A Bigger Picture

As John ends his gospel, we see Jesus commissioning the disciples toward a larger picture of what the community of God will now look like as they carry on the ministry that Jesus has passed on to them. [as the Father sent me so I send you]  The catching of the 153 fish shows the fruitfulness of our work when Jesus is with us. John starts out chapter 21 showing the restlessness of the disciples.  Peter being impetuous, leads the others out to go fishing. They fish all night and they catch nothing. By now our having read through John should send alarm bells off when we see John use "dark" or "night."  This is John indicating our activity when we are not in relationship with God. We fumble around, spend long hours at fruitless work, come home unsuccessful, tired and exhausted from having gone at it on our own.

Early in the morning - at daylight - Jesus is on the shore. Again this is very significant.  Right from chapter one we see Jesus as the light that comes into the world of which the world does not understand and of which darkness cannot overcome. He's built a fire on the shore and he tells the disciples to throw the net on the other side of the boat. The disciples do and they catch 153 fish. It was a mammoth catch for a small fishing boat and a few men. There are many interpretations of what 153 may mean but the bottom line is that it was large and it was memorable. Such work when we work with the guidance and advice of Jesus brings exponential results. This story parallels the story of the Sower sowing the Seed in the other gospels. The point of both is that when the seed catches or when the net is in the right spot then there is exponential return!

John's message to the reader is that our work will be effective when we do it in cooperation and under the guidance of Jesus. There is exponential return for the discipline and obedience of doing it Jesus' way - not our way. Cultivating a relationship with Jesus - having Him in our lives -letting Him feed us, guide us and lead us is the desire of the Father. This is the way that the Father leads His community on earth. It walks in the light and life of Jesus and lives out that life with openness and humility listening for the voice of the Father out in the street where the lost and lonely are.  As we encounter them in their hurt and alienation our love and openness accompanied by grace and truth will draw them in and give them a glimpse of the Father's heart. That glimpse will cause their heart to come alive and believe that there is a God who desires to rescue them and restore them.

As John continues the chapter, he then shows Jesus reinstating Peter to the call of being a "fisher of men" [as is mentioned in the other gospels]. The question Jesus poses three times [Peter, do you love me] is a call to Peter to base his relationship with Jesus not on his past history of denial but on the reality of Jesus' love for him. There is no doubt that Jesus loves him otherwise Jesus would not be reinstating him. The question is will Peter love back? Peter is consistent with his answer. [Yes - you know I love you] This will then become the basis for Jesus then directing Peter toward feeding and loving his sheep. The reality for the reader in this part of the chapter is the question of how will we go about the activity of reaching out to others to bring them to the Father? Will we do it on our own groping in the dark - unsure and insecure - or will we do it based on our loving relationship with Jesus of which the fruit is to flow into the lives of others and feed their hearts and restore them to the Father.

What we get from John is the clear desire of Jesus to present a much larger picture to the disciples of what he desires the new community of God to be doing in his absence. With the Spirit to guide them, Jesus desires this community to go find the lost sheep and love them back to the Father. They are to do this by feeding them - leaving a trail of nourishment that leads back to the Father's house. Jesus emphasizes to Peter that he will give his life for this - the indication that Peter will be lead around against his will. This becomes a very profound call to the reader regarding what this community is and what its mission is. We will see in Acts that the Spirit leads the church into a global endeavor as God's goal is for the community to reach all of humanity - right from their backyard in Jerusalem to the courts of Caesar. May we hear the call and follow with the Spirit empowering us to do the same and continue spreading the word about the Father to those in our sphere of influence and relationship. Our love for them will speak of God's love and our embrace will speak of His embrace. It will feed hungry hearts and lead them to the Father. Jesus is waiting on the shore for others to come and eat the bread and fish [throw back to the five thousand]. The food he gives will satisfy us for eternity.

Well - I wrote all this because the recording of my lecture on chapter 21 did not record at all. I thought I would leave you the highlights then of what I covered in that chapter. Below are the other recordings from our last lecture:

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 18-19 Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion, Death and Burial Part III

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 20 A New Family

Presentations for Class April 9, 2013

Here are the presentations for tonights class:

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 18-19

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 20

BT0212 Gospel of John Chapter 21

The True King and the Sacrificial Lamb

As we move into the final scenes of Jesus' passion in the story that John weaves in his Gospel, we see Jesus specifically as the King come to fulfill the will of the Father and the Sacrificial Lamb who offers Himself in order to die to our fallen flesh.  This King has authority to give His life and to take it up again. John shares these words of Jesus earlier on on the Gospel and they come rushing back during the trial scene of Jesus before Pilate.

