Gospel Of John: Part 1

Semester  #1: Jan 9- Feb 4


Where do you turn when the world around you grows dark? In this study of the Gospel of John, Dr. Tony Evans encourages us to turn to Christ by reminding us of the two purposes for the beloved disciple’s book—that we would believe in Jesus and find life in his name. Despite what our culture may argue, there is only one hope that is truly trustworthy and that is our savior, Jesus Christ. So join Tony for this twelve-session series that will draw you back to the essential truths of our faith and the life found in our king.


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John 1:1-34

Week #1


SESSION GOALS:

- To know Jesus’s true identity: God of the universe incarnate with us.

- To feel the love of God for you, that he would send his Son to bring us out of our sin and darkness. 

- To live a life of worship, giving Jesus all we have.


OPEN:

- Who do you think Jesus is?


READ:

- John 1:1–34


WATCH:

- Session 1: John 1:1–34 (11 minutes).


DISCUSS:

- What did Dr Evans say is the primary focus of this Gospel?


Read John 1:1–18.

At this point, John has not revealed who the Word is (interestingly, the name of Jesus doesn’t appear until verse 17) but the passage does tell us a lot about him

- What does this passage tell us about the Word? Who is He?


This passage not only describes the Word’s identity but also his actions and purposes. He has a lot going on

- What the Word, Jesus, doing now?


We will learn more about what it means to be born again in John 3, but we get a sneak peek of it here. When we believe in Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God.

- Look at verses 12–13. What is required of you to be considered a child of God?


Verses 14-17epeatedly mention grace...

- What can we learn about grace in this passage? What is the source of grace?

 

Dr. Evans noted that our appropriate response to Jesus is worship. Once you see who Jesus truly is, “you don’t give him excuses, you give him all you’ve got because he’s the only one in the universe worthy of all you have."

- What areas of your life, if any, do you keep from Jesus?

- What keeps you from bringing those areas of your life to Jesus?


Read John 1:19–34.

This passage introduces us to an important character: John the Baptist. He is not the same John that wrote this book, but a herald of Jesus, someone prophesied to come hundreds of years before (Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 4:5–6). John 1:7 says John the Baptist came as a witness to testify about Jesus.

- What does John say about himself and about Jesus?

 

John the Baptist is a great example for how we can serve as witnesses for Jesus.

- Is it easy or difficult to tell people about Jesus? Why do you think that is?


LAST WORD:

   In the beginning God spoke, and light invaded the darkness. But instead of walking with God in the light, humanity fell into sin and darkness. Now, God has once again invaded the darkness with the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. He has come to us with grace and truth to redeem us from the darkness of our sin and to reconcile us to himself.         

   Our response to him can be no less than worship, giving him all we have and doing all we can to make him known in a world that has neither recognized nor received him.

John 1:35–51

Week #2


SESSION GOALS:

- To know that Jesus has called us to follow him in every area of our lives.

- To feel committed to following Jesus and telling others about him.


OPEN:

- Who are your favorite celebrities? What draws you to them?


READ:

- John 1:35–51


WATCH:

- John 1:35–51 (10 minutes).


DISCUSS:

In verses 35–36...

- What tittle does John give to Jesus?

- According to Dr Evans, what does the title mean?


When Jesus notices the two disciples following him, he turns to ask them a very important question in verse 38: What do you want from me? These two could have wanted a myriad of things, but all they wanted was to follow Jesus.

- What do you want from Jesus?

- What is he offering you?


Dr. Evans shared, “When you come to Jesus, you get more than an exciting offer from the Lamb, you get an exciting future of serving him.” Jesus knew Simon’s history and gave him purpose for his future. Jesus knows your history, and that won’t stop him from using you in big ways.

- In what specific ways have you felt limited bu your past?


Dr. Evans said, “Many Christians want to go to heaven but want Jesus to leave them alone on earth.” It’s easy to follow Jesus to church on Sunday, but God wants you to make an impact for his kingdom every day.

- Are you following Jesus everyday?

- What evidence is there to proof you are?


When Jesus meets Philip, he gives him a simple command: follow me. He gives no promises about what tomorrow will hold, no assurance about an easy path, no conditions. Following Jesus is not circumstantial; it’s a decision to walk with the Messiah through all of your circumstances.

- When is it difficult for you to follow Jesus?

 

We can’t physically introduce people to Jesus, but can we can introduce them to Jesus through the Bible, the way we live, and prayer.

- How do you share Jesus to those around you?


Jesus promises to show Nathanael more of who he is simply because Nathanael believed in his words. Dr. Evans noted, “God will only show you more of himself when he sees you take him at his word."

- What are some ways you can trust God more in every area of your life?


Dr. Evans called out a common problem in today’s church. Some Christians live like “spiritual secret agents,” claiming to be Christians but not showing any evidence of faith in their life.

