An Interactive, Book-by-Book Bible Study for Adults. John s Gospel (John 1-11): One Word, One Life, One Way. Study Guide

Transcription

1 An Interactive, Book-by-Book Bible Study for Adults John s Gospel (John 1-11): One Word, One Life, One Way Study Guide Fall 2013

2 The ABC s Of Salvation Some people think a personal relationship with God is something only theologians can comprehend. Actually, God s plan of salvation is simple enough for everyone to understand. Here are the ABC s of salvation. Admit Admit to God that you are a sinner. All persons need salvation. Each of us has a problem the Bible calls sin. Sin is a refusal to acknowledge God s authority over our lives. Everyone who does not live a life of perfect obedience to the Lord is guilty of sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Since none of us is perfect, all of us are sinners (Romans 3:10-18). The result of sin is spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Spiritual death means eternal separation from God. By God s perfect standard we are guilty of sin and therefore subject to the punishment for sin, which is separation from God. Admitting that you are a sinner and separated from God is the first step of repentance, which is turning from sin and self and turning toward God. Believe Believe in Jesus Christ as God s Son and receive Jesus gift of forgiveness from sin. God loves each of us. God offers us salvation. Although we have done nothing to deserve His love and salvation, God wants to save us. In the death of Jesus on the cross, God provided salvation for all who would repent of their sins and believe in Jesus. For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Confess Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to others. After you have received Jesus Christ into your life, share your decision with another person. Tell your pastor or a Christian friend about your decision. Following Christ s example, ask for baptism by immersion in your local church as a public expression of your faith. If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

3 Jordan Land of Jesus Ministry JOHN 4:1 42; 10:40; 11:7 LUKE 9:51 56; 17:11 19; 18:31 19:9 MATT. 19:1 City City (uncertain location) Mountain peak Travels of Jesus Route to Jerusalem through Perea N S E A E R R A N E A Mt. Carmel Dora 35 E 3 Ptolemais (Acco) Kishon R. Geba Beth-shearim SAMARIA Jesus visits Samaria, but is rejected Jesus addresses a Samaritan woman at Jacob s Well Ginae (Jenin) Sebaste (Samaria) Mt. Gerizim Sepphoris TYRE Nazareth Upper Galilee Esdraelon Valley Mt. Ebal Mt. Tabor Tabor Nain Mt. Gilboa Scythopolis (Beth-shan) Merom Tiberias Lake Huleh Thella Chorazin Capernaum Bethsaida Gennesaret Gergesa Gabara Magdala Sea of Cana Galilee Arbela Gamala Lower Galilee Sychar Acrabeta Aenon Salim R. Jordan Pella GAULANITIS Hippos Yarmuk R. Gadara DECAPOLIS Site where Jerusalem Christians fled just before Rome destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70 Jabbok R. 32 N M E D I T Arimathea Lebonah Ephraim (Ophrah) R. PEREA Gedor (Gadara) Emmaus JUDEA Jerusalem Bethany Jericho Bethlehem The road where the story of the good Samaritan takes place Mt. Nebo Site where John the Baptist was beheaded Machaerus Esbus (Heshbon) Miles Kilometers DEAD SEA Arnon R. 35 E 3 Land of Jesus Ministry is adapted from The Holman Bible Atlas 1998 B&H Publishing Group, page 225. Used by permission.

4 D I S C O V E R Y STUDY GUIDE Contents Fall 2013 JOHN S GOSPEL (JOHN 1 11): One Word, One Life, One Way Unit One: The Word from Eternity 10 September 1 God Revealed John 1: September 8 Jesus Identified John 1: September 15 Authority Acknowledged John 2: September 22 Salvation Offered John 3: Unit Two: The Word with Power 36 September 29 The Power to Give Life John 4: October 6 The Power to Save John 4: October 13 The Power to Heal John 5: October 20 The Power to Meet Needs John 6: Unit Three: The Word for Challenging Situations 62 October 27 Asking Questions About Jesus? John 7: November 3 Wondering About Judgment? John 7:53 8:59 69 November 10 Doubting Jesus Power? John 9: November 17 Feeling Insecure? John 10: November 24 Dealing with Death? John 11: special articles & features Plan of Salvation 2 Make the Most of Discovery Study Guide 4 Franchising Your Sunday School 35 The Right Class Projects 61 Breaking All the Rules 93 The Word in John s Gospel 94 Memory Verse Cards 97 Map: Land in Jesus Ministry 99 DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 3

