Five Traits of John the Disciple

John 13, please. I want to thank my preaching brethren for allowing me to share what's on my heart. John 13, reading at verse 21.

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit and testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of the disciples whom Jesus loved.

Simon Peter therefore beckoned him that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, is it I? or Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

Chapter 19, please. Chapter 19, verse 26. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciples standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother woman, Behold thy son.

Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took him to his own home. Chapter 20, verse 1. First day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark unto the sepulcher and seeth a stone taken away from the sepulcher.

Then she running and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher and we know not where they have laid him. And Jesus therefore went forth and that other disciple came to the sepulcher. So they ran both together.

And the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulcher and he stooping down, stooping down, looking in, saw the linen clothes lying and went and yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him and went into the sepulcher and seeth the linen clothes lying and so on. Chapter 21, verse 3. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing and they say unto him, We go with thee.

Then went forth and entered into a ship. Immediately and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have you any mate? And they answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship and he shall find. They cast therefore and now they were not able to draw it for the multitudes of fishes.

Therefore, that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Chapter 21 and verse 18. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself and walkest whither thou wouldest.

But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest. This spake he signifying what by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

I've been greatly exercised about the man John. I have wondered already that if it were possible to be in a meeting like this and if the speakers would take up a biblical man, a biblical person that would give us a great deal of teaching. We can pick up an Abraham or a Joshua or a Moses, a Caleb.

All those men would be a terrific lesson so we can learn from them. I couldn't help but be marveled at what our brother Frank has been suggesting. That there was the upper room.

The Savior was there. The disciples were there. Instruction is now going to be given.

Something that they had never heard before. And of course, first of all, the Lord Jesus who was troubled in spirit. And as he was troubled in spirit, he told them why.

And as he was troubled in spirit, he referred to that one that was going to betray him. Must have cut him. It must have hurt him.

To realize that the man who one of the men that we called followed me. He knew where he prayed. He was aware of his movements in life.

He was exactly aware of the miracles he watched. He had the bag and he was only interested in one thing. I can understand why John was the way he was.

It's because John saw Jesus. He was aware of his movements. John was aware of where he went.

John was listening to the groanings of the Savior. He was aware of the heartbeat of Christ. He knew exactly the burden of his Master.

He was aware. Isn't that maybe one of the reasons why Peter says to John, One of you, after the Lord says, one of you shall betray me. I wonder if where John was sitting, as he leaned back upon the breast of the Master.

I don't believe Peter shouted across the room. I believe Peter whispered. Somehow got John's attention.

Peter says to John, you ask him. You ask him, John. Why did Peter go to him and to John to ask him? Because Peter was aware that John, He leaned upon the Master.

He was close. Anybody that's close. I have watched God's people.

Anybody that's close and leans. They know. The person that leans is a person that gives service to the Lord.

That service to the Lord will be done willingly. By the way. The man that leans.

The woman that leans. Will have a service done willingly. The Christian that leans.

Knows the secrets. Of the blessed Master. The person that leans gets a fork knowledge.

I get an insight. Of the breathing. Of the blessed Lord.

The person that leans. Knows exactly. What some of the secrets.

Of the Father is. We worship God, don't we? On Lord's Day morning. We worship God.

And we worship God. For not sparing for his only son. But delivering him up for us all.

I love that hymn. I can't quote it now. The God who knew.

The steps of the Master. Of the Savior. The Father who knew.

As he sent him into a world. And he sent him into a world. That he knew he was going to be hated.

And despised. And rejected. He didn't send him to a palace.

No, but he sent him to a world. That he had the hairs pulled from his face. He'd have spit upon his.

The blessed Master. His only son. Would be degraded.

Would be hated. Reproach hath broken my heart. He could say.

He looked for some to take pity. I think of it dear brethren. For 30.

For those three years plus. Of his earthly ministry. He comes to the end.

Of three those years of ministry. And. He rides into Jerusalem.

And as he rides into Jerusalem. The question is asked. Who's this? Didn't know him.

Unknown by man. A famous man for his healing. Known throughout Galilee.

But when he rides into Jerusalem. They don't know him. The man who leans.

Knows his service. He knows the secrets. The person that leans.

