A new origin (John 2:23-3:22)

I.     Unbelievable believers (2:23-3:6bff. Luke 8:13-14).

A.  To call Jesus “a teacher” is to assume that all we need is ____________________ (v.2).

B.  If the believer’s faith in Jesus does not graduate from teacher to __________________, there has been no birth from above.  There is not yet adequate faith.

C.  Life with God requires more than improvement.  It requires __________________ (vv.3-8).

II.    God at work.

A.  We must be “born of water and Spirit” (i.e. __________________; vv.5,22).

1.  Scripture repeatedly connects the work of the Holy Spirit with water (Genesis 1:2; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:38; 11:44-47; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Titus 3:5). 

2.  The “_______________” of the new birth remains a mystery (vv.7-9).

B.  We receive not only new birth but a new _____________________, and this is something we manifestly cannot give ourselves (v.3 “born again/from above”; v.6b).

1.  “I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14).

2.  “But our ___________________________ is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). 

C.  We do “what is true” (v.21).

1.  We acknowledge the centrality of _______________________ (vv.13-17).

2.  “To do truth is to confess one’s sins and to receive forgiveness” (St. Augustine; 1 John 1:9; 1 Corinthians 2:16b).

Love makes all things easy (John 15:9-17)

The Definition of love: ________________________ (1 John 4:16).

Sin is a turning ____________________ on oneself (St. Augustine; Martin Luther).

Love is a turning ____________________ toward others (1 Corinthians 13:4-9).

The Source of love: ________________________ (v.9; 1 John 4:19). 

The Mediator of love: ________________________ (v.9). 

The nature of love: ____________________________________________ (v.10; Matthew 22:34-39; Romans 13:10).

The result of love: ________________________ and __________________________ (v.11; 1 Peter 4:8).

The revelation of love: ______________________________ (v.13; John 3:16).

The implication of love: ________________________ (v.16a).

The goal of love: _____________________________________________ (v.16b). 

The ease of love (Matthew 11:28-30; 1 John 3:5).

The Master Gardener (John 15:1-8)

I.     Jesus is the true Vine (as opposed to __________________ Israel) (v.1; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 2:21, etc.).

II.    Our Father (Vinedresser) does two things to produce fruit:

A.  He _____________________ fruitless branches (vv.2a,6).

1.  Jesus arouses our anxiety.

2.  His goal is our ___________________.

B.  He _______________ fruitful branches (v.2b).

1.  We’ve been ________________ into the Vine (Romans 6:3-5; 11:17).

2.  Pruning involves both ____________ and ____________ (vv.2b,3,5,7-8).

III.   To _____________________ in Christ guarantees:

A.  fruitfulness (vv.4-5);

B.  effective prayer (v.7).

IV.   The true Vine’s gracious invitation: “_____________________” (vv.4-7)!

A.  Don’t go wild!

B.  Only _________________ can branches live (v.6)!

What’s so good about this Shepherd? (John 10:11-18)

I.     It is our nature to flee a crisis. It is the nature of Jesus to _______________________________(v.11b; John 18:4). 

A.  Ordinary shepherds protect their sheep by avoiding death; the Good Shepherd protects the sheep ___________________________ His death.

B.  The death of an ordinary shepherd means disaster for the sheep.  The death of the Good Shepherd means ________________________ for the sheep (John 10:10).

C.  The death of an ordinary shepherd leaves the sheep exposed and scattered (v.13).  The Good Shepherd’s death ______________________ the flock and draws it to Himself (v.16; John 12:32).

II.    He knows us __________________________ (John 10:3).

A.  Knowing is evidence of ______________________ (vv.14-15).

B.  Knowing another involves _____________________________ (Exodus 6:7).

1.  God loves; we are the ones loved.

2.  God saves; we are the ones saved.

C.  The Father loved the Son before the foundation of the world (John 17:24), but His Father loves Him all the more for ____________________________ (vv.17-18).

D.  We know Christ (and, therefore, the Father) _________________________ when we believe that He lays down His life for us all (vv.11,16).

Living God’s Story (Luke 24:36-49)

I.     ____________________ alone is not sufficient to produce faith.

A.  It can produce terror (v.37).

B.  It can seem “too good to be true” (v.41).

II.    Faith comes by _________________________ God’s story [i.e. the Scriptures] (vv.45-47; Romans 10:17).

A.  _________________________ is more than entertainment.  It is a fundamental part of being human.

1.  We live inside stories.  We ___________________ in stories.

2.  Stories enable us to make ___________________ of the world.

B.  The Old Testament predicts/anticipates Christ’s death and resurrection less in _______________________ and more in _____________________ (vv.44-47; John 5:39). 