John's remembrance of Jesus is not one who agonizes over what faces Him but rather goes out to meet it head on.  This is a King in control of what will transpire. He is the "I am" upon whose words the Roman soldiers [John uses the term that means a cohort of about 100 to 600 soldiers] and the temple officials fall back and to the ground at their mention.  Jesus says it twice.  The witness of both the Son and the Father of who He is.

In the first verses of chapter 18, we get a garden scene the mirrors the scene in the first Garden in Genesis.  The "I am" is there [God the Creator], a betrayer, deceiver, and liar is there represented by Judas [the serpent], innocent humanity is there [the disciples] and deceived humanity is there [the soldiers and temple officials].  John wants us to recall that the seed of the woman [Jesus] will crush the head of the serpent. Jesus is going to crush evil through His going to the cross. Jesus is presented in a place of power over those who arrest Him as well as power and control over His accusers.

John will also weave into the story of Jesus' passion, how Jesus Himself begins re-ordering the sense of community that surrounds Him.  Entrusting Mary to John the Disciple is evidence that relationships are changing. As we approach chapter 20 and Mary Magdalene's encounter in the garden with Jesus outside the empty tomb, we see a complete change in relationship. Humanity will now stand in relationship to the Father as a member of the family.  Humanity has been brought into the circle of relationship of the Triune persons.

As Pilate presents Jesus after he had Him flogged [Ecce Uomo] the crowd sees the brokenness of their own humanity and although in their ignorance fueled by their passion to do away with the one that is threatening their very livelihood, they rightfully shout "Crucify!"  Our fallen humanity must die if there is any hope for new life.  Jesus is the only one among all others in the court of Pilate, who has the power to give men and women the new life that they are so desperately missing.

Next week we will finish up what has proven to be a very pivotal Gospel that opens up to us a culmination of images in the Jesus story that speak not only of the events that transpired that day but also the cosmic significance of Jesus' work on the cross for humanity.

Recorded Lectures:

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 17 Jesus' Prayer to the Father Part II

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 18-19 Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion, Death and Burial

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 18-19 Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion, Death and Burial Part II

Presentation for Class - Tuesay April 2, 2013

Here is the link to the powerpoint for our April 2, 2013 class:

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 18-19

A Relationship that Leads to Eternal Life

What we saw this past week in chapters 15, 16 and 17 of the John's Gospel is the language of Jesus as He describes the relationship that we are caught up into as disciples and followers of Christ. Jesus has brought us into the inner circle of the relationship He has with the Father and the Spirit. We are no longer servants but friends. He has shared with us the intimate thoughts and desires of the triune persons. As Jesus describes this relationship we realize that we are caught up into the most loving transforming relationship of all.

Think of living in a family that has nothing but acceptance, affirmation, embrace and love for each other. Living in the security of such a relationship transforms the way that we see the world around us. Both the confidence and the courage exist to embrace others in the same way and such an outlook literally changes the environment we live in.  People will desire to join such a community where they can find the same acceptance and embrace.  Thus the challenge for us to stay in such a relationship [remain] so that the community grows as Father so desires.

We now have the same secure confidence to communicate with the Father as Jesus did and does. We have the Spirit who comes and leads us into the truth of the coming kingdom and the desire of the Father and the Son for the creation and its redemption. We can pray with the requests that come from the heart of the Father for the creation. We have found our true humanity and its linked to our relationship with Jesus. We are only truly human when we are in the embrace of the Father and the Son.

As He prepares to leave, He will leave behind the Spirit and the disciples [church] to continue what He started. Although the world does not know the Father, its enough for Jesus that the Spirit and the disciples do. As they carry on the activity of living out their relationship with the Father and Son the world will continue to hear about the Father.

I can't think of anything more wonderful, deep, profound and life changing than this relationship that Jesus offers. It's the relationship that gives us eternal life. It's eternal life that can only be obtained through engaging in such a relationship: so the words of Jesus to His disciples. These are important parting words prior to the next 48 hours that will introduce confusion, turmoil and grief in the heart of the disciples but then surprise, joy and rejoicing when He will appear to them post resurrection and confirm many of the things He had shared with them prior to His passion.

