The things that matter to everyone

• Matt's Musings

In May, we waited eagerly to hear Mark Drakeford’s first announcement about easing lockdown measures in Wales. We tuned into BBC Radio Wales to listen, but instead they had a phone in with a lady who had spent lockdown knitting an advent calendar for her daughter’s dog. Thankfully BBC Radio Merseyside was covering the big announcement so we got to hear the news that would impact our lives for the next few months (although we did miss out on the knitting pattern for the advent calendar!)

 

I am thankful that a man called John had a clear focus when he wrote his ‘good news’ book that we find in the Bible and homed in on reporting the things that mattered. Not that the things he missed out would have been dull! As he tells us, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20v30-31).

 

John wants his readers to believe two things. The first is that Jesus is the Messiah; the long-promised Saviour and King who brings peace. The second is that the Jesus is the Son of God. The One who humbled himself in becoming man is the Word who spoke the whole universe into being. The One who sat under Pilate’s unjust decisions when he sentenced Jesus to be crucified, actually gave Pilate all the authority he had. The One who is the ‘fountain’ of all life said, “I am thirsty” as he died upon the cross.

 

Why believe? To gain life. We can only have life in Jesus’ name. Without Jesus, we don’t know true peace or purpose and will one day receive from God what our sins deserve. John wonderfully summarised it when he wrote, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3v16).

 

Have you read John’s gospel? You can read it here or contact us for a free copy of John’s gospel (info@christchurchdeeside.org / 01244 816347) or pop into Bethany Books (5 Chester Road West, Shotton) to pick one up.

Posted by Matt Francis, 5th August 2020