Adult Quarterly That Ye Might Believe A Study in John 1 12 QUARTERLY AIM: The student will learn that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and will have life through believing in His name. September 2 The Word Became Flesh.... 4 9 The Witness of John the Baptist.... 11 16 The Power and Authority of Jesus.... 18 23 The Necessity of the New Birth... 25 30 The Water of Life.... 32 October 7 The Son of God.... 39 14 The Bread of Life... 46 21 This Is the Christ.... 53 28 The Light of the World... 60 November 4 One Thing I Know... 67 11 The Good Shepherd... 74 18 The Resurrection and the Life.... 81 25 The King of the Jews... 89 Vol. 105, No. 4, Fall Quarter, 2018. Editor in Chief: Kyle W. Elkins, kyle.elkins@bogardstore.org Business Manager: Wayne Sewell, wayne.sewell@bogardstore.org 2018, Bogard Press, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503-2928 www.bogardpress.org; 1-800-264-2482
About the Writer Dr. David Robinson was born in Greenville, Mississippi and grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was saved in 1956 and was baptized by Cones Road Missionary Baptist Church. He graduated from Hot Springs High School, attended the University of Mississippi and graduated from the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1966 earning the Master in Bible Languages and Doctor in Bible Languages Degrees. He surrendered to preach in 1960 and was ordained to the gospel ministry in December of 1962. He has pastored churches in central and southern Arkansas. From 1967 to 1999 he served as an instructor in the Missionary Baptist Seminary. He served as Registrar at the school from 1978 to 1988 and as Chancellor and Editor of the Missionary Baptist Searchlight from 1988 to 1999. He served as Chaplain for the Pulaski County Sheriff s Office from 1992 until 2007. He served on the Sunday School Committee of the ABA from 1987 to 1998 and as President of the ABA in 1999 and 2000. He has served as Parliamentarian for the ABA since 2001. Presently, he is pastor of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he has served since 1971. He has written Young People s Sunday School literature, the BTC Adult Quarterly, and he currently writes the Sunday School Adult Quarterly used in the churches of the American Baptist Association. He may be contacted at dcrobinson@aristotle.net.
American Baptist Association Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons Winter Spring Summer Fall 2018 Ephesians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Jeremiah Lamentations 2 Kings 24; 25 2 Chronicles 36 John 1 10 2019 John 11 21 Ezra; Nehemiah Habakkuk; Haggai Malachi; Esther 1 Peter 2 Peter 1, 2, 3 John Jude 2020 Daniel Ezekiel Zechariah Revelation 1 11 Revelation 12 22 Genesis 1 11 Job 2021 Genesis 12 50 Matthew 1 13 Matthew 14 28 Exodus 2022 Romans Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Hebrews Joshua Judges Ruth 2023 Acts 1 14 Acts 15 28 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 4 1 Chronicles 1 10 Mark 1 8 2027 2026 2025 2024 Mark 9 16 Psalms 73 150 Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon 2 Corinthians 2 Samuel 5 24 1 Chronicles 11 29 1 Kings 1; 2 Galatians Isaiah 1 39 2 Chronicles 29 32 2 Kings 17 20 Nahum James 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Kings 3 22 2 Chronicles 1 24 2 Kings 1 13 Joel; Obadiah Luke 1 13:21 Luke 13:22 24 Isaiah 40 66 2 Kings 21 23 2 Chronicles 33 35 Zephaniah Psalms 1 72 1 Corinthians Hosea; Amos; Micah; Jonah; 2 Kings 14 16 2 Chronicles 25 28 Philemon Philippians Colossians
September 2, 2018 1 The Word Became Flesh Text: John 1:1-14 Focus: John 1:1-14 Key Verse: 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 1:14 Sunday Devotional: Jesus in the Beginning, Hebrews 1:8-12. Application: The student will realize that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. A FIRST LOOK This lesson begins a study in the gospel of John. God inspired John to write these words late in his life. The truths presented here had stood the test of time when John amplified them for us. John lived the longest of any of the apostles and was the only one to die a natural death. John wrote four other books of the New Testament and was known as the beloved disciple. According to John 21:25, a complete biography of the life and works of Jesus could never be written. What is recorded about Jesus in the Bible is a series of accounts containing insights into His life and ministry so that we can understand who Jesus is and learn something about what He did. The books of Matthew, Mark and Luke accurately describe various events in the life and ministry of Jesus, but John amplifies many of Daily Devotionals M. The Beginning of Creation, Genesis 1:1, 2. T. The Beginning of Israel, Genesis 12:1-3. W. The Beginning of the Kingdom, 1 Samuel 9:4-16. T. The Word of Life in the Beginning, 1 John 1:1. F. The Message from the Beginning, 1 John 3:11. S. The Beginning and the End, Revelation 1:8. 4
