Wrestling in Prayer (Col. 4:12)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, Feb 1, 2026

We have been preaching about prayer.

What does it mean to “wrestle in prayer”?

Listen to this from Christopher Yuan’s book, “Holy Sexuality”:

In 1993 I announced to my parents that I was gay. This led to massive disruption in our family, to put it lightly. Ultimately, this moment became a catalyst that led each of us, one by one, to the Lord.

At the time, my unbelieving mom rejected me. But contrary to the stereotype, after she became a Christian, she knew she could do nothing other than love her gay son as God loved her.

However, with no more secrets, I felt unimpeded to fully embrace “who I was.” This new freedom quickly propelled me down a path of self-destruction that included promiscuity and illicit drug use. Certainly, not all gay men go down this road, but it was my reality. Ultimately, I was expelled from dental school in Louisville, moved to Atlanta, and became a supplier to drug dealers in more than a dozen states.

During this time God graciously worked in the lives of my father and mother and brought them both to a saving trust in Christ. My parents didn’t realize the extent of my rebellion, but in the light of their newfound faith, they knew my biggest sin wasn’t same-sex sexual behavior; my biggest sin was unbelief. What I needed more than anything else, through God’s gift of grace, was faith to believe and follow Jesus.

My mother began to pray a bold prayer: “Lord, do whatever it takes to bring this prodigal son to you.” She didn’t pray primarily for me to come home to Chicago or to stop my rebellious behavior. Her main request was that God would draw me to himself and that I would fall into his loving arms as his son, adopted and purchased by the blood of the Lamb.[1]

The answer to her prayers came in an unexpected way: I was arrested for drug dealing. In jail, I experienced the darkest moments of my life when I received news that I was HIV positive. That night, as I lay in a prison cell bed, I noticed something scribbled on the metal bunk above me: “If you’re bored, read Jeremiah 29:11.” So I did and was intrigued by the promise I read there: “ ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’ ”

I read the Bible more and more. As I did, I realized I’d placed my identity in the wrong thing. The world tells those of us with same-sex attractions that our sexuality is the core of who we are. But God’s Word paints quite a different picture. Genesis 1:27 informs us that we are all created in the image of God. The apostle Paul says that in Christ “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Thus, my identity is not gay, ex-gay, or even straight. My true identity is in Jesus Christ alone.

Ultimately, upon my release from jail, I committed to studying and submitting to biblical and theological truth. I enrolled in Bible college and later, seminary. Over time, God has given back the years the locusts had taken away (Joel 2:25). My parents and I now travel around the world as a two-generational ministry, communicating God’s grace and God’s truth on biblical sexuality.[2]

His mother wrestled in prayer for her son.

My theme and challenge today is that we wrestle in prayer.

Colossians 4:12 (ESV)

 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

1. Context, what is the context of this verse?
   1. This section contains Paul’s greetings (Col. 4:7-17).
   2. Paul wrote Colossians, offering great doctrine and applications, and now he is extending greetings.
   3. In Colossians, one source shares, Paul writes to demonstrate that Christ is supreme over every human philosophy and tradition.^[3]
   4. Now, he is extending greetings.
2. Who was Epaphras?
   1. This verse begins with Epaphras, but who is he?
   2. Colossians 1:7–8 (ESV)
   3. …just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf ⁸ and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
   4. One source shares:
   5. According to Paul, Epaphras is the one who taught the Colossians “the grace of God in truth” (Col 1:6).
   6. Paul also testified that Epaphras worked hard for them “and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis” (4:13).
   7. From this it can be inferred that Epaphras was the founder of the Colossian church (Lightfoot 1879: 29) and an important evangelist in the other two communities in the Lycus valley (Bruce 1984: 8–10).
   8. During one of Paul’s imprisonments Epaphras brought him news of the Colossians’ faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all the saints (Col 1:4). Epaphras also conveyed to Paul their love in the Spirit (1:8).
   9. Furthermore, it was probably Epaphras who had informed Paul about false teachers in the Colossian community (2:4, 8).^[4]
3. Struggling prayer (Col. 4:12)
   1. So, Col. 4:12 references his prayers.
   2. There is more in this verse.
   3. Epaphras is one them.
   4. He is a servant of Christ Jesus.
   5. He sends greetings.
   6. It may be that Epaphras is in prison with Paul at this time. Philemon 23 shares that he is in prison with Paul.
   7. One source adds; At some point, Epaphras became a prisoner like Paul. Three times the text suggests that of him (Col 1:7; 4:12; Phlm 23). In the two references in Colossians, the word “slave” occurs. Epaphras was a “fellow-slave” with Paul (1:7) and a “slave of Christ.” He is the only person other than Paul and Timothy about whom the term “slave” (doulos) is used.^[5]
   8. So, Epaphras sends greetings.
   9. Now, it says he is struggling for them in prayers.
   10. What does this mean?
   11. It must mean a deep, devoted prayer life.
   12. 4:12 shares what he prayed.
   13. He prayed that they stand mature and fully assured in the will of God.
   14. Do we pray that way?
   15. Do we pray that we are mature?
   16. Do we want to be mature in Christ?
   17. Do we pray this for others?
   18. What about our loved ones? Do we pray for their maturity in Christ?
   19. Do we pray that they are fully assured in the will of God?
   20. One source shares: Epaphras may have prayed for a complete understanding of the will of God. That parallels Paul’s prayer that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will (1:9).^11,[6]
   21. The next verse builds on this: Colossians 4:13 (ESV): For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.
   22. Look at these examples:
   23. “Epaphras holds the unique distinction among all the friends and co-workers of Paul of being the only one whom Paul explicitly commended for his intensive prayer ministry. The passage quoted above [4:12–13] may well be called his diploma of success in this ministry.”³⁶³
   24. “Epaphras grasped, what many of us are slow to realize, that the tactics of the Christian battle are born of the strategy of prayer.”³⁶⁴
   25. “There are many things outside the power of ordinary Christian people, and great position, wide influence, outstanding ability may be lacking to almost all of us, but the humblest and least significant Christian can pray, and as ‘prayer moves the Hand that moves the world,’ perhaps the greatest power we can exert is that which comes through prayer.”³⁶⁵
   26. “It is related of an old pastor who every Saturday afternoon could be seen leaving his study and entering the church house by the back door, and about sundown he would be seen going home. Someone’s curiosity was aroused enough to follow one day and watch through a window. It was in the days when the family pew was an institution of the church. The old pastor was seen to kneel at each pew and pray for every member of the family that was to occupy it on the Lord’s Day. He called each member by name as he poured out his heart to God for his flock. His was a ministry of power and his people reflected the grace of God upon them. Blessed is that church which has such a praying shepherd.”^366,[7]
   27. He “wrestled” in prayer.
   28. “Wrestling in prayer” uses the same Greek verb (agōnizomai) that Paul used absolutely of his own “contending” for the Colossians in 1:29.⁴⁷ The translation “wrestling” preserves the athletic connotations that the verb often has (see also “battling” in NJB; “contending” in HCSB). In any case, it refers to strenuous and consistent intervention with the Lord on behalf of the Colossians—prayer needed especially in light of the danger posed by the false teachers.^[8]
4. Epaphras “wrestled” in prayer.
   1. Let’s think more about that.
   2. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane:
   3. Luke 22:39–46 (ESV)
   4. Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives
   5. ³⁹ And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴¹ And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” ⁴³ And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. ⁴⁴ And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. ⁴⁵ And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
   6. IVP BBC NT:
   7. Striving” (“wrestling”—NIV, NRSV; “laboring”—NASB) is a term of conflict or athletic competition signifying great exertion; philosophers often used it metaphorically. Paul thus depicts prayer as a form of spiritual conflict or discipline crucial to their mission (4:2–4).^[9]
5. Some applications
   1. I have made some applications, but let’s make some more.
   2. If we conducted a self-interview, would our prayer life reflect our beliefs about God?
   3. If we interviewed ourselves about what we believe about Who God is and how we pray, are they in sync?
   4. We believe that God is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, but do we go to Him?
   5. We believe He is our loving heavenly Father. Do we go to Him?
   6. Luke 11:11–13 (ESV)
   7. ¹¹ What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; ¹² or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
   8. This term “wrestling” is an athletic term.
   9. Piper writes:
   10. So, agonizomaihere isn’t “wrestle a boulder out of the way.” It’s “kill somebody to keep them from making your Jesus ineffective” (at least as they understood it). So that means literally fighting against the Roman soldiers with swords and clubs. So I think, when Paul says that Epaphras is wrestling, struggling, or fighting, there really is warfare going on. So, I’m drawing in the warfare imagery now, not just the athletic imagery. You’ve got athletes who need discipline, now you’ve got war, and you need to defeat an enemy.
   11. And we all know from Ephesians 6:12that Paul says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood.” Now that’s a different word for “wrestle” in the Greek, but the idea is the same. We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. So when Paul says that Epaphras is fighting, not just wrestling, but fighting in prayer, he probably includes the reality that Satan does not like what Epaphras is doing at all and is trying to stop him, and he must take the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith and quench the prayer-destroying fiery darts with that shield of faith and with the sword of a good promise from God.[10]
   12. When we pray, we must remember that we are entering spiritual warfare.
   13. However, greater is He Who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
   14. The Holy Spirit is in you (Rom. 8:9)!
   15. Do we wrestle in prayer for our children’s salvation?
   16. Do we wrestle in prayer for the difficult situations that our loved ones are facing?
   17. Do we wrestle in prayer to know the will of God?
   18. Do we wrestle in prayer to be content with the will of God?
   19. Do we wrestle in prayer that our loved ones are content in the will of God?
   20. Do we wrestle in prayer so that we resist the devil and temptations (James 4:7)?
   21. Do we wrestle in pray that our loved ones do the same?
   22. Do we wrestle in prayer that we witness?
   23. Do we wrestle in prayer that we, and our loved ones, exude the fruit of the Spirit?
   24. Do we wrestle in prayer for our enemies?
   25. Do we wrestle in prayer that we love God more, desire Him more, are satisfied in Him more, have more emotions and thoughts for God?
6. What does it look like?
   1. I think we have a good picture of this in Jesus’s prayer at the garden, but maybe not to that extent.
   2. I think it is constant prayer.
   3. We are lifting these prayer needs to God in many ways and occasions.
   4. What do I mean by many ways? I am thinking of journaling, fasting, praying Scripture, praying with other people, worshipping, silence, and more.
   5. Pray what the Scripture says about this subject.
   6. Write out the prayers.
   7. Take time to worship.
   8. Ask others to pray.
   9. Try a different posture.
   10. Seek the Lord.
   11. Submit to the Lord.

