Begins Ministry

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Begins Ministry

Preaching of John the Baptist

I. His Ministry

A. Was God-given
B. Was in the Desert
C. Was a fulfillment of an old prediction

II. His Message

A. Get the Lord's road ready for Him

B. Turn away from your sins

C. Be baptized

D. One coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit

E. Don't rely on ancestral roots for salvation

F. Be honest in business

G. Don't abuse position of authority

H. Share your possessions

Baptism of Jesus

I. John introduces Jesus to the World

II. God the Father announces Jesus is His Son

A. By a voice from heaven

B. By the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus in the bodily form of a dove

Temptation of Jesus

I. Led into the desert by the Holy Spirit

A. Jesus is now vulnerable

1. No food or water for 40 days

2. He was alone

II. Tested in the desert by Satan

A. Prove God will provide for you

B. Prove God will protect you

C. Power and glory is yours if you will worship me

John's Testimony

I. Jesus is the Lamb of God

II. Jesus takes away the sin of the world

III. Jesus is the One he said was coming

IV. Jesus existed before John was born

V. Jesus was pointed out to John by signs from God

VI. Jesus is sovereign as the Son of God

A. From self-giving sacrifice - the Lamb

B. To God-exalted sovereignty - the Son of God

First Disciples of Jesus

I. John sends two of his disciples to follow Jesus

II. Jesus begins to draw disciples

A. Follow Jesus

B. Talk to Jesus

C. Stay the night with Jesus

III. Andrew brings his brother, Simon, to Jesus

A. Changed Simon's name to Cephas (Peter)

B. Both follow Jesus

IV. Jesus calls Philip

A. Philip brings Nathanael to Jesus

B. Jesus told him who he was and where he had come from

C. Nathanael is surprised and claims Jesus really is the Son of God

D. Both join Andrew and Peter and follow Jesus.

Wedding at Cana

I. Jesus and His disciples attend a wedding in Cana

A. Hosts run out of wine

B. Mary tells Jesus, wanting Him to perform a Miracle

C. Jesus gently rebukes her for trying to tell Him what to do

II. Mary's Faith in Him is Strong

A. Tells the servants to do His bidding

B. Jesus Gives a Command

1. Fill the jars with water

2. Draw some out and take to the host to taste

III. Jesus' first miracle in Cana

A. Made water into wine

B. Strengthens the Faith of His Disciples

C. Host is amazed

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

I. Jesus Goes to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival

II. Jesus Cleanses the Temple

A. Made a Whip from Cords

B. Used whip to drive the animals and moneychangers out of the Temple

C. Challenged Them

1. Get them out of here

2. Temple is not a marketplace

3. God's fire burned within Him

III. Jesus Questioned by the Jewish Authoriies

A. What authority do you have to cleanse the temple?

B. Show us a miracle

IV. Jesus' Response

A. Tear down the temple and I will rebuild it in three days

1. Jesus spoke of His death and resurrection

2. Disciples remembered and believed

B. Authorities shocked

1. It took 46 years to build this temple

2. How can you rebuild it in three days?

V. Jesus performs miracles during the Passover Festival

A. Many believed in Him

B. Jesus did not trust Himself to them

1. He knew them all

2. Knew what was in each of their hearts

Jesus and Nicodemus

I. Nicodemus visits Jesus by night

A. Who are you?

B. You must be sent from God

II. Nicodemus given a "pre-natal" class

A. Must be born again

B. Cannot see Kingdom of God any other way

III. Nicodemus questions Jesus again

A. How can a grown man be born again?

B. Can he enter his mother's womb again?

IV. Nicodemus receives his answer

A. Must be born of water and the Spirit

1. Born physically of human parents

2. Born spiritually of the Spirit

V. How can this be?

A. Great teacher and don't know?

B. None willing to accept My message

C. Cannot believe me, then how can you believe Spiritual things?

D. No one has gone to heaven except the Son of Man

E. Son of Man must be lifted up

1. For us to receive sins forgiven

2. For us to inherit eternal life

F. Son of Man to be Savior of the World

1. Those who believe are not judged

2. Those who do not believe are judged already

G. Son of Man is the Light of the world

1. Men love darkness

a. Deeds are evil

2. Men hate the light

a. Cannot hide evil deeds

VI. Do what is true

A. Come to the Light

B. Show your deeds are in obedience to God

Jesus and John

I. Jesus' disciples baptized people

II. John was also baptizing people

III. John's disciples argue with some Jews about ritual washing

A. These disciples told John that Jesus was baptizing nearby

B. John confirmed Jesus as the Messiah

C. John is glad to hear Jesus' voice

D. John's happiness is made complete

E. Jesus must increase in importance and John must decrease in importance

He Who comes from Heaven

I. Two Origins

A. Heaven

B. Earth

II. Two Messages

A. Earthly Matters

B. God's Word

III. Two Destinies

A. Eternal Life

B. God's Punishment

Woman of Samaria

I. The Woman at the Well

A. Two kinds of water

1. Natural - from Jacob's well

2. Spiritual - from Jeus

B. Two kinds of Worship

1. Tradition

2. In the Spirit

C. Two kinds of Food

1. Natural - for the body

2. Spiritual - for the soul

II. Seeing the Harvest

A. Grain in the Fields

B. People Around You