Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A Basic Survey of the Gospel of John
Verses 9 and 10 describe the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the depravity of man.
The Unlimited Atonement means that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole human race.
The depravity of man is shown by man’s rejection of Jesus when He came, ISA 1:5.
ROM 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Verse 11 speaks of the Jewish rejection of their Messiah.
In verse 10 the world did not know Him (ignorance), while in verse 11 those who were His own – the nation of Israel – did not receive Him (rejection).
The Greek verb for “know” in verse 10 means “to come to know or be acquainted with.”
The Greek verb for “receive” in verse 11 means “to draw to oneself or join to oneself.”
The first occurrence of the word “own” in verse 11 refers to His own home and His own inheritance.
The second occurrence of “own” refers to His people.
MAT 23:37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!”
The landowner is God the Father.
The vineyard is the kingdom of God.
The vinegrowers are the leaders of Israel.
The slaves are the Old Testament prophets.
The son is the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s uniquely born Son.
Prediction of His crucifixion after the plotting of the chief priests and Pharisees.
Jesus was crucified outside of the city gate of Jerusalem.
This is a foreshadowing of the coming Church Age.
ISA 5:4 “What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?”
PRO 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.
The marvelous act of the One who was rich becoming poor so that whosoever might become rich would not and could not be in vain.
Salvation comes to the sinner through receiving Christ, that is “believing in His name.”
“as many as received Him” = to take hold of or to receive a gift that is given, with the implication that the gift is undeserved and unearned.
Receiving here means to receive the Son – by faith in Jesus Christ, by believing.
Faith is the absence of human merit. It is the only non-meritorious system of perception.
No matter what, we are God’s sons and daughters for eternity!
“right” = exousia = the power of authority and of right. In other words it refers to the privilege of authority and rank, and it also means enablement.
To believe in His name means to believe that He is what His name claims to be.
MAT 1:21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
A man’s name served not merely to tell who he was but what he was.
The name of the Lord suggests His attributes and His relationship to us as Lord and Savior.
His name is the word of God, King of kings, the Lord our Righteousness, Emmanuel, God with Us, wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, Prince of peace, the Great I AM, the Lord of all
1PE 1:23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
The verb for born is in the passive voice. This means that there has to be a new birth that is done for you.
The repeated negatives insist that birth into the family of God is quite different from physical birth.
Physical birth, membership of a family in the natural sense, is a matter of blood relationship.
Physical birth is the product of bodily desire. Flesh here does not refer to the sin nature , but rather to sexual desire.
Physical birth results from the will of a man, the volition of the human father, as contrasted with the spiritual birth which results from the will of God the Father.
Human will or human planning has nothing to do with the new birth.
The “whosoever wills” in the Bible is a reference to those who respond to the Gospel. But even our faith needs power to believe. We are hopeless and helpless.
You receive this new birth completely by grace.