By Pastora Monique Lopez Ong - I am blessed to have a husband named John. Because through the eyes of John, we see the heart of Jesus.
Who is John the Beloved Apostle? John is the son of Zebedee and zsalome. He is the younger brother of James the fisheman. He is partners with Peter the Rock. They are followers of John the Baptist so they know that they have to repent because the Messiah is coming. John is a man of action and is ambitious and intolerant. He will not take no for an answer and takes to heart everything that is taught to him. John is called the son of thunder because of his explosive temper. But inspite of all these, John is incredibly faithful. When he followed Jesus, he remained all of his life. John is part of Jesus’ inner circle, together with Peter and James. During Jesus’ transfiguration, His inner circle were there. John saw a lot of miracles performed by Jesus. He was with Jesus during the night before He was going to be executed. They were asleep but they were there. John wtote the books John, 1-3 John and Revelation. Although the gospels are synoptic, the book of John has stories that you will not read in the other gospels that show his very close proximity to Jesus.
John is The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves, as Peter mentioned in John 21:20 “Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them.”)
The Book of John says in John 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
7 “I Am“ Titles showed in the Book of John
I am the brrad of life. 6:35
I am the Light of the World. 8:12
I am the gate for the sheep. 10:7
I am the Good Shepherd 10:11
I am the Resurrection and the Life. 11:25
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. 14:6
I am the Trur Vine 15:1
7 Signs in the Book of John
Water into wine ch. 2
Healing of a sick boy ch. 4
Heaing of a paralyzed man ch. 5
Feeding the 5000 ch. 6
Walking on water ch. 6
Healing a blind man ch. 9
Raising Lazarus ch. 11
The more you walk with Jesus, the more you will know Him and the Father. And the more you walk with Jesus and the Father, the more you will be like Him. This was how John was transformed. He walked so closely with Jesus and he was truly changed.
How can we walk with Jesus like John did?
First, realize that God is love. This is not the romantic type of love, nor the friendship type. It is much more deeper than that. It reveals the true nature of God which is self-giving. The only love we need is the love of God. We cannot get it from anybody or anything else. The only way to get this love is to become His servant. That is why John 3:16 is so famous! It is self-giving! When you experience and share the love of Jesus, the enemy cannot understand it. If you want to fight the enemy, know this. 1 John 4:16 says “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” When Jesus came to earth, he was thinking of us, how to show us His love even if we are full of sin.
Second, we can love when we abide in Jesus. Jesus wants to love us and we cannot say that nobody loves us because God loved us first. John 15:9 says “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” It is impossible not to change when we accept the love of Jesus Christ.
So what is love? Have you asked yourself that question? 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 says “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” This is real love.
The Disciples’ Trademark: Loving One Another. When you feel the love of God, you will overflow. And when this happens, you can love others. How do you do this? Through radical acts of service. So many people are looking for love. They need the love of God. Share the gospel. Heal the sick. The love of Jesus will hea them. Cast out demons. They have no place in this world. We do this not because God told us to do it. But because we love. John 15:12 says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. “
1 John 4:12 “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
Did you love? We are worthy in His eyes because He died for us. God is so good. He makes us whole.
The Love of God has Power. 1 Peter 4:8 says “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
1 Corinthians 13:14
1 Corirhians 13:1-3
You might be the Samaritan woman at the well looking for living water. You might be that adulterous woman looking for love. Jesus gave them love. He asked them not to sin anymore because they are forgiven. That love alone will make you change. Everything must be done in love. If you do not have love, you have nothing.