Lastly, from Piper:

Piper: So, don’t think of prayer always as an easy conversation. You hear so many people talk about prayer as just wonderful — “have a little conversation with Jesus.” Well, it is sweet, and it is easy sometimes, but often, it is a walkie-talkie during war: the bombs are dropping; the enemy fire is heavy all around. Prayer is embattled, and we are called to get on the frequency of the heavenly headquarters and send in for fire cover here. “I’ve got to have the air force quick, Father, because I’m in trouble.” But never forget that even our call for help is an act of help from the Lord who is for us.[11]

Let’s pray

[2] Yuan, Christopher. Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story (pp. 2- 3). (Function). Kindle Edition.

^[3] Kenneth L. Barker, ed., NIV Study Bible, Fully Revised Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020), 2092.

^[4] Florence Morgan Gillman, “Epaphras (Person),” in The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 533.

^[5] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 329–330.

¹¹ It is significant that a word on the same root, πληρόω, should be used in both the prayer and Paul’s description here. Probably the two men prayed the same prayer for the church.

^[6] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 330.

³⁶³ D. Edmond Hiebert, Working With God: Scriptural Studies in Intercession, p. 77.

³⁶⁴ Harrington C. Lees, St. Paul’s Friends, p. 157.

³⁶⁵ W. H. Griffith Thomas, Christ Pre-Eminent, p. 191.

³⁶⁶ Hiebert, p. 83. See also idem, “Epaphras, Man of Prayer,” Bibliotheca Sacra 136:541 (January-March 1977):54-64.

^[7] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Col 4:12.

⁴⁷ Dunn, 280; O’Brien, 252–53.

NJB New Jerusalem Bible

HCSB Holman Christian Standard Bible

^[8] Douglas J. Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2008), 344.

NIV New International Version

NRSV New Revised Standard Version

NASB New American Standard Bible

^[9] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Col 4:12.

[10] Piper, John. Ask Pastor John. June 13, 2022; Accessed on Dec. 15, 2025.

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-do-i-wrestle-in-prayer

[11] Piper, John. Ask Pastor John. June 13, 2022; Accessed on Dec. 15, 2025.

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-do-i-wrestle-in-prayer

Call Upon the Lord Like Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, January 18, 2026

Many years ago, it was a beautiful summer evening, and I took Mercedes and Abigail through an old graveyard. The sun was setting, and I wanted to point out the old tombstones. I wanted to show the dates on them; you know, the tombstones that were well over 100 years old. You know, at one time, each of those names was important to someone. At least I would hope so. Think about, every time you see names in a phone book, each name means something to someone, actually, a group of people. We gloss over a list of names, but each name represents people. Each name represents an important person. Each name represents people created in the image of God. Think about that whenever you see a name.

Today, we come to a name in 1 Chronicles. This passage is listed within the genealogies of 1 Chronicles. Many people may skip over these genealogies, but remember that these represent people. Sometimes, as we read through the genealogies, we see extra detail about people, and that is the case with Jabez.

We are in a year-long focus on prayer. Today, I want to look at Jabez.

My theme:

Learn from Jabez and seek the Lord.

Look with me at:

1 Chronicles 4:9–10 (ESV)

⁹ Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

1. Jabez was a man of honor.
   1. First, let’s think of where we are in the Bible.
   2. The ESV Study Bible helps us out: The genealogies of 1–9 are intended to show the Chronicler’s own generation, now existing as the small province of Yehud (Judah) in the Persian Empire, that they are still God’s people Israel and retain their central place in God’s purposes for humanity. The identity and legitimacy of this people are traced in a line beginning with Adam (1:1) and extending through the tribes of Israel (chs. 2–8) down to the community of Judean exiles restored from captivity in Babylon (9:2–34). This community is depicted not as the sum total of the people but as the representative nucleus or focus to which “all Israel” may join in God’s work of restoration.[1]
   3. This says that Jabez was “more” honorable than his brothers. We really do not know anything else about his brothers, but Jabez was more honorable.
   4. Looking at the names around Jabez, it seems that he lived during the time of Joshua. This would be around 1300-1400 BC.
   5. Swindoll helps us out with that word, “honorable.” “The Hebrew word for honorable literally means “heavy.” We use that same concept in English when we say, “This is a weighty matter.” When used of a person, it conveys the idea that he or she is impressive or noteworthy.”[2]
   6. Another source adds: The reputation of an individual is of central importance in these usages. Thus the person of high social position and accompanying wealth was automatically an honored, or weighty, person in the society (Num 22:15, etc.). Such a position, its riches, and long life were commonly assumed to be the just rewards of a righteous life (I Chr 29:28, etc.). While one would be honored automatically if one attained this stature, it is also clear that one was expected to merit the honor and the glory.^[3]
   7. Do we seek to be honorable?
   8. Do we care?
   9. Do we care about our reputation?
   10. Next, it says that his mother named him Jabez because she gave birth to him with pain.
   11. Once again Swindoll helps us with this: The English rendering is Jabez, but the Hebrew is pronounced yah-betz (the second syllable sounds like the word baits.) His mother had the Hebrew word ah-tzav in mind when she chose her son’s name. The term ah-tzav refers to anguish, intense sorrow, or pain. To arrive at his name from the Hebrew word, you transpose two letters. So it’s a pun based on sound play. This would be like someone who hates cottage cheese, which is made from milk curd, saying, “I don’t prefer milk crud, thanks.” Somehow, his birth was associated with intense pain, though we have no idea how or what that pain might have been.[4]
   12. Swindoll goes on to make the case that it could likely be that the family was going through financial distress.
   13. We all know how much stress a family can go through with a new baby.
   14. Actually, the prayer in verse 10 is not the prayer a rich person would pray.
   15. Further, we don’t see his father mentioned. Maybe his father died in one of the wars under Joshua.
   16. Imagine being a single mother during that day and age.
2. Jabez prayed.
   1. Jabez called. But who did Jabez call? Jabez called on the God of Israel.
   2. In a polytheistic day and age, when people worshipped many gods, Jabez called on the One Lord and God.
   3. So, who do you call?
3. Jabez made 4 requests.
   1. Jabez made 4 requests:
   2. “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.
   3. Jabez asked for blessings and that the Lord would enlarge his border.
   4. I believe it is okay to ask God to bless us if we do so with the right motivations.
   5. If we are not being greedy and desire to serve the Lord with His blessings, it is okay.
   6. He asked for God to continually be with him.
   7. That is a good thing.
   8. John 15:1–5 (ESV) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
   9. Do we pray for God’s presence?
   10. Jabez asked the Lord to keep him from all harm so that it would not bring pain.
   11. It is okay to pray for safety. We should. But we must understand that sometimes the Lord permits, or causes, us to go through hard times. However, we are not alone.
   12. God answered his prayer.
4. Let’s talk more about prayer.
   1. Jabez is seeking the Lord in petitionary prayer.
   2. He is going before the Lord with his requests:
   3. Philippians 4:6–7 (ESV)
   4. ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
   5. We are called to do that.
   6. There is also a prayer of thanksgiving. We see that in Phil 4:6.
   7. There is also a worshipful prayer.
   8. Acts 13:2–3 (ESV)
   9. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
   10. There are prayers of intercession. This is when we intercede on behalf of someone else.
   11. 1 Timothy 2:1–2 (ESV)
   12. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ² for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
   13. There are other types of prayer as well.
   14. Meditation should be part of our prayer life in which we meditate on Scripture.
   15. Psalm 119:97 (ESV) Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.

