A New Temple: Separation from God and from other people can be hopelessly painful. But the gospel destroys all barriers and puts to death all hostility. Why? Because God is building a new temple, made up of all kinds of people, whose lives are built on Christ and aligned with his word. Recorded on May 19, 2024, on Ephesians 2:11-22 by Justun Hart.
Our series, Ephesians: The Gospel in Life, serves as an epilogue to Finding Life in Jesus’ Name from John’s gospel. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reveals much about how the life found by faith in Jesus actually works. This series will touch on themes of grace, identity, purpose, family, the church, spiritual warfare, and more. If you’re considering the life of Jesus or if you’re ready to follow him today, this series is for you.
Saved By Grace: What does it actually mean to be “saved” in a Christian sense? The Biblical picture of life in this broken world is bleak — that apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead. Is there any hope? Yes! The gospel says that because of God’s love and mercy, salvation is offered as a gracious gift to be received by faith. The gospel changes everything. Recorded on May 12, 2024, on Ephesians 2:1-10 by Pastor David Parks.
Our series, Ephesians: The Gospel in Life, serves as an epilogue to Finding Life in Jesus’ Name from John’s gospel. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reveals much about how the life found by faith in Jesus actually works. This series will touch on themes of grace, identity, purpose, family, the church, spiritual warfare, and more. If you’re considering the life of Jesus or if you’re ready to follow him today, this series is for you.
Sermon Transcript
Well, for the next few months, we’ll be working through a sermon series called The Gospel in Life from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in the Bible. If you missed either of the first few sermons, you can always go back and watch or listen to the podcast to catch up if you’d like. But today, we’re going to try and stare into the sun for the next 30 minutes or so. Today, from one of the most important passages in the whole Bible, we’re going to consider the heart of Christian salvation. What does it actually mean to be “saved” in a Christian sense? Just what is it that God saves us from? How has he saved us? And what has he saved us for? Well, in case you’re thinking, “I don’t really need this message. I’m already a Christian.” just remember, Paul is writing to Christians, to his brothers and sisters in Christ, in Ephesus. They’d already heard and believed the gospel. But today, in Ephesians 2, we’ll see that everybody needs the gospel, even Christians. We never graduate from our need for the gospel. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to Ephesians 2:1.
Ephesians 2:1–2 (NIV), “1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” “As for you” probably refers to the gentile Christians in the church at Ephesus, but he’s not leaving himself or Paul’s fellow Jews from the need for the gospel, as we’ll see shortly. But here, Paul starts with the bad news. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.” What does this mean? Well, a transgression simply means crossing a line that shouldn’t be crossed. You commit a transgression when you drive your car through a guardrail on the highway — that never ends well. A moral transgression would be crossing a line that God has drawn, breaking a command of God, such as lying, cheating, stealing, coveting what isn’t yours, dishonoring your parents, and so on. These are all transgressions, but sin is very similar. The word for sin was originally an archery term meaning falling short of the mark. In Christian thought, sin means falling short of God’s standard for what is right in thought, word, or deed. Jesus taught that the whole Law could be summed up in two commands: first, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second, to love your neighbor as yourself. So sin means falling short in some way in our love for God or our love for others. Now, everyone knows that transgressions and sins are bad. God made human beings with a conscience. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to know right from wrong. But here’s the real problem: Paul says that if you cross a line you shouldn’t cross or if you fall short of what’s right, it’s not just that you’re guilty, and it’s not just that you ought to be ashamed — it’s that you’re dead. You might be physically alive, but you’re spiritually dead. You’re a cut flower. You might even look quite youthful/beautiful on the outside, but you’re separated from the only real source of life in creation. Sin always separates; it’s a disintegrating force. It corrodes and dissolves the bonds of friendship. Sin pushes husbands and wives apart. It ruins Christmas dinner. But far more important than the human impact, sin is cosmic rebellion against God. It’s a rejection of God’s word/will/way. It’s creatures choosing to reject their Creator to follow the ways of this broken “world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” This spirit is known as the adversary, the devil. Now, I don’t think most people would see their lives in such stark terms when they start considering the Christian faith. It’s true that most people have a sense of need or even a sense of guilt that they haven’t lived in a way that honors God before becoming a Christian. But I don’t think most people would check the “spiritually dead” box on the connect card (if we had that box). So, is Paul just trying to make us feel bad here? I don’t think so. The picture Paul is painting here is helpful because it’s true. Whether we fully understood it or not, apart from the person and work of Jesus, we were spiritually dead. We lived (lit. walked) according to the corrupt ways of this broken world, and we were trapped in a satanic system, a kingdom of darkness. But was this just a Gentile problem? Not at all. Paul goes on to include himself and his people in this “walking dead” condition.
Ephesians 2:3 (NIV), “3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”Here, in switching from “you” to “us,” Paul includes the Jewish believers on the same sinking ship as the Gentiles. In the past, at one time, we were all “gratifying the cravings of our flesh.” That is, we were following any desire/thought, sinful or not, that seemed good to us at the time. Now, it might be obvious, but this is why the modern idea of following your heart doesn’t work. Because our hearts are a mixed bag of good and bad, healthy and helpful motives mixed with self-centered or even self-destructive motives. One moment, we’re trying to love and serve others, and the very next moment, we’re trying to see how much we can take from others. We struggle to do what we know is right. And sometimes, we give in all too easily to what we know it’s wrong. This isn’t a Jew or Gentile problem; it’s a universal problem. “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Ro 3:22b-23). According to the Bible, this is the main problem in our world. All other problems flow out of this problem. Now, you might think, “If I could just get a handle on my language, or if I could just figure out how not to stop fighting with my spouse or be more patient with my coworkers, or if I could just reign in my drinking/spending/worrying, then I would basically be ok. If God could help me with those problems, then my life would basically be good to go.” But the Bible reveals there’s a far bigger problem under all those other problems. Those problems are symptoms of the disease of spiritual death. As a result, Paul’s prognosis is that “like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.” “But wait!” you might think. “I’m not that bad of a person!” And it might be true. You can almost always find someone whose record (moral performance) is worse than yours. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. You can almost always find someone whose record is better than yours. How do you know if you’re good enough? But according to Paul, the categories aren’t good and bad, the categories are spiritually alive and spiritually dead. We saw two weeks ago that God’s cosmic goal for the gospel is the renewal and unity of all things in/under Christ. And we said that this means all of history has a direction and a destination in Christ. But the bad news is that apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead, so our direction and destination are judgment, wrath, and separation from the life, light, and love of God going on forever. This is what hell is. But is there any hope? Can anything be done about this condition? The answer of the gospel is a resounding “Yes!” Just watch.
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV), “4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Our passage started with “you were” and painted a bleak picture. But…what? But…God! Because of who God is — because of his great love for us and because he’s rich in mercy — we have hope. And because of what God does, because of his wonderful works — we have hope. And what has God done in accordance with his love and mercy? He “made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” The root of all our problems is spiritual death caused by transgressions and sins. “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro 6:23). This gift of God is what makes Paul exclaim, “…it is by grace you have been saved.” Grace is the unmerited blessing/favor of God. The new spiritual life that God gives is not a paycheck to be earned; it’s a gift simply to be received. We’ll get to how we receive it in a moment, but for now, I’d like to point out that the grace of God is one aspect of Christian salvation that is totally unique. No other religion or philosophy has anything like this. Every other religion says something like, “Here are the steps you need to follow to get the blessing/favor of God.” Every philosophy says, “Here are the steps you need to follow to live the good life.” But the gospel says, “God loves you. So, here’s what God has done/accomplished for you. Here’s the good life that God has graciously given to you in Christ.” It’s totally upside-down compared to the ways of the world. It’s just as radically different from Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism as it is from secular humanism. No one else has anything like the grace of God. But what has this grace done?
Ephesians 2:6-7 (NIV), “6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” This is a curious way of talking about the work of God. Did you notice it? These actions are all in the past tense. (“God raised us…and [has] seated us…”) But we are not in heaven, are we? And the resurrection of the dead hasn’t happened yet, has it? We’re still in the age of redemption, including the Spirit, the gospel, and the church. We’re still seeing the kingdom of God unfolding/expanding here on the earth. It’s not fully “on earth as it is in heaven” — at least not yet. So why does Paul write as if these things already happened? Well, some scholars think Paul is so confident in the gracious work of God — “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Php 1:6) — that he speaks of our future as if it’s already happened. Like a coach telling their team, they’ve already won the game when they’re up by twenty points with only 30 seconds left in the game. Technically, they haven’t won yet, but the victory is sure. And that could be. If salvation is a gift of God’s grace, it isn’t dependent on me and my shaky ability to earn God’s blessing/favor. If we’re saved by grace, we’ve already won, right? Now, I do believe this is what God has done in Christ, but I think Paul is doing something a little different with his use of the past tense here. When he says that “God raised us up,” he says, “with Christ.” And when he says that “God seated us…in the heavenly realms,” he says, “with him” and “in Christ Jesus.” Paul is pointing to our union with Christ, one of the great themes of this letter. When God raised Jesus from the dead, we, too, were raised from the dead because of our union with him. When Jesus ascended into heaven and was seated at the right hand of God the Father, we, too, were seated because of our union with him. We were raised and seated and have received all the other aspects of the blessing and favor of God because we are in Christ. But how? How are we united with Christ? How do we receive the gift of God’s grace?
