1717 BIBLE STUDIES
Gospel Study
Gospel of John (Part 1)
“Your Word Is Truth” (John 17:17)
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Overview
Study: Gospel of John (Part 1)
Theme: Light and Life
Life cannot exist without light, water, and food. That is true both scientifically and theologically. First in the order of creation was the creation of light (Genesis 1:3). Second was the separation of the waters (Genesis 1:6). Finally, God made food (Genesis 1:30). Everyone needs light to see. Everyone needs life, which God alone can provide (John 10:10). Everyone needs food (John 6:48). This series of lessons will introduce the Gospel of John, the “spiritual Gospel,” as an early Christian theologian called it. In Part 1, students will learn about the themes of light and life from John the Baptist, Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, the apostle John, and Jesus himself.
How To Use
- Each week has a lesson aim, lesson text, and supplemental text.
- Tabs indicate the week of each lesson.
- Each week features three sections: Study, Application, and Discovery.
- Use the Discovery questions to study, discuss, and apply the Scripture passages in a group or class.
Introduction
Author
Although he is not identified in this Gospel account, aside from describing himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 20, 24), the apostle John has long been recognized as the author of the fourth Gospel. Both internal evidence and the witness of early church leaders identify the apostle John as the author.
Audience
John’s Gospel was likely to have been written in Ephesus to both Jewish and Gentile Christians of the late first century. John’s purpose was to encourage the Christian community and to reinforce belief in Jesus’ divinity. John states that his Gospel was “written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:31, New International Version).
Date
John’s Gospel has traditionally been dated after the writing of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Church tradition has John spending his final years in Ephesus and writing his Gospel account, along with his letters, late in life. The fourth Gospel is often dated between 85 and 95.
Setting
Church tradition says that the apostle John, along with Mary, Jesus’ mother, relocated to the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor after the destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70. From this location, John wrote his Gospel and his letters to both encourage the early saints and to assure them of the divinity of Jesus.
Theme
Jerome (c.345-420), one of the early leaders of the church, described John’s Gospel as a “spiritual Gospel.” While the Synoptic Gospels provide an historical overview of Jesus’ life, Jerome contended that John’s Gospel was more theological and reflective. John’s themes in his Gospel include the Divinity of Jesus (1:1-3, 1:14, 5:18, 8:58, 10:30, 14:9, 20:28, 20:31), Light versus Darkness (1:4-5, 3:19-21, 8:12, 12:35-36, 12:46), Love (3:16, 13:1, 13:34-35, 15:9-13), Truth (1:17, 4:23-24, 8:31-32, 8:44-46, 14:6, 15:26, 16:13, 17:17, 18:37-38), and the Necessity of Belief (1:12, 3:16-18, 6:35, 11:25-26, 20:30-31).
Why Study the Gospel of John?
John clearly stated that his Gospel was “written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:31). John goes beyond merely telling the story of who Jesus is, he calls for a committed relationship with Jesus. John both provides further details about Jesus’ life that are overlooked in the Synoptic Gospels and he provides theologically rich insights into the life of Christ and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. John’s Gospel clearly demonstrates the divinity of Jesus and provides essential information for understanding the rest of the New Testament.
Week One
LESSON AIM: Live as a testimony, pointing to Jesus as the Son of God.
STUDY: Gospel of John (Part 1)
THEME: Light and Life
LESSON TEXT: John 1:6-8, 19-34
SUPPLEMENTAL: John 1:35-42; John 3:22-36; Matthew 3:13-17
STUDY
WEEK 1
A Witness To The Light
by Mark Scott
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When God created the universe, he caused the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night (Genesis 1:16). Spiritually speaking, John the Baptist was the lesser light. But what a light he was! He was a witness to the greater light, Jesus. Even though John the Baptist never worked a miracle (John 10:41), Jesus said he was the greatest person ever born of women (Matthew 11:11). John fulfilled his role, even though it cost him his life (Matthew 14:6-12).
God’s prophetic voice had been stilled for close to 400 years when John the Baptist began preaching in the wilderness of Judea. He was to be God’s messenger and the one who would prepare the way for the Lord. His purpose was to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the hearts of the children to their parents (Malachi 3:1; 4:6).
What John the Baptist Was
John 1:6-8
John the Baptist was so significant that he made it into the famous prologue of the apostle John’s Gospel. That prologue (John 1:1-18) certainly is one of the loftiest pieces of theology ever produced, and with the simplest vocabulary. In the beginning, Jesus was with God and was God. John the Baptist was sent from God to testify about Jesus. The word sent matters in John’s Gospel. It appears often and is even part of Jesus’ commission statement near the end of the Gospel (John 20:21). The word sent means that John the Baptist spoke with authority from God. The angel Gabriel provided John’s name to Zechariah, John’s father (Luke 1:13), and Zechariah later affirmed the boy’s name (1:63).
John was a witness. This is a courtroom term from which the English word martyr is derived. It means “to tell what one has seen and heard.” Witnesses testify. And so, John testified about Jesus—his identity, his character, and his mission. More than that, John’s testimony was intended to produce “belief.” This matches the purpose statement in the Gospel (John 20:30-31). John knew who he was (a witness to the light) and who he was not (John himself was not the light). But he was, as previously noted, a “martyr,” giving his life in carrying out his witness.
Who John the Baptist Was Not
John 1:19-28
The formal introduction of John’s Gospel concludes in 1:18 with an awesome claim about Jesus making God known. With the next verse, we head to the wilderness to hear John the Baptist’s solicited testimony. The Jewish leaders—priests, Levites, and Pharisees—journeyed the 17 miles downhill from Jerusalem to the Jordan River to interrogate the Baptizer (the literal meaning of his title “the Baptist”). John probably was ministering just south of Aenon near Salim, (i.e., Bethany beyond the Jordan, according to John 1:28) where there was much water (John 3:23).
