Jesus Christ, Son of God - John shows us
that Jesus is unique as God's special Son, yet he is fully God.
Because he is fully God, Jesus is able to reveal God to us clearly
and accurately.
Eternal Life - Because Jesus is God, he
lives forever. Before the world began, he lived with God, and
he will reign forever with him. In John we see Jesus revealed
in power and magnificence even before his resurrection.
Belief - John records eight specific signs,
or miracles, that show the nature of Jesus' power and love. We
see his power over everything created, and we see his love of
all people. These signs encourage us to believe in him.
Holy Spirit - Jesus taught his disciples
that the Holy Spirit would come after he ascended from earth.
The Holy Spirit would then indwell, guide, counsel, and comfort
those who follow Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ's presence
and power are multiplied in all who believe.
Resurrection - On the third day after he
died, Jesus rose from the dead. This was verified by his disciples
and many eyewitnesses. This reality changed the disciples from
frightened deserters to dynamic leaders in the new church. This
fact is the foundation of the Christian faith.
In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was with God in the
beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing
was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was
the light of men. The light shines
in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There
came a man who was sent from God; His name was John. He came
as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through
him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came
only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light
to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world,
and though the world was made through him, the world did not
recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own
did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who
believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of
God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision
or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the
glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of
grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out,
saying, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after
me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" From the
fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after
another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God
the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.