The Evangelist

John, on his mentor John, in the Gospel of John

I had read the Gospel of John several times, but somehow missed the verses at the end of chapter 10 until I spotted them a gravestone! I was in Bangor in Northern Ireland and went to see the graves of a friend murdered by the I.R.A., and, very near to it, that of W.P.Nicholson, who was so greatly used by the Lord, to win thousands to Christ, over 50 years ago. Engraved on his gravestone were the words,

‘“John did no miracle, but all that John said about Jesus was true.” And many believed on Him there.’

John, the Gospel-writer had been a follower of John the Baptist, but had left to become a disciple of Jesus. John had always esteemed John the Baptist greatly, referring to him several times in his Gospel. The mention in chapter 10 is the final reference to him. John is given high praise, yet shown to be subordinate to Christ. (Successive references to John the Baptist from chapter 1 through to 10 in John’s Gospel are shorter – a curious illustration of John’s own words regarding Jesus that “He must increase; I must decrease”!).

Jesus had left Jerusalem, which He was not to visit again until Palm Sunday, three or four months later. He went to Bethany, beyond Jordan, where John had born testimony to Jesus at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. It was here that the crowds came to Jesus and said what they did. There are at least three insights learned about John from these verses:

1. What he did was simple – “John did no miracle”

There was nothing sensational about John’s life and ministry. His lifestyle could not have been more humble, and his preaching was far from self-centred. No miracles were done, nor attempted, nor needed. His concern was not whether or not he was living a great life, but rather to point people to Jesus. It was preaching Christ that made him great in the sight of God. However, we who trust in Christ crucified and risen, experience something more wonderful, such that even John did not enter in to (cf. Matthew 11 v.11).

It was Jesus who was to perform miracles, and the Gospel of John makes much of them. The signs of Jesus, which John points out, give authenticity to Jesus’ claims of deity. They demonstrated the truth of who Jesus is. John the Baptist did not focus attention on himself, but on Jesus, so there were no miracles.

In a media manipulated society let us not fall in to the trap of believing that the sensational, which attracts attention, is what pleases the Lord. It may not be. To simply obey Jesus; to live lives uncluttered by the things that seem both attractive and even necessary; to spend time with Jesus and speak of Him, are in the sight of the Lord of great price.

2. What he said was true – “all that he said about Jesus was true”

As a herald, it was John’s duty to raise his voice in repeated proclamation of the King. John did little else than speak of Jesus, but this was sufficient. It was all that he was required to do.

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20/20 Vision

Life itself is a great teacher. For 20 years I was involved in evangelism whilst a student and then a teacher. For the last 20 years I have worked full time as an itinerating evangelist. I have had many teachers, and lessons! They are too numerous to completely list, but here are ten themes condensed to give an idea of some of the things the Lord, and others, has been teaching me.

1. I have learned my own unworthiness to do anything that will count for eternity. C.S. Lewis, who once said that one out of every three of his thoughts was sinful, expressed exactly how I feel, “I have found out ludicrous and terrible things about my own character”. I genuinely believe that anything accomplished for the glory of God has been of His doing and of His grace, and nothing to do with anything good in me.

2. I have learned that ministry cannot be done alone. I could not have done even a tiny proportion of the work, without a devoted wife, understanding children, wise parents, and a host of others who have been great friends and helpers. People have supported me, prayed for me, given to the work, shown hospitality, and sacrificially helped in numerous ways. We all need each other, and I have been at the receiving end of the kindnesses and generosity of so many people. Service for the Lord is teamwork of His people using their varied talents and gifts for His glory. The Church is a body with many members.

3. I have learned that though I imagined I would stay with certain activities permanently, God alters our agenda. Although I greatly value the opportunities they provided, and pray for their continuing usefulness, the Lord trimmed and focused my work and involvements. Those ministries have gone on without me, proving that I am dispensable! For me, the Lord has used health issues to capture my attention and re-direct me. I trust that in all my work, the emphasis continues to be “this one thing I do …”

4. I have learned that God uses people who disagree with me! There are basic beliefs and doctrines, which I believe to be absolute essentials for salvation and Christian fellowship. As well, there are places I will not go, and things I cannot do if I am to maintain a clear conscience and close walk with the Lord. However, I am aware that not all my brothers and sisters in Christ see eye to eye on these and on some of the periphery issues of Christian beliefs. God blesses, and uses them, and who am to write them off, or to distance my heart from them? I may not choose to work closely with them, but I love them as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

5. I have learned that the Lord has His people. Repeatedly I have been struck by meeting saintly people, whether in the U.K., Europe, U.S.A., India or Nicaragua. They may never have their names in lights or headlines, no statue of them raised in a park, and in 100 years from now will be forgotten on earth. Yet they are godly, loving, eternally minded people of integrity. They are the salt of the earth. They are scattered in different countries, and settings, are of varying ages, and... read more

Wars and Rumours of Wars

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we walk in His paths … He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more." - Isaiah 2 v. 3 & 4

Sadly, we have grown accustomed to hearing of wars and rumours of wars. There are those which are daily headlines, and others that continue in far-flung corners of the world, which we rarely hear about. Over 400 years before Christ, Socrates said, "Wars are occasioned by the love of money."

However, the Bible teaches that there is coming a day when war will come to an end. God, in His message to humanity, teaches that the peace of God will reign throughout. The fate of the world will not be decided by the whim of a politician, dictator or monarch. Christ is going to return as King and Lord of all. What will happen when He does is remarkable: "God exalted Him (Jesus) to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord …" (Philippians 2 v. 9 - 11).

So the cycles and sadness of war will end. Christ will reign, and that which is right will be the world order.

If the peace of God is coming, it is important now to know peace with God. That is possible through the Lord Jesus, as well. He came to bring us to know God in a personal way. By Jesus' life and then death on the cross, paying the penalty for our wrongdoing, our sin (breaking the laws of God) can be forgiven. We can come to know God in a personal way. The sin, which separates us from God, can be removed forever.

Jesus said: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." The greatest peacemaker was Jesus, the Son of God. Once we trust Him, our task is to tell others about Him so that they, too, may know the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.

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