The leaders asked John about his identity. John answered, “I am not the Messiah.” (At times it is helpful to recognize who we are not in addition to knowing who we are.) John also denied he was Elijah (though Gabriel told Zechariah that John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah—which no doubt was what Jesus meant in Matthew 17:10-13). The leaders then inquired whether John was the Prophet. The use of the definite article (the Prophet) referred to an individual whose coming was predicted by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15. There was a belief among the Jews that his arrival would accompany the coming of the Messiah. Peter later declared that Jesus was that promised prophet (Acts 3:19-23).
John was not any of the people the Jewish leaders suggested, but he did claim to be a voice—not an echo—but a genuine voice. John’s job was to prepare people for Jesus—thus, make straight the way for the Lord. The leaders were not satisfied with John’s answer, so they asked him why a non-messianic figure was conducting a ministry of baptism. John admitted that he was baptizing with water, but his baptism was part of his preparatory ministry for someone far greater, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. The next day John will highlight that person as one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
What John the Baptist Did
John 1:29-34
John’s responses surely left the leaders a bit frustrated; they had little new information to take back to their superiors. The next day (note the series of days in the early verses of John’s Gospel—1:29, 35, 43; 2:1), Jesus showed up. John’s record does not describe Jesus’ baptism (the Synoptic Gospels do), but he does include John the Baptist’s testimony of that event. And, importantly, John the Baptist identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This is a label with rich biblical meaning (Genesis 22:7-8; Exodus 12:3-7, 13; Isaiah 53:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7).
John knew that Jesus surpassed him, because Jesus existed before him, as the apostle John declares in the prologue to his Gospel (John 1:1-3). The Spirit’s descent on Jesus at his baptism was proof that Jesus was God’s Chosen One. Socrates said, “Know thyself.” John the Baptist said, in essence, “Know Jesus.”
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 1
Listen Up
by David Faust
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Kevin Schmidt has an interesting job. Every six months, the South Dakota resident climbs a 1,500-foot communication tower to change the red-flashing lightbulb at the top so aircraft won’t run into the tower. And you thought it was hard to decorate your Christmas tree!
How many climbers does it take to change a lightbulb? One, if he’s brave enough.
“You can’t beat the view,” Schmidt told a reporter, “and there’s no greater sense of peacefulness than to be 1,500 feet in the air by yourself.”
If you think it takes a lot of moxie to climb that high, imagine what it’s like to step down from heaven to earth, as God did in the form of a baby. And when that baby grew up, he made a bold claim: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
What Does Light Do?
Light reveals and guides. We use flashlights to find lost items. In operating rooms, bright lights help surgeons see what they are doing. For centuries, some lighthouses indicated danger and others showed ships how to find the harbor. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Without God’s guidance, we stumble in the dark. The lenses of culture, politics, and social media are not clear and bright enough to show us where to go. Scripture, though, reveals how to love others, from preborn babies in wombs to aging seniors in nursing homes. It helps us understand our identity as male and female. It clarifies what marriage is meant to be. It shines a bright light on sins like racism and the abuse of power.
Light heals and brightens. Most plants thrive and grow when exposed to light, but they wither and die in darkness. Doctors use lasers to heal nerves and fix cataracts. Light heals in other ways, too. It cheers people up and conveys a message of welcome and celebration, which is why we put candles on birthday cakes and the Statue of Liberty holds a torch in her hand.
Light alerts and awakens. When I was a boy, my dad would flip on the light switch in my bedroom to wake me up in the morning. Sin lulls us into spiritual slumber and apathy, but God’s truth wakes us up and alerts us to the Father’s will.
Despite Satan’s efforts to extinguish it, God’s Living Word still “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
Whose Life Are You Brightening Up?
The Light of the World calls us to reflect his light to others (Matthew 5:14-16). Are you a bright spot in your school or workplace? Do your attitude and actions brighten up your neighborhood? Do you know a shut-in who needs a visit, a struggling friend who needs encouragement, or someone far from God who is gripped by spiritual darkness?
When admirers told Mother Teresa how much they respected her work in Calcutta, she responded, “Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely right there where you are—in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces, and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world.”
Thanks to Jesus Christ, we don’t have to walk in darkness; and we don’t have to climb a 1,500-foot-tall communication tower to make the world a brighter place.
Personal Challenge:
Consider how you will let your light shine by reaching out to someone in need. Begin praying for a friend, neighbor, family member, or co-worker you will invite to join you for a meal during the holidays or accompany you to a worship service at your church.
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 1
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. Recall a time when you unexpectedly found yourself in the dark.
- What were the surroundings? Were you alone?
- How long did the darkness last?
- What was the hardest part of being in the dark?
Ask two people to read aloud John 1:6-8, 19-34, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize the passage.
2. Our Scripture passages draw attention to Jesus as the light. In what specific situation has knowing that Jesus is the light been especially important to you?
3. If someone asked you the question (as the religious leaders did of John the Baptist), “Who are you?” how would you respond?
4. John the Baptist described himself as a voice “calling in the wilderness.” In what ways might our contemporary culture be labeled a wilderness?
5. In what ways can we “make straight the way for the Lord” so that others see him more clearly?
- On the other hand, in what ways could we make the way “crooked”?
6. John said he was unworthy to untie the thongs of Jesus’ sandals.
- What was John saying about Jesus with this statement?
- Why do we need to have this same attitude toward Jesus?
