Let's turn now to God's Word and to
the Gospel of John, as with the other
Gospels.
We look at the first few sentences to
see what he's talking about.
And here we read of something that is
even earlier than Genesis chapter 1, verse 1.
This is actually the first verse of the
Bible.
In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
A number of things we read there, we
know that the Word refers to Jesus Christ,
because later on it says in verse 14
that the Word became flesh and dwelt among
us.
And it's very clear here in this verse
that Jesus Christ is God.
He was God from all eternity, He was
God when He walked on the earth in
the flesh, and He is God today.
That's why we worship Him, that's why we
pray to Him, and that's why when people
worshiped Him on earth, He accepted that worship.
No angel could do that, no man could
do that.
He accepted it.
And why is He called the Word?
See, if I stand here and think my
thoughts, you can never know what I'm thinking.
When I put my thoughts into words, you
understand me.
If God was in heaven, or He came
in spirit form, we would never understand Him.
But He came in the form of Jesus
as a man, so that we could understand
Him, just like my words help you to
understand my thoughts.
So that's why He's called the Word, the
expression of God.
You know, everything in the Bible is really
very simple.
If you look for a complicated understanding, you
get complicated.
And that's why Jesus said, this book is
written for babes.
Babes read it in a very simple way
and understand it in a very simple way.
Please remember that.
That the Bible was written by fishermen, like
Peter, who were not learned.
And today people write great theses on what
this fisherman wrote in order to get a
doctorate in theology.
It's amazing.
You've got to have the attitude of the
fisherman to understand this.
You've got to have the attitude of a
babe.
Wherever you may study, come like a little
babe.
The great danger here is that if we
try to understand the scripture with a lot
of cleverness, then when we get up to
preach also, we will try to show that
cleverness to other people.
And those poor simple people are all complicated
by what you say.
I want to encourage you to remember that
the Bible is a very simple book.
Babes can understand it, if your heart is
right.
And Jesus, the teaching of Jesus is very
simple.
And the more you are like Jesus, the
more when you serve the Lord, your teaching
will be very simple.
Wherever you folks go to serve the Lord,
seek to preach like Jesus did in a
very simple way, so that even children can
understand.
That is the most, that is the best
way to proclaim the word of God.
Don't ever become complicated in your life.
There are enough complicated preachers and theologians in
the world.
Please don't add to that number.
You'll be one of those simple ones who
preach the word of God like a little
child to little children.
Don't seek to get a name for yourself
as a great clever preacher.
One thing more we see here, verse 4,
In him was life, the life was the
light of men.
That's so simple.
You know what light is.
It drives away the darkness.
And that's what life does.
When the life of Jesus comes into us,
it should drive away all the darkness.
It will, if we allow it.
But you know like the light of the
sun, if you live in a room, with
all the rooms, all the windows and doors
closed up, even though the sunlight is bright
outside, you're living in darkness inside.
And even if you open a small little
ventilator, the light comes in.
And even if there's a little crack in
the window, the light will come in.
Even the light is longing to come in.
Even through a little crack.
But another brother may open everything in his
house, windows, doors, everything, and the light comes
flooding in.
That's how the life of Jesus is.
It's always there waiting to flood your heart.
But the principle is I stand at the
door and knock.
The measure in which you open yourself, in
that measure it will come in.
So when Jesus said you are the light
of the world, what did he mean?
It's not our words.
It doesn't say here in John 1, for
his words were light.
See this is the difference between the Old
Testament and the New Testament.
In the Old Testament it says, Psalm 119,
verse 105, Thy word is a lamp unto
my feet and a light unto my path.
The only light they had in the Old
Testament was the law, the word of God.
But today the light is not this book.
It is the word that has become flesh.
Jesus is the light.
He didn't say my teaching is the light.
He said I am the light.
And he didn't say your teaching is going
to be the light.
He said you are the light.
In other words the light is your life.
Not the wonderful things you teach.
If there is no light in your life,
whatever fantastic things you teach, it's no use.
Everything we speak must be backed up by
our life, our personal life, our thought life,
our financial dealings, our home life, the way
we live with our wives, the way we
bring up our children, our business life, the
way we deal with other people in our
office, if you are working in a secular
office, the way you deal with co-workers,
the way you deal with the youngest brother
in your church.
That will show whether you got the life
of Jesus or not.
That life is the light.
And that's the great loss today, I mean
great lack today in our country that there
is not enough people manifesting that light.
Verse 11 and 12.
We are familiar with these verses.
He came to his own, his own did
not receive him.
But as many as received him, to them
he gave the right to become children of
God.
I believe that's the right translation.
Children of God.
King James I think says sons of God.
Even to those who believe in his name.
There is a difference between a child and
a son.
A son is grown up, mature.
A child is just a baby, born.
When you receive Jesus as your savior, you
don't become a mature son.
You become a child, a baby.
You have to grow up to become a
mature son.
And the word became flesh, verse 14.
And dwelt or tabernacled among us.
And we beheld his glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father, full
of grace and truth.
There was a balance in Jesus Christ.
Grace and truth.
The glory of God is balanced.
Truth speaks of reality.
No unreality.
It speaks of the laws of God.
The truth of God proclaimed in his word.
This is all truth.
