Songwriter & Worship Leader - Andy Maples

Songwriter & Worship Leader - Andy Maples - Camp Stories http://andersonmaples.com/blog.html Andy Maples: Camp Stories Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:11:27 -0700 Relics of Truth Curriculum 2011 http://andersonmaples.com/blog.html/relics_of_truth_curriculum_2011
Recovery is the act of regaining, retaking or obtaining something that was lost. It is the process that leads to the discovery of the truth concerning Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The FIRST DIG: John 1:1-18 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

Discovery #1: Jesus is “The Word” and “The Word is God:

1.“In the beginning” means “before the world existed” and “from all eternity. Both definitions state that Jesus has always existed (compare Genesis 1:1)

2.“The Word” (Logos) speaks of Jesus, the perfect translation, manifestation or expression of God, “Logos” refers to God’s active and personal involvement in the world.

3.“was God” In substance and essence, Jesus was and always is God. Jesus is the personal presence of God in the world that He created.

Discovery #2: Jesus is the Creator of all things:

This statement also backs up Jesus as God in the flesh. He was active in the before the creation of the universe, is active today in the universe, and is always active in the universe. He is God!

Deeper Digging: Colossians 1:13-17: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist”

Discovery #3: Jesus is the Giver of life and light:

LIFE: Jesus is “the Living Word” and “the Word of Life.”

Deeper Digging: 1 John 1:1-2: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;”

LIGHT: The world of men is darkness without Jesus. Wisdom, knowledge, integrity, intelligence, love, purity, holiness, and joy are available to all who understand that Jesus is the “light of the world” and the only true giver of life abundant.

Deeper Digging: 1 John 1:5-7 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Psalm 36:9 “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light”

Discovery #4: Jesus saves all who believe on Him John 1:12 speaks of our ability to hear and believe the good news of Jesus. It is through faith in Christ that we become the “children of God. We are adopted into God’s family based on our faith in the finished work of Christ.

Deeper Digging: 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.” John 3:15-21 “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

Discovery #5: Jesus is “the Incarnation” (God in the flesh)

In Jesus, we see prefect humanity and perfect deity in one person and the two natures cannot be separated. Jesus was completely human and completely God (Kenosis). As a human, Jesus experienced human emotions and physical needs, yet He never stopped being God. In order to pay the penalty for our sins, Jesus had to live and die as a human being. In order for Jesus to be human, He had to empty Himself of His preincarnate position without diminishing His true nature as God.

Deeper Digging: Philippians 2:5-11: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”

Discovery #6: Jesus is the “explanation of God”

The term “declared” means that Jesus came to this world to explain God to us, to speak to us the language of God in ways that men could understand who He is. In Jesus Christ we clearly see the attributes of God, His perfections, promises, His grace and mercy and His love. The sovereign God of the universe is perfectly revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to share with us the “secrets or mysteries” of God

Deeper Digging: John 15:13-14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Five Reasons for the Incarnation:
1. To reveal the truth of God to us
2. To provide an earthly example of holiness
3. To provide an effective sacrifice for sin
4. To destroy the works of the devil
5. To become our Savior, Mediator, and Eternal Advocate before the throne of God

Relics Discovered:

1. Because of God deep desire to “talk” to His creatures, He “translated” His “God-ness” into a language that we could understand. He sent us “The Word” in the form of the man, Jesus Christ so that we might understand the mystery of God.

2. There is an inseparable unity between God and Christ. Jesus existed with God before the creation and exists forever (Revelation 1:8: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

3. Jesus Christ is the only source of light and life; the only hope for sinners who live in darkness.

4. Because God became flesh in Christ, we have the hope of salvation through believing and having faith in the name of Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (Acts 4:12 states that the name of Jesus is the only name under heaven given for the salvation of the lost.

Tuesday: Examining the Truth (What does it mean to be “born again?”)