7. Mark Scott notes that John the Baptist’s testimony was intended to produce belief (John 1:7).
- How would you define what it means to believe in Jesus?
- What are some important truths about Jesus that you find in today’s verses from John’s Gospel?
8. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
9. Is there someone in your neighborhood, your workplace, or a person you encounter in places like grocery stores, restaurants, or other settings to whom you could be a light? What act can you do this week to provide some light in that individual’s life?
For Next Week: Read and reflect on John 1:1-18. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Week Two
LESSON AIM: Celebrate Jesus’ birth and revel in the wonder of his world-changing glorious arrival.
STUDY: Gospel of John (Part 1)
THEME: Light and Life
LESSON TEXT: John 1:1-18
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT: Luke 2:4-12; John 8:12-18
STUDY
WEEK 2
The True Light Enters The World
by Mark Scott
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Prologues involve introductions. But sometimes prologues/ introductions go way back, as is the case with this one. William Shakespeare said, “The past is prologue.” That is very true for the Christmas story. The true light that was entering the world began in eternity past. The simple vocabulary and theological profundity of the prologue to John’s Gospel are unmatched in the Bible.
The passage concerns the Word (which translates the Greek word logos and occurs four times in this prologue). In Greek thought it meant highest reason. In Hebrew thought it went back to God’s powerful word that created the universe—dabar (Psalm 33:6) and brought about the fulfillment of prophecies through historical events (2 Chronicles 36:21-22; Jeremiah 1:11-12; 39:16). For John the Word was a person: Jesus. John was writing in Greek, but he probably was thinking in Hebrew. By God identifying himself as the Word, we understand his interpersonal capacity. He both speaks and acts.
Before There Was Light, There Was the Word
John 1:1-5
The first recorded words of God in the creation account were, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). But John affirms that before there was light there was the Word. We are clearly dealing with the pre-existence of the Word. Before there was anything, there was the Word. Whoever this Word was, he was with God, and more stunningly, he was God.
The Word not only accompanied God in the beginning, the Word assisted God in creation. He actually made things. As Co-Creator, he brought life into being, and that life was the light (knowledge, reason, and moral excellence) of all mankind. This light shines in the darkness as literal light did in creation (Genesis 1:3-5). The darkness does not stand a chance against the light. It can neither understand it nor overcome it.
Before There Was Jesus, There Was John the Baptist
John 1:6-8, 15
This same text was covered in the first lesson of this unit. God sent (a major word in John’s Gospel) the Word into the world, and he also sent the Word’s predecessor, John the Baptist, into the world. The latter John was the lesser light giving testimony to the greater light. John knew his place—i.e., he was not the light. He simply shone his light on the true light. Later, John would say, “He [Jesus] must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). John’s humility is clearly demonstrated in verse 15. Jesus surpassed John because he pre-existed before John. And the purpose of John’s witness was to help people believe in Jesus. This was the intention of his whole Gospel (John 20:30-31).
Before There Was Reception, There Was Rejection
John 1:9-13
Jesus was coming into the world—that is the essence of the Christmas story. It could be argued that Jesus was already in the world by his unseen presence. He is, after all, omnipresent. While the Creator should have been known by his creation, the sad truth was that the world did not recognize him (i.e., know him).
Verse 11 is perhaps the saddest verse in the Bible. Jesus came to his own (the nation of Israel—particularly the religious leaders), but they did not receive him. This is the united testimony of the Gospels. But immediately following what might be the saddest verse in the Bible is one of the gladdest verses. To all who did receive him (i.e., welcome him into their lives) by believing in him, he gave the right (authority) to become the children of God. What a glorious privilege that is (1 John 3:1-3)! That a Jew wrote the next line (v. 13) was nothing short of revolutionary. The way into the messianic family was not through having the proper lineage, or by the will of the flesh, or by a husband’s will, but by being born again through God. This is the lesson Nicodemus learned, as we saw in a previous study.
Before There Was Grace, There Was Law
John 1:14-18
This Word entered our world. The word commonly used to refer to his entrance is incarnation, meaning “in flesh.” The Word became flesh, which literally means that he “tabernacled” among people. Once on earth, he manifested God’s glory (his weighty presence and shining brilliance). This true glory of God was full of grace and truth and always balanced the two. The fullness of that grace blessed the apostle John and his first-century readers, and it continues to bless all since that time who have chosen to believe in Jesus’ name (v. 12).
God gave the law through Moses. God also gave the balance of grace and truth through Jesus. Notice that grace is always mentioned first (vv. 14, 17). Jon Weece has said, “We lead with grace and land with truth.”
The Old Testament declared that no one had ever seen God. To see God was to die. But we can look at Jesus because he, who is himself God, has made him known. Those three words translate a Greek word from which we get the word exegesis. That word is usually applied to what a preacher or teacher does with God’s Word. How fitting that it should describe what the Word who became flesh did!
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 2
Dreaming Of A ‘Right Christmas’
by David Faust
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When we think of Christ’s birth, no matter what time of year it may be, our thoughts often turn to Christmas and the holiday season.
As a college student, I heard Marshall Leggett preach a sermon called “I’m Dreaming of a Right Christmas.” Years later, the title of his message still challenges me. What does a “right Christmas” look like?
Deep down, most of us don’t long for more presents, bigger light shows, fancier holiday extravaganzas, and more TV ads featuring new cars adorned with red bows. We do yearn, however, for simplicity and mercy.
