Need something to believe in? Read the Gospel of John. Read it more than once. Read it straight through, cover to
cover. In it, I find Jesus. He reveals Himself to any who would recognize
His signs and listen to his testimony. Those
who looked at Him and asked “Is he it?” got their answer. Jesus is the Son of God! John finds this to be of first
importance. The pages of his Gospel are filled with this
message: Believe and live.
Who is the Son of God?
He is the I Am. He is the bread of life, the light of the
world, the door of the sheep, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life,
the way, the truth and the life, the true vine!
My soul is hungry and I cannot satisfy it. I need Jesus!
Life is dark. I cannot find my
way and I have no hope. I need
Jesus! I cannot get past my sin. I need Jesus! I need someone to care for me. I need Jesus! I am dead inside. I need Jesus!
Nothing sustains me. I need
Jesus! John shares the truth that Jesus
is not just anyone, He is the only One uniquely
able to save. He is the Only One
uniquely able to give life to every
man, woman and child who will believe.
Jesus does not leave us to wonder what new
life looks like. John records Jesus’ words to the disciples
just before he is handed over to the authorities, the final words and prayer he
wants all believers to remember. Jesus
spoke to them about love. God loves
each one of us to the end. We are to love one another.
Life is complicated.
It is easy overlook what is essential.
John saw that, perhaps, in his own day.
He writes with laser-beam focus. He
records signs that we may see, testimony that we may hear, and he bears witness
that we may believe. Jesus is the Son of God! Believe
and have life! What will that life
look like? It will be filled with love.
I cannot wait to dive in to John and study the book more closely,
because after reading John with a broad lens, looking for major themes and the
big picture, I find myself wrestling with these questions that reach the core
of who I am. What do I really believe
about Jesus? Am I taking hold of the gift
of life I have been given? Do I love
with the love the Son of God himself has shown to me? Or have I lost sight of the essential?
What is my Bible open to right now? The Gospel of John. I will read it again, studying it section by section, writing down questions and looking for answers. I hope you will have your Bibles open, too!
What is my Bible open to right now? The Gospel of John. I will read it again, studying it section by section, writing down questions and looking for answers. I hope you will have your Bibles open, too!
