Preaching through a Gospel is one of my favorite projects. All four Gospels in the New Testament offer drama, fascinating characters, and intense conflicts. Above all, they give us a long look at Jesus of Nazareth.
Though every Gospel offers powerful truths, John is unique.
John writes as an eyewitness of what Jesus said and did. He loves how Jesus interacts with people, showing us blow-by-blow conversations in which our wily, compassionate, often funny, and sometimes stern Savior ushers ordinary people into his Kingdom. John also loves the way Jesus teaches, allowing us to listen to Jesus’s discourses at length.
John is ahead of his time. The people who populate his story often feel hauntingly contemporary—Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and Pontius Pilate in particular.
This is a large project for us. Normally, we feature a new series each academic year. John will consume two years. We will make four passes through the entire narrative, one per semester, each focused on a single theme that John weaves into the story.
Yes, the book is that rich.
Over the next three Sundays, we will lay out the four themes using the first eighteen verses of the Gospel. This passage is like a trailer for the film, raising questions that the story of Jesus will answer.
In addition, we will share a unique adult education time over these three weeks. At 11:15 am each Sunday, we will offer a deeper dive into important aspects of John’s writing.
John Has an Audience (August 17th): The apostle is not just serving random memories. He is speaking to the interests of a well-defined group of people.
John Has a Target (August 24th): The apostle is on the attack. He is assailing human darkness.
John Has a Perspective (August 31st): The apostle is looking at theology, philosophy, and culture from his own vantage point.
I hope you will make it a priority to be at BG to participate in this series. We are offering additional resources like a copy of John’s Gospel that you can use as a journal, and a new podcast of my sermons and other content.
The Holy Spirit is going to change us through His Word this fall.