John 20:30-31 NIVUK
[30] Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. [31] But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. https://bible.com/bible/113/jhn.20.30.NIVUK
My job is to produce reports and then to make recommendations from those reports for others to take action. I take great effort to make the reports clear and simple and attractive and accurate, so the readers have all the right information for them to take the right decision. But the decision they take us up to them – it is their responsibility, not mine. As is the outcome of that decision.
We have spent many weeks now following Jesus as He made His way to Jerusalem to be arrested, put on trial, found guilty, crucified and then rose from the dead.
The facts are so clear as to be indisputable.
But the question needs to be raised: what now?
If you are driving down the road and you see a sign that reduces your speed limit or that sends you down a diversion, what do you do? Do you not obey the sign? Are there not consequences if you don’t?
Well, there is no such thing as unbiased, neutral history. And the Gospels make no pretention to be that. They are written with a clear purpose in mind.
But the burning question is: what will you do with them? What will you do with this information?
The Gospel of John is the Gospel that is most upfront about the reasons why it was written. John hides nothing from his reader. We will finish this series of posts by exploring three simple reasons why John wrote his Gospel, and then ask ourselves, ‘What now?’
Do we believe it or not? And if we do, what will we do about it?
The first of these is The Signs:
John 20:30 NIVUK
[30] Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
The structure of John’s Gospel is different from the others in that it is not a catalogue of every miracle Jesus is known to have carried out. Instead, John highlights seven miracles – the miracles below:
· Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11)
· The healing of an official’s son (John 4:43-54)
· The healing at the Bethesda pool (John 5:1-13)
· The feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-11)
· Walking on the water (John 6:16-21)
· The healing of a man born blind (John 9:1-34)
· The raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44)
The resurrection, of course, stands singular and alone as an outstanding miracle.
However, John’s point is that Jesus performed many more miracles and signs. The ones that John records in his Gospel are designed to be, and should be, evidence enough for us to accept His premise – that Jesus is the Messiah.
So I would encourage you to read them. Read them and remember that John’s Gospel, like all the Gospels, was written by someone who either was or had access to eyewitnesses of what happened. Read them and realise that they were recorded within a generation of these miracles taking place, and yet the record stood as true and unrefuted.
Nowadays we live in a generation that seems to live in an eternal paradox: denying the existence of miracles yet longing for them to happen. The evidence is there. Read it. Read it with an open heart and an attentive mind. Read it and see for yourself.
We move on from the signs to see the reaction John wanted in his readers: The Faith:
John 20:31 NIVUK
[31] But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God... https://bible.com/bible/113/jhn.20.31.NIVUK
Nowadays, secular historians who simply do not want to believe have written off the Gospels by saying that because they were written with a theological purpose, that means they are not reliable records of history.
Poppycock. Stuff and nonsense.
Since when was history neutral?
Those ancient stele that record the history of the Babylonians and Assyrians, or the records of the Egyptians, or, indeed, the annals of any kingdom, are they neutral?
Not on your life!
They shout from the rooftops about the victories but are suspiciously silent on the defeats.
Even the records of our governments and parliaments, are they factually neutral?
I strongly doubt it.
All history is biased.
However, the Gospels do have one very interesting feature. They are starkly honest about the disciples’ failings. Really, really honest. Painfully so.
Look at these verses as examples:
Matthew 16:5-12 NIVUK
[5] When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. [6] ‘Be careful,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ [7] They discussed this among themselves and said, ‘It is because we didn’t bring any bread.’ [8] Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, ‘You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? [9] Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? [10] Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? [11] How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ [12] Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Luke 9:46 NIVUK
[46] An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. https://bible.com/bible/113/luk.9.46.NIVUK
Luke 24:25-26 NIVUK
[25] He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ https://bible.com/bible/113/luk.24.25.NIVUK
Add to this Judas’ betrayal, Peter's denial and the disciples’ frequent lack of understanding of who Jesus is, and we see that the Gospels – which were written either by (Matthew, Mark, John) or with heavy input from (Luke) those very same disciples, and you see a very interesting picture emerging. They are incredibly open about their own failings. When you take into consideration that these men went on to be leaders in the Early Church, then their candour is extraordinary.
But what shines through these Gospels is who it is the books focus on: who it is who never puts a step wrong, confronts evil, stands up for righteousness and pays a seriously high price for it.
Jesus.
The Gospels make no attempt to glorify their authors, or any of the leaders of the church.
They make every attempt to glorify Jesus.
Because the purpose of these books is that we should believe in Him, not merely human beings. They are written that we might trust and have faith in Jesus, not the apostles.
Apart from the signs and the faith, lastly we see what they are supposed to produce in us: The Life.
John 20:31 NIVUK
[31] But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. https://bible.com/bible/113/jhn.20.31.NIVUK
We might think of this ‘life’ as breathing and existing – as if simply having sparks between our synapses and oxygen in our lungs is enough.
That is not what is meant here.
This is real life. Abundant life. This is the life described by Jesus when He said:
John 10:10 NIVUK
[10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Now, I know that Christians are often a poor advert for this. I admit that. But it doesn’t change the fact that Jesus came to give us a full, meaningful life. The fact that some of those who claim to follow Jesus haven’t found it yet is their responsibility.
This life has never been more necessary, never been more needed.
I was in the supermarket one day when I met with a friend who has a job in a bar in Glasgow. This had given her a sizeable reality check. The tips are good. Don’t get me wrong: she is making money from this. Drunk people have no self-control. They give too much money to anyone, and the next day wake up realising that they don’t have enough money to pay for food or bills or clothes – for themselves and their children.
She commented that working in a bar was ‘so sad’, because she saw people taking their lives and drowning them in alcohol.
The Scottish songwriter Justin Currie talked about Glasgow party goers as being ‘stone cold sober and looking for bottles of love’.
I have seen too many people make that choice. Let me tell you plain and simple: it is no life.
Jesus Christ promises you a full, exuberant, abundant life.
And the whole point of my blogs and of the Gospels is to help you find it.
There’s a TV quiz show in the UK called ‘Pointless’, where the object of the game is to provide correct answers to questions that as few as possible members of the public would guess. It’s mildly entertaining. But it always makes me laugh when slightly famous people participate – not because they are unintelligent. Some of them do quite well. But because they change the name of the show to ‘Pointless Celebrities’.
That always makes me smile.
These blogs have been far from pointless.
They have traced the life of Jesus Christ from the greatest miracle He performed while alive, to the even greater miracle of rising from the dead. Their purpose is clear: that you believe in Him and have life in His Name – life in all its fullness.
The question is: do you believe?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I believe. I believe You came to save me. I believe You died on the cross, bearing the punishment for my sin. I believe You rose from the dead. I confess that I am a sinner. But I don’t want to live like that anymore. I want to live a full life. Help me to follow You. Amen.
Questions
1. The Gospels are absolutely biased towards persuading us to believe in Jesus, so why should we trust them?
2. Why do you think John chose those miracles in particular?
3. What does it mean to ‘have life in His Name?’ Do you have it? Do you want to have it? How can you have it?
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