Why John?
I am fascinated by stories. Thinking back to my early childhood; I loved being told a good story. An expert storyteller has the ability to carry the listener to other worlds. It is an amazing art to me. One of the things I like so much about the Bible is the people in the story. It is a giant story filled with smaller stories. Think about that for a moment. One story. Told through 100’s of voices; with 1000’s of characters involved. For the audience of humankind. But it impacts each person in a unique way. In all of these stories are, for the most part, just regular folks. There isn’t really anything that special about these people. Heck, most of them are very simple people; farmers, travelers, hunters, craftsmen, moms, dads, crooks, fishermen, soldiers, even a few prostitutes thrown in for good measure. Really just regular folks trying to figure out life. Most seem overwhelmed with their situation. I guess what I am getting at is the fact they are a lot like us. Yep the culture is a little different but people are people. There is far more in common than not! Boy, is there a lot we can learn from them.
Before we jump too far into this, I would like to reiterate that, this is merely a starting point. A place to begin the journey of looking at Scripture (the Bible) and allowing Scripture to look back at you. The study of the Bible and the stories it holds is a deeply personal endeavor. It is a journey with you (the reader and student) and God (the Holy Spirit). This is when ancient writings become alive and appear timeless.
Let’s take a look at the Gospel of John, which is the reference point for our discussion today. It is one of the four Gospels or stories of Jesus’ life. But it is very different from the other three. One of the most noticeable differences is the way it is written. In order to understand this, taking a look at who wrote these words and when he wrote them is helpful.
You may have already guessed, but a guy named John is the author. John was one of Jesus’ chosen twelve disciples. He is also considered to be Jesus’ closest friend. How would we know that? John tells us this little fact by referring to himself as the “one Jesus loved the most”. Due to the close relationship shared between John and Jesus, a great deal of humanity is shown. John shows a great deal of Jesus’ human qualities by this I mean, Jesus the man is on display.
John lived longer than the other disciples and he had the opportunity to see how the early Christians were living and spreading out. He also saw what was needed to help tell the story of Jesus and carry out the work of spreading the Good News to all the world. Around 90 AD John recorded these words. In John 20:30-31, he writes why we wrote all of this down; “so you will believe”! With a focus on believing in Jesus, John records personal encounters with Jesus and a variety of regular folks, conflicts with religious leaders and Jesus’ very own claims as to who He really was and is still today.
Jesus said a lot and did things that backed up who He claimed to be. So, who or maybe what did Jesus say He was? John made a point of providing support for the words spoken by Jesus. John offered evidence for Jesus’ authority and authenticity because he wanted the readers of his gospel not just to believe but to know that Jesus’ claims about Himself are true.
Jesus is God
Jesus made several statements that have been called the “I AM” statements. These statements are only recorded in John’s gospel. We are going to take a look at these statements in the context in which they were said. The hope is to gain a better understanding of who Jesus is and how that impacts us.
“I am the bread of life” (John 6:35)
“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12)
“I am the gate or door” (John 10:7)
“I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11)
“I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)
“I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6)
“I am the true vine” (John 15:1)
These are the seven “I AM” statements made by Jesus. All help paint a better picture of who Jesus claimed to be. Each statement has strong ties to the history of the Jewish people and is referenced in the Old Testament. There is one more statement recorded by John; it is the claim that triggered the process that killed Jesus.
“Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58)
When Jesus said this He was claiming to be eternal and putting Himself on the same plane as God. Jesus is saying He is God. The power of this statement is beyond our comprehension.
Jesus the man
I have heard people say things like, “I cannot relate to God. I don’t think God understands what my life is like”. If I am being honest, I have thought those thoughts and felt just like that myself. It seems to be human nature to think “we’re the only one going through this''. I would argue that solo, “me against the world” mentality is one of Satan’s greatest tools. When we are isolated we are more vulnerable. When we are exposed we are easier to attack. If we stop and think for a moment, take a breath and remember we are not the only ones facing whatever we have in front of us.
Let’s take a look at Jesus for a moment. He was a guy. And He is also God. The God part we cannot relate to but the guy part we certainly can! Or maybe better said, Jesus knows what we are going through because He went through it too! Three of the Gospel writers make a point to tell us that Jesus was tempted by Satan. Satan came at Him from every angle. Satan also made sure Jesus was alone. So we know that He faced temptation in all the ways we do. But wait, there is more. Jesus faced the emotional ups and downs, the frustrating situations, the being misunderstood. All the same things we deal with all the time. Have you ever noticed when you are misunderstood or not heard, you have a tendency to get frustrated, and then the emotions begin to rise?
So how would things change for us if we began to approach our lives with confidence knowing that God DOES get it. Jesus DOES understand!