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV), “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” If you take notes in your Bibles, these verses would be great to highlight/underline/circle. What is the way of salvation? How might we find redemption, forgiveness, and spiritual life? Do you want to know what it means to be saved? We receive the grace/love/mercy of God through faith — by believing in the person and work of Jesus and trusting him in life. We’re not Christians because we are better or smarter or more deserving than others. We’re not Christians because we have our lives all sorted out. We’re not Christians because we’ve obeyed the Ten Commandments or have perfectly loved God and our neighbor. We are not saved by our works — even works done for God. Therefore, no one can boast. Salvation cannot result in believing we’re better than others. Why? Because we are Christians for one reason only: because we need Jesus, we believe in Jesus, and by God’s grace, we have received Jesus and are now united with him. If we boast in anyone, we boast in him. So, the gospel is not “Here are the steps you need to follow to get the blessing/favor of God.” or “Here are the steps you need to follow to live the good life.” The gospel is the good news of who God is, what he’s done in the past, what he’s doing today through his Son and Spirit, and all that he promises for our future in Christ. Because of his love and mercy, God has already accomplished everything we need in Christ. To receive this as the gracious gift it was intended to be, all you need to do is take God at his word. However, by stressing God’s saving work in the gospel, that it is not by our works we are saved, Paul would never want us to think it doesn’t matter how we live. Just the opposite.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV), “10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This is God’s word. So, in light of the gospel of grace, where we’re saved by grace through faith, we discover we do have work to do. Not works to earn our salvation, but works to do because we’re saved. The way of salvation is a gift to receive. But the way of the Christian life, of life in Christ, is a job to do. Why? Because we are God’s handiwork. God has worked like an artisan in wisdom and great purpose in creating us. And God has made us to do good works. To love him and to love others; to share good news and help others come to faith and grow in their faith in Jesus; to work hard at work that meets the needs of others in the marketplace, education, government, and elsewhere; to care for the poor and those in need; to work for justice and raise kids who will do the same. Christians don’t do these works to become Christians but because we are Christians. Do you see why it’s so important to get the order right? As we close, what have we learned (or have been reminded of) about what God saves us from? God has saved us from spiritual death caused by our transgressions and sins. How has he saved us? He sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die and rise again to conquer sin and death for us. His victory is given to us as a gracious gift that is received by faith. And what has he saved us for? God has saved us in Christ to do the good works that he has prepared in advance for us to do. The gospel isn’t the ABCs of the Christian life; it’s the A-Z of the Christian life. This is why we never graduate from our need for the gospel. It’s the only good news that changes everything. How it changes everything is really the subject of the rest of Paul’s letter. But for now, let us be drawn back into the doxology which is where we started. If this is who God is and this is what God has done and is doing, then all we can do is live to the praise of his glorious grace. Let us pray.
Incomparably Great Power: Do you want to grow in your faith, no matter what your circumstances are? You need to understand what you’ve been given in Christ. Paul prays the Ephesians would know the hope of their calling, the riches of their inheritance, and the incomparably great power they have been given in Christ. Recorded on May 5, 2024, on Ephesians 1:15-23 by Pastor David Parks.
Our series, Ephesians: The Gospel in Life, serves as an epilogue to Finding Life in Jesus’ Name from John’s gospel. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reveals much about how the life found by faith in Jesus actually works. This series will touch on themes of grace, identity, purpose, family, the church, spiritual warfare, and more. If you’re considering the life of Jesus or if you’re ready to follow him today, this series is for you.
Sermon Transcript
So, last week, we started a new sermon series called The Gospel in Life from the book of Ephesians in the Bible. And we started with the truth that the Christian life is, first and foremost, a life of worship. Today, we’ll consider the first of two prayers of Paul in his letter. In this first prayer, we see not only the fruit of what God is doing in their church but also how Paul prays for them to continue to grow in their faith. Do you want to know how to grow in your faith? Do you ever read the Bible and wonder, why doesn’t my life look more like this?? Do you want more hope and more spiritual power, no matter what your circumstances are? This message is for you. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to Ephesians 1:15.
Ephesians 1:15–16 (NIV), “15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” So, the Apostle Paul is writing a letter here to his friends, who are mostly Gentile believers in the city of Ephesus. Paul had planted this church about ten years earlier and is now writing back to them when he was under house arrest in Rome. Last week, we saw that after the initial greeting, he started the body of the letter with a doxology or an invitation to worship. And we saw that the reason he was inviting the Ephesians to worship the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because of the gospel — which is the good news of who God is, what he’s done in the past, what he’s doing today, and what he’s promised for our future in Christ. We saw that this gospel reveals the truly cosmic nature of God’s plan, the only rational response being to live lives of worship to the praise of his glory. Here, in v. 15, Paul moves from doxology to prayer. “For this reason,” meaning, in light of the grand scope of the gospel, from eternity to eternity, Paul has not stopped giving thanks to God for the Ephesians, “remembering you in my prayers.” But why? Why is Paul so thankful? He says that he heard some good things about them. He heard about their “faith in the Lord Jesus.” Paul spent almost three years in Ephesus. He probably knew many of the people who were in the church there, except for those who came to faith after he left. And as a good shepherd, Paul would’ve cared deeply for them. Like a good mom or dad would want the best for their kids, so Paul would’ve wanted the best for them. At some point, someone brought him a report of their faith, and he was overjoyed. They do believe, Paul! They believe in the gospel, they trust in Jesus, and they follow his way — even in the mostly pagan city of Ephesus. How do you know? Because of their love for all God’s people. Now, the phrase “God’s people” here literally means “holy ones,” which is where, in church history, we got the term “the saints.” But saints in the Bible aren’t exceptional, superhero-like Christians. Saints are just regular old Christians who have faith in the Lord Jesus and who love one another. If you’re a Christian today, you, too, are a saint. But Paul says that he’s heard of their faith and their love for one another, so he has much to be thankful for. But he doesn’t stop there. He could’ve just said that he was praying for them and that he was thankful to God for them. But he goes on to share his prayers for them, and this is where we see a whole different kind of prayer.
Ephesians 1:17 (NIV), “17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” This prayer is clearly Trinitarian — we see the glorious Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit all together. And Paul was asking this three-in-one God, on behalf of his friends, that he would give them wisdom and revelation so they would grow in their knowledge of God. I love what Constantine Campbell writes in his commentary on this verse. “Wisdom begins with the fear of the LORD (Prov 1:7) and involves living in light of God’s created order and avoiding foolishness. Revelation is less humanly cultivated, as it involves God’s revealing of some previously hidden knowledge or truth. And knowledge of God speaks of personal knowledge of the Lord in the context of relationship. It is not knowledge about God, but is the kind of knowledge that can only come through intimate understanding and experience of another. Thus, Paul prays that his readers would cultivate godly wisdom, would have God’s truth revealed to them, and would have a personal knowledge of the Lord—all by the power of the Spirit.” (PNTC, p. 71). This is such a great prayer! Don’t we all need this? Wouldn’t it be helpful to grow in our own wisdom and understanding of the truth? Wouldn’t it be helpful to our life to have a better knowledge of God in our relationship with him? But how does this work? Is there a class we can sign up for or a program we can join? The truth is there are lots of things that help people grow in their faith, including active participation in worship, community, ministry, and mission — but I think we need to start where Paul starts: in prayer. Just as coming to faith in Jesus is both a gracious work of God (last week) and a response of faith from us (next week), so growing in our faith in Jesus is both a work of God and a response from us. This is what having a relationship with God looks like. He does his part, and we do our part. And if we need God to do something, we need to pray and ask him to do it and be persistent in our prayers. Jesus taught this. And Paul demonstrates this (“I have not stopped…I keep asking…”). But if God answers Paul’s prayers, what would that look like?
Ephesians 1:18-19a (NIV), “18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” If you take notes in your Bibles, this is another one of those verses to underline, circle, or highlight because this is so important! Because here, Paul reveals the way God helps us grow in our faith, and he describes this work as a divine change in perspective, a change in our hearts. Today, when we think of our hearts, we tend to only think in emotional terms. But in their day, the heart represented the whole inner person, including the mind, will, and emotion. Paul speaks of the eyes of your heart metaphorically. Our actual eyes let in light from the world. To grow in our faith, the eyes of our hearts, our whole inner being, our mind, will, and emotions need to be enlightened. In other words, at the source of our thoughts and feelings, we need to see/perceive the truth. Why? Because not everything we think and feel is true! But the truth about what, exactly? Paul gives us three things. First, “that you may know the hope to which he has called you.” What hope? We have to go back to Paul’s doxology! That because of the work of the Father, you are loved, blessed, chosen, and adopted. Because of the work of the Son, you are redeemed and forgiven, and you have a relationship with God that will never end. Because of the work of the Spirit, you are sealed and made holy until the return of Christ Jesus to the praise of his glorious grace. In Christ, the Father has called us by name. So, in Christ, we are never finally hopeless. We have hope in our sins/struggles/day/night/mountain/valley/life/death. Do you know this hope? Does it shape how you think and feel? Does it change your motivations and desires? Second, Paul prays they would know “the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people [saints].” Do you know what you have been called into? Do you know what it means to be adopted as a son or daughter of God? Do you know this “adoption to sonship” comes with a heavenly inheritance? As the children of God, we get the riches of the kingdom of our Father. He has prepared a place for us. However, it’s not a place for me individually. It’s a place for us, his church, his people, his family. Now, there are many benefits to being part of a church. There’s a rich sense of community here, which is found in fewer and fewer places in society today. There’s a sense of transcendence, of being part of something bigger than ourselves, which is inspiring. We have opportunities to serve and love others, which is deeply meaningful. (Hopefully, the music and the coffee are decent, too!) But if these are the only things you have in your heart when you think of being part of a church, you’re missing out on so much of the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people! Though it might seem humble, this is the church that Christ is building, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. Election cycles will come and go, kingdoms will come and go, but the church will last forever. Do you know these riches? Do they shape how you think and feel? Do they change your motivations and desires? Third, and finally, Paul prays they would know “his incomparably great power for us who believe.” But what kind of power? And power to do what, exactly? To be honest, I don’t always feel very powerful. In fact, there are a lot of times when I feel like my life is more defined by weakness than by strength. And isn’t Paul writing this letter from prison? Don’t we know from history that he would, within only a few years of writing this letter, be put to death for his faith in Jesus? Just what kind of power is he talking about?
Ephesians 1:19b-21 (NIV), “That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” So, the power Paul is talking about is God’s power that defeated death, hell, and grave. Paul is praying that his friends would know, in their inner being, the incomparably great power, that is, the very power and presence of the Spirit of the living God. Believers have been sealed with the Spirit. They have the Holy Spirit. But Paul prays that they would see and perceive the power of the Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, even more than they already do. That God’s power and presence would be real to them and a daily experience for them. And don’t forget, this is the same power, the same mighty strength that God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead. This is the same power that raised him and seated him and the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly realms — the seat of glory, honor, power, and authority as the King of the kingdom of God. As Paul ascends the heights of who Jesus is in this prayer, it’s like he can’t stop. Not only did God raise Christ from the dead and raise him up to heaven, but he is now exalted to the highest place! “Above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Jesus is greater than any political power, any earthly/president/governor/authority. But Jesus is also greater than any spiritual power, any angel/demon/god/goddess. Remember that Ephesus was full of temples. They were very religious people before they ever heard the gospel. So, when Paul said Jesus is above every name that is invoked, he was referring to the magical scrolls that were used in Ephesus. Acts 19 says that when people became Christians in Ephesus, one result was that people who practiced divination and sorcery burned their magic scrolls containing various incantations and the true names of gods/goddesses. These names, it was believed, allowed them to manipulate the powers of the gods. Paul is reminding them that not only is the name of Jesus above any other name but that his power, the same power that accomplished his saving work, has been given to God’s people as a gift. They don’t need to do anything to manipulate God into working in their lives. They need to remember what they’ve already been given. Do you know the power you have in Christ and by his Spirit? Does it shape how you think and feel? Does it change your motivations and desires? But now that Paul is talking about Jesus, he just can’t seem to stop.
