May 17
Bible Reading: John 20:30-31
John 20:30-31, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 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.”
Our passage lays out the purpose statement for the gospel of John, and its relatively simple. Jesus did many signs which attested to His true identity as “the Christ, the Son of God.” The seven signs recorded by the Apostle John testify to that ever important truth. But the ultimate objective lies deeper, for it was John’s desire (indeed God’s desire) that the record of what Jesus did would lead to the reader to saving faith.
She was reluctant at first to have me, the hospice chaplain, visit, but the hospice nurse made a deal with her. What if he comes with me and if you don’t like him, then he’ll not return after that? So, I made that first visit and made weekly visits after that. She had never been to church or read from the Bible and had no concept of what God is like. She asked me how anyone is to know the truth, given that there are so many different religions in the world. She didn’t own a Bible, so I found her one; a giant print version because her eyesight wasn’t very good. I asked her to read the gospel of John with two questions in mind: 1) Who does it say that Jesus is? And 2) What does He want for you to do?
She read through the gospel of John and kept on reading into the Book of Acts and into the epistles! The nurse was with me the day that she prayed, expressing her faith in Jesus. She died not too many weeks later, but she died knowing Jesus. John wrote his gospel that people might be led like that to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Two thousand years later, it is still doing that! Next time you encounter an unsaved person showing some interest in Jesus, challenge them to read the gospel of John with those two questions in mind. God’s Word is powerful to save (Romans 1:16)!
“The purpose of this Gospel goes far beyond the mere creation of an opinion about is subject. The creation of a personal faith in Christ is the summit of its purpose.” – Merrill Tenney
I BELIEVE IN JESUS AND HIS WORD
I believe in Jesus and His word,
The word of life, so sweet and free,
And that He came to manifest His love,
And by His death to ransom me.
Refrain:
O how sweet it is to sing,
I believe, I believe!
To Him alone my soul will cling;
I believe on the Son of God.
I believe in Jesus and His cross,
And in the blood so freely shed;
I know He takes away the guilt of sin,
And grants me pardon in its stead. [Refrain]
I believe in Jesus and His name,
That gives access to mercy’s throne;
No other name can satisfy my faith,
For I am saved by Him alone. [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 