Introduction:
John 5:1-18
1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes.

3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [ waiting for the moving of the waters;

4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]

5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty- eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus *said to him, “ Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.

10 So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”

11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk. ’”

12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”

13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God
(John 5:1-18 NASB)

Theme: Three reasons why Jesus is equal with God so you will believe in His deity

I. The Command to arise, which accompanies the miracle, points to His power vv. 5-9a

II. The Controversy over the timing of the miracle points to His authority vv. 9b-16

III. The Comment about working as His Father points to His equality vv. 17-18

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Thanksgiving message delivered by Pastor Nam Min Cho to the combined congregations of Valley Bible Korean Church and Faith Bible Church which share our Northridge campus.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

John 4:1-26

Introduction:

1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),

3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.

4 And He had to pass through Samaria.

5 So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;

6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9 Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11 She *said to Him, “ Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?

12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

15 The woman *said to Him, “ Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

16 He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”

17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;

18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”

19 The woman *said to Him, “ Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25 The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming ( He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”

26 Jesus *said to her, “ I who speak to you am He.”

Background vv. 1-4

Theme: Eight phases of a gospel encounter so you might maximize the opportunities God gives you to be a witness for Christ.

I. Down time vv. 5-6

II. Divine appointment vv. 7-9

III. Direct the conversation vs. 10

IV. Deal with objections vv. 11-14

V. Desire to know more vs. 15

VI. Discuss sin vv. 16-18

VII. Divert distractions vv. 19-24

Seven Vital lessons on Worship

1. Where to Worship God

2. Ignorance in the Worship of God

3. Why to Worship God

4. When to Worship God

5. Who should Worship God

6. How to Worship God

7. The essential nature of the God we Worship

VIII. Demonstrable interest in the Savior (or not) vv. 25-26

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sunday evening, November 2.

Guest speaker Les Lofquist

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

John 4:1-26

Introduction:

1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),

3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.

4 And He had to pass through Samaria.

5 So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;

6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9 Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11 She *said to Him, “ Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?

12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

15 The woman *said to Him, “ Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

16 He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”

17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;

18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”

19 The woman *said to Him, “ Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25 The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming ( He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”

26 Jesus *said to her, “ I who speak to you am He.”

Background vv. 1-4

Theme: Eight phases of a gospel encounter so you might maximize the opportunities God gives you to be a witness for Christ.

I. Down time vv. 5-6

II. Divine appointment vv. 7-9

III. Direct the conversation vs. 10

IV. Deal with objections vv. 11-14

V. Desire to know more vs. 15

VI. Discuss sin vv. 16-18

VII. Divert distractions vv. 19-24

VIII. ___________ interest in the Savior (or not) vv. 25-26

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Guest Speaker – Carlos Price

14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people

(1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 NASB)

1. – Be an admonish-er

2. -Be an encourager

3. – Be a helper

4 – Be a long sufferer, not giving way to impatience.

5. – Be a forgiver

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

John 4:1-26

Introduction:

1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),

3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.

4 And He had to pass through Samaria.

5 So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;

6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9 Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11 She *said to Him, “ Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?

12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

15 The woman *said to Him, “ Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

16 He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”

17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;

18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”

19 The woman *said to Him, “ Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25 The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming ( He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”

26 Jesus *said to her, “ I who speak to you am He.”

Background vv. 1-4

Theme: Eight phases of a gospel encounter so you might maximize the opportunities God gives you to be a witness for Christ.

I. Down time vv. 5-6

II. Divine appointment vv. 7-9

III. Direct the conversation vs. 10

IV. ____ with objections vv. 11-14

V. ______ to know more vs. 15

VI. _______ sin vv. 16-18

VII. ______ distractions vv. 19-24

VIII. ___________ interest in the Savior (or not) vv. 25-26

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

31 “ He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

32 What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

33 He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him
(John 3:31-36 NASB)

Introduction:

I. Jesus came from heaven vs. 31

II. Jesus bears witness of heaven vs. 32-33a

Two possible responses to His testimony

A. Rejection

B. Reception

III. Jesus confirms that God is true vs. 33b-35

What the Father does

A. The Father gives Jesus the Spirit without measure.

B. The Father loves Jesus and gives Him all things vs. 35

IV. Jesus is the only way to eternal life vs. 36

Podcast: Play in new window | Download