Jesus finds the man born blind in John chapter 9. This is no coincidental encounter, but rather this man is seen and soughth by Jesus. Whilst the disciples can only see the problem, Jesus sees the person, not only the sin but a soul needing saved and soul for whom Jesus died! The salvation Jesus offers lies not in the mud, nor the spit nor even in the pool of Siloam but in the person of Jesus Christ! Don't miss the Master for the mud! In response to this creatorial miracle of Jesus, men ask the wrong question! The question is not How was the man made to see but Who made the man see again! Perhaps we are all a little like the man born blind, just blind in different ways. Blind until we grasp a glimpse of Jesus. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

How can I be sure that Jesus is the one authentic and true Saviour? Is Jesus a fraud or a fake or He is the true eternal Son of God and the Saviour of sinners? The authentic Jesus comes by way of the door. This is the only way in to the sheep, the only way out for the sheep and way be which Jesus came. Jesus is unlikely any other religious leader, ruler, priest or teacher! Jesus is the genuine article! Jesus uniquely came by way of the cross! His was a love beyond measure, his a suffering deeper than your sin and a salvation smashing through the boundaries of death and the grave! Do you know Jesus? Have you heard the voice of the good Shepherd? 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

New Cumnock Church Bridgend Gospel Hall 

John chapter 6 is known best for the record of the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes and yet this chapter, repeated in all 4 gospels and standing at the centre of Christ's 7 sign miracles as well as at the forefront of the 7 great I am sayings of Jesus contains far more than the feeding of 5000 hungry people. There is far more to find in Jesus than merely bread to satisfy our apetite. Jesus is the bread of life and the living bread, who has come down from heaven to give life unto the world. Some find Him as a prophet and some as a king but beyond all of this He is Saviour and Lord. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

Jesus goes out of His way to meet with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in John chapter 4. In fulfillment of the promise of Genesis chapter 49 Jesus is the fruitful bough, the fruitful Son whose branches run over the wall. There is from Israel an explosion, an overflowing of God's care and compassion. Jesus is not just for the religious elite but the salvation found in Jesus Christ is for all people. If you only knew who Jesus was, if you only knew He is the Son of God, if you only knew that He is the way to heaven, If you only knew the power of His Cross, if you only knew what lay ahead of you without Jesus, then you would come and drink of that everlasting water and be eternally satisfied with teh forgiveness of sins, the hope of eternal life and the prospect and promise of heaven. Dr J Stewart Gillespie

In John chapter 3 Nicodemus a leader of the Pharisees comes to Jesus by night, afraid to be identified, with everything to lose and carrying the baggage of religion he encounters the unique Jesus, unique in who He is as the Son of God, unique in what He has done at the cross and unique as the only way to heaven. The decision to believe and repent is mine! You must be born again. Dr J Stewart Gillespie

John traces the journey of life through the wilderness, across the Jordan, to find hope, heaven and destiny only through Jesus. John the baptist points out Jesus as the Lamb of God who bears away the sin of the world. It is my sin that keeps me from heaven and only Jesus who is able to forgive that sin and bring fullness, joy and salvation. John chapter 2

J Stewart Gillespie

The bible is a story in two halves. Moses and his law dominates the forst 5 books of the Old Testament. God's law is good and glorious but it is also in essence fatal for Israel! Most of the nation perishes in the wilderness having broken God's laws. In Jesus we have a greater than Moses, a prophet, priest and King able to not only bring me out from a fallen world but into the promised land and salvation blessing. Do you know Him? Dr J Stewart Gillespie

Heaven - will you be there? There is only one way to heaven "you must be born again" (John chapter 3)! Heaven is not ours by natural birth (blood) nor by being wound up emmotionally (will of the flesh) nor educated intellectually (will of man) but is only ours by God, by means of the new birth!