Jesus said in John 17, 17.
Thy word is truth.
That's also truth.
But that word, which consists of commandments, laws,
principles, must be covered over with grace if
it is to be made attractive to other
people.
See, the Pharisees had truth, but no grace.
And some people have grace, but no truth.
But the glory of God is seen full
of grace and truth.
It's like in your body, you have bones,
which is a picture of truth, which are
a picture of truth, and flesh, I mean
this physical flesh, which is a picture of
grace.
Now, supposing you had only bones, how attractive
would you be?
Supposing one day you're walking at night and
you see a man, only bones, walking up
to you.
Skeleton.
Will you feel like running and embracing him,
or will you feel like turning around the
other way and running?
That's exactly how people felt when the Pharisees
came up to them.
All truth.
All bones, bones, bones, bones.
They just ran.
And some Christians are like that.
Truth, truth, truth, truth, truth, truth.
All truth, truth.
This is the law.
This is the thing.
You must not do this.
You must do this.
Everybody runs.
Naturally, it's all bones.
So, should we get rid of our bones?
No.
I have all these bones in the body.
Jesus had all the bones.
But the bones, God has, in His great
wisdom, has covered it over with flesh.
And then you see, oh, that beautiful face.
How different it is when flesh is put
on top of the bone.
The most good looking man or woman looks
horrible when the flesh is taken off.
Do you think skeletons look any different from
one another?
Can you look at a skeleton and say
whether that was a good looking man or
an ugly looking man?
You can't.
They all look alike.
It's the flesh that makes the difference.
So, don't seek to approach people only with
truth.
The truth must be covered over with grace.
And then we make Christianity attractive to people.
Now, when we are young, I've also been
foolish like that in my younger days.
I've made lots and lots of mistakes, more
than I think any of you will ever
make.
But I was also like this.
Just truth, truth, truth.
And I turned away a lot of people,
including my relatives.
I think a lot of Christians in India,
believers, turn away their relatives by truth, truth.
I won't have anything to do with you.
And I will not have any contact with
you because I'm a holy man.
See, we drive them away from the Lord
that way.
Don't be foolish.
Stand for the truth.
But let there be grace.
On the other hand, there are some people
who go to the other extreme.
They're only grace.
Can you imagine how I would be if
I had no bones in my body?
You know how I'd be?
I'd just collapse.
I wouldn't be able to stand.
Because it would be like a jellyfish.
There's a fish called jellyfish.
It's got no bones.
Now, there are some disadvantages in having bones.
I can't go through that window.
If I didn't have bones, I could somehow
squeeze myself and go through.
And so, some people who don't have any
convictions, there are some Christians like that, they
can fit in anywhere.
Any denomination, any doctrine, square or triangular shape,
round shape, anything, it'll go in.
Because they've got no bones.
So, which is important?
Which?
Both.
Absolutely right.
And the glory of God was seen in
Jesus full of grace and truth.
Never forget that.
Now, God helps us when we are young
and we are foolish and stupid.
I've gone through those days myself as I
said.
That when I was very strong on grace,
God would give me brothers who are very
strong on...
When I was strong on truth, God would
give me brothers who are very strong on
grace.
That's good.
Because I say, well, Lord, I can't manage
this myself.
But along with my brother who is also
a member of the body of Christ, together
we can manifest grace and truth.
He can't do it alone and I can't
do it alone.
But together we can present the glory of
God.
And I think till the end of our
life, we need to recognize that all of
us are a little imbalanced on the side
of grace or on the side of truth.
And our salvation is in the body of
Christ with other brothers with whom we work
together so that the total image of the
church which is the body of Christ is
full of grace and truth.
See, none of us is the body of
Christ.
The only one person who is the body
of Christ was Jesus himself.
He was perfectly balanced.
The rest of us can find our balance
only as we link up together with other
members of the body of Christ.
You have to work together with others.
I don't mean occasionally meeting them.
I mean intricately linked with them just like
the fingers are linked to the body.
Then your ministry will be fantastically effective because
you can present the total image of Christ.
And there is where we learn to accept
other people who have another emphasis than ours.
Okay?
John 1.17 The law was given by
Moses but grace and truth were realized through
Jesus Christ.
That teaches us one thing that there was
no grace in the world till Jesus came.
The law came through Moses that's the old
covenant.
Grace came through Jesus Christ and there was
no grace in the world till Jesus came.
There is a verse in the King James
Version which says Noah found grace in the
eyes of the Lord.
Genesis chapter 6.
That's not the same as this grace.
The meaning of that word is he found
favor.
Grace.
What is the meaning of grace?
Now the most commonly accepted meaning of grace
by many Christians is unmerited.
The unmerited favor of God.
But I'm sorry to say that's wrong.
Mercy is the unmerited favor of God.
Because if there was no grace till Jesus
came what did Abraham get?
Not grace.
But he got unmerited favor.
Every human being gets unmerited favor.
Unmerited favor of God is mercy.
There is a difference between mercy and grace.
Mercy they had in the Old Testament.
Grace it says here came only through Jesus
Christ.
So it's something special.
Please remember that.
With mercy they got forgiveness of sins as
we read in Psalm 103.
With grace we get victory over sin.
Mercy deals with our past life.