1. Let’s Apply:
   1. Jabez was honorable, are we pursuing being honorable?
   2. It is important that we call upon the Lord for help as well.
   3. Success only comes from the Lord; we must remember that.
   4. It is okay and quite good to be successful in what the Lord calls us to.
   5. We must, we actually should, ask the Lord that we would be successful.
   6. What types of prayer are you focusing on?
   7. Try to stretch yourself in prayer.

Now, I want to share some applications that Chuck Swindoll makes:

“First, a small, struggling start doesn’t necessitate a limited life.”

“Second, no measure of success is safe without God’s presence and power.”

“Third, when God prospers and blesses a life, no place for guilt remains.”[5]

The Challenge: Dream God-Sized Dreams

Let me make all of this personal. Could it be that your current vision, your present paradigm has been shaped by the restrictive demands and limitations of your original setting? Could it be that the influences that give your life order and comfort are the very things that hold you hostage, bound to a certain way of life or a certain way of thinking? Could it be that you have not broken free simply because the thought of breaking free hasn’t occurred to you? Have you asked the Lord to give you a vision far beyond your current borders? Why not?[6]

In his book Beyond Jabez, Bruce Wilkinson shares the story of an old African woman who demonstrated faith in God’s power to provide. Although she lived in a tiny mud hut, she had taken on the responsibility of caring for 56 orphans.

A small group of Wilkinson’s “Dream for Africa” volunteers had arrived in this grandmother’s native Swaziland to plant gardens. On the final day of their visit, they came upon her tiny home, surrounded by the many children in her care. A number of little gardens had been dug up all around the hut, but oddly, no plants were growing in any of them.

The volunteers learned that, earlier on the same day, the woman had told the children to dig lots of gardens. When the children asked her why—since they had neither seeds nor money—she responded, “Last night I asked God to send someone to plant gardens for us. We must be ready for them when they come.” 

Wilkinson’s volunteers had come with hundreds of ready-to-plant seedlings. God sent them to the very place where one of his servants had begged for his intervening hand. The faithful grandmother and her children were ready when the answer came.[7]

Confess, Believe, trust, commit: Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him. 

[1] https://www.esv.org/1+Chronicles+4/

[2] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

^[3] John N. Oswalt, “943 כָבֵד,” ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 426–427.

[4] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[5] Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[6]

Excerpt From: Charles R. Swindoll. “Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/fascinating-stories-of-forgotten-lives/id614832271

[7] https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2005/december/16259.html

Give Our Prayers and Praise to Jesus– Introduction to sermon series on prayer: (Eph. 3:14-21)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, January 11, 2026

Tim Keller writes:

Blaise Pascal, great French philosopher and a Christian believer, great mind … Some of you may know, and you can find this on the Internet. Just look up Pascal and put in the word fire. When he died, they discovered he had sewn into the inner lining of his coat a journal entry, a kind of a spiritual diary where he wrote down about an experience he had one night. This is what it said.

I’m paraphrasing a bit, but this is the first part of it. “In the year of grace 1654, Monday 23 November … From about half-past ten in the evening till about half an hour after midnight, FIRE. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, Not of the philosophers and of the learned. Certainty. Joy. Certainty. Emotion. Sight. Joy! Joy! Joy! Tears of joy. My God, never leave me. Let me not be separated from you.” And on it goes.

Notice what he said there. “That night. FIRE. God of Abraham. God of Isaac. God of Jacob. Not the god of the philosophers and the learned.” But he was a philosopher and the learned. He was talking about himself, because that night he actually got what Paul is praying for you and me to have. That is something he had in principle, something he believed and knew in principle, that he actually experienced in his inner being, experienced in his heart.^[1]

My Theme:

Paul prays for them to have spiritual strength.

Application:

Seek the Lord and gain spiritual strength in Him.

1. Paul prays, notice that first.
   1. Paul gets down on his knees and prays.
   2. Ephesians 3:14–15 (ESV)
   3. ¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named…
   4. Paul says, “For this reason…” and that must look back. That looks back to what he had been writing about. He had been writing about salvation and unity to Jews and Gentiles alike. Remember Ephesians chapters 1-3 are all about our great, awesome, and glorious salvation. This made Paul pray and praise.
2. Paul desires us to have strength.
   1. See that in verse 16:
   2. Ephesians 3:16 (ESV)
   3. ¹⁶…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…
   4. You see that? Paul wants us to have strength in the inner man. How do we get strength? Through the Holy Spirit. Notice the wording: “Riches” of “His glory” that you would be strengthened through His Spirit.
   5. John MacArthur preached on this passage and talked about being charged up by God. He preached about starting your engines.
3. So, Paul also prays that we would know, or comprehend.
   1. See the next few verses:
   2. Ephesians 3:17–19 (ESV)
   3. ¹⁷…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
   4. Paul prays that Christ may dwell in our hearts…. How does Christ dwell in our hearts? Through faith. Then Paul prays that we would be rooted and grounded in love.
   5. The word used for dwell in our hearts is the same type of word that would be used to live in our hearts. The word literally means to settle down and feel at home. Do you think that Christ feels at home in your heart right now?
   6. Paul goes on to pray that we would be “rooted and grounded in love.”
   7. A root needs to go deep to get water. That means that our root must go deep down to get water from the well that doesn’t go dry, which is Jesus.
   8. “Grounded” would be comparable to the foundation of a house. We want to have a solid, firm foundation in love.
   9. Verses 18-19 speak of God’s love.
   10. Paul had prayed that we be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ will feel at home in our hearts through our faith, and that we are rooted and grounded in love, and now Paul prays that we understand the love of God, which we cannot understand.
   11. Verses 18-19: How wide, how long, how high, and how deep is the love of God.
   12. This is simply showing how vast and complete the love of God is.
   13. When believers accept Jesus Christ’s revelation of the mystery of the church, they are able to comprehend that God’s love is broad enough (“breadth”) to embrace both Jews and Gentiles in the church. They can appreciate that it is long enough (“length”) to reach the far off (Gentiles) as well as the near (Jews), and to stretch from eternity to eternity. They can see that it is high enough (“height”) to raise both Jews and Gentiles into the heavenly places. They can understand that it is deep enough (“depth”) to rescue both kinds of people from sin’s degradation and from Satan’s grip (Dr. Constable, Dallas Theological Seminary).
   14. God’s love is immense.
   15. Now look again at verse 19: Paul prays that we know the love of God that surpasses knowledge
   16. Can we know the love of God if it is so complex that it surpasses knowledge? I think we can. It surpasses knowledge in the world; however, through the Holy Spirit, as God’s children, we can know the love of God. We experience the love of God in a spiritual way!
   17. If we do know the love of God, we will be filled with the fullness of the Spirit. So, this passage is saying that God loves us. God loves us so much that he will never renounce us. God loves us so much that we can’t comprehend that love without the Holy Spirit. God loves us so much that we can only experience His love.
   18. How do we experience God’s love?
4. We must seek the Lord in prayer.
   1. Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)
   2. ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
   3. Look at this passage.
   4. Now, to Him…
   5. Paul is going to the Lord.
   6. The Lord can do far more abundantly.
   7. Notice the modifiers- far more abundantly. There is superlative language in this.
   8. God can do more than we ask or think.
   9. So, we can ask the Lord for things, but He can do far more abundantly than we ask.
   10. He can do far more abundantly than we think.
   11. This is according to the power at work within us.
   12. The power at work within us is the Holy Spirit.
   13. Tim Keller makes this come alive:
   14. In the old days photography required something called film. It also actually in some cases required photographic paper. Film and paper were sensitized by chemicals, so it was sensitive to light.
   15. Here’s a camera. The shutter opens, and in comes light bouncing off of a tree. It comes and hits the film or hits the photographic paper. If that film or that paper has been sensitized with chemicals, then it grips the image. It permanently stays on there. The light from the tree hits it, and it creates an image of a tree on the film. If it has not been treated, it opens, it shuts, the light comes in, and no difference.
   16. Without the work of the Holy Spirit … Maybe I should actually say to the degree you’re experiencing this work of the Holy Spirit, when you have presented to you Christian truth, God is holy, God is wise, God is absolutely sovereign, God is unconditionally loving and gracious, if the Holy Spirit has sensitized your heart and you are presented with a sermon, with a book, with a talk, with an idea, with a text of the Scripture, you’re presented with the idea of God being absolutely sovereign and good, if your heart has been spiritually sensitized, you feel safe.^[2]
   17. Eph. 3:21 is a doxology.
   18. …to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
   19. The end of Paul’s prayer is worship.
   20. Paul bows his knees before the Father.
   21. Paul worships.
5. We must go to the Lord.
   1. The Apostle Paul was closing three chapters of theology, and he closed with prayer.
   2. Seek the Lord in prayer.
   3. But don’t simply pray and be done with it. Live with Jesus (John 15).
   4. We have the Holy Spirit within us (Rom. 8:9).
   5. Please- if you know Jesus- join us in prayer this year.
   6. Think of a few close family members or friends who do not know Jesus and pray daily for their salvation.
   7. Pray daily for your spiritual growth. Notice that Paul’s prayer in this passage is spiritual; it is not for physical needs.
   8. Remember what I shared about Pascal, pray to experience Jesus in your life.
   9. Spend time each morning, afternoon, or evening in prayer.
   10. Start with 5 minutes in prayer and 5 minutes in the Bible.
   11. Take time in the car and turn off distractions and pray.
   12. Pray as you walk and do dishes.
   13. There are different types of prayer, and we will get into that in the coming weeks.
   14. Some prayer is interceding. We are asking for God’s help.
   15. Another type of prayer is worship.
   16. Another type of prayer is listening to the Lord for direction.
   17. As a church, we will be having prayer meetings, prayer walks, and other times to focus on prayer this year.
   18. Join us.