Audio for this past week:

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 15 Part II - Drawn into the Circle

Portico John Lecture Chapter 16 - Drawn into the Circle

Portico John Lecture Chapter 16 Part II Drawn into the Circle

Portico John Lecture Chapter 17 - Jesus Prayer to the Father

Presentations for Class

Here are the presentations for class - Tuesday March 19, 2013

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 14 - 15 and 16

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 17

Week Eight - Lecture on Chapter 13, 14 and 15

As John shifts his writing from focusing on a new era that Jesus introduced in His coming, to showing the extent of His love, what John writes in chapters 13-21 focuses on His passion and the one central point that He specifically hammers on in chapters 13-15: Love.

Given that John records the final words of Jesus [sometimes called the final discourse] prior to His crucifixion and death, it is significant to note what it is that Jesus focuses on as He shares these final words with His disciples. The focus so far is on love; His love for the Father, the Father's love for Him and the Father's and His love for humanity. He gives the disciples an example to follow that speaks of how to love and He gives the Holy Spirit to help His disciples love and remain in His love by keeping His command to love. Jesus could have talked about a lot of things that preoccupy us as followers of Jesus: what will happen in the end, what is heaven like, what about election and predestination, what about tithing, what about keeping the law etc.  Out of all these, He specifically speaks of love.

Because of His love, going to the cross and rising again will bring life to humanity. This life is characterized as eternal - of the age to come. This is what He's come to do. Being lifted up will draw all to Him. People will see the extent of His love on the cross and the world will respond. This love will break through the blindness of those living in the darkness.  This love will continue in God's community through His followers if we love each other.  To think that what will speak the loudest to the world and will cut into the darkness that our lost brothers and sisters live in will be the love that we share with each other because of Christ living in us. The danger is to assume that this is obvious when in reality it is not. If we look at history of Christianity we haven't always been examples of love but rather the opposite. We need the Spirit to help us focus on love above all else.

If you missed this class, listen the lectures and see for yourself:

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 13 - The Extent of His Love

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 13 The Extent of His Love Part II

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 14 Drawn into the Circle

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 15 Drawn into the Circle

Presentations for Class

Here are the presentations for class Tuesday March 5, 2013:

BT0212 Gospel of John Chapter 13

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 14 and 15

Audio for Week Seven Lecture: Chapter 10, 11 and 12

Here are the links for the audio from last week's class:

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Ten The Shepherd and His Flock Part II

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 11 Giving of Life Part I

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 11 Giving of Life Part II

Portico John Lecture - Chapter 12 The King has Come

Presentations for Class - Chapters 10, 11 and 12

Here are the presentations for class Tuesday evening February 26, 2013:

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 10

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 11

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 12

Week Six - Chapters 8, 9 and 10

One of the things that didn't get mentioned in class this week was that the healing of the blind man in chapter nine of John is the 6th sign of the 7 signs that John uses to represent the full spectrum of Jesus' work.  The 7th sign will be the raising of Lazarus in chapter eleven. We will cover that next week.

How the blind man responds is very telling of the ascending order of response Jesus receives to the signs that John records Jesus performing through His ministry.  Among all others present during the healing and subsequent investigation, the healed blind man is the one who can truly see who Jesus is and the scope of what He has come to do. It is blindness in its full sincerity that qualifies us to be restored by Jesus.  Pretending or claiming that we can see produces long term blindness both to what Jesus desires for us and in terms of what His long term effect is on us.

I hope you caught the sense of how Jesus interprets "sin" as opposed to how the religious leaders of Judaism defined it. Jesus is talking about full alienation and death whereas the religious leaders made "sin" about transgression of the law. No wonder Jesus keeps healing on the Sabbath and challenging their view of "sin." It's not transgression of the law that He is concerned about. Everyone in that sense is a transgressor since the law is impossible for fallen humanity to keep in its entirety. The law demands that it be kept fully - not in part. No one on earth has that ability. The Jews are looking to restore immediate wholeness of Israel in terms of obedience to the law while Jesus is looking to restore humanity to relationship with the Father for eternity. In this sense the wholeness of humanity will trump keeping the law any day.

God's community is defined by its focal point: Jesus.  Jesus is the centre, the one through whom humanity is restored to community with God. Belonging does not center on rule keeping but on relationship keeping - initiated and empowered by Jesus Himself. Lazarus will become the 7th and most significant sign that speaks physically of what Jesus desires to restore to humanity.  Giving new life is what Jesus is on earth for and it will be accomplished by his own resurrection - thus disabling sin and death and giving us "life." This will be the reason the Greeks come in chapter 12 to inquire of Jesus - the one who brings people from death to life.

