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The single story line of the Bible moves from creation to the fall, from the devastation caused by sin to the rescue and the redemption accomplished by Jesus, and it finishes with the complete restoration of all things at the end. This amazing story begins in Genesis 1:1 with, "In the beginning, God..." In John 1 we see hints of the creation account picked up where we learn, "In the beginning, God is love." These two truths have profound implications for understanding who we are and how we fit into the story of the world.

In John 7 Jesus cries out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” Many years before Jesus shouted this invitation, in Exodus 17 we read how Israel was thirsty in the wilderness. God promised his presence would go before them and rest on a rock. He told Moses to take his staff and strike that rock. Moses did this, water gushed from the rock, and the people were saved.  Jesus invites us to come to him and drink because he is the rock of living water (1 Cor. 10:4). He took the stroke of our punishment that we deserve for our rebellion against God. On the cross his blood flowed so we might be saved. "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

John gives us a clear and distinct thesis in John 20:30-31. We can summarize John’s thesis in one word: believe. He says, “I’ve written this book, including these particular signs, so that you might believe.” In the course of twenty-one chapters, John will answer three questions: (1) What do we need to believe? (2) What does it mean to believe? (3) Why do we need to believe? There are seven signs in John’s account of the gospel (what he calls the things that “are written”) to help us answer these questions.

John the Baptist pointed to the one who can fulfill our greatest hopes and satisfy our deepest longings. What does John mean by calling Jesus “the Lamb of God”? At the center of the Passover celebration (Exodus 12) was the sacrifice of a lamb, which served as a reminder of God’s deliverance of Israel from captivity in Egypt when the death angel passed-over the homes where blood was applied. The Passover lamb links the two key events of biblical (and human) history that mark the theological focus of each Testament. God has provided a lamb for deliverance, a sacrifice for sin, a perfect substitute, and complete satisfaction. Are you pointing other people’s attention to Jesus? People need hope and long for satisfaction. What opportunities exist for you to tell people about Jesus?

The eternal Son of God, "the Word" (John 1:1-3, 14), took on flesh and lived among us. He ate our food, breathed our air, walked our paths, suffered, and died. He was full of grace and truth. God's gracious disposition towards sinful humanity was most clearly seen in his sacrificial death for us. Not only do we have life in Christ, but we can know the joy of having the same mind of Christ as we follow his example (Philippians 2:1-7).

Goodbyes are difficult and often a source of sorrow. In John 16:16-22 the disciples were wrestling with a goodbye of their own as they pondered Jesus's announcement that they will not see him for a little while. Jesus encourages them by giving them a promise. He promises to turn their sorrow into joy (vs. 20). This is the power of the resurrection. The eternal joys offered by God and promised in Christ are rooted in the resurrection of Jesus for all who are united to him by faith.

The "Palm Sunday" events recorded in John 12:9-19 happen shortly after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus enters the city declaring his kingship by fulfilling a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. Riding into the city on the "colt of a donkey" instead of a war horse showed he is a gentle and lowly king. And yet, He is the powerful king we all need. He alone can overcome the curse and condemnation of death that we deserve.

None of us know the twists and turns that await us in this new year. Something you can know is that whatever twists and turns are ahead, if you are in Christ, you have a Good Shepherd. In John 10 we learn that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He loves us, he goes before us, and he leads us with his word toward a wonderful and glorious eternal future.