Let’s pray.

^[1] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

^[2] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

The Wise Men Worship Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, January 4, 2026

With everything, there are truth statements, and there are also myths that arise. When something major happens, this is even more true.  The movie Braveheart is about William Wallace, who leads a grassroots Scottish revolt against England and almost succeeds. He is indeed a real historical figure, but we are unsure of the details of his life. In the movie, Mel Gibson plays William Wallace. There is a scene in the middle of the movie when someone says something like, “You can’t be William Wallace, he is 7 feet tall!” Following that, Mel Gibson as William Wallace jokes with that comment that “if he were here, he would shoot you with fireballs…” So, legend versus the truth. We have legends about George Washington, don’t we? Unfortunately, we also have legends, or not entirely true stories, about Jesus’s birth.

For example:

How many wise men were there? We cannot know. 

How many kings were there? These were the same. They may call them kings because of their wealth or wisdom.

How old was Jesus when the wise men came to visit Him? Why do our manger scenes show the wise men? Some time must have passed. Jesus was in a house (Matt. 2:11). In Matt. 2:16 Herod had the children two years old or younger killed, so Jesus was probably around this age when the wise men visited Him. In a minute, we are going to look at the part of Jesus’s birth dealing with the wise men. I hope to show you that, as the wise men worshipped Jesus, so should we.

That is my theme:

The wise men worship Jesus and so must we.

Also, as the wise men saw Jesus as worthy of worship, so should we; as the wise men brought their gifts to Jesus, so should we bring ours. As the wise men saw Jesus worthy of their time, energy, and gifts, He is still worthy of our time, energy, and expense. 

We see the Wise men in Matthew chapter 2, and only there. Matthew was a tax collector. It is well known that Matthew’s Gospel uses numbers frequently. This is probably because he, being a tax collector, dealt with numbers in his occupation. In the first two chapters of Matthew, there are five dreams, five places where it says Jesus is the Christ, and 5 Old Testament quotations:

Dream                                    Jesus is the Christ                        O.T. quotations

Let me read Matthew 2:1-12: (New American Standard Bible)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ² “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” ⁹ After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹ After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Now, this section can be broken into two smaller sections:

1. So, let’s talk about the Wise Men, or magi, and their plan to visit Jesus (Matt. 2:1-6).
   1. Verse 1 says, After Jesus was born in Bethlehem… So, we know that what is about to happen was after Jesus’s birth. You are likely thinking, “Good, I already knew that.”
   2. The verse continues In the days of Herod the king… We must realize that this is the first time these facts have been mentioned in Matthew’s Gospel. The original readers and/or listeners have not yet been told that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. They also have not been told that Herod was the king. These are important facts for them. Later in this section, verse 6 quotes Micah 5:2 about Bethlehem: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
      Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
      For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
      Who willshepherd My people Israel.’”
   3. This passage from Malachi is very important. The people reading Matthew’s Gospel were likely familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures. They knew the prophecies about the Messiah, and Matthew needed to show how Jesus fulfilled these prophecies. Jesus was the prophesied Messiah.
   4. The Magi (wise men) came from Babylon. They would have known the Jewish prophecies about the Messiah, which helped them reach the area of Bethlehem.
   5. Micah prophesied between 700 and 650 B.C. How would the people of Babylon have heard the Jewish prophesies of Micah? Between 605 and 586 B.C., there were at least three deportations of Jewish people to Babylon. But when the Jewish people were taken to Babylon, they would have taken their Jewish culture and Scriptures with them. So, now close to 600 years later, these magi could have studied the Scriptures of ancient Israel and known that they were expecting a Messianic King.
   6. In verse 2, they say, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews…. They continue by talking about some star in the east, and they are there to worship Him. Isn’t that just awesome! Here they are to worship Jesus.
   7. Interesting I read that the ancients thought comets and falling stars predicted the fall of rulers; some emperors even banished from Rome astrologers who issued such predictions. By this period, many Jewish people accepted the idea that the stars could accurately predict the future. Even though these Magi were pagans, God had chosen to reveal Himself to them.
   8. Further, many rulers feared astrological signs of their demise; the Emperor Nero later reportedly slaughtered many nobles in the hope that their deaths (rather than his own) would fulfill the prediction of a comet. Jerusalem was an important trade center; the Magi must have come with quite an entourage for the whole city to notice them. Then again, many people resented Herod’s rule, and rumors could have circulated quickly. King Herod, who was aware of broad currents of thought in the Roman Empire and sponsored pagan temples among Gentile cities in his realm, might have been especially apt to consider the Magi’s mission significant.^[1]
   9. Numbers 24:17 is a good reference and references this star ¹⁷ “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth.
   10. In verse 3, the Bible says that this troubled Herod. But it also troubled all those with him. Herod gathered all the religious leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and he wanted to find out where the Messiah was to be born. That is where they quote this passage from Micah.
   11. That is interesting. Why are others troubled? People like things as they are. These could also be people who worked for Herod.
   12. The chief priests and the scribes knew where Christ was to be born, yet none of them is recorded as going to see the baby Jesus.
2. In verses 7-12, we see what happens.
   1. Herod called the magi and wanted to find out exactly when the star appeared. Can you see the plot happening in this narrative? The Bible says he did this in secret. Interesting, he likely did not want people to know that he was giving any credit to the magi.
   2. Also know that the magi were not simply three men, as we often think. They likely had a long entourage and a very long journey. They would have been noticed as they entered Jerusalem with their caravan.
   3. Herod told them to report to him where this child was born so that he could worship them. We all know that Herod is not going to worship Jesus.
   4. If this were a movie, I would be thinking, “Oh no!” I must imagine how this was for the first readers and listeners. They must have had some prior knowledge of Herod, and they must be wondering what is going to happen. How is this Jesus going to get past this? They may even know about the slaughter of the babies that is about to happen.
   5. The star stood over the place where the child was born. That is what the term means is to stand. Something I read says about this:
   6. IVP Bible Backgrounds Commentary
   7. The text might imply only that the star appeared to move due to the Magi’s own movement. Even had the object been close enough to earth to calculate its relation to Bethlehem, Bethlehem was so close to Jerusalem that any distance would have been negligible unless the object was only a mile high. But the description of God’s leading of the Magi by a moving, supernatural sign may recall how God had led his own people by the fire and cloud in the wilderness (Ex 13:21–22).^[2]
   8. Verse 11: Jesus is in a house, and the family is very hospitable.
   9. They worshipped the baby.
   10. Remember, Jesus was God then, too.
   11. The wise men left another way because of a dream.
3. What can we take and apply from this passage?

