From Thunder to Love: The Transformation of John
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the life of the Apostle John, focusing on his transformation from a "son of thunder" to the "Apostle of Love." We began by examining John's initial calling alongside his brother James and other fishermen, highlighting his unique journey and contributions to the New Testament. John, who once exhibited anger and competitiveness, matured into a figure synonymous with love, writing extensively about the new birth and the love of God.
We explored three key aspects of John's teachings: personal love, abiding love, and enduring love. John's Gospel emphasizes the personal nature of God's love, as seen in his self-reference as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." This personal love is not just a general affection but a deeply individual experience that transforms believers from within.
In his epistles, John speaks of an abiding love, a love that remains and grows within us through the Holy Spirit. This love is the marker of true discipleship, distinguishing the children of God from the world. It is a love that not only connects us to God but also to one another, reflecting the divine nature implanted in us.
Finally, in the book of Revelation, John speaks of an enduring love, a love that perseveres through trials and tribulations. This enduring love is a testament to the transformative power of God's love, which sustains us until the end. John's life, marked by this enduring love, serves as an example for us to follow, encouraging us to renew our first love and remain steadfast in our faith.
### Key Takeaways
1. Personal Love: The love of God is deeply personal and transformative. John’s self-identification as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" underscores the intimate nature of God's love for each believer. This personal love is not just a theological concept but an experienced reality that changes our hearts and lives. [14:10]
2. Abiding Love: True discipleship is marked by an abiding love that reflects God's nature. John teaches that this love is the evidence of our new birth and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. It is a love that grows and manifests in our relationships with other believers and the world. [24:30]
3. Enduring Love: The love of God is enduring, sustaining us through trials and tribulations. John's life, especially his exile on Patmos, exemplifies this enduring love. It is a love that remains steadfast and faithful, encouraging us to persevere in our faith until the end. [31:46]
4. Transformation through Love: John’s transformation from a "son of thunder" to the "Apostle of Love" illustrates the power of God's love to change us. This transformation is a testament to the work of the Holy Spirit, who molds us into the likeness of Christ, enabling us to love as He loves. [28:40]
5. Renewing First Love: We are called to continually renew our first love for God. Just as John’s love for Christ deepened over time, we too must seek to rekindle our passion and commitment to God. This renewal is essential for maintaining a vibrant and enduring faith. [37:28]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:27] - Introduction to the Apostles Series
[02:53] - The Calling of John
[04:12] - The Sons of Thunder
[05:27] - Transformation of John
[07:00] - Miraculous Births
[08:38] - The New Birth
[10:05] - Born to Love: Personal Love
[11:23] - The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved
[14:10] - Experiencing God's Personal Love
[17:00] - The New Birth and God's Love
[18:29] - Personal Love in John's Life
[20:06] - Parental Love as an Illustration
[21:36] - God's Specific Love for Each Believer
[23:02] - Born to Love: Abiding Love
[24:30] - Love as the Marker of True Discipleship
[25:50] - Transformation through the Holy Spirit
[28:40] - Overcoming Natural Tendencies
[30:07] - Abiding Love in Action
[31:46] - Born to Love: Enduring Love
[33:07] - John's Enduring Love and Revelation
[34:29] - Persevering in Love
[35:52] - Renewing First Love
[37:28] - The Importance of First Love
[38:48] - A Call to Renew Our Love
[40:32] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Mark 1:14-20 - The Calling of John