Examination is a process of research and asking questions to discover the truth. In this passage, Nicodemus is “examining” Jesus in order to understand the truth of His words and deeds.

The SECOND DIG: John 3:1-21:“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

Discovery #1: Who is Nicodemus? Nicodemus was “a man of the Pharisees” which means he was a member of one of three religious sects that made up the governing body called the “Sanhedrin.” The Pharisees were the largest of the three, the most wealthiest and they dominating religious and social life in Judea. They were devoted to the Jewish religion but had no true understanding of how a person connects and relates to God. Nicodemus saw something in Jesus that caused him to examine further.

Discovery #2: The Unasked Question: Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and makes this statement to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”

Why did he come by night? Nicodemus was worried about his social status as a member of the Pharisees. He wished to avoid the scrutiny of the Sanhedrin. Yet something in Jesus motivated Nicodemus into taking a risk to discover the truth of Jesus and His message.

Why did Nicodemus call Jesus “Rabbi?” Even though the Pharisees did not acknowledge Jesus as a “Master Teacher,” Nicodemus saw a distinct “God-ness” in the teachings of Jesus that he could not fully understand. The Pharisees never denied the miracles that Jesus did. They knew that He had to be God or come from God in order to do the works of God. In other words, they believed He was God, just not the type of God they wanted.

Jesus answers the question that Nicodemus had not yet asked: Jesus replied, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The phrase, “born again” literally means to be “born from above.” All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but the “regeneration” power of Jesus brings the sinner back to life, as if he were “born again.” This is the main message of Jesus Christ and the reason He came to the earth.

Discovery #3: Born again? Nicodemus, as a ruler of the people of Judea, was probably of the older generation that had trusted in their personal religion and piety for salvation. The response of Jesus struck him deep to the core of who he truly was, a sinner without hope, in need of a Savior. He struggles with disconnecting a physical birth from a spiritual birth or salvation apart from keeping the laws of Moses. Nicodemus does not understand the difference between a second beginning and a different beginning.” The Quest Bible states that to enter God’s Kingdom requires something that is impossible according to human standards, to be reborn. Jesus refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in breathing life into our sinful and dead spiritual nature. When we are “born again,” we become a new person in Christ, forgiven of our sins and granted an intimate relationship with God.

Discovery 4#: Jesus responds to the examination of Nicodemus: Jesus says that to enter His kingdom, a person must be “born of water,” (physical birth), and “born of the Spirit,” (the dawning of a new spiritual awakening within one’s soul). This answer clearly confused Nicodemus, who himself was a teacher of the law and the Torah. Jesus asked him plainly, “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?”

Deeper Digging: Numbers 21:8-9: Jesus reminds Nicodemus about an Old Testament story, which recounts how God allowed poisonous snakes to infest the Israelites camp due to their wickedness. Moses made a bronze serpent, attached it to a pole and lifted it up. All who looked up in faith were healed (born again). Jesus is telling Nicodemus that one day He will be lifted up for the salvation of the world.

Deeper Digging: What does it mean to believe? To believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord involves more than just agreeing that the words and works of Jesus are true, but requires that we trust in Christ alone for salvation. It is deciding to place our fate in the hands of Jesus, trusting Him to be do save us from our sins and give us everlasting life.

Discovery #5: The Promise of Eternal Life: Jesus explains to Nicodemus the true hope of the Gospel, God’s plan of redemption for all. God proved His love for the world by allowing His only begotten son to die so that sinner would not perish as they deserve, but will have eternal life. Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. If we believe in Him, we experience the eternal salvation of God provided in Christ. Charles Ryrie says that “eternal life” speaks of a “new quality of life,” that begins in this life and carries over to the next life. Without the salvation provided by Jesus, all that is left is judgment and condemnation

Discovery #6: The Response of Men to the Gift of Salvation: We all have a choice to make when it comes to salvation. We can accept the free gift of God and experience the light of Christ, or we can reject the light. The purpose of light is to expose the deeds of darkness. We tend to reject the light because we do not want to acknowledge our need for a Savior. This is the problem that most Pharisees and other Jewish religious sects had with the message of Jesus.

