The Big Read – John

Powerpoint Pictures: Welcome sign; Roadworks sign; No smoking sign; Warning sign; Direction sign; Confusing sign

Signs are all about passing on information or messages to people.

We see different signs every day – here are some of them [Welcome sign – a friendly invitation to come in; Roadworks sign – preparing drivers to slow down or that there might be traffic; No smoking sign – telling you something that you are not allowed to do; Warning sign – a warning about a danger; Direction sign – follow the sign to get to a specific destination; Confusing signs – that have a mixed message]

John’s Gospel is a book full of signs that communicate a message to us when we read it.

A message that is so simple and clear that a child can understand it.  A message that contains directions.  A message that contains an invitation.  A message that contains a warning.

*“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  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.” (John 20:30-31)*

Do you see what the signs are?  The miracles of Jesus.  John writes that Jesus did loads of miracles, too many for him to write down in his book.

But he’s written down some of them, like how Jesus turned water into wine or raised Lazarus from the dead for a reason.  To communicate a message about who Jesus is.

Jesus is the Christ – the great rescuer that the Jewish people were waiting for.  John the Baptist pointed at Jesus and said *“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)*

But Jesus is also the Son of God – God Himself.  *“In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)*

The message of John is all about who Jesus is.  But it is a message that also contains directions about how to have eternal life in heaven by believing in Jesus.

It is also a message inviting us to believe in Jesus ourselves and be rescued by Him.  *“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)*

However, there is also a warning to those who don’t believe in Jesus.  *“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36)*

John wants us to believe in Jesus and continue to believe in Him.