1. We must be obedient to the Lord as the wise men were (verse 12).
2. We must worship the Lord as the wise men did (verse 2 and verse 11).
3. We must use our gifts and give joyfully to the Lord as the wise men did (verse 11).
4. We must sacrifice for Jesus as the wise men did. Considering they traveled for some time and incurred expenses. This means an expense of time, energy, and money.

The Wise men gave gifts to Jesus. Listen to this that someone wrote:

It’s Always Time for Gifts
by Charles R. Swindoll

Where is it written in the Bible that holidays are the only time to give gifts? I’m of the firm belief that it’s always a good time to give away some gifts.

Let me give you some ideas. Here are thirty-two suggestions; take your choice: Mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion. Write a long overdue love note. Hug someone tightly and whisper, “I love you.” Forgive an enemy. Be gentle and patient with an angry person. Express appreciation. Gladden the heart of a child. Find the time to keep a promise. Make or bake something for someone else—anonymously. Release a grudge. Listen. Speak kindly to a stranger. Enter into another’s sorrow. Smile. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more. Take a walk with a friend. Kneel down and stroke a dog. Read a poem to your mate or friend. Lessen your demands on others. Play some beautiful music during supper. Apologize if you were wrong. Talk together with the television and cell phone off. Treat someone to an ice cream cone (frozen yogurt would be fine). Do the dishes for the family. Pray for someone who helped you when you hurt. Fix breakfast on Saturday morning. Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly. Encourage an older person. Point out one thing you appreciate most about someone you work with or live near. Offer to babysit for a weary mother. Give your teacher a break—be especially cooperative.

Let’s make this season one long, extended gift of ourselves to others. Unselfishly. Without announcement. Or obligation. Or reservation. Or hypocrisy. That is Christianity, isn’t it?[3]

pray

^[1]Keener, C. S., & InterVarsity Press. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary : New Testament (Mt 2:2-3). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

^[2]Keener, C. S., & InterVarsity Press. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary : New Testament (Mt 2:9). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

[3] Adapted from Hear Me When I Call. Copyright © 2013 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Worthy Publishing). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

Christmas Eve: Jesus Was Born to Save Us (Matthew 1:21; John 12:44-47)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends in Poland, OH on Dec. 24, 2025

I have a few lights with me, why?

How many of us like darkness? I am a runner, that is not a secret. I have run at almost all hours. The only hours I have not been on the road are between 1:00 am and 3:30 am. I have been out at 3:45 am. I have been out until close to 1:00 am running. It is neat to be out running as the sun rises. I start out running, needing light to light my path. However, eventually I realize I can see. I don’t need my light.

Jesus came to save us. Jesus also came as the light of the world.

This Christmas season, we have been focusing on why Jesus came to us. Why did God become a man?

Jesus came to do the Father’s will (John 6:38-40).

Jesus came to give us fullness of life (John 10:10).

Jesus came to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37-38).

Jesus came to save us.

Matthew 1:21

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

John 12:44–47 (NASB95)

44     And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.

45     “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.

46     “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.

47     “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

Jesus was born to save us.

1. Believing in Jesus means believing in God, the Father.
   1. In the previous two verses (John 12:42-43), John writes that many, even of the rulers, believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing Him. They loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
   2. This is happening during Jesus’s passion week.
   3. Now, He speaks in John 12:44.
   4. Believing in Jesus means believing in He Who sent Jesus.
   5. Who sent Jesus?
   6. Gal. 4:4 shares that God, the Father, sent the Son.
   7. In John 12:45, Jesus says that when we see Jesus we see the One Who sent Him. That is God, the Father (John 14:9, Jesus says he who has seen Me, has seen the Father). Col. 1:15 and Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God.
   8. This is the mystery of the Trinity.
2. Jesus came as Light in the world so that we would not remain in darkness.
   1. In John 12:46, Jesus says that He has come as Light into the world.
   2. This is a common theme in John’s gospel (John 1:4; 3:19; 8:12; 9:5).
   3. Just think of it, Jesus opens our eyes to the truth about reality and Jesus saves us.
   4. Jesus gives us eternal life and fullness of life.
   5. This takes us out of darkness and into the light.
   6. It is like trying to understand something and then when one understands it we exclaim, “I see…”
3. Jesus came to save the world.
   1. In John 12:47, Jesus says that when one hears His sayings and does not keep them, He does not judge them, for He did not come to judge the world but save the world.
   2. There is a judgment; this is about Jesus’s first coming. When He returns, He will come as the judge (John 5:22, 27-30; Matt. 25:31-32).
   3. Jesus says He came to bring salvation.
   4. Why did Jesus come?
   5. He came to save us.
4. Do you know Him? Do you know the light of the world, or are you in darkness?
   1. Have you come to a point in your life where you have accepted Jesus into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins? Jesus didn’t come to earth just to live with us; He came to instruct us and to die in our place.
   2. The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The Bible says that the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). The Bible says that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6). The Bible teaches that sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). The Bible says that God will not let the guilty go unpunished (2 Thess 1:8-9). Yet, the Bible teaches that God loves the people of the world (John 3:16). That is a dilemma. God can’t tell a lie, or He wouldn’t be God (Numbers 23:19). God doesn’t change His mind (1 Sam 15:29). That is why God sent Jesus. The guilty must go punished. Jesus took our punishment on the cross. The penalty of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life.
   3. One of the most exciting things that you can do while celebrating Jesus’s birthday is to make it your spiritual birthday as well. You can accept Jesus’s free gift of salvation right now.

1. God created us to be with him (Gen. 1-2).
2. Our sin separated us from God (Gen. 3).
3. Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen. 4-Mal. 4).
4. Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again (Matt. – Luke).
5. Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life (John – Jude).
6. Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever (Rev. 22:5).

Prayer

^[1] John F. Hart, “John,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1644.

^[2] R. C. Sproul, John, St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009), 237.

Advent: Jesus Became Like Us to Save Us (Hebrews 2:14-18)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, December 21, 2025

Why did Jesus come?

Timothy Keller writes:

Hamlet was wrong. Where am I going next with that? Because Hamlet said, “… death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all …” But he’s wrong. Someone has come back from death.

When I see Jesus Christ raised, when I see Jesus Christ having destroyed the power of death, when I see Jesus Christ having opened a cleft in the pitiless walls of the world, blown a hole through the back of death, and bids me come through, and says, “Believe in me, follow me, and I’ll take you through it,” I’m not a coward anymore. You don’t realize the degree to which you are enslaved to the fear of death until the faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ comes into your life and begins to release you from it.^[1]

My theme today is:

Jesus became like us to save us.

1. By His death, Jesus broke the power of satan (Hebrews 2:14-15).
   1. Hebrews 2:14–15 (ESV) ¹⁴ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
   2. Through death, Jesus was able to destroy the devil.
   3. Piper:
   4. This, I think, is my favorite Advent text because I don’t know any other that expresses so clearly the connection between the beginning and the end of Jesus’s earthly life — between the incarnation and crucifixion. These two verses make clear why Jesus came; namely, to die.[2]
   5. We are flesh and blood, so Jesus took on flesh.
   6. Jesus did this for us. It is all about God, and the reason He did this is all about us.
   7. Jesus is not helping the angels, but us (verses 15-16). We have a fear of death, or we should. Jesus is here to conquer that fear.
   8. We were subject to lifelong slavery to sin. Jesus conquered that.
2. Having once suffered, Jesus is now able to sympathize with those suffering (Hebrews 2:16-18).
   1. Hebrews 2:16–18 (ESV)
   2. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
   3. In verse 16, the writer shares that Jesus did not die for the angels.
   4. No, He came for the offspring of Abraham.
   5. In Hebrews 1, the writer was sharing how Jesus is greater than the angels. So, now He writes that Jesus did not die for the angels.
   6. The offspring of Abraham would be us. Hebrews was a letter written to Jewish believers, but Romans and Galatians teach that Gentiles are grafted in (Romans 11:11-24; Galatians 3-4).
   7. Hebrews 2:17 continues the idea begun in verse 14 that Jesus had to be a human to be our high priest and to be a sacrifice for our sins.
   8. He is our merciful and faithful High Priest.
   9. He makes propitiation for our sins. This means that He appeases God’s wrath on our sin. His death appeases the wrath of God.
   10. This term means that He bore God’s wrath and curse that rested on “the people” who sinned (Rom. 3:25, 26).^[3]
   11. Hebrews 2:18 (ESV)
   12. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
   13. As C.S. Lewis says, our great Captain has opened a cleft in the pitiless walls of the world and bids us come through.^[4]
   14. John Piper writes:
   15. The Son of God, who existed before the incarnation as the eternal Word (John 1:1), took on flesh and blood, and clothed his deity with humanity. He became fully man and remained fully God.
   16. that through death . . .
   17. The reason Christ became human was to die. As preincarnate God, he could not die for sinners. But united to flesh and blood, he could. His aim was to die. Therefore, he had to be born human, mortal.
   18. In dying, Christ defanged the devil. How? By covering all our sin (Hebrews 10:12). This means that Satan has no legitimate grounds to accuse us before God. “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33). On what grounds does he justify? Through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 9:14; Romans 5:9).
   19. Satan’s ultimate weapon against us is our own sin. If the death of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon the devil has is taken out of his hand. In that sense, he is rendered powerless.
   20. So, we are free from the fear of death. God has justified us. There is only future grace in front of us. Satan cannot overturn that decree. And God means for our ultimate safety to have an immediate effect on our lives. He means for the happy ending to take away the slavery and fear of the present.[5]

Timothy Keller brings this to life:

I knew a guy years ago in my former church who was an x-ray technician. He worked in a hospital, and he put people up on the table. I went in to see him because he was in the hospital himself because I think, if I remember correctly, he had a kidney stone. When I spoke to him, he was in the hospital. He was in a lot of pain, and he had just been put on the table by one of his x-ray technician colleagues.

