September 16, 2006 Overview of Book of John

READ THROUGH THE BOOK OF JOHN.

Often people will ask the question, "Who is Jesus?" But have you ever thought as to the, "Why is Jesus?" Let me clarify this a bit: Why is Jesus called the Word? If He had all power of God why did He come as a human? Why were the disciples attracted to Him? Why was His teaching so radical and spoken with authority? Why was there such a mystery about Him? Why did people reject Him? I coulD probably think of a dozen more why questions, but I think you get the point.
The Book of John is a treasure trove of answers to my above questions and more. It will be a study of great emphasis upon Jesus Himself. The why questions are answered; of His power, His teaching, His ministry, His salvation, and His resurrection.

CHAPTER ONE: The Word has come into the world. John starts out his book with power and that power is immense. Jesus came in humble beginnings, as recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, but John relates that the baby came with all the power of the Word and that Word became, "flesh and dwelt among us."

CHAPTER TWO: Turning water into wine was a minor detail for this Creator who had created the heavens and the earth. A greater feat will be accomplished in the future and that is to raise up His body, the Temple, in three days time. We find in this chapter that Jesus is the New Covenant and the New Temple that has come into the world as Redeemer and King.

CHAPTER THREE: Nicodemus was struggling with the why questions. He knew that Jesus had come from God, because Jesus' teaching and signs proved that, but Nicodemus did not understand why. Here in this chpater we have a wonderful teaching by our Lord Himself; you must be reborn spiritually to enter the kingdom of God. John the Baptist in the final verse of this chapter compliments Jesus teaching by adding that a spiritual rebirth is a belief in the Son.

CHAPTER FOUR - SIX: Jesus is the living water, as the woman at the well found out. She had gone to the well with a bucket and left filled with that living water. He is the sustainer of life, for He has power over illness, both spiritual and physical. he has power over the Sabbath, and He has the power to execute judgment.

CHAPTER SEVEN: Jesus was a mystery not only for the disciples, but especially for those who would reject Him. They struggled with the motives behind His teachings and His actions. They struggled with His education, with were He was from, and they struggled with who he was: a good teacher, a prophet, or the Christ?

CHAPTER EIGHT - TWENT-ONE: The rest of John gives us a clear and profound picture of Jesus and why He is relevant to us. He came to be our forgiveness. He came to bring the truth. He came to give us freedom. He came to be our light. He came to be our Good Shepherd. He came to show us that He has power over death and is the rightful ruler. He came to be our blessing; we are to abide in Him and He in us. He came as our True Vine and to give us the New Commandment. He came with a promise of a helper, the Holy Spirit. He came to overcome the world and to pray for us. He came to die, but most important of all He came to be resurrected, so that we know Him as our eternal life.