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Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to John's Gospel, John Chapter 21. Bittersweet coming to the end of the fourth gospel. Remember, as we have seen, the gospel of John is most glorious and most blessed. It starts with a prologue in chapter 1, verses 1 to 18, and then moves to the book of the public ministry of our Lord in 119 to 1250, and then the book of the passion in 131 to 2031. So the epilogue functions, or chapter 21 functions as an epilogue, but there is much teaching concerning the church in the three sections.

We've seen the mission of the church woven into the fishing trip in verses 1 to 14. The ministers of the church presented in the restoration of Simon Peter in verses 15 to 19, and then this last section treats the authority in the church. I was going to go for manifesto to alliterate, but it sounded a bit Mao-ish for my comfort. So, the authority in the church.

I want to read the whole chapter because we will have cause to reflect upon what we've seen. So, chapter 21, beginning in verse 1.

After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. And in this way he showed himself. Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathanael of Cana and Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, we are going with you also. They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore. Yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, children, have you any food? They answered him, no. And he said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore, that disciple, whom Jesus loved, said to Peter, It is the Lord.

Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had removed it, and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits, dragging the net with fish. Then as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it and bred. Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish which you have just caught. Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land full of large fish, 153, and although there were so many, the net was not broken.

Jesus said to them, come and eat breakfast. Yet none of the disciples dared ask him, who are you, knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them and likewise the fish. This is now the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, Tend my sheep.

He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. This he spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. 

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays you? Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, But Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me. 

Then this saying went out among the brethren, that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. 

Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for the glory of God revealed in the created order. We know that the heavens declare the righteousness of God. We know as well that that cross and that empty tomb declares the grace and the mercy of God most high in the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray that your spirit would guide us as we consider this section of Holy Scripture. We pray that your spirit would open deaf ears and hardened hearts to receive the truth of the gospel that they might believe and be saved. We pray for all of your people that we would be informed concerning the authority of the scriptures with reference to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and the headship of our Savior over His church. And may we be submissive, may we listen to the word of the Master as it comes to us, and may we seek by grace to do those things that you call us unto this present evil age. Again, forgive us now of all of our sins, as the psalmist says in Psalm 25 11, for your name's sake, O Lord, pardon our iniquity, for it is great. Cleanse us in that precious blood, and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Well as we have seen this was not just a simple fishing trip in chapter 21 verses 1 to 14. Jesus is dealing with his disciples in such a way as to instruct them concerning the mission of the church. It is to go therefore and to make disciples of all the nations. And then, in the restoration of Simon Peter, he tells them, as the representatives of the church, what's to be done after those disciples are made. Once the fish are caught, you then put them in the context of the church, and then you feed the sheep of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we've seen the mission of the church, we see the ministry in the church, and as I said, now we come to the authority in the church, with reference to John's specific saying in verse 24, and we'll get there in a few moments. 

So I want to look first at the future of John in verses 20 to 23, and then secondly the testimony of John in verses 24 and 25. But note the future of John in verses 20 to 23. Now, Simon Peter has just been told in his restoration that he is going to die a martyr's death, and probably the allusion, or rather the stretching out of his arms, is allusion to his crucifixion, which history tells us Peter was crucified and he asked to be crucified head downward because he was not worthy to suffer the same way as our Lord Jesus. So in verse 18, Jesus tells him what's going to happen. Verse 19, John explains for us the significance of this statement in verse 18. So now, when we come to verses 20 to 23, we see Simon Peter's curiosity and his question to our Lord, and I think there is some good instruction for us with reference to our own oftentimes curiosities and the response of our Lord. 

So note, with reference to the question in verses 20 and 21, then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following. So this is the third appearance post-resurrection of Christ to the disciples. Verse 14 tells us that. This is now the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. So the fishing trip, the breakfast with Jesus, the restoration of Simon Peter, and then this particular section with reference to John, it's all happening consistently with one another. It's not that they're separated by time. It's not that they're separated by place. They're beside the Sea of Tiberias or the Sea of Galilee. 

So Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following. Now the disciple whom Jesus loved is John the Apostle. He is the author of the fourth gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit. John was introduced in John 13, specifically at verse 23, that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. And though that's the first reference to him, we know that he's there present from the very beginning. And so we see John as that beloved disciple. It's reiterated several times in John's gospel, in John 13, 23, in John 19, 26, John 22, and then again in John 20, 21 at verse 7. The one whom Jesus loved. The fourth gospel was penned by the beloved disciple. 

And by the way, that was one of the things unique or particular with reference to history writing in that particular era, anonymity. That John doesn't refer to himself as me, John, but rather as the beloved disciple was a common practice in historical writing at the time. As was testimony, eyewitness testimony. There was a lot of stock put in an eyewitness testimony relative to the writing of history. As well, consistency. John starts off, in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And John ends with Thomas' confession, my Lord and my God. So all of these things from a historiographical survey indicate that John, in fact, is the beloved disciple. 

Notice, as well, he is the beloved disciple who reclined on the Lord Jesus' breast at the supper. Verse 20, he saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays you? So his identity is the beloved disciple. His intimacy is seen in the closeness, the physical proximity to our Lord, not just being at the supper, but having laid his head upon the bosom of the Savior and then asking, who is it that's going to betray you? And then Peter asks this question. Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, but Lord, what about this man? What about this man? 

Now, I think a lot of times people see a great difference in terms of Peter and John. In fact, there's a theory concocted that what's likely in view is some division among the community of John's disciples and the community of Peter's disciples. I don't think that's what's going on. Peter and John were close associates. They were close friends. They were companions. They loved each other. They were disciples unto the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. And in terms of the context of his question, I get it. He's just been told, Peter has in verse 18, that he's going to die a martyr's death. So now he's walking with the Lord Jesus, he turns and he sees the beloved disciple and he says, well, what about this man? You know, if I was told by the master that I was going to suffer a martyr's death, I'm not going to lie to you. I most likely would say, well, what about Cam? What about Steve? What about Doug? What about Roger? What about these guys? If I've been promised a martyr's death involving crucifixion, the outstretched arms, what about this lot? So I'm not going to be picking on Peter, but I do think we ought to understand his curiosity is normal.

But I think that when we see the response of Christ, specifically in verse 22, we learn something of not only Christ's headship and authority, but about Christ's will for his people. So notice, in his response in verse 22, Jesus speaks concerning his will for John and then his will for Simon Peter. So note, the question of verse 21, Peter seeing him said to him, but Lord, what about this man? Verse 22, Jesus said to him, if I will, that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me.

Now, there's confusion about what Jesus says here, not just in our day, but in the day that Jesus said it. If you look at verse 23, John tells us there was confusion as a result of what Jesus had answered. With reference to his response, he does not say that John will, in fact, remain until he comes. Some suggest this is a reference to AD 70, his coming in judgment upon the unbelieving nation of Israel, or the second physical coming. He doesn't say that. He simply gives a hypothetical and a rhetorical response. All he is saying is that it's dependent upon Christ's will for his sheep. So again, verse 22, Jesus said to him, if I will that it remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me.

So the emphasis there is on the will of Jesus. It's pretty obvious. This isn't earth-breaking, ground-breaking exegesis, but I think it does deserve some attention. Simon Peter's curiosity, Jesus' clear response. If I will, that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me.

So when we consider the will of Christ, we ought to think about what we call in theology providence. Providence, providence. In the language of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the answer to what is providence is God's works of providence are His most holy, wise, and powerful, preserving and governing all His creatures and all their actions.

What's one of the tendencies with reference to providence that the people of God oftentimes experience in their own lives? Well, the tendency to question it. the tendency to perhaps doubt, the tendency to perhaps look at a Romans 8.28 where the apostle says, we know that God causes all things to work together for good. Well, we're in the depths of misery and we're in the depths of despair and we're in the depths of hardship and heartache and affliction and trial. It's a bit more difficult to appreciate God's providence in causing all things to work for our good.

