Exploring Faith: Evidence and Belief in John's Gospel
Summary
In this new series, "Bystander: John and the Rabbi from Nazareth," we embark on a journey with John, the gospel writer, as he chronicles his experiences with Jesus. Before delving into the narrative of Jesus' interactions and teachings, it's crucial to address the often misunderstood concepts of faith and belief. In everyday life, belief is based on evidence and trust in the source of information. However, within religious contexts, these terms often become detached from reason and are confused with mere hope. This series aims to clarify that faith in Christianity is not about blind belief but is rooted in evidence and reason.
John, the son of Zebedee, did not follow Jesus out of blind faith. Instead, he was convinced by the evidence of what he saw and heard. This series will explore the seven signs John documented, which serve as evidence pointing to Jesus' identity as the Messiah. The first sign, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana, is not just a miracle but a sign pointing to the new covenant Jesus was establishing. This act symbolized the transition from the old Jewish ceremonial laws to the new life Jesus offers.
John's gospel is not merely a collection of events but a carefully organized account designed to lead readers to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. He provides a purpose statement at the end of his gospel, emphasizing that these signs were written so that readers may believe and have life in Jesus' name. This series invites you to explore these signs and understand the evidence that led John to his faith, hoping it will lead you to a deeper belief and life in Jesus as well.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith and Belief in Context: In everyday life, belief is based on evidence and trust in the source. However, in religious contexts, these terms often become detached from reason and are confused with hope. True Christian faith is not about blind belief but is rooted in evidence and reason. [02:48]
2. John's Journey to Faith: John, the gospel writer, did not follow Jesus out of blind faith. He was convinced by the evidence of what he saw and heard. This series will explore the seven signs John documented, which serve as evidence pointing to Jesus' identity as the Messiah. [07:33]
3. The Significance of Signs: The miracles of Jesus were not random acts of kindness but signs pointing to His identity. The first sign, turning water into wine, symbolized the transition from the old Jewish ceremonial laws to the new life Jesus offers. [13:19]
4. Purpose of John's Gospel: John's gospel is not merely a collection of events but a carefully organized account designed to lead readers to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. He provides a purpose statement at the end of his gospel, emphasizing that these signs were written so that readers may believe and have life in Jesus' name. [09:10]
5. Invitation to Believe: This series invites you to explore the signs and understand the evidence that led John to his faith, hoping it will lead you to a deeper belief and life in Jesus as well. You are not required to take it by faith alone but are invited to believe based on the testimony of those who were there. [28:28]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Introduction to the Series
[00:27] - Misunderstanding Faith and Belief
[01:12] - Belief Based on Evidence
[02:26] - Confirmation Bias
[03:18] - Faith vs. Hope
[04:11] - John's Perspective on Faith
[05:04] - The Importance of Being Talked Into Faith
[06:06] - John Zebedeeson
[07:33] - John's Journey to Faith
[09:10] - Purpose of John's Gospel
[11:33] - Sequence of Belief
[13:19] - The Significance of Signs
[15:20] - The First Sign: Water to Wine
[21:00] - The Old Covenant and the New
[26:00] - More Than a Miracle
[30:01] - John's Conclusion and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 2:1-11 - The Wedding at Cana
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Observation Questions:
1. What was the significance of the first sign that Jesus performed at the wedding in Cana, according to the sermon? [15:20]
2. How did John, the gospel writer, come to believe in Jesus, and what role did evidence play in his journey? [07:33]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the difference between faith and hope in the context of Christianity? [03:18]
4. How does the sermon describe the purpose of John's Gospel and the signs he documented? [09:10]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the sermon challenge the common understanding of faith as "blind belief"? How does this perspective affect one's approach to faith? [02:48]
2. How does the transformation of water into wine at Cana symbolize the transition from the old Jewish ceremonial laws to the new life Jesus offers? [21:00]
3. What does the sermon imply about the importance of evidence in developing a strong faith? How might this influence one's personal faith journey? [11:33]
4. How does the sermon suggest that John's Gospel is organized to lead readers to a deeper belief in Jesus? What is the significance of this approach? [12:50]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own understanding of faith. How has this sermon challenged or reinforced your views on the relationship between faith and evidence? [02:48]
2. Consider a time when you were asked to believe something without evidence. How did you respond, and how might John's approach to faith influence your response in the future? [05:04]
3. The sermon highlights the importance of being "talked into" faith. How can you engage in conversations that help others explore their faith with evidence and reason? [05:14]
4. How can the story of the wedding at Cana inspire you to recognize and embrace the new life that Jesus offers? What old "ceremonial laws" or traditions might you need to let go of? [21:00]
5. Reflect on the signs in your own life that point to Jesus' identity and presence. How can you become more aware of these signs and share them with others? [13:19]
6. How does understanding the purpose of John's Gospel as a carefully organized account impact your reading of the Bible? How might this change your approach to studying scripture? [09:10]
7. In what ways can you invite others to explore the evidence of Jesus' life and teachings, as John did, to help them develop a deeper belief and life in Jesus? [28:28]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith Rooted in Evidence
Faith in Christianity is often misunderstood as blind belief, but it is deeply rooted in evidence and reason. In everyday life, belief is based on evidence and trust in the source of information. Similarly, Christian faith should not be detached from reason or confused with mere hope. Instead, it is a reasoned trust in the evidence of Jesus' life, teachings, and the signs documented in the Bible. This understanding invites believers to explore their faith with a mindset that seeks understanding and evidence, rather than accepting beliefs without question. [02:48]
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your faith have you relied on blind belief rather than seeking evidence and understanding? How can you begin to explore these areas with a mindset of reasoned trust today?
