Tag: Orthodox Study Bible

John: Let There Be Light | 4-12-26

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Photo Cred: (1) | Updated: 5/18/2026

Sermon Prep

This message I delivered the day before my short term medical leave started. Felt incredibly prepared and consider it one of my best. One of these days I’ll do my best sermons as a separate blogpost, but that’s for another day. I also treated this as an overview of John, as well as a sermon on John 1:1-5 so played double-duty here too. For now, here’s the YouTube recording and my notes below.

Sermon Notes

Opening Prayer

  • Father God, lead us this morning as we search the scriptures. Thank you for your Son whose sacrifice is our salvation. Dwell with us, Holy Spirit, as you teach us today. Amen.

Intro

  • Famous film prologues = Dune: Part Two, The Lord of the Rings, The World’s End, and UP.
    • A prologue is like an abstract or movie trailer that hints at a greater story.

Main Point

  • John wrote to comfort others by reaffirming the personal union of Christ (enfleshment).
    • That he’s an earthly human and God eternal, not just a teacher. → Why comfort?

Context of John’s Gospel

  • Background: Written in Ephesus, Asia Minor around 90 CE to the Greco-Roman world.
  • Who: John w/ Prochorus (Tradition) vs John w/ Johannine collaboration (Scholarship).

“Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper… This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.” (John 21:20a, 24)

“John, the disciple of our Lord, who also had leaned upon his breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia.” – Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses [Against Heresies], 3.1.1. Discipled by Polycarp who was discipled by John.

  • John was the eyewitness at the least and at most the author, yet he had additional help. 
  • Before John’s Gospel, others attempted to write down the Apostles’ testimony of Jesus.

“Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I, too, decided, as one having a grasp of everything from the start, to write a well-ordered account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may have a firm grasp of the words in which you have been instructed.” (Luke 1:1-4)

→ Show Timeline Slide

  • Nero persecuted the early church causing communal disruption and martyrdom.
    • Great Fire (Rome), Jewish-Roman War (Syria); Second Temple (Jerusalem).
      • Disruptions inspired Christians to write Synoptics before Apostles all died.
  • When John wrote his Gospel, he was the last Apostle with Christians looking to him now.
    • Most likely written to comfort Diaspora Christians and Jews post-Second Temple.
      • With heresy rising and Christians/Jews heartbroken, they needed hope.

Structure of John’s Gospel

  • Themes: 7 “I am” statements, belief, witness, Jerusalem, life/light, love, and the signs.
    • Structured by 3 Passovers, so 3 years of Jesus’ ministry (John 1-5, 6-10; 11-21).
    • The midpoint of John’s Gospel is the resurrection of Lazarus, the greatest sign.
  • John’s Gospel shares 8-10% with the Synoptic Gospels, making it independent by design.

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31)

  • John is meant to be read meditatively multiple times, not fully understood in one sitting.

“What John wants you to do is not gain the maximum amount of info about Jesus. What he wants you to do is sit with these handful of carefully crafted portraits of Jesus.” – Tim Mackie

Let There Be Light | John 1:1-5 (NRSVue)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.”

  • There’s a lot of influences in John’s Gospel, but Genesis stands out most in John 1:1-5.
    • “In the beginning” (Dynamic) vs “When God began to create” (Formal).
    • Genesis 1:1-5 (creation),  John 1:1-5 (creator); 1 John 1:1-5 (created in Christ).
  • The Word in Koine Greek is logos, which was a well-known term in gnosticism/Stoicism.

“commonly used as an expression for the way God or the gods self-disclosed and communicated with humanity… But it was nevertheless an unprecedented step forward to equate the logos (or any other key background concept such as Wisdom or Torah) with a God-man.” – Craig L. Blomberg, A New Testament Theology (Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2018), 585. See Sirach 4:12, 24:8-9 and Wisdom of Solomon 7:22-30, 8:5, 9:1-9 for more on how Jesus dwells among us as Torah/Wisdom.

  • The Word is Jesus the Son and he is with the Father and Spirit in a tri-unity (John 1:1-2).
    • God the Son shares the same essence with God the Father and God the Spirit.
    • These three persons are one God who have intimate belonging to each other.
    • Yet God the Son is personally distinct from God the Father and God the Spirit.
  • John argues Jesus is our covenant mediator since he’s the creator of all things (John 1:3).

“John views creation as the first, inaugural act of salvation history and bases his account of Jesus’ coming into the world on this primal act… everything was made through the Word, and, conversely, that nothing was made apart from the Word.” – Andreas J. Köstenberger, A Theology of John’s Gospel and Letters: The Word, the Christ, the Son of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 179–80.

