FHBC Sermon Notes

Jim assures us that tonight is truly the last night for the book of John. A long, and blessed journey indeed. Thank you Jim!


V. 18 In this verse Jesus is telling Peter the type of death he will endure. The stretching out of his hands seems to indicate crucifixion. Church tradition says that he was crucified under Nero. The crucified upside down manner is not as evident. Such crucifixions were done, but we are not sure. The central issue here is that Peter would honor God, by his death. This of course mirrors Jesus' death.

1 Peter 4:12 - Peter's own words show that he knows what it means to suffer. "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings..." It is in our suffering that we bear witness to Christ. Think of the fact that Peter was to preach, grow, admonish, all with the knowledge of the great pain he was to die with. 

v. 21 Jesus' sums it all up. In a sense, you will die a gruesome death, and then repeats the same call from the beginning of his message. Follow me...

Follow me... This is the part of the gospel that we often leave out. God calls us to come and die. And in that death, in Christ, we will be raised again. Can we accept this? Do we really believe this?

v. 20 - 25 The Other Disciple - What about this man?  This passage shows how close Peter and John was and how close to Jesus they were.  This exchange demonstrates how sovereign is the will of God in this matter. Whether one lives or one dies, God's glory is the central issue. In turn, God's injunction to each of us is the same as Peter's. "You follow me"

v.23 John is clearing up a view of the time of Jesus' return and about his own end.

v. 24-25 The Signature
The testimony is true, certified as an eye-witness and sealed by the Holy Spirit. The final verse reminds us that this is not a biography of Jesus, but a declaration of the message that Jesus the Son of God, sent by God, died and was raised from the dead to redeem us from our sins.