He had just come back to his room, and I said, “How’s it going?” He said to me, “When I get out of here I am going to have a radically different bedside manner.” I said, “Why?” He said, “Well, I really never knew what it was like to be on the table myself. I will never be impatient with a client again. I will never treat them like a cipher. I will never treat them like cattle, because I know what it’s like. I will never unnecessarily be brusque with them, because I’ve been on the table myself. I’ve been changed. I’ve been on the table. Therefore, I will never treat people on the table the same way.”

Jesus Christ, we’re told, was really human. He suffered. Here’s someone who knows everything we know. Have you been betrayed this year? So has he. Have you been isolated or lonely this year? So has he. Have you been broke this year? So has he. Have you faced death this year? So has he. He has faced pain and rejection and homelessness and misunderstanding and isolation and grief and loss.

We’re told in the Bible in Hebrews 5:7, when he was on earth, what does it say? “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” Not a little tear in the eye, but loud cries and tears. God not only came as a human being, but he refused to come as a human being with nerves of steel, somebody who was always crying, weeping over Jerusalem, weeping over his dead friend Lazarus, and sweating blood over his own doom.

What does this mean? It means if you have in your mind intellectually Jesus is fully human, but functionally you really think of him the way the Sunday school books used to picture him, tan, always beautifully tan, glowing, sort of porcelain-looking, his white clothes glistening, and always sort of hovering about six feet above the grass. He has been on the table, and he will never treat anybody else on the table in a way that’s inappropriate.^[6]

^[1] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

[2] Devotional excerpted from “Born to Die for Freedom”

Desiring God. Org; accessed on Nov. 10, 2025

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-jesus-came?utm_campaign=Daily%20Email&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=80359528&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9sEIZCPQrqeQ0_q29aMS6UHrKG655aaCzSsFb8m72uIksVzgwWUyuYREO3O-faz23RKVPSdWOZGJj4253X-MsJuYP7bw&_hsmi=80359528

^[3] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 2200.

^[4] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

[5] Devotional excerpted from Future Grace, pages 354–356; accessed on 11.10.2025 published on Desiring God August 2.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/afraid-of-death-no-more?utm_campaign=Daily%20Email&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=92284673&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8_S2yKbJ7gHzlpvHMgCDC497DXRcW2ltwXYv2JVex7bo-KtioMpTkpzGlNM2-x0pIXooabJ1MkJTIudrRnCR50NvowOw&utm_content=92284673&utm_source=hs_email

^[6] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

Advent: Jesus Came to Bear Witness to the Truth (John 18:37-38)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, December 14, 2025

In this Christmas series, we have been talking about why Jesus came to us.

When I was a child, Christmas was a big deal. I was so excited. It was exciting to come down the stairs and see presents under the tree. I did not grow up in the church, but I do know that Christmas was about Jesus. At the same time, Santa was a big part of our Christmas celebrations.

Who was St. Nicholas? A “Breakpoint” commentary shares the following:

Today, December 6, is the anniversary of the death of St. Nicholas in 343, a leader in the ancient Church in the city of Myra in Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. If you’ve ever heard of the Dutch tradition of children leaving their shoes out in hopes of finding goodies left in them, like gold-foil-covered chocolate coins, it’s based on a story that St. Nicholas gave three young women the funds to pay for their dowries. According to another story, likely a legend, St. Nick punched Arius at the Council of Nicaea for his heresy. 

Aside from his reputation for legendary generosity, what we know about St. Nicholas is that he was imprisoned and possibly tortured for being a Christian by the Emperor Diocletian, before being released from prison by the Emperor Constantine. That’s enough to make him a hero, and to honor him by hanging stockings in his honor. … Just remember that the True Gift of Advent is the Christ he was unwilling to forsake.[1] 

We talk and sing about Santa Claus coming to town, but why did Jesus come to us?

My theme today is: Jesus said that He came to testify to the truth.

1. We are going to look at John 18:37, but what is the context?
   1. This passage is during the trials of Jesus.
   2. In John 18:12, Jesus was arrested.
   3. In John 18:19 and the following verses, Jesus is questioned by the High Priest.
   4. Starting in John 18:28, Jesus is taken from Caiaphas’s house to Pilate.
   5. Jesus is before Pilate from John 18:28-40.
   6. Starting in John 19:1, Jesus is flogged and mocked. Pilate says that he found no guilt in Jesus (John 19:6). The crowd wanted Jesus crucified, and Pilate was afraid of the crowd. Pilate delivered Him over to be crucified (John 19:16).
2. Pilate questions Jesus about kingship (John 18:33-36).
   1. John 18:33–38 (ESV) ³³ So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷ Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
   2. After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.
   3. In John 18:33, Pilate enters his headquarters “again.” Why does it say “again”?
   4. This is because in the previous few verses, Pilate told the Jewish people to judge Him themselves.
   5. Pilate is going in and out of his headquarters. He is speaking with the Jews and then with Jesus.
   6. In John 18:33, Pilate asks Jesus “Are You the King of the Jews?”
   7. Jesus answers with a question.
   8. “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?”
   9. Pilate answers:
   10. “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”
   11. Notice that Pilate admits that he is not Jewish.
   12. Pilate seems amazed that Jesus’s own people handed Him over to Pilate.
   13. Pilate was likely used to certain uprisings, but in this case, the Jewish people handed Jesus over to Pilate.
   14. Pilate wants to know what Jesus has done.
   15. Verse 36 is critical:
   16. ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
   17. Jesus is saying that His Kingdom is not of this world. Pilate said that His own people handed Him over, but Jesus said, “No, they are not from My Kingdom.”
   18. If His Kingdom were of this world, His servants would be fighting so that He would not be delivered over to the Jews.
   19. Remember, just earlier, Peter cut off the ear of a servant of the High Priest when they came to arrest Jesus.
   20. Jesus restored the ear (John 18:10-11; Luke 22:51).
   21. Sproul shares:
   22. He did not say that His dominion and authority did not include this world or that His realm was a transcendent spiritual Neverland. This was the same Jesus who affirmed, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). He told Pilate: “My kingdom is not like your kingdom. My kingdom is not built on violence, on blood, on war. That’s the way the kingdoms of this world function. My kingdom is not a world-like kingdom.” In other words, Jesus said that He did not plan to establish a kingdom by force. He had no intention of leading a rebellion against the Romans, no matter what the Jews might say.^[2]
   23. In the next verse, Pilate asks Jesus if He is a King.
3. Jesus says why He came (John 18:37-38).
   1. John 18:37-38: ³⁷ Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
   2. Jesus does not respond to the Kingship, but to why he came.
   3. Notice that Jesus says:
   4. For this purpose, He was born;
   5. And for this purpose, He came into the world;
   6. To bear witness to the truth.
   7. He was born and came into the world to bear witness to the truth.
   8. Interestingly, Jesus says He was born, but that was not His beginning.
   9. Jesus says that He came into the world.
   10. That was His incarnation.
   11. As John Piper writes:
   12. The uniqueness of his birth is that he did not originate at his birth. He existed before he was born in a manger. The personhood, the character, the personality of Jesus of Nazareth existed before the man Jesus of Nazareth was born.
   13. The theological word to describe this mystery is not creation, but incarnation. The person, not the body, but the essential personhood of Jesus existed before he was born as man. His birth was not a coming into being of a new person, but a coming into the world of an infinitely old person.[3]
   14. Micah 5:2 (ESV) But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
   15. Further, from Piper: The mystery of the birth of Jesus is not merely that he was born of a virgin. That miracle was intended by God to witness to an even greater one; namely, that the child born at Christmas was a person who existed “from of old, from ancient days.”[4]
   16. He came to bear witness to the truth.
   17. Jesus did not say that He came to testify to “my” truth. No, He came to testify to “the” truth.
   18. New American Commentary:
   19. The theme of truth is a foundational idea in John. For Jesus and for John truth is not merely some intellectual concept of correct facticity. It also involves life-oriented integrity. Accordingly, we misunderstand Johannine truth if we merely speak of the truth about Jesus or doctrinal formulations about Jesus. Jesus is himself truth as he states: “I am the way, the truth and the life” (14:6). Jesus was not proposing to give the disciples a map or “triptik” to heaven or a theological description about himself. Jesus gave them himself. There is no doubt that truth is related to ideas and matters of facticity, but Jesus’ mission was to bring people to himself and to God and in the process thereby bring them to integrity of life. It is clearly possible to be academically right and theologically correct but still lack integrity in life.
   20. Jesus’ mission was to integrate truth into life. That is the reason the text here defines people who are of truth as those who hear the voice of Jesus. Hearing or obeying Jesus is not the same as affirming correct ideas. The Pharisees and legalists in Jesus’ day were very precise in their theological formulations, but God was remote for them. Moreover, they schemed his crucifixion in their correctness because they missed hearing the voice of God. That can still happen today. What Jesus did in this story was confront Pilate with himself and with the genuine nature of truth.^[5]
   21. Pilate asks, “What is truth?” That is what people ask today.
   22. Keller: Pilate says at the very end, “I am Rome, I have power, and I could crush you like a bug [John 19:10].” Do you know what Jesus says? There is a George Herbert poem in which the words of the Christian or Christ go like this …Spare not, do thy worst. I shall be one day better than before;
   23. Thou so much worse, that thou shalt be no more.
   24. Here’s what Jesus is saying. “You don’t realize this is all part of the plan. If you abuse power, you’re just going to bring your own house down. Go ahead. Try to destroy me. All you’ll do is put me on a cross and make me the Savior of the world. All you will do is put me up there as an emblem and a sign and a token and a power in the lives of people who eventually are going to turn your entire Roman world upside down. By you abusing your power, you are helping me show the world what power is for: giving, serving, giving away. Come on.”^[6]