Ephesians 1:22–23 (NIV), “22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” This is God’s word. So, after thanking God for the faith and the love he heard about among the Ephesians (signs that God was bearing fruit among them), and after praying that they would grow in their knowledge of the hope and the riches and the power that they have in Christ, he reminds them, yet again, of the cosmic scope of the gospel. It’s not just that God is working to make us a little better or make our lives a little easier. It’s way bigger than that. The Father has placed all things, things in heaven and things on earth, under the feet of Jesus. This is a quote from Psalm 8. This is what God had always planned for humanity, but it is now fulfilled in Jesus. Continuing the body analogy, Paul says that Jesus is the “head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” This speaks not only to the supremacy of Christ but also to the elevated status of the church, the Ekklesia, or the congregation, the gathered assembly of God. We’re not only servants of God; we’re children in his family. We’re not only redeemed sinners; we’re members of his body, of which he is the head. Again, we see the theme of our union with Christ. Every good and perfect thing is found in him. But notice that everything Paul is praying for is all his. It’s his calling, his inheritance, his people, and his power. It’s his heaven. It’s his earth. He reigns. He rules. All things are under his feet. I feel like we should go back to the doxology and start praising the Lord once again!
So, how might we apply this prayer, this teaching to our lives today? I’m going to leave you with two thoughts. First, a bit of self-reflection: Have the eyes of your hearts been enlightened? Do you know the hope you have been called into? Do you know the riches of your inheritance? Do you know the incomparably great power you have in your life by the Spirit of God? Have you experienced this divine change in perspective? Are these truths real to your mind, will, and emotions? If so, it’ll change your life. It’ll shape your thoughts and emotions. It’ll transform how you respond to the ups and downs of life. It’ll be true no matter what your circumstances are. Again, Paul was in prison. He suffered greatly in his life. He would be put to death for preaching Christ because of the schemes of worldly powers. But what was that to him? He knew the hope/riches/power he had! He knew his future was secure. As a result, he was content; he had joy and peace in the midst of pain and hardship. Is this your perspective? If not, let’s pray together that God would open the eyes of your heart so that you might have the vision to see what you have been given. Second, and finally, would you pray like this for one another? Would you pray these things for your friends/spouse/kids/grandkids? Would not seeing all this be the best possible thing for the people you love? Let us boldly approach the throne of grace on behalf of the people in our lives. Let us pray as Paul prayed. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to see and celebrate the fruit of faith and love in their lives as well. Oh, that we might forever lose our blindness to the beautifully expansive riches of all we have been given in Christ! To him be all the glory, honor, and praise! Let us pray.
The Gospel for the Ephesians: Why should we worship? Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians with a doxology, or a call to worship, in response to the cosmic scope of God’s plan in Christ. When we see the loving work of the Father, Son, and Spirit, from eternity to eternity, saving and transforming adopted sons and daughters in Christ — how can we help but give glory to God? Recorded on Apr 28, 2024, on Ephesians 1:1-14 by Pastor David Parks.
Our series, Ephesians: The Gospel in Life, serves as an epilogue to Finding Life in Jesus’ Name from John’s gospel. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reveals much about how the life found by faith in Jesus actually works. This series will touch on themes of grace, identity, purpose, family, the church, spiritual warfare, and more. If you’re considering the life of Jesus or if you’re ready to follow him today, this series is for you.
Sermon Transcript
So, last week, we finished our series, Finding Life in Jesus’ Name, from John’s gospel. It took us 44 weeks, but we made it! And we said that John was all about finding life in Jesus’ name. Well, today, we’re starting a 14-week series called The Gospel in Life from the book of Ephesians in the Bible. I see this series as a fitting next step to John’s gospel because Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is all about what life looks like that is found by faith in Jesus’ name. And the first answer in Ephesians is that the Christian life is, first and foremost, a life of worship. Why do we meet every week for worship? Why do we sing songs of praise and pray/serve/give day by day? Have you ever wondered about that? When I was a kid, I was raised in the church, so I didn’t think much of it. It was just what we did. But in my twenties, I was invited to be on a teaching team at our church and started to preach every few months. I immediately agreed, but later, I thought, “Wait, what are we trying to do here? What’s the purpose of preaching? What’s the purpose of worship?” Our text today starts to answer these questions. But it’s like opening up a vault filled with priceless treasures, each deserving our utmost attention. After the opening greeting, we find the longest and maybe one of the most important sentences in all of Paul’s writing. This sentence is so densely packed with the riches of who God is and the fully cosmic scope of the gospel we’ll need the rest of our lives to explore it (even then, I don’t think we’ll run out of things to discover). Instead, today, we’ll get more of a 30,000 ft. view of this famous text and all its astonishing reasons for us to worship. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to Ephesians 1:1.
Ephesians 1:1-2 (NIV), “1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The book of Ephesians was originally an epistle or letter, which followed the common format for letters back in the first century AD. It begins with a greeting, which states that this letter is from the Apostle Paul, who says his apostleship came by the will of God. Now, this statement is true of every apostle (and, incidentally, anyone called into church leadership), but this seems especially true for Paul if you know his story. We studied the life of Paul almost exactly one year ago, so if you’d like to go back and watch or listen to those sermons, you can. At any rate, Paul was writing this letter to whom? To “God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.” In other words, he was writing to the Christians in Ephesus. Now, some early manuscripts do not have the words “in Ephesus,” so some scholars believe this letter was intended to be shared with other churches in other cities as well. Whether or not that’s true, it does make sense with the general nature of the letter. It doesn’t address a specific issue in Ephesus or mention anyone by name there, as Paul’s other letters do. But from very early on (within 100 years after it was written), the church universally associated this letter with Ephesus, so I think we’re safe to assume it was intended to be delivered there, even if it was meant to be shared elsewhere. Well, my first draft of this sermon was going to be closer to an hour, so, for your sake (and the sake of our kid’s team members), I’ve cut a major part of Paul’s background and historical information about what life was like at this time in the city of Ephesus. However, I promise to include this in my church email this week. If you’re not on our email list, please fill out a connect card, and you’ll get this content. But here, while under house arrest in Rome, Paul was writing back to a church he’d planted about ten years earlier. So, with that, let’s jump into the main text of the letter.
Ephesians 1:3 (NIV), “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Here, Paul starts the body of his letter with a doxology or a call to worship God. Now, the Hebrew Bible (OT) is full of doxologies that often begin with “Praise be to the LORD.” But here, Paul writes, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He expands the traditional doxology to include the person and work of Jesus. Why? Because, something that was a hidden mystery in ages past has now been revealed: All the promises of the Father in the OT are fulfilled in the Son — the Lord Jesus Christ. There were many prophecies about this in the past. But how God would finally bless his people has now been revealed in Jesus. This is the main content of the gospel. We say it often, but the gospel is the good news of who God is, what he has done, and what he’s doing today through His Son and Spirit. We’ll see this throughout Ephesians. But Paul says the primary location of this blessing is in the heavenly realms today. This is important to remember while we struggle with life in this broken world. One day, our blessing will be just as true on the earth as it is in heaven. We have not yet arrived. We’re not yet home. It’s worth pointing out that, unlike the false teachers of our day, Paul envisions our blessing not as health and wealth here and now but as receiving every spiritual blessing in Christ. Health and wealth are temporary. But spiritual blessings in Christ are eternal. But how has God blessed us? The rest of this doxology answers this according to the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in that order. So first, what has God the Father done that deserves our praise? The Father has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. But when and how has the Father blessed us?
Ephesians 1:4a (NIV), “4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” The blessing of God starts with the fact that the Father chose/selected us. He doesn’t suffer us or tolerate us; he chose us. If God put a basketball team together, he would pick you. But you might think, what could I possibly bring to his team? I’m too short/young/old/slow; I’m no good at basketball! If that’s how you feel, you’re starting to get the point. The gospel is wild. God doesn’t need us, but he wants us. But he didn’t choose us on our own; the Father chose us in him, that is, in Christ. Our union with Christ is one of the great themes of this letter. But if it’s true, it’s the most important part (by far) of who we are. But it’s not just that we receive a new identity in Christ; all the treasures of the gospel are found “in Christ.” He is how the Father blessed us. But when? When did the Father choose us? When we prayed the sinner’s prayer or invited Jesus into our hearts? No. Paul says from eternity past. The Father chose us before the creation of the world. Before we ever had a chance to do something for God. Before we ever had a chance to prove our worth to God. Before we’d even heard about Jesus. Isn’t that amazing? God was thinking about you before he made the world. You weren’t an accident. You aren’t the product of time plus chance, as the materialists believe. You were part of his plan. And what was the outcome of this plan? Paul says the Father chose us “…to be holy and blameless in his sight.” He chose us to transform us through all our sins and struggles. To be holy means to be special, to be set apart for the Lord’s use. To be blameless means to be cleaned, purified, and without sin. But, if you’re like me, this sounds so far from the life I now lead. How will he do this work? How will he take us and make us holy and blameless?
Ephesians 1:4b-6 (NIV), “In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” If you take notes in your Bible, I would underline this statement. It’s one of the best. Now, we’ll see how the Father accomplished this saving and transforming work in a second. First, we need to see why he did this. Did you notice? It was because of his love for us. In love, he predestined us for adoption. The whole span of God’s work in the world, from creation to salvation to new creation, from eternity to eternity, is motivated by God’s great love for us. In case that isn’t enough to see the heart of God, Paul says that the Father did this work in accordance with his pleasure and will. God wasn’t obligated or coerced. He did this because he wanted to (it was his will), and it made him happy (in accordance with his pleasure). Did you know this is how your Father in heaven feels about you? But how did he accomplish this? The Father predestined you (which means he decided in advance) for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ. Now, Paul isn’t leaving out the women here. He’s not saying that Christian women somehow become sons. Paul uses a technical term for adoption that the Ephesians would’ve understood, but he applied it in a revolutionary way. In their day, women did not have full inheritance rights in a family. If a father died, their property and wealth would mostly go to the oldest son and then would be divided up further after that. But, and this is what’s so revolutionary, Paul says that men and women receive adoption to sonship in Christ. In other words, men and women receive full inheritance rights in the family of God. God is adopting sons and daughters into his family in Jesus. This is how he has provided every spiritual blessing. Because of his love and grace, he has blessed/chosen/adopted us in Christ. As we continue, Paul moves from the work of the Father to the work of the Son.
