tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23972901916011742312024-03-14T01:27:03.520-07:00A Journey Through the Gospel Of John"A Journey Through The Gospel Of John" is a blog site dedicated to encouraging believers and seekers alike to read and contemplate the scriptures. Our current focus is John's Gospel, the fourth book of The New Testament. Please feel free to leave your comments, and your questions as we take this journey together.Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-66050860240044835232017-06-27T08:05:00.003-07:002017-06-27T08:05:59.210-07:00I Once Was BlindIn Psalm 119:18 the psalmist prays, "Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law." It seems that God has been in the business of opening eyes for a long time. He opened the eyes of the psalmist, He opened the eyes of the "man born blind" of John chapter nine, and He opens the eyes of a sinner who comes to faith in Jesus Christ. Has he opened your eyes? I pray that He has, but if He hasn't, I can assure you, He is willing to! <br />
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=466:3122017-i-once-was-blind-but-now-i-see&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">Sermon on John 9</a>Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-53552289316371348262017-03-02T14:47:00.004-08:002017-03-02T14:47:57.862-08:00Jesus is the light of the world!In John chapter eight Jesus declares that he is the light of the world, and that those who believe in Him will not walk in darkness. This does not mean that we are perfect, but rather, that we confess our imperfections, our sins, and come to the Lord to receive grace and mercy. We stand in the grace of God, and without it, we are hopelessly lost. Jesus didn't come to condemn us, but to save us, and having been saved by His grace, it is the desire of the true believer to walk in a manner that is pleasing to God. For more on this topic, click the link below, and listen in on this past Sunday's sermon from Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro, in Burleson, Tx. If you like what you hear, consider joining us this Sunday, as we continue our study in John chapter eight!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Pastor Ken<br />
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=464:2262017-god-is-light&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">God is Light</a>Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-8597861337204419242017-02-23T15:29:00.002-08:002017-02-23T15:31:29.619-08:00“Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.”<br />
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Sometimes we can become so focused on the first half of this
statement of Jesus, that we forget the second.
Jesus did not condemn the woman who was caught in adultery. She had been caught red handed, dragged into
the public arena, shamed before the crowds, and set before Jesus for
judgement. When the Pharisees pointed
out that the Law of Moses condemned her to death, asking Jesus what He thought
should be done with her, they figured they had Jesus trapped for sure! If he condemned her, the people would likely
turn against him, and He would be in trouble with the Romans who had forbidden
the Jews to practice capital punishment, but had he not condemned her they
could accuse Him of contradicting the Law of Moses. This was a “no win scenario” for Jesus…or so
they thought.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jesus, writing on the ground, ignored them at first; but,
when they persisted to ask Him, He rose up and said that the one among them who
was without sin should cast the first stone, thereby neither condemning nor
excusing her, and proceeded to go back to His writing upon the ground. Now, we do not know for sure what Jesus was
writing, but we are told that the Pharisees became convicted of their sins and
left “beginning with the oldest.” It
seems likely that this conviction over their sins was in response to whatever
it was that Jesus was writing. Was it
the law? Was it their names with particular
sins scribbled alongside? Who is to
say? We don’t really know. What we do know is that not one of them condemned
her. <o:p></o:p><br />
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After they had left, Jesus looked up, and seeing them gone
asked the woman if none had condemned her.
She replied, “no one sir.” Jesus
replied, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.” We should be reminded by this statement of
John 3:17 which declares that “…God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn
the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (ISV). What an amazing blessing it is that God does
not deal with us according to our sins, but that He stands ready to forgive if
only we will trust in Him! <o:p></o:p><br />
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It is imperative however, that we also acknowledge the
second part of the Lord’s statement. He
has forgiven this woman for her sin; yes, He has forgiven her, but by no means
is this grace to be interpreted as a license to sin. The forgiveness that God offers may be free
to us, but it came at a very high price for Him. It cost Him the life of His beloved Son, the
only begotten of the Father. Jesus bled,
and died, to secure our salvation, and in the light of that our attitude toward
sin should never be cavalier. As believers, we are called to “walk worthy”
of the calling of God in our lives. Here
are a few examples:<o:p></o:p><br />
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<i>“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of
the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3<o:p></o:p></i><br />
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<i>“For this reason we…do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you
may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
that you may walk worthy of the Lord, bully pleasing Him, being fruitful in
every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all
might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with
joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in the light.
