The Empty Tomb & Rising Faith

Well, thank you, Tim and the worship team.

It's always great to be led into the presence of the Lord through singing,

! Through the ministry of the word that comes through our singing together

! And reminding ourselves what the word says, who Jesus Christ is, what he's accomplished for us,

and what it means for us as a result of those truths.

Those truths aren't truths in and of themselves.

They're meant to have a connection to your life.

They're meant to lead to change in your heart.

And this morning, we will come to John chapter 20.

John 20 · chapter mention

So turn with me to John chapter 20, if you will.

John 20 · chapter mention

If you're a guest with us this morning in the Pew Bible, in front of you, it's on page 906.

We're moving now into the resurrection narrative.

And any of you who are paying attention through the songs that we were singing

would realize that the songs had very much to do about our resurrected Savior

and what the resurrected Savior does for us.

What the reality of Christ and the new life that he had, the resurrected life of Christ,

what it does for you.

And through the next several weeks, as we look at the resurrection narrative,

I want to be able to make a connection for each of us as we look into the word

to know that the resurrection isn't just a truth that stands on its own

without having some sort of effect in your life.

I want you to recognize this morning, as we maybe show the first slide here,

that the resurrection life, the empty tomb,

will result in rising faith for those people who are truly followers of him.

Now, this morning, we may or may not be able to see all those slides,

but you do have in your bulletins and inserts,

so you can follow along one of two ways.

You can either follow along here as a result of the bulletin insert,

and hopefully we'll be able to follow along on the board too,

but that may or may not actually take place.

So, yesterday as I was looking at the passage,

my daughter was sitting next to me and she says,

Daddy, it's not Easter yet.

What are we doing looking at the resurrection?

I want you to know the reality of the resurrection,

whether it's in Easter or it's on this day,

should connect with our hearts,

should lead us to resurrection life,

and should lead us to rising faith,

as we'll see in our passage before us.

Several years ago,

as I had just graduated from college

and moved to Southern California,

I was working full-time at a company there,

but also thought I would make some income on the side.

So, seeing some friends who were growing up in my hometown of Cedarville,

thousands of miles away,

and they were beginning the process of building this business,

if you remember, it was about the time when all the utilities,

the monopolies were beginning to be deregulated and broken apart,

and so communication was one of those things that the phone company,

AT&T in particular,

they were being broken up,

and now other people could be part of the game of selling communication.

Well, this being at the very beginning of the process,

many people in building a business,

in selling their communication service,

and this kind of pyramid scheme of getting customers,

and benefiting from their calls,

and making revenue on the people that they signed up,

it was really attractive,

at least at first,

and for people who were go-getters,

it was a great investment of time.

But as more companies came into play,

and as cell phone service began to rise,

and now long distance was no longer an issue,

the people who had invested so much time

in building this communication business

were left with something that no one really needed or wanted anymore.

So all of that investment left them feeling a bit depleted,

a little discouraged,

that anyone who had set their hopes on this being a future moneymaker,

this was going to be their retirement down the road,

now we're left with the reality,

the fact that what they were putting their hope in

was really not going to play out the way they had anticipated.

They were left, probably many of them,

with some feelings of hurt,

a little betrayal perhaps,

a little discouraged about all of the hard work

that they had put into this company

wasn't going to pay the dividends that they had hoped for.

Now, maybe you have had a similar experience,

where you've put your hope and confidence in a product,

or in a person,

and through the course of life,

the promises that you were given about that product,

or the hope that you had in that individual

as being able to deliver for you.

Over time, there was this reality check,

this gut check,

that they really weren't going to,

they weren't going to follow through the way you had anticipated.

And maybe there was a sense in your own heart of betrayal,

a sense of discouragement.

How could I have been so foolish

to put so much hope in this product,

or so much hope in this individual?

What was I thinking?

How could I have been so silly?

I explain this to you because I wonder if maybe that's where the disciples were at this point in the journey.

As far as Jesus was concerned,

and as far as their discipleship was concerned,

they were all in.

They had made a significant investment in this ministry.