Ephesians 1:7-8a (NIV), “7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us.” In him means in Christ, and by faith in Christ, we have been redeemed. Redeemed from what? Redeemed from bondage to sin and death. The bad news of the gospel is that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the ultimate consequence of sin is death. But this is the redemption the Son bought with his own blood through his death on the cross. He paid our redemption price, he bought our life, and he opened a way for us not only to be reconciled to God but, shockingly, to be adopted as his child. But again, the Son didn’t do this atoning work because he was forced to. He, too, acted in love and in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. When Jesus lived the perfect life, died the death that we deserve, and then rose victorious over death and grave, God didn’t do the bare minimum to save us. He lavished his grace on us. He opened up the storehouses of heaven and poured out far more than we could ever repay; he poured out himself. V. 8 continues.
Ephesians 1:8b-10 (NIV), “With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” This great plan of salvation in Christ was not understood clearly until the resurrection of Jesus. We saw this in John’s gospel. The disciples were still somewhat muddled about what Jesus would do — until he did it! And then he opened their minds to understand what the Scriptures had said about him, that he had to die and rise again. And he gave them the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth, to remind them of what he said and help them understand the mystery of God’s will, which he purposed in Christ. Now, in the age of the gospel, the Spirit, and the church, we’re no longer muddled; we see the wisdom and understanding of God. We see that history has a direction/destination. God is pulling all the threads of this damaged creation together, weaving a new and beautiful tapestry under Christ. One day, all things in heaven and on earth will be united under Christ. This is God’s grand goal for his work — to exalt his Son to the highest place. Jesus is the point. He’s the goal. He’s the direction/destination of everything. Jesus is the Cosmic King. But he’s not just our Lord and our Savior; that would be more than enough. This is who we are united to! But it’s not just what God has done in the past that deserves our praise. It’s also what God has promised for our future — in the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead, in the judgment of all and the new heaven and earth, and everything to come in the kingdom of God. Paul reveals the scope of God’s plan, running from eternity to eternity. But again, shockingly, this plan includes us.
Ephesians 1:11-12 (NIV), “11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” In Christ, we were also chosen (some translations have “obtained an inheritance”), having been predestined according to the plan of the Father. The gospel, including this plan of salvation, redemption, and adoption, was revealed first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. Paul’s audience in Ephesus was mostly Gentile, but Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. And all his first followers were Jewish (the “we” in v. 12). But very quickly after the resurrection, it became clear that God was including the Gentiles, too, in Christ.
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV), “13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” This is God’s word. Notice Paul switches from we to you. And when were these Gentiles included in Christ? When they heard and believed the gospel. But here, in the application of God’s saving work, we move from the work of the Son to the Spirit. When the Ephesians believed, they were marked in Christ with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. In this age of the gospel and the church, we have been given another advocate/helper/counselor, just as Jesus promised, the Spirit of the living God. He is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance in the kingdom of God until the final redemption of those who are God’s possession in the age to come. So, the Father has blessed/chosen/adopted us in Christ. And the Son came into this broken world and lived and died and rose again so that we might be redeemed, forgiven, and reconciled to God. And the Spirit dwells within us as the very presence and power of God, healing/helping/transforming us day by day into the likeness of Christ until that day when we shall see him face to face. So, for these (and ten thousand other reasons), the first command and the highest calling for the life of the Christian is worship — to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Why do we worship? Because we’ve been created and redeemed for the praise of his glory! All the wonderful works of God are for the praise of his glory. Oh that we would never forget this as a church. May we always be captivated by the gospel. It was true for the Ephesians 2,000 years ago and it’s just as true for us today. May we never tire of telling and retelling it. May we never lose the wonder of this story the prophets longed to understand, and even the angels long to look into these things. Because the gospel is the good news of who God is, what he has done, and what he is doing today through his Son and Spirit. The gospel is received by faith, by believing in Jesus. And the first work of faith should be to join Paul’s doxology, singing the praises of the One who loved us before the world began, the One who is here even now, and the One who will one day bring to unity all things in Christ. Let us pray.
Jesus and Peter: John ends his gospel with a beautiful story of restoration. In the shadow of the cross, Peter had utterly failed Jesus — when Jesus most needed a friend. How would Jesus respond to him? With shame? Or punishment? Instead, Jesus restored Peter in friendship and his calling as an apostle and shepherd of his people. Once again, in loving forgiveness, Jesus told Peter, “Follow me!” Recorded on Apr 21, 2024, on John 21:15-25 by Pastor David Parks.
Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.
Sermon Transcript
Since last July, we’ve been working through The Gospel According to John in a series called Finding Life in Jesus’ Name. It took us 44 weeks! But today, we’re going to bring this series to a close in John 21. Next week, we’ll start a new series on the letter to the Ephesians called The Gospel in Life, which will run for the next three months. John was all about finding life in Jesus’ name, and Ephesians is all about what the life looks like that is found by faith in Jesus’ name. Incidentally, the Apostle John finished his ministry in Ephesus, so I think it’s fitting for us as well. But today, we’ll consider the beautiful restoration of Peter after his repeated denial of Jesus only a few weeks earlier. Have you ever done something so bad you weren’t sure if you would ever recover? Or have you been struggling with something for so many years that you’re about ready to give up on yourself? How do you think Jesus would treat you if you could talk with him face to face? I think it would look something like what happened between Jesus and Peter at the end of John’s gospel. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to John 21:15.
John 21:15–17 (NIV), “15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” Ok, let’s pause here. Last week, we worked through the third appearance of Jesus Christ after he had risen from the dead. He appeared to seven disciples along the shores of Galilee while they were fishing. He provided a miraculous catch of fish to represent the work of the gospel — that there would be a great harvest. But also, Jesus made them breakfast because he wanted to spend time with them. It’s really a stunning thought: that Jesus would not just care for his disciples in general but that after his resurrection from the dead, after all authority in heaven and earth had been given to him, he would still want this kind of personal relationship with them. Even after giving his life to save them from sin and death, he was still loving and serving them in humble ways. Our passage starts immediately after this. John says that after they had finished eating, Jesus started this line of questioning with Peter. “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” More than what/who? Do you love me more than the miraculous catch of fish? More than these things of the world? More than the other disciples? That would’ve been awkward, right? “Peter, do you love me more than these guys sitting right here and listening to this conversation?” I actually think this last option is the best, but I don’t think Jesus is trying to get Peter to confess a greater love for him than the other disciples. I think it’s a test to see if Peter has learned anything recently — if he’s grown in any way. Jesus always asked strategic questions, but he never did this to discover information or make casual conversation. Jesus asked questions to reveal what was going on in someone’s heart so he could gently, yet skillfully, apply the truth to their heart. And what might be going on in Peter’s heart at this moment? Well, during the Last Supper, Peter had made some big claims. Jesus, speaking of his impending death, told his disciples, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter responded boldly, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Matthew records that Peter said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” Jesus replied, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” And sure enough, Peter did not lay down his life for Jesus. During his time of testing, when Jesus needed a friend more than ever, Peter denied even knowing Jesus not once but three times. Last week, we saw Peter jump out of the boat to swim to Jesus. And I think what motivated him was his desire to make things right with Jesus after his failure. But just as he had washed his feet on the night before his death, now Jesus was serving him breakfast. I’m sure that was a hopeful sign. Maybe Jesus wouldn’t reject him, though Peter had disowned him? Maybe he could be forgiven? Peter couldn’t wait to see what Jesus would say to him. And what did Jesus say? “Simon son of John,” Oh no, Jesus used his formal name, not Peter (Cephas), the nickname he had given Simon, which meant “the rock.” He probably didn’t feel very rock-like at this point. Jesus asked, “Do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” I love you. Not, I love you more than the others. Gone is the bravado. Peter is no longer boasting of the strength of his faith or his love. What has Jesus’ question revealed? Failure had humbled Peter. He was left not with a love greater than others but a real love nonetheless — a love (and this is key) that was entirely dependent on the forgiveness and faithfulness of Jesus, a love that wasn’t comparing itself to others but was only focused on Jesus. “Lord, you know that I love you.” In all the ways Jesus could’ve responded (shame/punishment), he chose to restore Peter. Not to restore him in friendship — he’d already done that over breakfast. But to restore him to his calling as a shepherd to his people. Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Just imagine how Peter must have felt at that moment. You mean, there’s a future for me despite my failure? There’s a place for me despite my weakness and sin? But then Jesus kept asking him if Peter loved him. Again and again, three times, Jesus questioned his love. It hurt Peter’s feelings. “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Is it any wonder, though? Three times, Peter had denied Jesus. And here, Jesus gave Peter three chances to reaffirm his love for him. I wonder if Peter was tempted to curse the third time as he had on his third denial. But notice that the second and third questions of Jesus lose the “more than these.” Jesus found the humility he sought from Peter. Now, he was giving him an opportunity to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus still had a place/plan for him. “Feed my lambs…Take care of (lit. shepherd) my sheep…Feed my sheep.” Peter was still called. He was still being sent out as an Apostle, an eye-witness of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was still responsible for shepherding the men and women of the church, feeding them through the preaching and teaching of God’s word, leading them, protecting them from false teaching, and praying for them. However, this interaction did not establish Peter as the first pope or supreme authority over the Church, as some believe. It restored him to the ministry of pastoring, which means “to shepherd.” Later, in his first letter, Peter describes himself as a fellow elder in the church, not as their supreme authority. There, in 1 Peter 5, he writes to the local elders of the churches in modern Turkey, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” Peter knew that Jesus was the Chief Shepherd, not him; and those Jesus calls into pastoral ministry are always under the authority of Christ. One final note on this scene with Jesus and Peter — as beautiful as this interaction is, it’s not the best example of repentance and forgiveness in the Bible. There is some indication in 1Co and in Luke that the Lord had appeared to Peter alone at some point. Perhaps that conversation allowed Peter to repent and apologize for his sin against Jesus one-on-one and for Jesus to forgive him in response. You can’t have true reconciliation without repentance and forgiveness. Perhaps, that did happen here and John chose not to record the full conversation. It’s easy to imagine them talking about other things during breakfast. Either way, by this point, it’s clear that Jesus has forgiven Peter and is calling him to continue his ministry, which is such a high calling! But does this high calling and his friendship with Jesus and his status as an apostle mean that the rest of Peter’s life would be easy/comfortable? Jesus would address this next.