Light: Light often denotes instruction, teaching, doctrine by which we see clearly the path of duty and holiness. The instruction we find in the Word of God is light that leads us to discover and reveals the truth of who Jesus Christ is. to which Jesus had particular reference here.

Darkness: Darkness is the emblem of ignorance, iniquity, and error. In other words, darkness is the exact opposite of truth and piety. Just as Nicodemus used the cloak of darkness to hid his coming to Jesus, men choose darkness to hide their evil deeds.

Digging Deeper: What happened to Nicodemus after this meeting with Jesus?

John 7:39-53: The Sanhedrin is meeting to discuss the problem they are having with Jesus. The Temple guard had been sent to arrest him but they refused because “Never a man spake like this man.” In the middle of this discussion against Jesus, Nicodemus asks, “Does our law judge any man before it hears him and know what he is going?” It appears that Nicodemus may being interested in giving Jesus a chance to defend himself.

John 19:38-40: Joseph and Arimathaea and Nicodemus take the body of Jesus and prepare it for burial. This small act of kindness shows that something has happened to the heart of this Pharisee. By taking part in the burial, Nicodemus was indentifying himself as a follower of Christ. Before Nicodemus became a follower of Jesus, he was considered to be one of the more wealthiest men in Judea. He gave up his earthly riches when he turned to Christ for rebirth.

Relics Discovered:

1. The only hope that anyone has for eternal life is through the salvation that is offered to us through the cross of Calvary and the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. To be saved means that we are “born again” made new by the power of the Spirit of God that lives in all who believe and place their faith in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. To reject the free gift of salvation that God offers in Christ is to accept that we will be separated from God forever, choosing darkness, death, and hell.

2. Human generation produces human life, but spiritual regeneration produces a new spiritual life. I Peter 1:22-23: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

Wednesday: Listening to the Truth (How well do we listen to Jesus?)

Listening to Jesus requires a person to pay attention to what He said about Himself in order to process, obey, and to follow Him as a disciple. A conversation requires at least two parties. Listening involves hearing the truth from Jesus and then responding to the truth revealed. .

The THIRD DIG: John 4:3-42: He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that the Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. And upon this came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

Discovery #1: What is Jesus doing in Samaria? What is wrong with this picture?

1. Jews were not to speak with Samaritans because they were not full-blooded Jews. They were part Jew, part Gentile, and were considered by the Jewish people as trash.

2. Samaritans were associated with the hated Assyrians of the Old Testament, who had invaded Israel and taken many into captivity, where they were forced to inter-marry outside of the Jewish faith. They were considered to be ”˜half-breeds” and undeserving of basic human value.

Discovery #2: What makes Jesus asking this women for a drink significant?

1. First, Jewish men were not to speak to women in public.

2. Secondly, a Jew would ask a favor only from a friend. When Jesus asked for a drink of water, it was the same as asking this woman to be His friend.

3. Ultimately, Jesus is not only asking a woman to be His friend, He is asking a Samaritan women to be His friend, which would be frowned upon by Jewish society.

Discovery #3: What is significant about “Living Water.”

If asking for a drink was equal to asking for a temporary friendship, then offering this woman “Living Water” was the same as offering her His friendship forever. In other words, Jesus is offering her eternal life. Since Jesus is the “Living Water,” in essence He is offering Himself

Discovery #4: Why is Jesus willing to listen to this marginalized woman?

1. The human side of Jesus cared for people who were marginalized and treated poorly by Jewish society. He spent the majority of His time working with the poor and the diseased. Jesus understood the power of listening.

2. The God side of Jesus listened to what was not said. Just like the paralyzed man who was brought into Jesus, Jesus responded to the unspoken need that the man had, to be forgiven of His sins. Jesus came to listen and to respond the deep need that this woman was keeping secret in her heart.

