Flagstone Live | Before and After - John

·41 min·4 clips

John asked Jesus to call fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village that rejected them.

The episode starts with an interactive segment where the host asks the audience to share nicknames from their past, using examples like 'Marshmallow' and 'J-Dub' to illustrate how nicknames reflect character traits. He transitions to discussing before and after stories in Scripture, introducing John as a key example. The host explains that John, one of Jesus' disciples, wrote the Gospel of John and other letters, and is often called the 'apostle of love'. However, he contrasts this with John's earlier nickname from Jesus: 'Boanerges', meaning 'sons of thunder', which indicated a temperament of anger and wrath. Specific incidents from the Gospels are cited to show John's character before transformation, such as when he tried to stop someone from casting out demons because they weren't part of the inner circle, when he and his brother James asked for seats of honor in Jesus' kingdom, and when he wanted to call fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village. The host then details how John changed through his relationship with Jesus, emphasizing that John witnessed Jesus showing love to others, including the Samaritan woman, the woman caught in adultery, and his friends after Lazarus' death. He also notes that John experienced Jesus' love personally, which transformed him from a vengeful person to one focused on mercy and compassion. The episode connects this to common human struggles with anger, resentment, and desire for revenge, encouraging listeners to follow John's example by spending time in Scripture, reflecting on Jesus' love, and letting go of grudges. It concludes with a challenge to forgive others, referencing Jesus' forgiveness on the cross, and an invitation for prayer and support from the church community.

As heard by us

A sermon turns John's desire for honor into a direct call to release resentment and show Jesus' forgiveness.

Nicknames frame a sermon about the gap between who a person has been and who Jesus' forgiveness calls them to become. The opening invitation to think about names from family, school, teams, or work gives the room a familiar way in before the message turns to James and John…

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Why you'd press play

You start with nicknames and end with the awkward question of whom you still refuse to forgive.

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