"Introduction to the Gospel of John"

Sermon Scripture:  John ​20:30-31 

Sermon Notes are available for you to follow along below, or for download here.

Sermon Notes:

Primary Information for Starters

• Written by John, the “disciple whom Jesus loved.”
  • He was the son of Zebedee.
  • He was the brother of James. 
• Written sometime between 70-90 AD.
• Written to the _____________.
  • Primary theme: Jesus is the eternal “Son of God.”
  • Key verses: 1:1-14; 3:16; 20:30-31.
  • Theme verse: John 20:30-31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 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.”

Practical Advice for Study

• Underline/Notice key words that summarize the message of the ______________:
  • Father (137)
  • Believe (98)
  • World (78)
  • Send (60)
  • Love (57)
  • Life, light and darkness, truth, witness, glory, eternal.
• Note the seven “_________” statements of Jesus.
  • The Bread of Life (6:35, 41, 48, 51).
  • Light of the World (8:12; 9:5)
  • Door of the Sheep (10:7, 9)
  • Good Shepherd (10:11, 14)
  • Resurrection and the Life (11:25)
  • The Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6)
  • The True Vine (15:1, 5).
• John highlights the Incarnation, using seven ___________ to demonstrate the deity of Christ.
  • Changing water to wine (2:1-11).
  • Healing the nobleman’s son (4:46-54).
  • Healing the paralytic (5:1-9)
  • Feeding the 5000 (6:1-14).
  • Calming the storm (6:16-21).
  • Healing the blind man (9:1-7).
  • Raising Lazarus (11:38-45).
• Pay attention also to John’s depiction of the _______________ of Christ.

Three Questions This Book Seeks to Answer:

• What do we need to believe?
• What does it mean to believe?
• Why do we need to believe?

Brief Outline of John’s Gospel
I.     Prologue: The Incarnate Word (1:1-18)
II.    The Signs of the Messiah (1:19-12:50)

• John the Baptist’s witness and the first week of Jesus’ ministry (1:19-2:11)
• Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to Gentiles (2:12-4:54)
• ​Mounting Jewish opposition, additional signs (5:1-10:42)
• The final Passover: the ultimate sign and the aftermath (11:1-12:19)
• ​The approaching Gentiles and the Messiah’s rejection by the Jews (12:20-50)

III.  The Farewell Discourse and the Passion Narrative (13:1-20:31)

• The cleansing and instruction of the new messianic community and Jesus’ final prayer (13:1-17:26)
• Jesus’ arrest, trials, death, and burial (18:1-19:42)
• Jesus’ resurrection, appearances, and sending of his disciples (20:1-29)
• Purpose statement: Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God (20:30-31)

IV.  Epilogue: The Roles of Peter and of the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (21:1-25)