John 21:18-19 (NIV), “18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” Let’s pause briefly one more time. So the answer to the question of Peter’s future being easy or comfortable was going to be a “no.” Jesus knew his calling would result in difficulty and hardship and eventually death for his friend. It’s not recorded in Scripture, but historical evidence points to Peter being martyred (put to death) in Rome under Emperor Nero in the mid-sixties AD. I’ve been to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the traditional site of Peter’s burial. Tradition says that Peter was crucified but chose to be crucified upside down because he did not consider himself worthy of the same death as that of his Lord. One day, we’ll know for sure. But Jesus knew his road ahead would be difficult. He knew he would face challenges and opposition. He knew he would eventually give his life for the gospel. Nevertheless, what does Jesus tell his forgiven friend? What does Jesus command his under-shepherd? “Follow me!” He repeats his initial call on Peter’s life. Peter, continue to be my disciple. Follow me. Listen to my words, follow my way, and help others do the same. Follow me. In the good days and the bad days. In strength and in weakness. Follow me. In public and in private. In life and even in death. Follow me. This was the kindest and most helpful thing Jesus could’ve told Peter. Because following Jesus is the only path that leads to life, real/eternal life. Every other way only leads away from life, away from love, joy, and peace. Peter believed that. Peter trusted Jesus. And for the rest of his days, Peter remained faithful — imperfect, of course (he was still living in a broken world), but faithful to the end. Over the course of his life, Jesus had taken the prideful and impulsive Simon, son of John, and made him into the rock, the fisher of men, and the shepherd that Peter was created to be. Let’s finish John’s gospel, starting with v. 20.
John 21:20-25 (NIV), “20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” This is God’s word. So, at the close of John’s gospel, Peter asked Jesus about John’s future. And I love this. After this warm and beautiful restoration of Peter after his failure, Jesus basically says, “Peter, it’s none of your business. Don’t worry about the people around you. Don’t worry about anyone else. I want you to follow me.” I resonate with Peter. One minute, I’m being affirmed in God’s love and grace in my life, and the next minute, the Holy Spirit is correcting me because I’m wrong! But, because Jesus had said it was his business whether John remained alive until his return, some people thought that John would not die. This rumor was probably supported by the fact that the Apostle John lived longer than any other Apostle. I’m sure John was aware of this when he wrote this gospel sometime around the end of the first century, so he wanted to set the record straight. Afterward, he ended with a formal statement about the truth of his gospel, similar to the end of chapter 20, and one more fascinating little detail. All of the miraculous signs that revealed the glory and power of Jesus; all of the “I AM” statements that revealed the identity and mission of Jesus; all the interactions between Jesus and individual people like Nicodemus, the woman at the well, with Mary and Martha, Pontius Pilate, and Peter; and all of the teachings of Jesus are only a small sample of what it was like to be with Jesus. John is saying something like, these were all I had room for. Why? Because “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And it was by this Word that this whole world was made. But then, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The Source of the world came into the world. But why? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This is the heart of the good news of Jesus. This is the heart of the gospel. That in love, God sent his one and only Son; and in love, the Son lived and died and rose again; and in love, the Spirit is poured out so that those who have sinned might be forgiven, so that those who are broken might be healed, and those who are lost might be found. If you are struggling today, you don’t have to wonder what Jesus might say to you. In fact, this is why John wrote: “…that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Do you have this life? All you need to do is receive it as a gift by believing in the person and work of Jesus. Have you been forgiven and freed from the power of sin and death? Then, as Jesus told Peter, “Follow me!” Don’t worry about the people around you. Jesus says, “Follow me.” Don’t be discouraged by the failures of your past. Jesus says, “Follow me.” Don’t be depressed by the uncertainty of today. Jesus says, “Follow me.” Don’t be anxious for the future. Jesus says, “Follow me.” Because following Jesus is the only path that leads to life, real/eternal life. And only in following Jesus will you be made into the man or woman that God created you to be. Isn’t that what we all want? That’s what I want. What if our church was a place where generations of people were able to hear this good news and come to faith in Jesus and grow in their faith in Jesus? May it be so, Lord. And to you, Father, Son, and Spirit, be all the glory, honor, and praise in our lives and in the church, both now and forever more. Amen. Let us pray.
The Miraculous Catch (A Bonus Sign of Harvest): Have you ever wondered why you are here? Have you ever wondered what meaning or purpose there might be for your life? In the story of the miraculous catch, Jesus revealed that we are invited to join his work in the world — and there will be a great harvest. He doesn’t need us, but he wants us. And nothing could add more meaning or purpose to life. Recorded on Apr 14, 2024, on John 21:1-14 by Pastor David Parks.
Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.
Sermon Transcript
Since last July, we’ve been working through The Gospel According to John in a series called Finding Life in Jesus’ Name, and today, we start the final chapter. As I mentioned last week, after John, we’re going to start the book of Ephesians because John was all about finding life in Jesus’ name. And the book of Ephesians is all about what this life looks like. But today, we’re going to consider the miraculous catch, which I see as something like a bonus sign of harvest. As one of the wings of the art gallery that is John’s gospel, John curated seven miraculous signs that Jesus performed, which revealed his glory and helped his disciples to believe that he was the Messiah and the Son of God. Of course, none of the seven (turning water into wine, feeding the five thousand, or walking on the water) compare to the greatest miracle, which was the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But here, in the epilogue of chapter 21 (last week, I compared it to the gift shop at the end of the gallery), John gives us one more. A bonus sign. A sign that would point ahead to the mission of God and the work of the gospel in the age of the church. Have you ever wondered why you are here? Have you ever wondered what meaning/purpose there might be to your life? Everyone asks these questions at certain points in their lives. In our passage today, John reveals one of the Bible’s greatest answers to our questions of meaning and purpose. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to John 21:1. We’ll read through this and unpack it as we go.
John 21:1–3 (NIV), “1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” Ok, let’s pause here. So, our story takes place sometime after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus had first appeared to Mary Magdalene, then to Peter and the other disciples (minus Thomas the twin), and then to Thomas a week later, which is what we considered last week. Now, scholars are divided about why Peter decided to go fishing here. On the night of the arrest of Jesus, Peter denied even knowing Jesus not once but three times, just as Jesus knew he would. So, after this terrible failure of faith, was Peter giving up? Had he decided to go back to his old job as a fisherman? I don’t think so. We know that Peter was a witness first to the empty tomb and then to the risen Jesus. And he’s still with the other disciples, with Thomas, who had confessed that Jesus was both Lord and God, Nathanael, James and John, the Sons of Zebedee, and the others. I don’t think Peter was giving up. He wasn’t walking away from Jesus. I think he was just going fishing. However, Peter still hadn’t had the chance to speak with Jesus about his betrayal. I’m sure he still felt awful about that and maybe wondered if Jesus had changed his mind about him. But he would get to have that talk. Next week, we’ll consider the restoration of Peter. But here, he says, “I’m going out to fish,” and some of the boys want to come, too. Remember, before Jesus called them to follow him as his disciples, Peter and his brother, Andrew, along with their business partners, James and John (the author of this gospel), had a fishing business together. They were fishermen. So, going fishing wasn’t a sign of a lack of faith; it was what they did. Some of you are thinking, “Wow, finally, a story I can relate to!” But there was a problem. John says they didn’t catch anything. Now, you might be wondering, “Why is this story in the Bible?” Well, this isn’t John’s diary. (“Thursday, Apr 18, Went fishing with the boys, but didn’t catch anything…”) Last week, we saw John’s purpose statement for writing. He said that he wrote down all these signs and “I AM” statements and stories of Jesus, “…that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (Jn 20:31). Ok! Well, let’s continue and see if this story reveals anything about the person/work of Jesus.
John 21:4-9 (NIV), “4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.” Let’s pause once more. I just love this. The disciples had been out all night fishing but hadn’t caught anything. I’m guessing they would’ve been frustrated and exhausted. But early in the morning, as they were coming out of the darkness of night and into the light of day (one of John’s favorite metaphors), they saw a man standing on the shore. And this man called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” How do you think they felt about this? I’d have been so annoyed. “No,” they answered. But the man said, “Why don’t you try fishing on the other side of the boat?” This would make no sense to these fishermen. If you aren’t catching fish on the left side of the boat, you aren’t going to catch fish on the right side of the boat! But remarkably, they cast their net on the right side, and “when they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” It was at this point that John realized, or maybe it had gotten a little lighter out and he could finally see, that the man on the shore was Jesus! So John told Peter, “It is the Lord!” Perhaps part of the reason John realized it was Jesus was because something very similar had happened years earlier. Luke records the story of another night when Peter, James, and John were out fishing and hadn’t caught anything. But then Jesus told them where to fish — and they listened and obeyed his word — and as a result, “…they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” (Lk 5:6). This incident had convinced Peter and the other fishermen to leave everything and follow Jesus. So here, in what I’m calling a bonus sign, the sign of the miraculous catch, Jesus was bringing them full circle. He was bringing them back to the beginning, back to his initial calling on their lives and their response of faith and obedience to him. Even after all that had happened, after everything that Jesus had accomplished for them in his death and resurrection from the dead, this was still what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus. To listen to Jesus, to follow his word/way; even though, at this time, they couldn’t yet see Jesus clearly, they didn’t have all their questions answered, and they still had to mature in their faith. But what’s hilarious about this was Peter’s response. Peter threw his shirt back on, jumped in the water, and started swimming to shore. Of course, this fits Peter’s impulsive personality. He seems to have been the first among the apostles, for better and for worse. But again, Peter probably still felt guilty from his denial of Jesus, and I’m guessing he desperately wanted to be restored to his master. Peter couldn’t wait in the boat. He had to get to Jesus as soon as possible. So he jumped out and swam to shore. But imagine being the other disciples. Like, thanks, Peter. I guess we’ll just haul in all these fish without your help. But when they got to shore, “…they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.” Clearly, Jesus had a plan. Let’s see what it was that Jesus had in mind.
John 21:10–14 (NIV), “10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.” This is God’s word. So, Peter listened to Jesus about where to fish, but he didn’t wait for any further instructions before jumping out of the boat. But Jesus had intended for them to enjoy some of the harvest he had provided. So Peter had to climb back into the boat to help drag the net in (again, a funny detail). Now, John says there were 153 large fish and many have wondered about the significance of the number of fish they caught. Why 153? There are many creative theories, but none seem very plausible. For my part, I’ve been fishing with serious fishermen, many times. And here’s one thing I know about them. They count the number of fish they catch — carefully. It’s something they do and they talk about and remember later. My son, Tyler, is still a little bitter that his little sister caught the hundredth fish from a trip years ago. I think John recorded that they caught 153 large fish like he recorded that he beat Peter in the race to the empty tomb. It’s what happened and he’d never forget it. But the first time Jesus directed his disciples to a miraculous catch, Luke records that their nets began to break. Here, John says that “even with so many the net was not torn.” After the death and resurrection of Jesus and with the impending gift of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were equipped to handle the harvest. Their nets could handle it. But do you see what Jesus wanted to do with his disciples? He was their risen Lord, King, Christ, and God. Jesus was the King of the kingdom of God, the Author of life, the Lord of heaven and earth. And yet, Jesus caught some fish, made a fire, baked some bread, and waited for his disciples to come and have breakfast with him. That’s wild. John says this was the third appearance after the resurrection. The first appearance revealed that Jesus was alive. The second appearance put Thomas’ questions and doubts to rest. But what does this third appearance reveal? That Jesus still wanted a personal relationship with his disciples. Despite the grandeur of who Jesus was, he still considered them to be his friends. At the Last Supper, Jesus told them, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (Jn 15:15). Here on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he affirms his friendship with them over breakfast. Isn’t that incredible? With all the things Jesus could’ve been doing, this is what he wanted to do. Even after giving his life for them, Jesus only continued to serve and love his friends. He fed them with the food he had provided, and they enjoyed fellowship together.