Is the person who submits. He submits to the dealings of God. Some of my dear brethren.

And sisters who have gone through. Trials that I don't know anything about. Know what it is to lean.

You see because what before me this afternoon. Is simply this. Five traits of John.

And because these five traits can be seen. It's because of what we've been hearing. From our brother Sona.

He was with him. He saw him. And I love the words of 1st John.

Is it chapter 1. We have handled him. We have seen him. We have listened to him.

We have known him. He saw him. Makes goosebumps pop doesn't it brethren.

John. Simeon. Held him in his arms.

Simeon says now. Let thy servant depart in peace. For mine eyes.

Have seen thy salvation. Something about John. Who loved to be close.

To the blessed Lord. So in John chapter 13. I couldn't help but notice.

Some facts about the man. Who leaned. John 13 I learned.

That John leaned. I learned that in John chapter 19. We were reading John chapter 19.

And that is. That he was standing by. I learned from John.

That whenever the blessed Lord. Wanted some responsibility. There was John was ready.

The request was given by. Peter to ask. So there was a request.

And the request was given to John. Now there's responsibility. The blessed Lord.

Knows what it is. To have his mother. He's going to the cross.

He's going to say goodbye. To his mother. And as he goes to the cross.

He's concerned. John. Come here a minute John.

Behold thy mother. My mother. Behold thy son.

And from that hour. John took her to his own home. There was something precious.

There was something precious about. The fact that. There was one who was standing by.

Do I stand by. Dear brothers and sisters. When there's responsibility.

In the assembly. There do I. Am I ready to volunteer. Am I ready to stand by.

And to take my part. And to do my share. He remained with him as long as possible.

The Lord knew. What kind of a man John was. He placed.

Into his hands the very dearest of people. His own mother. We say we're committed.

Can God count on me. Do I love. What God loves.

If not in the assembly. If not yet baptized. Do I love.

What God loves. So there's a man John. He stood by.

He. Was standing by. To be a help.

We learn from John chapter 20. That he wasn't so much leaning on. Or standing by.

But when I look at John 20. I find that there is a man that. Gazing in.

And when I look at John. I see one who gazes. Into the tomb.

What a morning that must have been. We've been reminded of that. It was dark.

Lonely. And it was. Going to.

Be very difficult. The stone. Was in their minds.

Who's going to roll the stone away. We can't possibly. Roll the stone away.

When I came of course. As you know. The stone.

Was already rolled away. They could see. Peter and John hurrying.

To the tomb. The ladies going back and tell them. That he's alive.

And as Peter and John hustle. And hurry to the tomb. They stooped down.

They gazed in. And they saw. And they believed.

They believed what? They believed he's alive. The fact that. The napkin was there.

Everything was in his place. Nothing moved. But he was gone.

How did they know? He gazed in. You know. I found out something dear brethren.

I have to confess how. Stupid I am sometimes. Knowledge.

But there's one thing I found out. I don't learn. Unless I. Gaze in.

I remember the day. 905 Keys Court. Maybe some of you have been there.

Our first home. I remember one Saturday afternoon. Getting impressed with this.

I don't know 1 Corinthians. I don't know 1 Corinthians chapter 11. And I remember taking my Bible that Saturday afternoon.

And getting alone with God. And pouring myself over. The Corinthian epistle.

And I remember brethren. Like it was yesterday. I gazed in.

I now have an appreciation of chapter 11. More than I've ever had before. Although I can't maybe teach it.

Like my brethren. But I know what it is saying. How did I get it? I gazed in.

I stooped down. And gazed in. And took the time.

To again enlighten my mind. To be able to come with a knowledge. I've been going through Samuel in my own personal and in the Bible reading.

In Ankeny. By the way. Come and visit us sometime.

It's a little advertisement. Is that alright John? And when I gazed in. I got a knowledge.

Going through Samuel. I've been going through that chapter in the Bible reading. And following every day I look into the book of Samuel.

Aye. I'm gazing in. I know Samuel far better now than I did 12 months ago.

How did I get it? I hit the buttons and I got the books off the shelf. No. I gazed in.

I'm looking at the page. I'm looking at the page of what it says. I'm comparing Scripture with Scripture.

