Wednesday in the Word...John 20:30, 31...the purpose

Today's Wednesday in the Word covers John chapter 20, verses 30 and 31.  We will finish this chapter today and make our way into the final chapter of the Gospel of John next Wednesday, God willing.  These moments make me look back to when I started this study of John through these email and blog devotionals.  It was November 2, 2018.  The motivation was to prepare for a time when I would preach this material from the pulpit and hopefully complete "the quad" (preaching through each of the gospels, chapter by chapter and verse by verse).  Ironically, I am approaching the final chapter of Luke at this time in my pulpit ministry.  

For me, it is the creation of some spiritual milestones. I am putting into practice ways to physically measure my progress in becoming a student of the Word and also making this book called the Bible, the book of my life.  This might not be how you would accomplish it but I would encourage you to investigate how you can make some spiritual monuments in your life to remind yourself of God's actions and your response.  The Israelites did this by piling up stones here and there to remind themselves and to teach to the next generation about their great God.

v.30 - Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;...

John has just recorded the proclamation of Thomas to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" and Jesus' response back, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed.  Those who believe without seeing are blessed."  Someone has believed, Thomas, and Jesus is telling His disciples that there will be more, even those who have not physically seen Him like His disciples.  You get the feeling that John has used these two statements, one from a disciple and one from the Lord, as a springboard into his summary and the closing of his gospel account of Jesus.  

John lets his original readers and us know that he didn't record everything that Jesus did and said.  He and the other disciples heard so much more and observed countless signs that pointed to Jesus being the Messiah.  John, led by the Holy Spirit, gave us the ones that we needed to read but know this, the scope of what Jesus said and did is not totally contained in this book.  "Our God is so big..." is ringing through my head.

v.31 - ...but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Not every book of the Bible does what John does in this verse.  He tells you directly why he put these words down.  The purpose for this gospel, unashamedly, is to provide the means for you to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  Every book of the Bible has a central purpose and usually you discover it by reading and studying its chapters but John just comes out bluntly with his invitation before venturing into the last chapter.  He wants this on the mind of the readers before they hear of a disciple restored and Jesus' proclamation of His coming again.  John will actually state this purpose again in chapter 21 and verse 25.  

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.

Many encourage seekers and new believers to read the Gospel of John.  I would scratch my head with this advice.  The Gospel of Mark is shorter.  The Gospel of Luke gives more details.  The Gospel of Matthew helps to understand the Jewish culture.  The Gospel of John is really hard to understand at times.  He gets very theological and records things that Jesus says that confuse the followers at the time and they turn and walk the other way.  Why present to a seeker or new believer this gospel account over the others?  

Why, because it says right here in the scriptures that the sole purpose of this book written in this way is for the reason of readers believing Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Who am I to think I know better than what God has given to us?  It is not that the other gospel accounts are not helpful, they are, but unashamedly, John lets the reader know his sole purpose of giving these words and accounts of Jesus are for belief, a belief that results in eternal life in the name of Jesus.

What are we to believe?  Jesus is the Christ; He is the Messiah; He is the anointed and sent One from the Father; and He is the Seed to bring salvation.  There is no other but He to accomplish this task.  Jesus is also the Son of God.  He is the second of the united Trinity.  He is divine and He is God.  He is not just a good teacher or a loyal martyr but He is God who came to be in the physical presence of His creation.  If we make Jesus anyone less than "the" Messiah and God as the Son of God, then we do not believe and are not truly converted.  We may benefit from knowing about Him but those who are known by Him will die for the fact that He is who He says He is.  The belief of a true convert transforms his or her life so radically that outside observation mirrors what we see of the true converts of scripture.  You start to look and sound like those of the New Testament.  You cherish the Word.  You cherish your communication with the Father.  You cherish worship.  You cherish God's family.  You cherish the opportunity to show your love back to God by being obedient to His will.  All of this is a response to recognizing who He is and what He has done out of love for you before you ever loved Him.  

Let's end it there today and ask the Lord to prepare us as we venture into John's final chapter next week.  Knowing the purpose of the book prior to the end, how do these last words provide the final illustration that John wants us to know?  

Pastor Adam