.

April 18, 2004, The Four Witnesses for Christ.

We conclude John chapter 5 with the four Witnesses for Christ; John the Baptist, Christ's works, the Heavenly Father and the scriptures.  An indictment against unbelief is given to those who vainly tried to judge Jesus Christ for healing an infirm man on the Sabbath and giving him eternal life.

April 4, 2004, Lesson 14, The Responsibility of Belief on Christ Revealed.

March 28, 2004, Lesson 13, The Life of Christ Demonstrated - the Importance of First-time Faith.

March 21, 2004, Lesson 12, Quenching Spiritual Thirst - an Evangelistic Thrust into Samaria.

We continue to see the evangelistic emphasis of John's Gospel.  Here we are introduced to the fact that Jesus desires a personal relationship with all - the ostracized, the odd - even those whom you might not even want to speak to.  Salvation is for all sinners, not just a select few who have a proper lifestyle.

March 14, 2004, Lesson 11, The Life of Christ Declared, the Decision is Ours.

John the baptizer's ministry is waning and his disciples are worried.   When they come to him with their worries, John finally declares his mission and that of Jesus Christ.  In this poignant narrative we glean the crux of salvation.   In the end of all things, the decision is ours.  Will we receive Christ and gain Eternal Life or reject Him and be condemned?

March 7, 2004, Lesson 10, The Life of Christ Declared.

Chapter three launches us into the crux of salvation.  Here is where we find the greatest verse in the Bible: John 3:16.  I'm calling it the Executive Summary of salvation.  Nicodemus is a leader of the Jews and he is interested to validate his assumption that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah.  What follows is Christ's own evangelistic proclamation of Eternal Life offered not only to Nicodemus but the whole world.

February 22, 29, 2004, Lesson 9, The Glory of Christ Demonstrated.

Jesus has been set aside unto His Messianic ministry (His Baptism), the Father and the Holy Spirit have attested to His Sonship.  He has returned victorious from His temptation and now begins His journey to the cross.  We have on one hand a very tender moment with his mother and His first miracle and on the other hand a powerful demonstration of His Authority as the Son of God. John chapter two. We have the lesson of how important our personal lives are with Him and how He demands a life set apart unto Him.  NEW - We look into the sobering fact that Jesus Christ knows the heart of every man and its implications both now and in eternity.  Saving Faith versus superficial faith is discussed.

February 15, 2004, Lesson 8,  The Witnesses.

Let's look at the first chapter of John and see the various witnesses who testified that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Life, the Light-giver, the Lamb of God, the King of Israel.  Backgrounds for John the baptizer and John the Apostle are given.   We see the first proto-evangelists in action.

February 8, 2004, Lesson 7,  The Light's Witness, John the Baptizer.

Not only did John the baptizer testify of the coming Christ but as part of preparing Israel for Christ, he had a life-changing ministry.  There is a striking parallel between his and today's times.

This section is from a "position paper" on the Person of Christ that I did many years ago.  Start from the bottom and work up (The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ) - sorry for the vertical dyslexia

February 1, 2004, Lesson 6.  The Victorious Light.

John 1:5 is explored.  It is a powerful statement that His Life and Light that is the intended possession of man will not be thwarted by darkness.   Sinful man will be evangelized and will come to know Him as the Life-Light giver.

Lesson 5.The Logos, the Light of Life.

The Logos, the Light of Life.  John 1:4. We are introduced to Jesus Christ's redemptive work and His beneficence toward man.  The connection of His Life and His Light is explored.

Lesson 4. The Work of Christ: Creation (Part 2).

See below, continuation of lesson 3.

Lesson 3. The Work of Christ: Creation.

The Work of Christ: Creation. John 1:3 is a powerful verse.  It completely refutes the so-called theory of evolution.  His Conservator work of maintaining the universe is covered and more.

Lesson 2. The Person of Jesus Christ.

The Person of Jesus Christ.  Jesus as God-Man is a Person - not merely a good man nor just the greatest prophet of all time. 

Lesson 1. The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ.