With our listening audience in Marshall County, Kentucky, we finish our study of the passages from the Old Testament which John used to produce faith that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Christ. You can listen in by clicking below…
Category: 43.John
John’s Use of the OT #2
With the radio audience, we continue a study of the Old Testament passages John, the apostle, uses in presenting the life of Christ in the Book of John. You can listen also by clicking below
John’s Use of the Old Testament
With our radio audience in western Kentucky, we began a study of the way the Apostle John used the Old Testament in presenting his account of the life of Christ. This study is from the writings of Wayne Jackson. You can read his excellent writing at: Christian Courier. We considered five of the 14 passages in this particular study: John 1.23; John 2.17; John 6.31; John 6.45; and John 7.37-38. The life of Christ as presented in the Book of John is unique from the other three accounts. It is important to study these passages so that we might appreciate the scriptural basis of arguments John makes for Jesus being the Christ. You can listen to the study by clicking BELOW
Truth 1911
It is always pleasant to find in the Email box the next issue of TRUTH from Roger D. Campbell. He is a great Bible student and he teaches God’s truth in an easily understood fashion. I have high regard for his love for lost souls and his dedicated work in both domestic and foreign fields of labor. Please take a look at these important studies. Always there are four excellent articles. This issue includes:
- Serious Questions about Truth and Knowledge
- 12 Truths about the Ten Commandments
- The Privilege of Citizenship in God’s Kingdom/Family
- Thomas: A Man Misunderstood/Misjudged
Please read this PDF file by clicking H-E-R-E.
The Appearance of the Light
John 1.9-13
The various names, titles, and descriptions of Jesus Christ in Scripture are so revealing and important to understand. Christology is the study of the Christ and is a subject matter that ought to be better appreciated than it generally is in our time. In the first chapter of John’s account of the life of Christ, we have an important picture of Christ which stresses how vital it is to have a relationship with Him.
Can you even imagine what it would be like to be in a place of total darkness? When my wife and I married (on our honeymoon), we visited an area in the Ozarks of Arkansas. One of the places there we decided to visit was a cave. I only learned later how very claustrophobic she was, but she went along willingly—at least I don’t remember dragging her into the cave. When we had made it down into the belly of the earth a good ways, our guide flipped a switch which turned off all artificial lighting. It was DARK! A kind of darkness you can almost feel. It was a kind of darkness you never would choose to remain in for more than a few seconds. By inspiration, John presents to us the Savior as being like the light switch being flipped ON after having a moment like we shared in that cave in the Ozarks. The spiritual darkness that exists outside of Christ is infinitely more horrible than being without physical light!
In one of my trips to India I took a day off and signed up for a bus tour to see the great Taj Mahal. My traveling companion, Royce Frederick, had already seen it, so I went on the trip alone. We left early in the morning from Delhi and returned that same night. As we were returning to Delhi, we stopped at a place to rest a bit and drink some coffee. The sun was beginning to set as we arrived at the rest area, when we left it was rather dark. I did not pay careful attention as I was walking in the dark, and did not see a step. I fell and injured my ankle. It began immediately to swell. Later it changed color to indicate quite a bit of trauma had taken place. I blame the darkness for my blunder. Had it been light, I would have seen where I was walking and would not have taken the fall. In a much more serious way, Jesus, like light, can protect us from falling in a different way that will affect our eternal destiny. John wanted us to get that picture.
On October 6 our radio program (Walking in Truth) centered on a study of John 1.9-13. If you would care to listen to that message you may do so my clicking .
Tom House is Coming to Maple Hill
Tom House is coming to Benton to preach a series of messages at Maple Hill. On Sunday, his plan is to preach a 3-part series entitled: “God is Our Refuge.” These messages he will preach on Sunday, September 23, at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 7:30 p.m. During the week, on Monday night, September 24, at 7:00 p.m., Tom will present: “Trusting in the Faithfulness of God.” Finally, on Tuesday, September 25, at 7:00 p.m., the meeting concludes with: “They Shall Never Perish,” a study of John 10.27-28.
Who is Tom House?
Tom House is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman, and has been preaching the gospel for 50 years. He is working with the Plainview congregation in Fulton, Mississippi.
In the past Tom has worked in public service, having served as a police officer for the city of Fulton. He also has served as a Deputy Sheriff for Itawamba County. Significantly, his work there involved lecturing for the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness program since 1982. He has presented that material to nearly 41,000 people. In 1993 citizens of the town of Tremont, MS elected him as an alderman. He has served as president of the Tremont PTA and as president of Oakland Rural Community Development Council.