Text: John 1:1-14 5 these and gives us the meaning of these historical accounts. For instance, all four gospels record the feeding of the five thousand, but only John recorded the sermon Jesus preached in which He declared Himself to be the Bread of Life. Each of the other gospels is given to accomplish a specific purpose. We do not have to wonder at all about the purpose of this book: the purpose of John is to present the gospel so that men can be saved (John 20:31). Because of this, the book of John is a wonderful place to begin a lifelong study of the Bible. Our study of John will be centered on the main theme of the book: belief that brings eternal life. This will also involve what Jesus did in fulfilling His mission and ministry on the earth. A CLOSER LOOK I. Jesus in Creation John 1:1-5 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2. The same was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John began at the beginning of all things. It is important to note that John made no argument concerning creation. It was reasonably assumed that God made the world and that all things have a beginning. Jesus was there in the beginning. The term John used for Christ is interesting. He referred to Jesus as the Word. This Greek term is the same word from which we get the term logic. Life on earth will only make sense to us as we understand the life and ministry of Jesus. The only way to understand human life is to look at life as it is presented in the Bible. When we look at life on earth through the eyes of God, everything will fit. If we try to rationalize and explain life without God, then nothing will make sense. Our
6 The Word Became Flesh personal faith in Jesus is the key that can unlock the meaning of our physical life and give us spiritual life. Jesus was not only there in the beginning, He was with God, and He is God. Jesus uniquely made this claim during His ministry. Our faith rests on the answers to two simple questions. Was Jesus who He said He was? And, Did Jesus do what He said He did? Jesus said that He is God in the flesh. He plainly told Philip that in John 14:8, 9. The Bible says that Jesus died and rose again on the third day. Those are facts that change everything in our lives. Jesus Christ is not another religious figure or charismatic leader. Christianity is not another faith to be compared and contrasted with the many fables and myths invented in the minds of men. Jesus is real. He was what He said He was and He did what He said He did. Christ is the creative power behind the universe. All things were made by Him, and without Him not anything was made. At this point we come face-to-face with a dividing truth. Did God create the world? If God did not, then who did? If the world was not created then how did it get here? Make no mistake here; Satan knows what he is doing by denying the creation. John dealt with this by declaring the obvious truth. Creation means that a Creator is necessary, and that Creator is God, manifested as the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was present in creation and is the power behind every material thing we see. The important conclusion is that Jesus is not a created being; He is the eternal God who did the creating. Jesus is both life and light. This theme is amplified in the book of 1 John. The purpose of Jesus coming into this world was to bring the twin gifts of life and light to men. The order is important here. We will never walk in spiritual light until we have spiritual life. Salvation is the fundamental life experience that must precede any further spiritual enlightenment. Until we are saved, we are still in the dark. When we are born again, we can then begin to understand the further revelation of God. We can never skip any step in our spiritual development. This is why the light can shine and men can still fail to comprehend it. Jesus preached to everyone who would listen. Many heard His wonderful sermons and still refused to accept Him as their Savior. This was not because they did not need to be saved, and it was not because Jesus would not save them. It was because
Text: John 1:1-14 7 they hardened their hearts and refused the appeal of the simple truth of the gospel. II. John Was Sent from God John 1:6-9 6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John did not give us any record of the physical birth of Jesus. He says nothing about Jesus early life. Instead, his account of Jesus begins with the ministry of another man named John, John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. John the Baptist was known for baptizing or immersing people in water, but, the main thrust of his ministry was to be a witness of the Light so that all men could believe in Jesus and be saved. The Bible teaches that salvation is a precedent to baptism. Baptism was not designed to save anyone. John the Baptist came as a witness to tell all men everywhere to repent of their sins and place their personal faith in Jesus, the Lamb of God. The ministry of John the Baptist was widely misunderstood. He was the first preacher in Israel in hundreds of years and, although many people were curious about his message, relatively few believed what he had to say. These verses tell us plainly that John the Baptist was not, and never claimed to be, the Messiah. He was not the Light; rather, he was a witness to the Light. The true Light is Jesus. The purpose of Jesus coming was to shed light in the heart of every person who was ever born into the world. God is not willing that any should perish, and so the gospel message is sent out to all men everywhere. In spite of this outreach, all men everywhere have not accepted Jesus and believed in Him. Jesus was physically present on earth, and it is important to understand that Jesus was a real live human being just like you and me. He was not a phantom or
