The Book of John (The Smart Guide to the Bible Series)

I got your books. And then I brought two Bibles. The two Bibles in my book. You got everything you need. The reason I've got two Bibles with me is because I study banned books a lot.

I told you to turn to the 12th chapter of The Book of Acts

I believe there's somebody here today and you're going to be describing how the Lord brought you out.

I like hearing about the lions that he slept with. I don't want one for a pillow.

I love singing about Shadrack Me Shack of Edningo. But I don't want to be neither of the three.

I don't really want anything to confide me.

Permit me to go over to the book of Hebrews

I want to put one New Testament verse together with that Old Testament prophecy and this is Hebrews chapter 6, verse 1.

The writer says therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God.

So I kind of feel like that that's what we're trying to understand here in Isaiah 43 and Hebrews chapter 6, although these scriptures are separated by about seven centuries of time, I think God is trying to get us to see that the barriers that were before us to keep us from experiencing his blessing are no longer there.

They couldn't get this so in Hebrews chapter 6 verse 1, the writer says you keep looking for God to look like the law because that's what you were addicted to.

It's what Isaiah said. He said when you pass through the waters I will be with you when you pass through the rivers. They will not sweep over you when you walk Through the fire you will not be burned

The scripture says that he sends the disciples in the boat to the other side and that little passage right there mark chapter 6 verse 50 Yeah, immediately Only see it I don't have it right there mark chapter 6. It says that they were straining at the oars

Jesus says take courage it is I don't be afraid and then the Bible says he gets into the boat and immediately the storm settles

It took a storm it took a storm for the disciples to realize Jesus is divine Immediately the wind and the waves died down

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

One Bible verse I would like you to learn is in the New Testament Book of Romans. It says, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

I went all the way back to the book of Exodus and introduced this character named Moses to talk about what to do with the what ifs, just so I can see if I heard from the Lord or if I was off track this week when I was praying.

Watch this. In the book of Numbers, Moses sent out 12 spies to see about the land God had called them into.

They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community... They reported to them, and the whole assembly showed them the fruit of the land.

We went into the land which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful. The cities are fortified, very large, and not a word of a lie. Nothing they said wasn't true.

We should go up and take it, for we can certainly do it.' But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We can't attack those people. They're stronger than we are.'

I want to take you to the book of Ruth chapter 4 Verse 9 Through 17

Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of a limeleck Killian and Malon I Have also acquired Ruth the Moabite Malon's widow as my wife in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property so that his name will not Disappear from among his family or from his hometown today. You are witnesses verse 11

Then the elders and all the people at the gate said we are witnesses May the Lord Make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah who together Built up the family of Israel May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman made your family be like that of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah

When he made love to her the Lord enabled her to conceive and she gave birth to a son The women said to Naomi Praise be to the Lord Who this day has not left you without a guardian Redeemer?

May he become famous throughout Israel He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age For your daughter-in-law who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons has given him birth Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him

No, no, no, no. That's not it. I heard a preacher man say it like this once he goes, the Bible is basic instructions before leaving earth.

No, it's not basic instructions before leaving earth. It's not his little instruction book. No, no, no. The purpose of scripture is to reveal Jesus. The primary purpose of the text is to reveal Jesus into your life.

The first question that appears in the Bible isn't the one God asks. It's the one Satan asks, which makes me wonder sometimes is the first question that comes to our mind about something not the best question available.

In all of the Bible, the first time we see him talk, he doesn't give an answer in John chapter 1. This is the answer, sure, but he's also the question.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4.13 hasn't even been written yet.

But God... That's my favorite but in the Bible. But God, who is rich in mercy, but God demonstrates his own love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

He who began a good work in me is faithful to complete it.

I'm gonna be in Luke 5 1 through 11 to start with again.

If you come out to Elevation Knights, I might still be in Luke chapter 5

Now, why are you going to 2 Peter? I want to show you what was in Simon even as he sat by the fire and denied Jesus.

