He Is Worthy: The Gospel According to John

By J.D. Dehm

This book is the result of some 40 years of teaching adult Sunday School classes. The format, inspired by the writings of Thomas Aquinas, evolved while working with Senior Adults. They were dedicated to the Sunday School process both in their attendance and in study preparations for the class. Many of them had difficulty reading the scriptures from their Bibles so I began to type the text in a 14, bold font so they could participate in the teaching process. When some missed classes due to illness or other events, they would often get discouraged about not having been there. That is when I began to print out the lessons each week as they were to be taught. Following that, the homebound came into play and requested copies of lessons because attending members had lent them theirs. Members began to send copies to their friends, neighbors and relatives. One of the extended recipients participated in a Jail ministry in her home church and began forwarding her copies to her inmate. After the jailers read the lessons, they were passed on to the inmate who then shared them with her cell block. From there, her lesson was mailed to her Aunt. God was getting a lot of mileage out of each of His lessons!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481711425

J.D. Dehm

All of my formal education has been in the medical fields. I was a Trauma Specialist, LVN, Surgical Tech and Lab Tech. I served in the Air Force during the early 60’s. When I became a civilian I was married to a most remarkable man. Sam was a quadriplegic from polio. A patient of mine introduced us. We had four children; three daughters and one son. I am so proud of the adults they have each become as all are in service related careers. They have given me equally wonderful daughter- and sons-in-laws, nine beautiful grandchildren and soon to be three great-grand- children. This book is the result of teaching Sunday School for some fifty years. It is also the result of an insatiable curiosity and being a compulsive researcher. I credit my Mother with my close relationship with Christ because through her nightly reading of Bible stories, as a preschooler, I asked Jesus to be my best friend. He has always been with me, guiding my path, as much as I would allow Him. I must admit, I’ve worn out many a guardian angel. Other interests are my family, landscaping my yard, oil painting and sculpting our old Texas limestone rocks. I’ve written many Muppet scripts, church programs and plays and a multimedia program. This however is my first attempt at publishing any of my work. For some time I have felt a sense of urgency to completing this book. I now know why. I was just diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer. This book has become my gift to all who genuinely seek an up-close-and-personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Walking hand-in-hand with Jesus is a glorious adventure. It is my prayer that this book will enable you to find the same life of adventure to which I have been privy. Jesus the Christ is real; both human and divine. He wants you to see life through His eyes based on a background of eternity. Furthermore, He walks with you every step of the way. May you be abundantly blessed by the study of this book.

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© 2013 by J. D. Dehm. All rights reserved.

All illustrations by J.D. Dehm

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/04/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-1143-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-1142-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013901688

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Prologue

The Book Of Signs

Chapter 1      Fully Human, Fully Divine

Chapter 2      Mundane Into Majesty

Chapter 3      Newborn Eyes

Chapter 4      Wellsprings Of Living Water

Chapter 5      Choosing Healing

Chapter 6      Feeding And Filled

Chapter 7      Through Newborn Eyes

Chapter 8      The Adulterer, The I Am

Chapter 9      Who Is Blind?

Chapter 10      His Sheep Hear Him

Chapter 11      The Dead, The Living, The Dead

Chapter 12      Anointing, Triumphal Entry, God Speaks

The Book Of Glory

Chapter 13      Forgiveness, Betrayal And Completion

Chapter 14      Heaven, The Holy Spirit And Peace

Chapter 15      Fruitfulness In Spite Of The World

Chapter 16      The World, The Holy Spirit And Christ’s Return

Chapter 17      Christ’s Prayer For You

Chapter 18      The End Begins

Chapter 19      Pilate: Stand Or Cave?

Chapter 20      The Real Hallelujah Chorus

Chapter 21      Physical Proof And Forgiveness

Bibliography

This book is dedicated to all who desire to evolve from Head Knowledge to Heart Knowledge of their Divine/human Lord and Savior; Jesus the Christ.