The guilt of our sin.
Grace deals with the future.
Giving me victory over sin.
My grace is sufficient for you for every
need you meet in the future.
So learn to distinguish between mercy and grace.
Grace never came till Jesus came to earth.
And we read further in verse 33.
John the Baptist.
I'm just taking a few verses.
Otherwise we'll never finish this book.
It's a wonderful book.
I think it's one of the best Gospels.
Certainly to me the best Gospel is John's
Gospel in terms of teaching.
Luke's Gospel gives a lot of incidents and
a lot of parables and all.
But in terms of teaching John's Gospel is
absolutely outstanding.
It talks about this wonderful life that God
has for us.
And John 1.33 Like all the Gospels
they begin with this thing that John the
Baptist said.
You shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
That's there in Matthew 3.11. We saw
that.
It's there in Mark 1.8. It's there
in Luke 3.16. It's here in John
1.33. And it's also in Acts 1
.5 where Jesus said it.
So remember as soon as you open the
pages of the New Testament the first five
books of the New Testament all begin with
one promise.
You shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Immersed in the Holy Spirit.
See there are two ways to be immersed.
One is by being put in a river
and the other is by standing under a
waterfall.
Both ways I get immersed.
Baptism in water is being dipped into a
tank or a river.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is being immersed
under the waterfall of the river of God
that flows from His throne and is flowing
down to earth and I stand under that
waterfall and I am filled.
I want to stand there all the days
of my life.
And you know what the name of that
place is?
Where the water falls?
Humility.
If you remain in that place of humility
all the days of your life this river
will keep falling on you, falling on you.
But you know that's why the devil always
tempts us to move away from that place
of humility.
Some little thing you do for the Lord
you get puffed up and you're gone away
from that place and you're not under the
waterfall anymore.
You begin to think something high about yourself
and you move away from the waterfall.
How tragic.
Seek all your days to stay in the
place of humility where the waterfall will be
upon you all the time.
He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
Verse 39 Jesus, somebody they asked two disciples
of John the Baptist came to Jesus and
said, where do you live?
Jesus said, come and see.
Verse 39 In the Old Testament the message
was come and hear.
In the New Testament the message is come
and see.
In the Old Testament the message was Moses
has come.
We are having special meetings.
Moses has just come down from the mountain
with a message from God.
Come and hear.
In the New Testament the message is Jesus
has come from heaven.
Come and see the way he lived.
The Old Testament people followed Moses and they
were more interested in the message.
The message I present must be impressive, accurate,
good.
In the New Testament it's not the message,
it's the man.
The man is the message.
You are the message.
So you say, come and see.
Come and see how I live with my
wife.
Come and see how I behave with my
junior most co-workers in my church.
Come and see how I treat the youngest
brothers in my church.
Come and see, examine my bank account, my
passbook and my accounts.
See how I keep my accounts.
Come and see.
Come and see how I bring up my
children.
Come and see any area of my life.
That is new covenant.
It's much easier.
Come and hear is much easier.
You know, nowadays we have in India so
many preachers from the United States of America
coming here to preach.
I'll tell you honestly, if I don't know
how that man is living at home with
his wife, whether he's divorced or how he's
brought up his children, what type of church
he's built there, I'll tell you honestly, I
am not interested in listening to him.
I don't care what fantastic message he preaches.
I want to see.
I want to go to his home and
see how he lives with his wife and
how he lives with his children, how he's
brought up his children.
I want to see what type of church
he's built.
Is it a brotherhood or a one-man
show?
I want to see how he treats his
junior most co-workers.
I want to see how he treats little
children.
Like Jesus treated children, you know.
I want to see how he treats young
people.
Then I will know whether he's a man
of God.
I'm not living in the Old Testament to
come and hear.
I live in the New Covenant and I
only want to come and see.
And the only man I will respect is
the man who can say, come and see,
not come and hear.
If you live by come and hear, you
will be an Old Covenant person.
You'll build an Old Covenant church.
This is the difference between Babylon and Jerusalem.
I told you about this difference.
The Pharisees were building Babylon.
Jesus came to build Jerusalem.
Babylon is built by come and hear.
It doesn't matter how you live.
Hear.
This is the accurate truth.
Fight for doctrine.
Doctrine.
I say let's fight for life.
The life.
What's the use arguing about a doctrine?
The doctrine should produce a good life.
If it doesn't produce a good life, if
it doesn't produce patience in me, if it
doesn't produce goodness in me, I've missed it.
In him was life.
When the life was the light of man.
John's theme is life.
Throughout the gospel and in his episodes, his
theme is life.
That life which was with the Father was
manifested to us.
We can touch it.
For thousands of years, it was hidden.
It came out in words.
But now the word has become flesh.
And that word we can now see.
That's why Paul could say, follow me as
I follow Christ.
And all of you who serve the Lord
should be able to say that.
You know, sometimes you hear a preacher say,
don't look at me.
Look at Christ.
That sounds very humble.
But it's not scriptural.
Because Paul said, look at me.
Follow me.
Why do people say, don't look at me?
Don't look at me because I'm a bad
example.
Then you shouldn't be preaching.
Go and do something else.
Go and do some business or something.
Don't get up and preach if you say
you're a bad example.
