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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/alex-dryburgh/lord-jesus-christ/
Marked Abraham as the friend of God. He was a man that had faith in God. He was a man that feared God. And he was a man that enjoyed fellowship with God. So that's all you're going to hear about Abraham.
John's Gospel chapter 2. John's Gospel has been much before us. So we're going to consider John's Gospel in chapter 2. John's Gospel chapter 2, verse 24. But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men.
Chapter 1. John's Gospel chapter 1, verse 15. The latter clause of the verse. He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. Back to chapter 2, verse 19. Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, this body, and in three days I will raise it.
Chapter 3, verse 31. He that cometh from above is above all. The Lord has promised to bless you as you're reading from His good word. I think the older you get, the more you find yourself reading in the Gospels.
Now, we have four Gospels. And those four Gospels bring before us the Lord Jesus. Matthew's Gospel, the dignity of the King. Mark's Gospel, the diligence of the servant. Luke's Gospel, the dependence of the man.
And John's Gospel, the devotion of the Son. You read about His love for the Father. You read about His love for His own. You read about His love for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. And you read about His love, the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Fifty years ago, I heard a man from America. We won't hold that against him. He says, when you read John's Gospel, keep in mind three things. First of all, he said this, Keep in mind the glory of His person.
That's the first thing. Keep in mind the greatness of His power. And keep in mind the grace of His presence. You know, I could go through John's Gospel this afternoon, and I could show you the glory of His person, the greatness of His power, and the grace of His presence.
Think of chapter 1. In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The glory of His person. Think of the greatness of His power. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that has been made.
The greatness of His power. Think of the grace of His presence. The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. And right through John's Gospel, the glory of His person, the greatness of His power, and the grace of His presence.
Now, John's Gospel begins as John's Gospel ends. How does John's Gospel begin? It begins that Christ is God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It begins with Christ being God.
How does John's Gospel end? We were reminded from John 20, My Lord and My God. So remember, the Gospel begins that Christ is God. The Gospel ends Christ being God. Now very quickly, I'm going to talk about four things very quickly.
First of all, Christ knows everything in John's Gospel. That's the first thing. The second thing we're going to consider is this, Christ is before all in John's Gospel. The third thing we're going to consider is this, the Lord Jesus Christ does everything Himself in the Gospel according to John.
And the fourth thing we're going to notice is this, Christ is above all in the Gospel according to John. He that is from above is above all. Let's think of the first thing. As I read John's Gospel, I notice two things.
First of all, I notice the ignorance of men. Secondly, I notice the knowledge of the Son of God. Now let's think about the ignorance of men. How does John's Gospel begin? Listen to what it says. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He came unto His own, and His own people received Him not. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. The ignorance of men. How does John's Gospel end? Remember the Lord Jesus is on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
And right through John's Gospel, I read about the ignorance of men. But my point this afternoon is this. As I consider this Gospel, I read about the knowledge of the Son of God. What did we read this afternoon?
He knew all men. And I could turn tonight, today, to John chapter 21, and listen to the words of Peter. Lord, Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love Thee. So, throughout the Gospel according to John, you have the ignorance of men, and you have the knowledge of the Son of God.
Listen today to the words of the hymn writer. He knew the reason why the Father sent the Son. He knew that He had come to die, a man for men undone. The scourging and the scorn, the worst that men could do, the meaning of the crown of thorns lay open to His view.
The knowledge of the Son of God. He knew all men and He knows all things in the Gospel according to John. But then, secondly, very quickly, you know the Lord Jesus is before all in the Gospel according to John.
Let's go through the Gospel and notice how Christ is before all in the Gospel according to John. For example, in John chapter 1, listen to the words of John the Baptist. He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me.
That verse could be rendered like this. My successor is my superior. For he was my predecessor. And in John's Gospel chapter 1, Christ is before John the Baptist. A brother quoted from John chapter 8, Before Abraham was, I am.
