Why John?

Why a Sermon Series on the Gospel of John?

Dear Church and Friends in Africa,

This Fall I am beginning a new extended series of sermons on the Gospel of John. This will be a change from our traditional topical series of sermons.

Someone may ask, “Why start a series of messages on the fourth-longest book in the New Testament? Will you every finish before you die?”

There are several reasons I am led to do this kind of sustained exposition of John’s Gospel.

1) It is the word of God. And the discipline of preaching through it will protect me from simply focusing on my favorite topics, or even on my fallible judgments about what I think the people need on any given weekend.

2) I have never preached through one of the four Gospels. That’s a void I would like to fill.

3) There is a unique majesty to this portrait of Christ. There is no higher vision of Christ in Scripture. Andreas Köstenberger has written that “John’s Gospel, together with the Book of Romans, may well be considered the enduring ‘twin towers’ of [New Testament] theology”.

4) John is an unparalleled combination of simple facts and profound doctrine.

5) John was written by one who had a uniquely intimate relationship to the Lord Jesus on the earth. He was “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (13:23; 20:2, 21:7, 20). There is a flavor of intimate depth in this book unlike any other.

6) Finally, I am hungry for more of Christ. I cannot think of anything more worthy of my time, study, and teaching than the gospel of John. This gospel more than any other will prepare us for the glory we will see of God in heaven. Yea God!

No book in the Bible has a more sustained focus on the glory of Jesus Christ than the Gospel of John. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14). That alone is enough to want to dive in!

Would you pray for me? And for the greatest possible blessing of the Holy Spirit on our church and all who read for the sake of the good of the world and the glory of Jesus Christ. I am filled with expectation for the passion and love of Christ to be poured out on our congregation!

For those in Africa, pastors, teachers, evangelists I will be posting the weekly notes to help you teach your way through the gospel and so raise the discipleship level of your congregations to a whole new level. Together we will advance the Kingdom!

Full of Expectation,

Pastor Dwight