1.  Adam (Genesis 2:7).

2.  Isaac, raised on the third day (Genesis 22:1-4; Hebrews 11: 19).

3.  Joseph (Genesis 37:33; 45:28).

4.  Israel, raised on the third day (Hosea 6:1-2).

5.  Dry bones (Israel) brought to life (Ezekiel 37:1-14).

6.  Jonah, raised on the third day (Jonah 1:17).

7.  Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego (Daniel 3:12-27). 

8.  Daniel (Daniel 6:16-22).

III.   God’s (Christ’s) story shapes and gives meaning to our own.

A.  _____________________ connects us to Christ’s story (Romans 6:3-4).

B.  We daily die to self and live a new life (Galatians 2:20).

How to hear God speaking to you (John 20:23)

I. Know ______________ Jesus is.

                           A. Jesus is not bound, but He has bound us to His Word.

                           B. The church (MaƩhew 18:20; John 20:19,26; Ephesians 1:22-23).

II. Know ______________ Jesus speaks.

                            A. What is “the Office of the Keys?”

                                1. It is the unique authority given to the church on earth to

                                 ________________ and _______________ sins (v.23).

                                      a. Unknown in the Old Testament.

                                      b. This authority is given to ___________________ (MaƩhew 9:8; 18:18).

                                2. The Keys are administered publicly by the

                                       _________________________ (Preaching, BapƟsm, Lord’s Supper,

                                      AbsoluƟon) and privately by the ________________________

                                    (AbsoluƟon).

                                         a. “A Jesus without grace is unthinkable, but a Jesus without warnings

                                         is all too __________________” (Frederick Dale Bruner).

                                         b. “This sentence [v.23] lays down the duty of the church to proclaim

                                               forgiveness to the penitent in heart, and the warn the impenitent

                                              that they are __________________ the mercy of God” (William

                                              Barclay).

B. What is confession?

                1. First, we confess our sins (Mark 1:5; James 5:16; 1 John 1:9).

                2. Second, we receive absoluƟon/forgiveness from the pastor as from God

                     Himself.

                        a. When someone speaks forgiveness to you, it is the

                        ____________________ speaking to you (v.23; MaƩhew 16:19; 18:18-20;

                        Luke 10:16).

                        b. No one should be forced to go to confession. I would rather have

                               ____________ choose to come than to have ______________

                               forced to come.

III. Know ____________ Jesus speaks (John 20:31; Luke 19:10; James 5:19-20)

The Crucified One; He has risen!  (Mark 16:1-8)

I.     Fact (____________________) + meaning (____________________) = the Gospel (v.6; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:7-20).

A.  “Seeking” Jesus is not a _________________ in Mark’s Gospel (v.6; cf. 1:32; 3:32; 8:11-12; 11:18; 12:12; 14:1,11; 14:55)

B.  Not “who was crucified” but, literally, “the crucified one” (v.6, a perfect passive participle, referring to something that happened in the past and continues in the present; Luke 24:40; 1 Corinthians 2:2).

II.    The resurrection does not eclipse the crucifixion, it ___________________ it (Romans 4:25).

A.  God raised not just anyone, but the One ____________________ for us all (v.6). 

B.  The _____________________ gives the cross its power (Romans 1:4; 2 Corinthians 13:4; Colossians 2:13-14).

III.   Application:  Failure isn’t final!

A.  Even if no one else is ___________________, Jesus is (v.7; 2 Timothy 2:13).

B.  The first act of His public ministry is to gather disciples (Mark 1:16-20), and the first act of His resurrected life is to __________________ them (v.7).

C.  Christ builds His church despite human failure, and it is human failure makes the church, and its ministry of forgiveness, ____________________.

D.  For us and our salvation, He remains the _______________________ (v.6; Romans 

“As I have loved you...”   (John 13:1-17, 31b-35)

I.     In v.34, Jesus commands you to love (circle one):

             (a) your neighbor;

(b) your world;

(c) your church.

II.    In v.35, your witness to the world consists of your love for ______________________.

A.  ^“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of ___________________________________”(Galatians 6:10). 

B.  Hear the “one anothers” of Scripture (47x addressed to _____________________; see also 1 John 4:20).  Why might this be hard to do?

III.  Christ’ love is more than a command. It is a __________________ .

A.  Jesus does not ask us to produce this love.  Jesus says, in effect, “Keep on   loving one another out of the wellspring of ______________________________” (Frederick Bruner, v.34b).

