TEXT: John 21:24-25

SUBJECT: Exposition of John #53: Epilogue

Today's sermon brings our study of John's Gospel to a close. If it has been half as helpful to you as it has to me, the time has been well spent. I pray God will use it to make you believe--and feel in your bones--that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God".

The verses before us are the epilogue or last word. Before he signs off, John wants us to know two things. They are:

In the first place, the authenticity of His Gospel. "This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true".

The writer of this story hasn't gotten it second-hand. He is our Lord's dearest friend. His book could be called: "Jesus Christ: The Authorized Biography". If anyone knows the Lord well, it is John. It is he who "leaned on His breast"; it is he who asked Him the intimate questions. If John were asked, "How do you know this is true?", he could reply, "I was there!"

This is very important to the Apostles. When they filled the office left by Judas' suicide, do you know what they looked for? Not scholarship or eloquence, but something else. Peter tells us what: "Therefore, of these men who accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us. beginning with the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us..."

Peter said the same thing of himself: "We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made know to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty". Paul felt the same way: "Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen the Lord Jesus?"

The Gospel, in other words, is not a well-crafted myth. It is history. And its historians have not slanted it; not put a spin on it. It is God's history of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we can trust it completely.

Having presented his own credentials, John goes on to say: "And we know that his testimony is true". Who is the "we"? The Church. God's people know the Gospel is true. Why is that? It is not because they all saw for themselves. Some had, to be sure; but only a handful. Yet they knew as well as Peter and John did.

How? They were not smarter than others. Most were "ignorant and unlearned men". Nor were they more gullible than others. We all know people who are candidates to see Elvis at the Seven-Eleven or The Virgin Mary on a flour tortilla. The early Christians were not such people! If you read the Gospel, you'll find most of them were slow to believe; most were as skeptical as we are. Yet they "Knew that his testimony was true".

How did they know? The same way we know: God made them to know! "For it is the God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (II Corinthians 4:6).

This knowledge is not blind faith--it's not stupid to believe! If the testimony is God's, how can we not believe? But, how do we know the testimony is God's? John explains that too, in his First Epistle, 5:9-11:

The passage is not easy to understand, but this much is certain: We believe the Gospel because we got eternal life through it. If it were not true, it couldn't have given us this life. But it has, and therefore, the Gospel must be true.

If the reasoning is too tight for you, let me illustrate. The Book of Genesis was written by Moses after the exodus from Egypt. It contains many incredible things--like the existence, power, and love of God.

Why should the people believe these things? Because He had just redeemed them! They had seen His power and love in action. They had a first-hand knowledge of God. And so, found His story quite believable. The same is true of Christians. Why do we believe that Christ died for our sins? Because we know we're forgiven! Why do we just know He rose from the dead? Because we share in His life!

Our knowledge of God, in short, depends of the work of God in our souls. If God has redeemed you by His Almighty Power, the miracles of John's Gospel are perfectly credible. And so, doubters ought to consult the Psalmist, who said,

"Taste and see that the Lord is good".

The answer won't satisfy everyone. Some people gripe, "Why doesn't God give everybody this knowledge?" We can't say, but the Lord can. Here's what He said about it: "I thank you Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, so it seemed good in Your sight" (Luke 10:21).

How can you answer that? "It seemed good in [His] sight". We're not told to explain it--or to explain it away! We're told to believe it and to wait on God to make it plain!

This is the first thing John wants us to know: His Gospel is true! Everyone is required to believe it. As for unbelief? It's not an honest mistake, but a rejection of known truth. God help the unbeliever--he's "suppressing the truth in unrighteousness". And no one is more blind than the man who can see, but won't open his eyes!

The second thing John wants us to know is how wonderful the Lord Jesus truly is.

He told us quite a story, didn't he? He gave seven "signs" which prove the Lord's Divinity. He changed water into wine; He fed five thousand with a boy's lunch; He walked on the water; He healed a sick boy; He made the lame man walk; He raised His friend from the dead. What are these but acts of Divine power and compassion? Acts worthy of God and premised of Messiah!

As marvelous as these things are, John won't let us think they're all the Lord Jesus did. He did many more things, no less wonderful than these. If He did, why didn't John put them all down for us? They would have added to the Divine glory of Christ and made us admire Him all the more.

Why didn't he do it? Was John lazy or inattentive? No he wasn't. He didn't record everything for us because if he had, "The world itself could not contain the books".

Have you been to the Library of Congress in D.C.? The number of books is mind-boggling! Yet, they're contained in one huge building. But no building could house the volumes needed to tell the full story of Jesus Christ. The world itself would collapse under their weight.

B.B. Warfield a scholar not given to exaggeration wrote,

When the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's glory, she scoffed in unbelief. No one could be that wise! Yet, after meeting him, she exclaimed, "Not even the half has been told!"

And remember, in Christ, "A greater than Solomon is here".

It is impossible to overstate the glory of Jesus Christ; to speak too well of Him; to think too highly of Him; to love Him too much!

So, why don't you believe in Christ? Is there anything in Him unworthy of God? If so, what? Not loving enough? Not powerful enough? Not holy enough? What's your beef with Him? If you were to design a Savior, could you do better?

This is a good question to ask unbelievers. "If--just suppose--God were to become a Man, what do you think He would do?" Most of them would say something like: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, help the weak, and make people love each other". He did all these things--and more! And so, why not believe in Him?

Believe in Christ and you'll have "eternal life". Not just when you die, but now. And forever. Believe in Christ. And go on to love Him and to worship Him and to serve Him and to witness for Him. There's no reason not to. Just Do it! God help you and me both--for Christ's sake. Amen.