In His Image - 5: The Savior Leads

“If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is Who says to you, “Give me to drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
-John 4:10

Opening Thought:
Just Ask!

The logic is sound: it never hurts to ask. When you know you need something, know that you want it, speak up. The worst that can happen is be told “No”. Salvation is just that simple – in spite of how complicated our human mind wants to make it.

In John 3 & 4, we are privileged to listen in on two intimate conversations with the Master Evangelist, the Savior Himself. He reaches out to real, felt need of each listener, exposes the effect of sin and the reality of judgment, then points listening the heart to God’s outreached hand.

Indeed, Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman were able to actually see the outstretched hand of Jesus, drawing them to Himself. A remarkable new revelation – the New Birth. A remarkable offer – forgiveness. A remarkable salvation offered by a remarkable Savior. And so simple – just ask.

The real question for both was, do you know who it is you are speaking with? If you just know – that settles it.

Study Notes
The Savior Leads
John 3 - Nicodemus

1. 3 1/2 Years of Ministry

• First few months of ministry -- ends with the Passover in John 2:13
• First Year -- ends with the second Passover of Jesus' public ministry, somewhere between John 4:35 and 5:1 (the feast in 5:1 likely being the feast of Tabernacles)
• Second Year -- ends with the Passover in John 6:4
• Third Year -- ends with the Passover in John 11:55, which culminates in the Upper Room

2. A Conversation with Religion - John 3:1-21

• True Christianity is not religion. "Religion" is man's attempts to reach God - from exotic eastern religions, to the fascinating array of spiritual attempts of realization and fulfillment we have today, all are vain attempts to accomplish something only God Himself can do.
• "Christianity" in contrast is God's work. Through Jesus Christ, He has reached down to man and provided a way to span the gap caused by sin and reestablish an eternal relationship with God.
  
• Who is Nicodemus? A Jewish leader, one of the Pharisees that would be harassing Jesus, a member of the Sanhedrin that would end up condemning Jesus to death in three years.
  
• "Setting things in order" - Nicodemus' background meant that he would naturally want to think things through in a very logical sequence - every thing in its place. Jesus' response to Nicodemus starts with a startling statement that changes the rules. Then Jesus points the way to God through very sound, orderly thinking.
  
• Water and Spirit - See Ezekiel 36:24-27 for some background that could possibly come to Nicodemus' mind as Jesus spoke these words. Also possible is that Jesus is alluding to the "water" of natural birth, and then the necessary spiritual re-birth. Nicodemus wants to think literally and Jesus is leading to recognize the priority of spiritual faith.
  
• Almost everything covered... not quite. Jesus had broken down Nicodemus' religion to a point where it was clear what he needed to do. Then we have what clearly stands as the most well-known verse of all the Bible: "For God so loved the world...."
  
• Was Nicodemus saved when He left? Nicodemus heard Jesus' words, they made sense, but he very possibly left perplexed, needing the evaluate, turn things over in his thinking, maybe bounce some concepts off of friends. Later verses in John seem to indicate that Nicodemus did come to realize his need of the Savior -- see Jn. 7:50-52 and 19;39.

For further study:
1. Do you have a plan for how you would share salvation with someone? How to start, how to explain sin, etc. Try starting to write it, or get your notes out and prepare for the opportunity!

2. Is there a Nicodemus or Samaritan Woman in your sphere of influence that you should be praying for salvation?

3. John 5 is so important about the relationship of Jesus to His Father. Spend time this week meditating on this passage.

The Master's Word Class

Just so you know.... These study notes are a compilation of the studies I've been leading in our Adult Bible class at Christ Community Church in Tampa, FL. You can visit our church's web site at www.tampaccc.org.

In His Image - 4: Walking in His Steps

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” -- 1 Peter 2:1

Opening Thought
Come, Follow Me

Jesus found those men, along the shore, in town, living their normal life – and He called them. He spoke directly to them, invited them into relationship with Him, and offered them a profound new life purpose. In John 2, they begin to discover just how life-changing this decision would be! As they stood among the crowd at that wedding, they watched this Man demonstrate the reality of Who He was and what He was there to do.

What was Jesus on earth to do? Demonstrate true godliness and provide a way for man to live it through redemption. Jesus wanted to show these men how to “fish” – how to live a life that draws the unsaved to God and then “land” them in the boat of salvation and new life in Christ.