Simplicity
Why have we made the holidays so complicated? Why does the season generate so much financial pressure, excessive busyness, and relational stress? It’s good to get together with family and friends, and Christmas provides unique opportunities to serve our neighbors and welcome seekers to our churches. Some of my favorite parts of the holiday, though, are the simple things, not the big productions. I enjoy listening to holiday music while driving my car, decorating the little Christmas tree I put in my office every year, and singing “Silent Night” with the congregation while we hold candles in the dark.
When I was a boy, our church didn’t hold services on Christmas Eve. Apparently, our leaders thought it best for families to stay home together. One year my family chopped down a cedar tree and hauled it in from the woods, and the tree looked a lot larger in our living room than it looked outdoors.
Each December, Dad bought a large peppermint candy stick, laid it on the kitchen table, and smashed it with a hammer so we could eat the broken pieces. After all these years, watching Dad pound on that candy stick remains one of my favorite Christmas memories. Simple things create some of childhood’s sweetest joys.
Mercy
I like the cheerful greeting, “Merry Christmas!” but changing one letter in the word merry improves my view of both the holiday season and my thoughts about the birth of Christ. What if, at least part of the time, we switch the word “Merry” to “Mercy”?
Our neighbors need more than a casual wish that says, “Have a nice holiday!” Christ didn’t come to earth merely to make us merry. He came “so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The lost need salvation. The dying need hope. The lonely need companionship. The fearful need peace. Christ came “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), for every generation needs his grace to forgive us and his truth to guide us.
It will be a “right Christmas” if the holiday season, or any time of year, enables us to fix our eyes more firmly on Jesus, and to help both the poor and the materially prosperous discover the true riches of God’s grace. It will be a “right Christmas” if it helps skeptics learn there are compelling, logical reasons to believe in the Lord and his Word. It will be a “right Christmas” if we put God’s love into action and serve our neighbors well. Reflecting on Christ’s birth is “right” when it reminds us that we have a higher purpose than merely pursuing our own pleasure and entertainment, and this is true at all times of year.
All year long, the Lord’s grace and truth should shape our decisions, guide our relationships, and direct our actions. The holiday serves a useful purpose if it makes us more grateful for God’s undeserved gifts, more merciful toward others, and more determined to serve the Lord throughout the entire year.
Personal Challenge:
Take time to pause and thank the Lord for his grace and truth. Ask him to help you, at all times, apply the teaching of Jesus, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 2
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. Were you a light in someone’s life over the past week? How can you maintain that connection and keep the light shining?
2. What is the earliest event in your life that you can remember? How old were you?
Ask two people to read aloud John 1:1-18, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize these verses.
3. Why is this text from John’s Gospel an appropriate one to read and study during the Christmas season?
4. List five truths about Jesus that you take from this passage.
5. John 1:10 says that Jesus “was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” How do we see these words demonstrated during the Christmas season?
6. John 1:16 says, “Out of his [Jesus’] fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.” Look back over the past year and list some evidence of God’s grace in your life.
7. Thinking about our passage, John 1:1-18, which verse in this passage would you say is the . . . most hopeful? . . . most humbling? . . .most troubling? . . . most profound?
8. Mark Scott writes, “God gave the balance of grace and truth through Jesus.” Why is it important to keep these in balance? In other words:
- What happens when grace is shown without respect for the truth?
- What happens when truth is adhered to without a demonstration of grace?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
10. During each day of the coming week, take time to read John 1:1-18. Select one verse from that passage each day as your “verse of the day,” and repeat it whenever you have some spare time. Thank God each day that “the Word became flesh.”
For Next Week: Read and reflect on John 3:1-21. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Week Three
LESSON AIM: Believe in Jesus so you may receive eternal life in him.
STUDY: Gospel of John (Part 1)
THEME: Light and Life
LESSON TEXT: John 3:1-21
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT: John 5:24-30; 12:20-26; Romans 6:23; Galatians 6:7-9
STUDY
WEEK 3
Eternal Life
by Mark Scott
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A very young person might ask, “How long is eternity?” A momentarily befuddled teacher may respond, “Well, eternity is forever and ever and ever.” Bound by time and space, eternity is tough to get one’s arms around. Perhaps there is no way to know or describe it until one reaches that land of no more tears.
The New Testament basically has two Greek words translated as life. The word bios means biological life. Everyone created by God has that. Even animals have that. The word zoe means life in its richest sense—God-gifted life that goes beyond one’s physical life. It is abundant life (John 10:10). Only believers in Jesus have that.
A Teacher Learns About Eternal Life
John 3:1-15
Jesus conducted a brief Judean ministry prior to journeying north for the larger part of his 18-month (or so) Galilean ministry. The cleansing of the temple (John 2:13-22) created such a stir that Jesus had to lay low before heading to Samaria to encounter the woman at the well. This might be one reason Jesus met Nicodemus, a distinguished teacher of Israel, at night.
Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council (Sanhedrin), apparently had a growing, genuine interest in Jesus. That is how John presents him in the chronology of his Gospel (3:1-15; 7:50-51; 19:39-42). Nicodemus began this dialogue by admitting that Jesus came from God; he was convinced of this because Jesus had performed miracles. John thus far has specifically mentioned only one miracle (2:1-12), but clearly there were others (2:23).
Jesus looked beyond Nicodemus’s compliment and answered Nicodemus’s heart. To see the kingdom of God, Jesus said, one must be born again (or “from above” or “anew”). The language was strange, and Nicodemus asked for clarification. Jesus explained that this born-again experience consisted of a spiritual “makeover” that involved water and the Holy Spirit. Upon hearing those words (water and Spirit), a good Jew like Nicodemus would likely have thought of Genesis 1. Water and the Spirit were both present at the creation (Genesis 1:2). Water and the Spirit are essential to a person’s re-creation or “rebirth” in Christ (Titus 3:4-5; cf. Acts 2:38).
