Sermon Tone Analysis

Almost everybody...regardless of their faith…believes that Jesus was a real person...and even was a good man in history.

And pretty smart and did some cool and good things.

And many can relate with Him in some way or another.

From what we know he lived a pretty common life before His ministry.

People can relate to that...

Like us He experienced sorrow and struggle and suffering and temptation.

He said some quotable stuff…in our day you might say He was tweetable.

In our day you might say He was very tweetable.

People will pick out parts of things He said that they like or agree with and quote them...

So people will pick out parts of things He said...that they like or agree with and quote them...

So for various reasons many people can identify with Jesus...even admire him.

He was loving.

He stuck up for the poor and the needy.

He had followers who were common and the lowly.

Even some who had been rejected by the world or by culture or by religion.

even admire him.

He was loving.

He stuck up for the poor and the needy.

He had followers who were outcasts and the lowly.

Even some who had been hated and rejected.

He loved his enemies…and teaches us to do the same.

He was humble…and honest…full of grace and truth.

Why did so many who followed Him to see His miracles flee right after they heard Him speak?

Why did the Jews and Gentiles hate Him and crucify Him?

Because of what He said.

they also killed Him.

Why was he so hated by the world?

He tells us...

And He tells us...

John 18

The world hated Him...

Or...

Or in 1 John

even admire him.

He was loving.

He stuck up for the poor and the needy.

He had followers who were outcasts and the lowly.

Even some who had been hated and rejected.

e wfriends with the neglected and the weak and the downtrodden.

He hung out with the despised and the rejected.

Even when he was fiercely/unfairly attacked, he didn’t retaliate.

He loved his enemies…

He loved his enemies…he taught others to do the same.

He was humble...

So Jesus loved His enemies…brought a message of salvation…good news of great joy…grace and truth...and was hated and killed.

Not just by the Jews…but also the Gentiles…the world.

And tells us we should expect the same...

Why?

What was the final straw?

Because of who He said He was…and who we believe He is...

Becasue of who He claimed He was…and who we belive He is...

The Son of God…the great I AM.

And like the people in the parable of the ten minas…the world…the majority of people…are ok with a good teacher…they are ok with a prophet…they like miracles and free food…they are even ok with a Savior…but not a Lord…not one who is God.

And so like in the parable...

Savior…fine…Lord…no thank you.

And even with all of this...Jesus made some of the most argumentative…controversial claims of any person in the History of the World…and therefore He was hated and killed.

Jesus made some of the most argumentative…controversial claims of any person in the History of the World…including that He was and is God…with power over life and death…forgiveness and judgement...the only way to salvation.

On Wednesday we read which starts like this...

5000 men following Him around…which is estimated to be up to 20,000 people following Him including women and children...

Jesus feeds them with the 5 loaves and 2 fish…they believe something about Him after this...

But then He speaks…tells them He is the bread of life…sent down from Heaven…that no one can be saved unless the Father sends them to Him…and He will be the one who raises up God’s people on the last day…that following Him is completely relying on Him for everything…so much so that He will give His flesh for us...

And everyone leaves…from 20,000 to 12…and Then He says to the 12...

Then He tells them that even they were chosen…and it is really only 11...

Jesus most bold statements were about who He was and is and will always be...

The Son of God…the great I AM…the one with the fate of humanity...eternal life or eternal judgement...was...and is in His hands...and therefore He was hated and killed by the world.

In the book of John Jesus makes 7 “I am” claims where He says something deep…profound…and bold…and controversial about Himself.

Not coincidentally all of these statements are preceded by the words…I AM.

So what I plan to do is to read all 7....then briefly look at 6…and end by focusing on our text for today….

and

and

and

and

and

And the one we talked about last night with the youth and will again today...

“I am…I am this…I am that…”

“I am…I am this…I am that…” he said, over and over and over again.

And he made some pretty extravagant claims about himself.

Jesus made some pretty extravagant, and bold, and controversial claims about himself…unless they are true…which they are…which makes them awesome and powerful and life giving…and life saving.

What was Jesus doing by making these I am statements...

He is clearly setting Himself apart from anyone who had come before…anyone who was living...and anyone who will ever live.

Let’s look again briefly at them…and then dive into .

So everyone else is thirsting and hungry…searching for satisfaction and hungry for joy…but fulfilling their desires in things that will not last…and Jesus is the everlasting bread of life…He alone can quench your thirst for joy…and your hunger for meaning and life.

Everyone else is in darkness…other teachers or prophets or religions will lead you to darkness.

Without Christ you are in darkness and even love the darkness...

But He is the light…the only true light in the world…and who are His followers?

Those who no longer walk in the dearness but have come into the light…and therefore will have life.

All people are like sheep…wondering and confused and lost…even locked outside of the pasture.

In the wilderness…outside of the gate...

With no way to get into the safety and sustenance of being in the pasture.

There is only one way to get in…He is the only door…the narrow gate.

And as the shepherd of the pasture He is the better David…who as a young man saved His flock from bears and lions…Jesus sets Himself apart as the shepherd who will lay down His life for the eternal salvation of His people...His sheep.

Jesus not only will bring life and resurrection to His people…He is resurrection…He is life…life and resurrection are only found in Him…therefore believing in Him is more than a decision…it is putting your life in His hands…trusting in Him alone…the resurrected one who will deliver us from eternal death.

The true vine…meaning there are many others that will not produce fruit…but as the true vine...Jesus…the true Isreal…and for us...only by being connected to Him will we produce fruit…and His Father the vine dresser will remove any branches that do not produce fruit.

And the one we talked about last night with the youth and will again today...

Jesus has now completely set Himself apart from all other humans…all other prophets…all other messiahs…any other king…and even every other way to live…this is all encompassing...

Everybody else in darkness; he is the light of the world.

Everybody else hungry; he is the bread of life.

Everybody else thirsty; he alone can quench thirst.

Everybody else under the penalty and power of sin; he alone brings forgiveness and freedom.

And therefore He is also the judge…who will return at the end of history.