5 REFLECT & RESPOND: Make the Most of Your Explore the Bible Discovery Study Guide There s a fresh, new look in Discovery Study Guide. We have enhanced the features you ve come to rely on for a personal and practical study of the Bible and we ve added new elements as well. Here are some ways to help you make the most of Discovery Study Guide. Unit One Jesus offered a lot of life; John took Him up on it. Jesus shed light; John chose to walk in it. Jesus revealed glory; John chose to behold it. Jesus delivered truth; John believed it. BETH MOORE, BELOVED DISCIPLE 1 1 Beth Moore, Beloved Disciple: The Life and Ministry of John (Nashville: LifeWay Press, 2002), EXPLORE THE BIBLE 12 EXPLORE THE BIBLE Consider This: Martin felt a little guilty when he realized he had overlooked Administrative Professionals Day on April 24 and Teacher Appreciation Day on May 7. He determined to remember to express appreciation for his grandparents on September 8, his boss on October 16, and his pastor the entire month of October. Think of someone you appreciate. Why do you appreciate that person? How do you express that appreciation? Now think of someone you love. Why do you love that person? How do you express your love? Expressing appreciative love is challenging. That s why Hallmark and florists stay in business and composers pen love songs. It s one reason the apostle John wrote his Gospel. This eyewitness to Jesus earthly ministry deeply loved and appreciated Christ not just because of what He did but because of who He was. John proclaimed with his opening words that Jesus was not just a good Man, Miracle Worker, and Master Teacher. Jesus Christ always has been, is now, and always will be God. He chose to become one of us to bring us life, grace, and truth. Appreciation for that incomprehensible gift cannot be expressed with a card or cake; it must be expressed with a life. What s the difference between expressing appreciation with a gift and a life? In the first 18 verses of his Gospel, known as the prologue, John introduced amazingly beautiful facets of Jesus Christ that he polished with details throughout the book. Pull out your spiritual shovel and dig into these lofty terms and details. The deeper you dig, the higher your appreciation and love for Jesus will rise. Memory Verse WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1 God Revealed How can my life reflect appreciation for who Jesus is? Background Passage: John 1:1-18 Lesson Passages: John 1:1-5,9-14,16-18 John 1:1-5 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1: The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1: Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son the One who is at the Father s side He has revealed Him. Recognize the Word When there s so much of everything, appreciating anything becomes a challenge. How do we choose from aisles of cereals and cold remedies? How do we choose which words to incorporate into our lives when we re bombarded with words from texts, tweets, TVs? Read John 1:1-5 and circle the each time it appears. If we re going to appreciate Jesus fully, we ve got to recognize Him as the Word among so many words telling us what to do and who to be. The task isn t easy, but that doesn t mean we don t try to deepen our understanding. We express appreciation for loved ones by continually striving to know them better. Ancient people used words sparingly because they considered words living realities inseparable from events. Contrast the 10,000 words in Hebrew speech with new terms coined daily in our culture. Despite our literary glut, we still understand that words are important. What is the power of words? The Word was an extension and expression of the preexistent, eternal Creator God. This Word is not a philosophy; He s a Person. A relationship with Jesus, not religion, brings light and life. Even though Satan has worked viciously and vigorously to prevent people from recognizing the Word, he s never been able to extinguish His light. How can you recognize the Word amid the bombardment of words in our culture? Key Words In the beginning John spoke of the beginning before the beginning referenced in Genesis 1:1. Jesus Christ is eternal and preexisted before the world s creation. Word divine self-expression that actively works in creation and people s lives life A key theme in John s writings: referenced 36 times in his Gospel, 14 times in 1 John, and 18 times in Revelation (varies with translation). This author/apostle wanted readers to grasp that existence as God intended is only possible through a committed relationship with Jesus Christ. receive welcome (AMP); accept (NCV) right to be Also translated authority, power, privilege (AMP). We cannot be saved apart from what God does and allows. became flesh Christ did not cease being God when He came to earth. The eternally preexistent Word chose for a time to take on the limitations of humanity (with the exception that He did not sin). took up residence literally pitched His tent, alluding to God s presence among the Israelites in the tabernacle (see Ex. 33:7-11). One and Only Son This phrase can mean one of a kind, as in someone s only child (see Luke 7:12; 8:42; 9:38), or incomparable, as in someone s extraordinarily special child (see Heb. 11:17). grace after grace one blessing after another (CEV, GNT); grace in place of grace already given (NIV). We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift (MSG). DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 11 week of September 1 P E R S O N A L D I S C O V E R Y What kinds of words receive most of your attention? How can you give more attention to the Word? How does the Word clarify and condense all the words that bombard you? How does that lead you to appreciate Jesus more deeply? DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 13 BEFORE Read the lesson passage in your Bible. Compare your translation with the one used in Discovery. Review Key Words. Mark additional words in the Bible passage that need clarification. Read Consider This and respond to the questions. Record your own thoughts, reflections, and responses in Reflect and Respond as you study the lesson. (Complete the lesson in one day or work through a section each day.) Spend time pondering your response to the Personal Discovery questions. 4 EXPLORE THE BIBLE

