All posts by SallyBaily

Sally is a priest, preacher, pastor and passionate worshipper
Talks

The purpose of John’s gospel

This talk was given by Sally at Christchurch Waterside, Chesham on Sunday 10th April during the Church@4 service. Although not recorded this is one of the few talks that was actually written up.

John 20: 30 -31 The purpose of John’s gospel

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

He spoke, and galaxies whirled into place, stars burned the heavens, and planets began orbiting their suns – words of awesome, unlimited, unleashed power.

He spoke again, and the water and lands were filled with plants and creatures running, swimming, growing and multiplying – words of animating, breathing, pulsing life.

Again he spoke, and man and woman were formed, thinking, speaking, and loving – words of personal and creative glory. Eternal, infinite, unlimited – he was, is, and always will be the Maker and Lord of all that exists.

And then he came in the flesh to a speck in the universe called planet earth. The mighty Creator became a part of the creation, limited by time and space and susceptible to aging, sickness and death. But love propelled him, and so he came to rescue and save those who were lost and to give them the gift of eternity. He is the Word; he is Jesus, the Christ.

It is this truth that the apostle John brings to us in this book. John’s gospel is not a biography – the life of Christ; it is a powerful argument for the incarnation [embodiment of God in the flesh], a conclusive demonstration that Jesus was, and is, the very heaven-sent Son of God and the only source of eternal life.

Who wrote John’s gospel and why should we believe him?

It is widely agreed that it was the disciple John – son of Zebedee who wrote John’s gospel (brother of James – called sons of thunder).  There is clear indication in the gospel of knowledge of Jewish culture and customs – which would fit with John – son of Zebedee – a Jew from Palestine.  Also there are many eyewitness details in John’s gospel which could only have come from one of the 12 disciples.  It is clear that the author wished to remain anonymous referring to himself only as ‘the disciple Jesus loved’ and desire for anonymity can be further supported by the fact that John son of Zebedee is not mentioned in the gospel (except 21:2 – passing reference to sons of Zebedee on the fishing trip).  External sources such as Bishop Irenaeus of Lyons reports in early 2nd century that John the Lord’s disciple wrote and published the gospel in Ephesus.

The fact that John was an eye witness of Jesus teaching, miracles, death and resurrection make his gospel an important book as we seek to understand who Jesus really is.

Why did John write this gospel?  What was its purpose?

John tells us in 20: 30-31 why he wrote the gospel. Not as a life history or biograph of Jesus but as a selective record of signs that lead us to believing in Jesus as the son of God:

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John’s gospel is unique and 90% is different from the 3 other gospels (synoptic gospels – means a general summary).  Matt & Luke record Jesus birth, Mark starts with the OT prophecy fulfilled in John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus. But John takes us back to creation to show that Jesus is God and was with God in creation.  The famous prologue John 1: 1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

John continues this theme throughout his gospel as an eyewitness to the signs of Jesus divinity and human nature and his life-giving mission.

There are 8 signs:

  1. Turning water into wine (2:1-11)
  2. Healing the officials son (4:46-54)
  3. Healing the invalid at Bethesda (5:1-9)
  4. Feeding the 5,000 with a few loaves & fish (6:1-14)
  5. Walking on water (6:15-21)
  6. Restoring sight to the blind man (9:1-14)
  7. Raising Lazarus from the dead (11: 1-44)
  8. Giving disciples overwhelming catch of fish (after resurrection) (21:1-14)

Every chapter reveals Jesus’ divinity, and his true identity is underscored in the titles John uses for Jesus – The Word, The one and only, Lamb of God, Son of God, true bread, life, resurrection, vine. John’s formula is the ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus:

  1. I am the bread of life (6:35)
  2. I am the light of the world (8:12, 9:5)
  3. I am the gate (10:7)
  4. I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14)
  5. I am the resurrection and the life (11:25)
  6. I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6)
  7. I am the true vine (15:1).

The greatest sign being of course the resurrection and the empty tomb to which John was an eye witness. He also records important post-resurrection appearances by Jesus to the disciples including Thomas who doubted, and Peter who was restored after his denial of Jesus.

Whilst the other gospels focus heavily on Jesus ministry in Galilee and his teaching through parables, John focuses on the drama around Jerusalem and features 5 chapters of discourse from the Upper Room when Jesus is talking to his disciples in the lead up to his death. (Chapters 14-17)

John gives us the signs to help us believe, to make that step of commitment, not just of reading the facts and filing them away with other knowledge to recall as trivia in a pub quiz. He wants us to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and in doing so to receive forgiveness and eternal life with him.

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The song we sang at the start is designed to help us remember that most important scriptural verse. [For God so loved the world…]

Believing in Jesus is a decision that each of us can make, and when we make it we receive forgiveness and eternal life.

But what does it mean ‘to have life in his name’.  Well for me it’s about Jesus being the centre of everything and the most important thing in my life. It means Jesus is the person I speak to last before I go to sleep and is the person I speak to as soon as I wake up. He is the inspiration for my life, his love fills my heart, his strength and joy keep me going when things are tough.  It means my life is full to overflowing with Jesus and he pops up conversations with strangers, he guides me when I’m lost, I never feel alone because I know Jesus is with me.

And I would really love for you to feel the same. If you haven’t made that decision to follow Jesus yet and you want to we can pray a prayer of commitment to ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life.  If you’re not sure you’re ready for that but you want to find out more, I suggest you read John’s gospel from the beginning. One chapter a day and in 3 weeks you will know the facts which will help you to believe.