As we walk along with the Lord Jesus, observing how He lived, how He engaged and ministered to people around Him, we will be drawn to be like Him, challenged to walk “in His steps, and to follow Him in His mission to draw people to Him.


Study Notes
Walking in His Steps

1. The Beginning of Miracles

• "Signs" in John - While the other Gospels use the word "sign", only John uses it to refer to Jesus' miracles. The emphasis points to how miracles are much more than just to impress. Each is a special pointer, a directional communication, leading to deeper truth only understandable through the eyes of faith. Something relatively small pointing to something much bigger.
• Look at these additional instances of "signs" in John
• John 2:23
• John 6:14, 26, 30
• John 7:31
• John 9:16
• John 10:41
• John 11:47
• John 12:18, 37
• John 20:30
  
  Bible Study Note: A good way to benefit from looking up related verses, like the ones you might have in the marginal references of your Bible, is to list each reference and just write a short phrase from each that links back to your primary verse. Perhaps for Jn. 2:23, you would write "many believed on His name, beholding His signs." Writing things down (or typing them into your computer journal) will help you retain what you study.

2. Friends of the Family

• John 2:1 begins what is likely the 4th day in Jesus' first week of public ministry.
• Note that John covers the first week of Jesus' ministry, and also the final week, starting with John 12.
• Cana: probably just a few miles from Nazareth
• Either or both of the wedding families very possibly were family or close friends that Mary and family spent much time with.
• The disciples tagged along with Jesus - 6 at this point: Andrew, John, Peter, James, Philip, and Nathanael. Jesus is pictured often enjoying social gatherings.

3. The Abundant Provider

• There was a "predicament" at the wedding feast -- no more wine. The feast often went several days, even a week. Adequate provision of such a critical "staple" as the wine was a real obligation of the host. In that cultural context, it was actually possible that there could have been legal action or financial obligation incurred by allowing the guests to experience such a catastrophe.
• Was Mary expecting a miracle? We know from 2:11 that there had been no miracle by Jesus up to that point (Jesus did no miracles during His childhood). Mary did have some "background information", having spent the last 30 years watching Him grow up. Certainly from the beginning, the angelic announcements, the miraculous virgin birth and so much more, she knew the "hour" would come. She had possibly witnessed the baptism, certainly knew it occurred, so the announcement of the Messiah was at hand. She could have simply been asking her son, Whom she knew to be God, to just watch over and minister in the event in some way that would provide for the wedding family.
• Jesus' new relationship with His mother. While "woman" was not a rude or impersonal reference, it was ususally held for certain settings where more formal interaction. While we find it a bit startling, Mary didn't react and it was likely a comfortable gesture. The predicament was a personal one, and Jesus had now embarked on a new public agenda, which we find quickly to be absorbing His total being. From His response, we knew that His relationship with Mary would now be different.
• The "hour" -- The time when He accomplishes His Father's mission, the great final work of redemption, and all that is entailed in preparing for that work. John uses reference to the "hour" several times--7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1 (cp 11:9-10); 13:1; 17:1
• Simple confidence -- Note that Mary seems to have had some connection to the wedding feast, perhaps helping the hosts with planning. She was in direct contact with the servants and they were willing to listen to her instructions. She
• Jesus the Provider -- We are blessed with this story as an early demonstration of Jesus' compassion for the people around Him and His reaching out to touch them gently in a way that points them to God. He was also able to give His new followers an initial opportunity to watch as normal life is broken open with a touch from God's hand.
• Purification vessels -- Interesting that Jesus picked these water pots specifically. They had likely been used several times through the wedding ceremony for ceremonial cleansing. Now He takes these vessels of the old Law and transforms them into vessels of the New Covenant.
• "Exceedingly, Abundantly" -- 180 gallons of the best wine ever made! Each of these pots would hold 20-30 gallons. At 1 cup each, this would have been 2400 servings!
  - Think of another couple of wonderful passages where God's abundant provision is expressed
  Psalm 23:5, "my cup runs over"
  Ephesians 3:20, "exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think"
• He began to show His glory -- Verse 11 is strategic first by indicating this to be His first miracle. Beyond that, the essence of His ministry is beautifully summarized in this statement of "manifesting His glory".
  

For further study:

1. Use the references above to read through John about the “signs” Jesus did and think about how they point to His deity.
2. Meditate on Psalm 23 and thank the Lord for His abundant provision in your life.Think back in your life to 3 desperate situations you have been in and reflect on how you did (or should have) looked to the Lord for provision.
3. Think back in your life to 3 desperate situations you have been in and reflect on how you did (or should have) looked to the Lord for provision.

