Summary: One of the most striking things about the Gospel of John is the way in which the great, cosmic story of God intersects with the lives of ordinary people. The book begins with images and words on the grandest scale. The first 18 verses, also known as the “Prologue,” tell how God, in Christ, is bringing forth the light of new creation to redeem the whole universe. Then, in the very next chapters, the book tells how Jesus brings this redemption among simple, everyday people. Instead of great courtroom dramas or important political showdowns or “significant” decisions among the powerful, we see Jesus bringing new life in the most ordinary situations. The effect is rather shocking. After all, what place does a crippled beggar or a struggling Samaritan lady or a family who can’t afford to host a proper wedding have in the great plans of God for the universe? Sometimes, it’s difficult to believe that ordinary people like us have a place in the plans of the mighty, creator God. And yet that is precisely why John's Gospel was written–to help us believe. Downloads
