Our Pentateuch Bible Reading Schedule begins John. (There aren’t enough chapters in Genesis – Deuteronomy to fill 52 5-day weeks!) In contrast to reading a chapter/day in the Pentateuch as reading less material than usual, reading a whole chapter of John per day is a lot! So I’m not committing to blogging on all of John, just a few highlights.

And I saw something from chapter 1 I hadn’t seen before:

There was a man having been sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the Light, so that all might believe through him. (John 1.6, 7, LSB)

A witness “so that all might believe through him.” If that was John’s mission, he failed! Jesus certainly didn’t experience universal belief because of John’s ministry of preparation.

But the text says that a few sentences later:

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to what was His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. (John 1.9 – 11, LSB)

“His own did not receive him.” But some did…

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1.12, 13, LSB)

It was the case in Jesus’ ministry and in the rest of the New Testament: some believe, some don’t. There are no sure-fire methods.

When [the Jews in Rome] had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. (Acts 28.23, 24, ESV)

Our job is to stay with it:

And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking [in Corinth] and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18.9 – 11, ESV)