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

In the beginning was the word! John begins his gospel at the beginning, the beginning of time and of the universe. In so doing he introduces us to the God of the beginning! Not only is Jesus the God of the beginning of all things but He is also the God of personal and individual beginnings! He is the God of fresh starts; of new found satisfaction for the woman at the well, of eternal life and a new birth for Nicodemus, for the forgiveness of sins and a light that shines into the darkness which at times is my life! Do you know Him? Have you found Jesus Christ as the God of the fresh starts? 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

The writings of John in the New Testatment extend from the beginning of time in John chapter 1 to the conclusion of this world in Revelation. John sets the context of my life into forever. The God who made me one day will judge me. In John's Gospel we are presented with the Lord Jesus, creator of space and time, the God who is interested enough in me to shine into this darkness of my life in the revelation of Jesus Christ; the God who is able to save and satisfy, who takes sin seriously and who is the Saviour of my soul.

World changing, history altering and pivitol to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of Jesus proves the person of Jesus as the Son of God (Romans chapter 1), the purity of the Lord Jesus in His sinless perfection, able to lay down His life and take it again and the power of Jesus to save all that come to Him in faith because He ever lives. During the world shattering events of that resurrection in Mark chapter 16, God takes time, through the angel to address one person in particular, Peter! God calls Peter to the person of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not simply a fact of history, it is faith for my soul and my salvation.

The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus in Mark chapter 15, centres on the cry My God My God why have you forsaken me? Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani? 

Here is Christ rejected, tortured, crucufied on the cross of Golgotha for my sins and according to Gods eternal purpose, prophecied in Psalm 22, Psalm 69 and Isaiah 53. 

Here is the great exchange.

Here is substitutional atonement. 

Jesus Christ is the atonement and substitute for my sins. 

Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie Bridgend Gospel Hall Church New Cumnock

The crucifixion of Jesus divides humanity into the cruel, the kind and the converted! The very worst of man's hatred and cruelty is seen as Jesus is tortured at the hands of the Roman centurions. It is this cross work of Jesus, given as a sacrifice for my sins which has the power to change lives and destinies! The fear of God drove the thief on the cross to seek a Saviour and faith in Jesus, God's Son opened up heaven for him! It's time to get personal with Jesus. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

The Death of man - Ephesians chapter verse 1 The Death of Christ - Romans chapter 5 verse 8 The Death of Deaths - Hebrews chapter 2 vs 14 Three great deaths in the bible that move me from condemnation to salvation. My salvation, forgiveness of sins and access to heaven all depends upon the work of another, the death and cross work of Jesus Christ. He is a great Saviour, God's only way of salvation, the one who allows me to live since He died my death for me. 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

The Last supper and the hours leading up to the death and crucifixion of Jesus is stamped with preparation. Preparation not only by the disciples but preparation be God for this world changing event. The Passover of Exodus chapter 12 and the prophecy of the Lamb of God of Isaiah chapter 53 pointed forward to and prepared us for the coming of Jesus, the Son of God who would deliver His people from a tyrannt far worse than Pharoah. The deliverance of Jesus, God's substitute for the sinner, delivers me from sin, Satan, the world and God's judgment! Dr J Stewart Gillespie

The Cross of Jesus represents man's final and full outrage of wickedness against the God of heaven. Nothing man had ever done before came close to the torture, hatred, rejection, and crucifixion he inflicted upon Jesus Christ the Son of God. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 16 this rejection of God becomes in the plans of God the means of our reconciliation. Here for humanity is our light in a very dark place. In Mark chapter 10 blind Bartimaeus sees this light. In Jericho, the place of the curse, defiled Bartimaeus gets a glimpse of hope and help in the Son of God. He had heard all about Jesus and despite the discouragement of the crowds cried, 'Jesus though son of David have mercy on me.' It was faith that empowered Bartimaeus to cast away his garments and turn in faith to Jesus. 

www.GraceinChrist.org 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Bridgend Gospel Hall New Cumnock