Prologue

About The Preperations

This book is the result of some 40 years of teaching adult Sunday School classes. The format, inspired by the writings of Thomas Aquinas, evolved while working with Senior Adults. They were dedicated to the Sunday School process both in their attendance and in study preparations for the class. Many of them had difficulty reading the scriptures from their Bibles so I began to type the text in a 14, bold font so they could participate in the teaching process. When some missed classes due to illness or other events, they would often get discouraged about not having been there. That is when I began to print out the lessons each week as they were to be taught. Following that, the homebound came into play and requested copies of lessons because attending members had lent them theirs. Members began to send copies to their friends, neighbors and relatives. One of the extended recipients participated in a Jail ministry in her home church and began forwarding her copies to her inmate. After the jailers read the lessons, they were passed on to the inmate who then shared them with her cell block. From there, her lesson was mailed to her Aunt. God was getting a lot of mileage out of each of His lessons!

Being a compulsive researcher, the study material in the Quarterlies was not enough information. My class enjoyed learning about locations, traditions and life styles from the text we were studying. Over the 40-some odd years, I can’t even begin to say which information came from where. I can only share that which I gained from the research material. A list of the references I’ve poured over is included at the back of the book. That way you will know who really deserves the credit for this book.

JOHN WHO… JOHN WHY?

John was the son of Salome and Zebedee, the brother of James and, he was following in the family business of fishing before he and James were called by Jesus to be Disciples. He became part of Jesus’ inner circle along with Peter and his brother, James. He authored this Gospel, three epistles (1st, 2nd and 3rd John) as well as the book of Revelations.

With the rapid spread of Christianity in its infancy, it became necessary to record accurate accounts of Jesus’ life and mission. There were already many apocryphal Gnostic writings containing fanciful legends being circulated. It was necessary for the truth to be recorded before the eye-witnesses died off. For these reasons, Mark was written in the A.D. 50’s for all the Roman converts to accurately understand the Gospel. Luke followed in A.D. 60’ish focusing on the other Pagan Gentiles coming into the fold. Matthew followed a few years later directing the Gospel toward understanding and acceptance for the Jews. His Gospel account contains a great deal of fulfilled prophesy to aid in the understanding and acceptance process.

John was written somewhere between A.D.85-90. John’s Gospel is aimed at the Christian believers specifically, emphasizing the deity AND humanity of Christ. He accomplishes this by stressing many of Jesus’ signs. *Chapters 1-12 are referred to as the *Book of signs. *Chapters 13-20 are labeled as the *Book of Glory, thus stressing John’s purpose for writing. *Chapter 21 is his *Conclusion. The first three Gospels contain the same historical information regarding Christ’s life and are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels.

At the beginning of each chapter there will be a map showing where the actions within the chapter are taking place.

•   Remember, the Holy Lands begin at Sea level on the Mediterranean Sea.

•   The land rises to its peak between 3333 to1829 feet above sea level.

•   This ridge runs from just past Samaria southward to well past the southern border of the Dead Sea. (Includes Magdala, Nazareth, Sychem, Jerusalem and Bethlehem.)

•   The terrain then falls to 685 feet below sea level (at the Sea of Galilee) to (the world’s lowest) 1290 feet below sea level on the Dead Sea.

•   The shores of the Dead Sea are surrounded by cliffs of 1500 to 2500 feet high.

*Throughout each study section are highlighted portions for your reviewing convenience.*

The Book

Of Signs

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Chapter 1

Fully Human, Fully Divine

In the first chapter, the first 18 verses are considered the prologue, clearly delineating the divinity and humanity of Christ. Verses 19-42 relate Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s overlapping ministries. Finally, verses 43-51, through Philip’s call to discipleship, reveals Christ to be the fulfillment of Moses’ Law as well as the prophets’ announcements of the coming Messiah. Jesus had been promised since the fall of man (Genesis 3:15).

JOHN 1:1-3, CHRIST THE ETERNAL DIVINITY

1.   IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD.

2.   HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD.

3.   THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE; WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT HAS BEEN MADE.

John begins by stressing the divinity of Christ. Take time to carefully look at these words. Absorb the depth of their meaning. When there was nothing else, there was the Word of God. God and the Word are inter-changeable. In the beginning… (Genesis 1) God created everything from nothingness. This was the first recorded creation. All was accomplished by God’s Word. God’s Word has the power to create and RE-CREATE. John records the Re-creation.

Genesis further tells us, Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness:’ . . . So, how do we know that this plurality refers to Jesus? The Greek for Word is logos. For Greeks this meant the creative, logical and decisive force within the universe. Thus, this Logos could not have merely been an essence; rather, He was a Person. Now, reread these verses and substitute Jesus for the Word.

