John

In the beginning, the Word was with God and was God, yet he chose to come and live among us.  His life is the light that enlightens us, and the darkness has not overcome it.

When John says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, he is talking about Jesus, the only Son of the Father. Jesus invites us to be sons and daughters of God also.

The Gospel of John shows us Jesus Christ, who is both God and man and Son of the Father. It provides spiritual insights that go beyond what the other Gospels have, so that we can believe and have life.

The religious authorities want to know who John the Baptist is.  John is more interested in identifying who Jesus is.  That's the central question for us, too.

As Jesus gathers disciples, they try to decide who he is.  He invites them to “Come and see.”  Jesus says that to us, too.  What is he inviting you to see right now?

At the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus turns water into wine. It is far more than a miracle; it is a sign that God is present, calling us to “Do whatever he tells you.”

Jesus cleanses the Temple, removing the sacrificial lambs he will one day take the place of. Where do we need his cleansing in the “temple” of our own life?

Jesus tells us we need to be born again/from above in order to enter his kingdom.  What does this mean, and what might our life look like if we are born from above?

God loves us with an incomprehensibly immense love.  But he doesn’t force us to accept it.  People can choose to live in the darkness without him.

John the Baptist sees from God’s perspective and provides a role model for avoiding jealousy. How can we allow Jesus to increase in our lives?

Jesus helps the Samaritan woman sort out some religious questions and come to faith in him.  How do we move from know about God to having faith in him?

The fields are ripe for harvest. What can we learn from the Samaritan woman and Jesus about how to tell others about Jesus?

Jesus’s word was enough for the royal official. How much faith do you place in Jesus’s word?

Jesus told the paralytic man to “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.” Where is Jesus calling you to take a step of faith right now?

Jesus gets in trouble for healing a man on the Sabbath. No one seems to care that God has done a marvelous deed. In what ways do we miss what God is doing by being too focused on rules and protocol?

Jesus provides evidence that he comes from the Father and challenges the religious leaders to search the Scriptures to find him. How eagerly do we search the Scriptures and accept what he says?

Jesus feeds a multitude by multiplying loaves of bread. The people miss the point. How are we vulnerable to missing the point of what God is trying to do?

Jesus spends time alone, leaving the disciples to get across the lake without him. When he walks on the water and joins them, they reach their destination. How do we handle the times when we don’t feel his presence?

The work of God is that we believe in Jesus. How can we treat believing as an action that brings us into relationship with the person Jesus?

When Jesus says that he is the Bread of Life, some people grumble. Jesus calls us to believe him and have eternal life. How might grumbling undermine our faith?

Jesus tells us to eat his flesh and drink his blood.  How does your celebration of the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist/Holy Communion reflect this teaching?

Some disciples leave Jesus. Peter says, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” How is your life built on that kind of commitment to Jesus?

Jesus had a clear awareness of his overall mission and when was the right moment for specific actions, and he did not let any temptations get in the way. How can you cultivate your sense of God’s timing and avoid temptations that might keep you from your mission?

Jesus offers rivers of living water, referring to the Holy Spirit. Some believe in him, some have questions, and some reject him. How can you let the Holy Spirit flow more fully through you?

Some men asked Jesus if would support the execution of a woman caught in adultery. Jesus’s response models mercy and does not support executing people. Can we embrace his approach?

Jesus is the light of the world who gives us the light of life so that we do not have to walk in darkness. To know him is to know the Father. How can we embrace Jesus as the light of our lives and keep knowing him better?

Jesus tells us to abide in his word and know the truth, which will set us free. He tells the religious leaders who relied on the fact that they were children of Abraham: “Before Abraham was, I AM.” How can we abide in him, know the truth, and allow him to set us free?

Jesus illustrates that he is the light of the world as he heals a blind man and addresses the spiritual blindness of those who reject his work. How can we embrace Jesus’s light?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who provides for his sheep and lays down his life for his sheep. How does Jesus act as a good shepherd in your life?

Jesus says, “My sheep follow me.” We are his sheep. How do we follow him? Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” Why is that important?

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. How does he want to give new life to you, and how can you receive it?

Jesus asks us to take a towel and wash each other’s feet.  He modeled it first and then told us to do the same.  Where is the towel that is waiting for you?

The disciples don’t understand the Resurrection at first. Why is it so central to the Christian faith?

Jesus appears to the disciples, imparts the Holy Spirit to them, commissions them, and gives special attention to Thomas’s need to see him.  What do you need to hear from the risen Lord?

Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of the Gospel of John.