Another great Holy Week - a two-fer sermon post - John 12 & 20

 


Me and my whiteboard.  What a Holy Week it has been.  Our goal was to walk through this presumably last week of Jesus through the eyes of John, described by himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved.  We would start on Palm Sunday with John 12 and then meet each night except Saturday and cover John13-19 and then finish with John 20 on Easter Sunday.  It was a feat I have never done before but very anxious to do again in the future with other sections of Scripture that could use concentrated effort and time.  I am thankful that each night the hungry gathered and God's word did not leave us hungry but also wanting for more.

What we learned:

  • 3 groups - "still not believe,"  "believe...but," and "believe in Him"
  • 2 options - Mary gave to Jesus, Judas took from Jesus                                                                    - John was the disciple described with love, Judas was the disciple                                  described with betrayal                                                                                                    - light/darkness                                                                                                                    - in but not of this world/in and of this world                                                                    - a branch in the vine to be further pruned for more fruit bearing/a                              branch taken from the vine to be cast aside and burned                                              - (Sunday's addition) forgiven/unforgiven
  • What Jesus' wanted His disciples and us to know:                                                           - to believe in Him as the One God had sent                                                                     - the Trinity, 6 times with Sunday's addition                                                                    - the coming Holy Spirit who would teach them, remind them, guide them, bring to     light wrong (sin), right (righteousness) and what is to come (judgment)                    - God sent Him, it was God's plan, God's in charge, Scripture to be fulfilled
  • An example or pattern to follow set by Jesus, just as Jesus...                                           - served, we serve/forgives, we forgive/loves, we love/obeyed, we obey/lived in unity     with the Father and the Holy Spirit, we live in unity with Them and each other in     Christ/viewed others, we view others/spoke forth truth, we speak forth truth/bore     witness to the truth, we bear witness of the truth/was responsible, we are                   responsible/was sent, we are sent
  • Thanks to Christopher Ash - these events were necessary, costly, and fruitful
We soldiered together throughout the week and unto a glorious Easter Sunday to see Jesus as the risen Lord.  He made Himself known to Mary Magdalene, the 10 disciples, and later to Thomas.  John concludes this chapter with the fact that what has been written is so that we might believe Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.  The Gardener who calls our name and His own will recognize His voice would invite a response of repentance, submission, and obedience to follow Him.  It was a glorious week to be with God's people and to spend the time of Holy Week on the Holy.

I will post the video links here of the full services here.
Palm Sunday - Palm Sunday 2022
Easter Sunday - Easter Sunday 2022

We have just a couple more Sundays at this assignment.  Sunday, April 24th will be spent on John 21, the final chapter of John's gospel and Sunday, May 1st will be a commissioning of the new pastor at Weymouth Community Church.  The baton will be passed on to him to be a team member of this part of the body of Christ as Stephanie and me have over the last year.  Where next?  We don't know yet but wherever God puts us will be the best place we could be.  Thank you so much for your prayers for us and this type of ministry to churches in transition.

Adam






A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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