4 Gospels: Why?

The Bible.  Let's figure this out.

Ok, so I suggested starting with the Gospels.  Here are some things that could help.

There's four.  What's up with that?

Four different guys wrote down their recollections of the things Jesus said and did.  It's like you and
your friends writing about what you did together last Saturday.  You'd all have different details because you experienced things from different angles, but generally you'd tell the same overall story.

This is the beauty of several different people sharing their take on experiencing Jesus.

Lots of people think Mark was the first because almost all of this material can be found in Matthew and Luke as well.  The idea is that Matthew and Luke borrowed from Mark's text and added things they knew.

Mark wasn't a disciple.  He was a friend of Peter.  So, mainly the Gospel of Mark is Mark writing down the things Peter shared.

Matthew focuses a bit more on how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament stuff.

Luke emphasizes how Jesus reached out to people on the fringes of society. 

John is way different.  While the other three tellings focus on just writing down what Jesus did and said, John, who was a disciple, explains the significance and meaning of it all.  His is not told chronologically, but more in a thematic way. 

Some big deals in the Gospels are Matthew 5-7 and John 14-16. 
The first is the so-called "Sermon on the Mount" where Jesus tells what it's like to really live the life God longs for us to live.  It sounds quite crazy actually. 

The good news is that John 14-16 tells us how we can actually do it. 

You'll notice that all four tell the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, but mainly as an event.  They don't really get into what that all means for us.  The rest of the New Testament unpacks just what Jesus' death and resurrection did for us and how we can now live in the affection of the Father. 

This is just a little bit to give you some background.  When you read the Gospels, read to experience this Jesus, the same one living inside you now.  Meet Him, feel His love, learn from His encouragement.