Finally, Tom House is also presently a full-time employee with the United States Postal service, with 31 years of service. If you want something good accomplished, call on a busy man. That is what we have done.
He is married to the former Nina Ruth James of Gadsden, TN. They have two children and four grandchildren.
We are quite confident that the messages Tom will preach will be biblical, edifying, and will produce great good. Our aim is to serve the church and our community with messages from the Bible that promote Christ-like living. Please come hear him preach and tell others about it as well. You can help us get the word out by sharing this post on social media, please. We plan to record the messages and make them available here.
Book of John–A Study Guide
The New Testament Book of John is such an important and helpful book for our understanding of Jesus Christ. We are so thankful to have it in our Bibles. It is different from the other three accounts of the life of Christ (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Those three Bible books are referred to by the scholars as “synoptic,” which means SEEING TOGETHER. It seems that Matthew was writing primarily with a Jewish audience in mind; Mark wrote to those of a Roman heritage; Luke to people with a Gentile background. We have created a 155-page study guide to aid in the study of this great book. You can reach it by clicking here: 4300sg.Combo
The Book of John seems fitting to all people. In the 1999 Annual Denton Lectures, Darrell Conley very capably summarizes the Book of John by describing briefly the nine miracles John records…
It is possible to outline and summarize the Book of John by his record of Jesus’ miracles. He does not record nearly all of the miracles that Christ did, and not as many as did Matthew, Mark, or Luke. But those that he does record are diverse and are sufficient for their purpose — to instill in us faith that Jesus is the Son of God and that so believing we might be saved eternally (John 20:30-31).
First Miracle
He writes of nine miracles Christ did as proof that He was Lord and God. The first miracle was that in Cana of Galilee — turning the water into wine (John 2:1-11). By this miracle Christ proved that He had authority over nature. And why should He not? He created all.
Second Miracle
His second miracle was the healing of the son of the nobleman or king’s officer (John 4:46-54). Even though the nobleman begged Him to come with him to Capernaum and heal his son, He would not go, but healed him at such a distance that it took the nobleman more than a day to reach home. He found his son recovered. Christ showed by this miracle that His power and authority extend everywhere.
Third miracle
The third miracle that the Book of John records is the healing of the infirm man (John 5:2-9). Even though it was the Sabbath day, and He was criticized for it, (John 5:16-18) he healed this man. He accomplished two things by this: He showed that He had authority over the Sabbath. “For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath” (Matt. 12:8). He showed that He was equal with God: “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work. For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:17-18).
Fourth Miracle
John next tells about the miraculous feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14). Multitudes had followed Jesus to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, and they had nowhere to buy food. Jesus, showing his feeling for their human needs, had them sit on the grass and, taking five loaves and two fishes, He fed 5,000 men. Afterward they gathered up of the leftover pieces twelve baskets. By this miracle Jesus shows His sympathy for the human condition and needs of mankind.
Fifth Miracle
In the next miracle in John (John 6:16-21), when the evening comes, Jesus walked on the sea in the midst of a storm to the place where the disciples were in a boat. By this miracle Jesus shows His authority and control over nature and the elements of this world.
Sixth Miracle
The whole of John 9 is taken up with the sixth miracle of Jesus, chosen by the Holy Spirit to be included in John’s account. By the public healing of this man born blind, who was known to all, he showed that He, as Lord of Heaven and earth, had authority and power over all sickness and affliction. What a contrast between this genuine miracle of Christ and fraudulent “miracles” of modern so-called healers, who “heal” things that no one can see, in their own places, and usually people that no one knows or hears from again, from places that are far away!
Seventh Miracle
The seventh miracle recorded in the Book of John is the most dramatic to this point: the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:39-44), which should not surprise us. He who gave us life to begin with, Who came to this world in order that we might have eternal life, should certainly be able to raise one from the dead. Although Lazarus had to face death again, one day the righteous shall arise from the dead to eternal life. “Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29). By this miracle He showed that He had authority over life and death.
Eighth Miracle
Surely the climactic miracle of all in the Book of John is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the eighth miracle discussed by John (John 20:1-9). By this miracle Jesus proves to all unprejudiced, open-minded people, for all time, that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Ninth Miracle
The ninth miracle John records is the great catch of fish upon the command of Jesus (John 21:1-12). Although this may seem like an anti-climax considering the other miracles that John has written in his book, this miracle accomplishes a very important purpose — it identifies the risen Jesus with the One that had been with the apostles the previous three and one-half years. John recognized Him after the miracle. “That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord” (John 21:7). He is the same always: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yea and for ever” (Heb. 13:8).