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the
kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins.” </i><br />
<i>Colossians 1:9-14.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
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<i>“You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and
blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we
exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you , as a father does his
own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own
kingdom and glory.” I Thessalonians
2:10-12. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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If it is our desire to “walk worthy” of the calling that God
has placed upon our lives through faith in Jesus Christ, then clearly our goal
should be to “go and sin no more.” Now,
even as believers, we are prone to sin, and to expect that we will never fail
is unrealistic of us to be sure. Thank
God that He promises to forgive us for our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness
when we confess them to Him, but it should be the desire of our heart to walk
free from sin, or, more as Paul says it in II Timothy 2:22 we should, “Flee
also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those
who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
This should be our goal, remembering always that the Lord has not given
us the liberty to sin, but that He has given us liberty from sin. So let’s thank Him today for His mercy and
grace, and then purpose in our hearts to live a life that is pleasing to Him,
endeavoring to walk free from sin, and follow faithfully the one who has gone
before us, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For an audio teaching John 8:1-11 click on the link below to visit the web site of Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro, in Burleson, Tx. </div>
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=463:2192017-who-are-you-who-judge&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">Who are you who judges?</a></div>
Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-55472369732022997292017-02-13T16:31:00.000-08:002017-02-13T16:31:04.428-08:00He Gives Us HimselfChapters 6 and 7 of John present Jesus as "The Bread of Life" and "The Giver of Rivers of Living Water." He is the bread that has come down from Heaven, the bread that truly satisfies, and He is the one who declares, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."<br />
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The bread that Jesus offered was His own body, broken for our sins, and the living water that He promises will flow from the hearts of those who believe and come thirsting, is the indwelling, overflowing Holy Spirit! He gives us Himself! He gives us Himself, to satisfy our hunger for righteousness, and He gives us His Holy Spirit, to satisfy our spiritual thirst for communion with Him. What more could we ever ask for? <br />
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If you would like to hear more on these chapters, click the links below and listen in on the past two weeks sermons in the Gospel of John at Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro, in Burleson, Texas. <br />
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=461:252017-i-am-the-bread-of-life&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">I am the bread of life.</a> Chapter 6<br />
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=462:2122017-rivers-of-living-water&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">Rivers of living water.</a> Chapter 7Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-21000998279804747212017-01-30T16:20:00.002-08:002017-01-31T07:33:08.954-08:00Jesus Truly SatisfiesIn John chapter 6 we find Jesus and His disciples engaged in ministry beyond their physical means. A crowd has gathered that numbers 5,000 men, and more, if you count the women and children. They are in a desert place, and there is nowhere to get food. The crowds will soon grow hungry, and the disciples have been tasked by their master to provide food for the multitude. What are they to do? <br />
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"Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every on of them may have a little." declares Philip.<br />
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"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" offers Andrew.<br />
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The disciples are very well aware of the fact that the resources which they have available are not sufficient to meet the need that is being presented, and to tell you the truth, that isn't a bad thing. The word tells us that His strength is made perfect in weakness according to II Corinthians 12:9. The disciples recognized that material resources would not be enough to meet the need at hand. <br />
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Recognizing our own limitations is never a bad thing, when that recognition leads us to a greater dependence upon Jesus Christ. The fact is, Jesus already knew what He was going to do. He made the people sit down, took the limited resources that were available, blessed it, broke it, and distributing it to the people through His disciples, Jesus made it enough. In fact, he made it MORE than enough. When they gathered up the left overs, there were 12 baskets full of bread, which was a whole lot more than they had started with in the first place. <br />
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The things that the Lord asks His followers (us) to do, are often beyond the scope of their natural means. It is only when we rely on the supernatural provision that comes only from the Lord, that we will be able to accomplish the fullness of what He intends for us to do. So when the task at hand seems overwhelming, commit your limited resources to the Lord, and trust that according to His awesome power, he will make it more than sufficient for what He has called you to do.<br />
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For more thoughts on John chapters 5 and 6, click on the links below and enjoy the weekly messages from Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro in Burleson, Tx. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=459:1222017-do-you-want-to-be-made-well&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">Do you want to be made well?</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=460:1292017-he-will-be-with-you-in-the-storm-&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">He will be with you in the storm.</a>Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-8583040020229188382017-01-16T15:50:00.001-08:002017-01-16T15:50:16.988-08:00John, Chapter 4Continuing our study through the Gospel of John brings us to the fourth chapter, in which Jesus keeps a divine appointment with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well, instructs his disciples to pray that the lord of the harvest send workers into the field for the harvest is ready, ministers to an entire village of Samaritans who come to believe that He is the Messiah, and heals a nobleman's son from 20 miles away just by the power of His words. <br />
