God’s written word is an amazing resource library for evangelism: creation in Genesis, calling in Exodus, mission in Acts, consummation of history in Revelation. While each Gospel account describes Jesus reaching humanity, the Gospel of John gives us a concise story on what it means to believe in Jesus and be saved. In that way, John’s gospel is our textbook for evangelism.
John skips Jesus’ birth narratives and gets right to the story of who can be saved and how in chapter 1. Verse 1 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and was God.” John says it all boldly, yet leaves a bit of gospel mystery: What is this Word? Why is it eternal? Why does it sound philosophical, rather than personal? John lets us know that this Jesus is eternal and for all people, for all time.
John 1:12 tells us, “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” Those people who receive Jesus by repenting and believing in His name are now counted as sons and daughters of God. And that is why accepting Jesus is significant.
Two chapters later, John uses Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, as the most direct statement on salvation in all of Scriptures. As Chapter 3 begins, Nicodemus comes at nigh ...