A Harmony of the Gospels

Remember how the Hebrew Scriptures were on a set of scrolls? As the teacher would study and teach from various sections of Scripture, he would have to lay the one scroll down, pull another out of the storage rack and roll it open to where he wanted to go. Quite a challenge when comparing Scripture with Scripture!

What a blessing it is today to have the marvelous Bible translations and study references that are available, even in computer-based software that makes access more efficient than ever.

In our study of the person of Christ, we spend most of our time in the 4 Gospels. One essential study tool you need to keep with you at all times is a "Harmony of the Gospels". An example of how the Harmony works: When you study the call of the first disciples in Matthew, Mark and Luke, it looks to you like this is actual call. However, when you use the Harmony, you discover that John actually tells about an earlier "call" that happened.

When using a Harmony of the Gospels, you are obliged to include in your study considerations provided (or not provided!) by each of the writers. Why did all 4 of the writers think the feeding of the 5000 was important enough to include, and what unique insights does each provide to the event? Why did only Mark tell us about Jesus healing the man at the pool of Bethesda, what is there about Mark's perspective that brought us this marvelous account?

The classic work in this area is A.T. Robertson's Harmony. However, I recommend Thomas & Gundry's more recent (1978!) work, which is based on the New American Standard Bible. Until you can go buy a book, here is a PDF of a handy chart that gives you the basic harmony. This is a handy tool that you can print and keep in your Bible. I'm not yet prepared to speak for its accuracy, but it gets you the general benefit.

http://www.signofthefish.net/blog/lifeofchrist_harmony.pdf

In His Image - 3: A Day in His Life

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life.” -- 1 John 1:1



Opening Thought
What's In a Name

Our study series is titled “In His Image” for a reason. It’s not titled “Christlikeness” or “Beholding Him” or such. The title needs to constantly remind us of where we’re headed. We want to know Him then show Him then make Him known. This study is aimed at getting to know Christ, to understand Who He is and how He expressed His character here in our world, just a little bit better. That understanding is a growing process, never complete, but by spending some time focusing on it, perhaps we can increase our consistency at the task. Before we can “be” Christlike, we need to understand what Christ was like. So let’s focus on Him, “behold” and “handle” Him as John and the other disciples did.


Study Notes
A Day in His Life

1. Why are there four Gospels?

• Matthew: Jesus as King of the Jews, His regal right to David's throne; writing to the Jewish reader; see Zechariah 9:9, "behold your King"
• Mark: Jesus as a man of action, the Suffering Servant; writing to the Roman world; see Zechariah 3:9, "behold my Servant"
• Luke: Jesus as the Son of Man, our Redeemer; writing to the entire Gentile world; see Zechariah 6:12, "behold the man"
• John: Jesus as the Son of God, His holiness and compassion; writes to the timeless assembly of believers (see the expansion of the audience over the 4 Gospels?); see Isaiah 35:4, "behold your God"

2. Who IS this man Jesus?

• Recall the account of Jesus in the boat with the disciples in the middle of that storm? They awake Him in great fear for their lives. He stands, rebukes their lack of faith, then speaks the storm into silence. One of the disciples exclaims, "What manner of man is this?" Who IS this guy?? We've left everything to follow Him - wow! Are we in for a ride!
• Look into each of these passages and write down what you learn about Jesus from each --
• John 1:1
• John 4:10
• John 6:35
• John 8:12
• John 10:14
• John 11:25
• John 14:6
• John 15:1
• Hebrews 4:14
• 1 John 1:1

3. The First Days -- the First Followers

• John provides us with important clues about the first days in Jesus life of public ministry, beginning with His baptism
• Day One -- John 1:29-34 -- John the Baptist, "behold the Lamb of God", a singularly important statement of the unique work of Christ as Redeemer, a meek lamb (Isaiah 53), here to do a complete and final work of propitiation ("take away" in a permanent sense, for the whole world, not just Jews)
• Day Two -- John 1:35-42 -- two of John the Baptist's disciples, Andrew and likely John the Gospel writer, leave to go with Jesus; remember that John in his Gospel never refers to himself by name; Andrew, perhaps in somewhat uncharacteristic fashion, rushes off to find his brother Simon and drags him back to meet the Savior!
• Day Three -- John 1:43-51 -- Jesus takes His new proteges and treks up towards the north end of the Sea of Galilee; in the area around Bethsaida, they run into Philip (Jesus surely expected that to happen; after Jesus draws Philip into their circle, Philip demonstrates his evangelistic zeal (more to be seen later, such as Acts 8) by bring Nathanael back to meet the Savior, who then joins the band of followers
• Day Four -- John 2:1-11 -- Together, the men walk over to Cana to join with family and friends for a wedding. Again, Jesus knew He needed to be there. Session 4, we will study this special occasion.
• The First followers -- Andrew, John, Peter, Philip, Nathanael

