John Bible Study - Lesson 14

John Bible Study - Lesson 14   

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 5:16-30 New International Version (NIV)

The Authority of the Son

¹⁶ So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. ¹⁷ In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”¹⁸ For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. ²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

²⁴ “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. ²⁵ Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. ²⁷ And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

²⁸ “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. ³⁰ By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

John 5:16-30 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God

¹⁶ So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. ¹⁷ But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”¹⁸ So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.

¹⁹ So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. ²¹ For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. ²² In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, ²³ so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.

²⁴ “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

²⁵ “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. ²⁶ The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. ²⁷ And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, ²⁹ and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. ³⁰ I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·        The Jewish leaders harass Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules and calling God HisHiiiHiHis Father

·        The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus because He called God His own Father and made Himself equal with God

·        Jesus explains why He is doing good on the Sabbath

·        Jesus explains that He has authority to work and heal on the Sabbath

·        Jesus goes further to explain that the Father has given Him authority to give life, raise people from the dead, and to judge

·        Jesus explains how one can receive eternal life

·        Jesus prophesizes about the end times

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        Israel’s religious leaders were more concerned about following the letter of the law and their own traditions rather than living by the spirit of the law

·        God designed the Sabbath to be a delight not a burden to His people

·        The law: Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy, meant for ordinary work to stop so people could focus on loving and worshipping God

·        Over the centuries the Jewish teachers added many of their own rules to God’s law

·        In the last lesson we understand that the man Jesus healed did not break God’s law, he simply carried His mat

·        Jesus affirmed His authority to heal on the Sabbath by saying “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” God never ceases to protect, preserve and direct His creation

·        When we don’t honor Jesus we are not honoring God

·        Followers of Jesus know His voice:

John 10:27  New International Version (NIV)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

·        Followers of Jesus will never be condemned for their sins but will have eternal life

·        Jesus has the power to raise the spiritually and physically dead

·        The Father, Son and Holy Spirit continue to work together to redeem and restore humanity from the day sin entered the world

·        Jesus called God His Father thereby affirming their special relationship

·        We must understand the special Jesus has with the Father:

·        Jesus has the mind of God.

Jesus is both fully God and fully man:

(excerpt from Dr. Paul Enns)

The two natures of Christ are inseparably united without mixture or loss of separate identity. He remains forever the God-man, fully God and fully man, two distinct natures in one Person forever. Though Christ sometimes operated in the sphere of His humanity and in other cases in the sphere of His deity, in all cases what He did and what He was could be attributed to His one Person. Even though it is evident that there were two natures in Christ, He is never considered a dual personality. In summarizing the hypostatic union, three facts are noted:

(1) Christ has two distinct natures: humanity and deity

(2) There is no mixture or intermingling of the two natures

(3) Although He has two natures, Christ is one Person

Jesus proved His claim to equality with God in 3 ways:

1.     His absolute oneness with His Father

2.     His divine privileges that belong only to God

3.     The testimony to His divine authority

·        When Jesus said that “The Son can do nothing by Himself”, He was affirming His perfect obedience and submission to His Father, even to His death on the Cross

·        When Jesus said “Whatever the Father does the Son also does”, He was affirming His complete dependence on His Father. Jesus did not act on His own, but made sure that whatever the Father wanted to accomplish through Him happened.

The 3 aspects of Jesus’ relationship with the Father:

1.     Love and perfect community

2.     Mutual knowledge, understanding, cooperation and dependence on God

3.     Power and authority and desire to carry out the Fathers plan

The things the Father gives Jesus authority to do:

·        Give life, free people from the bondage of sin, give eternal life, give a new spiritual life and perspective, help pass people from death to a new life in Him

·        Judge all people (separate God’s people from those who reject Him)

·        Free God’s people from His wrath and condemnation

·        Yet the truth we must all face is that those who reject God will be judged, remain under God’s wrath and will face the payment for their own sin which will lead to spiritual death

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Get to know Jesus so that you will in tune with His will for your life

·        Accept the fact that you can’t earn favor with God or try to be righteous on your accord in order that God will grant you eternal life

·        Try to understand why God sent Jesus and learn that He came to fulfill God’s purpose and plan of Salvation

·        Understand how God is working in you and through you for His kingdom purpose.

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

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.

Questions to ponder:

·        What will I do with the knowledge I have?

·        Will I put my knowledge and faith into action?

·        How do I view the Sabbath, and do I use that time to honor, love and worship God?

Have a great week…………….Dave

John Bible Study - Lesson 13

John Bible Study - Lesson 13

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 5:1-15 New International Version (NIV)

The Healing at the Pool

Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. ² Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. ³ Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. ^[4]  5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

⁷ “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” ⁹ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, ¹⁰ and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

¹¹ But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

¹² So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

¹³ The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

¹⁴ Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

John 5:1-15 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Heals a Lame Man

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. ² Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. ³ Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. ⁵ One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

⁷ “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

⁸ Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

⁹ Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, ¹⁰ so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”

¹¹ But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

¹² “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.

¹³ The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. ¹⁴ But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”¹⁵ Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·        Jesus goes to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals

·        Jesus comes to the pool of Bethesda where many blind, lame, or paralyzed people are and asks an invalid who has been paralyzed for 38 years if he wants to get well

·        At first the paralyzed man says he couldn’t get well because he is unable to enter the pool at the time the water bubbles up.