Discovery #5: Have you ever considered what a good listener Jesus was?

Jesus asked the woman about her husband, but they woman did not reveal the whole truth about her situation with her response, but Jesus has a way of hearing what we don’t say. What she did not say was that she had been married to five different men and the man she was not living with was not her husband. What Jesus heard was a woman who had been disappointed in all of her relationships. Not only was she treated badly because she was a Samaritan, she was also looked down upon because she had been divorced five times. These facts did not keep Jesus from listening to her. The woman was surprised that Jesus knew all things about her and she also knew that made him a prophet, a priest, or something more. The woman told Jesus that she believed that one day the Messiah would come, maybe in an attempt to sound spiritual or religious. Jesus informed her that she was speaking to the actual, the one and only Messiah, the God in the flesh, who had come to forgive and redeem sinners. The woman became so excited that she ran into town to tell them of the wonderful man that she had met. The whole city came out to meet Jesus. Her willingness to listen to the truth opened the door for her whole village to be saved.

Discovery #6: What surprise did Jesus have in store for this woman?

The woman was surprised that Jesus knew all things about her and she also knew that made him a prophet, a priest, or something more. The woman told Jesus that she believed that one day the Messiah would come, maybe in an attempt to sound spiritual or religious. Jesus informed her that she was speaking to the actual, the one and only Messiah, the God in the flesh, who had come to forgive and redeem sinners. The woman became so excited that she ran into town to tell them of the wonderful man that she had met. The whole city came out to meet Jesus. Her willingness to listen to the truth opened the door for her whole village to be saved.

Digging Deeper: What does worshipping and listening have to do with each other?

Before He revealed His true identity, Jesus talked to the woman about worship. See had mentioned that the Samaritans had always worshiped on the mountain and did not understand why the Jews said that only true worship was to be done in Jerusalem. She understood about religion but she did not understand about having a relationship with God.

The Response of Jesus:
1. It is not about the place but the person you worship
2. You don’t know who you are worshipping because you don’t have a relationship with God
3. A time is coming when both Jews and Samaritans will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
4. God is Spirit and He is searching for true worshippers
5. Spirit and Truth requires that we learn to listen to all that God has to say to us.

Relics Discovered:

1. Jesus Christ came into the world to search out hurting people, and He did not have a problem with crossing over ethnic boundaries and Jewish traditions to do it. Jesus was offering Himself when He revealed that He was the “Living Water.” Just as Jesus offered His friendship and eternal life to this lowly Samaritan woman, He makes the same offer of salvation by grace to all.

2. We serve a “listening God.” Jesus is willing to have conversation with us and He hears more than just the words we say. Jesus has the capability to “read between the lines” so to speak, and get to the heart of who we are. The God who spoke creation into existence in Genesis 1 listens to His creation.

3. Listening to God and being heard by God requires more than being religious or acting spiritual, as the woman at the well found out. God is searching for true worshippers, who worship Him in Spirit and truth.

Thursday: Interpreting the Truth (Who does Jesus say that He is?)

Interpreting means to explain the meaning of words to a person who does not understand them; to translate unintelligible words into intelligible ones; to explain the meaning of predictions, visions, dreams, parable, enigmas, or puzzles. The ability to interpret what is right leads us into a deeper understanding of what is true about God and about ourselves.

The FOURTH DIG: The “I am” Statements of Jesus

“I AM” signifies the real being of God, His self-existence, he the Being of all beings, denoting His eternity, His constancy, His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, for it includes all time, past, present and to come, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Each time Jesus begins one of these statements with “I am,” (Exodus 3:14) He is openly declaring, “I am God!”