Now, I love this story so much, but how might we apply this teaching to our lives today? We must be like these first disciples and not stop at simply listening to God’s word. We must learn to apply God’s word in obedience to Christ — this is what it means to follow Jesus today. Well, I see the sign of the miraculous catch as something like a bonus sign. John very intentionally gave us seven miraculous signs leading up to the resurrection, which, of course, was the greatest sign of them all. And each of these signs revealed something unique about the identity or the mission of Jesus. So, what does this sign reveal to us about Jesus? I believe it reveals a God-given harvest, which represents the results of the mission of God and the work of the gospel in the world. After the first miraculous catch, recorded in Luke, Jesus told these men that from now on, they would fish for people. Matthew recorded that when Jesus called them, he said, “Come, follow me…and I will send you out to fish for people,” and, “At once they left their nets and followed him.” (Mt 4:19-20). Up until now, they weren’t ready to go because Jesus needed to die and rise again for there to be a gospel message for them to share. And they weren’t ready to go before because Jesus hadn’t yet ascended to the Father in glory. And they weren’t ready to go before because they hadn’t yet received the gift/power/presence of the Holy Spirit. But their hour, the hour where Jesus would send them, just as the Father had sent him, was now at hand. As Jesus told them in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” And this sign reveals that in their faithfulness to this work, there would be a great harvest, which is exactly what we see in the book of Acts. So, this story serves as something like a living parable about the future of the early church and how this gospel ministry would work. I believe Jesus was very intentional about this third appearance — to help both those first disciples and those of us who would follow as a result of their message to understand the mission to which we have been called. Let me leave you today with just two lessons from this sign of harvest. First, Jesus doesn’t need us. Did you notice the fact that he already had fish on the shore? God isn’t dependent on us to accomplish his mission in the world. Just the opposite. We are utterly dependent on him. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” The disciples tried their best (all night!) but didn’t see any results until they listened to and obeyed Jesus. In the same way, we are utterly dependent on God for seeing people come to faith in Jesus and grow in their faith in Jesus. It is his gospel/mission/harvest depending on his wisdom/power/goodness/Spirit and resulting in his glory/honor/praise. God doesn’t need us. However, the second lesson of this sign is that Jesus wants us. God wants to be with us. He wants to walk in the garden in the cool of the day with us. He wants to dwell among his people. He wants to have breakfast with us and have fellowship with us. He wants us to be in his family. And he wants us to join the family business. God wants us to join him in his work in the world. Through joyful obedience to and faithful reliance on Jesus, the disciples saw a miraculous harvest. They saw God do incredible things. And this is still how God works in the world. He still calls people to follow him; he still saves them through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God; he still pours out his love and the Holy Spirit into their lives; and he still offers us real/eternal life in his kingdom. But to accept the life that is found by faith in Jesus’ name, we also accept the mission of God in the world: To help others come to faith and grow in their faith in Jesus. This is why we are here and this is one of the things that gives great meaning and purpose in our lives. But if we do this, if we heed the call and learn to listen and obey Jesus, we’ll not only get to see the miracles of God in the lives of people around us, but we too will enjoy the presence and power of Christ himself, who not only sends us out but goes with us as our friend as we go. He doesn’t need us, but he wants us. Let us pray.
How to Struggle with Doubt: Have you wondered, does God really exist? Can we really trust what the Bible says? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Every believer, at certain times in life, will struggle with doubts. But Jesus didn’t punish or shame his followers for their questions or doubts. The story of Jesus and Thomas reveals how we might deal with our doubts. Recorded on Apr 7, 2024, on John 20:24-31 by Pastor David Parks.
Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.
Sermon Transcript
Since last July, we’ve been working through The Gospel According to John in a series called Finding Life in Jesus’ Name, and after today, we only have two weeks left! As sort of an epilogue to John, we’ll go through the book of Ephesians next because John was all about finding life in Jesus’ name, as we’ll see today. The book of Ephesians is all about what this life in Christ looks like. But today, one week after celebrating the greatest event in human history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, we’ll consider how to struggle with doubt. When I was growing up in the church, I don’t think anyone taught me this explicitly, but I had the impression that doubts were sort of inappropriate to admit. We walk by faith and not sight, right? So, isn’t doubt the evidence of a lack of faith? But does faith mean we’ll never have any doubts? Have you wondered, does God really exist? Or, can we really trust what the Bible says? Or, what about the miracles; are we really supposed to believe that God parted the Red Sea or that Jesus walked on the water or calmed the storm? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? If you’ve ever had questions like these, you’re in good company. Every believer, at certain times in their life, will struggle to believe. And you might think that seeing a miracle such as Jesus rising from the dead would cast out every question/doubt. But it doesn’t. Even in the face of the overwhelming evidence of who Jesus was, the first followers had questions and doubts; they still struggled to believe at times. But, as we’ll see today, Jesus didn’t punish them for their questions; he didn’t shame them for their doubt. In the story of Jesus and Thomas, we see that Jesus loved and served Thomas, even in his doubts, and it led to a much stronger faith. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to John 20:24. We’ll read through this and unpack it as we go.
John 20:24–25 (NIV), “24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Ok, let’s pause here. So, last week, we saw that the first witness to the resurrection was Mary Magdalene, who recognized Jesus when he called her by name. “Mary.” Jesus sent Mary to tell his other disciples, including Peter and John and the others. After she told them she had seen the Lord, later that same day, Jesus appeared among them, and they saw for themselves he was alive. We know that Judas wasn’t among them because he had killed himself after betraying Jesus. But from this passage, John tells us that another one of the Twelve was missing when Jesus appeared. Can you imagine that? I picture Thomas coming back from the grocery store, like, “Wait, who did I miss?!?” Thomas essentially says, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now, is this the kind of faith-filled response you’d expect from one of the mighty Apostles of Jesus Christ? If John were making up the story of the resurrection, perhaps to start a new religion, this is exactly the kind of thing you’d leave out! This would be embarrassing, right? That one of the hand-picked Apostles of Jesus, someone who was supposed to be an eyewitness to the person and work of Jesus and a leader of the early Christian church, doubted the resurrection! The only explanation that makes sense to me is that the reason John includes this story is because it actually happened. Faith was sometimes a struggle, even for the Apostles. But what do we know about Thomas? John says here that Thomas was also known as Didymus. Thomas was Aramaic and Didymus was Greek for twin. So Thomas was probably a twin. Of course, from this story, Thomas gets the unfortunate nickname of Doubting Thomas. But back in chapter 11 of John’s gospel, the authorities had made it clear that they wanted to kill Jesus. So, when Jesus got word that his friend, Lazarus, was sick and dying, and Jesus made it clear that he wanted to go to Lazarus, even though Lazarus lived in Bethany, which was only a few miles from Jerusalem, the other disciples questioned Jesus about the wisdom of potentially delivering himself into the hands of his enemies, it was Thomas who spoke up and said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Now, that doesn’t sound like a disciple weakened by doubts. That doesn’t sound like Doubting Thomas. It sounds like a faithful/courageous man who was ready, if it came to it, to die with Jesus. But maybe for Thomas, death made a lot more sense to him than this report of a resurrection. Let’s face it, it probably would for many of us, as well. But let’s see what happened. How would Jesus respond to one of his friends and followers who needed to see to believe?
John 20:26-29 (NIV), “26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Let’s pause once more. So Jesus responds to Thomas, but (did you notice?) he takes a week to do it. Jesus would appear to Thomas, but he did so in his own time. He let Thomas wrestle with his doubts for a time. So one week after that first Easter Sunday, when the disciples were gathered together, and Thomas was with them (he probably didn’t leave the room after missing it the first time), Jesus appeared among them again. For the third time in chapter 20, we see that Jesus’ presence brought a blessing of peace. Then, immediately, Jesus encouraged Thomas to touch his hands and his side. Though he wasn’t physically present, Jesus had heard Thomas. Isn’t that amazing? He knew exactly what Thomas said. But also notice that Jesus doesn’t punish/shame him for his apparent lack of faith. He moves closer to Thomas, even in his doubts, and provides evidence for his faith. He answers his questions and calls him to believe. Thomas responded with one of the highest confessions in the NT as to the identity of Christ, saying, “My Lord and my God!” Now, this is remarkable because Jewish people were monotheistic, meaning they did not believe there were many gods but only one true and living God — the creator, the maker of the heavens and the earth. And they believed that this one God had entered into a covenant relationship with their ancestors and had commanded them to worship only him and him alone. All other gods or goddesses were simply man-made idols. For Thomas, and eventually, all the other early Christians, to claim that Jesus was God was a huge claim. These faithful Jewish men and women were claiming that the one true and living God had actually become a human being in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. And this God — not merely a good teacher or prophet, but the Author of life — had suffered and died on a Roman executioner’s cross. But as wild as this claim is, if Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead, then it validated everything about him. If someone rises from the dead, I think you have to listen to them, right? Well, as we’ve seen throughout John’s gospel, before the resurrection, Jesus had constantly been saying things that only God could say and doing things that only God could do. This is what the seven signs and the seven “I AM” statements were all about. Now, this is not what the people of Israel had expected. No one expected a dying Messiah who was both fully God and fully man. However, after the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and after searching the Hebrew Bible together, the early church realized that this was indeed what God had promised all along. Back to our story, when Thomas gives this high confession of faith, Jesus responds with a blessing. “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now, who is Jesus talking about here? He’s actually talking about us! Back in chapter 17, in the high priestly prayer during the Last Supper, Jesus prayed not only for his disciples then, but also for everyone who would believe in him because of their message, that is, the gospel. Jesus prayed that we would be one just as God is one so that the world would know that the Father had sent the Son. But for us today, even though we would love to have the physical presence of Jesus appear among us, Jesus has ascended back into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. These appearances recorded by John and the other authors of the gospels in the NT lasted for 40 days after the resurrection. We know that Jesus appeared to up to five hundred people during this time and that these eyewitnesses were alive during that first generation of the church. But for us today, on this side of the ascension of Jesus, we must rely on the message of the Apostles, which is what we’re reading here today, to get to know who Jesus is and what he has accomplished for us. This might seem like a disadvantage, but Jesus says there’s a special blessing for us. “…blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Later, the Apostle Peter wrote to men and women who had become Christians through his preaching, “Though you have not seen him [Jesus], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1Pe 1:8-9). Let’s finish our passage for today.
