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WisconsinChristianNews.com
Volume 27, Issue 1
Gospel of John – Our Textbook for Evangelism
By Roger Johnson April 2026
died. Jesus comforts Martha with these crucial words, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who be- lieves in Me will live, even though they die; and who- ever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Certainly Martha believes this, but she is grieving her brother’s death as well. Then Jesus an- ticipates His own death and resurrection, by moving the stone blocking Lazarus’ tomb, and shouting in a loud voice: voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. This miracle of overcoming death teaches us all that Jesus creates abundant and eternal life where only death existed. In chapter 14, Jesus gets particular with His disci- ples regarding salvation. In verse 6 He says, “I am the
tions of evangelists have proven in their use of these classic verses. Chapter 4 shows Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus was hot and tired, having left Judea and on His way to Galilee. He stopped at Jacob’s Well. A woman also came by to draw water and Jesus asked, “Will you give Me a drink?” Sur- prised, the woman asked, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman, how can You ask me for a drink?” Jesus follows her curiosity with a discussion on living water, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” (v. 13-14). She desires the living water, and Jesus identifies Himself as the Messiah. The woman goes on to meet other Samaritan friends
God’s written word is an amazing resource library for evangelism: creation in Gen- esis, calling in Exodus, mis- sion in Acts, consummation of history in Revelation. While each Gospel account describes Jesus reaching hu- manity, 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.
way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” And then He goes on to say in verse 10, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work.” This teaching sounded like blasphemy to the Jews, but to the disciples, they were words of salvation and new life. Jesus: the way, the truth and the life. Jesus and God the Father are one and all-pow- erful. What more can Jesus tell His disciples? Chapter 17 is dominated by Jesus’ great prayer to His Father, pleading on behalf of His disciples and all be- lievers in verses 2-3, “… You granted Him (Jesus) authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is
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 be- come 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,
and tells them of her life-giving encounter with Jesus. Surprisingly, “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony …. They urged Jesus to stay with them … and because of His words many more became believers.” (v. 39-41). Jesus’ words are truth, they are repeated, and many believe, not just Jews, but Samaritans as well. In chapter 5, the lame man at Bethesda is healed. John fills his narrative with miraculous healing sto- ries, as well as “sins-forgiven” stories. In fact, it be- comes hard to separate physical from spiritual healing. Jesus makes people whole! And He sums up His work in delightful fashion with verse 24, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” Hal- lelujah! Chapter 6 stuns us with John’s story of feeding 5,000-plus hungry people spread before Jesus. His amazed followers asked for more food, and He con- foundingly told them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, whoever believes in Me will never thirst. … All those the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away.” (v. 35-37). As people believe in Jesus, He gathers them unto Himself. In chapter 9, we find more miracles and more belief.
eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” Jesus restates the essential saving relationship: that we humans may know the only true God and His Son Jesus. Let each 21st century evangelist claim God’s everlasting love and power. John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion and death in chapter 19 is the central action that accomplishes our salvation. Jesus’ own words, “It is finished” in verse 30, followed by His death (“gave up His spirit”) signal that our Lord’s life and sacrifice for our sins is forever complete. He has done all that is needed, and He has laid down His life so that His present followers and all future converts can know forgiveness of sins and eter- nal life in heaven. As if Jesus’ sacrificial death were not enough, the Apostle goes on to seal the deal in chapter 20 with the truth of Jesus’ resurrection to new life following His burial in a stone-sealed tomb. Mary Magdalene is the first to encounter the risen Christ in verses 14-16: “At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking He was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rab- boni!” (which means Teacher).” Jesus is alive, and He remains a risen Savior today. The Gospel of John is the Good News of belief. John writes the reports of miracles and spells out gospel conversations that anchor our belief in Jesus as Lord. John states his point up front in chapter 1, “In the be- ginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and then completes that thought in verse 14, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John is telling us that Jesus, the child born in Bethlehem, the man preach- ing and healing throughout Israel, is undoubtedly God and Savior of all mankind. Read these stories and lessons. Make the miracles and teachings a memorized tool for your own personal evangelism. If a non-believer doubts Jesus’ power to heal, steer him to the blind man in chapter 9 and the dead man in chapter 11. If a person doubts Jesus’ ability to save, direct him to the Savior’s “born again” words to Nicodemus in chapter 3. As an evangelist, read John’s gospel regularly. Mem- orize its stories and miracles. Make these verses part of your daily speech and thinking. Rely on John’s sal- vation accounts completely so that each person you meet will also meet Jesus. Roger Johnson is an evangelist, writer and teacher from Kenosha. He served for nearly 40 years as an urban evangelist in Chicago. A graduate of Wheaton College and North Park Seminary, he completed the M.A. in Evangelism & Leadership at Wheaton Grad School in 2012.
as the most direct statement on salvation in all of Scriptures. As Chapter 3 begins, Nicodemus comes at night to speak with Jesus and hears about being born again. The story of this chapter is again mysterious and moving. Nicodemus is making a dangerous visit. If one of his Pharisee brethren saw him near a room where Jesus was staying, Nicodemus would be sus- pect. Yet, Nicodemus does come and asks hard and honest questions: What must I do to be saved? How can I be born again now that I am old? Jesus respects his serious spirituality, but He does not let Nicodemus off the hook. In verse 3 He states the one big requirement: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Nicodemus is confused and admits it. Jesus appears to lose patience in verse 7, “You should not be surprised at My saying, you must be born again.” The Pharisee’s only response (like ours) is, “How can this be?” Yet Jesus’ truth reigns, you must be born again. Jesus goes on to clear up the issue with His most famous words of verse 16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to con- demn the world, but to save the world through Him.” No one can state the gospel more clearly, as genera-
Jesus meets a man born blind. After those around him want to assign blame for his condition to either the blind man or his par- ents, Jesus acts by identify- ing Himself as the light of the world (verse 5) and then making a bit of mud to put on the man’s eyes. After ap- plying the mud, He asked him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. The blind man does so and sees a bright living world. The miracle of creating new sight is de- bated by all, except for the healed man, who clearly states, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (verse 25). He has no doubts about his new sight, nor his new belief in Jesus. When we move to chapter 11, we find Jesus’ friend, Lazarus dead; or is he re- ally? Jesus is on His way to visit Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. He receives the news of Lazarus’ illness, and when He arrives at Bethany, finds that Lazarus has already
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