John Overview

Title: John Overview - Follow Me

Text: John 1

Overview of John

Ps Renny Khoo

2 April 2017

A broad overview or big picture of the Book of John. It's harder to assemble a jig-saw puzzle without the big picture. The aim of the Book of John is to bring the reader to a faith in Jesus. The Book of John proves to the reader beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus is truly the Son of God. Many of us are on a journey of search or seeking. John does not deal with the parables of Jesus. There is no mention of The Last Supper in John because John is written for a different purpose from other Gospels.

Purpose Statement of John the Gospel

John 20:30-31

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

In John 20:30-31, the 3 key words are signs, believe, life. What does believing mean and entail? There is a definite point when you come to believe. There is a defining or decisive moment when we come to believe. It is not just a one-time decision. There is a continuation of that decision, e.g. in the way we live out our Christian walk. Sometimes we make wise decisions, sometimes we don't. What is the result through believing? That you may have life, eternal life. How do we understand "eternal life"? What is "eternal life"? John 17:3 - "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." Eternal life is knowing God. It's not a static state somewhere in the future. We continue to know Him. There are two things when it comes to knowing God. First, God desires you to know Him. John 3:16 - He gave up His Son so we may know Him. Secondly, God Himself wants to have a living relationship with us. He reaches out to us through many ways. God doesn't want to stop knowing us nor does He want us to stop knowing Him.

• Signs, Believe and Life
• Believe is mentioned more than 90 times in the book of John.
• There is a moment of decision and continuous effort to believe.

John 17:3

3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Eternal life is knowing God.

God desires so much that we know Him.

God wants a living relationship with us.

Overview or Overall Picture of the Book of John

There are six MOVEMENTS:-

1. Recruitment
2. Revelation (Sign)
3. Retreat
4. Revelation (Speeches)
5. Redemption 
6. Restoration 

All the signs and miracles point out that Jesus is the Master of everything.

The Master of Quality, Time, Quantity, Nature, Misfortunes 

Jesus is the Son of God

Revelation. It demands a response from us. What is Revelation? Revelation is God revealing to us, telling us and giving us signs of what He is trying to tell us. We do not know what we do not know. We only know when God helps us to know. That's the revelation that Jesus is truly the Son of God. God gradually opens our eyes. For some, it's a gradual knowing. It's a journey. It's a process of revelation.

Revelation Through Signs.

There are 7 signs we can see in the Book of John. When He changed water into wine, Jesus is the master of quality. When He healed the official's son, He is a master of distance. When He healed the paralyzed man, He is a master of time. He transcends time. When He fed 5000 people, He is a master of quantity. When He walked on the sea, He is a master of nature. Nature has to obey Him. When He healed the blind man, He is a master of misfortune. He can turn misfortunes around. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He is a master of dead. Whatever we face in life, Jesus knows what we are going through. Turning point in Chapter 12. The Book of John points to Jesus. People did not believe though they saw all the signs. Jesus responded to their unbelief by hiding Himself. There is always a time of reminiscing when we leave a place or a town. There is a call to a continuous knowing. Knowing God is about having intimacy. Jesus talked about love and abiding in Him. Redemption. Restoration. Jesus restored the disciple (Peter) who forsook Him. Recruitment and Restoration. Both in the beginning and in the end. Recruitment - "Follow me." Restoration - "Follow me." The book of John is an invitation to follow Jesus.

Prologue and Revelation

Revelation: Response - Reject V.1:9-12 or Receive V.1:12-13. Whenever there is a revelation, it calls for a response. 

1. Word is God V.1:1

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

2. Word become flesh V.1:14

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us."

V.1:12 - "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."

God only has children. He doesn't has grandchildren. There are 2 possible responses. We can accept Him or reject Him. 

(A) Revelation truly multiplies Encountering experiences.

Verses 35 to 51 - There were 4 encounters that were recorded here. Jesus said, "Come and see." Andrew and one unnamed disciple went and saw and had time to fellowship with Jesus. Andrew found Simon. When you know, you would always share. It's almost very natural. Jesus found Philip, and Philip found Nathaniel. 

(B) Revelation means Invitation. "Come and See." means "Come and Experience." and then there is "Follow me." Try reading John from Chapters 1 to 21 in one sitting. Ps. Renny felt (not thought) the heartbeat of Jesus when she read John in one sitting (in one and half hours). 

(C) Revelation demands Response. What would our response be? What and who do we seek in life? The invitation has already been made. "Come and See." "Come and follow me." That is the great invitation. Promise: ...greater things than these." V.1:50. What would our response be today when we hear God say, "Come and see and follow me?"

Questions

1. John 1:38 Jesus asked, "What are you looking for?" Question for us: "What/who do you seek in life?

2. Spend 3-5 minutes in quiet contemplation. Meditate on these words - "Come and see." Sense Jesus' invitation. After this exercise, share what came to your mind.

3. Share/evaluate/understand what and how does following Jesus look like for you? (Context: faith-journey with God/Workplace/School/Family/Church).