They had left family,

and friends,

and income,

and property,

and inheritance,

so that they could follow after this one,

Jesus Christ,

who made the claim that He was the Messiah,

that He was the one to follow.

Imagine, for a moment,

the shock that they experienced,

the feelings of betrayal,

when after this amazing week of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem,

it ends in tragedy.

It ends abruptly.

It ends in public humiliation for the person that they were following.

So much so that every pilgrim in all of Israel

had come to Jerusalem for this important festival.

The Passover.

This was the high point of the Jewish calendar.

When all the pilgrims had come,

and so Jesus,

in ministering to people in Galilee,

and people in Judea,

and people in Perea,

on the other side of the Jordan,

and people in Jerusalem,

they came,

and they knew Jesus.

He had taught them personally in their hometown.

But here He was,

hanging on a cross.

Huh.

It's a good thing I didn't follow that guy.

Look at where His life ended.

Look at the tragedy of His life.

And the feelings, perhaps,

of shame and embarrassment,

and being a bit perplexed.

How could they have put all of their hope

in this one, Jesus?

Jesus.

But here they are,

and we find them in John chapter 20.

John 20 · chapter mention

They show up here at the tomb.

And although in their future,

as they look down the road,

there is no place that is safe for them,

not only in terms of potential persecution

because of following after Jesus,

but also the humiliation of everyone

and all the surrounding regions

knowing just who they were,

through feelings of personal loss

and the nagging feeling

that the last three years had been wasted,

they're still here.

They're still here at the tomb.

We find them

experiencing the benefits of the resurrection

as we look at this passage this morning.

The empty tomb would make all things new for them.

It would make all things new.

And this morning as we look at this,

I want you to understand

that the resurrection leads to rising faith.

It leads to rising faith.

First, I want you to see

that faith is a personal journey.

Faith is a personal journey.

We find that here in verse 1 and 2.

Let me read this for us.

It says,

Now, on the first day of the week,

Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early,

while it was still dark,

and saw that the stone had been taken away

from the tomb.

Period.

Now, for any of you who have grown up in church,

and for any of you who are familiar

with the resurrection accounts,

recognize the spotty detail

that John gives to us in this moment.

One verse to essentially summarize

the entire events that are taking place

for Mary at the tomb.

Keep your finger

here in John chapter 20,

John 20 · chapter mention

and turn with me, if you would,

over to Luke 24.

I want to fill this out for you a little bit

so you can see for yourself

what is taking place,

and so we can ask ourselves the question,

what in the world does John have in mind?

What is the point

of this passage for us?

In Luke chapter 24,

Luke 24 · chapter mention

beginning at verse 1.

And we could look at Matthew,

we could look at Mark,

I have those passages noted for you

in your handout,

but this morning we only have time

to look at one of these

three other accounts.

It says,

But on the first day of the week,

at early dawn,

they went to the tomb,

taking the spices they had prepared.

Now, who is the they?

Jump down just for a second

to verse 10,

and you'll see who the they was.

Now, it was Mary Magdalene,

and Joanna,

and Mary the mother of James,

and the other women with them

who told these things to the apostles.

So how many women are we talking about?

At least four,

and probably many others.

That's who shows up to the tomb.

Verse 2.

And they found the stone

rolled away from the tomb.

But when they went in,

they did not find the body

of the Lord Jesus.

While they were perplexed about this,

behold,

two men stood by them

in dazzling apparel.

And as they were frightened

and bowed their faces to the ground,

the men said to them,

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

He is not here,

but he is risen.

Remember how he told you

while he was still in Galilee

that the Son of Man

must be delivered

into the hands of sinful men

and be crucified

and on the third day rise?

And they remembered his words

in returning from the tomb.

They told all these things

to the eleven

and to all the rest.

That's verse 1 of John,

John 20:1

chapter 20,

verse 1.

So, you might ask yourself

the question,

Where are all of the other women?

What about the earthquake

that we find in Matthew?

What about the soldiers

that they seem to have stepped

around in order to get to the tomb?

What about the angels

that show up in radiant splendor?

And what about the message

that the angels deliver

to these women?