Lecture Recordings:

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Eight Part II

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Eight Part III

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Nine - Forgiveness of Sins

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Ten - The Shepherd and His Flock

Class Powerpoint Presentations - Introduction - Chapter 9

As promised, here are the powerpoints that I have used in class so far:

BT0212 Gospel of John - Introductory Material

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 1 and 2

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 2

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 3

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 4

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 5

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 6

BT0212 Gospel of John Chapter Seven

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 8

BT0212 Gospel of John - Chapter 9

Week Five - Chapter 6, 7 and 8

By now I'm sure you are catching on to the importance of paying attention to the imagery that John uses in his gospel to convey the importance of the person of Jesus and His mission to creation. Knowing our OT imagery goes a long way into understanding what the NT writers are communicating.  As we are now in the chapters where John records Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles, no doubt the greatest feast in Israel, the backdrop of the imagery in the feast that recalls God's provision for Israel in the wilderness, we see Jesus speaking of Himself as the focal point of the feast itself.

The Jews were celebrating God and remembering His provision in the past and Jesus is there teaching that His connection to God brings with it the presence of God in their very midst. The reason for Jesus' mission on behalf of the Father is to restore Israel and the nations to their true humanity. That true humanity exists when the Spirit resides within each one.  The result of this is like a gushing river of living water that flows from deep within each one that puts their trust in Jesus and surrenders their life to Him.

Such humanity changes the world. Living out this humanity speaks of the central connection of the human race with God Himself. The issue is whether the audience and reader will give themselves over to such a change in their life.  These words of Jesus hit people where they are and some are too comfortable in their present life to consider changing. Others are hearing and embracing Jesus' words, putting their trust in Him while others are confused and don't know quite what to make of it all. Like the Parable of the Sower that appears in the other canonical gospels, this story of John's in chapter seven shows that Jesus simple intent is that His words grab hold of some. By the seed of His word taking root in the hearts of some, the result will be an exponential growth of their new humanity which will grow over time to influence a multitude of others.

Next week we will continue through to chapter nine where the narrative of Jesus at the feast will end with the healing of the blind man. I'm looking forward to opening this part up for you to see what else Jesus does through John's recollection that paints for us the picture of who He is and what we are called to be.  Up till now, we have been encouraged by Jesus to believe in Him - put our trust in Him - surrender our lives over to His sacrifice where He will lay down His and our life in order to take it up again in the new humanity that God desires for us.

Chapter 6 Part II and Part III

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Six Part II - Real Food and Real Drink

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Six Part III - Real Food and Real Drink

Chapter 7

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Seven - Teaching at the Feast

Chapter 8

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Eight - Light of the World

Week Four - Chapters 4, 5 and 6

Hopefully you are following along in your reading in John. We reached chapter 6 of John this Tuesday and next week we will aim to finish up chapter 6 and review chapter 7 and 8.  Try to read the chapters in more than one version of the Bible so that you get a full rounded view of what John is writing. I recommend that you read the following different versions:

• For word-for-word translation try the American Standard or the New American Standard Version
• For a dynamic equivalent [where the word meanings in the original language are translated into common terms and word phrases in English] read the New Living Translation [any edition except the 1st edition] or the New International Version.
• For a very contemporary version read The Message - translation by Eugene Peterson. Some think that this is a "free" translation but actually Peterson is trained in Ancient Near Eastern Languages and as a pastor for over 30 years in the same church, Peterson put the Bible into our common language while staying true to the original.

I hope you are also getting a feel for following the imagery in John that he borrows from the Old Testament. This should make it clear to us that we need to know our OT scriptures well and follow the images and imagery that the NT writers incorporate into their writing so as to bring attention to what they are writing. You can't miss the dynamic way that John paints a backdrop for Jesus' activity while on earth. Remember that they are not just writing history but their specific take on what they saw and witnessed and hoping that we see what they want us to see.

In chapter six of John, John writes of Jesus as if Jesus is the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night that guided the Israelites through the wilderness. More than the manna [or bread] that He has to offer, His desire is that people embrace Him.  He is the key to our lives going from life to death to death to life. The key to this is our connection to Him.  He has the life that we need to live beyond death and live a super-abundant life.

