Sunday Sermon Notes from January 9, 2022
Read John 1:35-39
Why did Jesus ask these men what they wanted?
Perhaps Jesus already knew what they wanted, but wanted to see if they, themselves knew what they wanted from him.
Also, since relationships should go both ways, these men needed to say what they wanted out of their own relationship with God.
It is easy to desire something, but do we really want to put in the work to attain it?
Read John 2:1-11
What did Mary want?
Mary wanted Jesus to turn the water into wine to help out with a problem at the wedding. Mary demonstrated great faith that her son could do something about this situation. She was borrowing from her own experiences of faith when the Holy Spirit came to her and told her she would give birth to Jesus.
Jesus knew now that Mary had faith in him.
Read John 2: 13-17
What did Jesus want?
Is Worship at churches today like a marketplace or show?
Jesus was indignant and removed all the money changers from the temple since they were disrespecting the house of God. They were also blocking gentiles and others from worshiping God by this set up. This was an example of rampant consumerism. They were making it easier for the people to make a sacrifice by providing the animals they needed to make their sacrifice. Therefore, they did not actually have to raise the animal and bring it to the temple, which was really watering down the impact of their sacrifice.
Many churches today try to make it easier for members to just show up which means it doesn’t cost us anything to go to church. We can just go and receive and not give anything if we so choose. Jesus wants everyone to come and worship him without hindrances.
Read John 3: 16-21
What does God want?
God wants us to live in the light, to be open and transparent and vulnerable with each other and with him. God wants us to be saved and goes to all ends to save us. God gave us his son Jesus and planned to save us from the laws of the Old Testament that we could not keep.
What do the people want?
People prefer darkness to light. We like to do what we want to do and not what God wants most of the time. It is quite common that people respond negatively to someone who is trying to do what is right because we do not like to be exposed by our wrongdoing.
Do you really want what Jesus wants in your life?
Do you go to Jesus to see what he wants in your life?
Do you allow Jesus to shepherd your life?
What can you do to align your wants with Jesus’s wants?