And what about the faith

that we seem to find

in this group of women

in returning to tell the apostles

about the news?

Why is John

seem to be so fascinated with Mary?

Why her story?

Why is it just Mary

that we find here

in John's account?

Was John uninformed

about what had happened?

Is John confused

in some way?

Or does John have

a special objective,

a focus that he desires

to communicate?

Well, there's some truths

we need to remember

when we look at passages

like this.

We need to understand,

first of all,

that Scripture is true,

not just in concept,

but in content.

not just in the ideas

that it shares,

but in the actual words

that it uses.

Scripture is true.

And because it's true

that the details

of the word

can be harmonized.

They work together.

They don't contradict

each other.

So the accounts

that we find

in Matthew

and Mark

and Luke

fill out

for us

a deeper,

fuller view

of the events

that take place

here at the tomb.

But John has a reason.

What is John's purpose

for focusing

on Mary?

I believe we can find

the purpose

as we think about

his purpose statement

we find here

in this chapter.

We're finally getting

to the end.

We're finally getting

to this purpose statement

that John shares with us

in John 20, 31.

These are written

so that you may believe

that Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God.

John wants us,

the readers,

to come to faith.

And he wants you

to realize

that coming to faith

is a personal journey.

No one can believe

for you.

It is something

you must believe

for yourself.

And all throughout

the Gospel of John,

John brings this point

to bear in our hearts.

We read several accounts

through all of the Gospel

that focus on individuals.

John is interested

in the unique stories

of individual people.

We find specific stories

only in the Gospel of John

that concentrate

on individuals.

In chapter 1,

the story of Andrew.

In chapter 1,

the story of Philip

and Nathaniel.

In chapter 3,

the story of Nicodemus.

In chapter 4,

the story of the Samaritan woman.

Towards the end

of chapter 4,

the story of the nobleman's son.

And then the lame man

by the pool of Bethesda.

Remember,

Jesus walks by

all of these sick people,

picks out one,

and ministers to the one.

The woman caught in adultery

in chapter 8.

The man born blind

in chapter 9.

The raising of Lazarus

in chapter 11.

And then this concentration

of ministry we find

from chapters 13

to chapter 17

where Jesus focuses in

on his disciples.

Ministry specifically to them.

And here,

his focus on Mary Magdalene.

John is interested

in reinforcing the message.

Faith is a personal journey.

It can be reinforced

by a faith community.

But it must be embraced

by you personally.

So how does Mary respond?

Where is Mary

in this narrative?

What is her conclusion?

What does she walk away with?

What is Mary's initial conclusion?

That is point number two.

Let's look at it here

in verse 2

and see.

It says,

So she ran

and went to Simon Peter

and the other disciple

and the one whom Jesus loved.

And she said to them,

They have taken

the Lord

out of the tomb

and we do not know

where they have laid him.

That's

her conclusion.

There are so many

positive things

about Mary Magdalene.

We'll look at her story

a little bit more

in depth next week.

So please come back

so we can see

the rest of the story

from Mary Magdalene.

It is an exciting story.

Here we find

she comes up.

She shows up

immediately after

the Passover.

The morning after

the Passover.

She is there when?

Look at the text.

When does she show up

in verse 1?

The sun hadn't even

come up yet.

She is ready

to go

to minister

to her Lord.

She has a plan

we find from

the other

gospel records.

She comes prepared

with her friends

to tend

to the body

to anoint it

with spices.

You may ask

yourself the question

what is the point

of Mary

anointing Jesus'

body

when it had already

been done

as we saw last week

by Nicodemus

and Joseph

of Arimathea?

Well

if you remember

the urgency

of the moment

that the Roman

soldiers had to

break the legs

of those criminals

hanging on the cross

because the Sabbath

was coming

quickly

you realize

that there was

a condensed

window of time

in which

to get the body

down

to get permission

from Pilate

to run the body

to the tomb

to put it in

the right place

to anoint

and prepare it

the right way

wrapping it

the way it was

supposed to be wrapped

get all of that done

get back home

before Sabbath begins.

