This week we begin a new study, focusing exclusively on the words of Jesus—the Red Letters—found in the Gospel of John. But before we dive in, we need to ask ourselves: Why? Why study the words of Jesus apart from the black text?
Perhaps the best place to begin is John 1:1–5, where John introduces us to our Lord. He is the Word, who was in the beginning with God and was God. Through Him all things were made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men—a light that shines in the darkness, which the darkness cannot overcome. What a profound picture of our Savior! The words we are about to study come from the One who is Himself the Word.
For me, the purpose of this study is found in John 15:7: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
Radical words. Words that invite us into a deeper understanding of what it means to follow Christ. But if I am going to take them at face value, I must also be willing to live by them. What does it mean to abide in Christ? And what does it look like for His words to abide in me?
These are the questions I hope we will explore together as we spend time in the words of our Savior.