No.
You should be able to say, follow me
as I follow Christ.
I've not become like Jesus.
But I'm following.
I haven't reached the top of the mountain.
That will happen only when Jesus comes again.
But I'm not sitting at the bottom of
the mountain either.
As a bad example and saying, don't look
at me.
Don't ever get into this rut of saying,
don't look at me.
You should say, look at me.
See what the gospel has done in my
life.
I'm not ashamed of the gospel.
It's changed my life.
It's changed my thoughts.
It's changed my manner of speech.
It's changed the way I live at home.
It's changed the way I deal with my
money.
It's changed the way I live with people.
It's changed the way I behave in the
bus.
And it's changed the way I behave in
the train when I travel.
But everybody is selfish.
Isn't that wonderful?
To be an example like that.
It's the life that matters.
In a world of selfishness.
I heard of a brother the other day
who had bought a first class ticket and
got into a train and somebody had occupied
his seat.
So you know what he did?
He spread a newspaper and sat near the
bathroom.
And when the ticket collector came, he said,
what are you doing here?
You can't sit here.
And he showed him his ticket.
He said, why aren't you sitting in your
seat?
He said, somebody was occupying it.
And he was amazed that this man would
be like this.
And he was a foreigner.
And he said, why are you like this?
He said, I'm a Christian.
I don't fight with people.
And that ticket collector got converted.
Was it through listening to a message?
No.
It was through seeing a life.
It was a light that shone.
How is it with you when you travel
in the trains?
When you travel in the buses?
It's easy to preach wonderful doctrines here and
study what the ancient fathers taught and all
that.
But I tell you when you travel in
the train, there you discover whether all these
things you studied have got any value or
not.
It's real life out there in the world
where we have to manifest the beauty and
the humility and the patience of Jesus Christ
to an ungodly, selfish world.
Think of that.
Okay.
We go to verse 47 where Jesus said
about Nathaniel, Behold, a man in whom there
is no guile.
What a wonderful testimony to receive from the
Lord.
Many times I've said to the Lord, I
said, Lord, if you can say that about
me, I'd be so delighted that there is
a man in whom who is transparent.
You know the difference between transparent glass and
frosted glass?
Frosted glass is like this.
You can't see the other side.
And many Christians are like this.
They're not transparent.
A lot of things you can hide on
the other side of the glass.
And this side you show all as if
you're a very holy man.
Behind the frosted glass is another life.
But without guile means transparent, you know, clean
glass, plain glass, where you can look inside
and see everything inside.
Come and see.
A man in whom there is no guile.
Have you read in Revelation chapter 21 that
Jerusalem, the church of God, is made of?
I mean is like crystal clear glass.
That's how our life must be.
Clear glass.
Yeah.
A man, not perfect.
Nathaniel was not perfect, but he was honest.
That's what God requires from us.
Chapter 2, we read in the marriage of
Cana.
It says about Jesus in verse 11, This
beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana
of Galilee.
You know, John calls the miracles signs.
That means every miracle was a parable.
There was a parable in the miracle.
This was a sign, not just a miracle,
but a sign.
So we must read this miracle like a
parable.
It's got a spiritual message.
What is the spiritual message?
However much wine you think you have, it
will run dry.
In a marriage, this was a marriage, however
much wine you may have in the beginning,
it will run dry and you will need
Jesus to come and replace that wine.
You cannot live forever, whatever you may have
in marriage or in personal life.
And when you come to the end of
the wine in your life, the wine speaks
of joy and peace and victory and righteousness.
The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and
joy in the Holy Spirit.
The wine speaks of the Holy Spirit's power.
Be not drunk with wine, but be filled
with the Holy Spirit.
And when the wine runs dry in your
life, what do you have to do?
Just be honest like Mary was and said
to Jesus, verse 3, they have no wine.
That's all you got to be.
Be honest.
You don't have to go to the vineyard
and collect the grapes and crush it and
make the wine.
No, no, no, no.
Just go to Jesus and say, Lord, I
have no joy in my life.
It says rejoice in the Lord always.
I don't have it.
I don't have peace in my life.
I don't have victory in my life.
I don't have righteousness in my life.
They have no wine.
And then Jesus said, I see something wonderful
here.
He could have created wine from nothing.
Don't you think he could have done that?
There were six empty water pots there.
He could have said, Let there be wine.
And all those water pots would have been
filled with wine.
Many years ago, he said, Let there be
life.
Why can't he say, Let there be wine?
But he didn't do that.
This is a sign.
This miracle is a parable.
He told those servants.
And that's the first thing we notice.
He did not call the big shots to
do the miracle.
He never does his miracles through big shots.
He does his miracles through servants.
Be a servant.
And the Lord will do miracles through you.
Have an attitude of a servant.
And the Lord will do miracles through you.
And he told the servants, This basically lets
you and I do this miracle together.
Okay?
You do the easy part.
I'll do the difficult part.
You pour the water.
I'll turn it into wine.
And that's the lesson for us.
How is the Lord going to work through
us?
He says, Let's do it together.
You and I be partners.
You do the difficult part.
You do the easy part.
And I'll do the difficult part.
It's wonderful.
And then they did the easy part.
Pouring the water.
And Jesus turned it into wine.
And when they served the wine.
People said, Boy!
This is fantastic.
We have never had wine like this in
all our life.
And they never knew.
But the servants knew it says.
They never knew.
But the servants, Verse 9.
They knew.
That this was from Jesus.
And I thought of this in terms of
ministry.
Many times I've gone to Jesus.
And I said, Lord!
What do I have to share with these
people?
Who are such needy people sitting in this
church.
What do I have?
Tasteless water.
It's all I have Lord.
But you can touch it.
And make it sweet wine.
So that by the time I serve it
to these people.
It will be wine.
And when the people taste the message.
They say, Boy!
We've never heard anything like this.
And they don't know.
That I only gave some water to the
Lord.
He turned it to wine.
This beginning of signs.
Jesus did.
To teach us.
How to serve other people.
Go to Jesus with your water.
And say, Lord!
This is all I have.
You've got to work hard.
To fill up those six water pots of
stone.
If you're a lazy person.
Nothing will happen.
If you're too lazy to study the word.
Nothing will happen.
God never does a miracle through lazy people.
But if you're a hardworking person.
At the end of all your hard work.
You fill the water pots with stone.
And you say, Lord!
It's still water.
But I trust you to make it wine.
He can do a miracle.
Okay.
We read about his chasing out people from
the temple.
In verse 14 to 20.
He found people selling oxen and sheep.
Making money in the name of religion.
And it says in verse 15.
He made a scourge of cords.
Can you picture this in your mind?
Jesus sitting in a corner.
And collecting various bits of straw or string.
And making a rope.
And that took some time.
And the disciples must have been watching.
What's the Lord doing?
Making a rope here?
He was making a rope to chase all
these fellows out of the temple.
It was not only grace.
It was truth.
He was not only full of grace.
But full of truth.
He who turned the water into wine.
Also made the whip.
To chase people out of the temple.
Who were making money in the name of
religion.
You may have to minister like that sometimes.
It's not always water into wine.
Sometimes you have to sit and make a
whip.
And chase these fellows.
Who have come to the church to seek
their own.
Who are making profit in the name of
Christ.
Who are not seeking the glory of God.
You got to chase them out.
And say get out of here.
Go and do business in the marketplace.
Don't come to the church.
And try to get a name for yourself.
When you stand up in the pulpit.
Stand as a lion of God there.
And if people are not afraid of God.
At least let them be afraid of you.
Because you're a man of God.
That's how you should be.
I've told people in the church.
The best thing is you fear God.
But if you don't fear God.
You better be afraid of me.
Because I'm not going to allow any nonsense
in this church.
I'm not going to allow you to come
here.
And try to make profit in terms of
honor.
Or draw people after yourself.
Or get a name for yourself.
If you don't want to be a servant.
And you don't want to humble yourself.
And you're not willing to clean the toilets
here.
There's no place for you in this church.
Here we are all equal.
There's no senior or junior.
We all sweep the floor.
We all clean the toilets.
We are all brothers.
There's nobody bigger than the other.
And anyone who seeks honor.
There are hundreds of other churches you can
go and join.
But not this one.
You got to be a man of God.
Otherwise you'll produce another wishy-washy church.
Like all the hundreds of churches.
That have brought dishonor to the Lord's name
in this land.
So there's a need for this type of
ministry.
The wine and the whip.
That's how we build a church.
And further.
It says in verse 24 and 25.
That Jesus did not commit himself to everybody.
Many people believed in him.
But he did not commit himself to anybody.
Why was that?
Because he knew what was in man's heart.
You may believe in Jesus.
And the Lord may not commit himself to
you.
Because he sees that you're not totally committed
to him.
Are you totally committed to him?
Then he'll be totally committed to you.
Chapter 3.
We read about being born again.
One of the things that strikes me in
chapter 3.
Is that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night.
Verse 2.
I'm always excited by that.
That he could just walk into Jesus house
at night.
Jesus was the most important person that ever
walked on this earth.
You agree with me?
I believe that.
Was there anybody more important than Jesus?
Was there anybody who had a greater job
to do than Jesus Christ?
Nobody.
There are some people who think they're very
important.
But Jesus was the most important person that
ever walked on the earth.
And you did not have to fix an
appointment with the secretary to meet him.
You could just walk into his house anytime.
Even at night.
He gave that impression to people.
You can come and see me anytime.
And Nicodemus walked in.
And Jesus took time.
I don't know whether it was midnight or
whatever it was.
Jesus took time to talk to him.
If you serve the Lord.
You must be willing.
There were times when Jesus did not have
enough time to eat food, it says.
In Mark chapter 2 and chapter 3.
He didn't have time to eat food.
Sometimes he didn't have time to sleep.
If you're interested in food and sleep more
than serving God.
You better do business or something like that.
You can't serve the Lord.
I'm really encouraged to see that.
And Jesus spoke here about being born of
water and the spirit.
Verse 5.
The water is a picture of the Holy
Spirit.
Just like fire is a picture of the
Holy Spirit.
And Jesus spoke three times of water.
In the John's Gospel.
First in chapter 3.
Born of water.
That's like a cup of water.
And then in verse chapter 4 verse 14.
He spoke about a well of water.
And then in chapter 7 and verse 38.
He spoke of rivers of water.
A cup of water.
A well of water and rivers of water.
These are three stages in the Christian life.
First.
Born of water.
That means we are born again.
The Holy Spirit has come.
And produced a new life in us.
Then the Lord seeks to lead us deeper.
To have a well of water in our
life.
A well of water means.
You know if you have a well in
your compound.
You don't worry about the corporation municipal water
supply anymore.
Where they can turn it off or turn
it on.
Makes no difference.
You got enough water in your compound.
The Christian life is like that.
We are not dependent on external sources of
supply for our joy.
My joy does not depend on external circumstances.
I've got a well inside that keeps me
full of joy and peace all the time.
That's what the Holy Spirit does.
But even that is not enough.
God leads us to a third stage.
Where this river flows out.
This water flows out from us like a
river.
In many directions.
And blesses many many people.
And don't ever be satisfied till you reach
the third stage.
Okay.
There are many other things you'd like to
talk about.
But there isn't time.
Verse 30.
He must increase.
But I must decrease.
That was the secret of John the Baptist's
life.
And say that all your life.
Lord I want you to increase.
And I want to decrease in my life.
More and more and more and more.
One more verse for those who minister the
word.
Verse 17.
God did not send his son into the
world to condemn the world.
But that the world through him might be
saved.
Don't ever preach in such a way that
you condemn people.
I remember in my younger days.
I used to give out tracts.
Like that.
On the streets and in the trains.
And it was only condemning people.
And I'd say well I've given you a
tract.
Now your blood is not on my hands.
In the day of judgment.
It's your business.
What did I do?
I gave a tract to ease my conscience.
That that fellow can now point to me
that I did not give him the gospel.
I was not interested in his salvation.
I was interested in clearing my responsibility.
That this fellow should not accuse me.
I didn't give him the gospel.
What a selfish way to serve the Lord.
God gave me light on that.
God did not send his son into the
world.
To give out tracts and condemn people.
He sent his son into the world to
save them.
I'd rather give one tract and save one
person.
Than give a thousand tracts and nobody be
saved.
Please remember that.
Even if you give out tracts.
Give it with the burden.
To save people.
Not to ease your conscience that their blood
is not on my hands.
Okay.
Chapter 4.
We read here.
They came to Samaria.
Verse 5.
And they were hungry.
All 13 of them.
Jesus and his 12 disciples.
And here's something interesting.
Supposing we are going as a team to
a village.
And when we all go as a team
to a village or a town.
And we are hungry.
What do we do?
We'll all go to the restaurant or something
to eat food.
That's normal.
And that's what they always did.
But this particular time.
Jesus felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit.
Said.
Let them go.
You stay here.
So Jesus always obeyed the promptings of the
Holy Spirit.
So he told the disciples.
Okay.
You fellas go and eat and bring some
food for me.
I'm going to be here.
And he was there.
And a woman came.
And she was saved.
And the whole city was saved.
How did it start?
Because Jesus listened to the prompting of the
Holy Spirit.
Don't go to the restaurant to eat your
food.
Let the disciples bring some food for you.
I told you the other day.
He was walking on the road.
And the Holy Spirit said.
Look up.
There's somebody in that tree.
Does the Holy Spirit speak like that?
Didn't he tell Peter?
Some people have come for you downstairs.
Go.
Go with them.
Don't doubt.
We read in Acts chapter 8.
The Holy Spirit said to Philip.
In the midst of a terrific revival in
Samaria.
Leave this revival.
Go to that desert.
Road to Gaza.
He goes there.
Walking, walking, walking, walking, walking.
I don't know how many miles to the
desert.
Can you imagine leaving a revival and going
to a desert?
And there he met one Ethiopian eunuch.
Traveling in the chariot.
Gives him the gospel.
Converts him.
Baptizes him.
And that fellow takes the gospel to Ethiopia.
And thousands in Ethiopia get converted.
There are Ethiopian Christians today.
It started that day.
Because Philip listened to the prompting of the
Holy Spirit.
And because he was so faithful in walking
all those hours.
God gave him a free trip back.
By lifting him up.
And you read that in Acts chapter 8.
That's lovely.
I like to read that.
God gave him a free trip back.
The return ticket God took care of.
You pay one way and the Lord takes
care of the other one.
So one of the things I see in
the Acts of the Apostles.
Is people who were sensitive to the Holy
Spirit.
And Jesus was like that.
Okay.
So that's what we see here.
And I want to see one more thing
here.
Which is very beautiful.
I'm not going into all these verses.
But you know.
Jesus said to him.
Said to this woman.
Go and call your husband.
Verse 16.
And the woman said I don't have any
husband.
Jesus said that's right.
You don't have any husband.
You've had five husbands.
Verse 18.
And the one you're living with now.
Is not your husband.
He exposed her right there.
And you know what she said.
She changed the subject.
Verse 20.
Our father.
You know I have a problem with worship.
I'm thinking about worship.
Our father said we should worship here.
And you say we should worship in Jerusalem.
And if you were there.
Maybe you would have told her.
Hey wait wait wait.
Let's talk about your husband first.
None of all this changing the subject.
There you see the graciousness of Jesus.
He never went back to that subject.
Which embarrassed her.
When he talked about worship.
Be like that.
When you find something you have said.
Has embarrassed someone.
And the person is feeling a bit awkward.
Change the subject.
He was full of grace.
And truth.
I tell you.
I see the glory of Jesus.
In page after page of scripture.
If you allow the Holy Spirit.
To show you the glory of Jesus.
You can be like him.
And he changed the subject.
And he spoke about worship.
And I'm glad he spoke about worship.
Because he gave us one of the most
profoundest.
Verses on worship in the whole Bible.
Because of his graciousness.
Said God is a spirit.
And those who worship him.
Must worship him in spirit.
And in truth.
What should be our attitude to.
When you know.
Jesus said two things here.
Concerning God's will.
When the disciples came back.
What did you eat?
And he said in verse 34.
My food is to do the will of
him who sent me.
And to finish his work.
I hope that is your food as well.
My food is not to run around here
and there.
And do so many things.
My food is to see what my father's
will is.
And finish it.
But at the same time verse 35.
I do lift up my eyes.
To see what the harvest is like.
And I would encourage all of you.
To lift up your eyes.
It's white.
It's ready.
You say there are four months.
No there are no four months.
It's already ready.
And if you reap.
Verse 36.
You'll receive wages.
And you'll gather fruit for eternal life.
So that the one who sows.
And the one who reaps.
May rejoice together.
Some people are called to sow.
Some people are called to reap.
I'll tell you.
It says here in verse 38.
I often think of this verse.
In relation to my ministry.
I sent you to reap.
Where other people have labored.
Others have worked hard.
And you have gone in there.
And got the benefit.
Of their hard work.
I say that's right Lord.
What do I mean?
Many missionaries.
Starting with William Carey.
Who suffered so much.
Came to India 200 years ago.
For years in the last two centuries.
Very hard.
With very little fruit.
Today I go to those remote villages in
Tamil Nadu.
Where those godly men from other lands.
Sacrificed everything.
And worked so hard.
I have entered into their labors.
I believe they will get a far greater
reward.
Than I'll ever get.
Because I've only reaped.
And it has been very easy for me.
But they have sown.
But one day it says in verse 36.
Those who sow.
And those who reap.
Will rejoice together.
When an evangelist goes and brings people to
Christ.
He's sowing bringing people together.
He must work together.
With a mason.
Who builds them together into a body.
There's no competition.
Some people say you're stealing my sheep.
What sheep?
It's God's kingdom.
The Lord's sheep.
Will remain and go to heaven.
I remember the story of.
A drunkard.
Who met the great evangelist DL Moody.
On a street.
And the drunkard said.
Hey Moody.
Do you know me?
He said I don't know you.
He said I'm one of your converts.
Oh Moody said you must be my convert.
Not the Lord's convert.
If you are in this state.
So that's it.
Don't say my sheep.
Only the Lord can say my sheep.
There's no such thing as stealing your sheep.
I'll tell you.
Nobody has ever stolen my sheep.
Because I don't have any.
You can't steal my money.
If I don't have any.
And you can't steal my sheep.
If I don't have any.
They are all the Lord's sheep.
And if some of those Lord's sheep.
Prefer to come to your church.
I say please go brother.
Don't ever be possessive.
In chapter 4.
I see a very beautiful thing here.
I don't know whether you notice this.
You know little little things in scripture.
Really excite me.
There was this man.
This royal official.
From Capernaum verse 46.
Whose son was sick.
And he came to Jesus.
And he said.
He came from Capernaum to Cana.
Verse 46.
Jesus was in Cana.
He walked 15 miles from Capernaum to Cana.
And he said.
See my child is sick.
And Jesus said.
Verse 50.
Go your way.
Your son lives.
And do you know what time Jesus said
it.
Jesus said it.
At one o'clock in the afternoon.
Because we read that in verse 52.
And it says.
Then he went home.
And he asked.
Now read carefully.
And use your intelligence.
Verse 52.
He asked the servants.
When did he get better.
They said yesterday.
At one o'clock in the afternoon.
Then the father knew.
That was the very time.
At which Jesus said.
He lives.
Now it doesn't take 24 hours.
To walk 15 miles.
What do you learn from that.
One o'clock.
Jesus said.
And only the next day.
He reaches.
His home in Capernaum.
That shows his faith.
He knew.
My son is well.
I can sleep here tonight and go tomorrow.
Do you have that type of faith.
That when Jesus has said.
Your son is well.
You don't have to rush back home.
To find out you can sleep.
Go peacefully next morning.
Oh I'm encouraged by these little things.
Don't miss these things.
Look up those maps.
Sometimes you get some.
Wonderful truth.
By that.
It's the glory of God to conceal matters.
It's the glory of kings to find it
out.
Chapter 5.
Verse 5.
There was a man in Bethesda.
Who had been 38 years.
In sickness.
See that's.
The condition of a lot of people.
Today also.
Exactly like it says in verse 2.
A multitude of people who were sick.
Blind, lame, withered.
There are many churches called Bethesda today.
And they are like that.
Multitude of sick, blind, lame, withered people.
Lying there.
And Jesus has to come.
And heal them.
And here was a man who was lying
there for 38 years.