And Mary

Magdalene

the other Mary

and several other

women with her

only ones

to observe this

from a distance

recognize

that the preparation

of the body

had not

quite been

to their

satisfaction.

So they make

a personal

investment

they go out

and buy

the right

spices

so they can

come ready

to do it

the right way

to prepare

the body

the way

devotion

demanded.

These were

women who had

been devoted

to Jesus

not only here

in the final

moments

but they had

been devoted

to Jesus

throughout

his entire

ministry.

We find

again from

the other

gospel records

these are

women who

followed him

from Galilee.

That's significant.

Have you missed

that in the past?

Do you realize

that Mary

came with an

entourage

of individuals

along with the

rest of the

pilgrims

and disciples

with Jesus

to Jerusalem?

Jerusalem?

They were

there

ministering

to him

in Jerusalem

but they

had ministered

to him

throughout

his earthly

ministry.

We find

from Luke

Luke 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

that Mary

had made

a personal

investment

she was

essentially

a financer

of

Jesus'

ministry

not only

vested

in the process

of being a

part of his

ministry

but vested

in

contributing

to the

ministry

so that

it could

continue.

They were

among the

only loyal

disciples

at the

cross.

They were

the only

ones to

show up

at the

tomb

when the

body was

being

prepared.

And now

here they

are the

first to

show up

now the

tomb

is empty.

But what

screams

through this

text and

what you

walk away

from in

reading

verse 2

says what

about her

faith at

this point?

Go ahead

read it

for yourself.

What does

verse 2

say about

Mary's

faith

in light

of her

incredible

devotion?

Her

faith was

still

inadequate.

They have

taken the

Lord out

of the

tomb.

We don't

know where

they have

laid him.

For all

of Mary's

devotion it

could not

lead her

to faith.

For all

of Mary's

previous

faith it

could not

endure the

test of

time when

hardship hit

at this

point.

She had

been a

woman of

faith but

now faith

was fleeting

for her.

But she

becomes a

catalyst for

Peter in

John.

And again

we'll follow

her narrative

next week

where Jesus

reinforces

faith in

her and

leads her

to true

genuine

enduring

faith.

Come back

next week

for that.

The rest

of the

story.

But John

wants to

draw our

attention this

morning to

this personal

journey of

faith.

Wherever you

are this

morning you

are a person

of faith.

Whether you

believe in

Jesus or

you choose

not to

believe.

You're

believing in

this world.

You're

believing in

the satisfactions

of this

life.

Where do

you stand

on the

spectrum of

faith today?

You can't

put your

confidence in

a faith that

happened sometime

in the past.

It must be a

faith that

endures, that

lives, that

continues.

I'm reminded

of Ephesians

Ephesians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 where

the apostle Paul

is praying for

the church of

Ephesus.

He prays that

Christ may dwell

in their hearts

through faith.

Is faith

flourishing in

your life?

Faith in

Christ and

what he's

accomplished?

Does it

spill out in

affection for

him, in

trusting him

for what he

says?

Guiding your

decisions by

the things that

God has said

are right and

true?

guiding your

affections by

your own

personal cravings

and desires?

Do you realize

this morning that

devotion, however

strong in your

life, can never

lead you to

true faith?

No matter how

disciplined you

might be,

no matter how

dedicated you

think you are,

your devotion to

God is inadequate

to lead you to

faith.

Coming to

church, reading

your Bible,

loving your

spouse, being a

good student,

giving your money

to the poor,

being a good

neighbor, loving

the people around

you, having a

happy spirit,

being generally

positive in your

dealings with

individuals, being a

model citizen,

showing up to all

the events, even

being a part of

ministry, your

devotion cannot

lead you to

genuine faith.

And Mary is

coming face to

face with that

reality.

Faith is a

personal journey.

Are you living by

faith today?

But faith is

also reinforced by

evidence.

Praise the

Lord that faith

can be reinforced

by evidence.

And that's our

next point this

morning.

We find that in

verses 3 to

7.

Let me read

that for us.

It says this,

So Peter went

out with the

other disciple,

and they were

going towards

the tomb.

Both of them

were running

together, but

the other

disciple outran

Peter and

reached the

tomb first.