Discovery #1: “I Am the Bread of Life”

John 6:35: And Jesus said unto them, “I am the Bread of life, he that comes to me shall never hunger and he that believes on me shall never thirst.” John 6:48: “I am the Bread of Life.” The context of this statement is found in John 6: 26-51: A mob of people had come to Jesus because they wanted to be filled with bread again. Jesus had feed a large multitude just days before with very little and they were wanting Him to do it again. Jesus used this opportunity to explain that he was the “Bread of Life.” Food is essential for life and Jesus was saying that He was essential to their spiritual life because man’s deepest deed is spiritual. Jesus is the only One who can satisfy this type of hunger because He is the “Bread who is God.” In the wilderness, God provided manna and water from a rock, but they satisfied only temporality. What Jesus is means in this statement is that He alone can offer an over-flowing fullness that can never be exhausted. He is plainly stating that He alone is the way to experience God.

Discovery #2: “I am the Light of the World”

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 9:5: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” The context of these statements are found in John 8 & 9; beginning with the woman taken in adultery and ending with the blind man be healed by the Pool of Siloam. The Pharisee’s were arguing with Jesus because of this statement, which was a clear claim to Him being the Messiah. As the visible light of the world is the sun, Jesus Christ is the “Sun of righteousness.” As the sun overhead brings light into the physical world, the light of Christ brings enlightenment to people who are lost in sin and darkness. When Jesus says He is the “Light of the World,” He is claiming to be equal to the excellence and glory of God and that only He lights the way for our salvation.

Discovery #3: “I am the Door” & “I am the Good Shepherd”

John 10:7-9: Then said Jesus unto them again, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the Door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the Door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:11-14: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling flees, because he is an hireling, and cares not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” The context of these statements are found in John 10; where Jesus is using an object lesson to convey a central truth concerning His identity and His mission. Both of these statements support His claim to be God in the flesh.

1. Jesus say that He is “the True Door.” He is plainly stating that all who come to God for salvation will find it only by going through Himself. Jesus came into the world to save sinners, to blot out their sins, to purify their souls and preserve them unto eternal life.

2. Not only is Jesus the only way into the fold, Jesus is all the “Good Shepherd” who protects the fold, even to the point of laying down His very own life for the sheep of His pasture. As the shepherd of his Father's appointing, calling, and sending, to whom the care of all His sheep, was committed; Who was set up as a shepherd over them by Him, and was entrusted with them; and Who being called, undertook to feed them; and being promised, was sent unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and under the character of a shepherd, died for them, and rose again, and is accountable to his Father for everyone of them, the Shepherd prophesied of in Genesis 49:24.

Discovery #4: “I am the Resurrection and the Life”

John 11:25-26: Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” The context of this statement is found in John 11, which is the story of Jesus bring Lazarus back from the dead. Jesus is claiming here that any type of new or resurrected life depends only on His power and will. This is a most expressive way of saying that the whole doctrine of the resurrection came from him, and the whole power to effect it was his. In other words, Jesus is saying that The whole power to restore, impart, and maintain life, resides in Him alone.” Martha had stated the resurrection as a doctrine, but Jesus states it as a fact that is manifested within His own person. He does not say, I raise the dead; I perform the resurrection, but I am the resurrection and the life. All true life is in Christ. In Him is lodged everything that is essential to life, in its origin, its maintenance, and its consummation, and all this is conveyed to the believer in his union with Him. This life is not affected by death. This statement is another claim to Jesus being God.

Discovery #5 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”

John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes unto the Father but by Me.” The context of this statement is found in John 13-14; when Jesus is having a final time of communion with His disciples before His arrest, trail, execution, and resurrection. It is a very bold statement and one that is hard to ignore. For those who claim that Jesus was merely a good man who never claimed to be God, this historical statement that is attributed to Jesus is hard to explain. If Jesus is not everything that He claims to be, that means that He is either a liar or a lunatic.

1. Jesus claimed to be the Only Way to have a relationship with God. If we do not have a relationship with Jesus, then it is impossible to have a relationship with God.