So there is that tendency for us to question. Again, I get it. Simon Peter's told he's gonna die, arms outstretched, allusion to crucifixion. He's curious, well, what about John? What's gonna be his lot? So if the tendency with reference to providence is to question it, I think we need to deal with our relationship to providence. What I mean by that is not God's governing all His creatures and all their actions, but our relation to that government. Are we victims of it? Are we those who are penalized according to it? Are we those who are constantly fretting under it because nothing ever seems to go our way? It's one of the options with providence. It's one of the options that's often expressed by all of you. No, it's something that happens to each and every one of us. Why are all these bad things happening to me? You've announced, Lord, that I'm going to die by martyrdom, probably on a cross. What about John? Are you a victim of providence or are you a contented subject of providence? There's a big difference there. There is a massive and huge difference with reference to that. 

The victim incessantly complains. The victim incessantly looks around at other people's conditions and says to God, whether verbally or at least non-verbally, why are they benefiting and I'm not? Why are they thriving and I'm not? Why are they going forward to old age, and yet I'm gonna be crucified on a cross, and I'm gonna be turned upside down? The victim whines about God's providence. The victim doesn't submit to it contentedly, but rather the victim questions. The victim wants to peer into. The victim wants to tell God how to do his job. That's the reality of victimhood relative to divine providence. 

If God governs all His creatures and all their actions for His most holy purposes, according to His infinite wisdom, we can trust that He's got this. We can trust that He's omnicompetent. We can trust that whatever our God ordains is right. We can say with Job, naked I came into this world, naked I will exit from this world, blessed be the name of the Lord. Remember, Job's wife wanted Job to curse God and die. Job says, no, good comes from God, bad comes from God. All things come from God, and as a result of that, I'm going to bless the name of the Lord. David in the Psalms, all over the place, in the midst of melancholy or hardship or difficulty or trial. Nevertheless, always comes to that place of holy resignation under the government of God Most High. 

Again, I'm not picking on Peter, but I think what Peter does here is reflected in the lives of God's people. What about this lady? What about this guy? What about this church? What about that thing? What about...

Look at Jesus. Statement. If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?

Gonna argue that in verse 24, John is gonna highlight the origin, the divine origin of Holy Scripture. So I think we've got this two-tier system going on in terms of the authority of church. You've got the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who wills that Peter dies a death as a martyr. The same had the wills that John lives a long life.

Not without difficulty, however, history tells us that they boiled John in boiling oil, which he survived. Which, I don't know how, but he survived. But we find him on the island of Patmos in the book of Revelation for the word of God and the testimony of our Lord. The island of Patmos wasn't Sandals. It wasn't Hawaii. It wasn't in the Caribbean. It wasn't some resort where John went to ride out the last few years of his life, sipping bevies with his feet up as he enjoyed the sunshine. It was a place of exile.

So Simon Peter asks this question of the one whose will is sovereign in the church. If I will that he remain, what is that to you? If I will that you die by crucifixion, you need to be concerned about that. But then that brings us specifically for Jesus' will for Simon Peter. Notice again in verse 22. If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me." Now, this is emphatic. You, Peter, Simon Peter, the one I've just restored, you need to follow me.

He's already given him that command at the end of verse 19. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. And what we understand there, follow him in martyrdom, the cross always precedes the crown, but follow him in ministry. Feed my sheep. Do what I call you to do. Obey and carry out your task. When the master commands the nature of your ministry, feed my sheep, and the master prophesies your martyrdom, don't be obsessed with the state or the condition of somebody else."

This is, I think, his point. Gil says it becomes the saints to mind their duty in following Christ and not concern themselves in things that do not belong to them. The head of the church disposes of his church in a manner consistent with all of his divine perfections. In other words, He is the head. He determines martyrdom. He determines long life. He determines the issues, the challenges, the hardships, the travails that people undergo. It's all about Christ.

But that means, or what we should learn, rather, is that we follow Him. The master determines the path of his ministers and the members of his church. The master commands the obedience of his ministers and members. In other words, do what you're supposed to do, irrespective of what everybody else is doing. I don't know why we think that's a legitimate defense of our waywardness. Well, God, you know, what about this guy? You sound like the Pharisee. Thank you, Lord, that I'm not like other men. Christians shouldn't do that.

You know, I'm surrounded by slobs, God, and it seems like my life and lot is nothing but trial and affliction and hardship. Mind your business and do what Christ has called you to do. That's it. Doesn't Paul tell the Thessalonians something very similar? Mind your business and work with your hands. In other words, everybody else's business is not our business. Come to grips with the fact that just being a decent, normal human being, at least at this late stage in Western civilization, is an accomplishment all on its own.

