Sermon on John 2:13-22, Jesus entering the temple, making a ruckus and cleansing it. Why? To redeem and restore its true purpose.

Jesus first miracle recorded in the gospel of John is as a guest at a wedding he turned water into wine. More than showing off his power or making sure people had a good time, this was to show that with Jesus, the best comes now with Him. Everything else must make room for and fit around Him.

Come and see. Those three simple words form the invitation Jesus gives those first few followers who were interested in who He was and what He was up to in John 1:35-51. It's the same invitation for followers of Christ today.

What is greatness? Is it popularity? Prestige? Opinions of others? Mighty and good works? Influence?

In John 1:19-34 we get a picture of true greatness that runs counter to all other depictions.

In the opening verses of John 1:1-8, we get a glimpse of the great themes and a major focus of John's Gospel - Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the One who comes to reveal the deepest and truest things of God. Particularly, Jesus reveals God's love for the world. It's only as we see God's love for us and His world in Christ, the Son of God, who overcomes the darkness and overwhelms all our resistance, that we and the world can come to believe in and come alive to God.