And stooping to

look in, he saw

that the linen

clothes lying

there, but he

did not go in.

Then Simon Peter

came, following

him, and went

into the tomb.

He saw the linen

clothes lying

there, and the

face cloth, which

had been on

Jesus' head, not

lying with the

linen cloths, but

folded up in a

place by itself.

Then the other

disciple, who had

reached the tomb

first, also went

in, and he saw

and believed.

I want you to

understand this

morning that Jesus

gives us confirming

witnesses.

He is not afraid of

evidence to

reinforce his

truth claims.

witness.

The first witness

that we see is

the witness of

the empty tomb.

That was a

confirming work of

Christ to state

categorically, the

promises that I

have made in the

past are promises

that you can count

on.

They have been

fulfilled.

Something that

strikes my

attention is that

Jesus could have

risen and left

the tomb shut.

He could have

passed through that

rock just as he

passed through the

door of the

upper room.

But Jesus gives

an open invitation

to anyone who

would come and

observe.

Look in the

tomb.

It is empty.

I have risen from

the dead.

The evidence is

there.

Come see for

yourself.

He's happy to

put the evidence

on display.

He's happy to

give witness to

the truth that

he has proclaimed.

He's not afraid

to give us that

confirming witness,

the witness of

the empty tomb.

Jesus had stated

on at least three

occasions to his

disciples and to

the public, I

will go to trial

by the Jews.

I will be handed

over to the

Gentiles.

I will be

crucified.

And on the

third day I will

rise.

And if that

had not happened,

you would say

that Jesus'

truth claims

were a sham.

But he gives

clear and

sufficient evidence,

even in this

moment, to the

truth that he

had proclaimed.

The stone is

removed.

John, who is

that other

disciple that he

refers to,

apparently is

quicker than

Peter, makes it

to the tomb.

He's looking

inside.

And he sees

the linen

clothes that

are lying

there.

Peter, who

eventually catches

up, does what

we would expect

Peter to do.

He runs right in

without giving a

second thought.

He sees the

scene.

He checks out

the linen

clothes lying on

that stone table.

He sees the

face cloth that

is not where it

should be, where

the head would

normally be

placed.

He sees it in a

different spot,

folded.

Jesus is

gone.

The clothes are

not strewn out

over the floor.

They're not

torn or cut.

The body had

not been

manhandled in

any way.

It should have

been obvious

what had

happened.

They, of all

people, should

have known,

I know what

this means.

Jesus is

risen.

But they're

not there.

They're not

there.

It does give

some indication

that there is

rising faith in

the heart of

John.

There seems to

be a glimmer of

hope for him.

It does indicate

that he saw

and believed.

We'll look at

that in a

moment.

But not only

is there the

evidence or

the witness of

the empty

tomb, there

is also the

witness of

confirming works.

The witness of

confirming works.

These disciples

are not

rookies when

it comes to

time with

Jesus.

They had

spent three

and a half

years in

ministry seeing

the power of

God flowing

through the

person of

Christ.

They saw

his power over

the wind,

wind, in the

waves.

They had

experienced it

for themselves.

There they

were on the

Sea of Galilee

rowing for all

they were worth

for hours in

the dark,

wondering if

they would

survive the

journey.

And here

comes this

figure across

the lake,

this shadowy

figure that

looked like a

specter.

And they know

it is Jesus.

Jesus.

And Jesus

with a word

in a moment

brings peace

and calm to

the wind and

waves.

They see his

power.

The power to

trump any of

their human

energy.

Power over

wind and

waves.

Power over

the elements.

They saw his

power over the

demons.

How many times

had Jesus

encountered men

and women

who had been

in bondage

to the

supernatural

for the

duration of

their life.

Communities

who had

tried to

remove this

menace from

among them

had shackled

them in

chains,

had driven

them out of

their community

and yet the

menace still

existed for

all of the

energy that

they had to

try to

confine and

constrain

this individual.

And Jesus

shows up and

with a word

commands the

demons to

flee.

In a moment

he exercises

his superior

authority over

the supernatural.