2. Jesus claimed to be Absolute Truth in the flesh: He is the perfect revelation of God the Father. combining in Himself and manifesting all divine reality, and the character of God.

3. Jesus claimed to be the Source of Life: He is the principle and source of life in its temporal development and future consummation, so that whoever has not received Him into himself by faith, has become a prey to spiritual and eternal death.

“Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou shouldst pursue; the truth which thou shouldst believe; the life which thou shouldst hope for”
- Thomas a Kempis
Discovery #6: “I am the True Vine”

John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” The context of this statement is found in John 15, 16, & 17, as Jesus continues His intimate conversation with His disciples just before they celebrate the Passover (the first communion) together. Jesus is teaching them via a “word picture.” Jesus says that He is the Vine, the source of life for all branches, which expresses their sameness of nature with Christ; their strict and close union to him; and the communication of life and grace, holiness and fruitfulness, of support and strength, and of perseverance in grace and holiness to the end from him: Nothing can be done without Christ, without his Spirit, grace, strength, and presence. Jesus is stating that He alone is the source of life and His followers are to abide and remain connected to Him.

Digging Deeper: Look at the intimate language that John uses in John 15-17 in His discourse and in His high priestly prayer. Jesus desires for us to have the same relationship with God that He has. Jesus makes an amazing statement about the type of relationship He desires with His followers. He said that He prefers to call us “friends” instead of calling us servants, but that is based on our obedience to Him.

Relics Discovered:

1. Learning to interpret the words of Jesus is important if we are to understand everything about Who He claims to be and what He wants to accomplish is each of our lives.

2. Each of the statements listed above are specific claims to the deity of Jesus. Only God could fulfill these titles. Jesus not only claimed to be God, but He backed His claim up with His words and His actions (loving-kindness, miracles of various types, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension to the throne of Glory. Jesus clearly taught that He was God in the flesh.

Friday: Confessing the Truth: (What facts about Jesus do we need to accept?)

Confessing means that we agree with God about our sin and about who He is. It is an acknowledgement, an declaration, or a profession concerning what is true. John 1:9 says that if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us. According to Philippians 2:5-11, every person who ever lived will confess that Jesus is the King and Lord of All Creation.

The FIFTH DIG: The Truth: The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Discovery #1: FACT #1: Jesus is arrested

The context of this fact is found in John 18:1-14.

1. After Jesus had concluded His intimate time of communion with His disciples, they went together to a garden (identified as Gethsemane in Matthew and Mark).

2. While Jesus was praying, Judas, who had agreed to betray Jesus, brought a band of men with lanterns and weapons to arrest Jesus. They said that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus responded, “I am He!” The group of men fell backward and recoiled because they were facing the glory and majesty of God in the flesh. They were afraid of Him and were most definitely intimidated by Him.

3. The fact remains that if Jesus did not willing allow them to arrest Him, it would not have happened, but Jesus willing choose to be obedient to the will of God the Father. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested in order for sinners to be saved.

Discovery #2: FACT #2 Jesus illegally tried by the Sanhedrin:

The context of this fact is found in John 18:15-28.

1. Jesus is brought before the leadership of the synagogue (Sanhedrin), facing various accusations and false testimony.

2. He is questioned by Caiaphas, the High Priest, who had said that it was good for one man to die for the whole nation, not realizing that he was prophesying about the death of Jesus.

3. Even though nothing was proven against Jesus, He was taken as a prisoner to be tried by Pilate, the Roman Governor over Judea.

Discovery #3: FACT #3 Jesus stands accused before Pilate

The context of this fact is found in John18:29-40.

1. The Pharisees brought Jesus to Pilate so that they could enforce the death penalty against Him.

2. When Pilate talked privately to Jesus and asked, “Are You the King of the Jews,” Jesus answered “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from here. You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice.”

