I always wanted to be on a jury, but the few times I ever made it into the pool, I never got selected. My husband was able to serve a few times, though, and one of the things he was instructed to do was to weigh the evidence put before the jury, then come up with a verdict on just the reasonable testimony of eyewitnesses plus whatever physical evidence was brought in.
This idea of bringing in eyewitnesses and physical evidence is something of the way the apostle John approached his gospel, as well. John was asking his audience to hear testimony, examine evidence, and come to a conclusion about Jesus of Nazareth—is he the Christ, the Son of God? And for those who had put their faith in Jesus, is Jesus able to shepherd you through the trials of life?
So first, we will call in John’s evidence: seven witnesses, seven claims, and seven signs. Then we’ll consider John’s confession that Jesus is God, and we’ll finish with the two responses John presents.
I Consideration: 7 Witness, 7 Claims, 7 Signs
Through eyewitnesses, testimony, and physical evidence, John proves Jesus is the prophesied Messiah and Lord.
II Confession: Jesus is Messiah, God the Son
John, along with the teaching of the apostles, shows Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God
III Conclusion: Yes or No?
Knowing the truth about Jesus requires a response
[Title Plate “Gospel of John” | Oarabile Mudongo, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons]
