20140316 John's Gospel

“That You Might Believe”

The Gospel of John

Bible Readings: Colossians 1:9-23 (page 833)John 4:43-54 (page 753)

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Wednesday, 19 March 2014

The Gospel of John was written to help people believe Jesus is the Son of God.

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30–31, NKJV)

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The Gospel of John was written to help people believe Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus’ offer of forgiveness of sin and promise of eternal life is more clearly stated in John’s Gospel than any other.

“that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:15, NKJV)

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What makes John’s Gospel so different?

John the son of Zebedee and brother of James.

One of the first disciples. (1:37)

Youngest of the inner circle of 12 disciples. (He sat on Jesus right hand at the Passover.)

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First reason: the character of the writer.



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Jesus called James and John “boanerges” = “sons of thunder!”

“And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”” (Luke 9:54, NKJV)

Wanted to be number One and Two in the kingdom.

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“The disciple whom Jesus loved” (21:7)

John shows us the way Jesus thought.

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Gospel of Mark 40‐50 AD

Gospel of Ma^hew 50‐60 AD

Gospel of Luke 50‐60 AD

Gospel of John 60‐70 AD or later.

Paul’s Leêrs 40‐50 AD7

Second reason: the last of the four Gospels to be written.



John assumed most of his readers already knew the basic facts about Jesus.

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Second reason: the last of the four Gospels to be written.



To encourage people to believe that Jesus was Who He said He was ‐ the Son of God.

To strengthen believers threatened by dangerous wrong teaching about Jesus that He wasn’t fully human. (Gnosbcism)

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Why John wrote the Gospel.



John highlights that he knew Jesus personally and witnessed that Jesus was a real human being.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begoên of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NKJV) 10




“But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has tesbfied, and his tesbmony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.” (John 19:34–35, NKJV)

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The synopbc gospels (Ma^hew, Mark Luke) mostly record Jesus teaching the crowds of ordinary people.

John records the debates Jesus had with the highly educated religious leaders.

John records no parables. 12

Third reason:The style of teaching.



“Aher these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.” (John 7:1–2, NKJV)

“Jews” = Jewish authoribes

“Jews’ Feast” = Jewish peoples 13

How John used the word “Jews”



John contrasts the hardness of the leaders with the readiness of others to believe.

The disciples believed because they saw the signs.

The Samaritan woman believed because she met Jesus.

Nicodemus struggles to believe even aher the signs and meebng Jesus.14

The Challenge to Believe



The Samaritan woman ( lowest and most humble believer) progressively discovers and believes the truth hidden from the religious authoribes.

4:9 “a Jew”

4:11 “Sir”

4:19 “a prophet”

4:25 “Messiah”

4:26 “I am” God revealed.15




The religious leaders demand a “sign”.

Jesus gives signs that get progressively greater through the Gospel.

Water into wine

Healing the paralysed man.

Feeding the 5000.

Healing the man born blind.

Raising Lazarus from the dead.16



“Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.” (John 11:45–46, NKJV)

“Jews” = Jewish leaders

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The Light and the Darkness

In the first 12 chapters we see the light of belief in Jesus shining in the darkness of unbelief and doubt.

“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” (John 12:46–47, NKJV)

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The Light and the Darkness

In the second half (chapters 13‐21) we see the aêmpt of darkness to overcome the light and the glorious victory of the light.

The Gospel shows the clear choice of between belief and rejecbon: light and darkness.

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Spiritual

20140316 John's Gospel