The Pool at Bethesda:

The Pool of Bethesda was used in ancient times to provide water for the temple. The name of the pool, “Bethesda,” is Aramaic. It means “House of Mercy.” John tells us that “a great number of disabled people used to lie there—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed” (John 5:3). The covered colonnades would have provided shade for the disabled who gathered there, but there was another reason for the popularity of the Pool of Bethesda. Legend had it that an angel would come down into the pool and “stir up the water.” The first person into the pool after the stirring of the water “was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted”    

·        Jesus tells the man “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 

·        After Jesus spoke the man was healed instantly

·        The man rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking

·        This healing took place on the Sabbath

·        The Jewish leaders were angry because according to strict Jewish law, no one can work on the Sabbath. “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

·        The man tells the Jewish leaders that the man who healed him told him to Pick up his mat and walk

·        The Jewish leaders wanted to know who told the man to pick up his mat.

·        The man did not know the name of the man who healed him

·        Jesus later found the man at the temple and told him now that he was well physically, he should stop sinning or something worse would happen to him

·        Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        People back then and now believe in superstitions

·        The evidence of real healing and spiritually change can be found in Jesus

·        Jesus deliberately goes to a place where many sick pick were. Isaiah’s prophecy foretold that the Messiah, “Jesus”, would come and heal the blind, deaf, lame and mute

Isaiah 35:1-6 New International Version (NIV)

Joy of the Redeemed

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, ² it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.

³ Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees that give way;
⁴ say to those with fearful hearts,
    “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
    he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
    he will come to save you.”

⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
⁶ Then will the lame leap like a deer,
    and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams in the desert.

·        The invalid, in his desire to be healed, obeyed Jesus’ command to pick up his mat and walk.

·        If we desire to be healed by Jesus we must first show our obedience, display our faith and take action on what Jesus tells us to do.    

·        Not only was the man physically healed but also spiritually as he acknowledges Jesus to be the healer.  The man displays His faith in Jesus this by telling the Jewish leaders that Jesus healed him. We too should state out faith and trust in Jesus to be our spiritual healer. The man was putting himself at great risk due to the growing hatred of Jesus by the Jewish leaders.

·        We should not be ashamed of our identity in Christ even though it may mean persecution.

·        It is important to note that Jesus was not done with the man after healing him physically. Jesus wanted to heal him spiritually as well. That means for us that Jesus’ desire is to rescue His people from sin and death.

·        Jesus desires for us to have an abundant life

 

John 10:10 International Standard Version
The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I've come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savoir

·        Take risks with your faith, don’t fear the repercussions

·        Follow the spirit of the law that Jesus was modeling. For instance, doing good on the Sabbath.

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

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.

Questions to ponder:

·        Who is Lord over your life?

·        Are you willing to go deeper in your faith than just checking off your religious boxes?

·        Do you realize that you can’t save yourself by your deeds?

·        Do you want to be healed spiritually?

Have a great week…………….Dave

John Bible Study - Lesson 12

John Bible Study - Lesson 12   

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 4:43-54 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.

⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”

⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

John 4:43-54 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

⁴³ At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee. ⁴⁴ He himself had said that a prophet is not honored in his own hometown. ⁴⁵ Yet the Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen everything he did there.

⁴⁶ As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. ⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.

⁴⁸ Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”

⁴⁹ The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.”

⁵⁰ Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

⁵¹ While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. ⁵² He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” ⁵³ Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. ⁵⁴ This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·    Jesus heads to Galilee and was welcomed by the Galileans even though Jesus Himself said a prophet is not honored in his own hometown.

·        The Galileans had seen the miracles and heard the teachings of Jesus in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration which led to them welcoming Him in there.

·        While traveling through Galilee Jesus went to the town of Cana where he encountered a royal official from Capernaum. 

·        The royal official heard that Jesus was nearby and came to Him because his son was very sick and he wanted Jesus to heal him. 

·        The official begs Jesus to heal His son.

·        Jesus tells the official his son will live and to go back home.

·        While on the way home the official’s servants meet him to tell him his son was alive and well and that the fever broke. The official realized the healing took place at the time Jesus told him his son would live.

·        The official and his household became believers. 

·        This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        Jesus has a purpose for everything he does.

·        Many people who saw and heard what Jesus had done desired to be in His presence.

·        Cana was the place of Jesus’ first miracle where He turned water into wine.

·        The royal official believed Jesus could heal his sick son, based on what he knew about Jesus’ power.

·        Jesus states that many people were more interested in His miraculous signs and healing power over the new life and good news that He offered.

·        The royal official was persistent in getting Jesus to heal his son.

·        We too should be persistent in our desire for Jesus to heal us.

·        The most important healing we can receive from Jesus is that of the spiritual nature because we are all sinners and separated from God.

·        The good news is that Jesus fulfilled His purpose, he died on the Cross to pay the price for our sin.

Romans 5:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

·        Jesus’ divine power is represented here. The boy was healed from a distance. Jesus just spoke words and healed the boy.

·        The official did exactly what Jesus told him to do. When we believe, we also desire to become obedient to Jesus.

·        Experiencing Jesus and His power changes lives.

 

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·          Come to Jesus with all your requests

·        Allow Jesus to heal you spiritually

·        Obedience to Jesus and God’s Word demonstrates love for Him and has great benefits to those who want to know God in an intimate way

1 John 5:3New International Version (NIV)

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

John 14:23 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

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.

Questions to ponder:

·        Do you believe Jesus can heal you?

·        Will you believe in Jesus based on what He gives you, or the fact that He has the power to change your life?

Have a great week…………….Dave