The novelist H.G. Wells famously said, “I am an historian. I am not a believer. But this penniless preacher from Galilee is irresistibly the centre of history.”
What is it about Jesus that is so captivating and intriguing, that even those who disagree with his teachings and disbelieve his religious claims still find him worthy of study and admiration? Why do we orient our calendar around the year of his birth and make films, art exhibitions and West End musicals about his life and death? What is it about him that draws scorn from so many, and yet causes the likes of Napoleon Bonaparte to say, “I know men, and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man”?
On Sunday 12 February we are beginning a new sermon series entitled I AM: Jesus on Trial. Over seven weeks we will look at some key sections of John’s Gospel to try and discover who Jesus claimed to be and how his claims are relevant to Twenty First Century Londoners.
John’s Gospel is a creative, intriguing book. If you’ve ever read it, you may notice how different it feels to the other three gospels. We’ll explore some of the reasons for this throughout the series (I don’t want to give away all the best material now!), but let me give you a few brief headlines:
The book was written around 80 A.D. probably to a mixture of believers and sceptics in Asia. The author, John, was one of Jesus’ closest disciples (John 21:20-23) and spent many years following and learning from him.
In his account, John lists a number of signs and claims that demonstrate the uniqueness of Jesus, and he describes his purpose in writing saying, ‘These things 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’ (John 20:31). The Gospel doesn’t record every miracle, saying or relevant detail, in fact John writes, ‘there are many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written’ (John 21:25). John deliberately pieces together some key claims and signs to build his case that Jesus is the Son of God.
Some commentators have pointed out that the gospel is full of lawsuit motifs and themes, emphasising that Jesus and his claims are on trial right throughout the book. Throughout this series, we will take a different claim each week, piecing them together to paint a picture of the person, life, death, and relevance of Jesus, and inviting you to explore these claims for yourself.
We will consider a range of questions, including: What does it mean for Jesus to describe himself as bread, light or a vine? Given the scarcity of sheep wandering around central London, how does Jesus’ claim to be the Good Shepherd have anything to teach us today? If Jesus calls himself the way, the truth and the life, what does that mean for the claims of other religions?
This series will also pave the way towards Easter, helping us to understand the reasons for Jesus’ death and why Christians put such an enormous emphasis on a tragic and gruesome moment in history.
Perhaps you have been a Christian for many years? I hope that this series will help you to see Jesus in a new light and appreciate afresh how unique and revolutionary his claims are. Perhaps you are not yet a Christian and have always wondered what the fuss is about Jesus? Can I invite you to join us and to test his claims for yourself? It may be that you will find him and his message to be more relevant, more challenging and more compelling than you ever imagined possible.
Recommended Resources
As we go through the series we will recommend a number of books. But if you’re interested in reading up in advance, here’s a short selection to get you started.
John for Everyone – Tom Wright
Tom Wright’s For Everyone commentaries are short study guides to help you understand and quickly get to the heart of each book of the New Testament. John for Everyone comes in two parts, and in these books, Wright manages to distil down decades’ worth of research into accessible, bite-sized chunks. They won’t deal with every verse, or answer every question you may have, but they will help you explore the major themes of John’s Gospel.
The Gospel of John – D.A. Carson
If you want a commentary with a bit more depth and weight, then Carson’s commentary in the Pillar Series is a great alternative. At about 700 pages, including a lot of detail and a fair bit of Greek, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But of all the modern commentaries, it’s probably one of the most respected and more accessible.
Simply Jesus – Tom Wright
A more general recommendation on the person of Jesus; Tom Wright’s latest book is a great introduction to who Jesus is and why he is relevant to modern people. If you want an accessible book that will help you to understand Jesus and his message in their first century context, then this is a great place to start.