B.  The Footwashing illustrates Jesus’ ______________________ (compare v.4 (“laid down” and “taking up”) with John 10:17-18).

C.  “Proud man would have perished eternally had he not been found by the ______________ God” (St. Augustine). 

D.  ____________________ be loved by the Lord (vv.6-7)!    

A cross-shaped life (John 12:20-43)

I.     You cannot know/understand Jesus apart from the cross.

A.  The “signs” point to Christ’s ___________________ with the Father.

1.  They were “_______________” (v.37a).

2.  They should have been sufficient to produce ______________ (John 3:2; 5:36; 10:38).

3.  Yet many __________________ to believe (v.37b). 

B.  Therefore, Jesus the miracle worker hides Himself (v.36b).

1.  Henceforth, the only Jesus they will “see” is the ____________________ Savior (vv.21,23-24).

2.  The __________________ will accomplish what the signs could not (vv.24,32-33).

II.    You cannot know/understand yourself apart from this Jesus.

A.  Christ ____________________ is central to your identity.  He is not a supplement or addendum to your life. 

B.  Whom/What do you live for?

1.  “Love” of one’s life expresses a preference for this world (v.25a). 

2.  “Hatred” of one’s life expresses a preference for Christ (v.25b).

C.  For Christ, His cross was His life’s ____________________ (v.27).  So it is with us (v.26; Matthew 16:24). 

D.  “When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer, he will have to accept his suffering as his task; his single and unique task. No one can relieve him of his suffering or suffer in his place. His unique opportunity lies in the way in which he bears his burden.” (Viktor Frankl)

E.  I would rather be ______________ and within God’s will than to be ______________ and outside it (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Can there be forgiveness without reconciliation?

I.     Forgiveness is the washing away of sin, and never ___________________________ again (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12).  

A.  When I forgive another person, I do so as a person who has also been ___________________ by the work of Christ (Matthew 6:12; Ephesians 4:32).   

B.  Unforgiveness results in bitterness and ______________________ the faith we have in Christ (Matthew 6:14; 7:2; Ephesians 4:31).

II.    Reconciliation is restoration of the _______________________.

A.  Forgiveness and reconciliation happen simultaneously with God (2 Corinthians 5:19). 

1.  Your sins are washed away, you are forgiven.

2.  You are restored as a child of God in His kingdom (Luke 15:22-24; 18:13-14; 19:9). 

B.  But a forgiven child of God may not always experience reconciliation with the other people involved.

1.  A relationship may remain unreconciled due to an unwillingness to forgive, an inability to forgive, death, dementia, etc.   

a.  Anyone who refuses to reconcile ___________________their relationship with God (Matthew 6:14-15). 

b.  Such a person should not partake of the ______________________, because they can no longer bear witness as someone forgiven in Christ (Matthew 6:15; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Romans 16:17).

c.  When someone refuses to reconcile with you, you experience God’s own _______________ (Genesis 6:6; Ephesians 4:30-32).

2.  At those times, we find __________________ in the forgiveness and   reconciliation we have with God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

III.   A forgiven and reconciled child of God will desire to be reconciled with  others (Matthew 6:12). 

A.  Worship is the first priority of a believer, and the first priority of a   worshipper is _____________________ (Matthew 5:23-24).  Why?

B.  When a relationship is broken, you are responsible to initiate reconciliation, but you are not responsible for the other person’s __________________ (Romans 12:18).

C.  Like us, _____________ does not have a perfect record when it comes to reconciliation (Matthew 25:41ff.; Acts 7:51; 1 Timothy 2:1-4).

IV.   Application.

A.  Have you forgiven someone, but reconciliation has not taken place?

B.  What are some ways you might encourage reconciliation

What if I can’t forgive myself?

I.     “Is ___________________________ not good enough for you?” (1 John 1:7)

II.    The _______________ of self-forgiveness.

A.  You have made your own _______________________ more important than God’s. 

B.  You believe in your ____________________________ and not in God’s love and forgiveness. 

C.  In fact, you are making yourself out to be God, the ultimate _________________ (Exodus 20:3). 

III.   Forgiveness comes from _____________________ oneself, not from _____________________ oneself. 

A.  Faith comes by _____________________ (Romans 10:17).

B.  ____________________ confession and forgiveness (Matthew 18:18; John 20:22-23).

Humanity divided (John 3:14-21)