Our author, John, knew the divinity of Christ from first-hand experience. Has YOUR experience revealed the awesome Divinity of Christ to you? Hopefully, this study will serve to deepen your relationship with this divine Christ Jesus. Without the STABILITY of CHRIST in your life, your days will be filled with all the consternation the world has to offer. Meet your Divine Savior now!

JOHN 1: 4-5 THE LIGHT

4.   IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THAT LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN.

5.   THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, BUT THE DARKNESS HAS NOT UNDERSTOOD IT.

Again John goes Greek on us using the word, zoe, for life. This word means quick (as in the quick and the dead) for life or vitality. Therefore, in Jesus was the physical plane which mankind knows and lives upon. Christ breathed the breath of life into us and gave us our soul. Our soul is that part of us which draws us to God because it is a part of God Himself! This leads us to John’s next adjective for Jesus, phos. This Greek word means to make manifest or to shed light upon, to reveal. Jesus the Christ reveals our God side to us! This is an empowering revelation in that it places God with you and you with God; constant companions. That’s how He is omnipresent! Naturally you have the freedom to place that revelation ahead of your life circumstances OR behind them. When you allow the world and all its circumstances to have dominance over your life, you deny that part of you which is God and forfeit all of your power! That is when life begins to control you, not you controlling life. This lack of control becomes the darkness, which John points out, can not understand the Light. John uses the Greek word, katalambo, which means to grasp with a sense of urgency. You, therefore are to hang on to this understanding for dear life; because it IS your dear life! Do you really want your God Jehovah to be with you in all your choices and circumstances? Will you allow Christ to lead you out of your darkness? (We all have our dark spots!)

JOHN 1:6-9 JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST

6.   THERE CAME A MAN WHO WAS SENT FROM GOD; HIS NAME WAS JOHN.

7.   HE CAME AS A WITNESS TO TESTIFY CONCERNING THAT LIGHT, SO THAT THROUGH HIM ALL MEN MIGHT BELIEVE.

8.   HE HIMSELF WAS NOT THE LIGHT; HE CAME ONLY TO WITNESS TO THE LIGHT.

9.   THE TRUE LIGHT THAT GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN WAS COMING INTO THE WORLD.

John the Baptist is inserted here because at the time when John the Apostle wrote this, some people claimed that John the Baptist was the promised Messiah. That John, a priest by birthright and cousin of Christ through Mary’s lineage, was assigned by God strictly to prepare hearts to be open to receive the TRUE Messiah, The Light. He did so by showing the people how hopeless and sinful they were; even when living the best they could. (Romans 3:23… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,) Have you seen the real you? Did you like all that you see? You must acknowledge your short-comings (repent) and seek forgiveness (have a desire to change for the better). Now your heart has been prepared to receive Christ Jesus, the Savior? Even the Crier in the Wilderness with all his popularity and following said, He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30); not a bad motto to claim! There are many people and things which can become false messiahs to lead you from the truths of Christ. A false messiah is anyone or thing which claims more of your thoughts than Christ. The only way to NOT fall prey to these false messiahs is to know through study and prayer, up-close and personal, the REAL Messiah; Christ Jesus the Lord! Do you know Christ this deeply? If so, the mere thought of His Holy Name should hold the dearness of your favorite person or memory. Desire, study and prayer are required to establish such a relationship. Do you so desire? John the Baptist prepared the way by preparing people’s hearts to make room for change. Is there the room in your heart for this Christ the Messiah to take up residence and begin recreating you from the inside out?

JOHN 1:10-14 JESUS MADE FLESH

10.   HE WAS IN THE WORLD, AND THOUGH THE WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM, THE WORLD DID NOT RECEIVE HIM.

11.   HE CAME TO THAT WHICH WAS HIS OWN, BUT HIS OWN DID NOT RECEIVE HIM.

12.   YET TO ALL WHO RECEIVE HIM, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME, HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD—

13.   CHILDREN BORN NOT OF NATURAL DESCENT, NOR OF HUMAN DECISION OR OF A HUSBAND’S WILL, BUT BORN OF GOD.

14.   THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND MADE HIS DWELLING PLACE AMONG US. WE HAVE SEEN HIS GLORY, THE GLORY OF THE ONE AND ONLY, WHO CAME FROM THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.

