“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

In the end of his book John revealed his purpose for writing it. From the beginning to the end, he wrote so that his readers would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God.

John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Speaking of the Word, John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, …full of grace and truth.” So, in the first 14 verses John says that Jesus, called the Word, is God, Who created all things and Who became flesh. The rest of the book tells how He lived, died on a cross, and rose again from the dead.

In John 2, Jesus went to the city of Cana for a wedding. In John 2:6-10 John wrote, “And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins (about 18-27 gallons) apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: …the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” Jesus turned 162 gallons of water into the best wine.

In John 4 a man from Capernaum came to Cana where Jesus was; a twenty-mile trip. In John 4:47-50 John wrote, “When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. …Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.” As he went, the man learned that his son had been healed, and he and his family believed on Jesus. The distance from Cana to Capernaum was no barrier to Jesus healing the boy.

In John 9 is the story of a man who was born blind. Jesus’ disciples wondered why the man was born blind. In John 9:3 Jesus said, “…Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” As the story continued, there was much controversy about what had happened. Stating the obvious, in John 9:25, the man himself “…answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” Then the leaders of the synagogue cast the man out of their gathering, and in John 9:35-38 we read, “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.” Jesus healed a man that was born blind!

We read in John 11 about Lazarus who took ill, and then died. Four days after his death Jesus came to his town. John wrote in John 11:39-45, “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. …He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.” Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead!

All 879 verses of John reveal that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. In these few examples Jesus changed water to wine, healed a sick man from a distance, healed a man born blind, and raised someone who had been dead for four days. Is not Jesus God?

John wrote his book so that his readers would believe this about Jesus because by believing they might have life through His name. This is eternal life, and it is available only by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. This means believing Who He said He was, Who His Works say He is, and why He came to earth. The last is told in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” What will each of us do with Jesus? Eternal life is waiting!

Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,
We’re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;
But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,
All tears forever over in God’s eternal day.

Refrain

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,
We’re tossed and driven on, no human help in sight;
But there is one in heav’n who knows our deepest care,
Let Jesus solve your problem – just go to Him in pray’r.

Refrain

Life’s day will soon be o’er, all storms forever past,
We’ll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last;
We’ll share the joys of heav’n – a harp, a home, a crown,
The tempter will be banished, we’ll lay our burden down.

Refrain (Esther Kerr Rusthoi)

“Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”

The man was from Capernaum. His son lay ill at home; at the point of death. Being a nobleman, the man likely spent as much as he could to have his son healed. But nothing availed. Then he heard that Jesus had come out of Galilee to Cana. He determined to make the twenty-mile journey to beseech Jesus for his son. He was certain that Jesus could do something, and he had run out of options.

And so he went. Finding Jesus, the man appealed to Him for his son. The conversation probably didn’t go the way that he had expected. Jesus seemed harsh, perhaps. He said, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” It cannot be that Jesus was harsh. He certainly brought this up for a reason. He had come to Cana from Sychar, where He had met the woman at the well. He went there on purpose to meet her. And this encounter was no different. Jesus had come to Cana to have this conversation. The nobleman answered the Lord by repeating his appeal for his son, “Sir, come down ere my child die.”

Then Jesus replied, “Go thy way; thy son lives.” Now the man was faced with a decision. All he had was Jesus’ word. What would he do? The scriptures tell us, “…the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.” Off he went! Another twenty miles were before him. The amount of time he spent with Jesus was perhaps only minutes. The conversation that is recorded would only require five minutes. But off the man went toward home. He believed Jesus’ word.

On the way back he met some of his servants that were coming his way. They brought the wonderful news that his son had recovered from the point of death! So he asked at what time that had happened, and was told that it was the day before, at the seventh hour. And he knew that that was when Jesus had told him that his son lived. We are told then, in verse 53, that he and his family believed on Jesus.

Taking God at His word is the essence of faith. This man’s trust in the Lord resulted in his son being healed, and the salvation of his whole family. The distance from Cana to Capernaum did not figure into the man’s thinking. Though twenty miles distant, at a time when walking was the main form transportation, the man sent to see Jesus, and headed home at the Lord’s word that his son was alive.

By contrast, the Lord clearly told His command to Adam and Eve. In Genesis 2:15-17 we read, “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

This command of God was no more difficult than what Jesus told the nobleman: “Go thy way.” Both commands required belief and obedience. Belief will result in obedience. God’s command to Adam was soon violated. He and Eve didn’t believe what God told them. Perhaps the unheard-of consequences made it unbelievable. But what should have made it believable should have been Who it was that said it. The nobleman expected Jesus to go with him, but He didn’t. He simply told him to go his way. Which one did God’s will?

What command of God stands before us? All of mankind is faced with Romans 10:9-11, “… if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Having believed this, the Christian life becomes a sort of school in which the believer learns to trust God more and more.

Come, eve­ry soul by sin op­pressed;
There’s mer­cy with the Lord,
And He will sure­ly give you rest
By trust­ing in His Word.

Refrain

Only trust Him, on­ly trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

For Je­sus shed His pre­cious blood
Rich bless­ings to be­stow;
Plunge now in­to the crim­son flood
That wash­es white as snow.

Refrain

Yes, Je­sus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him with­out de­lay
And you are ful­ly blessed.

Refrain (John H. Stockton)