Sermon series: John

Jesus is the Saviour of the world because the world needs a saviour. We need food for energy, but Jesus is fueled and energised by doing the will of his Father. In initiating a conversation with a Samaritan woman, Jesus breaks down barriers. If we try to pretend to be better than we really are then we don’t appreciate how good Jesus is.

Jesus is not on a par with John the Baptist, but he is the Word made flesh. John is not jealous of Jesus but is pleased that his own disciples are leaving him to follow Jesus. John has an important role as the Best Man at the wedding, but it is not the Best Man’s role to end up with the bride at the end of the day.

Jesus won’t fit into Nicodemus’ existing system as a Pharisee - instead, he tells Nicodemus that he needs a new start. Nicodemus may have had just one conversation with Jesus yet he became a disciple. What can God do with just one conversation?

Jesus demonstrates his divinity by clearing the courts, by architectural arguments and by obvious omniscience. The animals in the temple courts were being sold at inflated prices and were taking up the only space where gentiles were allowed to worship God. The real temple is Jesus’ body, the place where God dwells, and this is why he has authority.

Jesus attended social events. He wants to be involved in the whole of our lives, whether good or bad. He knew that his first miracle would start the ball rolling and that it would lead inevitably to Calvary, and perhaps this is why he doesn’t want to be pressurised by his mother. Running out of wine would have been a social embarrassment, but Jesus takes away the shame of the host, just as he takes away the shame of us all.

John the Baptist is like a sign-post. He has great humility and points away from himself to Jesus. Jesus is the one who takes away the sin of the world. It doesn’t bother John that his disciples leave him to follow Jesus. Jesus doesn’t point to anyone - he is the one to be followed, and the invitation today is to come and know him.

John’s prologue is like a movie trailer. John is setting the scene, beginning with the fact that Jesus is God. He introduces characters, starting with John the Baptist, whose aim was to glorify Jesus.