6 Intentional Living: We sometimes fail to appreciate people because we gloss over them without even seeing them. We may fail to appreciate Jesus for the same reason. John challenges us to look at Jesus and appreciate Him for who He is the eternal Creator God who gives life, embodies glory, shines truth, and dispenses grace. Determine to grow deeper in your understanding and appreciation of Jesus uniqueness, beauty, and value. There s no set formula to make that happen, but certainly prayer, Bible study, private and corporate worship, and fellowship with other believers will be involved. Welcome Him into every corner of your life. How will you show others with words and actions that you appreciate them? How is that a way of expressing appreciation for Jesus? What are ways you can carry on Jesus task of revealing the Father to this world? How will you take time to be still, and know and appreciate Jesus? (Ps. 46:10, KJV). In the space below, write the needs of members of your Bible study group. Commit to ask Christ to speak His word of grace and truth and reveal His glory in each situation. 16 EXPLORE THE BIBLE Coming Next Week: Read John 1: What deeper insights do you gain into Jesus identity? How does that help you appreciate Him even more? Conclude your study by focusing on the Intentional Living ideas on the final page of each lesson. DURING Bring your Discovery with you to the group Bible study. Participate in the group experience by adding to the discussion of the Scripture and its implications for your life. Record additional thoughts and ideas gleaned from others in your Bible study group. Use the space in Intentional Living to record prayer concerns, ministry and mission ideas, and other responses to the truths of the lesson. Take note of Coming Next Week to begin thinking about the next study. AFTER Use the weekly Memory Verse cards and feature articles to enhance your Bible study and highlight life-application. Review insights gained and prayer requests shared. Go Deep! Explore the Bible Adult. Commentary (available as a purchasable download at HCSB Study Bible ( For Leaders: Make a Bigger Impact in Your Class FREE teaching plans written exclusively for Discovery Study Guide ( QuickSource ( Biblical Illustrator and Biblical Illustrator PLUS ( DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 5