The very Creator of the world walked right here on earth amongst His own creation! That creation didn’t recognize its Creator and many rejected Him. That Creator has the authority to make us His children; members of His own family, the adopted children of the Abba (Daddy) Father. We can see His glory, His grace and His truth whenever we turn our hearts toward Him. You have been adopted into God’s Holy Kingdom! This text invites you to walk personally and closely with your Creator/Redeemer, Jesus the Christ! Let the Word become living through reading and receiving His Word. And why was it necessary for Christ Jesus to become mortal, a man? Here is history in a nut-shell . . .

•   The world was created in perfection and man literally walked and talked with God.

•   Satan offered mankind the knowledge of good and evil putting them on equal footing with God (as Satan considers himself to be… Isaiah 14:12-14).

•   Man’s disobedience (to not eat the fruit of that one tree… Genesis 2:16-17) and lost him his one-on-one fellowship with God (because God cannot be in the presence of imperfection)

•   God continued to watch over and walk with His created man through the pages of your Bible’s recorded history, though they seldom saw Him and kept straying from Him.

•   Jesus Christ, your Savior, LEFT His heavenly splendor, took on human form, went through the birth process and walked this earth as one of us.

•   He, the New Tabernacle, experienced ALL the feelings, joys, pains, sorrows, disappointments, etc. which we experience through our life-times . . . the creator was amongst His created again.

•   Christ remained faithful to His Word, willingly gave up His body on a gruesome cross, defeated Satan and was physically resurrected.

•   Christ the Messiah’s perfection gives Him the right to claim you when you believe that He has that authority.

Perhaps this illustration will totally clarify Jesus’ work:

Heaven: The Word The Word The Word The Word and man

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Earth: The Word and man Man falls The Word and man

GET PERSONAL WITH THIS JESUS THE CHRIST!

JOHN 1: 15-18 JOHN, MOSES, JESUS

15.   JOHN BORE WITNESS OF HIM, AND CRIED OUT, SAYING, THIS IS HE OF WHOM I SAID, ‘HE WHO COMES AFTER ME HAS A HIGHER RANK THAN I, FOR HE EXISTED BEFORE ME.’

16.   FROM THE FULNESS OF HIS GRACE WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED ONE BLESSING AFTER ANOTHER.

17.   FOR THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES; GRACE AND TRUTH CAME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

18.   NO MAN HAS SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME; BUT THE ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD (Jesus), WHO IS NOW AT THE FATHER’S SIDE (the Christ), HAS MADE HIM KNOWN (has opened the way to Him).

This section stresses the work of those involved in the salvation process. John the Baptist prepared hearts to recognize their hopeless need for re-creation due to each man’s inability to obtain the perfection needed to be in God’s presence. He also pointed hearts to God’s answer to the problem, Christ the Messiah. That was John the Baptist’s job and he did it. Moses, earlier in history, provided us with God’s standards (known as the Ten Commandments), God’s characteristics and expectations of us. These were to re-establish a personal relationship with God.

At the same time they became our source of conviction. Moses was also to set up a priesthood nation to help guide all men on the right course. That was Moses’ job and he did it. Then comes Christ, who had been in God’s very presence. Jesus Christ CHOSE to dwell among us putting God’s will ahead of His own throughout ALL of His earthly life. This Jesus offered Himself up, being the only sacrifice which could defeat Satan’s control for good and reclaim creation for God. That was Jesus’ job and He did it.