It's been enjoyable. By gazing in. One thing I learned.

Dear brethren. From my dear John. The dear Apostle John.

That he gazed in. And when he saw. He believed.

He believed that he was. He was alive. Can I ask my young brethren.

My young sisters. Do you have some desire to stoop down? To look? Gaze in? We have been reminded of beautiful truth today. Truth that our dear teachers.

Our dear brethren. Who have been given a mind to prepare. Who have been given brains.

Who have been given an ability to communicate God's truth. They have stooped down. They have gazed in.

They've come away with an appreciation of God's truth. And they didn't get it. Until they stooped down.

And gazed in. So I learned by John. That there is something about the man, John.

As he spent time with Christ. As we've been reminded. And as he spent time with Christ.

There was a request. That he had. There was responsibility that he was given.

There was a revelation that he got. Now, what about the response? John chapter 20. Chapter 21.

He was told to put the net on the right side. That caught nothing. Must have been an embarrassment.

No food. No fish. The Lord says, put the net on the right side of the boat.

And they threw the net on the right side. They caught a great fish. They caught a great net full of fishes.

What was John's response? John's response was, I'm glad I threw the net on. I'm glad I. I'm glad I. No. John's response was, it is the Lord.

It's the Lord. The Lord has done it. Some of your family members get saved.

Dear Christian. What do you say? How can you not say, it is the Lord. The Lord gives you a big pay raise.

The Lord gives you moves and a business transaction that is to your benefit. What do you do? I'm so glad I did this. I didn't know.

It's the Lord. It's the Lord. Remember when our first daughter was saved? What a joy.

So, what did we say? I'm so glad we prayed and read the Bible in the mornings. I'm so glad we went to meetings. I'm so glad we invited the.

Uh uh. Uh uh. It was the Lord.

From beginning to the end, it is the Lord. There's three burdens, or rather there's three requirements to fish, brethren. For you younger men who have a desire, who have an itch to preach.

I hope you caught that. I hope if you got an itch only to preach that you scrap it or get somebody else to scratch it. The Lord doesn't call men that have an itch to preach.

The Lord calls men who have a burden for souls. Who have a burden for the lost and perishing. The Lord doesn't call lazy men.

He calls men who have a, who are working. And as the requirements for to fish are, number one, there's a burden. I remember going to the plant, going to the office every day, thinking anybody can do this job.

Doesn't take any brains at all to do what I'm doing. But I don't find that many men that have a burden for the lost. I don't see many men in the world that is interested in carrying the gospel to their fellow men.

There's a burden. A burden is required. You have to be blind.

Blind to all the distractions around. And of course there has to be, you have to be busy. Burden, blind and busy.

My response is when sinners are saved, it is the Lord. It is the Lord. I remember when a series of meetings came to Marian and I was partially involved.

I was involved with it. Our second daughter missed it. Several teenagers professed.

But my second daughter missed it. On the way home, Gloria and I had a good cry. We got to the refrigerator and we had a good cry.

She missed it. Three years later I get the phone call. Dad? Yeah, Tammy.

Tell me, tell me. Dad? I'm going to heaven with you. What did we say? It is the Lord.

It's all the Lord. It is the Lord from the beginning to the end, brethren. It is the Lord.

When we come to when we come to John 21 I notice that in John or the man of John he's wondering how Peter's going to die. The blessed Savior says, What is that to thee? Follow thou me. Did you catch what Frank said? Frank was reading from John chapter 12 except John 12 tells us about the kernel of wheat that fell into the ground and died.

And if it died, bringeth forth much fruit. Then the Savior goes on to say, He that serves me and follows me, him will my father honor. Him will my father honor.

It's not the angel or the best of heavenly hosts that comes out of heaven and gives the honor. And so every Christian that follows following doesn't sound very fun, does it? It doesn't sound very exciting. But when I follow and I follow to the end and I follow him the father rewards.

Isn't that amazing? The father comes out and rewards. May we know what it is again as we read the book of John to carry these five characteristics that John typifies. Put them into your life.

Put them into mine. That we too might be able to get and to receive in the coming day. Well done, thou good and faithful servant.