Welcome to the Book of John. Throughout this series, we see Jesus encountering people publicly (chapters 1-12), privately (chapters 13-17), and through His passion (chapters 18-21). All of these movements have one message: Believing in Jesus leads to life. So come and see all that Jesus is that you might become all you were meant to be.
Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin. He rose to show us the check cleared. In John 20-21, Jesus encounters four different people after his resurrection. These people are meant to be reflections of all of us. Some are in pain. Some are in doubt. Some are in fear. Some have given up on God; others have given up on themselves. But Jesus returns for them all. Jesus showed his power through his resurrection. Jesus showed his love through returning for you. You have been saved to see Jesus, to be sent out for Jesus, to be secure in Jesus, and shepherd the flock of Jesus. The Gospel of John is over, but the story of Jesus has just begun. Let's fill the world with the stories of Jesus.
The cross shows us the heart of God. Like a diamond from various sides, the more we behold Jesus and the cross, the more beauty we see. The central message from God to you, from Christmas to the cross, is that you are loved. The cross informs our hearts to see that, no matter the season, Jesus changes everything.
What type of King is Jesus? He is a willing sufferer, calm under persecution, forgives and transforms, and is after human hearts, not human kingdoms. He is the rightful king who has come to lay down his life. Let us marvel at Jesus as we encounter Jesus at his trial.
How is your prayer life? In John 17, we see a window into the prayer life of Jesus. He prays for the glory of God, his inner circle, the church, and the world. As we marvel at Jesus praying for us in this way, he serves as a model for how we are to pray. Let's grow our dependence on God as we grow in our dedication to prayer.
Persecution is a promise from Jesus. Like a good coach, Jesus prepares his disciples for the road ahead. As they love others, the world will hate them. As they look like Christ, the world will cancel them. Yet, Jesus is not concerned. He is calm and confident because he knows that his words and the Spirit of God will give his disciples comfort and courage. As we cling to Christ, we can have confidence in a culture bent against Christ.
Jesus wants more than an hour of your weekend or a quick devotional time in the morning. He wants all of you, every moment of every day. He desires constant communion with you. Jesus calls this abiding. To abide means to rest and remain in God's goodness, gospel, and grace. When you abide in Christ, he prunes your heart so that more fruit can be grown in and through you. He wants all of you and for all of you to become all you were meant to be.
How is your heart troubled? Whether situations outside of us or struggles within us, troubles are a part of life. John 14 begins and ends with Jesus commanding us to "not let our hearts be troubled." By trusting in God the Son, obeying the commands of God the Father, and yielding to God the Spirit, we can experience genuine peace that surpasses understanding.
What is the secret to joy and happiness in life? Jesus tells us in John 13. It is a life marked by humility and holiness that leads to true happiness. It is a life of selfless service that Jesus modeled for us as an example to us. Our lives are transformed when we follow his example as the Spirit empowers us.
When you see Jesus for who he is, he changes who you are. This has been seen throughout the book of John. As we transition from his public ministry (chapters 1-12) to his passion ministry (chapters 13-17), Jesus will declare his love and intent for us. He is the King of the world and the King of your world. When we encounter him, we are never the same. The only proper response is to fully devote our lives to him as the rightful King of all.
Life is a series of ups and downs. In the sweet seasons of life and in the struggles of life, Jesus makes all the difference. In John 11, Jesus enters into the hardest moment of life: the death of a loved one. All the questions we have when life gets hard are answered here in this passage. Does God Love me? What's the point of all of this? Where is God? Where do I find comfort? Can God do anything? We can bring our hurts and questions to Jesus, and we will find the simple truths that can sustain us through life's struggles. Our response is to draw near to God, draw near to one another, and read the story from the end. Jesus has won the battle of death and sin. He makes all the difference.
Something is missing in most Christian's lives. Where most in our Christian culture can emphasize the upfront gifts of teaching, the scriptures shine a light on the ongoing responsibility to shepherd. Shepherding is discipleship: an intentional, ongoing, life-on-life investment into others for the sake of them becoming more and more like Christ. Jesus is the good and ultimate Shepherd as he models a personal, purposeful passion towards His sheep. As followers of Christ, we are both His sheep, yet called to mimic Him as our Good Shepherd. For those who love Jesus, He calls us to do the hard work of shepherding the flock before us.
How do you know if you are spiritually blind? In John 9, Jesus encounters a man blind and makes him see while those who see remain spiritually blind. Jesus invites us to assess if we truly see Him for all He is and all He has done. Because when we see Him, we see who we were made for. The only response is to believe and bow down before the Light of the world.
Who do you say Jesus is? Is he your life coach, or is he your LORD? In everything Jesus says and does, he is declaring the fullness of who he is. This declaration causes division which forces a decision. Who you say Jesus is will dictate the course of your life. In love, Jesus will lean into how you see Him. He knows that the fullness of life is only found in the fullness of Christ.
"What can Jesus do for me? Why doesn't Jesus meet my expectations? Why is following Jesus hard?" It's easy to come to Jesus expecting something from him. When Jesus doesn't meet these expectations, it can lead to confusion, doubt, and even turning away from him. Yet, over and over, Jesus reminds us who he truly is and what he has truly come to do. When we see Him for all that he is, our deepest questions are fully answered in Him. He is what we truly need.
It is easy to miss Jesus in the daily rhythms of life. Sometimes we miss Christ for our circumstances. Sometimes we miss Jesus for law-keeping. Either way, we miss Jesus. Jesus wants us to see Him as the One where all life and joy is found. When we walk under the authority of Jesus, we find the sweetness of what Jesus wants for us: abundant life in Him.
When we look back on our story, there are often sins we have done or situations we have been in that make a deep impact on our lives. These moments become stakes in the ground that hold us captive from living the life Jesus intends for us. As we encounter Jesus, he reveals these past situations and present sins to heal the wounds of our hearts. As he takes these out, living water can flow in us and through us. When he saves us from our sin and shame, this becomes the story we share of his love and grace.
"I perform, therefore I am accepted." This running narrative is ruining the way we see God, ourselves, and others. Just like with Nicodemus, Jesus wants to unravel this lie and replace it with the truth of the love of God. Jesus flips the equation and shows us that we are fully accepted by God and therefore live a life out of an overflow of that love. The central truth of God is simply this: you are loved.
Jesus is making all things new. He is taking the old and transforming it into something beautiful and life-giving. He did this in His first sign turning water into wine. He continues to do this in our own lives as He takes that which is old in us and brings newness. Now and throughout eternity, Jesus is in the business of making all things new.
Welcome to the Book of John! Throughout this series, we see Jesus encountering people publicly, privately, and through His passion. All of these movements have one message: Believing in Jesus leads to life. In John 1, we encounter Jesus in His incarnation, His identity, and His invitation. The God of the Universe wants you to come to Him and find the abundant, spiritual, and eternal life you were meant to live. This is only found when we believe, behold, and be with Jesus. So come and see Jesus for all that He is and find life in His name.