  • For Christians/Jews post-Second Temple, knowing Jesus as creator is comforting.
  • Some Bibles put “eternal life” instead of “life” by itself, given it’s implied (John 1:4).
  • Darkness and light motif alludes to the Qumran War Scroll from the Essenes (John 1:5).
    • Cosmic dualism (darkness vs light) is the ANE concept of two spirits theology.
      • Judaism has yetzer hara and yetzer hatov (i.e. evil and good impulse).
        • This concept is radically changed subverting expectations.

“The word translated comprehend [or “overtake”] means both “understand” and “overcome.” Thus, darkness can never overpower the light of Christ, nor can it understand the way of love.” –  The Orthodox Study Bible, ed. Peter A. Gillquist (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 1421.

Why It Matters

  • What kind of story are we entering? A comforting story for people who need Christ.
    • A.W. Tozer describes John’s Gospel as mystical and personal, yet not theological.
      • Like the initial audience, we too need a comforting story in today’s chaos.

Power Text

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9)

  • Jesus doesn’t just illuminate lives causing shadows to shrink, but he is the light of life.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”” (John 8:12)

Outro

  • In your darkest night, let there be light. Find comfort in Jesus Christ and his eternal life.

Final Thoughts

Very engaging, yet fun message. Used the new pulpit for the first time because Joseph Morrison broke the old one. The new sound system Nate set-up in school worked great for the first time outside of one funny burst of noise. Very well received overall, but I did feel like I stuttered more than normal. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Footnotes

  1. https://denverseminary.edu/giving/focused-giving/dr-craig-l-blomberg-endowed-chair-of-new-testament/

1 Corinthians: A Resurrection Hope Part 2 | 6-1-2025

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Updated: 5/3/2026

Sermon Prep

Like the previous post, the prep for this message was very thorough because I had weeks to get those sermons ready. With that, I approached both as one message in two halves and this second half focused on the hope we as Christians have in the resurrection. I was also researching and writing my book, so I knew I wanted to tie 1st Clement into this duology somehow deciding it’d be best here. I couldn’t find a good picture from this timeframe, so I added a picture of Part of my first Father’s Day which was a couple weeks later in June.

Another new thing I began doing with this message moving forward was including an opening prayer and I actually quoted 1st Clement in that prayer below. I think it’s a good practice to pray into a sermon and sets the tone that God is using me to speak to someone today. I am the tool that God uses to speak through and to others during the sermon, so I shouldn’t think of my role as anything other than that.

Sadly, most people who preach like me are self-centered and make the message about them. By praying first, it sets my heart and the hearts I believe of the congregation right to hear the word of God. On that note, here’s the YouTube recording and my sermon notes below:

Sermon Notes

Opening Prayer

  • God your name alone “is the source of all creation.” Would you speak through me, in spite of me, and beyond me. Make your dwelling within us as you teach us today. Amen. – 1st Clement 59:1

Intro

  • What if you knew what would be said about you in the future? -> Mrs Lyons prediction

Main Point

  • Last week we learned there’s many things to hope for, but we have a resurrection hope.
  • That theme continues in Part 2, along with what we do here on Earth impacts eternity.

A Resurrection Hope Part 2 | 1 Corinthians 15:34-58 (NRSVue)

“[34] Sober up, as you rightly ought to, and sin no more, for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. [35] But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” [36] Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. [37] And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. [38] But God gives it a body as he has chosen and to each kind of seed its own body. [39] Not all flesh is alike, but there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. [40] There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another. [41] There is one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory. [42] So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. [43] It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. [44] It is sown a physical body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. [45] Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. [46] But it is not the spiritual that is first but the physical and then the spiritual. [47] The first man was from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. [48] As one of dust, so are those who are of the dust, and as one of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. [49] Just as we have borne the image of the one of dust, we will also bear the image of the one of heaven. [50] What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. [51] Look, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, [52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. [53] For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. [54] When this perishable body puts on imperishability and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” [55] “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” [56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [58] Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

  • The Corinthians, as we’ve mentioned in previous messages in this series, had a very low view of their bodies and didn’t think about the eternal consequences of earthly choices.
  • Allusions to creation (i.e. seeds, animals, birds, fish, stars; dust) | 1 Corinthians 15:36-49
  • The image of God is a title and to “be human is to image God.” (Michael Heiser, Unseen Realm) | 1 Corinthians 15:49
    • As imagers of God, that title has been distorted in sin and will be restored too.
  • Like 1 Corinthians chapters 1-3, Paul returns to the theme of comparing the natural (Greek: psychikos) and the spiritual (Greek: pneumatikos). | 1 Corinthians 15:44, 51-52
    • Like a cup casting a shadow, so the natural body is a shadow of the spiritual body.
    • To understand the resurrection, we need to understand creation and its restoration. Our bodies have a continuous purpose and yet change in eternity.
  • “We are born mortal; we then become sinful. Thus does death “sting” us before we die. Being a Christian is more than having one’s sins forgiven or being good; it is being alive. The law is not sinful, but it exposes sin. And, since it does not provide the power to obey it, it increases sinfulness in unchanged humans.” (Orthodox Study Bible) | 1 Corinthians 15:56
  • Christ’s resurrection is our motivation to do “the work of the Lord.” | 1 Corinthians 15:58