But as believers, to be husbands or wives, to be fathers or mothers, to be workers both in the home and outside the home, to be churchmen, to be citizens in a body politic that looks nuts, quite frankly, all of that is a full-time job. Do you really have the ability to oversee the affairs of others? What's Jesus' point? Whatever I've prophesied concerning you, Simon Peter, concerning your death, and whatever I have in mind for John the Apostle, that doesn't change your specific present duty and your responsibility to follow me, both in martyrdom and in ministry.

Brethren, I think this is a very valuable thing for us to consider in our own generation. Not everyone is an Elijah. Some are Obadiahs. Several weeks ago I referred to 1 Kings 18. I think I called it 17 and I called poor Obadiah Obed. I can only accredit that to the age of the brain. It's starting to devolve and decline. But remember 1 Kings 18? What's Ahab and Jezebel want to do? They want to kill prophets. They wanna destroy the true prophets of Yahweh Most High. So Obadiah, he's not gonna stand up on Mount Carmel and challenge the prophets of Baal, basically to a theological duel, put up or shut up. Elijah does that. Well, you know, Obadiah's not like Elijah. That's perfectly okay. Peter's not like John. That's perfectly okay. What matters? It's the will of the head of the church and what he has purposed for his Johns, for his Peters, for his Elijahs, for his Obadiahs. I think the church in our generation needs a good dose of this because I see it, this sort of ministerial rivalry and one-upmanship on social media. I don't care what you're reading, and I don't care what conference you're attending. Just be faithful. Just follow the master, because that's the master's command.

Why is it that we always have to show others up with our accomplishments, with our learning? And it's not just amongst ministers. I don't care how much you bench press today either. I don't care what your steak looked like. I don't care what your home looks like, Susie Homemaker. Follow the lamb. You see, we get so curious and so caught up in everybody else's business. I've often thought when you're doing the right thing, it's a twofold blessing. One, you're doing the right thing, and you're not doing the wrong thing. Right? You're doing the right thing and you're not doing the wrong thing. There is blessedness in that particular reality. If you're doing what you're supposed to do as an individual, as a family member, as a worker, as a churchman, as a citizen, you're not gonna have time to be curious and obsessed with everybody else's issues.

Now, if you happen to be sitting there saying, well, my favorite influencer tells me what she eats in the morning and I'm quite interested, may I encourage you for some self-reflection and meditation and contemplation? There's gonna be more about that tonight when we get back to Philippians, but the bottom line is, is that this whole idea of one-upmanship, and I don't think that's what Peter and John are doing. I don't think that's what their communities were doing. I think Peter heard that he's gonna die a martyr's death. He sees John, the beloved disciple, and says, well, what about him? Again, I get it at the most basic level, but the Lord's response indicates that what is important, Peter, is not John's fate. What is important, Peter, is your present obedience in terms of martyrdom and ministry. That's what's absolutely crucial.

John then explains for us this confusion that obtained after this saying of our Lord. Verse 22, if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? Verse 23, then this saying went out among the brethren, that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? So the supposition is that Jesus was saying that John was going to be around until Jesus returned. The clarification comes from John the Apostle, yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die.

I've often thought in both theological and political discourse today, at least the written form, people struggle with reading comprehension. They just do. I don't know how better to explain that. If you do, I'm sorry. If you're triggered, I'm sorry. Reading comprehension. The proposition, I love apples, does not necessarily include, therefore I hate plums. That's bad reading. This was bad listening. Jesus was not telling them, matter of factly, that either at 80, 70, or in his second physical coming, John the Apostle was gonna remain. He lived to at least 2,000 plus years old, should we take the second coming reference. They weren't listening. Oftentimes that's the problem in our theology. We're not listening. We bring our assumptions to the text. We assume that that's what Paul's teaching. We assume that that's what Peter's teaching. We assume that's what John is teaching or Moses is teaching. We gotta be careful of that. The Bible is not a wax nose that we can shape however we wish it to be.