In 2 Peter, this letter he wrote after he had been sifted as Simon and after he had stood solid as Peter, he goes, 'for this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith.'

In luke 22. Give me that real quick Luke 22

But you, Bethlehem Ephrath, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times.

And he does that, he has that sonogram machine to see Jesus inside of her.

Greetings you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you.

Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God.

You will conceive and give birth to a son and you are to call him Jesus. You are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the most high.

The Bible tells us so much about the Bible.

The best way to know about the Bible is to read what the Bible says about the Bible.

The Bible is milk. The Bible is meat. The Bible is honey.

Jesus said, 'Man does not live on bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'

The Bible calls itself a sword.

I'm going to preach today from John, chapter 6.

If you can stand where you are, that would be great. Right there in your living room, kitchen.

I'll let you know when I find out. I read some theories, but I never really found an answer to that.

Jesus is the answer for the world today.

Jesus asks 307 questions in the four Gospels.

Our syllabus is from Matthew, verses 22-33. I want you to find that in your Bible.

In the King James version of Matthew, chapter 14, it says it was the fourth watch of the night when Jesus came to them.

If you go with me to Matthew, chapter 8, we're going to see one of the times Jesus was amazed.

When Jesus, Matthew, chapter 8, verse 5, had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him.

By grace through faith you are saved. This not of yourselves is a gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9.

I wonder do you have any of those staple scriptures? Just ones that get you through Romans 8 28 has always been one for me Because it says all things work together for the good of those who love God

I used to read it wrong for years. I thought it meant everything was good And so I preached a sermon when I was really young called It's all good from Romans 8 28 the Bible didn't say it's all good

So go ahead and and get that scripture locate it Joshua chapter 3 I'm gonna be in the New International version 2011 the new version

It says early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shidom. That's a long guy Stop playing pastor preach the word. Let me start over

early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan the place of identity and the instruction was camp before crossing over

We're going to be in Philippians chapter 4 for our short time together. This is verse 6-13.

Paul's writing in Philippians about contentment.

And so Paul's writing from one of those right here in Philippians 4 because Paul was not some super Christian who was immune from struggles.

If you read Paul's writings, a lot of times it looks like he actually struggled with depression.

Paul's saying, as I look back over my life, if I look at when I was on the platform, when I was being persecuted, when I was being celebrated, when I'm in the prison cell, in every single season God was there.

So I want to look at this scripture and it's just a conversation that Peter had with Jesus beginning in Matthew 16 verse 13 when Jesus Came to the region of Caesarea Philippi He asked his disciples who do people say the Son of Man is

See I want to show you another never and this never doesn't come from the mouth of Peter This this never comes from the mouth of God And it's from Hebrews 13 verse 5 and I need all my Easter people to get ready to shout on this

He said never will I leave you and never will I forsake you The Greek word is who may they might but I won't never no never

When God says never he means never there's nothing you can do about it devil I got a living home Never never

Romans chapter 5 verse 3 says that I hope in the glory of God That's different than hoping in the praises of men That's different in hoping in the kindness of life or the peace ability of circumstances

Today, I want to look at Mark chapter 5 if we can mark chapter 5 verses 21 through 43.

Starting at verse number 21, and then we'll land at verse 43 when you're ready to read it say yeah

I want us to hone in on verses 40 and 41 because remember Jesus walks in and says this girl is not dead She's just asleep

So don't find this strange in Mark chapter 5 mark begins by talking about the synagogue leader by the name of Jairus But in the middle of Jairus the story were abruptly Interrupted with the story of a woman with the issue of blood and the reason mark has strategically sandwiched these two story together Is because the two of them are connected

And can I suggest in this narcissistic? Individualistic selfie saturated society in which we live we have forgotten Romans chapter 12

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Whoever wants to save their life will lose it.

Whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone gain in exchange for their soul?

Joshua chapter four verses 15 through Joshua five and only one verse from Joshua five first one.

