Under an Open Heaven

Book excerpt: When the gospel of John was written, the world was in turmoil. Jerusalem was collapsing, the empire was eroding, and the church was fighting for its life. The early believers needed a theology to strengthen their souls and steady their nerves--a theology found in this often enigmatic gospel. In our similar times of turbulence, we too need to know that the abundant life under the opened heaven John describes is not just conceivable--it's a promise. John E. Johnson is determined to reveal the relevance of John's gospel to today's Christian. To do so, he explores various conversations found in its pages and applies them to our modern world. Jesus converses with family, answers the questions of religious leaders, and steps into dialogue with people whose names we never know but whose struggles we can relate to. They aren't always straightforward chats, Johnson readily admits. Yet that is what makes them so beautifully applicable to the messiness of life. For readers tired of living confined lives, frustrated by failure, or starving in the midst of plenty, the conversations in John tell them life doesn't have to stay small. There is a whole new world made possible under God's open heaven.