The Gospel that Offers Us Life

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 (John 20:30-31).

With these words, the Author of the Gospel of John reveals His true motivation for writing this book. I believe He also reveals something of His own character to the earnest truth seeker. We know that the true Author of all scripture is the Holy Spirit… “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Spirit carefully chose John, the beloved disciple to record the words of this book… “Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’… This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:20, 24). Working closely together as a perfectly synchronized team, the Holy Spirit and the Apostle John created this gospel to be a revelation of truth that will convict souls and compel belief. They also show serious disciples the importance of relying on the Spirit and gospel truth in our witnessing efforts. We must be faithful to share the truth of the gospel that saved us because it is truly the gospel that offers us life.

The Teacher reminds us today of our responsibility to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. The Holy Spirit has an overwhelming burden for the lost… “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). He lives in the heart of the genuine disciple… “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6). Therefore, we have the same Spirit that anointed Jesus, compelling and empowering Him to seek and save the lost… “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Those who are filled with the Spirit are also compelled and empowered to reach the lost. Like the disciple John, we are compelled to share His life-giving gospel with others.

What are the faith-compelling truths of the gospel? We find them clearly revealed in this book. The Spirit inspired John to write that God loves the world He has created and He wants believers to live with Him forever… “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The people He loves are separated from Him by sin and because He is holy, God’s judgment rests on them… “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). Jesus Christ is God and came into the world to pay the price for sin through His atoning death on the cross… “The next day he (John) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’… I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:29, 33-34). Fulfilling the scriptures, Jesus died… “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs” (John 19:33). He was buried in a rich man’s tomb… “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there” (John 19:41-42). He rose from death and calls us to share the gospel… “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17).

As we grow up into Christ His Spirit fills, compels, and empowers us to share His gospel because it is…

The Gospel that Offers Us Life.