Daily devotion – The Gospel of John begins…
This Sunday we commence the wondrous Gospel of John. It is the Gospel of John that we usually recommend to new believers as the first book in the Bible for them to read through. But as a pastor it is probably one of the most difficult I find to teach. Why? Because its depths of Scripture are impossible to plummet as they are so profound and rich in telling the story of Christ our Saviour.
John or Johanan means, “grace, gift, or mercy of the Lord.” He often refers to himself in his Gospel as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. How wonderful that John could find it such a blessing to write this over and over about his relationship with Christ. He therefore truly knew the love of Christ in his own life!
Though “beloved,” John was fiery – “the son of thunder” along with his brother James. John was the son of Zebedee and Salome, who was the sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. If Mary and Salome were sisters, it means that John and Jesus were first cousins. This would also make him related to John the Baptist.
John was a fisherman, in partnership with Simon and his father. They were a well to do family who owned their own home and had hired servants. He was acquainted with the high priest through his fishing business and started out as a disciple of John the Baptist.
John wrote his blessed Gospel to prove that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing on Him one might have eternal life through His name. – Jhn 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
If all the books of the Bible were lost except John’s Gospel, the believer would have a wealth of truth to feast upon till his dying day. John’s Gospel is often referred to as the ‘simple Gospel’. If all the verses in the Bible were lost except John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – the sinner would have the Gospel in a nutshell and would be without excuse as to his ignorance of the plan of salvation.
This week, I pray that you start reading through the Gospel not just once but over and over until we have together completed this amazing journey with this disciple whom Jesus loved…
That as you read it you too will discover along with John, that you also are Christ’s disciple and that you too are fully aware how much Christ loves you also!