2. 1 John 4:7-12 - Abiding Love
3. Revelation 1:4-9 - Enduring Love
### Observation Questions
1. What was John's initial reaction to Jesus' call in Mark 1:14-20?
2. According to 1 John 4:7-12, how is God's love made manifest among us?
3. In Revelation 1:4-9, what does John emphasize about Jesus' love and its impact on believers?
4. How did John refer to himself in his Gospel, and what does this signify about his understanding of Jesus' love? [14:10]
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean for God's love to be "abiding" in us, as described in 1 John 4:7-12? How does this abiding love distinguish true discipleship? [24:30]
2. How does John's transformation from a "son of thunder" to the "Apostle of Love" illustrate the power of God's love to change us? [28:40]
3. In what ways does the concept of "enduring love" in Revelation 1:4-9 encourage believers to remain steadfast in their faith despite trials? [31:46]
4. How does John's self-identification as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" reflect a personal experience of God's love, and how can this understanding impact our own relationship with God? [14:10]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt a personal experience of God's love. How did it transform your heart and actions? [14:10]
2. How can you cultivate an abiding love in your daily life that reflects God's nature? What practical steps can you take to grow in this love? [24:30]
3. Think of a recent trial or challenge you faced. How did your faith and understanding of God's enduring love help you persevere? [31:46]
4. John experienced a significant transformation through God's love. Are there areas in your life where you need to allow God's love to bring about change? [28:40]
5. How can you renew your first love for God, similar to how John deepened his love for Christ over time? What specific actions can you take to rekindle your passion and commitment to God? [37:28]
6. In what ways can you demonstrate God's personal love to others in your community? Identify one person you can show this love to this week.
7. How can you ensure that your love for God and others remains steadfast and enduring, even in the face of difficulties? What practices or habits can help you maintain this enduring love? [31:46]
Devotional
Day 1: Experiencing God's Personal Love
The love of God is deeply personal and transformative. John’s self-identification as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" underscores the intimate nature of God's love for each believer. This personal love is not just a theological concept but an experienced reality that changes our hearts and lives. John’s journey from a fisherman to an apostle reveals how this personal love can shape and redefine our identity. It is a love that calls us by name, knows our deepest needs, and meets us where we are.
This personal love is a cornerstone of our faith, reminding us that we are individually cherished by God. It is not a distant or abstract affection but a tangible and present reality. As we embrace this love, we find ourselves transformed, our hearts softened, and our lives redirected towards God's purposes. This love invites us into a relationship that is both profound and personal, encouraging us to see ourselves as beloved children of God. [14:10]
John 15:9 (ESV): "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love."
Reflection: How have you experienced God's personal love in your life? Take a moment to reflect on a specific instance where you felt God's love uniquely for you.
Day 2: Abiding in God's Love
True discipleship is marked by an abiding love that reflects God's nature. John teaches that this love is the evidence of our new birth and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. It is a love that grows and manifests in our relationships with other believers and the world. This abiding love is not fleeting but remains steadfast, continually drawing us closer to God and to one another.
Abiding love is a sign of our transformation through the Holy Spirit. It is a love that endures, nurtures, and sustains us, enabling us to live out our faith authentically. This love is the hallmark of true discipleship, distinguishing us as children of God. As we abide in this love, we become more like Christ, reflecting His love in our actions and relationships. [24:30]
1 John 4:16 (ESV): "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate an abiding love in your daily life? Consider how you can show this love to those around you today.
Day 3: Enduring Love Through Trials
The love of God is enduring, sustaining us through trials and tribulations. John's life, especially his exile on Patmos, exemplifies this enduring love. It is a love that remains steadfast and faithful, encouraging us to persevere in our faith until the end. This enduring love is a testament to the transformative power of God's love, which sustains us through the most challenging times.
Enduring love is a powerful witness to the strength and resilience that comes from a deep relationship with God. It is a love that does not waver in the face of adversity but stands firm, providing hope and encouragement. As we face our own trials, we can draw strength from this enduring love, knowing that God is with us and will sustain us. [31:46]
James 1:12 (ESV): "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
Reflection: Think of a recent trial or challenge you have faced. How did you experience God's enduring love during that time? How can this experience strengthen your faith?
Day 4: Transformation Through Love
John’s transformation from a "son of thunder" to the "Apostle of Love" illustrates the power of God's love to change us. This transformation is a testament to the work of the Holy Spirit, who molds us into the likeness of Christ, enabling us to love as He loves. John's journey shows that no matter our past, God's love can transform us into vessels of His grace and love.
Transformation through love is a process that involves surrendering our natural tendencies and allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us. It is a journey of becoming more like Christ, reflecting His love in our actions and attitudes. This transformation is a powerful witness to the world, demonstrating the life-changing power of God's love. [28:40]
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need God's transformative love? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to work in these areas today?
Day 5: Renewing Our First Love
We are called to continually renew our first love for God. Just as John’s love for Christ deepened over time, we too must seek to rekindle our passion and commitment to God. This renewal is essential for maintaining a vibrant and enduring faith. It involves returning to the simplicity and purity of our devotion to Christ, allowing His love to refresh and revive us.