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From the first sign that Jesus performed we learned that salvation is through the Word, and from the sign of this miraculous healing we learn that Salvation is by faith! Want to know more? Listen in to the last couple weeks sermons by clicking on the lings below. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=457:182017-encounter-with-the-messiah&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">An Encounter With the Messiah</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=458:1152017-the-connection-of-faith&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">The Connection of Faith</a>Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-64027417821210796282016-12-19T10:23:00.001-08:002016-12-19T10:23:33.437-08:00According to John chapter 3, what are three things that "MUST" take place? To find the answer, either read the chapter, or listen to this weeks sermon from Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro. <br />
<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=454:12182016-he-must-increase-but-i-must-decrease&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">This weeks message from John 3</a>Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-27105635373328475372016-12-15T09:26:00.000-08:002016-12-15T09:27:22.474-08:00Salvation or Condemnation?<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the third chapter of John we find some of the greatest
words ever penned in the sixteenth verse; “For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life.” During the
holiday season it is encouraging to note that the tradition of giving gifts
began with God! For God so loved…He
gave. Just as we are told in James 1:17,
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the
Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” There
is no more good, or perfect gift, than the gift of Jesus Christ, who set aside
His Glory to be born of a virgin, to be lain in a stable, to live a life of
humility and service to the poor and needy, to die a martyr’s death upon a
cross, to be buried in a borrowed tomb, and three days later, to rise again to
life!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What an amazing gift that was! What amazing love! What amazing grace! Too often however we stop at John 3:16. That is like seeing the present under the
tree, but leaving it there. To really
appreciate a gift, we need to unwrap it.
The next few verses will help us do that….let’s take a look.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John 3:17-19 helps us to understand John 3:16 even
better. In it, Jesus states, “For God
did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world
through Him might be saved. He who
believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. And this is the condemnation, that
light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil.” You see,
Jesus didn’t come to condemn, He came to save, because mankind was already
condemned because their deeds were evil.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you doubt the evil that is present in mankind, all you
need to do is look at the world around you.
Today, the news is filled with stories about despots and dictators who
turn their guns upon their own citizens.
In Syria, the government has even used chemical weapons against
civilians, including children! If you
need evidence that is closer to home, look at the racial bias, discrimination,
and violent conflict that is evident here in the states. Even the verbal conflict between those who
support and oppose political candidates like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton
reveal a lack of love for our fellow man that manifests itself in our inability
to carry on a civil discourse! The fact
is, mankind was already condemned, and was desperately in need of a savior;
and, God gave us just what we needed. He
sent His Son to pay the price for all that we have done wrong! Will you accept His gift today? If you haven’t already, I hope that you
will! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To hear our
most recent message from the book of John, click on the link below and listen
in to a teaching from John chapter 3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=453:12112016-the-wind-blows-where-it-pleases&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">The Wind Blows Where It Will, a message from John 3</a></span></div>
Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-50067082860618656152016-12-11T19:45:00.006-08:002016-12-11T19:45:57.310-08:00Will You Receive Him?When Jesus came to Jerusalem during The Passover, He discovered cattle, sheep, and money changers in The Temple. The people were being taken advantage of, and His Father's House, that was supposed to have been a house of prayer, had been made into a market place. Jesus drove out the cattle, commanded that the doves be taken away, and overturned the money changers tables. He created quite a stir, and the priests and the leaders of the Jews were not happy about it.<br />
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They should have received Him. They should have recognized His authority, or at the very least recognized that he was correct in His criticism of the condition of the outer court of the temple. But, as the scriptures tell us, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." They questioned His authority to do what He had done, and asked for a sign to confirm His authority. He told them to tear down the temple, and that in three days He would raise it up. They were confused, thinking that He referred to the building itself, but as John 2 tells us, He was referring to the temple of His body, of his coming crucifixion, and the subsequent resurrection that would restore Him to life, and open the door to eternal life to all who believe in His name. <br />
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To hear more about the cleansing of the temple, and John chapter two, click on this link below and listen in on last weeks sermon. <br />
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=452:1242016-his-own-received-him-not&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=452:1242016-his-own-received-him-not&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25</a>Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-40842259101566230812016-11-30T07:59:00.003-08:002016-11-30T07:59:52.675-08:00The New Wine is the Best Wine!<div class="MsoNormal">
In the book of Exodus, the Lord gave Moses the power to turn
the waters of the Nile into blood, but here in John chapter 2 Jesus transforms
water into wine. The transformation of
water into blood is symbolic of judgement that was to come, but the transformation
of water into wine speaks of the joy in the Lord that can be ours when the clay
pots of our lives are filled with the water of God’s word! As John 1:16 and 17 tell us, “…of His fullness
we have all received, and grace for grace.