For further study:

1. Spend some time this week in the Gospels, trying to think of what the three most notable occasions were when Jesus interacted with people. Bring your conclusions to class next week.
2. Have you found any characteristics of Jesus yet that you need to be focusing on in your life? Meditate in God’s Word about them.

In His Image - 2: The Cast is Poured

For we do not have a high priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. -- Hebrews 4:15



Opening Thought:
Let This Mind Be in You

Paul writes in Philippians 2 about the mind of Christ, how He was willing to set aside His deity in order to become a man, be a servant and die a sinner's death. We are challenged to understand this mind and make it our model for life.

As Jesus walked to the edge of the Jordan River, His mind was fixed. Althought totally God, He had become totally man. We may not totally understand this great truth, yet the message of humility and obedience that He demonstrates is very clear.

John 2:17 tells us of the "zeal" Jesus had for His Father's mission, and elsewhere we hear how He had "set His face" (Luke 9:51) for Jerusalem. His mind was fixed, never distracted, clearly following through on the commitment had made on our behalf. As He approached John the Baptist in the water, the mind was clear .

The beauty of the mind of Christ, His passion and love, His purity and justice, His sense of mission and commitment -- while we can never fully comprehend much less replicate this, yet we are challenged to seek His mind. Only by the Holy Spirit working this in us can we expect to see such a lofty measure accomplished to any extent.


Study Notes
The Cast is Poured

1. No More Private Life

• We don't have information about his years before the Baptism. He likely was at home with Mary, perhaps carrying on his father Joseph's carpentry trade, likely in Nazareth.
• Picture Jesus as He walked out of His carpentry shop and turned towards the Jordan. He moved from growing up to reaching out, from expecting to delivering.
• This was the last act of His private life. Beginning at the Baptism, every action He took would be under intense public scrutiny and have eternal ramification.

2. Jesus' First Public Act - Baptism

• From Luke 3:23, we know He was about 30 years old.
• This was viewed as a very significant event; note that it is covered in all 4 gospel writers.
• He arose from the water announced, blessed, and empowered by the Father and Holy Spirit.
• The picture of baptism - humble submission. The Bible doesn't really explain why He needed to be baptized. We see the picture of His identifying with the people He came to reach, and a foreshadowing of His death and resurrection. Today we carry on that tradition in baptism of new believers, not to accomplish any portion of salvation's work, but to express our obedience to the Savior, and to memorialize His death and resurrection.
• Additional scriptural insights:
  Isaiah 53:12, "poured himself out"
  2 Corinthians 5:21, "made to be sin"
  Matthew 3:15, "to fulfill all righteousness"

3. From the heavenly to the earthly

• Driven into the Wilderness
  1. The Wilderness: A picture that reminds us of the wandering Israelites, struggling in their sin. Jesus was alone, exposed to the world's degrading and debilitating influences.
  2. Driven: He was obedient to the Father. The Holy Spirit purposed this to happen, although it was perhaps not Jesus' desire. This begins the tortuous, negative side of Jesus' experience on the earth -- culminated in the Garden, "let this cup pass from Me", and on the Cross, "why have You forsaken Me?"
  3. God broke the seal, as it were, of His precious gift, and began the pouring out process.
• Victory based on confidence
  1. The first man, Adam, failed in his confrontation with Satan.
  2. The Last Adam, as Jesus is referred to (1 Cor. 15:45), faced Satan in confidence and victory.
  3. His confidence was in the Person and Word of God, as evidenced by His reliance on quoting verses from Deuteronomy. Striking that these passages are taken from the context of Israel's wilderness experience.
  4. Jesus dragged Satan into the light of Truth. Both were then revealed for who they truly were.
• Jesus was truly tempted, although as both Perfect Man and Perfect God, He was incapable of actual sin. He genuinely experienced temptation, but His purity and deity were undeniably confirmed.