In describing the Spirit’s work, Jesus also mentioned the wind. In the Greek language as well as in the Hebrew, the same word can mean either “wind” or “spirit.” Wind later accompanied the Spirit’s arrival on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
When Jesus spoke about being born again, Nicodemus was baffled by this. He believed that life came from obeying the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 18:5). Jesus zeroed in on the difference between heavenly things and earthly things. The born-again experience is a gift from God above—not from the law below.
Then Jesus drew upon an Old Testament story found in Numbers 21:4-9 to drive home his point to Nicodemus about eternal life. As Israel made their way to their homeland via Edom, the people began to complain (again) about not having sufficient water and food. God punished them with venomous snakes who bit the people. Some died. When the people turned to Moses in repentance, God instructed him to make a serpent and put it on a pole. If the people, when bitten by the snakes, looked to the bronze snake on the pole they would live. This became a symbol of salvation, just as the cross later came to symbolize salvation. Belief in the lifted-up Son of Man would lead to eternal life. Nicodemus learned much that night.
The Teacher Gives Eternal Life
John 3:16-21
Some suggest that Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus ended at verse 15. The following verses (16-21) may have been spoken by Jesus on another occasion, or perhaps the apostle John added them. Since the language and themes are so well connected, it seems best to consider the entire section as spoken to Nicodemus.
The golden text of the Bible (John 3:16) shines so brightly because darkness is its backdrop. We should receive the love of God in Christ because, if we do not, we have nailed our own coffin. God, through his love, invites us to believe. He does not want to condemn the world (v. 17)—a word that appears four times in these two verses.
Belief leads to eternal life now. Unbelief leads to condemnation already. Jesus came into the world as the light of God. Coming out of spiritual darkness into light takes vulnerability, but the result of doing so is a life that can be lived free of fear and pleasing in the sight of God.
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 3
So What?
by David Faust
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So is such a tiny word. Even if you double it, you’re left with mediocrity. It’s only “so-so.” No one applauds a “so-so” meal or a “so-so” construction job. It’s an insult to call someone an old “so-and-so.”
Kids on the playground express their indifference and defiance by saying, “So what?” Churchgoers may ask that question, too, though usually not out loud. While the preacher talks and the worship leader sings, a part of them wonders, “Why does this matter? How does it affect my life?” Churches miss the mark if we don’t address the “so what?” question.
Jesus didn’t miss the mark. His Sermon on the Mount, for example, concludes with the memorable story about the wise and foolish builders because Jesus wanted his disciples to put his message into practice and do something about it. His sermon was a call to action, not a theoretical discourse. Reading the Bible should do more than make us think, “That’s interesting.” It should move us to ask, “So what will I do now?”
The “So” in John 3:16
The tiny word so plays a role in the much-loved verse, John 3:16. What does it mean to say, “God so loved the world”? We naturally understand those words as a reference to the extent of God’s love. He loved us “so much,” “to this degree,” or “to such an extent.” This interpretation makes sense, for on the cross, the Lord demonstrated the full extent of his love. He made the ultimate sacrifice to be reconciled with us, for he loved the world “so much.”
But in many Bible translations, John 3:16 doesn’t say “God loved us so much,” but rather, “God so loved.” The Greek word translated so in this verse (houtos) normally means “thus,” “like so,” “in this way,” or “in this manner.” John 3:16 highlights not only the amount God loved (“so much”) but especially the way he loved (“like so”)—by giving his Son to save us from perishing.
So, What Does It Mean for Us?
John 3:16 shines a spotlight on God’s far-reaching, undeserved love. What are the practical implications for us? Three responses stand out.
First, we need to receive the gift. God “gave his one and only Son,” and a gift is meant to be received. If you buy and wrap Christmas or birthday gifts for your loved ones, you don’t want them to leave the presents unopened. God graciously offers a much-needed gift. Have you received it by faith with a repentant heart and surrendered to him in baptism?
Second, we should share the gift. When international travelers go through customs in the airport, most of them pass through the area that says, “Nothing to Declare.” But Christians do have something to declare! We bear witness to God’s love not only with words, but with sacrificial actions.
Third, let’s always appreciate the gift. After years of following Christ, it’s tempting to become lukewarm. The tone of the Christian life shouldn’t be an indifferent shrug that says, “So what?” but a grateful cry that exclaims, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Personal Challenge:
Find a way to share God’s love in an unexpected manner. Visit a shut-in or a prisoner. Give an extra gift to a missionary along with a letter of encouragement. Share a meal with someone who lives alone. Volunteer at a homeless shelter, hospital, or nursing home. Write a thankyou note to a friend, a neighbor, or a volunteer at church.
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 3
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. How did you do focusing on one verse from John 1:1-18 each day this past week?
2. Looking back on your school years, who would you consider your favorite teacher and why?
Ask two people to read aloud John 3:1-21, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize the passage.
3. Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish ruling council (John 3:1) and a respected teacher, as Jesus noted (v. 10); and Nicodemus called Jesus “a teacher who has come from God” (v. 2).
- What does it say about Nicodemus that he was willing to speak with Jesus?
- What do you think Nicodemus found in Jesus’ teaching that was so attractive?
4. Mark Scott suggests one reason Nicodemus came to Jesus at night was because Jesus created a stir by cleansing the temple and had to lay low.
- What might be some other reasons for Nicodemus doing so?
- What problems might Nicodemus have encountered by trying to see Jesus during the daytime?
5. Nicodemus found what Jesus was saying hard to grasp.
- What do you do when you find something in the Bible that is difficult to understand? To what source(s) do you turn for help?
