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Read: John 20:30-31
Listen: John 20

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. John 20:31

The apostle John concludes his biography of Jesus by sharing what he hopes his readers will glean. His desire is not that people gain a mere intellectual exposure to the claims, ministry, and work of Jesus. Rather, he hopes they will truly believe that Jesus is who he says he is. John recognizes that faith in Jesus is not a simple academic exercise. It’s possible to be wowed by him but never have faith in him. John’s heart is for people to see Jesus for who he really is and to surrender their lives to him by faith.

Throughout this week, we have considered multiple claims of Jesus and the eyewitness testimony of his disciple, John, who confirmed his identity as the resurrected Son of God. There is much evidence that affirms the claims of Jesus. He raised people from the dead and performed many signs and wonders. He even stilled the storm and walked on water. But John wrote his book for more than simply conveying evidence. He wrote it so that we might believe. So, the question remains: do we believe?

TODAY: If you have never received Jesus by faith, today would be a great day to do so. You can pray something like this: “Father, I recognize that I am a sinner and that Jesus, the Son of God, came to save me through his life, death, and resurrection. I trust in Jesus and ask for forgiveness in his name.” If you have already received Jesus by faith, then take time today to thank him for the gift of new life.