4. Three Ways to Fall in Temptation

The temptations Jesus experienced, and His responses, help us to understand the godly response to sin that will move us towards Christlikeness.

• Depend on physical sustenance -- While there is nothing wrong with wanting some bread, Satan challenged Jesus to use His power for His own benefit. The challenge was to shift His perspective to one of physical well-being and pleasure.
• Test the leading of God -- Satan sought to break down Jesus' faith, lead Him to disobey. Note how he disguises a dare by calling it faith. In truth, to challenge God shows a total lack of faith.
• Let the power of the world compromise you -- Satan will do anything to distract and derail our worship of the True God.

5. The Right Perspective

Often we need to just review what we already know to be true -- God is in control. We are His precious children. He wants us to be strengthened and to stay faithful.

When God wants to drill a man, and thrill a man, and skill a man,
When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart to create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed...

Watch His methods, watch His ways! How He ruthlessly perfects whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him, and with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks when his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses, and which every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him to try His splendor out...

God knows what He's about.
(Unknown Author)

In His Image - 1: Where is the Image?

To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory.” – Colossians 1:27

Opening Thought:
Get the Right Picture

Heroes.. idols.. father figures… “I wanna be like Mike!” The world knows about the value of having role models in your life. We are blitzed from all sides with images of supreme personas that capture the epitome of what we know we should be – athletic, brilliant, articulate, musical, rich, powerful, profound, beautiful… get the picture?

God wanted us to get the right picture, so He sent His Son to live with us here in our world. We should pick something up right away about this picture when we read about His birth. Then in order for us to be able to do something with that picture, His Son died for us, and rose again.

Our faith in Christ and resulting new life is just the beginning of a remarkable adventure God has planned for us as His children. We get to become like… not Mike, but the Son Himself, the Master of the Universe, the Rock of all ages.


Study Notes
Where is the Image?

1. What if... ?
If God were to come to earth as a man, I would expect Him to…
Would you look for Him to display magnificent power?
Would you expect Him to let you know what kind of person He is?
Would He be interested in helping you figure out life?

Matthew 16:13 -- ...who do people say that I am?
Matthew 27:54 -- ...surely this was the Son of God.

There are scoffers -- Jon Murray, pres of American Atheists: "There was no such person in the history of the world as Jesus Christ. There was no historical, living, breathing, sentient human being by the name. The Bible is a fictional, nonhistorical narrative. The myth is good for business."

Thankfully, we have an amazing amount of historical record, not just in the Bible, but from other well-recognized sources as well, that settles the reality of Jesus Christ very clearly. He really did come to earth. He really did show Himself to man. He really did reach down to us and draw us to Himself.


2. And so He did!
Jesus Christ did exactly what we would hope that God would do -- He showed Himself to us!

• He fulfilled the promises of God -- Luke 1:26-33
• He took on the Form of a Servant -- Philippians 2
• He "tabernacled" among us -- John 1
• He taught us -- Matthew 5
• He encouraged us -- John 14:1-6
• He challenged us -- Matthew 28:18-20

3. Who IS this man?

• Luke 8:25 --“ Who is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?” Read this story again and put yourself in that boat. What an amazing experience to watch as this remarkable Man you just met calms the storm.
  
• John 1 – the True Word of God, eternity past, the Creator of the universe
• Hebrews 1 – the exact image of God
  

4. Our mandate: Put on Christ

• Ephesians 4:13 -- ...to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
  As we mature in Christ, we see Him as our benchmark. He is the measure against which we view our progress, our success. The extent to which we are "like Him" is our focus.
• Colossians 1:27-28 -- ...Christ in you, the hope of glory.
  We have an incredible confidence, the knowledge that God expects to replicate His Son in each of us, bringing us to final point of completion in Him.
• Galatians 5:22-23 -- ...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace...
  The Holy Spirit's work in us is to manifest the character of Christ in our lives. As we demonstrate Christlike love, joy, peace, etc., the world sees Christ in us.ds

For Further Study:

1. Start reading through the Gospel of John this week – see how far you can get by next Sunday! Look for more than just the historical narrative – write down observations about how Jesus responds and interacts with people.
2. Think about your picture of Jesus – write down some of the features. Look up some scriptures to help you along.What would need to change in your life before people could walk away from you thinking they had caught a glimpse of Jesus
3. What would need to change in your life before people could walk away from you thinking they had caught a glimpse of Jesus?