Gospel of John

John 5:1-17 | "God Is Not Distant and Impersonal"

 
 
John 5:1-17 | "God Is Not Distant and Impersonal"
Pastor Will Stern
Download

In John 5:1–17, Jesus encounters a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years and transforms his life with a simple word of command. Yet the miracle reveals a deeper problem—not merely physical paralysis, but the human tendency to view God as distant and impersonal. In this sermon, we explore three spiritual distortions that grow from that root: superstition, legalism, and antinomianism. Each seeks something from God while neglecting God Himself. Through Christ's healing, teaching, and warning, we learn that true Christianity is not about magical power, rule-keeping, or self-directed living. It is about a personal relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ. 

Sermon Outline

God Is Not Distant and Impersonal

John 5:1–17

Big Idea: The root of superstition, legalism, and antinomianism is viewing God as distant and impersonal. Jesus calls us instead into a personal relationship with Himself. 

1. Superstition

Seeking God's power without God's person

  • The paralyzed man looked to the Pool of Bethesda for healing.

  • Superstition separates the power of God from the person of God.

  • Jesus heals the man through His word, not through magical rituals.

  • Salvation comes through a personal encounter with Christ, not through religious luck or ceremonies. 

2. Legalism

Seeking God's law without God's love

  • The religious leaders focused on Sabbath regulations rather than God's work of mercy.

  • Legalism detaches the law of God from the God who gave it.

  • The law becomes beautiful only when understood in the context of God's grace and character.

  • Christ frees us from trying to earn God's favor and teaches us to obey from love. 

3. Antinomianism

Seeking God's grace without God's lordship

  • Jesus warns the healed man: "Sin no more."

  • Grace is not permission to continue in sin.

  • Salvation brings us into a covenant relationship with Christ.

  • Those who love Christ desire to walk in obedience to Him. 

Conclusion

How do you view God?

  • Do you seek God's power without God's person? That's superstition.

  • Do you seek God's law without God's love? That's legalism.

  • Do you seek God's grace without God's lordship? That's antinomianism.

The call of the gospel is to look to Jesus Christ as your loving and personal Savior.

John 4:46-54 | "The Fruit of Faith"

 
 
John 4:46-54 | "The Fruit of Faith"
Pastor Will Stern
Download

True faith is not always strong at the beginning. Like an apple seed, it may start small and weak, yet contain the life that will one day bear fruit. In John 4:46–54, we follow the journey of a desperate father whose faith grows as he encounters Jesus. His faith begins as a seed that drives him to seek Christ, grows into a sprout that cries out for help, matures into a tree that trusts Christ's Word, and finally bears fruit that impacts others around him. Join us as we explore how God grows weak faith into strong faith through His Word and grace. 

Sermon Outline

1. The Seed of Faith (John 4:46–47)

True faith goes to Jesus for help.

  • The official's son was near death.

  • He traveled a great distance to seek Christ.

  • A small seed of faith caused him to hope that Jesus could help.

Application: Even weak faith looks away from self and toward Christ.

2. The Sprout of Faith (John 4:47–49)

True faith cries out to Jesus for help.

  • The official asks Jesus to heal his son.

  • His faith is sincere, though imperfect.

  • Even after Jesus' gentle rebuke, he continues asking.

Application: Genuine faith perseveres in prayer, even when answers seem delayed.

3. The Tree of Faith (John 4:50)

True faith trusts the Word of Christ.

  • Jesus says, "Go; your son will live."

  • The official believes before seeing any evidence.

  • He walks by faith rather than sight.

Application: Mature faith rests on God's promises, not merely on visible results.

4. The Fruit of Faith (John 4:51–53)

True faith bears fruit for the glory of God.

The official's faith produced:

  1. Answered Prayer

  2. Deeper Faith

  3. Others Coming to Faith

Application: God often uses our faith and testimony to draw others to Himself.

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Passage

  1. What problem drove the official to seek Jesus?

  2. Why was it significant that he traveled from Capernaum to Cana?

  3. How did Jesus gently expose the weakness in the official's faith?

  4. What changed in the official's faith after Jesus spoke His word?

  5. What evidence do we see that the official's faith grew throughout the story?

Personal Reflection

  1. Which stage best describes your faith right now: seed, sprout, tree, or fruit? Why?

  2. What circumstances in your life are driving you to seek Christ?

  3. Are there promises of God that you need to trust even before you see the results?

  4. Have you experienced a time when answered prayer strengthened your faith?

  5. How might God use your faith and testimony to bring others to Christ?

Family Discussion

  1. What does it mean to trust Jesus even when we cannot see what He is doing?

  2. Why is it important to keep praying when God seems slow to answer?

  3. How can our family encourage one another to grow in faith?

  4. Who could we pray for this week that they would come to know Christ?

Memory Verse

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." — Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

