John 1:1-18 and John 21:1-22
I never skip prologues, prefaces or introductions when I
read a book. I also read epilogues, afterwards,
postscripts, and bibliographies with great interest. The book of John contains
my favorite prologue, as well as the most thought-provoking epilogue I have
ever read. As I read John and organized
it into a general chart, I saw that there are just four major sections in the
book, including a prologue and an epilogue. I have the book of John printed out, double spaced with wide
margins. This helps me read the book with fresh eyes,
and it gives me the freedom to scribble all over the packet. If my notes begin to bother me, I can
re-print the page. If I see that I have
written something brilliant, I can transfer that note over to my Bible. The first page of John has torn off my
stapled packet. (I hope I don’t lose
it.) Recently, it landed beside the page
containing chapter 21. It gave me an
idea: What would it be like to read the prologue and then skip straight to the
epilogue?
Prologues provide important information and back-story so
that the reader better understands the narrative to come. The eighteen verses of this prologue are
brilliantly written. Need context?
Clarity? The big picture? Here it is!
John carefully crafts his thoughts to communicate theological truths that
are foundations to faith. In just
eighteen verses, he covers the trinity, the incarnation, creation, salvation,
the covenants and more. John, who wrote with
the purpose of helping us to believe, tells
us immediately the truth about Jesus. As
a result of reading the prologue, we know all the way through John’s gospel
what we are invited to believe
in.
Fast-forward to the Epilogue in John chapter 21. Epilogues are written to show us what
happened to the characters after the main story concludes. I find myself reading this one again and
again, pondering the scene, the breakfast, the disciples at the campfire, Peter
walking along with Jesus and John following behind. As broad as the prologue is, with epic themes
and timeless scope, this epilogue is narrow. Here we zero in on a few men, a single meal,
and a short conversation on the beach.
While John’s prologue outlines what we need to believe, the epilogue
gives us insight into our new life in Christ.
“But these are written so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have
life in his name,” John 20:31. What
does life with Jesus look like? It is
not without some uncertainty. The disciples
didn't have all the answers right away.
It took time to recognize that Jesus was even on the scene as they
looked toward Him in the early dawn light. Real life is like that. Things are not always clear at first. Life
with Jesus is full of provision and invitation.
Jesus invited them to “Come and have breakfast.” No one said, “No, I need to get these fish
over to the market.” They all sat down
with Jesus to enjoy his presence and provision for them. Life with Jesus is full of forgiveness, restoration
and love. Peter might have thought
himself outside Jesus’ inner circle of trusted friends after denying him. Instead, he finds himself in a heart-to-heart
conversation with his Savior. It is this
forgiveness, this love, this complete restoration of relationship with God that
causes us to love in return. (Remember,
the prologue says, “We have received grace upon grace from the fullness of Jesus
Christ. “) Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?”
And because of Jesus, Peter answered, “Yes!” Life with Jesus means following Jesus. “Follow me,”
Jesus said. No matter the cost. The love that Jesus pours out on us, the
fullness of his grace, the life-giving truth, his unfailing mercy and his
divine glory compel us. How can we NOT
follow Him? We won’t be able to help it! It will be as natural as it was for John to
rise from his spot at the campfire and follow Jesus as he spoke to Peter. But, will we follow Jesus wherever He
leads?
Peter says it. The
question we all ask. He hears the call, but slows his step to turn
his head and look at John. “What about him?”
Will he have the same experience I will?
We have all asked it. Will he
have the same pain, joy, mission, impact, circumstance, challenge, success,
failure, rejection, disappointment, loss, gain, talent, favor, opposition,
contentment, frustration, stuff, relationships, that I have? That I lack? Oh, how we have been there. How we have asked and wondered and known
better than to ask, but couldn't help but wonder anyway….So Jesus narrows the
scene even further. Now Peter no longer
sees the disciples or smells the fire or hears the water. Now he looks away from John and turns his
head toward the One who called him ‘Child’.
It is just Jesus and Peter now. And Jesus says, “You, Follow Me!”
In the prologue, I see The One True God. Three In One, The Creator, The Word, The Only
Son who came to save us. And in the
epilogue I find myself eye to eye with Jesus alone. I hear him extend an unbelievable
invitation! How is it that we could
follow one so great? And yet, we
can! Jesus comes to each of us and
extends his personal invitation of forgiveness, fellowship, and purpose. He asks us to believe and have life! Follow Me! How will you respond?
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness has not overcome it….To all who did receive him, who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God…. From his fullness we have
all received, grace upon grace….No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is
at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
“You, follow me!”
