John on the Bottom Shelf
An Exposition of the Gospel of John for Children Chapter 34: Why a Part Two for the Gospel of John?
(John 13:1)
I wonder if you are one of those people who like it when a movie comes out with a part two? I hear that a frozen part two is coming out eventually. I definitely liked Home Alone part two. I didn't like the Lion King part two though, I felt we didn't need another one, the first one was so full. And there’s the point isn't it? If there is some part two that we like I’m sure we have some reason why we feel the world needed it.
Well when we come to John 13:1 we have to understand that we are coming to part two of John’s story. Part one runs from chapter one to chapter twelve, and part two runs from chapter thirteen to chapter twenty one. So we have to ask John why he felt the world needed this part two? And he tells us in this very first verse, it says “Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John says Jesus loved us in two ways and that’s why there are two parts to his story. Sort of like how your mother loved you in two ways when she brought you into this world. She loved you while you were in her tummy, probably by avoiding certain foods and things that would hurt you. But if she was going to actually bring you into this world that wouldn't be enough love. She would need to love you “all the way to the end” and actually endure the pain of childbirth. Well in the same way John says while Jesus was here He loved his disciples, but if He was going to actually bring them into the next world that love wouldn't be enough. He would need to love them “all the way to the end” and actually endure the pain of the cross. And that is what part two is all about and how could John not tell us about it? He felt he must write the part two.
Let’s sum it up this way then, in part one the story says “Jesus loved us very much”, in part two the story says “Jesus loved us this much” as we do with our hands (this much, this much, thiiiiis much!). That says John, is what we see in Jesus on the cross. That says John, is what this world needs to see. And that is why he has written this part two for his story.
Lesson Plan
Main Idea: Why a part two for the gospel of John?
Elaborated Idea: b/c Jesus not only loved his disciples very much, He loved them “this much” all
all the way to the end.
Purpose: to teach children why part two in the gospel of John was written
Doctrines: the Gospels, the Cross, the Love of God
Story: the two ways a mother loves her child when she brings them into the world
Discussion Questions
1. What are some movies you like that have a part two?
2. Which chapters in John’s gospel make up part one, and which chapters make up part two?Chapters 1-12 make up part one, chapters 13-21 make up part two.
3. Find the two places in John 13:1 where the love of Jesus is mentioned, how are these two just like the two ways a mother loves her child when she brings them into the world?
The first is “having loved His own who were in the world”, the second is “He loved them to the end”.
4. So how did Jeffrey say we could sum up what the story says in part one and part two?
In part one the story says “Jesus loved us very much”, in part two it says “Jesus loved us thiiiis much!”
5. So why did John feel he must write a part two for his story?
He felt he must tell us about this second love Jesus showed for us.