In this sermon Graham is again preaching from John’s gospel. This is part 5 of a series on chapters 13 to 17. This week Graham speaks about seeking, loving and failing.
The sermon is available as a Podcast, downloadable PDF notes and the text of it is pasted in this post below.
The material is made available so that any may use it, preach it or adapt it.
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Sermon John 13:31 - 14:4
Intro
Some say the chapter break here is natural as there is a pause there before the subject change. I see a flow in the narrative across the chapter break. After themes shared in chapter 13, the readers are told in the beginning of chapter 14 that all will be well.
1) Seeking
v33 “You will seek me”
Seek, seek, seek!
He said they would seek, feel the want of him. Authentic faith seeks (yes and finds) and yet always seeks for more.
John 6:67-69
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Psalm 10:4
In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
Psalm 14:2 (repeated in Psalm 53:2)
The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Luke 11:9 (Jesus speaking of the Holy Spirit)
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
John 12:35-36
35 Then Jesus told them, You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light. When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
2) Loving
This is for believers. “By this…disciples.”
Church growth and evangelism techniques, should be handled carefully. I am uncomfortable with “friendship evangelism”. I think it can be deception dressed up in religion and sincere motives.
Here is the method of Jesus. Not just loving the stranger, but loving within the church family.
v34,35 “As I loved loved you”
Question - new? Had not the command had already given (Mark 12:31)?
This is different, because now there is a new example, he will lay down his life. This was to be the model and standard for their future, and ours, and others down the centuries. Missionaries of the early centuries who set off in rudderless ships praying that God would send them, and where they landed they would serve and love.
“As I loved loved you”
Men! See Ephesians 5:25 for an example of how the example should be followed by a husband.
3) Failing
He told Peter he would fail. But he never said he would stop loving Peter. We know the account of Peter’s restoration after the resurrection of Jesus.
See Romans 8:38,39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Conclusion
I may fail but I will aim high. As I wait to go to my eternal home, I aim to keep seeking and keep loving.
