John: The Gospel of Light & Life: A 30-Day Devotional Journey

By Guy Biddle

John, the author of this gospel account, introduces us to Jesus Christ, the Word that "became flesh and dwelt among us." John's concern is the nature and person of Jesus and the meaning of faith in Him. The purpose for writing this gospel account is found in 20:21, which says, "These things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."

As a member of the Twelve, John was an eyewitness to the miracles of Jesus, an eyewitness to the teachings and preaching of Jesus, and an intimate friend of Jesus, identified within the gospel as "the disciple that Jesus loved." John's unique perspective comes from being a member of the "inner circle" of Peter, James, and John. These three men were present at all the key moments of Jesus's ministry, including the Last Supper, the garden of Gethsemane, and the Mount of Transfiguration.

For three intense years, John watched Jesus live and love; he listened to Him preach and teach; John saw Jesus crucified, and at the foot of the cross, Jesus transferred the care of His mother to the disciple whom He loved. John saw the risen Christ, forever changing his life from a hot-tempered youth to a devoted, fruitful follower, and pillar of the early church.

Are you a devoted follower of Jesus Christ? How deep is your commitment? It is this author's belief that as you journey through John over the next thirty days, you will be compelled to make one of three choices: (1) Jesus was a lunatic; (2) Jesus was a liar; or (3) Jesus is Lord.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798890433138

Book preview

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John: The Gospel of Light and Life

A 30-Day Devotional Journey

Guy Biddle

ISBN 979-8-89043-312-1 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89043-313-8 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Guy Biddle

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

How to Use This Devotional

Introduction

What's in a Name?

Day 1

The Word from Eternity

Read John 1:1–2

Day 2

The Word of Creation

Read John 1:3

Day 3

The Word Among Flesh

Read John 1:14–18

Day 4

The Giver of Life

John 1:4–8

Day 5

The True Light

John 1:9–11

Day 6

Becoming Children of God

John 1:12–13

Day 7

The Bread of Life

Read John 6:30–40

Day 8

I Am the Light of the World

Read John 8:12

Day 9

The Door

Read John 10:7–10

Day 10

The Good Shepherd

Read John 10:11–18

Day 11

The Resurrection and the Life

Read John 11:17–27

Day 12

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

Read John 14:5–8

Day 13

The True Vine

Read John 15:1–8

Day 14

Water to Wine

Read John 2:1–11

Day 15

Healing the Royal Official's Son

Read John 4:46–54

Day 16

Healing at Bethesda

Read John 5:1–9

Day 17

Feeding the Five Thousand

Read John 6:1–14

Day 18

Walking on Water

Read John 6:16–21

Day 19

Sight Restored

Read John 9:1–12

Day 20

Raising Lazarus from the Dead

Read John 11:33–44

Day 21

The First Title: Lamb of God

Read John 1:29–36

Day 22

The Second Title: Son of God

Read John 1:30–34

Day 23

The Third Title: Son of Man

Read John 1:43–51

Day 24

The Fourth Title: Christ/Messiah

Read John 4:19–26

Day 25

The Fifth Title: Teacher

Read John 13:12–17

Day 26

The Sixth Title: Lord

Read John 20:26–29

Day 27

The Seventh Title: Savior

Read John 4:39–42

Day 28

Salvation from God Alone

Read John 5:19–23

Day 29

Salvation in Messiah Alone

Read John 3:12–18

Day 30

The Christ Follower's Experience Now

Read John 3:18–21 and 36

About the Author

Preface

This devotional came from a deep desire to know Yeshua, the Son of God, as He is portrayed in the Scriptures, in a deeper, more personal way. This desire led to the development of a deeper faith in Yeshua while, at the same time, developing a deeper understanding of the teachings of Yeshua, within the context of the Jewish culture and historical settings, so deeply embedded in the Scriptures.

For many years, I felt that something was missing in my faith, a deep-seated desire to grow and mature at a level I was not finding in any church message series or Bible study I prepared or taught. Even with a master of theological studies and a master of divinity, I still felt something was missing. What I was taught, what the church practiced, the traditions and rituals of the church, simply did not fit with what I was reading in the Scriptures. When the world grounded to a halt in 2020, an opportunity to read the Scriptures in a new light was presented, and I jumped on it!

No longer was I reading simply to prepare a message of study, gone were the simplified devotionals I had been reading—these were replaced with a close reading of the Scriptures and allowing the Word to speak for itself. I did not rely on ay teachings I had previously heard or learned, I did not read with any preconceived ideas or thoughts—I simply read the Word and allowed the Word to speak. As I read, I began to see the importance of the Jewish culture and historical context, and as I learned of this culture and noticed the context, the Scriptures came to life! This led me to searching for Jewish understanding and insight on the Scriptures and what it meant to the original audience and how the historical setting adds insight and depth to the Scriptures and our understanding of them.

