Text: Assorted texts from the Gospel of John
Topic: A probing question for Christ-followers

• Illustration: Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, was executed as a Christian martyr when he refused to deny Christ.
• Polycarp acted in line with what his mentor had taught him—and his mentor was none other than the apostle John!
• The apostle John had had a most unusual relationship with Jesus.
• He was described as "the disciple whom Jesus loved."

• The relationship John had with Jesus was extraordinary in that John trusted Jesus in so many ways.
• John trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity.
• Passages in the New Testament indicate that when John chose to follow Jesus, he walked away from a lucrative family business.
  • Illustration: Anderson shares the story of a couple who left behind lucrative careers to serve as medical missionaries in a predominately Muslim country.
• John also trusted Jesus enough to risk his life.
• John was the only one of Jesus' followers bold enough to gather at the cross.
  • Illustration: The profound sacrifice of a group of missionaries in Africa paved the way for the gospel.
• Jesus trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity and enough to risk his life and enough to remain anonymous.
• John's name is never mentioned once in the Gospel of John.
  • Illustration: We're touchy about our names, wanting people to know who we are.

• You've heard this 10,000 times before: Do you trust Jesus?
• But there is more for us to learn from the relationship between Jesus and John than that.
• What is amazing is that Jesus trusted John!
• Jesus trusted John with his gospel.
• Jesus needed someone to include information that was not included in the other Gospels.
• Jesus also trusted John with his love.
• Jesus needed a best friend who wouldn't abuse such a relationship.
  • Illustration: Imagine the temptation that would come with being Jesus' best friend; we would probably sell books and go on tour if that was our designation in life!
• Jesus also trusted John with his mother.
• In Jesus' culture, it was expected that the eldest son would take care of his widowed mother until she died.
• Jesus couldn't do that, because his time on earth was done.
• There was one man whom he knew he could trust in his absence, and that was John.
• When other disciples spread out in the world, John stays put in Jerusalem to care for Mary.

• You've been asked 10,000 times: "Do you trust Jesus?"
• But let there be this one time when the question is asked, "Can Jesus trust you?"
• Can he trust you with his gospel?