Renewing our first love is a call to remember the joy and fervor of our initial encounter with Christ. It is an invitation to return to the heart of our faith, where our love for God is the driving force behind all we do. This renewal keeps our faith alive and dynamic, enabling us to persevere and grow in our relationship with God. [37:28]
Revelation 2:4-5 (ESV): "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first."
Reflection: Reflect on your journey of faith. How can you renew your first love for God today? What practical steps can you take to rekindle your passion and commitment to Him?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Did you know that when we become a Christian, we become a child of God? Raise your hand if you know that. Now, the apostle Paul draws our attention to this in the book of Romans. It says that we receive a spirit of adoption, that we're adopted as his children. But John, who has a mirror truth to this, also talks about being sons and daughters of God." ([08:38] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
2. "Have you been born again? Not, have you been a member of a church? Not, do you attend church? Not, have you read the Bible? Have you been born again? That is the way that you experience the personal love of God. Amen?" ([18:29] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
3. "What I want you to hear is God loves the world, yes. He loves the church, yes, but he loves you specifically. And every time a child is born again into his family, that love always grows, and there are no oops kids in the family of God, amen? We are all chosen from the foundation of the world." ([21:36] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
4. "Love is the litmus test whether we belong to God, whether we have the family likeness of God, right? You can usually spot your children and see some family likeness and say, okay, they got more of your hair. They got kind of got your nose. They got, but there's something that passes along from the parents to the child. And what John says is the most clearest marker that you have been born of God is that your love reflects his love both back to God, as our video said, and to other believers, and then finally to the world, but especially to other believers, other people who confess and profess the name of Jesus." ([24:30] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
5. "The love of Christ is something that hits our lives at the front end. We become children of God, that natural birth or supernatural birth, as I shared earlier, where we now instinctively love Jesus. And Jesus, of course, loves us with an everlasting love. God the Father loves us. And then that extends to our life, that seed's been planted, it bursts and bears fruit in our life. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. We love other Christians. We love God more with this love in us. And that love endures with us to the very end of the age until Jesus comes back." ([34:29] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The impetuous one, the angry one, the one who's vying for power by the very end of his life is known as the most loving Apostle of all. He's the only Apostle that is not martyred. He's the only one who's not martyred. He's the only one who's not martyred. but actually dies a natural death and enters and slips into eternity. He is exiled on the Isles of Patmos. And also, the apostle John, next to Luke and Paul, wrote more of the New Testament than any other author." ([01:27] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
2. "John in the natural is a competitive guy. He's a belligerent guy. He wants to destroy his enemies, and he's a sectarian. He's somebody who wants to be in the right team, and anybody else, our team wins, your team loses, you're out, unless you're part of us. That's not the spirit of Jesus Christ. Already before he's ascended, he's like, may my name be spread broadly and on the lips of all, if they're for me." ([28:40] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
3. "What I want to challenge you under this second point is, are you growing in the love of God? Paul, picking up the language of the Holy Spirit, says that the love of God fills our hearts, is poured freshly into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, that outside love of God. And if you want to grow in love, don't look at your internal resources. If you want to grow in love, don't look at your internal resources. This thunderous, fallen heart, look to God, be aware of his love, and then extend it to everybody, including your enemies. Why? Because that's how God loved you, and that's how God loves us. Amen?" ([30:07] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
4. "Great love is not just falling in love at the front end. Great love is celebrating the 50th anniversary. Amen? Great love is getting old and gray and walking into glory with Jesus. That is great love, and that is the sign of enduring love. And may you, my brothers and sisters, have the long view with the love of God. The new birth kickstarts it, but then we mature in it. And may you awaken this first love over and over and over again in your life to say, God, restore my first love." ([38:48] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
5. "John died by most accounts around 98 AD, during the reign of Emperor Trajan. Jerome says in his commentary on Galatians that the aged Apostle John was so frail in his final days at Ephesus that he had to be carried into church. One phrase was constantly on his lips, my little children love one another. Asked why he always said this, he replied, it is the Lord's command. And if this alone be done, it is enough." ([40:32] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?