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![ John’s Gospel: “Believe” 98 times,
“Life” 36 times. Christ portrayed
as the Son of God
Other keywords: “love” and “unity”
[1]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/nt-john-150629081536-lva1-app6891/85/John-Life-to-the-Full-7-320.jpg)
![ Only 7 miracles called signs used to endorse
key themes.
Memorable events[2] only in John:
◦ wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-11)
◦ woman at the well (4:1-42)
◦ raising of Lazarus (11:1-12:11)
John’s interpretation of Jesus is deeper than
synoptic gospels](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/nt-john-150629081536-lva1-app6891/85/John-Life-to-the-Full-8-320.jpg)
![The adulteress who was
forgiven (ch 8):
Obeyed Jesus’ command
to “sin no more”.
History records, she
even started a church
titled after the
“forgiving” Saviour.
Was responsible to
internationalize
Damascus
Enabled Thomas to have
safe passage to India. [1]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/nt-john-150629081536-lva1-app6891/85/John-Life-to-the-Full-14-320.jpg)
![ In Chapter 5, Jesus
heals a paralytic near
the sheep gate - gate
where sheep enter for
sacrifice never to
return.
Same gate where the ill
are cast off from
society, most of whom
never return.
Same gate where Christ
gave the paralytic new
life.[3]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/nt-john-150629081536-lva1-app6891/85/John-Life-to-the-Full-16-320.jpg)
Uploaded byDr. Bella Pillai
John: Life to the Full
The document provides an overview and analysis of key themes in the Gospel of John, including "life" and "believing". It summarizes each of the seven "I am" statements of Jesus found in John, along with the accompanying miracles/incidents and their relationship to belief, faith criteria, and life impact. For example, it notes that in calling himself the "bread of life", Jesus was referring to the feeding of the 5,000 and indicates this illustrates a faith that multiplies and provides ever satisfying life. The document encourages reflection on how to improve one's own belief criteria and ways to work towards the unity emphasized in Jesus' prayer in John 17.
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John: Life to the Full
- 1. The Gospels Acts ofthe Apostles Paul’s Letters Other Letters Revelation A New Testament Journey Lesson 5: John: Life to the Full
- 2. Matthew: God’s Kingdomon Earth Mark: Christ, Chief Cornerstone Luke: Son of Man Seeks and Saves John: Life to the Full
- 3. Introduction SevenSigns Seven I Ams Belief Criteria, Life Summary Discussion
- 4. EVENT TIMELINE OFTHE NEW TESTAMENT
- 6. John’s emphasis on“believing”, or faith is in order to attain “life”, abundant life. 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.. John 20:31 (NKJV) 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)
- 7. John’s Gospel:“Believe” 98 times, “Life” 36 times. Christ portrayed as the Son of God Other keywords: “love” and “unity” [1]
- 8. Only 7miracles called signs used to endorse key themes. Memorable events[2] only in John: ◦ wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-11) ◦ woman at the well (4:1-42) ◦ raising of Lazarus (11:1-12:11) John’s interpretation of Jesus is deeper than synoptic gospels
- 9. The seven miraclesrecorded in John are: Turning water into wine at Cana (ch 2) Healing nobleman's son at the point of death (ch 4) Healing man at sheep-gate pool (ch 5) Walking on water (ch 4) Feeding five thousand (ch 6) Healing man born blind (ch 8) Raising Lazarus (ch 11)
- 10. Bread oflife - ch 6 Light of the world – ch 8 Good shepherd – ch 10 Gate – ch 10 Resurrection and the life – ch 11 Way the truth and the life - ch14 Vine – ch 15
- 11. The stories andsigns with the “I ams” project various aspects of key themes: Believe Life What is required to truly experience “life to the full”?
- 12. Context: feedingof the 5000 (ch 6), talking of “Living Bread”. “Living Water” (ch 4) to Samaritan Woman Faith that multiplies – in both cases Ever satisfying life - “Those who eat/ drink will never hunger/ thirst”
- 13. Christ givessight to blind man (ch 8), warns of worse illness – spiritual blindness. “light of life” - spiritual light, our spiritual life Faith should result in freedom from sin. Christ exhorts both the blind man and adulteress (same chapter) to “sin no more”.
- 14. The adulteress whowas forgiven (ch 8): Obeyed Jesus’ command to “sin no more”. History records, she even started a church titled after the “forgiving” Saviour. Was responsible to internationalize Damascus Enabled Thomas to have safe passage to India. [1]
- 15. Good Shepherd (ch10): Sacrificial life and death, to be emulated by disciples The sheep must have a faith that obeys by hearing the shepherd’s voice.
- 16. In Chapter5, Jesus heals a paralytic near the sheep gate - gate where sheep enter for sacrifice never to return. Same gate where the ill are cast off from society, most of whom never return. Same gate where Christ gave the paralytic new life.[3]
- 17. Promise of“abundant life” or “life to the full” to those who believe in Christ alone as “gate”. (ch 10) He invites all to believe only in Him and receive abundant life
- 18. Jesus asksMartha and bystanders to believe, to “see God’s glory” (ch 11) - Faith in death and distress. He emphasizes the criticality of the Spiritual life which never dies. In ch 3 he talks to Nicodemus of being “born again” into this spiritual life.
- 19. Faith shouldresult in Christlike love. (ch 13) – greatest commandment. Christ says (ch 14) that those who believe in His absolute divinity can do greater works than Him in His name. They have an empowered life. Walking on water (ch 6) also illustrates this power.
- 20. “Apart fromChrist, we can do nothing” (Ch 15) - Dependent Faith. Fruitful life, obtained by being connected to vine. Christ’s first miracle in Cana (ch 2) also shows that he can turn ordinary water into luscious wine.
