"That You May Believe"

In this introductory message to the series “Beholding Christ, the Son of God,” Chuck Swindoll explores the unique purpose and profound depth of the Gospel of John. He begins by addressing why John is often the first book recommended to new believers: it uses simple, uncomplicated language, yet contains theological depths that challenge even the most experienced scholars. Swindoll answers the common question, “Why do we have four gospels?” by explaining that they are not four separate biographies, but one biography viewed from four different vantage points—like four photo albums emphasizing different themes regarding the same person [15–18].

Swindoll analyzes the motive, message, and method of the Apostle John. While Matthew presents Jesus as the Jewish King, Mark as the Roman Servant, and Luke as the human Son of Man, John writes specifically to present Jesus as the Son of God [22–28]. The sermon identifies John 20:30–31 as the key to the entire book, revealing John’s motive: “that you may believe.” Swindoll clarifies that biblical belief is not merely intellectual assent but a total “abandonment” of one’s will to Christ, illustrated by the high-wire walker Philippe Petit who refused to wear a safety harness because it contradicted the ideal of his walk [33, 64–69].

The message concludes by surveying the “witness stand” of the Gospel, calling upon seven different individuals—including John the Baptist, Peter, Martha, and even the skeptic Thomas—who all testify to the deity of Christ. Swindoll challenges listeners to move beyond casual observation and make a decided commitment to receive Jesus as Savior [44–52, 73].

Message Key Facts:

• The “Simple” Gospel: Swindoll notes that John is written in such basic Greek that it is often used as a primer for language students. However, Martin Luther described it as a book with “simple words” but “inexpressible” depth [9–10].
• Four Gospels, Four Audiences: Swindoll outlines the specific themes of the evangelists:
  • Matthew: Written by a Jew to Jews; focuses on the Messiah/King; begins with a genealogy to Abraham [22–23].
  • Mark: Written to Romans (people of action); focuses on the Servant; omits the genealogy because servants do not need pedigrees; uses the word “immediately” repeatedly [24–25].
  • Luke: Written to Greeks by a physician; focuses on the Son of Man (perfect humanity); traces the lineage back to Adam [26–27].
  • John: Written to the world; focuses on the Son of God (deity); omits the human origin story entirely.
• What John Left Out: To emphasize Christ’s deity, John purposely omitted the genealogy, the birth narrative, the temptation in the wilderness, the transfiguration, and all parables [31–32].
• The Meaning of “Believe”: The word “believe” appears 98 times in John’s Gospel. Swindoll defines it as two-fold: acknowledging the truth as truth, and personally accepting that truth into one’s life [35–37].
• The “Hinge” of the Book: Swindoll identifies a major shift between Chapter 12 and 13. The first half covers three years of public ministry and miracles (“He came to His own”). The second half covers a few days of private ministry and teaching (“His own received Him not”), leading to the cross [54–55, 62].
• The “Back Door Key”: Swindoll calls John 20:30–31 the key that unlocks the book, placed at the end rather than the beginning. It explains that the “signs” (miracles) were selected specifically to generate faith.
• The High-Wire Illustration: The sermon uses the story of Philippe Petit, who walked between the World Trade Center towers, to illustrate faith. Petit refused a safety wire because “to use a safety buckle contradicts the whole ideal of high-wire walking.” Similarly, saving faith puts the “whole life” on the line without a backup plan of works or merit [65–69].

Message References:

• John 20:30–31: The purpose statement: “These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”
• John 21:25: The scope of Jesus’ life: “I suppose even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
• John 1:29 & 34: John the Baptist’s testimony: “Behold the Lamb of God… I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
• John 1:49: Nathaniel’s confession: “Rabbi, You are the Son of God.”
• John 10:30 & 36: Jesus’ self-disclosure: “I and the Father are one… I am the Son of God.”
• John 20:28: Thomas’s realization: “My Lord and my God!”
• John 1:11–12: The outline of the book: “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him…”

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll