God Vs. Superstition, Pt. 2

Pastor Jeff Durbin preaches on John 5:1-18.

Jeff Durbin - John 5:1-8 - Today, we are continuing our study of the Gospel According to John. In this section of Scripture we see a moment of the divine power of the Lord Jesus. False religion preys on superstitious people and creates the mindset that is committed to strange and superstitious practices. It feeds it. In this moment, we have a man who was trapped by this superstition. He had been broken for 38-years. He was an invalid who was hoping that through the practice and superstition at Bethesda that he would be healed. He waited and he waited to no avail. Jesus enters his life and through His incredible divine power, he heals him. Without superstition. Without the strange ritual. He heals him with a word. Jesus offended the superstitious religious leaders by doing something like this on the sabbath. What they missed in their condemnation was that the man in front of them, was not merely a man. He is the God-man. He makes it clear to them and they fully understand His claim. He was making Himself equal with God the Father. This is one of many moments that set the religious leaders against Him. He was not claiming to simply be a prophet. He was claiming to be God.

- John 43-54 - The text before us contains such a powerful and central point that is delivered constantly throughout all of Scripture: God's Word is self attesting. It is objective. It is true. It is true anyways and regardless of anything we feel, perceive, or think. The Jews of Jesus' day, popularly, demanded signs for verification and proof. However, in the narrative before us, we see the Lord Jesus grant so much mercy and grace in the midst of such a painful moment of providence with a deathly ill child. So much love and compassion mingled together with instruction on how God calls us to respond to His Truth.

In the text before us, the Lord Jesus calls us to see our work in this life for God to be as essential to our daily lives and eating food. He tells the disciples they need to be aware and ready to harvest. He gives us tremendous hope that God has given seed planters and reapers. All are vital. Every part matters. May God use this Word to strengthen us and to empower us to joyfully labor in sowing and reaping knowing God is always at work!

Jeff Durbin - John 3:16-21 - Eternal Life. That's what the Lord Jesus promises. He repeats Himself many times throughout the Gospels. He came that we might have life. His mission was to seek and to save that which is lost. But, how does He do this? What does God call us to in order to receive this gift of eternal life and knowing God? Is it faith and trust in Him? Is it a polished life? Is it faith and enough good works? How much obedience? What exactly was Jesus' message on this? The answer from the Lord is clear and unambiguous! My hope is that through examining Jesus' statements on eternal life in John 3, we will be emboldened in our proclamation of the simple and pure Gospel. The Gospel of grace through faith in the One Who saves to His own eternal glory.

Jeff Durbin - John 3:1-21 - This week are continuing to work through the Gospel According to John with our body. Today, I'm going to talk about John 3 in light of the Doctrines of Grace and Calvinism. Jesus touches a number of subjects in this chapter that are foundational and thematic truths throughout Scripture. And those truths are foundations of the doctrines we love and cherish commonly associated with Calvinism.

Jeff Durbin -John 3:11-21 - What a gift have before us, today! We are continuing in our study of the Gospel According to John. We are in the chapter where one of the most famous verses in the whole Bible sits. This section is truly a source of hope, peace, comfort, and strength. Christ came because of love. He came to save. He came to give eternal life to all who believe.

Today, we are going to be meditating upon and unpacking a very well-known moment in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. It's the famous scene of Christ's interaction with Nicodemus on the new birth. Although it's a well-known moment in Scripture and most have at least a portion of it committed to memory, I believe many miss important elements of what the Lord is saying here. My desire is to demonstrate what Christ is referring to and allow that truth to fill us all with the hope we have in the power of God to give us new life. May God bless us all with renewed minds and new strength from what we learn here.

Continuing our sermon series, Pastor James White preaches on John 2:13-25.

James White - John 2:1-12 - God ordained marriage as one of the very first institutions amongst men, and honored it by attending a wedding in Cana of Galilee in the Person of His Son. We will consider Jesus' relationship with His mother in this story, a vital topic when we seek to proclaim good news to those who have imbibed Rome's teachings on Mary. Next week as we finish the chapter we will look at false and true faith, and Jesus' teaching on real discipleship. "It is a high honor given to marriage, that Christ not only deigned to be present at a nuptial banquet, but honored it with his first miracle." (John Calvin)