7 Discovery Study Guide Volume 7, No. 1 Fall 2013 PPRODUCTION TEAM DWAYNE McCRARY Team Leader PHILIP NATION Director, Adult Ministry Publishing FAITH WHATLEY Director, Adult Ministry Special thanks to Judi Hayes for her help on this issue. Send questions/comments to Editor, ETB Discovery One LifeWay Plaza Nashville, TN Or make comments on the Web at Printed in the United States of America EXPLORE THE BIBLE: Discovery Adult Study Guide (ISSN ) is published quarterly by LifeWay, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President, 2013 LifeWay. For ordering or inquiries VISIT or WRITE LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN For subscriptions or subscription address changes subscribe@lifeway.com, FAX , or WRITE to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, orderentry@lifeway.com, FAX or WRITE to the above address. We believe the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy.to review LifeWay s doctrinal guideline, please visit guideline. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB, and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Suggestions for pronouncing Bible names are from That s Easy for You to Say: Your Quick Guide to Pronouncing Bible Names, by W. Murray Severance, copyright 1997 by Broadman & Holman Publishers. Used by permission. Printed in the United States of America. AMP Scripture quotations taken from The Amplified Bible, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( CEV Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version. Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. ESV Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. GNT Good News Translation (Today s English Version, Second edition). Copyright 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. KJV King James Version of the Bible MSG, Message The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. NASB Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission (www. lockman.org). NCV Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. NLT Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL USA. All rights reserved. Phillips Reprinted with permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. from J. B. Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition. J. B. Phillips 1958, 1960, Images in John s Gospel Living Water. Bread of life. Light of the world. The Word. John s Gospel is full of wonderful images of Jesus. Images you can engage with your senses. Images that are easy to understand and fun and intriguing to think about. What s your favorite? Working on these lessons, I ve thought about my favorite. As a writer and editor, I m drawn to the image of Jesus at the beginning of the Gospel of John Jesus as the Word. Not just any word but the Word. The agent of creation. The first and last Word, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End of all things. That image can capture all the rest. But honestly, at this time of year, I m drawn to Jesus as the Light of the world. The days are getting shorter with less light. Winter is coming. I ll be longing for spring. But Jesus is the Eternal Light. In Him there is no darkness at all. Whatever the winters of life bring, He is a constant presence, bringing both warmth and light to any situation or circumstance. As you read and study through the book of John, choose an image that appeals to you and look for it in your everyday life. Enjoy! Judi S. Hayes Judi S. Hayes All images in Discovery Study Guide are istock Photo.com. Download FREE teaching plans for Discovery online at 6 EXPLORE THE BIBLE

8 The Word became flesh and took up residence AMONG US. We observed His glory, glory the as the One & Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 7

9 John s Gospel (John 1 11): One Word, One Life, One Way I ASSURE you: ANYONE who BELIEVES has ETERNAL LIFE. John 6:47 Some people choose to document moments of their loved ones lives with a video camera. Others upload pictures to create professional-looking photo books. Then there are the scrapbookers who carefully choose just the right photographs, art, and captions to convey the story they want to tell. The Gospel writer John was a scrapbooker. He did not keep the video camera running to capture everything Jesus said and did; he provided snapshots to highlight significant moments and themes of His Lord s life. John was qualified to scrapbook Jesus life. One of three apostles in Jesus inner circle, John was an eyewitness to Jesus earthly ministry. He may have been Jesus closest human friend, entrusted to care for His mother Mary after His departure. Although an aged John wrote his Gospel 60 to 70 years after Jesus resurrection, it is apparent that time increased, rather than diminished, his awe of and love for his Lord. 8 EXPLORE THE BIBLE

10 Unlike the other three Gospels that begin with Jesus birth or baptism, John opened with a magnificent prologue (1:1-18) declaring Jesus to be the preexistent Word of God. He fleshed out themes from that prologue in chapters 1 11 as he focused on Jesus three-year public ministry. (Chapters focus on the last weeks of Jesus life and will be examined in the Winter edition of Explore the Bible.) Sometimes John provided snapshots of Jesus in intimate conversations with individuals such as Nicodemus or the woman at the well. On other scrapbook pages John detailed seven of Jesus miracles he labeled signs because they pointed to Jesus power, authority, and Deity. The apostle acknowledged Jesus performed far more signs than he recorded As you examine John s portrayal of his Lord s life, allow the Word made flesh to take up residence in your heart. and stated the reason he chose to highlight the snapshots he did was so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31). As you examine John s lovingly and masterfully crafted portrayal of his Lord s life, allow the Word made flesh to take up residence in your heart and speak truth, light, and life to you and through you. Meet the Writer: Amy Summers lives in Arden, North Carolina. She teaches a women s Sunday School class and is involved in the worship ministry at Trinity of Fairview Baptist Church. She and her husband, Stephen, have two children in college and one in high school. DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 9

11 Unit One Jesus offered a lot of life; John took Him up on it. Jesus shed light; John chose to walk in it. Jesus revealed glory; John chose to behold it. Jesus delivered truth; John believed it. BETH MOORE, BELOVED DISCIPLE Beth Moore, Beloved Disciple: The Life and Ministry of John (Nashville: LifeWay Press, 2002), 97. E X P LO R E T H E B I B L E