John 4:25-42 | "How to Be a Faithful Witness"

 
 
John 4:25-42 | "How to Be a Faithful Witness"
Pastor Will Stern
Download

Sermon Description

In John 4:25–42, Jesus transforms three very different groups into faithful witnesses for the glory of God. The woman at the well encounters Jesus and immediately begins inviting others to meet Him. The disciples receive instruction from Jesus and learn to see the fields as white for harvest. The Samaritans spend time with Jesus and move from secondhand faith to personal conviction, confessing Him as "the Savior of the world." In this sermon, we discover that faithful witness does not begin with better techniques, but with a deeper relationship with Christ. Some need an encounter with Jesus. Some need instruction from Jesus. Some need more time with Jesus. How might Christ be calling you to grow as a faithful witness? 

Sermon Outline

How Can We Be Transformed into Faithful Witnesses for the Glory of God?
John 4:25–42

I. You Need an Encounter with Jesus

(John 4:25–30)

  • Jesus reveals Himself as the Messiah.

  • The woman leaves her water jar and goes into town.

  • A genuine encounter with Christ produces a desire to tell others about Him.

II. You Need Instruction from Jesus

(John 4:27, 31–38)

  • The disciples lose sight of their mission.

  • Jesus teaches them to lift up their eyes and see the harvest.

  • Faithful witnesses learn to see people through the eyes of Christ.

III. You Need Time with Jesus

(John 4:39–42)

  • The Samaritans initially believe because of the woman's testimony.

  • They spend two days with Jesus.

  • Their faith deepens into personal conviction: "This is indeed the Savior of the world."

Main Idea:
Jesus transforms ordinary people into faithful witnesses through encounters with Him, instruction from Him, and time spent with Him. 

Study Questions

  1. Why is Jesus' statement in John 4:26 so significant? What does it reveal about His identity?

  2. What does the woman's response teach us about the relationship between encountering Christ and sharing our faith?

  3. Why were the disciples surprised to find Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman?

  4. What does Jesus mean when He says, "The fields are white for harvest"?

  5. In what ways can Christians lose sight of the mission Christ has given them?

  6. How did the Samaritans move from believing the woman's testimony to personal conviction about Jesus?

  7. What is the difference between secondhand faith and firsthand faith?

  8. How do God's Word, prayer, worship, and Christian fellowship help us spend time with Jesus?

  9. Which group do you most identify with right now: the woman, the disciples, or the Samaritans? Why?

  10. What is one specific way you can grow as a faithful witness this week?

Key Verse:

"It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." — John 4:42 (ESV) 

John 4:20-24 | "Jesus Answers Two Questions About Worship"

 
 
John 4:20-24 | "Jesus Answers Two Questions About Worship"
Pastor Will Stern
Download

John 4:19–24

If you attended church for 50 years, you would spend thousands of hours gathered with God's people in worship. Worship is not only a central part of the Christian life—it is the very purpose for which we were created. In this sermon from John 4:19–24, Jesus answers two foundational questions about worship: Where should we worship? and How should we worship? As Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well, he reveals that true worship is no longer tied to a sacred place but is centered on a Savior. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Christ becomes the true temple, gathering worshipers from every nation who worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Outline

  1. Where Should We Worship? (John 4:19–22)

    • Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem?

    • Salvation is from the Jews.

    • Christ, the true Temple.

  2. How Should We Worship? (John 4:23–24)

    • Worship in Truth

    • Worship in Spirit

    • True worship: fire and wood together.

  3. Warning, Encouragement, and Challenge

    • A warning about false worship.

    • An encouragement that the Father is seeking worshipers.

    • A challenge to join God's mission of gathering worshipers.

Questions for Reflection

  • Why was the debate between Mt. Gerizim and Jerusalem so important to the Samaritan woman?

  • What does Jesus mean when he says that "salvation is from the Jews"?

  • How does Jesus fulfill and replace the Old Testament temple?

  • What does it mean to worship God "in truth"?

  • What does it mean to worship God "in spirit"?

  • Which danger are you more prone to: truth without spirit or spirit without truth?

  • How can you better prepare your heart for worship each Lord's Day?

  • In what ways can your family life and private devotional life become more centered on worship?

  • How does evangelism relate to God's purpose of gathering worshipers for himself?

  • What is one practical way you can prioritize worship this week?