Week Four Audio:

Chapter Four

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Four cont'd - Sowing Seed for Eternal Harvest

Chapter Five

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Five - The Father and the Son Continually Working

Chapter Six

Portico John Lecture - Chapter Six - Real Food and Real Drink

Week Three - Chapters 2,3, and 4

We made some headway into John this past week and I'm happy to report that I feel that we are on schedule to go through the book. I know I'm going quickly through the sections and PowerPoint slides so I will keep in mind that you are taking notes and give time for you to jot down your thoughts as I talk.

I'm glad you are beginning to ask questions and that makes for a more interesting class indeed.  I want us to be challenged by what John writes and so wrestle with the person of Jesus.  John is making it clear that more than the crowds that flocked to Jesus for what He could give them, He is looking for those that will believe in what He has come to do in our lives and in the life of humanity as a whole. What qualifies one to be a disciple is having encountered Jesus and told others about Him. [Samaritan Woman at the Well]

I hope you are noticing the progression of story that John is writing in these chapters we are in.  As we saw in the woman at the well, her progression from being offended, to skeptical, to curious, to ashamed and amazed to changed is something that John wants us to see in contrast to how the event affected His disciples. These storyline contrasts have a lot to say to us about the character of discipleship and change that Jesus is looking for. 

Bottom line, Jesus came to change our hearts and to give us new life.  That new life changes the way we see ourselves, everyone and everything around us. We will look on the reality in John's gospel that the focus of discipleship is not regarding being "good."  It focuses on going from death to life. Belief in Jesus is to receive what He has to give. What He has to give focuses on dealing with evil and freeing us to live the life God has always intended for us to live. This is the eternal existence that God the Father has achieved for us in Jesus. We will see this become more intense as we look toward chapters 5, 6 and 7 this coming Tuesday.

Portico John Lecture Chapter Two - Not What They Expected



Portico John Lecture Chapter Three -The One From Above




Portico John Lecture Chapter Four - Sowing Seed for Eternal Harvest

John Chapter One

So we moved through chapter one of John this week and I shared with you some of the important points of the chapter from John's point of view as he presents to us who Jesus is. There is no mistaking that John is conjuring up several biblical images that communicate to us the significance of the person of Jesus and His appearance:

• We have a very clearly embedded Genesis motif that expresses in no uncertain terms that Jesus is the Son of God in full relationship with the Father and is God among us. [The use of "Word" to represent Jesus is a rabbinical Aramaic code for Messiah and the use of "Light" is a direct reference to Jesus presence at the beginning of time]
• There is a clearly embedded Exile motif that expresses God's promise in the OT prophetic literature that a Messiah and He Himself [depending on which prophet you read] will appear and restore Israel and the nations back to relationship with Him.  We see this in the "Behold the Lamb of God" introduction by John the Baptist and the completion of the Jacob ladder scene that Jesus communicates to Nathanael regarding the angels descending and ascending onto the "Son of Man." [by the way a cryptic title that Jesus uses of himself - his favorite title that He shares with others]
• There is also an Exodus motif - represented in the "tabernacling among us" phrase.

John will continue to draw on these three motifs throughout the rest of the book as he continues to build his case regarding who Jesus is.  As we read, we are drawn into the court room and forced to consider as well, based on John's evidence, regarding who Jesus is!  Remember though that what solidifies our relationship with Jesus from John's presentation in the Gospel is not simply "belief" but responding to Jesus' call to "come and see" and so experience who He is.

I'm sure that all of us are in this course and part of the Portico community because we have and are "experiencing" Jesus in very profound and real ways. I pray that as we continue through the chapters you will be drawn deeper into who Jesus is and compelled to reach out to Him even more!  After all, this is exactly what the Father, Son and Spirit desire for us: complete inclusion into their relationship for each one of us. This leads us to our true human existence!

As promised, I have uploaded audio from last week and you can access the first and second hour of lecture time below if you missed some or all of the class. We now have four students for credit and I will need to push class time to 9:30 pm to cover the material for their sake. For those of you sitting in the class, please know that you are welcome to stay till 9:30 pm but if you need to leave I totally understand and please know that I appreciate you being present for any duration of time that you can to get in on the material I will be sharing. I will continue to record the sessions so that you can have access to them for follow.