So there was some misunderstanding on the part of the disciples. I guess we should be encouraged with the misunderstandings that we see that we're just like the disciples. Well, probably not the best encouragement, but then note the testimony of John in verses 24 and 25. And here, there's actually two things. First, the authority of Scripture in verse 24, and then he ends on the glory of Christ. which we really shouldn't expect anything differently. He starts with the glory of Christ. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1.14, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1.18, no one has seen God at any time, but the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father has declared Him.

So to start with Christ's glory necessarily means that John is going to end with Christ's glory. But note first with reference to the authority of Scripture at verse 24. This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. If you look back for just a moment to chapter 20, specifically at verses 30 and 31, you see there the purpose of John's gospel. The purpose of John's gospel in chapter 20 at verse 30, and truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that, it's a purpose, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. That's the purpose of this wonderful book that we've looked at for I don't know how long. It's a beautiful thing.

Why does John write the prologue? Why does John write the book of the public ministry of our Lord? Why does John write the book of the passion? These aren't separate books, it's just a way to sort of categorize the various chapters in the book. Why does he do that? Just so you'll have some historical information about this man, Jesus of Nazareth. It's not bad to have historical information about this man, Jesus of Nazareth. Just so you can beat up any theological opponents that you meet with on Facebook. That's not bad, go ahead. But what's the purpose for why John wrote? It's so that you may believe and be saved. John's not hiding his purpose. John's not burying the lead. John is very conspicuous and very much at it, as it were, with reference to what he's doing in the gospel. Why did I give you the prologue? Why did I give you the book of his ministry? Why did I give you the book of the passion? Well, it's for this purpose, specifically verse 31. These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. You see, the stakes are high. If you don't believe, if you do resist, if you do reject, if you'll just turn a deaf ear to the Gospel of John, What's the contrast with everlasting life? What's the contrast with life in His name? It is death outside of Him. 

In fact, if you turn back to John 3 at verse 36, it's very clear there. John 3, 36, he who believes in the Son has everlasting life. He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. 

Notice there's not three positions. I'm not a real believer in Jesus, but I'm not an atheist either, so I'm just gonna bear this, or take up this middle position, and everything's gonna be okay. Again, Elijah in 1 Kings 18, choose you this day whom you will serve. If Yahweh is God, serve him. If Baal is God, serve him. There's no such thing as neutrality. There's no such thing as a foot in both camps. There's no such thing as hedging your bets. There's no such thing as, well, you know, I'm more in favor of Jesus than not, so therefore everything's going to turn out. 

No, he who believes the Son has everlasting life. He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. It is a present reality with a final date on the day of judgment, consignment to everlasting punishment. 

You see, John isn't again writing simply as a historian, but as a theologian. And his specific practical purpose is that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. And in that, it's beautiful, right? Notice what John doesn't say. Clean up your act. Get perfect. Do more, try harder. Somehow get rid of your sin problem and put on obedience? No, it's belief on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Remember that missionary journey in Acts 16. Paul and Silas are thrown in the clink. There's an earthquake. The prisoners start to escape. The jailer realizes that if they are found to have escaped on my watch, they're gonna kill me. So what's the jailer do? He turns the sword to himself. He's gonna shove it in. And what do the apostles say? Don't do that. Don't do that. And he says, sirs, what must I do to be saved? 

Notice he doesn't direct that question to all the other prisoners. He doesn't direct that question to anybody but the one who has the exact response that that jailer needs to hear. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Notice they don't say, well, you know, go out and live a better life, be a better you. Work harder on maintaining security in the prison even when an earthquake breaks out. No, it's believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I don't know that all of us appreciate the beauty of the Christian gospel at this point. Justification is an act of God's free grace wherein he pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by, by what? By faith alone. It's faith alone, it's believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It's come to the one who says, come, and I will give you rest, Matthew chapter 11. 

Sin is your problem. Sin is your malady. It is your disease. It is your undoing. It is your ruin. But in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, you can pray with the psalmist. In Psalm 25, 11, for your namesake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity. Why? Because I'm a good guy at heart? No, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. The concept that you need to clean up your act before you come to the Lord Jesus, the idea that you can reform and then he'll accept me, is so contrary to the written word of the living and true God. Return to me, Yahweh says, to sinful Judah in Jeremiah three, and I will heal your backslidings. So we think we gotta fix ourselves and then come to the Savior. We've got to polish up and then come to the, no, come to the Savior. He's in the business of fixing. He's in the business of polishing. He's in the business of saving.