3. Pilate’s reply was “What is truth,” not realizing that He was speaking with the source of all truth, God in the flesh. He offered to release a criminal but the people choose Barabbas over Jesus.

Discovery #4: FACT #4 Jesus sentenced to die the death of a criminal

The context of this fact is found in John 19:1-17: Even though Pilate found no fault in Jesus, he allowed Him to be sentenced to die on a Roman cross. He allowed his soldiers to physically abuse Jesus, to make fun of Him, and place a crown of thorns on His head. Jesus was led away, carrying His cross to the place where He was to be executed, a place called Golgotha (Calvary).

Discovery #5: FACT #5: Jesus is executed (the crucifixion)

The context of this fact is found in John 19:18-41.

1. Jesus was nailed to a cross and lifted up to die. Pilate placed a sign on the cross that said “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Jesus was put to death by professional Roman soldiers who had experience in the execution of prisoners and criminals. The soldiers gambled for the clothes of Jesus.

2. The soldiers offered Jesus a vinegar wine when He said He was thirsty. After He received the vinegar, He died after He made the statement, “It is finished.” This phrase means that Jesus had done everything that needed to be done for mankind to know God. He had paid the debt of our sin through His death and He had accomplished the mission that God the Father had given Him to complete.

3. Jesus was pronounced dead after a soldier had pierced His side with a spear and found no sign of life. The body was taken down by Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus, who prepared the body for burial, then placed it in a tomb, sealed with a stone.

Discovery #6: FACT #6 The resurrection of Jesus Christ

The context of this fact is found in John 20.

1. On the third day after the death of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and other women who followed Jesus came to the tomb. They found that the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty. The found Peter and John and both of them came to the tomb to verify the claim. They found the burial linen folded neatly but no body.

2. Jesus would appear first to Mary Magdalene later that day but no one believed her when she reported what had happened. While she was weeping at the tomb, Jesus appeared, and called her by name. Jesus later appeared to the rest of the disciples.

3. Thomas was not present at the first appearance of Jesus to the disciples and he struggled to believe that Jesus was truly alive. He stated that he would not believe unless he could examine the wounds in His hands and side. The next time Jesus appeared to the disciples, Jesus said directly to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and behold my wounded hands, and reach with your hand into my wounded side and stop being faithless and believe in Me.” Thomas made the following confession that all will be required to confess when they come to terms with the facts and truth of who Jesus is and all that He did for us. Thomas confessed, “My Lord and my God.”

Key Verse: John 20:30-31 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name.”

Deeper Digging: In John 18:15-18, 25-27, Peter denied the Lord three times. In John 21, Peter had returned to fishing, taking the other disciples with him. They were not having any luck until Jesus appeared on the shore and told them to fish on the other side of the boar. They caught 153 fish and Peter knew it was Jesus. He swam to shore to be with Jesus. After they had eaten, Jesus and Peter had discussion about love and taking care of the followers who believed in Jesus.

John 21:15-19 Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He replied unto him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. Jesus said unto him, Feed my lambs. Jesus said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He replied unto Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love thee. He said unto him, Tend my sheep. Jesus said unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said unto him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say unto you, When you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked wherever you wanted to go: but when you are be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall dress you, and carry you where you don’t want to go. Now this he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Relics Discovered:

1. Through the torture, death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus did everything that needed to be done to accomplish our salvation. On the cross, He paid the debt of our sin, and through the resurrection, He proved He was God in the flesh. These facts have never been disproven.

2. It is up to us to decide whether or not we will accept the facts of the Gospel, and make the decision to follow Jesus. Will we accept the gracious offer of John 3:16? Do we agree with the statement that Thomas made, that Jesus is “My Lord and my God.” Are we willing to lay aside all else and follow Him wherever He may lead us so that others may know His salvation?]]> http://andersonmaples.com/blog.html/relics_of_truth_curriculum_2011 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:11:27 -0700 Songwriter & Worship Leader - Andy Maples - Camp Stories