Notice here the ones who make the difference are those who are obedient to God. They put God’s will first, above all their own goals and desires. They become what God created them (you) to be. Are YOU becoming what God created you to be? Do you have the conviction of heart to pursue a genuine relationship with an actual, real Savior? Do you know what your job might be? It will take many years (actually your whole lifetime) to evolve into that person of total understanding and obedience. Remember, Moses was 80 when he began his hike through the wilderness with that griping, uncooperative group headed for the Promised Land. That trip took another 40 years. Moses, himself, never entered that Promised Land because he (and Aaron) did not bring forth water from a rock vocally, to demonstrate God’s presence and power. (Numbers 20: 8-13) Rather he said, we shall bring forth water from this rock; he then hit it with his rod. Moses IS with God now and appeared with Elijah at Jesus’ Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5); proving the power of God’s forgiveness and grace. Not a single one of us deserves or earns ANY of the gifts God entrusts to us. True justice is that all blessings are gifts from the love of a gracious Father given to His undeserving children. Moses didn’t pout and neither should you! Besides, the Hebrews would have made Moses their god had he entered the land with them. They couldn’t live up to their potential as it was. Will you pursue God’s purpose for your life and willingly give Him the time necessary to get you to the place where you can choose to obey? The reward is not some fantasy-like, ethereal, abstract or emotional high type relationship with God. The reward is knowing God as He knows you. He has even given you the Holy Spirit for your guide, if you’ll listen! Expect to make some mistakes; but, through acknowledgement of you defiance, you stand forgiven by the human part of God, Christ Jesus your Lord and Savior. Adam and Eve were forgiven; but, once the fruit was consumed and its power released, it could not be withdrawn. They, as we, had to live with the consequences of their chosen actions of disobedience and defiance. God sees the whole road, even into eternity, and knows what’s ahead for us. When we assume our own power, act in disobedience, we get into so much trouble! Do you act within your own power? How’s that working out for you?

Christ was human. Christ is divine! Christ has provided you with adoption into His Kingdom! Satan can vex you; but, he no longer has control over your destiny, save that which YOU give him! All it takes to come out on top is to believe in the One who chose to leave heaven, sacrifice His life for your sake and defeat Satan by destroying his power to kill your soul! Let Jesus the Christ restore your visual perception of God! Jesus . . . He was, is and forever will be.

JOHN 1:19-28 JOHN THE BAPTIST’S PRIORITY

19.   AND THIS IS THE WITNESS OF JOHN, WHEN THE JEWS SENT TO HIM PRIESTS AND LEVITES FROM JERUSALEM TO ASK HIM, WHO ARE YOU?

20.   AND HE CONFESSED, AND DID NOT DENY, AND HE CONFESSED, I AM NOT THE CHRIST.

21.   AND THEY ASKED HIM, WHAT THEN? ARE YOU THE PROPHET (the Messiah)? AND HE ANSWERED, NO.

22.   THEY SAID THEN TO HIM, WHO ARE YOU, SO THAT WE MAY GIVE AN ANSWER TO THOSE WHO SENT US? WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT YOURSELF?

23.   HE SAID, I AM A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ AS ISAIAH THE PROPHET SAID. (Isaiah 40:3)

24.   NOW THEY HAD BEEN SENT BY THE PHARISEES.

25.   AND THEY ASKED HIM, AND SAID TO HIM, WHY THEN ARE YOU BAPTIZING, IF YOU ARE NOT THE CHRIST, NOR ELIJAH, NOR THE PROPHET (oracle for their time)?

26.   JOHN ANSWERED THEM SAYING, "I BAPTIZE IN WATER, BUT AMONG YOU STANDS ONE WHOM YOU DO NOT KNOW.

27.   IT IS HE WHO COMES AFTER ME, THE THONG OF WHOSE SANDALS I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE."

28.   THESE THINGS TOOK PLACE IN BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN, WHERE JOHN WAS BAPTIZING.

The Pharisees sent a committee to John the Baptist to identify himself. The Pharisee body developed around 135-105 BC. They upheld the written and oral traditions. The Sadducees looked down on them because of these oral traditions and because they were not from the aristocratic sector of society; yet the Pharisees commanded the greatest influence among the people. In view of their power over the people, they needed to nail down exactly who this rustic preacher was in lieu of John’s growing following. The Levites were the priestly tribe members. Malachi 4:5 says, Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. which is where they got their conclusion that that was John the Baptist’s actual person. This prophesy speaks of the Transfiguration prior to the crucifixion. Someway they missed Malachi 3:1 which announces ole’ John as the messenger who would clear the way for the Lord. That is what we call selective hearing. Never pull scripture out of context. Always complete the intended thought of God’s Word. John never wasted a moment stating unequivocally that he was not the Promised Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet. Even the Prophet was a Pharisaic misunderstanding based on Deuteronomy 18: 15 and 18. These verses were talking about Christ. John tried to give them the quote from Isaiah 40:3 which DID refer to him. They asked him by what authority he was baptizing, never realizing his priestly lineage. John turned their question around into a teaching opportunity by trying