The first chapter of John’s Gospel presents the person of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ in many glorious ways all calculated to give comfort and satisfaction to our hearts in every step of life. (Other aspects of His Person are presented later.) In verse 1 He is the Word and He is God. In verse 3 He is the Creator; verse 4, the Life and the Light; verse 18, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father. In verse 23 He is the Lord; in verse 29 He is Jesus and the Lamb of God. In verse 34 He is the Son of God. In verse 38 He is Rabbi (Master), in verse 41 Messias (the Christ), and in verse 45 He is Jesus of Nazareth. In verse 49 He is the King of Israel and in verse 51 He is the Son of Man.
Is there any need anyone could ever experience in life that this glorious One cannot supply? No!
The rest of John’s Gospel records examples of great needs and the perfect, gracious way in which the Lord lovingly meets them all. Let us briefly consider a few instances for our comfort and joy that we might render the praise and worship of our hearts to Him who alone is worthy.
“Haves” and “Have Nots”
In chapter 2 those invited to what, naturally speaking, is the happiest occasion in life a wedding ran out of joy. “They have no wine” (vs. 3). The One dwelling in the joy of the Father’s bosom then provides the best joy when all other had run out.
In chapter 3 a teacher of Israel (JND) had no knowledge. The Lord Jesus was, in Himself, the divine answer to all Nicodemus’s perplexities (vss. 9-10).
In chapter 4 a Samaritan woman, having tried six different men in her life, had no husband. The Lord Jesus, the seventh, so fully meets her empty heart’s yearning she says, “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”
In chapter 5 one crippled for thirty-eight years had no man to help him enter the healing waters of Bethesda. The Son of Man heals the impotent man, not with Bethesda’s waters, but with His divine word.
In chapter 6 the great multitude that followed Jesus had no bread and His disciples had no ability to satisfy them. But the Bread of Life (vs. 35) is there to fully meet and satisfy their hunger.
In chapter 7 the unbelieving Jews found no answers to their questions concerning Jesus (see vss. 11,15,26,35-36,41-42,48). Yet He promises living waters to all who come to Him for drink (vss. 37-38).
In chapter 8 the adulteress, taken in her guilt, stands before her tormentors with no excuse. But He who was full of grace and truth teaches her she need not fear, for she has no accusers (vss. 10-11).
In chapter 9 the eyes of one who had no sight are anointed by that divine Light which has come into this sin-blinded world. The man obeys, washes and sees for the first time in his life (vs. 7).
In chapter 10, sheep, having no shepherd, are at the mercy of thieves and robbers (vss. 1,8,10), of strangers (vs. 5), and of the hireling and the wolf (vs. 12). The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep, leading them into oneness, safety and blessing.
In chapter 11 a loved brother has no life (vs. 14). He who is the Resurrection and the Life calls forth the dead and he that was dead came forth alive (vs. 44).
In chapter 12, Gentiles who would see Jesus (vs. 21) have no access into His blessed presence until the Son of Man, as a corn of wheat, falls into the ground and dies, thus bringing forth much fruit.
In chapter 13 the disciples have no desire to serve each other until the perfect Servant teaches them loving humility by His example of foot washing.
In chapter 14 the disciples have no peace (vs. 1), no knowledge of the way to where the Lord is going (vs. 5) and no understanding of the Father (vs. 8). Yet He who is the way, the truth, and the life the only way to the Father and the One who has fully revealed the Father to them encourages the disciples to ask all in His name (vs. 14).
In chapter 15 the disciples have no fruit (except they abide in the true vine verses 1,4), and they have no strength to do anything for God. The Creator upholding all things by the word of His power promises both to those who are obedient.
In chapter 16 the disciples have no joy because He is going away. But the Man of sorrows who wept at Lazarus’ grave promises them the Comforter (vs. 7), that He will see them again and that they will have joy which no one can take away (vs. 22).
In chapter 17 the blessed Lord Himself has no work left to finish (vs. 4). Nine times in this precious chapter we read the Lord’s words, I have He has finished all, perfectly glorifying the Father in doing so, as He Himself is thus glorified.
In chapter 18 the Jews have no power against the I AM who had delivered them from Egypt’s slavery (vs. 8). Yet poor Peter seeking warmth at the world’s fire has no witness for the Lord Jesus.
In chapter 19 the chief priests, speaking for the nation of Israel, have no King (vs. 15), choosing Cæsar over Christ. The true King of Israel humbly and meekly goes to the cross and by His atoning death brings life to the hopeless who believe, but there is hopeless doom to those who reject Him.
In chapter 20 Mary Magdalene, finding the Lord’s empty tomb, felt she had no object for her heart’s affections (vss. 11,15). Her name spoken by the One who is eternal life and who had won her heart shows that she still possesses Him, but in a more blessed and living way (vs. 17).
In chapter 21 Peter and those with him have no results for their night’s work and they have no meat in the morning (vss. 3-4). The risen Lord graciously gives them a net full of fishes and a fire on shore with meat ready prepared to satisfy them (vss. 6,9).
“Christ Is All”
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31-32).
Do you feel like a “have not” in your Christian life? Take courage and “prove Me now... saith the Lord... I will... open... the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10).
Ed.