2010 Sermon Series
Jesus in the Gospel of John
Lent 4 – Sunday, March 14
John 6:35, 49-56
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty… 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.”
Monday, March 15
Read Exodus 16:9-26 as a background to John chapter 6. Notice that even in the wilderness God provides food and drink for his people. This provision is in response to God hearing his people. Where in the Old Testament God does things in a physical way for his people, in the New Testament God expand his activity and does things in spiritual and eternal ways.
Tuesday, March 16
After the feeding of the 5,000 Jesus teaches about how he is the bread of life. Read John 6:22-24. Why does Jesus think the crowd is following him? In verses 30-32 and vs 49ff Jesus challenges the Pharisee’s belief. Who gave the children of Israel the bread in the wilderness? What happened to those who ate that bread? Who gives the bread of heaven? What happens to those who eat that bread?
Wednesday, March 17– When Jesus finishes his Bread of Life teaching we read in
John 6:52-60 and 66-69 the Jewish leaders are incensed. Why? In two places the Bible expressly forbids the consumption of blood (Leviticus 7:26f; 17:10-14), on the grounds that it contains the life force of all creatures of flesh. After slaughter the animal is therefore hung head-down so that as much blood as possible can drain from it. The sciatic nerve of the animal must be removed, and the heart must be cut open in a few places and the bottom end cut off to let the blood run out. The remaining blood must be removed either by roasting over an open flame or by salting. Some organs, such as the
liver, can only be made kosher by roasting because they contain too much blood. In general, roasting over an open flame is considered the more effective method. This process of preparing meat for consumption is called "koshering". As Chrisitans we believe that receiving the body and blood of Jesus (spiritually in communion) fills those who have faith with the life force of Jesus.
I’m Leaving You – Don’t Be Afraid! Today we turn to the passage of scripture we focused on in worship– the Way, the Truth and the Life. Read John 14:1-14. What do you remember from the sermon on this passage? What does this passage teach us about Jesus? In what ways is he the “way, the truth and the life?” How do you explain verses 13 and 14? Were these spoken just to the disciples? Are they a
case of Jesus’ “prophetic hyperbole” that Rand described in his sermon on this passage? Do they assume if we have perfect faith we will only ask for those things that Jesus also wills? Is it possible Jesus is thinking this promise refers back to the command he has given to love one another – and hence he is not thinking we are speaking about anything we might ask for in prayer, but those things which refer to our capacity to love? What other options are there for understanding this sweeping promise? Read verse 15, which should not be separated from verse 14 in reading this passage. Does it help us understand these last two verses?
Friday, March 19 – Jesus’ Final Words to the Crowds – Read John 12:37-50.
John speaks of the spiritual blindness and hardness of heart of some of the Jewish leaders. Yet others did believe. Note v. 42-43. How did these verses – verses 37-43, speak to the people reading them in John’s day when Jewish followers of Jesus were being expelled from the synagogue? Are you ever tempted to be like those in v.43? What do verses 44-50 teach us about Jesus?
+ + + + +
Sermon Notes