Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Read John 20:30-31 Our reading for today brings the gospel of John to an end. Of course, we will notice that there is one more chapter in John’s gospel as we have it today. We will deal with that chapter in the coming days. But, let me repeat, our reading for today brings us to the end of John’s gospel – at least the ending of an earlier version. We cannot read these words in any other way. They are clearly an ending. Endings are important – just like beginnings are important. In this ending John sums up his main point and finally tells his readers the purpose of his writing of this gospel. John tells us that he has been selective in telling the story of Jesus. There are many other stories. Likely John knows some of those other stories. He chose not to tell them. We may recall that Luke said something quite like this at the beginning of his gospel. Luke tells us that he is aware of many who have written an account of the story of Jesus. He has followed those other writings and now Luke has created his own story so that his readers might know the truth. That doesn’t mean that Luke is attempting to correct errors in others. He is not talking about “factual truth” but life creating and life sustaining truth – a foundation upon which we can build our lives. John is about the same thing. And we can know that even though they don’t tell us explicitly Mark and Matthew were about the same thing too. All of them are selectors and editors and craftsmen in their hope of producing a gospel that bears witness to Jesus and creates faith in their readers. John tells his readers that the purpose of his gospel is that they might come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through their believing they might have life in his name. This is John’s personal word to you and to me. Our belief, or lack of it, will be the judgment of whether or not John has been successful in his endeavor. But of course that is also the outcome of anyone who bears witness. John has been a witness and now the verdict rests in our hands. Personally, I am one who believes that John has been successful in the writing of his gospel – I believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and I have come to know the life that God blesses me with in his name. I believe that you join me in receiving John’s testimony and in believing. John’s gospel has done its work!