Day 2: John's Evidence-Based Journey
John, the gospel writer, did not follow Jesus out of blind faith. His journey to faith was based on the evidence of what he saw and heard. John documented seven signs that serve as evidence pointing to Jesus' identity as the Messiah. These signs were not just miracles but were meant to reveal deeper truths about Jesus' divine nature and mission. By examining these signs, believers can understand the foundation of John's faith and be encouraged to seek evidence in their own spiritual journeys. [07:33]
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—" (1 John 1:1, ESV)
Reflection: Consider a time when you witnessed or experienced something that strengthened your faith. How can you document or share this evidence with others to encourage their faith journey?
Day 3: The Purpose of Jesus' Signs
The miracles of Jesus were not random acts of kindness but intentional signs pointing to His identity as the Messiah. The first sign, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana, symbolized the transition from the old Jewish ceremonial laws to the new life Jesus offers. Each sign was a revelation of Jesus' divine authority and a call to deeper belief. Understanding the significance of these signs helps believers grasp the transformative power of Jesus' ministry and the new covenant He established. [13:19]
"And this is the first of his signs Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him." (John 2:11, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a "sign" or moment in your life that pointed you to a deeper understanding of Jesus. How did it change your perspective or actions?
Day 4: The Intentionality of John's Gospel
John's gospel is not merely a collection of events but a carefully organized account designed to lead readers to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. John provides a purpose statement at the end of his gospel, emphasizing that these signs were written so that readers may believe and have life in Jesus' name. This intentionality invites believers to approach the gospel with an open heart and mind, ready to receive the life-changing message it contains. [09:10]
"But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31, ESV)
Reflection: How can you approach reading the Gospel of John with a fresh perspective, seeking to understand its purpose and message for your life today?
Day 5: An Invitation to Explore and Believe
This series invites believers to explore the signs and understand the evidence that led John to his faith, hoping it will lead to a deeper belief and life in Jesus as well. You are not required to take it by faith alone but are invited to believe based on the testimony of those who were there. This invitation encourages believers to engage with the gospel actively, seeking to understand and embrace the evidence of Jesus' life and mission. [28:28]
"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29, ESV)
Reflection: What steps can you take today to actively explore the evidence of Jesus' life and mission? How can this exploration deepen your faith and understanding?
Quotes
We all know what those words mean in every other area of culture but for some reason they get hijacked when they get dropped into theological context. In the real world where we all work and where we play and where we have friends, we believe based on evidence. In other words, you make decisions about what you believe or don't believe based on evidence. [00:00:57]
Religious faith and belief are often divorced from reason and confused with hope. We all know what hope is as well. But for some reason, and I don't really know why, when it comes to Christianity or religion in general, when it comes to these words, they kind of take on a life of their own and they get divorced from reason and they become more like hope. [00:03:04]
The reason so many people are easily talked out of Christianity is because they were never talked into it in the first place. That the reason students, the reason college graduates, the reason singles, the reason senior adults, it doesn't matter, the reason people are often times and so easily talked out of Christianity, is because they were never talked into it to begin with. [00:05:04]
John, the gospel writer John, you know what his response to this would be? It would be really? Says who? If you were to ask Peter who followed Jesus, really? Says who? If you were to ask Jesus, is this true? He would say really, where did you get that? You don't find that in the teaching of Jesus. You don't find that in the New Testament. [00:04:14]
John did not choose to follow Jesus because of faith and he would caution you against that as well. And if the only reason you're following Jesus is because somebody said you just gotta believe, hey, I've got some good news. There's more to it than that. And I've got some great news, you need to pay attention to what's more to it than that, otherwise somebody may come along and talk you out of something that no one ever took the time to talk you into. [00:06:51]
The Apostle John left his father's fishing business to follow Jesus because of what he saw, not because of faith. In fact, he outlived most of his friends. By the time John dictates, we doubt he wrote this because of the kind of Greek it's in. He dictated this document that would later be called the Gospel of John. [00:07:43]
John was not content to simply tell us what happened. John tells us why it happened and why he wants us to know it happened. And at the very end of his gospel account, he gives us a purpose statement or a thesis. Remember in college or maybe even high school, you had to write a paper, you had to have a thesis statement or here's the big idea. [00:08:38]
But these, these signs, these are written and it's a little Greek term, it's called henna, it's a connector. A henna clause means purpose or result. He said the purpose for me writing what I've written is not so simply that you'll know what Jesus did and know what Jesus said, but these are written that you may believe. [00:10:13]
He's not simply telling us what to believe. He's building a case as to why we should believe it. Because John did not embrace this crazy idea of faith or belief that just kind of hangs out there by itself. But believe what? He's very specific. He said here's what I want you to believe. I want you to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. [00:10:45]
The supernatural acts of Jesus, the supernatural events of Jesus, the healings, the walking on water, all those things, the supernatural acts of Jesus were not random acts of kindness and He wasn't just showing off. These were signs, and John realized that. These were signs that pointed to something and specifically what they pointed to was Jesus' identity. [00:13:23]
In other words, this was more than a miracle. This was a sign. It pointed to something and somebody but nobody would fully understand it until later. The story wraps up like this. What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first, chapter two, John, he says we're getting this thing started. It was the first of the signs through which He revealed His glory and His disciples, don't miss this part, and His disciples believed in Him. [00:25:57]
We are invited to believe what happened, we're invited to believe what happened based on the testimony of the people who were actually there. People like John. In fact, John came away from his experience with Jesus and looking back, even though there was blood shed and heartbreak and perhaps the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed and 10s of 1000s of Jews had been carted off and sold in the Roman slave markets. [00:28:28]
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