For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through
Jesus Christ.” Click on the following
link for last Sunday’s full teaching on this first of Jesus miraculous signs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=451:11272016-the-good-wine&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=451:11272016-the-good-wine&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25</a></div>
Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-42150671451805050412016-11-18T08:57:00.006-08:002016-11-18T08:57:38.550-08:00Doing the work of an evangelist....without actually being one....<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John the Baptist was a
powerful evangelist, ministering to the multitudes, rebuking the sins of the
people, and urging them towards repentance as he prepared the way for the
coming of the Lord. He was, both
figuratively and literally, “…the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make
straight the way of the Lord!” Perhaps
such vociferous evangelism seems to be beyond your power to emulate. Does the thought of standing before crowds
and preaching the gospel seem a little intimidating to you? Well if it does, you can relax. We are not all called to stand before
multitudes and proclaim the coming of the Lord…
but we are all called to do the share the truth we have received. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In II Timothy 4:5 Paul
exhorted his young friend to “…do the work of an evangelist…” So, what does that mean for us today, and
what examples can we find in the scripture that show us how to do this work,
aside from shouting from the roof tops or out in the wilderness? John chapter 1:29-51 give us some awesome
examples. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In John 1:29, when John
declares “Behold! The Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world!” a couple of his disciples became very
curious, and decided to follow Jesus to see what he was all about, they very quickly
came to the conclusion that this was, indeed, the Messiah. Instead of keeping this information to
themselves, or tucking it away for future consideration, they immediately found
someone to share the information with. It
is believed that one of these two men who first followed Jesus was John, the
author of this gospel, but the other is clearly identified as Andrew. After meeting Jesus, the first thing Andrew
did was find his brother, and tell him about the discovery. Verse 41 tells us that “He first found his
own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is
translated, the Christ). And he brought
him to Jesus…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This behavior was
repeated a few verses later when, after having met Jesus, Philip also has to
find someone to tell; vs 45-46 tells us that “Philip found Nathanael and said
to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets,
wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can
anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The pattern is
simple: meet Jesus, go find someone with
whom you have an existing relationship and who has not met Jesus, tell them
what you have found, and invite them to come and see for themselves- No
shouting in the wilderness necessary! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-10271205750263698972016-11-15T13:12:00.000-08:002016-11-15T13:14:38.082-08:00Who Was John The Baptist?So, who was he? <br />
Where did he come from?<br />
What was it he came to accomplish?<br />
What can we learn from his ministry?<br />
<br />
For the answer to all of these questions and more, listen to the latest teaching from Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro in Burleson, Texas by clicking on the link below!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sermonsave.com/ccswm/sermons/2016/1113-John1.mp3">http://sermonsave.com/ccswm/sermons/2016/1113-John1.mp3</a><br />
<br />
Blessings,<br />
<br />
-PKRead and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-6329247904926318162016-11-11T21:11:00.001-08:002016-11-11T21:11:56.082-08:00The Divine Expression!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John 1:1 tells us who Jesus really is. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God.”