Prayer

[1] “The Story of S. Nicholas.” Breakpoint article on Dec. 6, 2022. Accessed on Oct. 27, 2025

https://breakpoint.org/saint-nicholas-a-christian-hero/

^[2] R. C. Sproul, John, St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009), 352.

[3] Piper, John. The Birth of the Ancient of Days. Advent|Day 21. Accessed on Oct. 27, 2025

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-birth-of-the-ancient-of-days?utm_campaign=Daily%20Email&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=80303787&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9WEOIi2rYuV6UDnfnl0O72kQMpoTFnHsDxDrIwwgvnPvNER9sSX6DhFqLBz_hSE1G2KxQ8FzJ43G8PmbCrw2ZELfPCHA&_hsmi=80303787

[4] Ibid.

^[5] Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 243.

^[6] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

Advent: Christmas program/sermonette: Jesus became Like Us to Give Us Fullness of Life (John 10:10)

Prepared and preached by Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends on Sunday, December 7, 2025

In AD 1190, King Richard the Lionhearted of England was sailing back from the Crusades when bad weather forced him to land in the unfriendly territory of Austria. King Richard and his men decided to travel by land back to England. But they couldn’t just travel as a king’s caravan. So they disguised themselves as the Knights Templar so they could sneak their way back, posing as religious pilgrims.

But their disguise wasn’t enough to protect them. While passing through Vienna, King Richard was identified and taken captive—all because he insisted on eating roasted chicken for dinner and wearing his fancy rings (some disguise). So he was put in chains and forced to live as a slave.

The Duke of Austria wanted to send England back their king, but he wanted some money for his troubles. So he set what was—and still is, today—the most expensive ransom of a person in history: $3.3 billion in today’s money. And England paid it.

[One person writes]:

The first time I read that story, my first thought was, “Would I ever be worth that high a price to someone?” I’m certain the United States wouldn’t think so. My family might wish to pay that, but they wouldn’t be able to.

Yet God paid infinitely more than that for every one of us.

When we came to Jesus, we weren’t particularly strategic to him—not like King Richard. It makes sense to pay through the nose to get your king back. But you and I weren’t kings to God. Before he chose us, we were his enemies. If you think dropping billions of dollars for your king is wild, imagine doing that for your enemy!

But that’s precisely what God did. Though we were far less valuable to him, and far more antagonistic toward him, God paid the fullness of our ransom price without a second thought. The price was much higher than billions of dollars: It was the cost of his own life. We are redeemed, Peter said, with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Why would he do it? So that he could transform his enemies into his sons and daughters. Because it may be impressive to pay a huge ransom for your hero. But it’s truly glorious to pay a ransom to redeem those who rebelled against you. God redeemed us—paid our ransom—because it brings him glory upon glory.

And like King Richard, we aren’t just redeemed to be set free. We’re redeemed for a purpose. The people of England wanted Richard back so that he could be their king again. They had a job for him to do; they were willing to pay the big redemption price so he could get back to it. So it is with us in God’s kingdom: We aren’t only saved from sin, but for good works. God pays the huge redemption price so we can get on to the tasks he has for us.

God brought us back to himself, not only with an incalculable price, but for an eternal purpose. We were bought to belong to him, to reflect his glory, to bring his light to the nations, and to be his instrument of blessing.

That’s the purpose behind your redemption—the biggest ransom ever paid.[1]

Every year we celebrate Christmas, but what are we really celebrating? Are we celebrating Christmas?

What is the purpose of Christmas?

Theme:

Jesus came, fully God and fully man, in order to die for our sins and give us life abundantly (John 10:10).

Application:

My application is that you repent and surrender to Jesus. Keep Christ the center of Christmas. 

Let’s read Luke 2:1-7:

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

1. Christmas is about God becoming a human being to save us from our sins.
   1. The Bible can be summed up with the acronym that spells GOSPEL.
   2. God created us to be with him (Genesis 1-2).
   3. Our sin separated us from God (Genesis 3).
      1. But don’t think of God as this megalomaniac wanting to inflict punishment on us.
      2. Think of it this way.
      3. Imagine you go to the roof of the empire state building and walk off the building, what happens?
      4. You fall and hit the ground, but why?
      5. Gravity.
      6. Gravity is part of the created order.
      7. There is no reason to be angry at gravity.
      8. There is no reason to cast blame. Gravity did not want to hurt you. It is part of the created order.
      9. Think of the wrath of God like gravity. God is holy and when we sin it is like violating the law of gravity. There is an automatic response. The response is separation from God. Hell is separation from God. But like gravity, God also does not want to hurt you. Back to the acronym.
   4. Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4).
   5. Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again (Matthew – Luke).
   6. Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life (John – Jude).
   7. Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever (Revelation 22:5).
      1. Do you know that when you trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, you don’t only receive eternal life, but also abundant life?
      2. You are reconnected with God.
   8. John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
2. So, in a nutshell Christmas is all about Jesus’ birth. God became a human being so that He could die for our sins. God brought events involving kings, common people, and shepherds in order to bring His Son into the world. Jesus lived among us for 33 years and then died in our place. He died for our sins. Do you believe that? I want to ask you a personal question: have you come to a point in your life where you have accepted Jesus into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins? Jesus didn’t come to earth just to live with us; He came to instruct us and to die in our place.
   1. Whether you are part of the church or not, my question for you is: Do you know Jesus as Lord and Savior, and are you committed to him?
   2. The Bible uses four verbs to describe the Christian life, they are: Believe, confess, commit and trust. Let me explain:

1. The Bible teaches that we must believe in Jesus. We must believe that He is who the Bible says He is. The Bible teaches that He was born of a virgin; He lived a sinless life and died on the cross for our sins and He rose triumphantly over the grave (John 3:16; 14:6; 1 Cor. 15; 2 Cor. 5:17 and 21).
2. The Bible teaches that we must confess that we are in need of forgiveness. This means that we must confess that we are a sinner in need of a Savior. In other words, we have done wrong things and we need forgiven (Romans 3:23; 6:23 10:9-10). We tell God this.
3. The Bible teaches that we must commit to Jesus as Lord and Savior. This means we are not simply fans of Jesus, but instead we are followers of Jesus. Fans stay on the sidelines, but Jesus calls us to be on the field with Him. Jesus told them to count the cost before committing to Him (Luke 14:27-33).
4. The Bible teaches that we must trust The belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior is not a casual belief, but a firm trust (1 Timothy 1:15; John 3:16).

