The Last Word
The apostle John always got the last word. His writing begins twenty years after Peter and Paul’s end. He writes the last epistle (3 John), he writes the last gospel, and he writes the conclusion of the whole Bible. In his gospel, his magnum opus of apologetics, he seems to have two conclusions. Despite wrapping […]
God’s Purpose in Building—John 1
V. God’s Purpose in Building You shall see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. –John 1:51 God’s ultimate intention is not merely recovered humanity, enlivened humanity, or transformed humanity. He is looking for a dwelling place among built up believers (Isa. 66:1-2). John distills this colossal […]
God’s Purpose in Transformation—John 1
IV. God’s Purpose in Transformation Jesus said, You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which is interpreted, Peter). —John 1:42 John speeds along in his concise overview of God’s purpose with a brief reference to transformation. In God’s full salvation, He not only enlivens us but changes us. The Bible […]
God’s Purpose in Regeneration—John 1
III. God’s Purpose in Regeneration And John testified, saying, I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He abode upon Him. —John 1:32 The Spirit’s anointing of Jesus in baptism is a symbol of our baptism with the Holy Spirit for regeneration. As the Lamb of God, Christ takes away our […]
God’s Purpose in Incarnation and Redemption—John 1
II. God’s Purpose in Incarnation and Redemption And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and reality. —John 1:14 Before God could accomplish His purpose, man fell and became lost in sin. Because God loved man and […]
God’s Purpose in Creation—John 1
I. God’s Purpose in Creation In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… all things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not one thing came into being which has come into being. —John 1:1, 3 The Gospel of John begins with the same […]