They had seen

the witness

of his power

over illness.

People who

had been

gripped by

illness for

their entire

lives.

I think of

the woman who

had been

hunched over

for 15 years

had tried to

access all

of the

resources that

were at her

disposal,

all of the

physicians,

all of the

help she

could get.

Actually she

had an issue

of blood.

So remembering

the story.

And Jesus

comes and

she touches

the hem of

his garment

and in a

moment she's

healed.

Others who

were blind

or lame

or deaf

for their

entire lives.

And Jesus

in a moment

with a word

demonstrates

his authority

over their

illness.

And of course

his power

over death.

Jairus'

daughter,

the widow's

son,

and recently

in their

recent history

the resurrection

of Lazarus.

Who when

Jesus raises

him says

to his

disciples,

I am glad

we were not

there so

that I

could lead

you to

believe.

It would

be the

moment that

they would

look back

on and

remember

eventually.

But they

were not

there in

this moment.

Still fresh

in the

people's

minds,

the resurrection

of Lazarus

as the

triumphal

entry took

place and

all of the

people who

remembered

Lazarus

were parading

in with that

company and

Jesus into

Jerusalem.

with the

triumphal

entry.

And even

the night

before Jesus

was crucified,

he points

to his

works in

John 14.

He says,

believe me

that I am

in the

Father and

the Father

is in me

or else

believe on

the account

of the

works

themselves.

Jesus had

given them

a witness.

Jesus'

confirming

power was

undeniable

proof of

his divinity.

proof of

his

authority.

God does

that for us

as well.

He gives

us confirming

witnesses.

The witness

of creation

to testify

to his

splendor

and glory.

The proof

of his

intervention

especially with

the people of

Israel throughout

history.

The proof

of a changed

life.

proof.

The proof

of answered

prayer.

The proof

of fulfilled

promises.

The proof

of abounding

joy.

The proof

of enduring

peace.

Jesus is not

afraid of the

evidence.

Jesus is not

afraid to

help us

understand that

the truth

claims that he

makes will be

things that he

will follow

through on.

He can be

trusted.

And as we

see in verse

8, there

seems to be

evidence that

faith is

beginning to

rise in

John's heart.

But what

kind of faith

does John

have at this

point?

What does

John believe?

What is

going on in

his mind?

Is this

saving faith?

Or is this

something else?

And as a

side note, I

just want to

take a quick

detour for a

moment.

And I want to

encourage you

not only in

relationship to

the message

today, but I

want to encourage

you that these

are the kinds

of questions

you should be

asking yourself

in your own

Bible study.

Why is this

here?

Why does

John leave out

certain details?

Why is he

focused on

Mary?

What does it

mean that he

talks about

his faith?

What is he

really believing?

And so for

this last point,

I want to

kind of walk

you through

briefly some

of the steps

that you can

take for

yourself in

arriving at

some of the

answers to

big questions

in the

scripture.

Because my

premise now,

this point

number three,

is faith is

incomplete

without the

scripture.

Faith is

incomplete

without the

scripture.

You say,

now, wait

a second,

that's not

what I see

here.

That's not

what it seems

to indicate

in verse

eight.

It seems

to indicate

that John

shows up,

he sees

the tomb,

and he

believes.

But what

does verse

nine say?

for as

yet,

they did

not

understand

the

scripture,

that he

must rise

from the

dead.

Why does

John put

that there?

Because he

wants to

qualify the

kind of

faith that

he actually

had at this

point.

And it

was not a

faith

necessarily

in the

resurrection,

but a

faith in the

fact that

Jesus was

just gone.

commentators

are mixed

on this,

and I

am going

to shake

probably

dangerously

all of the

things that

the commentators

are saying,

because as

I study

through the

gospel,

I think

there's a

different

conclusion to

draw here.

So bear

with me as

I walk

this through

with you,

and I'm

going to put

it in your

hands to

decide whether

or not you're

going to agree

with me or

agree with

the commentators.

It's probably

safer to agree

with the

commentators.

Faith is

incomplete

without the

scripture.

Why do I

say that?

What is

believing here?

