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John 20:30-31
March 27, 2026 by Rebecca Littlejohn
DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
John 20:30-31 – Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. (NRSV)
This weekend is the one-year anniversary of our church’s commitment to become an officially Open & Affirming Congregation. You can read the statement that proclaims this intention on our website by clicking here. We will be celebrating this commitment briefly in worship this Sunday, but it’s also an important moment to reflect on what it means.
Why did we take this step? Who is it for? Did we make this statement to make ourselves feel better? To prove something to our de-churched friends with preconceptions about “church people”? Or did we do it for the ones in need of welcome, who might not otherwise dare enter a church building unless it is made crystal clear that they will be embraced just as they are?
The writer of the gospel of John is clear that the point of the gospels was not to be like a photo album for the original disciples to assist in reminiscing about their time with Jesus. The point of the gospel was for those who come later, those who weren’t there yet, those whose only experience of Jesus would be the love his disciples shared with them. Our Open & Affirming Statement is sort of like that. It’s not just for us; it’s for those who need it, those who are still longing for a community of faith that recognizes their preciousness and worth in the eyes of God and treats them accordingly.
And just like the gospel, our Open & Affirming Statement is also a call to each us to continue learning and growing, so that we can live up to those aspirations more faithfully. We are only one year in; there are countless issues we still need a deeper understanding of, so that we can share Christ’s welcome more adeptly. We’ve come a long way in this first year, but there’s so much more we can do! Let us give thanks for Christ Jesus, who walks alongside us, helping us share the good news!