Firmly make the decision to be with Him in order to become like Him and to learn and do all that He says and then arrange your affairs around Him. 

This year, don’t miss Christmas. Make Christmas your spiritual birthday.

Pray to receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

Pray

[1] Greear, J. D. June 24, 2024. Accessed on October, 20,2 025

https://jdgreear.com/the-biggest-ransom-in-history/

Advent: Why Did Jesus Come? He Came to do the Father’s Will (John 6:38-40)

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, November 30, 2025

The Italian architect-believer, Fra Giovanni, wrote in 1513:

I salute you. There is nothing I can give you which you have not;

but there is much that, while I cannot give you, you can take.

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.

Take heaven …

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in the present.

Take peace …

The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our

reach is joy. Take joy …

And so at this Christmas time I greet you with the prayer that for

you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.^1,[1]

It is the Christmas season. This is tied to be the most important season of the year.

Oklahoma City made startling and shocking news Sunday morning, December 6, 1964. A thirty-one-year-old mother gave birth to a child on the sidewalk at the corner of Sheridan and Broadway. A curious crowd “watched without helping.” The woman and her baby lay on the pavement for about forty-five minutes in a temperature of about thirty-four degrees.

A visitor from Tulsa summoned a taxi. When the cab arrived, however, the driver refused to take the mother to the hospital. Then the helpful stranger called the police, to no avail. During the time the woman lay on the sidewalk, two patrol cars passed the scene and neither stopped.

A former state representative chanced that way, stopped and called the fire department for an ambulance. He also sent a man across the street to a hotel to borrow a blanket, but a porter refused him. Meanwhile, the rescue squad arrived. While waiting for an ambulance, Captain Bill Latham of the fire department and the former representative, Bob Cunningham, decided to take the mother and her child to the hospital in the latter’s car. And they did.

This unbelievable story, heralded across America Monday, December 7, and doubtless around the world, is reminiscent of what happened in ancient Bethlehem, when another woman was heavy with child. “And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).^2,[2]

Why did He come?

As we begin this Advent season, I would like us to focus on why Jesus came.

Today, we will focus on:

Why Did Jesus Come? He Came to do the Father’s Will (John 6:38-40)

Next week: there will be a Christmas program, but I will give a meditation on Jesus became Like Us to Give Us Fullness of Life (John 10:10);

December 14, 2025, I will focus on Jesus Came to Bear Witness to the Truth (John 18:37-38);

December 21, 2025, I will focus on Jesus Became Like Us to Save Us (Hebrews 2:14-18);

Then, on Christmas Eve, we will discuss how Jesus Was Born to save us (Matthew 1:21; John 12:44-47).

1. 1. Let’s look at the context.
   2. At the beginning of John 6, Jesus feeds the multitude.
   3. One source shares:
   4. …physical things we look to for meaning eventually fade. I love how C. S. Lewis put it: “I cannot find a cup of tea which is big enough or a book that is long enough” (cited in Hughes, John, 206). Do you know what he means? That which we think gives our lives so much meaning is never quite enough. We always need more, but even more won’t do it.^[3]
   5. This is also recorded in Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; and Luke 9:10-17).
   6. In John 6:15, Jesus was concerned that they were going to take him by force. Jesus withdrew to the mountain by Himself.
   7. Later, Jesus walks on water in John 6:19-20.
   8. In John 6:26, Jesus begins a message to the people.
   9. The message is pointing to Him as the Savior.
   10. John 6:29 (ESV)
   11. ²⁹ Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
   12. They were focused on signs, but He was talking about believing in Him.
   13. This chapter has correlations to Numbers 11.
   14. John 6:30–34 (ESV)
   15. ³⁰ So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? ³¹ Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” ³² Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ³⁴ They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
   16. The manna in the wilderness is described in Numbers 11:7-9.
   17. In verse 32, John 6:32, Jesus says, “truly, truly…” That is saying, “amen, amen…”
   18. Jesus then points to the “true bread…”
   19. ESV SB: The true bread from heaven would be something that nourishes people eternally and spiritually and thus is infinitely superior to the manna given to Israel in OT times, which was able to meet only temporal, physical needs. Jesus identifies himself as this “true bread” in v. 35.^[4]
   20. Then, look at John 6:35:
   21. John 6:35 (ESV) ³⁵ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
   22. Jesus is now saying that He is the bread of life…
   23. Coming to Him means never hungering or thirsting.
   24. One source shares: I am the bread of life is the first of Jesus’s seven “I am” sayings in John. Subsequently he said he is “the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5); “the gate” of the sheep (10:7, 9); the “good shepherd” (10:11, 14); “the resurrection and the life” (11:25); “the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6); and “the true vine” (15:1). Apart from these sayings, there are statements where Jesus referred to himself as “I am” (6:20 textual note; 8:24, 28, 58; 18:5), a clear allusion to God’s identification as “I AM” (Ex 3:14).^[6]
   25. Remember, Jesus had just fed the 5000. Also, in John 4, Jesus talked with the woman at the well regarding the water He gives.
   26. Now, look at John 6:36-37: John 6:36–37 (ESV) ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
   27. They see, but do not believe.
   28. When the Father gives people to the Son, they come to the Son and Jesus will not cast them out.
   29. This is about salvation.
2. Jesus came to do the Father’s will (John 6:38).
   1. John 6:38 (ESV) ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
   2. Now, Jesus continues to build on Who He is and why He is there.
   3. Jesus did not come in the same manner as other prophets.
   4. Jesus came from Heaven (Phil. 2:5-11).
   5. Jesus came not for Himself. Jesus came to do the will of Him Who sent Him.
   6. Who would that be?
3. The will of the Father is the salvation of those who trust in the Son (John 6:39-40).
   1. John 6:39–40 (ESV) ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
   2. Verse 40 tells us “Him Who sent Him” is the Father.
   3. Father God sent Jesus.
   4. Verse 39 shows that Jesus came, He was sent so that He loses no one that the Father has given Him.
   5. There is a picture of the Father giving people to the Son, to Jesus, and Jesus saving them.
   6. Jesus raises them up on the last day.
   7. How?
   8. In verse 40, we see how.
   9. We look to the Son and believe in Him, and we have eternal life. Jesus will raise us up on the last day.
   10. Starting in John 6:40ff, we see the Jews grumbling, not believing.
   11. They do the opposite of what Jesus said.
   12. They do not receive Him.
   13. This continues an amazing passage.
   14. C. Sproul shares:
   15. John 6:37 is a universal positive principle of the gospel, and the universal negative principle of the gospel is in John 6:44.
   16. John 6:37 is positive: ³⁷ All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
   17. John 6:44 negative: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
   18. One source shares:
   19. The believer’s security is founded on the Son’s faithfulness in doing the Father’s will.^[7]
4. Why did Jesus come?
   1. He came from Heaven.
   2. He was born and laid in a manger.
   3. Why, to grow up and save us.
   4. He was sent by God the Father to save us.

One writes:

Saint Augustine famously said, “You made us for yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you.” I want to keep the spirit of his statement but tweak the words just a bit. If he was reading this passage, he might say, “You made us to hunger for you, and our starving souls find no nourishment until they feast on you.” Only Jesus can fill the emptiness inside. Only Jesus can quiet the growling of your soul. Only Jesus can give you life.^[8]

In her syndicated column for November 11, 1971, Erma Bombeck reminded us that time hangs heavy over the heads of bored people, eludes the busy, flies by for the young, and runs out for the old. Perhaps we should view it, she counseled, through a child’s eyes.

“When I was young, Daddy was going to throw me in the air and catch me and I would giggle until I couldn’t giggle anymore; but he had to change the furnace filter, and there wasn’t time.”

There is always something else to do!^[9]

Remember to live in the moment now. But as we go through this Christmas season, I encourage you to remember that Jesus came to do His Father’s will. His Father’s will was to save us.

Look to Jesus and have life.

¹ Christian Century Pulpit, December, 1957, “Greeting at Christmas,” by Fra Giovanni, AD 1513, p. 22. Permission requested.

^[1] G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 56–57.

² The Daily Oklahoman, December 7, 1964.

^[2] G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 57.

^[3] Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg, Exalting Jesus in John (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2017), 152.

^[4] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2034–2035.

^[5] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2035.

^[6] Andreas J. Köstenberger, “John,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1678.

^[7] Andreas J. Köstenberger, “John,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1678.

^[8] Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg, Exalting Jesus in John (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2017), 155.

^[9] G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 346.