I want you

to understand

the use of

the word

believing

throughout the

gospel of

John is

not necessarily

believing to

faith in

salvation,

but believing

in the

moment.

Why do I

say that?

Let me show

you some

examples.

Keep your

finger in

John chapter

John 20 · chapter mention

20,

I want

to try

to walk

through this

quickly,

so bear

with me.

If you

need my

notes,

I'm happy

to give

it to

you.

Look

with me

at the

beginning

of the

book,

John

John 2:11

chapter 2,

verse 11.

I want you

to see this

for yourself

and even

circle them

as we go

through.

John

John 2:11

chapter 2,

verse 11.

verse 11.

It says

this,

this,

the first

of his

signs,

Jesus did

at Cana

in Galilee

and manifested

his glory

and his

disciples

believed in

him.

This is the

wedding at

Cana.

This is

turning the

water to

wine.

And it

says that

his disciples

believed.

And yet,

if you know

anything about

the gospels,

you hear

Jesus in

the background

saying time

and time

and time

again,

oh you

of little

faith.

Does that

sound like

saving faith

to you?

They were

believing in

something.

They were

believing that

Jesus did

actually what

he did here,

but there was

something missing,

something

superficial

about their

faith.

Jump down

to verse 23

of chapter 2.

Now,

when he was

in Jerusalem

at the

Passover feast,

many believed

in his name.

What happened?

Many

believed

in his name

when they

saw the

signs that

he was

doing,

but

Jesus,

on his

part,

did not

entrust

himself to

them because

he knew

all people.

Basically,

Jesus knew

their hearts.

Jesus knew

how bankrupt

their faith

really was.

It was

faith for

the moment.

It wasn't

faith that

was enduring.

Turn a page

over with me

to John

John 4:50

chapter 4,

verse 50.

John 4,

50.

It says

this.

This is

Jesus healing

the official's

son.

It says,

Jesus said

to him,

go,

your son

will live.

The man

believed the

word that

Jesus spoke

to him

and went

on his

way.

But then

if you drop

down to

verse 53,

you see

something else.

the father

knew that

was the

hour when

Jesus had

said to

him,

your son

will live,

and he

himself

believed

in all

his

household.

What in

the world

is going

on here?

I thought

he was

already

believing.

So there

is examples

here of

progressing

faith.

That's my

point.

And as

you look

through the

gospel of

John,

you'll see

progressing

faith that's

taking shape

in the hearts

of people as

they're responding

to the

moment.

They're responding

to the stimuli

that they

have right

in front

of them,

whether it's

the words

of Jesus

or the

works of

Jesus.

But it's

not the

testimony of

enduring

faith.

There's

also examples

in the

gospel of

John of

defective

faith.

Examples of

defective

faith.

Turn with

me to

John chapter

John 7 · chapter mention

7 for

one of

those

examples.

John

John 7:31

chapter 7

verse

31.

John 7

31.

Yet,

many of

the people

believed in

him.

They said,

when the

Christ appears,

will he do

more signs

than this

man has

done?

Are you

kidding me?

Is he the

Christ or

not?

Are you

believing in

him as the

Messiah or

what?

What a

confused group

of individuals.

How about

in John

John 8:30

chapter 8

verse 30?

Turn a page.

John chapter

John 8:30

8 verse 30.

As he was

saying these

things,

many believed

in him.

Well,

that's good.

But what do

we find?

As you work

your way through

the narrative,

you find that

Jesus actually

calls them

son of the

devil.

And he

reinforces to

them in verse

45 that what

they thought was

faith was not

actually faith at

all.

Look at

John 8

45.

But because

I tell you

the truth,

you do not

believe me.

Defective

faith.

Misplaced

faith.

It was not

genuine.

Okay.

So John

believes.

He believes

in the

evidence

immediately in

front of him.

But I

want you to

understand that

it is not

necessarily

saving faith.

It is faith

in the moment.

faith for

the present.

In seeing

the events

and knowing

that something

quite extraordinary

was taking

place but not

quite knowing

what.

And now we

find John's

emphasis on the

scripture in

verse 9.

That's our

final point this