Let’s pray…

Events

Joy to the world Prayer Concert 16th April Christchurch, Chesham

Sally will be playing with Liturgical Journey at a Prayer Concert at Christchurch, Waterside, Chesham on Saturday 16th April 2016. The afternoon starts at 1pm with a quiet reflective time until 3pm to explore God’s way of bringing peace to your life; embracing readings, creative prayer and personal quiet time.

After a refreshment break from 3- 3.30pm, the band will lead a prayer concert, suitable for the whole family, in both music, song and word. The event will finish at 5pm. Entry free of charge.

News

Tragedy as bomb kills 70+ in Lahore Park

The senseless violence continues in Pakistan as a suicide bomber exploded a device near a children’s playground in Gulshan-e-Iqbal park in Lahore on Easter Sunday evening, targeting Christian families out celebrating Easter.

The BBC is reporting 70 people killed including 23 children and many more injured in the attack. For latest news please visit BBC News website

A state of emergency has been declared in Lahore and three days of mourning. School and markets are closed.

Thank you to all those who have sent messages to support for Hammad and family. Hammad had left Lahore on 22 March and his family are all safe – thank God. We continue to pray for all those who have lost loved ones and those injured in the attack. Please pray for the security forces in Pakistan that they will act quickly and decisively to defeat the terrorists who appear to operate freely in Pakistan. May God’s justice and mercy rule in this nation.

Music

Eloi Eloi featured track from Serving Album


This track was original written in Urdu by Prof. Rehmat Baily (Hammad’s father). An English version was later written by Sally Baily (nee Everett) from Jesus words on the cross as recorded in the Bible.

lyrics

Eloi Eloi (Sally Baily)

Chorus
Crucify, crucify the King of the Jews
Eloi, Eloi, lama shabach-thani

“Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Why do they mock Him, the King of the Jews?
Don’t they know He came to save us from death,
Taking our sins when He died set us free.

Chorus

Hung on three crosses all day long,
Two criminals and God’s Son who will die.
One knows the truth that He’s done nothing wrong,
“Today, you’ll be with me in paradise.”

Chorus

“Father, why have you left me here to die?”
Just like a criminal He was crucified.
For our sins He died because He is your Son,
So Jesus says, “Your will not mine be done.”

This track is on the Serving Album and can be purchased from our Band Camp site

Events

Easter Saturday music in Chesham Broadway

Sally playing bass
Sally is joining a local band Liturgical Journey comprised of musicians from churches across Chesham to bring the Easter story alive through music in the Broadway, Chesham on Saturday 26th March from 10.30am.  You will find them playing on the green opposite Café Nero near the war memorial. At 11am the URC Choir will be performing on the steps of the URC church and then Liturgical Journey will perform again at 12 noon.

bandphoto-mod-144

Feedback after event: You guys and girls all rocked today and so lovely that people stopped and listened, when the weather was not so good. The bread man on the market said it sounded fantastic and that people were talking to him about the lyrics we were singing. So our songs are a great evangelical tool to get people talking / thinking. He said you could hear it down at the clock tower! The cafe Nero staff really enjoyed what they heard. An elderly lady at the bus stop was raving about our rendition of “how great thou art”. She loved it ! So all was cool today 🙂 Well done everybody ! Love Jay

On Good Friday,   25h March, there is a united service for Churches Together for Chesham at Broadway Baptist Church at 10.15am.

This is followed by a walk of witness through the pedestrian area of the town centre. Sally will then be leading the first half hour of the Good Friday meditation at St Mary’s Chesham which starts at 12 noon. The first session looks at The Last Supper and how Jesus prepares the disciples for what is to come. A dramatized reading of Luke 22: 7-38 brings the story of the Last Supper alive and is followed by a meditation on Broken for me, broken for you.

Each half hour until 3pm is led by one of the 6 churches in the parish of Great Chesham and people are invited to arrive or leave during the song at the end of each half hour.

Talks

Jesus Mocked & Insulted

Featured image painting by Jeremy Total Phoenix Arizona USA

On 13th March Sally gave a talk on Jesus being mocked and insulted and explained the significance of the Suffering Servant prophecy from Isaiah 53.  The relevant scripture verses are shown below:

Luke 22:63-65(NIVUK) The guards mock Jesus

63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, ‘Prophesy! Who hit you?’ 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (NIVUK) The suffering and glory of the servant

13 See, my servant will act wisely;
    he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him –
    his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
    and his form marred beyond human likeness –
15 so he will sprinkle many nations,
    and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
    and what they have not heard, they will understand.

53 Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.

News

Easter Album – Serving available to download

Our Serving Album released for Easter 2006 is now available to listen to and download from our website. You can listen to each track up to 3 times before you have to buy it. You could add a donation to your payment to support our mission in Pakistan.

May you be blessed as you listen and prepare for Easter.

Events

19 March Concert in Gohawa, Lahore Pakistan

Hammad will be performing a concert for The River of Life Ministries organised by Pastor David Rehmat on Saturday 19th March 2016. The venue is Gohawa Village, off the Lahore Ring Road close to the airport, Lahore. For more details contact the local organiser on 0092 322 4308927.

Please pray for the safety of all those attending this event and that people will be blessed and their faith strengthen through an experience of uplifting worship.