1 Peter 2 verse 7

John's Gospel chapter eight verse three

Ezekiel 11-19

Numbers chapter 13 verse 31

I want you to open up to Matthew chapter 8 verses 14 to 16 as we begin today's message.

Revelation 3:20 tells us about the kind of Savior that we serve, saying, "Here I am, I stand at the door and I knock."

You don't need to memorize the book of Philippians; it's about letting the Spirit convict us when we're all talk.

In John chapter six, it says, unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood, you'll have no part of me, and many disciples departed him and followed him no more.

I love the fact that today we are looking at Luke chapter five, the origin story of Peter, as we explore being all in.

The Bible says, Jesus answered, it is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God.

The book of Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 13, about verse 13 says something very interesting.

The Bible says that before Jesus was led into the wilderness, he went through the water.

I'm going to be reading from Psalm 139, verses 7 through 17.

His name is Jonah, the most unfairly villainized person in the Bible. We can read in the book of Jonah... the word of the Lord came to Jonah.

He speaks through impressions, instructions, and interruptions. The word of the Lord came to Jonah.

In Mark chapter 4, one time Jesus was on the boat... the Bible says when evening had come, he told them to cross over to the other side.

The Bible says the men feared the Lord... they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows, and then the great fish swallowed Jonah.

There's something about the B-I-B-L-E. Yes, that's the book for me. I stand alone on the word of God.

And when I start reading it, God starts speaking.

This is the only book in the history of the world where the author himself comes to sit down with you to teach you what he was trying to say.

Open up God's word and let it be a lamp to your feet and a light unto your path.

I have been reading the same plan since 1999 and I read it and I find... every time I read it, something jumps into my heart.

If he'll walk up to me in the middle of a storm, if he'll be with me in the middle of the fire, if he'll split the sea so I can walk through it and drown my enemies behind me, I can keep moving forward with the faith that God has my back in every situation. That's one thing the Bible says about God.

The Bible says in verse 32 that after they recognized Jesus, you know, you have these moments where you're like, oh yeah, that was God. Oh yeah, that was God that had him break up with me. He was broke. God was looking out for me.

Verse 32. They asked each other. Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?

He says hey look out for her and you look out for him and he's doing in his death what he did in his life bringing them together as he dies. That's the message from the Bible about love and sacrifice.

when they arrived and approached the place, the village that in their mind was their destination, the village called Emmaus, and the village that in their house. And when they got there, they thought they were going. Jesus continued on.

the Bible says that when they recognized Jesus in the process, when he broke the bread and gave the bread... Watch what happened next.

the Bible says the gift is in the middle. The goal is in the middle. I press toward the mark. Forgetting what is behind, I will not quit in the middle.

the disciples get where they're going to Emmaus and God says, Oh, you thought that was the final stop? No. It's just the middle.

John said, I looked and saw a throne. This is a beautiful picture because he said that the throne was sitting in the middle of praise.

I was telling Chunks earlier, the later I get in my 40s, the smaller the print on my Bible keeps getting. I think someone is switching it out.

Acts chapter 12, verse 5 says this.

It says, so Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

I was reading Philippians three, whenever he said, I'm forgetting what is behind me, and I'm pressing on.

The Bible says they're being added to their number daily, it's not just on Sundays.

Luke wrote the gospel of Luke where he recorded the words and deeds that Jesus did on the earth. And then he continues his gospel of Luke with the book of Acts.

God sends the spirit, the Holy Spirit, and it falls on them like tongues of fire. And the church begins that day in Acts chapter two.

the Bible says that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.

James chapter 1, verses 2 through 4. He said, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds..."

He said, from Hebrews chapter 12. I've always loved this picture of joy because it helps me to make a distinction between joy and pleasure.

The writer of Hebrews, whoever he was, says, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus... For the joy set before him he endured the cross.

Let's go to Psalm 16 for just a moment... The Lord is my chosen portion.

He referenced James, Hebrews, and Psalm as scriptural foundations throughout the sermon, using them to illustrate how joy is cultivated.