Sermon Tone Analysis

These twenty chapters of John are a masterpiece of literary construction.

They are artistically designed like a symphony yet pointedly focused; simplistically worded for the reader yet intensely complex in meaning; and dramatically engaging in the stories yet very deliberate in the speech presentation.

The Gospel is a marvel of inspired writing.

And its concluding two verses sum up its purpose in what has to be one of the great classic summations of biblical literature.

So you may believe.

This is the reason John wrote his gospel.

He strongly attests to the deity of Christ.

His gospel has long been a starting place for evangelizing unbelievers.

The Greek grammar of John’s gospel has been described as simple and clear.

The irony is its Theology and themes are deep, complex in nature.

Listen to Gerald Berchart’s description of John in his commentary,

These twenty chapters of John are a masterpiece of literary construction.

They are artistically designed like a symphony yet pointedly focused; simplistically worded for the reader yet intensely complex in meaning; and dramatically engaging in the stories yet very deliberate in the speech presentation.

The Gospel is a marvel of inspired writing.

And its concluding two verses sum up its purpose in what has to be one of the great classic summations of biblical literature.95

There is one sure and infallible guide to truth, and therefore one, and only one, corrective for error, and that is the Word of God.

G. CAMPBELL MORGAN

I) The miracles of the Lord Jesus were recorded so we may believe (30-31).

Believe what?

B

Believe he is the Christ, the Son of God (v.

30).

a) We are informed by John that the risen Christ did many other signs (σημεια) that are not recorded in the gospel of John.

At most this speaks of signs that Jesus performed during the entirety of his earthly ministry.

At a minimum it refers to the signs that Jesus performed post-resurrection, prior to ascending to the right hand of Father.

Regardless of how narrow or broad the time period, John is only recording a portion of Jesus’ miraculous works.

So, the record in John’s gospel of Jesus’ miraculous is not exhaustive.

Can you imagine?

The apostle concludes his gospel by asserting,

“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.

Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” ().

We must recognize that this is a bit of hyperbole on the part of John.

His point is that the Lord Jesus did many miracles, more than are recorded.

b) Jesus performed signs to authenticate his identity and his ministry (; cf. ).

c) The resurrection was the most powerful miracle attesting to the deity of Christ (; ).

d) The Lord Jesus performed the following signs recorded in John’s gospel:

The Cana wedding feast miracle ().

The healing of the nobleman’s son ().

The sick man at Bethesda ().

The feeding of the 5,000 ().

The walking on water ().

The blind man at Siloam ().

The raising of Lazarus ().

The resurrection of Christ ().

Believe for what reason?

By

By believing you have eternal life in his name (v. 31).

a) John, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recorded the signs I just listed.

He recorded them, no more and no less, for the express purpose of appealing to his hearers and readers.

What is his appeal?

Jesus desires that his hearers and readers, for generations to come, believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

He is substantiating his case for the messianic identity and divinity of Christ.

His purpose is apologetic in nature.

b) But, there is more.

Look at the second half of verse 31.

The apostle, whom Jesus loved, declares that those who believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, will have life in his name.

b) But, there is more.

Look at the second half of verse 31.

The apostle, whom Jesus loved, declares that those who believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, will have life in his name.

c) Remember this, John stated in the beginning of his gospel, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” ().

the purpose for writing this Gospel was not meant to be “a mere academic exercise.”

The selection was clearly made with a view to engendering a life-transforming response.102

Thus the purpose can be interpreted as both evangelistic and instructional in nature.103

b) But, there is more.

Look at the second half of verse 31.

The apostle, whom Jesus loved, declares that those who believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, will have life in his name.

the purpose for writing this Gospel was not meant to be “a mere academic exercise.”

The selection was clearly made with a view to engendering a life-transforming response.102

Thus the purpose can be interpreted as both evangelistic and instructional in nature.103

the purpose for writing this Gospel was not meant to be “a mere academic exercise.”

The selection was clearly made with a view to engendering a life-transforming response.102

Thus the purpose can be interpreted as both evangelistic and instructional in nature.103

Even if John’s purpose is primarily evangelistic, it must be admitted that throughout the history of the church this Gospel has served not only as a means for reaching unbelievers but as a means for instructing, edifying and comforting believers.

John’s purpose is not academic.

He writes in order that men and women may believe certain propositional truth, the truth that the Christ, the Son of God, is Jesus, the Jesus whose portrait is drawn in this Gospel.

But such faith is not an end in itself.

It is directed toward the goal of personal, eschatological salvation: that by believing you may have life in his name.

That is still the purpose of this book today, and at the heart of the Christian mission (v.

21).

Marvel not that we say unto you, Ye must be born again.

You must be joined to Christ, for Christ is the life.

Suppose it were possible for a dead limb to be joined into a living body so completely that all the veins should receive the purple tide of living blood,—suppose bone to join on to bone, and sinew to sinew, and nerve to nerve,—do you not see that that limb, however dead before, would become a living limb?

Before, it was cold and stiff and motionless, and full of corruption; now it is warm and pliable, and full of life and motion.

It is a living limb, because joined on to that which is life.

Or, suppose it possible for a withered branch to be grafted into a living vine so completely that all the channels should receive the flow of the generous sap, do you not see that that branch, however dead before, becomes a living branch?

Before, it was dry and fruitless and withered; now, it is full of sap, of life, and vigour.

It is a living branch, for it is joined to the vine, which is its life.