6. John 3:16 is a verse familiar to many, even to nonbelievers.
- What are some ways in which you have seen God’s love demonstrated in your life?
- What makes God’s love in Jesus so special?
7. David Faust observes that it’s tempting to become lukewarm after years of following Jesus. What are some practical, intentional steps you can take to keep that from happening?
8. When was the last time you thought seriously about eternity? What were the circumstances?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
10. During the coming week, evaluate your daily life to see if there are habits or other areas of behavior (thoughts, words, or deeds) that you have been hesitant to expose to the light of God’s truth. Form a plan by which you will address these and make the necessary changes.
For Next Week: Read and reflect on John 4:4-26. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Week Four
LESSON AIM: Ask the Lord for a drink of living water that satisfies and saves.
STUDY: Gospel of John (Part 1)
THEME: Light and Life
LESSON TEXT: John 4:4-26
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT: John 7:37-39; Revelation 21:6; Jeremiah 2:13
STUDY
WEEK 4
The Water That Gives Life
by Mark Scott
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The Gospel of John is filled with contrasts: light and darkness; above and below; life and death; belief and unbelief; etc. It is also filled with words that possess a double meaning. A word can have its natural meaning, but it can also take on a deeper, more profound or symbolic meaning. For example, the word temple can describe a building (2:14), but it can also describe Jesus’ body (2:21). There is physical bread (6:5), but there is also spiritual bread (6:35). There is a blindness of the eyes (9:2), but there is also a spiritual blindness (9:40-41); And in our lesson text, we read about two kinds of water: the water we drink (4:7) and a very special kind of water only Jesus can provide (4:14).
Water
John 4:4-15
John 4 begins with Jesus’ decision to leave Judea and begin his Galilean ministry. The most direct route to Galilee was to go due north through Samaria. That, however, was not the normal route, for the Jews hated the Samaritans and took pains to avoid them. But the text says, “He had to go through Samaria.” Jesus had a divine appointment with a woman at Jacob’s well. In this encounter, Jesus shattered gender, ethnic, religious, social, and cultural barriers. Since Jesus and the Samaritan woman met at a well, the conversation naturally started with water; and it became the metaphor Jesus used to speak about salvation.
Jesus was tired from his journey. He sat down and waited for the disciples to bring food. It was high noon (likely not the normal time for women to come to a well). Jesus initiated the conversation. “Will you give me a drink?” The woman was stunned by such a forward social taboo. She brought up the barriers of ethnicity and gender. The bad blood that existed between Jews and Samaritans was well-known and had a strong historical context. Jesus bypassed the barriers and kept engaging her by saying, essentially, “You probably should be asking me for a drink, if the truth be told.” Jesus wanted to offer her the gift (translated from dorean in Greek, which is the same word used in Acts 2:38 for the Holy Spirit) of God, which was living water.
The unnamed woman did not pick up on the symbolism. She addressed Jesus politely by calling him Sir and pointed out that he had nothing from which to draw water from the well. To her credit, she was interested in this living water, as evidenced by asking whether Jesus was greater than Jacob. For sure, she knew the historical background of this well (which is preserved to this day).
Then Jesus essentially said, “There is the water in this well, and then there is the water I can give you.” Physical water is good for quenching thirst, but spiritual water can spring up to eternal life. The woman wanted in on that. At the least, she wouldn’t have to face the social stigma of coming to that well again and again.
Worship
John 4:16-26
The conversation abruptly turned when Jesus changed the topic from water to family. He asked the woman to call her husband. The literal translation from the Greek of her response is only three words, “Husband, no have.” Then Jesus revealed so much more about her. Her marriage track record was a train wreck, and the man she was living with at the time was not her husband.
Because Jesus knew such details of her life (see John 2:25), the woman now thought he was a prophet. She changed the subject, either to escape the awkwardness of the moment or perhaps because she thought worship was a subject a prophet would want to speak about.
Verses 20-24 contain more worship terminology in a condensed space than anywhere else in the Bible. Samaritan worship versus Jerusalem worship—who is right about where to worship? Jesus answered that worship was not about geography. Proper worship (the kind that has always been pleasing to God) is about the person—one who is in tune with the Spirit of God and is guided by his truth (the standard of Scripture). Since God is spirit (a stunning theological truth), he is searching every nook and cranny of the universe to find true worshipers.
The woman was confident the Messiah would sort this out when he arrived. Jesus then revealed his identity with those famous words from Exodus 3:14, “I am.” The woman progressed well in her recognition of Jesus—from a Jew, to Sir, to greater than Jacob, to prophet, to Messiah. Those who acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah will also find “the spring of the water of life” (Revelation 21:6).
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 4
Big Doors, Little Hinges
by David Faust
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No one knows the exact date of his birth, and his biography has many gaps. No photos of him exist, though artists have tried to picture his face. He was a business-savvy entrepreneur and a successful inventor, but late in his career he lost a lawsuit filed by his business partner and died before reaching the age of 70. Yet, this man’s actions changed the world. In 1999, Time magazine selected Johannes Gutenberg as the Man of the Millennium—the individual who most shaped the world between the years 1000 and 1999.
An innovator in the use of moveable type, Gutenberg had buyers lined up to purchase the 180 Bibles that rolled off his printing press in the mid-1450s; but something bigger than a business transaction was happening. Gutenberg was an ordinary man, but his printed Bibles did extraordinary things: making God’s written Word more widely available, opening the door for the Protestant Reformation, and forever changing the way information is conveyed.
Unexpected Encounters
Wayne Smith, longtime senior minister at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, used to say, “Big doors swing on little hinges.” In other words, small decisions have big consequences. Little-known people have a big impact. Actions that seem inconsequential at the time can change the world.
