1 / 21

Study in John’s Gospel

Study in John’s Gospel. Presentation 85. Triumph T hrough Tragedy Chap 18v1-11. Presentation 85. Introduction.

valmai
Download Presentation

Study in John’s Gospel

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Study in John’s Gospel Presentation 85

  2. Triumph Through Tragedy Chap 18v1-11 Presentation 85

  3. Introduction An examination often set at Bible College often asks the question; “Is it possible to have a Christian tragedy?” The answer given by perceptive students is that in the final analysis a Christian tragedy is impossible, for the essential Christian belief in a sovereign and loving God ultimately overrides the tragic elements. This does not eliminate the marks of tragedy of course and the very real pain involved in it. Indeed, it can be argued that only Christianity, of all the world's religions, actually takes the tragedy of the human situation seriously. At times the whole world may seem to collapse around us. But this is not the end. In spite of the apparent tragedy, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" Rom. 8v28. Presentation 85

  4. Dark Days This is classically illustrated from the life of Jesus. A detached observer might look upon his last days as dismal in the extreme. He would see a brilliant and compassionate young man, unjustly arrested through the hostility of jealous older men whose authority he threatened - falsely convicted and executed in a most unbelievably cruel and agonizing manner. What could be worse? Nothing! Yet the story, as told by his friends is not the story of a tragic defeat but of a victory. Indeed, the outcome, far from being one of despair and desolation, is one of glorious "Good News". Presentation 85

  5. Dark Days One obvious, historical reason for this is that Jesus’ crucifixion was followed by a resurrection, which was good news in itself. But much more lies at the heart of their testimony. They taught that the crucifixion itself was good news. Christ's death was good. Thus, the true meaning of the phrase "triumph through tragedy" is not merely that tragedy is followed by triumph but, far more profoundly, that in the hands of God the tragedy actually becomes the triumph. The ‘apparent’ defeat becomes victory. Presentation 85

  6. Dark Days But we can say more! For not only does the tragedy in the hands of God become triumph, without the tragedy there really is no triumph. What would the great promises studied in earlier chapters be without the cross? Just pipe dreams! What would the miracles point to without the saving death of Christ? They would be signposts to nowhere. However, these closing chapters rightly culminate all that has gone before and show how and why the blessings spoken of earlier come to US. Presentation 85

  7. Days of Blessing By consulting the other Gospels we are reminded of what else happened in the Garden. Each of the other Gospels tells us that, having selected Peter, James, and John to go with him, Jesus went off from the others and prayed three times that if it was the will of God, the cup of death might pass by him. Matthew and Luke record the fact that prior to this, Jesus began to be greatly agitated, depressed, and sorrowful; he declared, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” Matt. 26v38. Luke, reports that he was “in an agony” and “prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was like great drops of blood falling to the ground” Luke 22v44 Presentation 85

  8. Days of Blessing John knew these facts yet he omits them in his account. Why? For emphasis! He wishes to stress, not the human weakness of Christ, but rather his mastery over this as well as all other situations. John emphasizes the fact that the arrest was under the control of Jesus. For one thing, Jesus initiates the confrontation by asking the arresting party, “Who is it you want?” v7 Presentation 85

  9. Days of Blessing John includes that otherwise unmentioned episode in which the soldiers and officers fall to the ground as a result of Jesus introducing himself to them using the majestic name of God. “When Jesus said, ‘I am he’ they drew back and fell to the ground”. v6 Presentation 85

  10. Days of Blessing Finally, Jesus is dominant at the moment of arrest. He says, “I told you that I am he,...If you are looking for me, then let these men go”v8 and his command was obeyed! John’s emphasis is designed to show that it was no meaningless and unanticipated tragedy that overtook Jesus at the close of an otherwise promising ministry. Rather, it was the unfolding of God’s plan of blessing. Presentation 85

  11. Christ’s Days, Our Days This principle of triumph through tragedy will invariably have a profound bearing upon our lives too. None of us escapes dark days of suffering. But will they be bitter days? Will we gripe and complain? Or will they be days of victory? The answer rests upon what we learn in these closing chapters. How do Christians view their suffering? Some think it a breach of trust on the part of God and they tell him they are unhappy. Others endure suffering grimly, refusing even to ask what God’s purpose in it might be. Presentation 85

  12. Christ’s Days, Our Days There is a more mature response that rests in the knowledge of God’s perfect control. It believes that their suffering, grief, or disappointment has first of all passed through God's hand of mercy and is intended for their good and the conclusions drawn are threefold. First, some think of suffering as something to be endured so that in God's own time he might remove it and by doing so draw glory to himself. One thinks of a severe illness which leads to remarkable healing for which God is praised. Another example would be an unpleasant line of work, which one could praise God for after the task has been changed for something new. Presentation 85