12 WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1 How can my life reflect appreciation for who Jesus is? Background Passage: John 1:1-18 Lesson Passages: John 1:1-5,9-14,16-18 God Revealed John 1:1-5 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1: The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1: Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son the One who is at the Father s side He has revealed Him. Key Words In the beginning John spoke of the beginning before the beginning referenced in Genesis 1:1. Jesus Christ is eternal and preexisted before the world s creation. Word divine self-expression that actively works in creation and people s lives life A key theme in John s writings: referenced 36 times in his Gospel, 14 times in 1 John, and 18 times in Revelation (varies with translation). This author/apostle wanted readers to grasp that existence as God intended is only possible through a committed relationship with Jesus Christ. receive welcome (AMP); accept (NCV) right to be Also translated authority, power, privilege (AMP). We cannot be saved apart from what God does and allows. became flesh Christ did not cease being God when He came to earth. The eternally preexistent Word chose for a time to take on the limitations of humanity (with the exception that He did not sin). took up residence literally pitched His tent, alluding to God s presence among the Israelites in the tabernacle (see Ex. 33:7-11). One and Only Son This phrase can mean one of a kind, as in someone s only child (see Luke 7:12; 8:42; 9:38), or incomparable, as in someone s extraordinarily special child (see Heb. 11:17). grace after grace one blessing after another (CEV, GNT); grace in place of grace already given (NIV). We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift (MSG). Memory Verse DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 11

13 Consider This: Martin felt a little guilty when he realized he had overlooked Administrative Professionals Day on April 24 and Teacher Appreciation Day on May 7. He determined to remember to express appreciation for his grandparents on September 8, his boss on October 16, and his pastor the entire month of October. Think of someone you appreciate. Why do you appreciate that person? How do you express that appreciation? Now think of someone you love. Why do you love that person? How do you express your love? Expressing appreciative love is challenging. That s why Hallmark and florists stay in business and composers pen love songs. It s one reason the apostle John wrote his Gospel. This eyewitness to Jesus earthly ministry deeply loved and appreciated Christ not just because of what He did but because of who He was. John proclaimed with his opening words that Jesus was not just a good Man, Miracle Worker, and Master Teacher. Jesus Christ always has been, is now, and always will be God. He chose to become one of us to bring us life, grace, and truth. Appreciation for that incomprehensible gift cannot be expressed with a card or cake; it must be expressed with a life. What s the difference between expressing appreciation with a gift and a life? In the first 18 verses of his Gospel, known as the prologue, John introduced amazingly beautiful facets of Jesus Christ that he polished with details throughout the book. Pull out your spiritual shovel and dig into these lofty terms and details. The deeper you dig, the higher your appreciation and love for Jesus will rise. 12 EXPLORE THE BIBLE

14 week of September 1 REFLECT & RESPOND: Recognize the Word When there s so much of everything, appreciating anything becomes a challenge. How do we choose from aisles of cereals and cold remedies? How do we choose which words to incorporate into our lives when we re bombarded with words from texts, tweets, TVs? Read John 1:1-5 and circle the each time it appears. If we re going to appreciate Jesus fully, we ve got to recognize Him as the Word among so many words telling us what to do and who to be. The task isn t easy, but that doesn t mean we don t try to deepen our understanding. We express appreciation for loved ones by continually striving to know them better. Ancient people used words sparingly because they considered words living realities inseparable from events. Contrast the 10,000 words in Hebrew speech with new terms coined daily in our culture. Despite our literary glut, we still understand that words are important. What is the power of words? The Word was an extension and expression of the preexistent, eternal Creator God. This Word is not a philosophy; He s a Person. A relationship with Jesus, not religion, brings light and life. Even though Satan has worked viciously and vigorously to prevent people from recognizing the Word, he s never been able to extinguish His light. How can you recognize the Word amid the bombardment of words in our culture? P E R S O N A L D I S C O V E R Y What kinds of words receive most of your attention? How can you give more attention to the Word? How does the Word clarify and condense all the words that bombard you? How does that lead you to appreciate Jesus more deeply? DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 13