Has the Lord used little hinges to open big doors in your life? How would things have been different if you hadn’t met a certain friend, worked in a particular job, married your spouse, encountered an influential teacher or coach, or lived in a certain community? Were there any close calls when you narrowly escaped danger or dodged the consequences of a bad decision? Have seemingly small incidents redirected your life in ways you didn’t expect?
An Unlikely Messenger
John 4 describes a woman’s unexpected encounter with Jesus. Her story has been told for nearly 2,000 years, but we don’t even know her name. We call her simply “the Samaritan woman” or “the woman at the well.” Without reporting all the details, Scripture makes it clear her life was messy. After being married five times, she now was living with a man who wasn’t her husband. When she headed for the well to draw water in the heat of the day, she didn’t expect to hold a conversation with a Jewish man, and she certainly didn’t realize her life was about to change forever.
Yet she was the one who heard Jesus say, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). She heard one of Jesus’ earliest affirmations of his Messiahship when he declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he” (v. 26). This anonymous woman became a dynamic proponent of the gospel, offering her neighbors the tantalizing invitation, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (v. 29). Was it a chance, random meeting she had with Jesus that day, or would it be better to say she had a providential encounter with the Lord?
The heavenly Father used a Samaritan woman with a water bucket and a German businessman with ink on his hands to change history. He can use routine conversations, unexpected interactions, ordinary people, and seemingly inconsequential events to make a big difference in our lives. Nothing in the universe escapes his notice. He cares about trivialities like the number of hairs on your head and what happens when a sparrow falls to the ground. Small details matter to God—even in the lives of ordinary people like us.
Personal Challenge:
This week, take notice of how the Lord works in small things. Do you hear his voice speaking in a Scripture verse or recognize a God-given blessing that makes you feel grateful? Where do you see the Holy Spirit at work in your own life (or in the life of a friend)?
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 4
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. Did you reach out to a “messy” person during the past week? How did your effort go? Is there any possibility of following up with this individual?
2. As you were growing up, were there certain people whom you tended not to associate with? What were the reasons?
Ask two people to read aloud John 4:4-26, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize these verses.
3. What details in today’s lesson text provide insight into the humanity of Jesus? What details highlight his divinity?
4. What are some indicators that today’s culture is thirsty for the “living water” that only Jesus can provide?
5. Give three words that would describe the Samaritan woman before she met Jesus. Then give three words that would describe her after she met Jesus.
6. What do you think it means to worship “in Spirit and in truth”?
7. What is the most meaningful worship experience you have been a part of? What made it so?
8. David Faust notes how little hinges can open big doors. What are some events or encounters that may have seemed insignificant at the time they happened to you, but in time became life-changing?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
10. The Samaritan woman’s life was “messy,” as David Faust puts it. Do you know someone (in your family, in your neighborhood, through work, school, or your daily contacts) whose life could be described with that word? What can you do to help brighten that person’s life?
For Next Week: Read and reflect on John 6:25-40. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Week Five
LESSON AIM: Praise God who sent Jesus from Heaven to give us life.
STUDY: Gospel of John (Part 1)
THEME: Light and Life
LESSON TEXT: John 6:25-40
SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT: Matthew 4:3-4; Matthew 16:5-12; Matthew 26:26; John 4:31-38
STUDY
WEEK 5
I Am The Bread Of Life
by Mark Scott
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The world contains all kinds of bread. In addition to white bread, there are also whole wheat, rye, sourdough, multigrain, pumpernickel, and what seemingly grows everywhere in the world—zucchini bread. And that only scratches the surface. Bread is a staple of life. Some people will make a New Year’s resolution to cut down on bread, but there are such things as good carbohydrates found in many types of bread.
Jesus told the devil that man does not live by bread alone (Matthew 4:3-4). Jesus cautioned his disciples to beware of the bread (yeast) of the Pharisees (Matthew 16:5-12). At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and blessed it (Matthew 26:26). And in John 6, Jesus used bread as a metaphor for salvation.
According to John’s account, two miracles provide the background for this lesson text. Jesus multiplied five barley loaves and two fish and fed 5,000 men (John 6:1-14). (We can only speculate as to the total number of people who were fed.) Jesus then walked on the Sea of Galilee (called a “lake” in verses 16 and 17) to get back to the western side and eventually to Capernaum, where he preached a sermon on the bread of life.
The Motives of the People
John 6:25-27
The miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish was stunning. Jesus had to command his disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee to the western side as he dismissed the crowd. The crowd did not want to leave Jesus. In fact, they wanted to take him by force and make him a king (John 6:15). But Jesus withdrew from them and went to a mountain to pray (Matthew 14:23). The next morning, when the people did not see Jesus (since he had walked on the water during the night), they got into boats and journeyed across the waters to Capernaum “in search of Jesus” (v. 24).
But the people came to Jesus with impure motives. They wanted to know when Jesus had arrived. But Jesus read their hearts. He told them they really did not want him. They just wanted another meal (since the fish and bread dinner in the wilderness the night before was so good). They sought signs, or miracles, but they were oblivious to the greater spiritual realities to which these signs pointed. They wanted physical food more than forgiveness of sins. Jesus taught them to work for the food that endures to eternal life. That can come only from the Son of Man. God authenticated him by placing his seal of approval on him.
The Work of God
John 6:28-33
The word work caught the crowd’s attention. The rhythm of work and rest was a sacred thing to Israel. So, the question naturally came, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered that the work of God (i.e., the plan of God or goal of God) was to “believe in the one he has sent.” This response again fits the appeal of John’s Gospel (John 20:30-31).