- 21. I am Miracles/Incidents Belief / Faith Criteria Life Impact Refs. Bread of Life Feeding 5000, Woman at well Faith that multiplies Ever satisfying life Ch 4,6 Light of the world Blind man, adulteress Faith resulting in freedom from Sin Light of life Ch 8 Good Shepherd Calvary Faith that obeys Sacrificial Life Ch 10,20 Gate Healing paralytic Faith in Christ alone Life to the Full/ abundant life Ch 5,10 Resurrection and Life Raising Lazarus, healing nobleman’s son from death, Nicodemus Faith in distress and death Spiritual Life which never dies Ch 3,4,11 Way, Truth, Life Walking on water Faith in Christ as God Empowered Life Ch 6,14 Vine Water into wine Dependent Faith Fruitful Life Ch 2,15
- 22. In thetable above the life impact is often offered without truly explaining the faith criteria. What aspects of belief criteria are often overlooked? Share what aspects of belief criteria you personally want to improve. What steps will you take to achieve that belief criteria? In Jn 17 Jesus prays that all his disciples have unity, which will alone impact the world. Where does the church stand with respect to this? How specifically can we stand in the gap?
- 23. 1. biblehub.com 2. lifeofchrist.com 3.Dr. Ron Charles
Editor's Notes
- #13 This theme is beautifully illustrated in the feeding of the 5000 (ch 6) sign and explained later in the context of “Living Bread”. In ch 4, we also see the mention of the “Living Water” in the Samaritan Woman story. The kind of faith seen is a faith that multiplies –bread and fish in the case of the little boy, and the woman who brings the neighbourhood who in turn believe. These stories talk of the ever satisfying life that will result. “Those who eat/ drink will never hunger/ thirst”
- #14 This theme is brought to us in ch 8 in the context of the blind man to whom Christ gives sight and also talks of the worse illness – spiritual blindness. Christ talks about “light of life” - the spiritual light which is the spiritual life in us. The faith talked about is faith that results in freedom from sin. Christ tells both the blind man and woman caught in adultery (same chapter) to “sin no more”.
- #15 The adulteress Lybia who was forgiven, obeyed Jesus’ command to “sin no more”. Her father, high ranking Roman Government General was transferred to Syria. Lybia started “The Church of the Forgiving Saviour” Was responsible to internationalize Damascus This enabled Thomas to have safe passage to India via this route when all other routes were blocked. [1]
- #17 To those who lived by the rules of that society The Sheep Gate was the place where the creatures to be sacrificed were herded in. The place of no return for the sacrificial lambs and sheep. The Sheep Gate was also the place where those people who society didn't want, were abandoned to. They put the incurable, the paralysed and the lame at the pool near the Sheep Gate - right on the edge of the city, where only the country folk herding livestock passed by, out of sight of the respectable citizens at the heart of the city going about their daily business unhindered. The Sheep Gate was the place of no return for the abandoned people of Jerusalem. And here comes Jesus, turning things over for close inspection, turning things round in his revolution of boundless love, telling the people of Jerusalem: 'I am the gate for the sheep. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. [...] I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.' The sheep being taken to the temple altar and the paralysed people at the pool had this fundamental thing in common: they were victims of a sacrificial regime. For the respectable people of that society to stay respectable they had to find a way to deal with their transgressions, atone for their sins. The way they found was to make sacrifices of animals on the altar to a God who would accept their payment and forgive them. For the respectable people of that society to keep their society respectable they had to purge it of all that made it impure in their eyes, to send to the edge all that upset their equilibrium. The way they found was to relocate the sick, the lost and the lame to the pool by the Sheep Gate, those shameful people removed well away from the heart of things. They had to be sacrificed for the well-being of all. So the Sheep Gate of Jerusalem came to represent the victimisation of people and animals in a society which functioned with sacrifice at its centre. And so, modelling himself as the gate for the sheep, Jesus came to challenge and overturn the need for sacrifice - and in its place to offer salvation, and the freedom for victims to come and go 'and find pasture', and live abundant lives. http://www.johndavies.org/sermons/nm_11_05_15.html
- #18 The good shepherds in the times of Jesus were those who actually played the role of gate by sitting/ sleeping at the entrance to the open pen, preventing wolves and wild animals from coming.
- #20 Question: "What did Jesus mean when He said 'I am the way and the truth and the life' (John 14:6)?" Answer:“I am the way and the truth and the life” is one of the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus. On the last night before His betrayal and death, Jesus was preparing His disciples for the days ahead. For over three years, these men had been following Jesus and learning from His teaching and example. They had placed their hopes in Him as the Messiah, the promised deliverer, yet they still didn't understand how He was going to accomplish that deliverance. After the Last Supper, Jesus began speaking about His departure, which led to questions from His disciples. InJohn 13:33, Jesus said, “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.” This prompted Peter to ask where He was going (v. 36). Peter and the others did not understand that Jesus was speaking of His death and ascension to Heaven. Jesus' response was “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter was still misunderstanding and declared that he would follow Jesus anywhere and even lay His life down if necessary. As Jesus patiently continued to teach His disciples, He began speaking more plainly about heaven, describing the place He was going to prepare for them (John 14:2-3). Then Jesus said “You know the way to the place where I am going” (v. 4). Speaking for the others, Thomas said they did not know where He was going, so how could they know how to follow Him there? It was to this question that Jesus uttered one of the seven famous “I am” statements. Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/way-truth-life.html#ixzz3c4E0iG2E
- #21 In Ch 15 John talks about believing that “apart from Christ, we can do nothing”. Complete dependance on God. Dependant Faith. Only that way we can have a fruitful life, by depending on the vine, and being connected to him as branches. Christ’s first miracle in Cana of Galilee (ch 2) also shows that he can turn ordinary water into luscious wine.