Introduction:

Review:

John 21:18-25 (NASB)

18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”

19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!”

20 Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”

21 So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”

22 Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”

23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they *were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself *would not contain the books that *would be written.

Theme: Two timeless principles of following Jesus so that you will continue faithfully to the end.

1. Every follower of Jesus walks his own path in life vv 18-19
2. Every follower of Jesus walks an unknown path in life vv 20-24

Conclusion: v.25

Four Observations:

It is a closing statement

It is a true statement

It is memorable

It is reflective

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John 21:15-17 (NASB)

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.”

16 He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Introduction:

Review:

Theme: Three ways a shepherd of Christ’s church demonstrates his love for Jesus so you will have a proper example to imitate.

1. A superior love v.15a

2. A singular calling vv.15c, 16c 17d

3. A sensitive heart v. 17b

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Introduction:

Review:

John 21:1-14 (NASB)

1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way.

2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

3 Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5 So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”

6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.

8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.

9 So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread.

10 Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.”

11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus Provides

12 Jesus *said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus *came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.

Theme: Four indications of the risen Jesus’ care for His disciples so you will properly respond to His faithfulness to you today.

The Setting: vv.1-3

The Appearance: vv.4-14

1. Jesus confronts them where they are, as He does with you today vv.4-5
2. Jesus directs them where to be, as He does for you today v.6
   The Vignette of Peter’s Eagerness vv. 7-8
3. Jesus invites them to contribute, as He asks of you today vv.9-11
4. Jesus provides them what they need, as He does for you today vv. 12-13

Conclusion: v.14

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John 20:30-31 (NASB)

³⁰ Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

³¹ but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Theme: Two lessons to learn from the miracles of Jesus so you will believe in Him.

I. The proliferation of the signs performed assures you of the abundant evidence to believe
v.30

II. The purpose of the signs penned assists you in what to believe
v.31

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John 20:26-29 (NASB)

²⁶ After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

²⁷ Then He *said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

²⁸ Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Theme: Three crucial aspects of belief in the resurrection you must understand, so you will serve Christ with full devotion.

The Familiar Setting v.26
I. The necessity of belief v.27

A. Necessary for salvation
B. Necessary for service

II. The confession of belief v.28

III. The blessing of belief v.29

A. The significance of the first witnesses and their writings
B. The superiority of faith over personal experience or hard evidence

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Introduction:

Review:

¹⁹ So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “ Peace be with you.”

²⁰ And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

²¹ So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵ So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”John 20:19-25 (NASB)

Theme: Five reasons why the resurrection of Jesus from the dead should motivate you to be His witness …. so you will

I. The context for Jesus’ appearance to the disciples
v.19a

II. The consolation Jesus gives to the disciples

v.19b

III. The confirmation Jesus offers the disciples

v.20

IV. The commission of Jesus to the disciples

vv. 21-23

A. The apostolic anointing

v.22

B. The apostolic privilege

v.23

V. The consensus of the disciples reported to Thomas

vv.24-25

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The First Day Appearances of the Risen Christ

John 20:11-18 (NASB)

¹¹ But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;

¹² and she *saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.

¹³ And they *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around and *saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ Jesus *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

¹⁶ Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).

¹⁷ Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene *came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

Theme: Four import perspectives of the resurrection of Jesus Christ so you can be a conduit of this joy to the world

I. Hope Concealed … the  distress of the resurrection
vv. 11-15

II. Hope Revealed … the discovery of the resurrection
v.16

III. Hope Understood … the demand for the resurrection
v.17

IV. Hope Announced … the directive of the resurrection
v.18

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Introduction:
Background:

Hebrews 10:19-25 (NASB)

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

²⁰ by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,

²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

²² let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Theme: Three standing priorities for Christians so you will know how to live as the church in the new year

The four bases for these priorities vv. 19-21

1. Our manner of entry is with confidence v. 19
2. Where we enter is the holy place v. 19
3. How we enter is by the blood of Jesus vv. 19b-20
4. Who has entered before us is Jesus our great priest v. 21

The Three Priorities

I. The Command for devoted faith is to draw near with a true heart
v. 22

II. The Command for doctrinal fidelity is to hold fast the confession
v. 23

III. The Command for dutiful fellowship is to consider how to provoke one another
vv. 24-25

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Romans 8:3 (NASB)

³ For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

Theme: Three crucial arguments establishing the God honoring way to celebrate Christmas, so you may properly do so.

1. God’s Law was limited v.3a
2. God’s Plan was personal v.3b
3. God’s Condemnation was conclusive v.3c

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John 20: 1-10 (NASB)

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.

2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.

4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;

5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.

6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there,

7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.

8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed.

9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Theme: Four preliminary reasons why you should believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead so you may be saved.

1. The discovery of Mary establishes that the tomb is empty vv. 1-2
2. The discovery of the disciples eliminates that the body is stolen vv. 3-7
3. The testimony of John encourages that you believe in this event v. 8
4. The testimony of Scripture ensures that the resurrection must happen v. 9

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