He's before John the Baptist in John chapter 1. He's before Abraham in John chapter 8. I come to John chapter 12, I read a verse like this. Isaiah saw His glory and He spake of Him. So, in John chapter 12, He's before Isaiah.
And then, of course, I come to John 17 and I read a verse like this. The glory which I had with Thee before the world was. Before John the Baptist, chapter 1. Before Abraham, chapter 8. Before Isaiah, chapter 12.
Before the world was, chapter 17. Listen to the words of the hymn writer. Before the world in which He made, its circuit had begun. Forever was He Son of God, and forever God the Son. Christ is before all in the Gospel according to John.
Thirdly, very quickly, the Lord Jesus Christ does everything Himself in the Gospel according to John. Now, if this was a Bible reading, but it's not. If this was a Bible reading and the question was asked, Who raised Christ from the dead?
Of course, one brother would turn to Romans chapter 6 and he would say this, He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. And then he would go to Ephesians chapter 1, He was raised from the dead by the mighty power of God.
It was God that raised Christ from the dead. And that brother would be absolutely right. But there might be another brother. What about that verse in Romans chapter 1? Raised from the dead by the Spirit of holiness.
What about that verse in 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 18? He was put to death in the flesh. He was quickened by the Holy Spirit. Was it not the Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead? And that brother would be absolutely right.
But you know, I am in John's Gospel. Destroy this body and in three days I will raise it. I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again. And Christ raises Himself from the dead in the Gospel according to John.
For Christ is God and Christ being God does everything Himself in the Gospel according to John. Come again. You remember that little coat that was tied at a door without where two ways meet. And you know, Matthew talks about that little coat.
And Mark talks about that little coat. And Luke talks about that little coat. And John talks about that little coat. But I want you to notice the difference in Matthew and in Mark and in Luke. He sends two disciples in order that they might find the coat.
In order that they might free the coat. And in order that they might fetch the coat. I read that Matthew, Mark and Luke. But I don't read that in John. I turn to John chapter 12 and I read a verse like this.
Jesus found the coat. And there's no mention of two disciples in John's Gospel. Because Christ is God and Christ being God does everything Himself in the Gospel according to John. Come again. I go to the other Gospels and I read this.
They compel one Simon to bear the cross after Him. When I come to John's Gospel, I don't read about a Simon. Listen to what I read. Jesus went forth bearing the cross for Himself. And there's no mention of Simon in the Gospel according to John.
There's others, but one more. You don't tell the people everything you know. The Lord never leaves earth in Matthew's Gospel. Right? Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen. And the Lord never leaves earth in Matthew's Gospel.
When I come to Mark's Gospel, when I come to Luke's Gospel, and when I come to the Acts of the Apostles, I discover this. He's received up. He's carried up. He's taken up. What do I read when I come to John chapter 20?
I ascend unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and your God. And Christ ascends in His own power in the Gospel according to John. Now finally, very quickly, you know He's above all. Ever notice that there's five men in the Old Testament?
Listen to what the Spirit of God says about them. There is none like them. Now, who's the five men? I read about Job. I read about Moses. I read about Solomon. I read about Hezekiah. And I read about Josiah.
And you know the Spirit of God says about those men, there's none like them. Remember Job? Hast thou considered my servant Job? There's none like him in all the earth. Remember Moses? He's the meekest man in all the earth.
Remember Solomon, his wisdom? None like him before. None like him after. You remember Hezekiah? How he claimed to the Lord. How he trusted in the Lord. And you remember Josiah? Was the king that returned unto the Lord.
And the Spirit of God says about those five men, there's none like them. But you mark my words. If a man has a strong point, that man will have a weak point. And that man, perhaps, will fail in his strong point.
You and I are linked with a man that never had a strong point because he never had a weak point. I close with those words. Far above all, far above all, God has exalted him far above all. He knows everything.
He's before all. He does all. And remember, He is above.