LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

• THE APOSTLE JOHNS LIFE OF EVANGELISM
• A PRESENTATION SUBMITTED TO DR. LUCAS
• IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF
• THE COURSE NBST 521
• LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
• BY
• CHRISTOPHER COX

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Outline

• Calling (Matt. 421-22, Mark 119-20, Luke
  51-11)
• The Background of John
• The Path to Discipleship
• Transition from the Baptist to Jesus
• Love (John 159-17)
• Disciple whom Jesus loved
• Johns Version of Christ
• The New Commandment
• Serve (Matt. 2020-28, Mark 1035-45)
• The Request of Glory
• Diotrephes
• Bear (John 151-9, Acts 817, Revelation 19)
• Johns Journey after the Ascension
• Johns Revelation
• The death of John

Johns life and focus in his gospel and epistles
are clear lessons for evangelism
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Calling

• Becoming a fisherman of men

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The Background of John

• FAMILY Sons of Thunder
• Brother of James
• Possibly related to John the Baptist and Jesus
• BIRTHPLACE Bethsaida?
• John 144 Peter from Bethsaida
• Luke 510 Peter and John partners
• OCCUPATION Fisherman

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The Path to Discipleship

• Luke When they had done so, they caught such a
  large number of fish that their nets began to
  breakThen Jesus said to Simon, Don't be afraid
  from now on you will catch men. So they pulled
  their boats up on shore, left everything and
  followed him.
• Mark At once they left their nets and followed
  him.
• Matthew They were in a boat with their father
  Zebedeeimmediately they left the boat and their
  father and followed him
• Follower of John the Baptist

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Transition from the Baptist to Jesus
John the Baptist
Jesus

• Preached repentance in expectation of an imminent
  arrival of Gods kingdom
• Explained the nature of the Messiahs ministry

• Preached of Gods kingdom
• Explained the necessity and nature of the
  Messiahs appearance

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Application

• When God calls it is immediate, recognize your
  opportunities
• God prepares us for leaps of faith

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Love

• Start taking your leaps of faith, by following
  the example of Christ

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Disciple whom Christ loved

• First reference to in John 1323 uses term hon
  agapa a verbal form of the noun agape
• Beloved Disciple one of the Twelve
• Beloved Disciple distinguished from Peter
• Beloved Disciple one of the seven fishing in
  John 21
• Beloved Disciple not James

The reference in John 2123 leads one to believe
this disciple whom Jesus loved also wrote this
gospel
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Johns Version of Christ

• Authorship
• John the Apostle
• John the Evangelist
• Dating
• Likely after the other gospels
• Likely after the destruction of the temple
• Likely before major heresies of Gnosticism
• Purpose
• Selective
• Evangelistic / Apologetic

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The New Commandment

• Johns references to Love
• John 316 For God so loved the world that he
  gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
  in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
• John 1334-35 A new command I give you Love
  one another. As I have loved you, so you must
  love one another. By this all men will know that
  you are my disciples, if you love one another.
• John 1517 This is my command Love each
  other.
• 1 John 48 Whoever does not love does not know
  God because God is love.

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Application

• Where has God met you in love?
• Sacrificial love as love that reaches unbelievers

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Serve

• Seeing Gods greatest commandment in action

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The Request for Glory

• Matthew and Marks differences
• Rich young rulers attempt to get eternal life
• 12 thrones are misunderstood
• Gentile kingdom need a Gentile king
• Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to
  become great among you must be your servant

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Diotrephes

• loves to be first
• he refuses to welcome the brothers
• Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone
  who does what is evil has not seen God.

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Application

• Sacrificial love and service are intermingled
• Service allows God to work in your world

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Bear

• Seeing the results of love and service through
  fruit

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Johns Journey after the Ascension

• Missions with Peter
• Life in Turkey
• Writing the Gospel
• Ministry
• Exile to Patmos
• Purpose
• Revelation
• Return

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The Death of John

• Juxtaposition to James
• Lived until the reign of Nerva, 68 years
  following the resurrection of Jesus
• Buried in Ephesus
• Left his legacy through his disciples Polycarp
  and Papias

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Application

• God produces the crop
• We may suffer persecution

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Bibliography

1. Carson D.A Moo, Douglas. An Introduction to the
   New Testament. Zondervan. 2005.
2. Culpepper, R. Alan. John, the Son of Zebedee the
   Life of a Legend. Fortress Press. 2000.
3. Eusebius. Church History, The. Kregel. 2007.
4. Goodrick, Edward Kohlenberger III, John.
   Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance. Zondervan.
   1999.
5. Lea, Thomas D. and Black, David Alan. New
   Testament Its Background and Message, The.
   Broadman and Holman Publishers. 2003.
6. MacArthur, John. MacArthur Bible Commentary, The.
   Thomas Nelson. 2005.
7. McBirnie, William Stuart. Search for the Twelve
   Apostles, The. Tyndale House Publishers. 1973.
8. Shelley, Bruce. Church History in Plain Language.
   Word Publishing. 1995.
9. Sloyan, Gerard Stephen. John Interpretation, a
   Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.
   Atlanta Westminster John Knox Press. 1988.