I.     Humanity united under God’s judgment (Genesis 3:17-19,23; Deuteronomy 27:26;  Romans 3:23; Galatians 3:10).

II.    ______________ response to God’s judgment.

A.  Our serpentine Savior (v.14; Genesis 3:14; Deuteronomy 21:22-23).

1.  He bears our _________________ (Galatians 3:13).

2.  Eternal life is a __________________ possession (vv.15-16)

B.  The Light has come into the world (v.19a).

III.   Our response to the Light: no __________________ ground (Matthew 10:34-37).

A.  _____________________ by the majority (v.19; Matthew 7:13).

1.  Condemnation __________________ and is self-chosen (vv.18b,19-20).

2.  Hatred of the Light (v.20; Psalm 69:4).

B.  _____________________ by the minority (v.21; Matthew 7:14).

1.  ______________________ condemnation (v.18a; Romans 8:1).

2.  Drawn to the Light (v.21).

IV.   Application:

A.  The world’s hatred is not ___________________ (v.20; John 15:18-25; Psalm 69:4).

B.  The world’s self-chosen fate moves us to pity, and God’s amazing love for the world moves us to ____________________________ (Matthew 23:37; Acts 7:60).

What if they won’t repent?

I.     Unrepentance: what does it look like? 

A.  ______________________ oneself and, therefore, one’s sin (1 Samuel15:15).

B.  ______________________ others (1 Samuel 15:20-21). 

C.  Either we cling to our sin, or we cling to _______________ for mercy.

II.    Christians are to forgive as God does (Colossians 3:12-13). 

A.  Did He withhold forgiveness until you repented?

B.  When did God forgive you (Romans 5:8)?

III.   When we grant forgiveness, we may or may not announce that forgiveness to the unrepentant person.  Speaking that forgiveness depends on the context. 

A.  The question is not ____________________ you should forgive but ___________________ you should proclaim it to the offender. 

1.  Sometimes, _____________________ forgiveness is enough to break the unrepentant heart (Matthew 18:15). 

2.  At other times, the pronouncement must be ____________________ to assist in their repentance (Matthew 18:17-18a; John 20:23b).

B.  The goal is always the offender’s ____________________ to God (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

IV.   Therapeutic letter writing.   

R-E-S-P-E-C-T  (John 2:13-22)

I.     Respect:  acknowledging the _______________ and _______________ of another.

II.     location, location, location:  the Jerusalem Temple.

A.  ______________________ actions: buying and selling.

B.  ______________________ space: in the temple! (v.14).

1.  God’s __________________ dwelt there (1 Kings 9:3).

2.  It was the ______________ place God was to be worshipped (Deuteronomy 12:5-6).

III.   location, location, location:  Jesus replaces the temple . . .

A.  . . . with __________________________ (vv. 19, 21; Matthew 2:11; 14:33; Luke 17:16; John 4:21-23);

B.  . . . with __________________________ (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:25-32; 1 Peter 2:4-5).

C.  __________________ is the one place God is to be worshipped (John 4:21-23; 5:23; Philippians 2:10-11).

IV.   location, location, location:  respecting God today.

A.  ______________________ actions (Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:22-24).

B.  ______________________ space (1 Corinthians 6:9-11,15-20; Hebrews 10:23-25).

The key to overcoming unforgiveness

I.     The ______________________ of unforgiveness.

A.  Our sense of justice (Romans 2:15).

B.  When justice is denied me, ___________________________ remains the one punishment I can inflict on my offender.

II.    The question for each of us: “Where is my ____________________?”

A.  “Fixing our eyes on Jesus” means ____________________________ from all others toward Him (Hebrews 12:2).

B.  Our many distractions: anger, lust, love of money, trying to _______________________________.

III.   Christ __________________________________ is the power for Christian living (Hebrews 12:1-2; 2 Peter 1:5-9).

A.  When I minimize my sin, I _______________________ the justifying work of Jesus for me.

B.  Do not burden yourself by trying to forgive and forget.  Instead, change how you _______________________ (Genesis 50:20; Ephesians 4:31-32;    Hebrews 12:3).

Stand by Me    (Mark 8:27-38)

I.     Rabbis teach by asking questions.

A.  The “___________________” question (v.27).

1.  Requires no personal commitment.

2.  “They” [all] answer (v.28).

B.  The “___________________” question (v.29a).

1.  The risk of a personal confession.

2.  Peter alone answers (v.29b).

II.    The Messiah’s work and our response.

A.  Jesus’ job description (v.31).

1.  Jesus _____________________ the Messiah’s role (cf. v.31, Isaiah 53).

2.  His _____________________ is the only way to break Satan’s hold on us (Matthew 26:52-56; Mark 1:24; 3:37).

3.  Peter gives Jesus the correct title (v.29b), but still has the wrong _________________________ (v.32), which is why Jesus commands silence for now (v.30).