Impure motives were evident in the crowd’s next question, “Can you show us a sign to undergird our belief?” They wanted what Moses (really God) provided in the wilderness. . . manna. Their response amounted to, “Let’s see another miracle.” Jesus is the Servant of Yahweh; he is not a genie in a bottle to satisfy the wishes of unregenerate people. The true bread (beyond the physical) comes from heaven (God) and gives life to the world.
The Bread of Life
John 6:34-40
Whether the crowd was sincere in its request for bread from heaven is anyone’s guess (v. 34). But Jesus received their request and used it to introduce one of his most famous discourses—“the Sermon on the Bread of Life.” He elevated the people’s concern for bread in a manner that brings to mind the question from Isaiah 55:2, “Why spend money on what is not bread?”
Verse 35 contains Jesus’ first clear and official “I am” claim. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” People who come to Christ and believe in him will have no spiritual hunger. They will have the promise of security (“I will never drive [them] away” and “I shall lose none”), the promise of resurrection (“I will raise them up at the last day”—mentioned twice), and the gift of eternal life. People who choose not to come to Christ or believe in him have no promise of security, resurrection, or eternal life. Of all the types of bread in the world, only one truly satisfies, and it is Jesus.
Mark Scott serves as preaching minister with Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. For 35 years, until 2021, he served as professor of preaching and New Testament with Ozark Christian College in Joplin.
APPLICATION
WEEK 5
It’s Time For Some Soul Food
by David Faust
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Each year at the start of the year, many of us resolve to lose weight—but don’t. I saw a sign in a Michigan restaurant that said, “Some days you eat salads and go to the gym. Some days you eat a whole cherry pie. It’s called balance.”
If you want to know how not to lose weight, an article on the website MuscleandFitness.com describes “The 10 Craziest Diets You’ve Never Heard of.” The list includes:
- The Dessert with Breakfast Diet. (Why not enjoy a brownie with your bacon and eggs or ice cream with your oatmeal?)
- The Baby Food Diet. (Nothing sounds yummier than replacing one of your daily meals with a jar of pulverized peas and carrots.)
- The Vision Diet. (Reduce your caloric intake by wearing blue-tinted glasses that make food look less appetizing.)
Fad diets promise quick fixes, but there is no substitute for eating reasonable amounts of healthy foods, staying hydrated, exercising, and getting enough rest. What lifestyle habits will nourish your spiritual health? Here are some tips I have discovered.
Worshipping God feeds my soul; preoccupation with myself starves it. To find my true self, I need to focus on the one who created me. Praising God reminds me I am his child and his servant. His will takes priority over my own.
Time spent encouraging friends is life-giving; excessive isolation drains me. Some alone time is good, but God designed us to serve, learn, and grow in community with others. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).
Scripture nourishes my soul; worldly wisdom withers it. The prophet Amos predicted his people would face “not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). Our spiritual hunger should lead us to read the Bible, not rely on a constant diet of man-made ideas.
The Holy Spirit is like a cooling breeze and a refreshing drink of water, but doing things in my own strength leaves me weary and dry. The start of a new year is a good time to pray, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:10-11).
Constant activity exhausts my soul; sabbath rest refreshes it. A healthy rhythm in the new year will include regular times to slow down, be still, and enjoy the Good Shepherd’s “green pastures” and “quiet waters” (Psalm 23:2).
Prayer sustains my soul; giving God the silent treatment weakens it. Conversation with the heavenly Father is a privilege to be enjoyed, not a burden to be endured. The year ahead will go better if we heed the apostle Paul’s instruction, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Decade after decade, century after century, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). To be spiritually fit, let’s partake of “the living bread that came down from heaven,” for “whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51).
Personal Challenge:
Write down one specific spiritual growth goal that you will pursue in your life.
David Faust serves as senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis.
DISCOVERY
WEEK 5
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
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1. How did your “living by the light” project go this past week? Do you think you made progress in changing areas of behavior that needed change? If it helps, begin keeping a journal to help track your progress and to mark areas where prayer is especially needed.
2. What circumstances did you face as you went through the past week?
Ask two people to read aloud John 6:25-40, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions (one of which could be a paraphrase such as The Message). Then ask a third person to briefly summarize these verses.
3. Jesus told the people, “Do not work for food that spoils.” What are some types of “food” on which our contemporary culture tends to focus?
4. When the people asked Jesus about “the works God requires,” he told them, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:28-29). Do you think believing in Jesus requires work (or effort)? Why or why not?
5. The people also asked Jesus to give them a sign so that they could believe in him (v. 30).
- Do you think asking for such a sign indicates spiritual strength or weakness? Explain your answer.
- If someone told you that they were looking for a sign to help them believe in God, what would be your response?
6. The people called Jesus’ attention to how their ancestors ate manna in the wilderness (John 6:31).
- How can looking to the past aid us in spiritual matters?
- How might looking to the past become a hindrance to us in spiritual matters?
7. Jesus declared that he had come to do the will of the one who sent him (John 6:38).
- In what way or ways is any follower of Jesus sent by God?
8. Twice in our passage, Jesus referred to the “last day” (John 6:39-40).
- What word would you use to summarize Jesus’ description of what will happen on the last day?
- How does this viewpoint compare with how the world often looks at the last day/end of time?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
10. Focus this week on reading each day some of God’s promises in the Bible. Many websites can provide a starting point for your reading.
For Next Week: This week’s lesson bring this unit of study to a conclusion. Look for additional “1717: Your Word Is Truth” studies, for use with your Sunday School classes, small groups, or personal studies, at ChristianStandard.com.
