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Understanding John

by | Aug 12, 2017 | Sermon Supplements

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so 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 20:31). This verse is critical to our understanding John and the focus of his Gospel.

John wrote so that we may know two things about Jesus: (A) That He is the Christ [promised Messiah] and (B) That He is the Son of God (eternal, holy deity). John wrote this for one purpose – that we would believe; with one result – that we would have (eternal) life by His authority. John wrote so that Christians, from all cultures, could have confidence in the person and work of Christ!

The Gospel of John is one of four broader records of the life of Christ, but why four Gospels? Why the overlap and apparent (and sometimes confusing) gaps in the different accounts? It’s all about perspective. Culture, education, and life experience all influence how we look at things. They have an impact on our perspective. At the time of Christ there were 3 distinct cultures overlapping Jerusalem:

Jewish = cultural focus on spiritual/religious identity, heritage, independence

Roman = cultural focus on power, influence, economy,

Greek = cultural focus on art, science, philosophy

Each Gospel author was “targeting” a specific audience through its presentation of the person and work of Christ:

Matthew presents Christ as the Prophesied King to the Jewish nation. The Jewish nation was looking forward (and still is) to the reinstatement of their Kingdom

Mark presents Christ as the Obedient Servant to the Roman world. The Romans understood use of servants to accomplish great things

Luke presents Christ as the Perfect Man to the Greek perspective. The Greeks appreciated excellence and perfection in all things  

John presents Christ as the Son of God to humanity at large. The world needs to see the universal truths of the person and work of Christ. 

Each Gospel author presented specific things about Christ that were of particular interest to their target audience:

Matthew includes the genealogy of Christ through David to confirm His right to the throne.

Mark includes the actions of Christ, rather than a family history, to confirm His power and ability.

Luke includes the genealogy of Christ back to Adam to confirm His humanity.

John includes the relationship of Christ with the Father to confirm His deity.

Each Gospel author makes their presentation from a unique perspective:

Matthew is a teacher presenting the sermons of Christ.

Mark is a preacher proclaiming the miracles of Christ.

Luke is an author recording the parables of Christ.

John is a theologian declaring the doctrines of Christ.

As we work through our study remember John wrote so that we may know two things about Jesus: (A) That He is the Christ [promised Messiah] and (B) That He is the Son of God (eternal, holy deity). John wrote this for one purpose – that we would believe; with one result – that we would have (eternal) life by His authority. John wrote so that Christians, from all cultures, could have confidence in the person and work of Christ!

 

Peacemakers Pursue God’s Standard

The first call of a peacemaker is to invite sinners to be reconciled to God through the gospel. We do not ask people to simply be nicer or more moral. We call them to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. As Romans 5:10-11 says:

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (ESV)

Once that vertical reconciliation is made, peacemaking continues in the life of the church. Believers are called to walk in holiness and to help one another do the same. A true peacemaker will gently confront sin, encourage obedience, and seek to restore broken relationships—not by compromise, but by realignment with the Word of God.

When two believers are both walking in the Spirit and submitting to Scripture, peace naturally follows. Unity in the church flows from shared submission to Christ. In fact, peace is not just a byproduct of effort or mutual respect—it is a supernatural fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22 tells us:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…

Peace is something God produces in us as we yield to His Spirit. Therefore, if believers are not at peace with one another, we must ask whether we are truly walking in the Spirit. Disunity is often a symptom of spiritual immaturity or ongoing sin that resists the Spirit’s leading.

Peacemakers Call Out Sin

Peacemakers are not passive observers. They don’t ignore sin for the sake of superficial harmony. Instead, true peacemakers love others enough to confront what God calls sin. If our goal is genuine reconciliation—to bring others into alignment with God’s standard—then sin must be addressed clearly and graciously.

James reminds us why conflict arises through sin. James 4:1–2 says:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Disunity is not primarily caused by differences in personality, preferences, or background. At its root, disunity is caused by sin. Sin disrupts peace because it pulls us away from God’s holiness and, in turn, away from one another.

Efforts at peace that ignore sin will always be temporary. Lasting peace only comes when sin is dealt with and hearts are brought into alignment with the truth of God’s Word.

As we reflect on Pastor Eric’s message, let us commit to being true peacemakers. This involves calling unbelievers to repentance and faith, urging them to be reconciled to God through Christ. It means encouraging one another toward holiness, not according to our own preferences, but grounded firmly in the truth of Scripture. It also requires us to examine our own hearts for any sin that may be disrupting peace in our relationships. In love and humility, we must seek to restore others who are caught in sin, just as Galatians 6:1 instructs.

Peacemaking is not passive; it demands boldness, compassion, and constant dependence on the Spirit of God. May we be faithful to this high calling, and seek peace, not on our own terms, but on God’s.