This passage takes us all the way back to the beginning of time, and at
the beginning of time we find that “the Word” was already there! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus, you see, is not a created being, but is Himself the
creator of all things. The scripture makes
it very, very clear that He was both with God, and that He was God. Jesus was the “Word” which in the Greek
language of the New Testament is “logos” and can be translated to mean, “the
divine expression.” Jesus then, is the
very expression of God the Father. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the book of Hebrews, chapter 1, verses 1-3 this truth is
expressed beautifully as it is written, “God, who at various times and in
various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these
last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things,
through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His
glory and the express image of His
person, and upholding all things by the word of His power; when He had by
Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”
(NKJV). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not only does this passage
confirm that Jesus is the express image of God’s person, it also correlates
with John 1:3-5 in confirming Jesus as the creator of all things. As John writes, “All things were made through
Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light
of men. And the light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (NKJV). Jesus created all things in the beginning,
and entered into His own creation, to redeem us to the Father. He is the divine expression, and came to
express not only who God is, but also to express to us the love that God has
for us. He is the divine expression, the very demonstration of God’s love!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-28471378494013456412016-11-07T08:40:00.001-08:002016-11-07T08:40:21.243-08:00An Introduction to John, "That You Might Believe"<br />
Join me in listening to our introduction to the Gospel of John that was presented this past Sunday at Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro, by clicking on the link: <a href="http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=448:11062016-that-you-might-believe&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25">http://www.ccswm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=448:11062016-that-you-might-believe&catid=1:sermons&Itemid=25</a>. Or by clicking on the ccswm.org web site listed above.<br />
<br />
Have a blessed week,<br />
<br />
PKRead and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-20244818889059131682016-11-05T13:46:00.001-07:002016-11-05T13:46:34.670-07:00<div class="MsoNormal">
This week here at CCSWM we will begin our study of The
Gospel of John, and I for one, am very excited.
John’s gospel is one of my favorite books of the Bible for a variety of
reasons, one of which is that John is very clear about why he wrote it, and another
is that John offers a unique perspective on the life and works of Christ that
stands apart from Matthew, Mark, and Luke in both content and design.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While some are critical of the differences between the
synoptic gospels, as Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called, these differences are
not contradictory, but rather complementary.
Of the three synoptic gospels, Mark was written first, and it seems
clear that Matthew and Luke referred to Mark when penning their accounts of the
life and ministry of Christ. John was
written last of these four, and though John had access to the preceding works,
chose rather to compliment them than to simply repeat the things that had been
written in them. John acknowledges these
differences, and expresses his purpose for choosing to focus on different
details in John 20:30-31 where he writes, “And truly Jesus did many other signs
in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these
are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and
that believing you may have life in His name” (NKJV). <o:p></o:p></div>
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John’s stated purpose in writing this Gospel, is to
encourage belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and his profession is that those
who do believe will have life in the name of Jesus Christ. In this brief statement John communicates the
heart of the Gospel. It is my hope, that
as we read together, we will be strengthened in our conviction that Jesus
Christ is who this book professes Him to be, the only begotten son of the true
and living God. <o:p></o:p></div>
Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2397290191601174231.post-52681025275242022072016-10-20T16:18:00.001-07:002016-10-21T07:06:25.258-07:00Join me for the journey!<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Hi there! And thanks for joining me today, as I begin
this journey through the book of John!
My name is Ken Davis, and I am the pastor and teacher here at Calvary
Chapel Southwest Metro (CCSWM) in Burleson, Texas. CCSWM is a friendly fellowship of believers
in Jesus Christ, and it is our pleasure to welcome you to join us some Sunday
morning as we work our way through this amazing book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As we study each week
in the Gospel of John, each of our Sunday morning sermons will be drawn from
its verses. Here at Calvary, we like to
study the Word of God chapter by chapter, and verse by verse. That way, we try to avoid adding to, or
taking away from, the thing that God is communicating to us through His
word. I truly hope you will decide to
pay us a visit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That having been said,
if you prefer to read through the scripture on your own, you are more than welcome
to do so, and to join us here online.
There are a variety of ways that you can engage with us here on the
web. You can check in for what I hope
will be weekly blog postings discussing the passage that is currently being
covered at church, or you can follow the link to our web site where each week’s
message is available for free download. You
can also link to our Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook feed through this page as
well…just check out the links as you like for occasional updates and interesting
information.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As we read together, I
hope to share with you devotional thoughts, Bible study tips, scriptural
insights, and encouragement to grow in your knowledge of the grace and love of
Jesus Christ. If you have any comments,
or questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section. It is my hope that even if we don’t always
agree, we can always grow from these exchanges.
I am a firm believer in the benefit of civil discourse, and I hope that
you are too. I am really looking forward
to this time together as we prepare to launch into this wonderful study of a
truly amazing book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Be on the look-out for
my next post, in which I will offer a brief introduction of John’s Gospel, as
we prepare to begin our study together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Until then,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Pastor Ken (PK).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Read and Heed the Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639717422171242732noreply@blogger.com0