Why It Matters

  • “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” – C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
  • Life isn’t meaningless since you were made for the earthly and the eternal.
    • Have an ancient faith, not an 1800s one (i.e. Christian Science, JWs, LDS, rapture).

Power Text

  • What happened after Paul’s letters to Corinth? Did they do “the work of the Lord?”

“Take up the letter of the blessed Paul the apostle. What first did he write to you at the beginning of his gospel? Truthfully, he wrote to you in the Spirit about himself and Cephas and Apollos, because even then you had engaged in partisan strife. But that partisanship brought less sin to you, for you joined with reputable apostles and with a man approved by them. But now consider who has perverted you, and has lessened the respect due to your well-known love for fellow believers. It is shameful, beloved, extremely shameful and unworthy of your conduct in Christ, that it should be reported that the well-established and ancient church of the Corinthians, because of one or two people, is rebelling against the presbyters. And this report has reached not only to us, but even to those who have different allegiances from us, so that even blasphemies are brought upon the name of the Lord because of your foolishness, and you cause danger for yourselves.” – 1st Clement 47:1-7

  • The Apostolic Fathers were the 2nd generation of Christians taught by the apostles.
    • EX: George Lucas (Star Wars) and Dave Filoni (Clone Wars)
  • High probability (80-90%) that 1st Clement was written by Clement of Rome.
  • Don’t stop doing “the work of the Lord,” but continue to obey the Great Commission.

Outro

  • The disciples didn’t die for a lie, so why do you live as if the resurrection isn’t true?
    • Jesus believed you were worth dying for on the cross, but do you believe that your life is worth living for Jesus? Do you believe that all of this will be restored?
  • If you love Jesus, you will obey him. He created all things and he will restore all things.

Final Thoughts

Watching this one again just reminds me of the headache that this recording gave me when I saw how bad the video contrast was edited in post. At the time, we had someone who was eager and willing to help with our video but they lacked that editors eye for video. Because of that they were too eager to try to balance the color and messing with the lighting in post so much so that I look like an unholy ghost in this one.

It’s not a big deal, but at the time I was incredibly frustrated and tried not to say anything because they’re just a volunteer. Someone new to video editing doesn’t know that less is more or how to weigh how much time should be invested in a project. Knowing that and if this extra effort is worth it matters way more than trying to perfect a sermon video that will only get maybe 50 views online. Again, rookie mistakes and totally forgivable.

The feedback and Table Talks that followed for this teaching though were great. Lots of questions about the rapture, what resources did the Corinthians have, and other related topics from my message. In fact, I included the rapture in a list of wacky beliefs and was taken aback by how many people didn’t know that the rapture isn’t a Christian concept. They just had no idea and thought that was something all Christians believed, which was crazy for me to learn after the message was over.

My in-laws were so that’s always nice to have them there, especially since my wife wasn’t because she was sick. It’s always weird for me to go to church when she’s not feeling well, so having some family there was a welcome surprise. I think she stayed home with our daughter, while I went and preached this Sunday.

On the Tuesday after this message, the family I mentioned that eventually left our church permanently made their exit and attended for the last time that Sunday. Some weren’t surprised and honestly a little happy that the stick-in-the-mud husband was gone, but even with the constant disagreements over the years I never want anyone to leave when we’re not united. Leaving on bad terms is bad for everyone involved and isn’t what Christians should be doing.

In spite of how much they sometimes annoyed me with their complaints and incessant issues, I still love them and wanted them to at the least talk with us before they left for good. But instead the wife texted our lead pastor’s wife and that was it. We never got a chance to say goodbye and end on good terms.

Another open wound on a broken heart for me. So for me, it was a mixed reaction reflecting on this because that Sunday went fantastic and yet that Tuesday was infuriating. I hate when we break up the Body of Christ over stupid stuff. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

1 Corinthians: God the Builder | 2-9-2025

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Photo Cred: (1) | Updated: 4/16/2026

Sermon Prep

A few weeks had passed since my first sermon back from paternity leave and I was right back into the swing of things. Work was dragging and my drive to be the best was start to wane a bit given I desperately wanted to get out of sales. I actually ended my paternity leave early, so that I could apply for a role in the Customer Success team.