Key Verse

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
— John 4:24 (ESV)

John 4:16-19 | "Grace and Truth"

 
 
John 4:16-19 | "Grace and Truth"
Pastor Will Stern
Download

Grace and Truth
John 4:16–19

In this sermon from John 4:16–19, we see Jesus as the searching Savior who is “full of grace and truth.” As Christ lovingly exposes the Samaritan woman’s deepest sins, we are reminded that Jesus does not ignore sin, nor does He crush sinners with shame. Instead, He shines the light of truth into the darkest places of our hearts in order to lead us to repentance, forgiveness, and transformation. This message explores how Christ confronts our “keystone sins” with truth while drawing sinners to Himself with remarkable grace and compassion. 

Outline

  1. Jesus Is Full of Truth

  2. Jesus Is Full of Grace

  3. Grace and Truth at the Cross

Questions for Reflection

  • What areas of your heart would Christ’s searching light expose?

  • Are you tempted to think of Jesus as all grace without truth—or all truth without grace?

  • How does the cross display both God’s holiness and His mercy?

  • In what ways can Christians show both grace and truth to others.

John 4:7-15 | “Living Water"

 
 
John 4:7-15 | “Living Water"
Pastor Will Stern
Download

In John 4:10–14, Jesus meets a broken and cynical Samaritan woman who has spent her life searching for satisfaction in things that could never truly fill her soul. Using the imagery of “broken cisterns” from Jeremiah 2, this sermon explores how we all seek meaning, joy, and identity in places that ultimately leave us empty. But Christ offers something infinitely better: living water that wells up to eternal life. Listen as we consider the emptiness of false saviors, the free offer of the gospel, and the soul-satisfying gift of the Holy Spirit found only in Jesus Christ.

Outline

    1    Broken Cisterns

    2    Living Water

Questions for Reflection

    •    What “broken cisterns” are you tempted to look to for satisfaction instead of Christ?

    •    Why do good things like family, success, or comfort fail to satisfy our deepest thirst?

    •    What does Jesus mean when He offers “living water”?

    •    How does the Holy Spirit satisfy and transform believers?

    •    What does it look like to keep “coming to Christ” as a believer?

John 4:1-7 | “Sinner-Seeking Savior”

 
 
John 4:1-7 | “Sinner-Seeking Savior”
Pastor Will Stern
Download

Sermon Summary:
In John 4:1–15, we meet a deeply broken Samaritan woman—but before she ever sought Jesus, Jesus was already seeking her. This sermon explores how Christ is a sinner-seeking Savior who came into the world to draw near to sinners, become weak for them, and initiate a relationship with them. Jesus “had” to pass through Samaria because it was the will of His Father to seek and save the lost. Through His weariness at the well and His conversation with this outcast woman, we see the grace of a Savior who crosses every barrier to bring living water to spiritually thirsty people.

Sermon Outline:

  1. Jesus seeks sinners by drawing near to them

  2. Jesus seeks sinners by becoming weak for them

  3. Jesus seeks sinners by initiating a relationship with them

Key Takeaway:
Jesus is not waiting for sinners to clean themselves up before coming to Him. He is the One who takes the initiative, draws near, and offers living water to all who are spiritually thirsty.

Application Questions:

  • Do you believe Jesus could truly seek and save someone as broken as you?

  • In what ways are you trying to satisfy your spiritual thirst apart from Christ?

  • How does Christ’s willingness to draw near to sinners shape the way you view other people?

  • What might it look like for you to respond to Christ’s invitation today?

John 3:22-30 | “He Must Increase, I Must Decrease”

 
 
John 3:22-30 | "He Must Increase, I Must Decrease"
Pastor Will Stern
Download

What if your lack of joy, constant comparison, or tendency to argue is actually rooted in pride? In this sermon from John 3:22–30, we examine how pride subtly shapes our hearts—and how true humility leads to freedom, joy, and a life centered on Christ.

John the Baptist’s disciples reveal three common marks of pride: being argumentative, competitive, and self-exalting. In contrast, John himself models true humility—marked by thankfulness, joy, and a desire to exalt Christ above all.

At the heart of this passage is John’s well-known confession: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This is not only a statement about John’s ministry, but a call for every believer. As we grow in the Christian life, we learn to take our eyes off ourselves and fix them more fully on Christ—finding that our greatest joy is found in Him.

Outline:

Three Marks of Pride:

  1. Argumentative

  2. Competitive

  3. Self-exalting

Three Marks of Humility:

  1. Thankful

  2. Joyful

  3. Christ-exalting

Key Verse:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

Questions for Reflection:

  • Where does pride show up in my relationships or conversations?

  • Do I find myself comparing or competing with others?

  • Is my joy rooted in Christ—or in how I measure up to others?

  • What would it look like today to decrease so that Christ might increase?