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The Harmony of His Life and Teaching

TEXTJohn 20:30-31;  John 5:36

INTRODUCTION:

A.      JOHN'S PURPOSE AND THEME.

B.      CHRIST'S MORAL GLORY CONSISTS OF THE PERFECTIONS WHICH

          MARKED HIS EARTHLY LIFE AND MINISTRY.  JESUS WAS

          CONSISTENT WITH WHAT HE TAUGHT.  THE IDEALS HE

          PREACHED WERE THE ONES HE SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE.

C.      PROPOSITION:  THE TEACHING OF CHRIST AND HIS MORAL GLORY

          AS REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CANNOT BE THE PRODUCT OF

          UNAIDED HUMAN INTELLECT.  THE ISSUE:  John 10:19-21.

D.      THE HARMONY BETWEEN HIS SAYINGS AND HIS DEEDS REFUTE HIS

          MADNESS.  WE WANT TO BRIEFLY CONSIDER HIS TEACHINGS IN FIVE AREAS.

I.      HIS TEACHING ON AND RELATION TO SIN.

A.      WHAT IS SIN?( 1 John 3:4;  James 4:17 ).

B.      HE TAUGHT THAT THE SINNER IS A BONDSERVANT OF SIN( John 8:34 ).

C.      HE TAUGHT THAT THE SINNER SHOULD DIE( John 8:21, 24 ).

D.      BUT HE ALSO SHOWED MERCY( 8:10-11 ).

E.      HE CLAIMED THAT FREEDOM WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH HIMSELF

          ( 8:36 ).  HOW?( 3:14-17 ).

F.      HE CONDEMNED THE SOURCE OF SIN( 8:44 ).

G.      THEN HE CHALLENGED THEM TO ACCUSE HIM OF SIN( 8:46 ).

II.     HIS TEACHING ON AND HIS RELATION TO THE LAW.

A.      BACK OF SIN IS LAW OF WHICH SIN IS A VIOLATION.  WHAT ABOUT THAT LAW?

B.      THE LAW - THE WORD OF GOD - SCRIPTURE - ARE EQUIVALENT ( 10:34-35 ).

C.      HE IS ONE WITH GOD, THE ORIGINATOR OF THE LAW( 10:30 ).

D.      HE IS GOD'S SPOKESMAN IN REVEALING THE NEW LAW ( 6:38;  7:16;  12:48-50 ).

E.      HE CLAIMED THE RIGHT TO GIVE A NEW COMMANDMENT( 13:34 ).

F.      THE CHALLENGE AGAIN TO HIS ENEMIES( 8:46 ).

III.    HIS TEACHING AND RELATION TO THE KINGDOM.

A.      EVERY LAW OPERATES WITHIN A NATION OR KINGDOM.

B.      GOD'S LAW IS SPIRITUAL, SO IS THE KINGDOM.

          1.       Entered by a spiritual birth( 3:3-5 ).

          2.       Worship is in spirit and truth( 4:24 ).

          3.       Citizens are not of this world( 17:14, 16 ).

          4.       Jesus is the king( 18:36-38 ).  No competition with Caesar.

C.      JESUS REFUSED AN EARTHLY CROWN( 6:15 ).

D.      AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS POPULARITY HE TESTED THE PEOPLE'S

          DESIRE FOR A SPIRITUAL KING( 6:22-71 ).

IV.   HIS TEACHING ON AND RELATION TO MAN.]

A.      THE KINGDOM HAS AS SUBJECT HUMANS.

B.      JESUS REALIZED HE WAS HUMAN.  YET HE WAS PERFECT IN HIS

          RELATION TO THE FATHER AS A MAN.  AS A MAN HE REVEALED

          WHAT GOD'S WILL TO MAN WAS.

          1.       Jesus knew he was a man( 2:24-25 ).

          2.       He suffered from human limitations( 4:6;  19:28-30 ).

          3.       He felt human emotions( 11:35 ).

          4.       He was a man( 8:40 ).

C.      MAN WAS IN BONDAGE TO SIN - HE WAS THE DELIVERER WHO NEVER SINNED( 8:31-36 ).

V.    HIS TEACHING ON AND RELATION TO GOD.

A.      HE IS GOD( 8:58;  10:30 ).

B.      HE KNOWS GOD( 7:29 ).

C.      TO KNOW CHRIST IS TO KNOW GOD( 14:7 ).

D.      HE IS THE ONLY ACCESS TO OUR CREATOR THAT WE HAVE( 14:6 ).

E.      A KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND HIS SON RESULTS IN ETERNAL LIFE

          ( 17:3 ).

CONCLUSION

          WHENCE CAME THE PICTURE OF SUCH A ONE, THE TEACHING,

          AND A LIFE IN PERFECT HARMONY WITH SUCH TEACHING? 

          THERE IS ONLY ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER:  THEY HAD BEFORE

          THEM THE PERFECT CHRIST AND WERE PERSONALLY

          ACQUAINTED WITH HIM.