B.  Our response.

1.  Confessing Christ.

a.  Confession has two meanings:

i.  to _____________________________ (2 Samuel 12:13; Luke 18:13);

Ii.  to _____________________________ (v.29b; John 1:20; Romans 10:9-10).

b.  Even bold confessors can be __________________________ (v.33).

2.  Jesus made the good confession before Pontius Pilate (Mark 15:2; 1 Timothy 6:13).

3.  Confessing Christ is ___________________ (1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 John 7ff.).

4.  Confessing Christ is ___________________ (vv.34-38; Mark’s context: Roman persecution).

5.  Luther’s great insight:  the Christian life is a flight from God the ___________________ to God the ___________________ (John 21:15-17; 2 Timothy 2: 11-13).

“Am I in the place of God?” (Genesis 50:19)

I.     Anger is the new ___________________!

A.  Is anger required to produce positive change in society?

B.  Human anger, while not necessarily ____________________, is nevertheless __________________________ (Psalm 37:8; Ephesians 4:26-27). 

C.  What about “righteous” anger (Mark 11:15-19)?

1.  _______________________ can handle anger (Psalm 30:5; Jonah 4:2). 

2.  _______________________ must repent of it (Ephesians 4:31; James 1:20).

a.  To Jesus, being angry with and speaking insults against a fellow disciple is the same as ______________________ (Matthew 5:21-22).

b.  Extreme anger is a work of “the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21).

c.  Unresolved anger leads to ______________________ (Hebrews 12:15).

II.    Am I in the place of God?

A.  Regarding ___________________________, the answer is “_____________” (Genesis 50:19-21; Deuteronomy 32:35).

B.  Regarding ___________________________, the answer is “_____________” (Matthew 18:18; John 20:23).

The Test (Mark 1:9-15)

I.     The ________________________ of testing.

A.  Professional exams (Medical Licensing; Law; CPA, etc.)

B.  Indiana BMV written/driving exams.

C.  Vetting prospective employees.

D.  Product quality. 

II.    “My son, do not despise _____________________________ of the Lord” (Proverbs 3:11; Hebrews 12:5).

A.  “Do you grow more spiritually when life is going well or when life is going not so well?”

B.  God chooses to rule creation through us (Genesis 1:26; 2:15).  Through tests, He teaches us to _____________________________ (Psalm 119:67,71).  

1.  Abraham (Genesis 12:1; 21:8-14; 22:1-19).

2.  Israel (Deuteronomy 8:2).

3.  Job (Job 1:6-12).

4.  Christ (Mark 1:12-13; 8:11; 14:32-42).

5.  ________________ (James 1:12; 1 Peter 4:12-13).

III.   Jesus passes every test ______________________. 

A.  Adam ______________________ the ministry of Christ (Romans 5:14c). 

B.  What Adam did affects everyone in a ________________________ way, leading to death, and what Jesus did affects everyone in a ___________________________ way, leading to life (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:19,21; Hebrews 4:15b)!

I.    Unforgiveness occurs when we ________________ to forgive, or we feel we are ________________ to forgive (Matthew 18:28).            

A.  We get stuck in the loop of _______________ the offense over and over.

1.  As the event repeats in our minds, some details get ________________.

2.  Our remembrance of the event becomes ______________ in order to    justify our anger.

B.  Unforgiveness is a ________________ we ingest, hoping the other person will die.

C.  Unforgiveness is the work of the “________________” (Ephesians 4:22).

II.    Forgiveness is not only release from a debt or obligation (Matthew 18:27).  It is a ___________________ in which we no longer view the offender as our enemy but as a _______________________ for whom Christ has died (Matthew 18:33; Ephesians 4:32).

A.  Instead of judging and condemning, we freely ________________ the desire to be angry, bitter, full of rage, hateful, slanderous, and murderous (Ephesians 4:31).

B.  We _________________ the desire to recall another’s sin and use it against him.

C.  We offer the same love God has given us (Ephesian 4:32).

D.  Forgiveness is a divine act, the work of the “_________________” (i.e. Christ in you; Ephesians 4:23-24; Galatians 3:27).

I.     Jesus is unlike anyone else.

A.  He is unlike the __________________ (v.22).

1.  They taught _______________ God.

2.  Jesus taught ____________ God (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28).

B.  He is unlike other great religious leaders.

1.  They point you to _______________________.

2.  Jesus points you to _______________________.