Jesus performed many other 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 Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:30-31

I can see John writing his gospel and wondering what to include and what he’d have to leave out. John spent three years in the presence of Jesus as he conducted his ministry. John would have seen a lot.

It would have been difficult to know what to write and what to leave out. But John is clear on his purpose as to why he writes. As far as authorial purpose goes, John knows what he has been tasked with and it is weighty.

People’s eternal destinations are at stake.

For, this is how we are saved, not by works, but by faith. And faith must have a basis on which to plant itself. And that basis is the truth of what happened. John is eyewitness to that.

So he writes about the many signs and wonders that he has seen, so that Jesus’ identity might be made known. Jesus’ life, work and ministry show that he is the promised one from God, the Messiah and expected king. He fulfils the requirements of the Old Testament law and displays God’s majesty in his life and ministry.

When we read John’s gospel and consider all that Jesus did and said, we have the opportunity to believe.

The disciples saw even more than us and they were steadfast in their faith. The book of Acts is witness to that.

Yet the disciples have witnessed to us in the pages of the New Testament. With their words we can be confident and remain steadfast in our faith, which allows us to then witness to others about our faith.

It’s a chain reaction that propels the gospel forward.

How might you be a link in that chain today?

Yours ‘chained’ for the gospel,

Alison