But I didn’t get the job, so I was frustrated by that fact too. What bothered me even more was that there were other people who got the promotion onto that team before me in my department and were either decent in their roles or flat out bottom tier sales reps. Since I made President’s Club and was the best person in the department, that did get under my skin because I just assumed they’d pick me.

Yet that’s just part of the corporate game. It’s not a meritocracy, it’s a networkocracy where instead of what you know it’s who you know that gets you ahead in life. Can’t hate the player, but you can hate the corporate game. In this season, I really hated the game. Anyways, here’s the notes from that sermon below.

Sermon Notes

Opening Line

  • Story of going to gym again post-paternity leave.

Intro

  • Building off of Andrew’s message, Paul is putting the Corinthians in their place.

Main Point

  • Paul’s reminding them that they’re not the big picture, but a part of the big picture.
  • By God’s grand design, the church is built different than the world.

Temple Talk | 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 (NRSVue)

“[16] Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? [17] If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. [18] Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” [20] and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” [21] So let no one boast about people. For all things are yours, [22] whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, [23] and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”

  • Verses 16 thru 17 is a plural you, but verses 18 thru 23 is singular.
  • The ANE had a different idea of idols than the Greeks/Romans (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
    • Read Genesis 2:7-8, 15 (NRSVue)
  • “[7] then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. [8] And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed… [15] The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.”
    • Read Leviticus 26:11-12 (NRSVue)
      • “[11] I will place my dwelling in your midst, and I shall not abhor you. [12] I will be your God, and you shall be my people.”
    • “[It was] common in the world of Mesopotamia that when you created an idol you would have this opening of the mouth ceremony where the god would then infuse the idol with his spirit, so that the idol could function as a proper representation of the god… Not just a symbol. A living entity that represented the god that was in the idol… We are living, breathing representations of God… Humans were intended to carry his Spirit in everything that they do. To represent him faithfully as temples of his Spirit.” – Dr. Brittany Kim
    • Read Ephesians 2:19-22 (NRSVue)
      • “[19] So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, [20] built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone; [21] in him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord, [22] in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.”
    • This is Paul’s 4th analogy within the context of ch. 3 (milk, dirt; foundation).
      • “The Church is an organic whole… One who would break this unity would desecrate a sacred place.” – Orthodox Study Bible
    • Referring to Corinthians as a temple was also in response to the prominent temples of the city like the Temple cult of Aphrodite atop the Acrocorinth.
  • Verse 18 can be cross-referenced with 1 Corinthians 1:18 (1 Corinthians 3:18, 21).
    • Unclear who’s addressed here, but Paul is warning them to be responsible.
  • Paul is quoting Job 5:13 and Psalm 94:11 back-to-back (1 Corinthians 3:19-20)
  • What does “all things are yours” mean (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)?
    • “[Christians] are heirs of all things-heirs of the ministries of all those who faithfully promote the gospel, and also of everything over which God and Christ hold sovereign rule, namely, all those things that the philosophers of this world claim to have mastered by their wisdom.” –  NIV Study Bible
  • Apollos, Cephas, and Paul are co-workers working towards a common purpose as they collaborate with God (1 Corinthians 3:22).
    • Cephas is generally believed to be the Apostle Peter (1 Corinthians 3:22).

Why It Matters

  • The church is the sum of many opposing parts put together for the same purpose.
  • God is building his temple to dwell among us and we, God’s people, are that temple.

Power Text

  • Avoid conformity and division, so that above all you can build unity as fellow workers.
  • “God is building his temple through the people of God. He causes the growth, but the community of Jesus’ followers participates with God in that work.” – Andrew Morrison

Outro

  • Our aim is to co-labor with God in the earthly and remain with God in the eternal.
    • Mature Christians answer God’s call, humbly submit to his way, and exercise faith knowing that God will do what he said he would do.

Final Thoughts

I think this message was good and more teaching, than preaching. For me, I’ve always felt like a teacher more than a preacher and all of my messages I’ve done seem to reflect that. Leaning into the context and culture, more than the emotions and heart of a message.

What also is a thought that has burrowed in my mind lately is and probably began around the time I was on paternity leave was if I was actually a pastor. I’m not ordained, I just volunteered to help and teaching was one of the areas to help. This church I teach at is a non-denominational church, so it has more in common with corporate America than traditional liturgical Christianity.

That thought began to bother me in this season of reflection and continues to bother me today. Do I need someone to ordain me and say I’m a pastor? Do I just need to step up where there’s a need? To this day I still avoid the pastor title because I don’t really believe it myself. It’s sort of like calling yourself a professional athlete without being apart of a professional team and instead playing sports on the local level. Is that legit? I still don’t know. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.

Footnotes

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opening_of_the_mouth_ceremony