15 P E R S O N A L D I S C O V E R Y Do you consistently welcome Jesus into your life, or do you sometimes close the door in His face? What evidence backs up your answer? How can you be more open to recognizing and receiving Jesus on a daily/hourly basis? Welcome the Light People respond differently to light. Some squint and duck into shadows. Others gratefully embrace light with open eyes. Read John 1:9-14 and contrast responses to the true light. The Word shone too brightly for those who preferred religion s darkness. They clenched their eyes and refused to receive Him. How do you welcome someone? How does that help you understand how to welcome the True Light? I don t always welcome light because it means I ve got to wake up and get moving and because light reveals all the dust and grime that need cleaning. Yet I appreciate light because it brings warmth and newness. I choose to put forth energy and effort into welcoming others into my life because of the warmth, new perspectives, and joy I gain from their presence. What is gained from welcoming Jesus into our lives? If you have committed your life to Christ, God has given you the right to be His child. Most parents, imperfect as they are, give everything they are and have to their children. So try to wrap your mind around what God gives children who have been born into His family! God didn t work this amazing birth miracle from a safe distance. He wrapped human flesh around His divine nature and pitched His tent next to yours. There s nothing like camping to bring out the real person. Those privileged to camp with Jesus did not see impatience and irritability seep out. All that came out was glory, grace, and truth because that s who He was. That s the kind of Light we can appreciate and daily welcome into our desires, relationships, work, wallets, and lives. 14 EXPLORE THE BIBLE

16 week of September 1 Experience the Revelation REFLECT & RESPOND: John stacked amazing facts upon incredible truths until he reached a magnificent climax. Finally he named this Word, Life, and Light that became flesh. Read John 1:16-18 out loud, repeating the most amazing statements that jump out at you. Compare what Moses and Jesus brought to people. Why is Jesus superior? John was not saying the law was bad; he was indicating different stages in God s reaching out to humanity. Moses, the servant, revealed God s holiness with a standard of righteousness no one could meet. Jesus, the Son, provided a full revelation of God and met His perfect standards for us. Now we understand more fully why John called Jesus the Word. We use words to reveal ourselves to others. Jesus was the Word by which God explained and revealed Himself to the world. Pilgrims to the Emerald City were terrified of the great Wizard of Oz. But when the curtain fell to reveal the wizard, they discovered a small, ordinary man. That is not the case with God. Jesus tore the curtain to reveal a God who for the believer becomes consistently bigger, deeper, holier, more loving, kind, faithful, and awesome. The more of God that is revealed, the more we experience His truth, glory, and grace. What image would you use to illustrate how Christ gives grace to those who seek to experience Him? Grace after grace is ours when we experience the revelation of God through Christ. This is not an eyedropper life with blessings pinched out occasionally. This is a Niagara Falls experience overflowing, overwhelming, and spilling over onto others. We express appreciation for Jesus by exploring and experiencing God and by extending His grace after grace to others. P E R S O N A L D I S C O V E R Y Why would God reveal Himself to you? What does your answer reveal about how you feel about yourself and Christ? What measure do you use to dispense grace to others? How can you express your appreciation for Jesus in your relationships with other people? DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE 15

17 Intentional Living: We sometimes fail to appreciate people because we gloss over them without even seeing them. We may fail to appreciate Jesus for the same reason. John challenges us to look at Jesus and appreciate Him for who He is the eternal Creator God who gives life, embodies glory, shines truth, and dispenses grace. Determine to grow deeper in your understanding and appreciation of Jesus uniqueness, beauty, and value. There s no set formula to make that happen, but certainly prayer, Bible study, private and corporate worship, and fellowship with other believers will be involved. Welcome Him into every corner of your life. How will you show others with words and actions that you appreciate them? How is that a way of expressing appreciation for Jesus? What are ways you can carry on Jesus task of revealing the Father to this world? How will you take time to be still, and know and appreciate Jesus? (Ps. 46:10, KJV). In the space below, write the needs of members of your Bible study group. Commit to ask Christ to speak His word of grace and truth and reveal His glory in each situation. Coming Next Week: Read John 1: What deeper insights do you gain into Jesus identity? How does that help you appreciate Him even more? 16 EXPLORE THE BIBLE