WITNESS TO THE LIGHT

READ JOHN 1:6-8
v.6-8) Who was this earthly witness?
He was a man, with the name of John and he was sent by God (with Divine authority) He was there as a witness which means that he was to affirm what one has seen or heard. In John's case he was to affirm Jesus and who He is. His job was to bare witnes of the light. Why? So that all might believe through him. This John described here is John the Baptist. One of the people that John the Baptist witnessed to was John the Disciple, the writer of the book we are studying.
John the Disciple became a witness also and took on the job of writing a phenomenal book, The Gospel of John. I would like to take this time to share with you this remarkable man.
"The disciple that Jesus love." Who better to write the intimate words of Jesus and prove His equality with God than John the beloved? John had a very close and personal relationship with Jesus and was with Him from the beginning of His ministry to the very end. John, one of the followers of John the Baptist, was there when Jesus was announced as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." He watched as Jesus was baptized and followed him for the next three years. he was also there when Jesus died and was commissioned with the task of taking care of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He was one of the first of the disciples to hear that Jesus had risen and ran to the tomb.
John loved Jesus with such a deep love that John was careful to leave his name out of the gospel all together. He did this to emphasis his remarkable Savior who came with a powerful message. He even downplayed his love for Jesus; pushing forward instead that it was Jesus who love John.
SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE OF WHO JOHN THE DISCIPLE WAS.
A. Mark 3:17 - brother of James, son of Zebedee.
B. Mark 1:19-20 - wealthy fisherman, had servants. (Left father and wealth to follow Jesus.)
C. Luke 5:9-11 - partners with Peter.
D. Matthew 17:1; 26:37 - part of Jesus' inner group.
E. John 18:15 - known by the High Priest.
F. John 19:26-27 - given responsibility of Jesus' mother, owed own home.
G. John 20:2 - first to hear of resurrection.
H. Acts 3:1; 4:13 - man of prayer, uneducated, untrained. (does not mean that John could not read or write, but possibly talking about spiritual training for service in the Temple.)
I. Acts 15:6/Gal. 2:9 - leader/pillar of the Church. (John was Bishop or Pastor to the Church in Ephesus. Wrote the Gospel of John AD90-100)
J. Rev. 1:9 - persecuted/sent to island of Patmos. (Only disciple that did not suffer martyrdom, he died AD100)
PURPOSE FOR WRITING: John 20:30-31, "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples; which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
JOHN TOOK UP THE GAUNTLET FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST. ARE YOU CONTINUING THAT TRADITION; BEING A WITNESS FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?