The devotional you are holding in your hands is a result of what I have learned over the past two and one-half years. It is my deepest desire to see others come to a deeper and more personal faith with Yeshua, the Son of God. It is my sincere prayer that the Lord will bless you richly as you start your journey to deeper faith through this devotional.

Pastor Guy Biddle

Acknowledgments

This devotional would not be possible without the love and support of my wife, Sarah. She saw something in my writing and heard something in my teaching that made a deep impact on her faith and encouraged me to continue to hone my writing skills and share what the Lord was teaching me through the Scriptures. I must also thank the members of our small house church who took the time to read and provide feedback on rough drafts early in this process. And so I express my deepest gratitude for your support, encouragement, and the patience shown throughout the development of this devotional. And finally, but certainly not the least, without the guidance and burning desire placed in my heart by the Lord, the Scriptures never would have come to life as they did. I am eternally grateful for my salvation, in and through Yeshua, and the mercy, grace, and wisdom imparted to me throughout the development of this devotional.

How to Use This Devotional

Having a time of daily devotion is a great way to springboard into other spiritual disciplines. This devotional incorporates three additional spiritual disciplines—prayer, meditation, and journaling. To help facilitate these spiritual disciplines, a simple prayer, a meditation prompt, and questions for journaling are included. This devotional is designed to allow you, the reader, to personalize your devotional experience.

To get the most out of your devotional time, and again, allow you to personalize your devotional experience, it is best to use this devotional in the same place and during the same time period each day. Choose a place that is quiet, without distractions, comfortable, and provides a space designed to be alone with God. If possible, avoid spaces with distractions such as television and/or computers; turn off your phone whenever possible. In addition, use the same period of time each day. It does not matter if it is 6:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. What matters is that the time period allows you to develop the habit and mindset that this time is for you to be alone with God every day.

When you meditate, make certain to give your mind time to focus and become quiet. Yes, I know, this is easier said than done most days, but making the effort to put aside the bills, grocery lists, work challenges, and even upcoming events for the kids will reap benefits in all areas of your life. Focus on the passage or the prompt within the meditation section to begin your time of meditation. The hardest part will be listening for the Lord to speak truth into your life. Once you have silenced the other voices fighting for your attention, the Lord will speak clearly and quietly to your heart.

If journaling is new to you, do not be intimidated; there are no right or wrong answers and no right or wrong way to journal. This is for your benefit! Journaling is meant to bring clarity to what you hear God speaking into your life. If writing is not your thing but doodling or drawing is, then by all means, doodle or draw the picture your mind sees as you read and meditate on this passage. Whatever medium works during your journaling time, feel free to use it so God can speak truth into your life.

There is a simple, short prayer included at the end of each devotional teaching. This prayer is meant to begin your time with God. It is highly encouraged that you include an additional time of prayer for those issues that God brings to mind during meditation and journaling. However you might choose to use this devotional, remember it is meant to deepen your love for Yeshua and strengthen your faith for the day-to-day battles we all face.

Rest in His presence, walk in His light, serve in His love.

Introduction

John, the author of this gospel account, introduces us to Jesus Christ, the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. John's concern is the nature and person of Jesus and the meaning of faith in Him. The purpose for writing this gospel account is found in 20:21, which says, These things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

As a member of the Twelve, John was an eyewitness to the miracles of Jesus, an eyewitness to the teachings and preaching of Jesus, and an intimate friend of Jesus, identified within the gospel as the disciple that Jesus loved. John's unique perspective comes from being a member of the inner circle of Peter, James, and John. These three men were present at all the key moments of Jesus's ministry, including the Last Supper, the garden of Gethsemane, and the Mount of Transfiguration.

For three intense years, John watched Jesus live and love; he listened to Him preach and teach; John saw Jesus crucified, and at the foot of the cross, Jesus transferred the care of His mother to the disciple whom He loved. John saw the risen Christ, forever changing his life from a hot-tempered youth to a devoted, fruitful follower, and pillar of the early church.

Are you a devoted follower of Jesus Christ? How deep is your commitment? It is this author's belief that as you journey through John over the next thirty days, you will be compelled to make one of three choices: (1) Jesus was a lunatic; (2) Jesus was a liar; or (3) Jesus is Lord. It is my prayer that you will fall deeper in love with Yeshua and come to the conclusion that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

What's in a Name?

As you progress through your devotional journey in the gospel account of John, you will find the name Yeshua and the title Messiah alongside the name Jesus and the title Christ. Why the use of Yeshua and Messiah? Yeshua is the proper Hebrew name of our Lord and Savior, and Messiah is the proper Hebrew title for Yeshua. In this devotional journey, we seek to honor the Jewish background, context, and meaning of the biblical text. Though it is written in Greek, the common language of the day, it is still a Jewish document, written by Jewish men, living in the Jewish culture, and steeped in Jewish tradition. Therefore, you will find Yeshua and Messiah alongside Jesus and Christ.

If the name found in the biblical text is written as Jesus, Christ, or Jesus Christ, we will honor the biblical text as written; however, we will use both the proper name of Yeshua and the proper title of Messiah, as well