Portico John Lecture - Chapter One God Among Us Part I:



Portico John Lecture - Chapter One God Among Us Part II:

Introductory Material

I hope the material we covered in first class gave you an idea of the types of arguments that support the reliability and credibility of the gospels and specifically of the Gospel of John. There is so much material written on this issue and if you are interested, you may want to check out the following book: The Many Gospels of Jesus: Sorting out the Story of the Life of Jesus

This book gives you a good taste of the many and varied gospels that exist outside the four canonical gospels in our Bible. It will be an eye opening experience to see the content of these other gospels that critics of Christianity deem valuable and on par with the gospels in the Bible.  You will understand why those gospels were not included in the biblical canon.

I mentioned in class a website that goes into more depth about the evidence that supports the author of the Gospel as John the Son of Zebedee.  You can reach the site by clicking the following link: Evidence for John of Zebedee   This will give you a more in depth look at the type of evidence that exists in support of the traditional view that it was John, one of the twelve disciples who wrote the Gospel of John.

I mentioned as well that the textbooks for the course are two volumes by N. T. Wright:

• John for Everyone Part I - Tom Wright
• John for Everyone Part II - Tom Wright

These books are available in paperback or on Kindle.  Click on the links above for the information on ordering through amazon.ca.  I would recommend reading through these books. They are very accessible and Tom Wright uses an open style that brings relevant everyday examples as points that build a bridge to the meaning of John. Wright offers his own translation of the gospel in these books as well which will give you another alternative reading. 

In terms of class, I mentioned that I will run class from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm with a short break in between. I will keep students for credit from 9:00 - 9:30 pm to go over any details related to course work. For those thinking about switching enrollment to taking the course for credit, you will have three weeks to decide whether you would like to make the change.  Please keep me posted if you decide to do so.  The two weeks where there will be no class will be March Break week - Tuesday March 12, 2013 and the last week of March - Tuesday March 26, 2013. The last class of the course will be Tuesday April 9, 2013.  This will give us 11 weeks of classes.

Read through chapters one and two of the Gospel of John to prepare for next class.  I encourage you to read them in a couple of different versions so that you can get an appreciation for the possible different ways that the passages can be translated into English. Try to note the similarities of John chapter 1 and 2 with Genesis 1 and 2.  There is a deliberate move on John's part to remind us of Genesis in the opening chapters.

 

 

 

Welcome to the Gospel of John

Welcome to an in depth study on the Gospel of John at Portico Community Church.  This blog will serve to stimulate more conversation regarding what is introduced in class and the thoughts/concepts/story that is communicated through the memoirs of John, the Apostle and Disciple of Jesus.  Through this course you will gain an appreciation for the character of this book of the New Testament and the unique way that it communicates the person of Jesus and His significance to humanity and the world. You will gain a greater understanding for what God is up to in our world and His mission to restore His creation.

The gospel introduces a new era with the coming of Jesus that has changed the landscape of human experience.  His coming and presence on earth has literally changed the fabric of human relationships. The focus of telling others about Jesus and the way Jesus speaks of the Father in heaven communicates God's desire to give new life and life that can be lived in this new way for ever.

We will see the extent of Jesus' love in communicating to us how much the Father loves us especially through the events of the last days of Jesus' life on earth. I'm looking forward to this journey with you through this very important book of the Bible.

We will be getting started on Tuesday January 15, 2013 at 7:00 pm in Rm 210/211.  Class will go from 7:00 - 9:30 pm. For those registered as 3 hour credit students, class will end at 10:00 pm. The course will run for 12 weeks.  There will be no class on March break [Tuesday March 12, 2013] and the last class will be on April 9, 2013. There are three ways to get involved in this course:

1. Sit in on the classes each week and get involved in discussion and Q and A.  There is a cost of $50 for this and you can register with the church office through Charmaine Thorpe.
2. Audit the course: For those who want to audit the course so that it appears as a completion on a transcript but do not want to do any of the course work then you can enroll as an audit student. You can register for audit at Master's College and Seminary by contacting donna.haug@mcs.edu or calling 705 749 0725 ext. 241.
3. For College Credit:  For those who want to register and receive a full 3 hour credit and do the course work you can register at Master's College and Seminary as well by contacting donna.haug@mcs.edu or calling 705 749 0725 ext. 241.

For the course information [syllabus] you can click on the following link: Gospel of John Syllabus

If you'd like to listen to some scholars talk about John listen to the following: British Scholars talking about the Gospel of John