Where else in the Bible.
Do you read 38 years.
Does it strike a chord in your mind.
You forgot what we studied.
Few days ago.
In Deuteronomy 2.14. It says they came
to the borders of the promised land.
In Kedeshbania.
After two years.
And they wandered for 38 years.
This man was like that.
He's a picture of a man under the
law.
38 years.
Trying.
Lord I tried to get into the pool.
I couldn't.
I said I'll make it next year.
But never seem to make it.
This is life under the law.
I'm trying to get victory.
Trying to get victory.
Finally after 38 years.
He gave up.
And then Jesus came.
This sign is a parable.
What is that?
The Lord has to wait till you come
to a zero point.
It says in those 38 years.
All the men of war died.
And in this 38 years.
This man's effort and energy died.
He had to come to a zero point.
This man had to finish.
This man had to come to a zero
point.
Then the Lord came.
And in a moment.
You're healed.
I wanted to show you some other things
in verse.
It says something about Jesus life.
We see in verse 30.
First of all verse 17.
You know the Jews were asking him in
verse 16.
Why are you doing these things on the
Sabbath?
And here's another revelation.
Why are you doing these things on the
Sabbath?
And Jesus said because my father is working.
My father doesn't have a holiday.
My father doesn't have a Sabbath.
Did you know that?
Did you know that the only Sabbath that
God has enjoyed so far.
Is the one described in Genesis chapter 1.
And chapter 2.
Since Genesis chapter 2.
God has never had a Sabbath.
He's been working.
Working because man has fallen.
And Jesus says I don't have any Sabbath.
I'm working.
My father works.
And I work.
Jesus is a full-time worker.
Do you know the devil has got no
Sabbath?
He's full-time worker.
Works 24 hours.
Christians are lazy.
Jesus was not.
Another thing I want you to notice in
verse 30.
Jesus said I never do anything on my
own initiative.
I never do anything on my own initiative.
That means I never initiate something.
I always wait on my father.
When he tells me to do something.
I do it.
If he doesn't tell me to do it.
I don't do it.
Wonderful example to follow.
John chapter 5.
Verse 41.
I do not receive glory from men.
Verse 34.
I do not.
Receive any.
The witness I receive.
I don't receive testimony from men.
Jesus life was such.
Where he never received.
Witness or testimony from any man.
He said my father gives a testimony about
me.
And that's more than enough for me.
But you.
How can you all come to faith?
Verse 44.
Who receive glory from one another.
Do you know why many people can't have
faith?
Here is the answer in verse 44.
When you receive glory from people.
Your faith decreases.
It's like saying if there's a hole in
the vessel.
All the water will go down.
When you seek honor from people.
You will never be a man of faith.
How many of you want to be men
and women of faith?
Make one decision today.
That you will never from today.
Receive honor from any man.
I prophesy in six months.
You'll have more faith than you ever had
in all your life.
You make one decision.
Lord I will never receive honor.
From any human being.
I don't want it.
I will not seek it.
I will not receive it when it is
given.
I don't want any honor.
I'll receive the honor that comes from God.
Don't ever seek honor from men.
Don't ever seek for the titles men give
you.
Lord I don't want that.
What's the use of that title?
Is the devil going to get scared?
Is it going to make me more effective
for God?
I don't want honor from men in God's
work.
If you are out in the world.
By all means get all your titles.
Because then only you may be able to
get a job.
I'm talking about the Lord's work.
In the Lord's work.
I say don't ever receive honor from men.
Any type of honor.
Otherwise the Lord will say.
How can you believe when you receive glory.
And honor from one another.
Chapter six.
I wanted to read you these beautiful verses.
In verse 37 and 38.
You know I first accepted the Lord.
I think when I was around 13.
Some of you know the date of your
conversion.
I know the date God called me for
his service.
But I don't know the date I was
born again.
I don't even know which year I was
born again.
That doesn't mean I'm not saved.
I'm like a man who doesn't know his
birthday.
Now if a man doesn't know his birthday.
Is he alive or dead?
It doesn't make a difference.
Whether he knows his birthday or not.
The proof of having life.
Is not remembering the date of when you
were born again.
I don't.
Many times I tossed about.
And saying Lord.
I don't know.
And then I'm not for sure whether you
accepted me.
Then I got this verse 37.
Him that cometh to me.
I'll never cast out.
And I dropped an anchor.
From that day.
41 years ago.
I never doubted my salvation.
I said Lord I came to you.
I believe you have accepted me.
You must be sure of your salvation.
What Jesus says in verse 37.
Which has helped me in my ministry.
Is this.
All whom the father gives to me.
Will come to me.
All whom the father gives to me.
Will come to me.
So.
I don't have to go grabbing people.
Those whom I'm supposed to serve.
Will come to me and I will serve
them.
The rest.
Maybe God has called somebody else to serve
them.
Let him go there.
I don't want to grab somebody whom God
has given to that man.
Why should I go and grab him.
I'm not a thief.
No.
But those whom the father has given to
me.
To shepherd and guide to eternal life.
I will.
Guide them and lead them.
Let's stop there.
And we'll continue in our next session.
Heavenly father.
We thank you for your wonderful word.
Which leads us.
Guides us.
Help us to.
Do your will.