Written That You May Believe and Live

John’s gospel made no claim to being an exhaustive biography of Jesus, written for an abstract, academic purpose. No—“these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name.” His gospel, like the other three, was written as the generation of the apostles who had known Jesus during his time on earth was dying. For that reason, Thomas’ experience took on special significance. If people weren’t willing to believe the testimony of those who’d seen Jesus, the faith would soon die out. Jesus said, “Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe.” Two thousand years later, we don’t see Jesus in the same way the apostles did. An eyewitness wrote this gospel, however, so that we may believe as they did, and join them in eternal life.

• Scholar William Barclay wrote, “When we approach the gospels as history and biography, we approach them in the wrong spirit. We must read them, not primarily as historians seeking information, but as men and women seeking God.” * That’s why Pastor Hamilton ended his book about John’s gospel with these words: “God’s work was only begun in Jesus’ resurrection. We still live in a world afflicted with violence, materialism, deception, and worse. There’s work yet to be done. This is why, on the night when the risen Christ finally appeared to his disciples, he breathed on them and said, “As the father sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21). What Jesus began, we’re meant to complete…. We proclaim it every Easter: Christ is risen from the grave! Death is swallowed up in victory! Sin and evil will never have the final word! The curse is broken! There is always hope!” ** How can you winningly share the good news of Easter in the weeks and months ahead?