The apostle tells us in Hebrews chapter 7, he saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him. So John's purpose is very clearly stated. It's so that you may be saved. It's a blessed purpose, isn't it? It's a glorious purpose. It is most comforting. So there is the purpose of the gospel.

21-24 is the origin of John's gospel. This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. He was a disciple from the beginning, John 15, 27. You've been with me, Jesus says to the disciples in the upper room, since the beginning. John affirms his eyewitness account at the foot of the cross in John 19, 37. John was an eyewitness of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, such that when Jesus multiplied fish and bread, John saw it. Such as when Jesus healed people, when Jesus preached, his doctrine, his signs, everything that Jesus did, John was an eyewitness to that.

And he grounds the authority of the scriptures, obviously in God the Holy Spirit, through the means of that eyewitness account. He says very clearly, we know that his testimony is true. He wrote these things as an eyewitness. He wrote these things as one taught by and who had been given remembrance of the teachings of Jesus, the Spirit of God. He's the Spirit of truth that will lead you into all truth. He will bring to remembrance the things that I've said, such that when John sits down to write his gospel narrative, it's by the power of the Spirit of God.

2 Timothy 3, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Why? That the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. John wrote to provide the church with divine revelation. John wrote the prologue, the book of the public ministry, the book of the passion. He wrote the epilogue, again, by the Spirit for the expressed purpose that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

All those things he wrote, they're not up for grabs. Notice that John doesn't say they might kind of be true based on, you know, it's an older shaky memory. No. The apostles were conscious of the fact that they were used by God to write the Holy Scripture. How did they know that? Because they had the prophets. And that's exactly how God gave us the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit spake by the prophets. The apostles are conscious of that fact and reality. Such that when John says, this is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things and we know that his testimony is true, he's making an assertion concerning authority. The authority in the church is not in the ministry. The authority of the church is in the headship of Christ and in the revealed will of Christ as it comes through the sacred pens of those authors as they inscripturate for us the New Testament documents. John ends by asserting the authority of Jesus in the church. Go fish and make disciples. Bring them as sheep into the church and feed them. What's the subject matter that we are to feed them with? Is it the recent cultural trends? Is it entertainment? Is it, you know, winning personalities? No, feed my sheep the divinely inspired word. Teach and preach my sheep, or to my sheep, the prophets and the apostles, the old covenant and new covenant scriptures. John asserts the authority of God's Word that is normative for the church.

And then he ends on the glory of Christ. Notice his acknowledgement in verse 25, and there are also many other things that Jesus did. which I think functions as a recognition of the limitation of John's fourth gospel. Why are there four gospels? Because each of the gospel authors as theologians come at the same truth from different vantage points. We would expect that. We should expect that. He recognizes the limitation in John 1-1 to John 21-25. We know, or there are also many other things that Jesus did. This affirms the place of the other canonical writings. Whatever Matthew, Mark, and Luke say jives with what I say. He affirms the place of the Apostle Paul, the place of the Apostle Peter in his writings, 1 and 2 Peter.

So he recognizes limitations in the 21 chapters that he himself pens, but he also affirms the reality of other canonical scriptures, not other like Book of Mormon other, but God-breathed scripture through his representatives, namely the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. as well the confirmation of the glory of Christ. Notice the language. And there are also many other things that Jesus did. Klink says, by referring to what could be written but was not, the author magnifies Jesus as worthy of endless description and gives greater emphasis to what was written. I love that. He magnifies Jesus as worthy of endless description. How's Jesus described in the Song of Solomon? altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. Do you have the ability to record all that? Do you have the ability to put pen to paper and record one who is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000?

And then notice what John finishes with in verse 25. He says, and there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Klink again says, the Jesus to whom he bears witness is the incarnate word, the one through whom the world was made. There's not enough space in the world to contain the words needed to make known the fullness of the word.