John 20:30–31 (NIV), “30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” This is God’s word. Now, if this sounds like the ending of John’s gospel, you might wonder why there’s another chapter after this. I don’t believe chapter 21 was added later by some unknown editor. Just as the prologue at the beginning of John’s gospel gives a theological introduction to his account of the life and ministry of Jesus, so in the same way, chapter 21 serves as the epilogue. If you remember our original analogy for John, we said that John was like a curator who designed an art gallery with different wings that all reveal a piece of who Jesus is or what he would do. The prologue is like the map in the lobby of the gallery. As if John is saying, “here’s where we’re going.” Chapter 21 is something like the gift shop at the end. At any rate, before we get to the gift shop next week, here, at the end of chapter 20, we get a purpose statement as to why John wrote his gospel. And this is helpful because some books of the Bible take a lot more work to understand their main purpose/message. John tells us that he wrote these things for this reason: he wanted to help people find the life (real/eternal) that is only found by faith in the name of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God. John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus had turned John’s life upside down in the best way possible. And John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe. This was the great motivation for his life and ministry. This is why we have his gospel today.
But what do we do with this teaching? How might we apply this to our lives today? Well, I think it’s no accident that when John tells us that his purpose for writing is faith, he also deals with doubt. This is so helpful. Because in order to come to faith, you must deal with your questions/doubts. Even after you come to faith in Jesus, every believer, at certain times in their life, will struggle to believe. Besides Thomas, I think of another one of the first followers of Jesus: John the Baptist. It was John who first identified Jesus as the Messiah. John had a flourishing ministry, but he was ok with his disciples leaving him to follow Jesus because his ministry was ultimately only to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. It was John who said that Jesus needed to increase and he needed to decrease. John was a faithful and courageous man. He wasn’t afraid to speak out against the corruption of the rich and powerful people of his day. However, when he spoke out against Herod, one of the governors, he was arrested and would eventually be put to death. But while he was in prison, John sent several of his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Now, does that sound like a faith-filled question? John seems to have gone from “Behold! The Lamb of God!” to “Are you really the one?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” (Mt 11:4-5). Jesus encouraged John to consider the evidence. Have I been saying things that only God could say? Have I been doing things that only God can do? If so, then even if you don’t understand everything, even if you remain in prison, and even if you die at the hands of injustice, you can still believe in me; you can still trust me. So, in both cases, with John the Baptist and Thomas, how did Jesus treat those who had doubts? He didn’t punish/shame them. He kindly moved toward them, and he patiently answered their questions, pointing to the evidence of his words and works. The call of Jesus to repent and believe in the good news of his kingdom is a gentle call. So, what does this mean for us today? Well, first, if you have questions, if you have doubts, you’re in good company. The first followers had questions and doubts; they still struggled to believe at times. It’s normal. It’s truly ok. Think about it: if all this is real, the gospel will hold up under your questions. Second, would you be honest about your questions and doubts? It’s not as if God doesn’t know about them already. He’s heard your doubts just as he heard Thomas. Bring your doubts to Jesus. Ask him to reveal himself to you. Ask him for wisdom to understand his word. Ask other believers how they’ve dealt with their doubts. Ask, seek, and knock. This is all part of the journey of faith. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt 7:7). Finally, if this is how Jesus treats those who have doubt, how should we treat those who have doubt? Maybe a friend or your spouse or child mentions they’re having difficulty believing a certain aspect of Christianity. What should we do? We should respond as Jesus would respond. By praying for them. By sharing the reasons for the hope that we have. By pointing them to the evidence of the eyewitnesses and the logic of the gospel. And by loving and serving them, even in their doubt. Lord, we do believe. Help us in our unbelief. Let us pray.
Called By Name (Easter 2024): There’s something so powerful about being called by name. When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, the first eyewitness was his friend, Mary Magdalene. But Mary didn’t recognize Jesus until he called her name. “Mary.” When God calls us by name, his calling changes everything. Recorded on March 31, 2024, on John 20:1-23 by Pastor David Parks.
Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.
Sermon Transcript
All year, we’re working through The Gospel According to John in a series called Finding Life in Jesus’ Name. Today, we’ll consider the meaning of the empty tomb from John chapter 20. Now, one of the features of the account of the resurrection in John is when Jesus calls Mary Magdalene by name. “Mary.” There’s something so powerful about being called by name. If you’ve ever had someone use your middle name when calling you by name, that probably wasn’t a good thing. You were probably in trouble. I still get a “David Elliott” from Holly every so often. Years ago, at the first pastor’s conference I attended before Appleton Gospel started, I went to dinner with some of the national leaders of the EFCA, the denomination we’re part of. There were maybe 50-60 people there, and I didn’t think anyone knew who I was. But then, the president of the EFCA announced that before dinner, David Parks was going to come up and pray in Korean. I froze. I hadn’t met the president, and I didn’t know how he knew my name, much less how he expected me to pray in Korean. But thankfully, before I did anything, a Korean man named David Park, who was a pastor in California, went to the front and led us in a beautiful Korean prayer. After dinner, I introduced myself and shared my moment of panic, and we laughed about it together. But other than that, normally, being called by name means someone knows you, someone sees you, and possibly someone loves you. But is that what you picture when you think about God? As someone who knows you, sees you, and loves you? As someone who calls you by name? Or does God feel far off and removed from your life? I’ve had seasons like that. Do you feel like you’ve been struggling through life without much help? Or that you’ve been trying hard to be a good person and aren’t sure what God thinks about you? Well, this message is for you. If you have a Bible/app, please take it and open it to John 20. We’ll read through this and unpack it as we go.
John 20:1–10 (NIV), “1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.” Ok, let’s pause here. So, the story of the resurrection of Jesus is found in all four gospel accounts, which makes sense because, if it’s true, it’s the most important event in history. From Mark and Luke’s accounts of this scene, we know that Mary went to the tomb with a few other women with spices and oils to anoint the body of Jesus in the tomb. If you joined us for Good Friday, you’ll remember that the burial of Jesus was rushed because the Sabbath was about to begin, and all work was to cease. So, the women wanted to finish preparing his body as soon as they could to give him a proper burial. In our text, John focuses only on Mary Magdalene. He zooms in on her role as the first witness of the resurrection, which we’ll see next. John mentions that it was still dark. We’ve seen that John uses darkness to represent a lack of understanding or faith. When Mary saw the stone had been removed from the entrance to the tomb, she didn’t know what to think. Mary was physically and metaphorically in the dark. She ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, believed to be John, the author of this gospel, and told them what she saw. So, Peter and John went running to the tomb to see for themselves, and I don’t know if you picked up on this, but v. 4 seems unnecessary. John was like, “It wasn’t a race, but, for the record, I won.” And he mentions it again in v. 8. I don’t think guys have changed a whole lot in 2,000 years. But John didn’t go into the tomb first; that was Peter’s win. I think the implication was that Peter was the first to believe because he was the first to fully understand the meaning of the empty tomb. Whatever Peter thought, John didn’t believe until he entered the tomb and realized that Jesus’ body hadn’t been taken. A wild animal couldn’t have taken it. They wouldn’t have been able to move the stone away from the entrance. If a thief could get past the soldiers guarding the tomb, as Matthew’s account says there were, there would’ve been no reason to take the body while leaving the grave clothes. That would make no sense. However, just because they believed didn’t mean they fully understood from the Scriptures that Jesus had to die and rise again. They couldn’t fully connect the dots yet. Later, with the work of the Holy Spirit and a whole lot more Bible study, they would be able to connect the dots. But for now, there was one thing they knew for sure: the tomb was empty. Jesus was no longer there. He had risen — just as he said he would. But they still hadn’t seen him. Would they see him? What should they do? They did what any of us would do. They went back to tell the others and figure out what to do next. But before Jesus would meet them, he had someone he wanted to talk to first. v. 11.
John 20:11-18 (NIV), “11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.” Let’s pause once more. Now, Mary (Miriam in Hebrew) was a popular name at this time, so John identifies the different Marys by their families or where they were from. Magdalene meant that this Mary was from the little town of Magdala on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, not far from where Jesus did much of his early ministry. Now, we don’t know much about Mary, but we do know that she followed Jesus as his disciple after he healed her from seven demons. It probably would’ve been wild to know Mary before and after Jesus healed her. She likely was wealthy, as Luke listed her among a group of women who financially supported the ministry of Jesus. But still, it’s remarkable that Jesus chose to make his first resurrection appearance to her. At this most important moment in history, when the eyewitness accounts of a man who had risen from the dead would be scrutinized in every way for, well, going on 2000 years now, if you had to pick an eyewitness, you’d want them to be the most reliable, most believable kind of person you could find. You’d want a king or at least some respected official, someone in a position of power — probably not an unmarried woman from a small town with a sketchy past! Commentator Don Carson notes that at this time, “…a woman’s evidence was not normally admissible in court.” (Carson, PNTC, p. 636). Because of who she was, Mary would’ve undermined the reliability/plausibility of the gospel for many. But Jesus didn’t care. She was his friend. She was his disciple/follower. We saw on Good Friday that Mary had witnessed his suffering and death on the cross. She was there for him when he died. And she was there as soon as the Sabbath allowed her to finish dressing his body. Mary honored Jesus in his life and death. Now, he honored her faithfulness/devotion by appearing to her first. This is always how God works. God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. In his kingdom, the first will be last, and the last will be first. The heart of the gospel is that the Lord of all gave his life as the servant of all. In other words, our faithful sister, Mary, was the perfect first witness to the resurrection in the kingdom where Jesus was king. Once she heard Jesus call her by name and recognized him, he immediately sent her back to the others with the news. “I have seen the Lord!” she told them. But Mary wouldn’t be the only eyewitness that day. Look back at v. 19.