8 The Word Became Flesh a spirit. He was God clothed in flesh, and as such, He is as much a character of history as any other. III. Jesus Is God in Human Flesh John 1:10-14 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12. 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: 13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14. 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. Jesus was not only here; He was here with unique authority over the world which He had made. Time and again, Jesus showed that He is Lord of the universe. He suspended the normal laws that govern the world and wrought miracle after miracle to convince men that His words were true. Yet, in spite of massive evidence that Jesus is who He claimed to be, men still rejected Him. The purpose of witnessing is to give men a fair and honest chance to accept the Lord as their Savior. God never compels anyone to believe, but He does draw all people to Jesus. This is the power of the gospel. John the Baptist did not attempt to resolve every theological doctrine; he presented enough information to allow people to be saved. His message was simple and direct. First, admit that you are in need. Admit you are confused, bewildered and needy and that you cannot solve your own problems. That is summed up in the word repent. Stop, think again. See your need and admit your need. Those in darkness must come to this place before they can ever receive light. Unless you admit you are in trouble, you cannot find a way out. Admit that all the man-made solutions to sin have never worked and will not work. Then believe in the One who can give life. Believe in the One who has come, who will meet you right where you are and give you
Text: John 1:1-14 9 life and light. When this is done, you can begin to correct your behavior. That is what John the Baptist preached. He told the tax collectors to be fair and only collect what was due. He told the soldiers to stop being violent and falsely accusing people. He told men to correct their behavior because they had received a new life and a new light from God. The Light of God comes to all men, but all men will not receive Him. Even those of His own nation refused the Messiah whom God had sent to them, but only those who received Jesus as their Savior were born again and became the sons of God. John plainly tells us that this process happens because we believe in the name of Jesus. Being born again is not a matter of blood, that is, it is not a matter of ancestry. Those who heard John the Baptist preach thought that they did not need to repent because Abraham was their father. John plainly told them that this made no difference to God. Still others, perhaps many others, think that they can be born again through the will of the flesh. But the works of men will never gain the righteousness of God. Salvation is by grace through faith. It is not of works, and if it were, men would be boasting about all the wonderful things they had done to be saved. Salvation is of the Lord. This is the simple truth preached by Jonah many years before Jesus physical birth. Light and life are gifts from God. They are available to all men, but they do not originate with mankind. These are the good and precious gifts that come from above. Jesus came to bring these wonderful things into every heart. He is the Light who lights every heart. He is the Life who will flow into every human being. In order to have light and life, we must accept Jesus and believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God. We must repent of our failed plans to save ourselves and place our souls in the hands of our Creator. When we do, we can be born again, not of blood or of the will of man, but from God. A FINAL WORD The answers to a few simple questions reveal a basic understanding of the nature of Jesus or they show the lack of it. Where
10 The Word Became Flesh did Jesus come from? Was He born like every other human being? Was He just another great preacher or prophet in Israel? John began at the beginning, and he stressed that Jesus is not just another human being. Jesus Christ is God, robed in flesh, and dwelling among men. He was fully human, but He was also fully divine. He revealed in His life and ministry what a human being can be. Jesus was the mirror opposite of fallen mankind. He was everything that Adam was not. Because Jesus is the Son of God, He alone can offer salvation. Because Jesus is who he said He was, He can do what He said He would do. This makes a vital difference between Christianity and all other systems of religious worship. Others may promise everlasting life, but Jesus can actually give it. Many religions offer systems of moral behavior, and a few even promise an eternal reward. All man-made belief systems can only offer us what men can imagine or conceive. In contrast, Jesus offers what men could not otherwise hope for. Jesus offers everlasting life, life beyond death. To make these claims secure, Jesus came from the halls of eternity into time and space and when He died He rose again to show publicly that He had conquered death. Trust Him and your soul can be saved and your future can be secure. FOR CLASS DISCUSSION 1. How does verse 1 comment on Genesis 1:1, 2? 2. Why is the deity of Christ an important doctrine? 3. What power does Jesus give those who believe in Him? 4. According to verse 13, what four ways do people seek salvation?