  13. Christ’s Days, Our Days Secondly, suffering is viewed by some as something for God to transform. People are not persuaded that it is God’s intention to effect a miraculous healing and so they pray that God might simply make things different. They expect him to change their suffering so that their focus is no longer on the pain or discouragement which they know to be the experience of others. Thirdly, there are Christians who simply look beyond the dark days of suffering to glory they see no immediate purpose in it, but they go through it for the joys that lie beyond. Presentation 85

  14. Christ’s Days, Our Days Are these views right? It is true that suffering is sometimes given so that God might remove it and thus be glorified. Think of the affliction of the blind man in Jn. 9. Sometimes, too, our suffering is deeply transformed. It is also true, that there is a realm of joy beyond the sufferings. In Christ's case, there was a resurrection and ascension - beyond the cross. We rejoice to know of a day when there will be no tears, nor death, sorrow, crying, or pain Rev. 21v4. Presentation 85

  15. Christ’s Days, Our Days But is this ‘the uniquely Christian approach’ to suffering that we are seeking out? Is the Christian's answer only one of escape, transformation or, sublimation? No. Rather the answer is the acceptance of suffering in its fullness for Christ's sake, thereby helping to make up the fullness of his sufferings (as Paul said he himself did Col. 1v24 ) thus bringing glory to his name, not by an escape from suffering, but by the sheer force of the way in which we bear it. Presentation 85

  16. Two Groups of People A minister was stopped by a woman in the street who asked him to visit her son. He had T.B. and was dying. He said, "I'll come immediately” "Oh, not yet," she replied. "Don't come with me that would make things worse. He’s very bitter. I don't want him to know that I asked you. Just drop in later." Later that day he rang the doorbell and introduced himself. The young man became angry and spoke bitterly. "Why does God make me spit my lungs into this cup?" he demanded. "God is so cruel to me!" He became so agitated that the minister thought it best to leave. A week later that young man died. Presentation 85

  17. Two Groups of People Years later after an evening service, someone asked the minister, "Will you go and see a young man in this neighbourhood who is dying of TB?" He immediately thought of the earlier incident, but on his arrival was met with a quite different reaction. The young man exclaimed, "Oh, life has been wonderful since Jesus came into my life!" He told his story. He’d become so weak that he was able only to get out of bed for an hour a day and had used some of that time to take a walk around the block. One evening, he noticed the lights on in the church. He entered just for a rest. But as he listened he heard of the love of Christ who had died for him. That night he committed his life to Christ. Presentation 85

  18. Two Groups of People During the months that followed, in that one hour out of bed each day, he visited families in his block and told them that Jesus loved them enough to die for them. When he was too weak to go out at all, he said to the minister, “I have about fifty relatives in this city. I would like to invite them over next Sunday. And if I do, would you come and speak to them?” The minister agreed and returned to find a full house of people. They were everywhere - on the stairs, upstairs, in the kitchen, some even on the floor. The young man spoke of his conversion, and then he invited the minister to preach. Presentation 85

  19. Two Groups of People Afterward the young man said, "That was the message spoken the night I believed in Jesus. This is how I came to trust in Christ. I know that the next time you are all together it will be for my funeral, but I wanted to hear about what Jesus has done before I died." A few days later he did die - triumphantly. And he made an amazing impact on his family, not because he had less pain than the first young man, but because he received it as being from God himself. Presentation 85

  20. Two Groups of People God permits the same life experiences to touch both Christians and non- Christians. The unbeliever cries out against God; but the Christian says, 'Lord, you know what you are doing.' When unbelievers cry out against God it is as if he says to them; “Describe yourself to me. Tell me how old you are, what is your condition, what are your circumstances. I will point out a Christian in whose life they are duplicated”. And so when some men curse God and say, ‘God, you can't do this to me!’ there will be Christians who say, ‘O God while this experience is not pleasant nevertheless I accept it from your hand and I truly know that at all things will work together for good because I love you.’ Presentation 85

  21. Conclusion If you are a Christian, are you aware of the privilege of being just where you are and who you are and in precisely the circumstances you find yourself to be in? Jesus has put you there, wherever it is. He has made you, whoever you are. He has created those circumstances, whatever they may be. It is for you to praise him right there and allow those circumstances, even the most tragic circumstances, to become the ground of his triumph. Presentation 85

More Related