That You May Believe and Have LIfe

This is the first message in my new series on the Gospel of John!Lord willing, every chapter –every verse! That's a big sermon series!
Why are we studying John? Because I don't want you and me to lose track of the fact that Christianity is not a religious tradition or a moral code or a church membership. Christianity is a relationship with a living person – Jesus. I want to fall more deeply in love with Jesus. I want that for you too. I've always found that time in the gospels leads to love for Jesus. So let's spend time at the feet of our Lord.

Let's begin by reading an account from the early months of Jesus' ministry – John 1:35-41. "We have found the Messiah!" Can you taste their excitement! Jesus has drawn two men to Himself – Andrew and John. Both fisherman. Both already known to Jesus. Both hungering and thirsting for righteousness. This morning we'll examine the background of this gospel by focusing first on John. In his humility, the apostle refused to name himself in our text…but that's him (37), there with Andrew, following Jesus. I'll begin by identifying this John as the author of the NT's fourth book. What did John want to say to us? Can his little book fill us with faith…and love? I think so; I think you'll soon agree! May we say with Andrew and John, day by day, "We have found the Messiah!"