So I just want to draw out real quick, and then some concluding thoughts, three implications of his statement here, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written, amen. I would suggest first the impossibility of recording all his work. It's an impossible task. Some say, well, John's just speaking hyperbolically. Is he? Is he really? A fellow who, according to his humanity, the word became flesh for 33 years, never sinned. We could probably fill up a library of books just on one week of that. Yeah, this guy cut him off on the road, and the way many of us would scream or yell or raise our finger, he just took it. Somebody gypped him at the market, and instead of yelling at them and demanding to see the manager, He dealt with it.

Seriously, I don't think it's hyperbolic. It's an impossibility to record His work. I would suggest, secondly, the impossibility of comprehending His glory. Now by impossibility there, I don't mean none. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

But I speak concerning the reformed doctrine of the incomprehensibility of God. Our confession encapsulates well in 2nd London 2.1, whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself. And then it goes on to say he's incomprehensible. The reformed doctrine of incomprehensibility, it doesn't mean we don't know anything about God. But it certainly means we can't know everything about God. And we don't know God the way God knows God.

So the impossibility of comprehending His glory. But as well, the impossibility of understanding His power. His power. Which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. And here there's other biblical testimony concerning this understanding of God's power.

A few weeks ago, I cited Job 26.14, which in the context is God's display of His glory in the created order. Verses one to 15. And then in 26.14, Job says, Indeed, these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him, but the thunder of His power, who can understand? The thunder, the power of Christ most high. That one whose voice is able to crush the cedars of Lebanon. How do you take pen to paper and fill up adequate books?

Or consider David in Psalm 139, 17 and 18. How precious also are your thoughts to me, O God. How great is the sum of them. If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with you. He's speaking rhetorically. Of course he can't count the thoughts of God. There actually is an end to the amount of grains of sand on the earth. God's infinity transcends that.

Or consider the apostle in Romans 11, oh the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out.

I don't think John's speaking hyperbolically in verse 25. He is speaking with reference to the word who became flesh and dwelt among us. He is speaking with reference to the Word who was in the beginning, the Word who was with God, the Word who was God. He is speaking of the one who is in the bosom of the Father and has declared Him. He is speaking of the one who only ever did what was right and true and holy and just.

This is not hyperbolic. This is absolutely candid honesty. If I recorded everything that that Savior did, the world itself couldn't contain the books. Why? Because the finite can't capture fully the infinite. John signs off with the glory of Christ just as he begins with the glory of Christ.

In conclusion, the command for ministers and members of the church is to follow the Lord Jesus. Belief, 2031, and then follow. How do I know how to follow? Because you're a sheep that gets fed by competent men, hopefully, that are able to teach you what the Word of God says. You know, the church isn't magic, it isn't mystery, it isn't brain surgery, it isn't rocket science. Make disciples, plop them in churches, teach those disciples to observe all that I have commanded you, and know that I'm with you always, even at the end of the age. that's it. Why do we make it so tough? 

Secondly, the function of the church. Mission? Disciple making. Ministry? Feeding sheep. The head of the church? Verse 22, if I will that he remain till I come. It's the headship and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, not the Pope of Rome, our confession is good at that point in chapter 26. It's not the Pope of Rome that's the head of the church, it's the Lord Jesus. 

Ephesians 1, 19 to 23, God's positioned him at his right hand. He has absolute universal comprehensive authority to the church. And then the authority in terms of the written word, the God-breathed word written by the prophets and the apostles, the abiding authority in the church of Christ, his headship and his revelation given to us in both the Old and the New Testaments. 

And then John's emphasis on the glory of the Savior all throughout. Prologue, book of the ministry, book of the passion, and in the epilogue itself. And John's purpose is that we believe. Believe in his son and that believing in him we may have life. That is a promise from God to needy sinners. Don't resist it, don't reject it, don't balk at it, don't question it, but rather come to the Lord Jesus and believe on him and you will be saved. 

Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for this ending section in John's gospel and the many good things it teaches us concerning life in the church. We see the mission to catch the fish, we see the ministry to feed the sheep, and we see the authority in Christ our head and in his revealed will, his word for us. May you give us ears to hear and hearts to receive these things, and may we function well together as a church, and may there be peace and unity among us, May we be prayerful, may we be about those things that you call us unto in this present evil age. Help us to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation, and give us the boldness and the courage to hold forth your word of truth. And we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.