John 20:19–23 (NIV), “19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” This is God’s word. When Jesus shows up, the disciples’ fear turns to joy. And his presence brings a double blessing of peace. But why does Jesus start talking about the Holy Spirit and forgiveness? The central problem that Jesus solved was our separation from God and our need for forgiveness of sins. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This is our greatest problem, for the wages of sin is death. However, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord — a new and spiritual life. In Hebrew, the words for breath and spirit are one and the same. The breath of Jesus, on this first Easter evening, anticipates what he promised his disciples just a few days earlier: the gift of another advocate, another counselor/helper, the Holy Spirit, who would be given on the Day of Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension back into heaven. A new, final era of this broken world was about to begin — an era defined by the good news of God’s grace and the redemption, forgiveness, and new creation that comes with faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. But before this appearance to the other disciples, what had opened Mary’s eyes to the truth of the resurrection? What was it that turned her tears of grief into tears of joy? What sent her off not in the darkness of fear and doubt but in the light of purpose and the greatest good news she could possibly give? It was when Jesus called her by name. “Mary.” John places this personal calling at the center of his account of the resurrection. Now, the Bible is full of times when God called people by name. God called Abram by name. He called Hagar, a female slave, by name and she said, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” God called Moses by name when he thought he was alone in the wilderness. The prophet Isaiah said, “Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.” God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Back in chapter 10 of John’s gospel, Jesus said that as the Good Shepherd, “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (Jn 10:3-4). This is the clear pattern of how God deals with people. God knows us, sees us, and calls us by name. “Mary.” But imagine hearing your name that first Easter morning. Imagine hearing the voice of your friend and Lord, a voice you never thought you’d hear again. What incredible kindness. What personal care. What amazing love Jesus demonstrates, not just for his disciples as a whole, but for Mary as an individual. You see, when we’re saved by faith in the person and work of Jesus, we’re saved into a new people/family. We’re saved into the church/kingdom. It’s not just you and Jesus, and it never has been. A Christian on their own is an emergency. But at the same time, we are saved as an individual person, as a beloved son or daughter of our Father in heaven. We’re saved by the One who created us and knows us better than anyone. He knows the number of hairs on your head and every thought/desire/struggle in your heart and life, but he still loves you and calls you by name. Mary. This is what Christians mean when they talk about being saved by grace through faith. Grace is unearned favor. Grace is a gift. But the only reason we can receive salvation as a gift of God’s grace is that, on the cross, Jesus Christ bore the punishment for our sins. He got what we deserved so that we could get what he deserved. He took our sin and gave us his righteousness. He took our separation from the Father and gave us his family. He took our death and gave us his life, real/eternal life, a life beyond the grave. So today, because of the person and work of Jesus, the life of God, the peace of God, and the love of God are all available for you.
How might we apply this resurrection story to our lives today? We could spend the rest of our lives discovering more answers to that question, but I’ll just give you three thoughts today. First, if you’re not a Christian, if you aren’t ready to follow Jesus as the Lord and Savior of your life, I’d say this: don’t just look at the tomb from a distance. Go in and examine the evidence for yourself. Listen to the eyewitnesses. Consider their message and the outcome of their lives. If it’s true, then it changes absolutely everything and is the greatest source of hope, peace, and joy in the world. But if it isn’t true, the Christian faith is worth nothing. None of it would be helpful. If you have questions, if you have doubts, that’s ok. Next week, we’ll consider how to struggle with doubt in the story of Thomas. If this is true, it’ll hold up under our questions. Second, if in hearing God’s word, you believe you’re hearing Jesus call you by name, then welcome. Welcome to the kingdom where Jesus is king. Welcome to the life/love/joy/peace that no one can take from you. You have been given the Holy Spirit. You have been forgiven and freed from the power of sin. God has an incredible purpose for your life. Look up and see him through eyes full of tears. Finally, if you are a Christian. If you’ve heard Jesus call you by name and you’ve seen him as an active, powerful, healing presence in your life, then go and tell others what Mary went to tell her friends: “I have seen the Lord!” I have seen the one who knows/sees me and calls me by name and loves me and has forgiven me and given me a new life and a new purpose infused with the very power and presence of the Spirit of the living God. There’s something so powerful about being called by name. And the good news of the gospel is that because of the person and work of Jesus, God is calling, even today, even now. And his calling changes everything. Let us pray.
The Cross (Good Friday 2024): Ironically, during Jesus’ trial and suffering, he was questioned, mocked, and abused for being the King. In his humiliating death on the cross, Jesus proved to be the perfect Passover sacrifice. Why did Jesus endure all this? It was all for you. Recorded on March 29, 2024, on John 18:28 – 19:42 by Pastor David Parks.
Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.
Sermon Transcript
John 18:28–40 (NIV), “28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” 30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. 33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.” As Justun mentioned last week, the Jewish religious leaders had illegally arrested, tried, and falsely condemned Jesus. However, as subjects of the Roman Empire, they didn’t have the authority to kill him — only Roman soldiers could do that. So, the trial moved from the high priest’s house to the house of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Ironically, John points out that the religious leaders wanted to avoid becoming ceremonially unclean while having an innocent man put to death. Again, ironically, Pilate spoke better than he knew when he said, “You are a king, then!” He wasn’t really confessing faith in Jesus, but what he said was true. Jesus was the King. But here, Jesus moved the conversation from his kingly authority to the truth of his message. If Pilate were truly a seeker, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity for him to hear the gospel. But sadly, Pilate played the cynical politician, rejecting Jesus’ claim to the truth (and maybe all truth claims: “What is truth?”). Even so, Pilate didn’t find any basis to execute Jesus, but he knew he had a hot political situation here. He tried to get Jesus released because of the Passover, but the crowd, no doubt led by the Jewish leaders, called for Barabbas, an actual criminal, instead.
John 19:1–16a (NIV), “1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face. 4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” 6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” 7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” 12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” 13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” John continues highlighting the tragic irony of this day. Jesus was the King, but the soldiers mocked him as a king. He deserved a crown of gold, not a crown of thorns. He deserved a royal robe, not the purple robe they used to humiliate him. He deserved their allegiance, honor, and respect — not a slap across the face, much less being flogged. To be flogged meant to be tied to a post and whipped with a cat of nine tails. It was so brutal that it sometimes killed the victim. Again, Pilate tried to get the crowd to release Jesus, perhaps thinking the flogging would dampen their anger, but it didn’t. And Pilate was ruled by fear. Fear of the crowd. Fear of a religious uprising. Fear of who Jesus might be. Despite his fear, Pilate mistakenly thought he had power over Jesus. But even in this humiliating moment, Jesus knew that any power Pilate had was under a much higher authority. Jesus wouldn’t be bullied or pressured by any earthly king or ruler. He knew his mission and wouldn’t be stopped. In the end, Pilate caved to fear and condemned a man he knew was innocent. The religious leaders shamefully exposed their moral corruption by pledging allegiance to Caesar. Both Pilate and the chief priests chose political expedience over justice and self-protection over righteousness. What a terrible trade. May this never be said of us.
John 19:16b–27 (NIV), “So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did. 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” John doesn’t spend much time explaining crucifixion, probably because their original audience would’ve been familiar with the brutal practice. But to be crucified typically meant that you were nailed to a cross in the shape of a T or an X with nails through the wrist and ankle bones. The Romans were experts, knowing how to prolong the pain, sometimes for days. People were usually crucified at eye level to increase their shame. Eventually, people couldn’t continue to push themselves up to breathe and would either die of heart failure or suffocation. It was so barbaric that the Romans only crucified foreigners, slaves, or traitors, not regular citizens. The fact that Jesus was willing to be crucified for anyone, much less for us, is astonishing. What else is astonishing is that while suffering on the cross, having been stripped of his clothing (fulfilling Psalm 22), Jesus was still not focused on himself. He was still thinking about and caring for others. From the cross, he kindly made provision for his mother, Mary. He entrusted her to the care of his friend, John. Before we move on, we see one more bit of irony here. Despite the protests of the chief priests, Pilate had the charges against Jesus proclaim him to be the king of the Jews in no less than three different languages. I can’t help but think of the day of Pentecost when the gospel of Jesus would be proclaimed in multiple tongues or languages. This doesn’t mean Pilate believed in Jesus but only that he spoke better than he knew, and it was literally a sign of things to come.
John 19:28–37 (NIV), “28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” As Justun said last Sunday, Jesus was a volunteer, not a victim. Even in death, he retained the authority to give up his spirit. He lived and died on his own terms. The special Sabbath John mentions was the first Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. John explains that the Jewish leaders didn’t want dead bodies to make their feast ceremonially unclean, caring more about the Law than the Lord of the Law. Nevertheless, Jesus had already died, so they didn’t have to break his legs to speed his death. But this seemingly little detail allowed Jesus to fulfill the requirements of the Law for the Passover sacrifice. The Passover lamb was not to have any broken bones. As John the Baptist had said, Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, given once and for all. But in the record of the death of Jesus, it’s important to see that John was there. He was an eyewitness. He heard Jesus say, “It is finished.” He saw the blood and water flow. And his testimony is true. The Christian gospel is not a myth. It’s the announcement, based on eyewitness testimony, of historical events. Jesus didn’t faint on the cross. He really died.
John 19:38–42 (NIV), “38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” This is God’s word. After the death of Jesus, it took courage to ask Pilate for his body. Joseph and Nicodemus wanted to honor Jesus in death, not as a criminal but as their Lord. So Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, the light of the world and the bread of life, was crucified, died, and was buried. Of course, Sunday’s coming. The Author of life would not stay in the grave. On the third day, he would rise again, proving himself to be not only the King of the Jews but the King of all creation. But before we get to Easter Sunday, I want to close with this question: Why? Why did Jesus endure the pain and shame of the cross? Why didn’t he call down a legion of angels to destroy his enemies? Why didn’t he tell Pilate or the chief priests what they wanted to hear and prevent his execution? Why did he humiliate himself in this way? According to John, this is why: John 3:16–18 (NIV), “16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Why did Jesus endure the cross? It was all for you. It was all for you. It was all for you. Do you believe? Let us pray.
The Beginning of the End: What should we do when life isn’t fair? For the Christian, it helps to see that in his arrest, trial, and condemnation — and, of course, in his death on the cross — Jesus didn’t get what he deserved. He got what we deserved. None of this was fair. But in the injustice of the Great Exchange, in taking our death and giving us his life, we have everything we need to endure and indeed flourish, even in our failings. Recorded on Mar 24, 2024, on John 18:1-27 by Justun Hart.
Finding Life in Jesus’ Name is a sermon series on the gospel according to John in the Bible. Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your life? Or, even when things were going well, something was still missing? Many people sense there must be something more. But what?? John, one of the closest friends of Jesus, believed that Jesus came into the world so that we may have life and have it to the full. Jesus turned John’s life upside down, and John claims this new life — marked by God’s power, presence, and purpose — is available for all who believe.