-In what situations are you hesitant to talk about Jesus?

- What can you do to live more boldly for Him?


LAST WORD:

   John 1 introduces us to Jesus and teaches us how to rightly respond to him. He is the Lamb of God, the Christ, the one of whom the prophets wrote, the Son of God, and the king of Israel. And he came so that you might follow him and be changed forever.

   When you trust in Jesus, you are saved for eternity and redeemed to make an impact for him in history. Life is not a holding pattern for heaven. Rather, it is an opportunity to build the kingdom of God.

John 2:1–25

Week #3

SESSION GOALS:

- To know more about Jesus through his signs and actions.

- To feel closer to Jesus and more encouraged to follow him.

- To trust Jesus more fully so that he can transform us.


OPEN:

- Who was your hero growing up?

- What did you do to be like them?


READ:

John 2:1–25


WATCH:

- Session 3: John 2:1–25 (10 minutes)


DISCUSS:

Look at the way Mary responded to Jesus. Even when it seemed that Jesus was not going to act, Mary still put her faith in him. She even told the servants around her to trust Jesus and follow all of his commands.

- What do you do when it seems like God is not listening to you or when it seems like He is not going to act?


When Jesus transforms the water into wine, he gives the wedding an overabundance of excellent, quality wine. Dr. Evans noted it would have been between 120 and 150 gallons of water turned to the finest wine.

- What does this incredible gift tell you about Jesus?


Jesus offers us far more than wine. Just as he covered the shame of the newlywed couple by creating wine, Jesus covers all of our sin and shame through his death on the cross. Now, we are not defined by our failures but by his work.

- How have you allowed the work of Jesus on the cross to cover your shame or failures?


The temple in Jerusalem was a holy place. Every inch of the building was built for the worship and glorification of God.

- Where was the market place of moneychangers and livestock salesman set up?

- In what ways does their location divert from God?


When the disciples saw Jesus removing the animals, turning over tables, and scattering the coins of the moneychangers, they didn’t rush to calm him down.

- What was the disciples' reaction to Jesus's action?


When Jesus told the Jewish leaders that he would destroy and rebuild the temple, they responded with laughter and mockery. We, like the disciples, have the benefit of understanding his words in hindsight.

- What "temple" was Jesus talking about?

- What later miracle was Jesus referring to?


Many people came to believe in Jesus, but Jesus did not put his faith in them.

- According to Dr Evans's teaching, why did Jesus refuse to give more of himself to these people?


LAST WORD:

   Jesus knows what is in your heart. As you turn your life over to him, he will show more of himself to you, giving you more joy and purpose than you could ever imagine.

   There will be times when you are uncertain of where he is leading you. You will have seasons of celebration, as Jesus had at the wedding in Cana. You will see injustice and, like Jesus in the temple, be called to fight sin in the world. Dr. Evans said it best: God wants to use you to make an impact on history.

John 3:1–36

Week #4

Session Goals:

- To know that Jesus is the Son of God who offers us spiritual rebirth.

- To feel the deep love of God for you when you look at Jesus.


Open:

- What makes you feel refreshed or "like a new person"?


Read:

- John 3:1–36


Watch:

- Session 4: John 3:1–36 (11 minutes).


Discuss:

We often think of the Pharisees as enemies of Jesus, but not all of the Pharisees opposed him. John 3 introduces us to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who wanted to learn from Jesus.

- What does this passage tell us about Nicodemus, specially in verses 1-3, 10?


Nicodemus starts the conversation by praising Jesus’s miracles and signs, but Jesus redirects the conversation to being born again.

- What does Nicodemus think it means to be born again?


Jesus then clarifies what he meant in verses 5–7.

- What does Jesus have in mind when he says, "born again"?

 

In the wilderness, God provided a way for his people to be healed from poisonous snake bites. This healing was not earned but was freely given to anyone who looked upon God’s provision, the bronze serpent, raised up in front of them.

- What later event is Jesus predicting in verse 14?

- What was Jesus's mission according to verses 16-18?

- Imagine someone asked you what it means to be born again. How would you explain it to them?


In verses 19–21, Jesus explains the different behaviors of those who trust in Jesus and those who reject him.

- What is the primary difference between the two?Which group do you fall into?

 

John the Baptist’s disciples come to him with a complaint about Jesus.

- Why are they upset at Jesus?


In verse 30, John the Baptist gives his disciples a truth we can all benefit from, “He must increase, but I must decrease."

- What can you do to increase Jesus's fame in your life, even if it means your personal reputation decreasing?


Last Word:

    You cannot earn your way into heaven. You cannot work your way into God’s good graces. But, in his grace, God has made a way for you. He has sent his Son to us so that we might be forgiven and have everlasting life.

    Jesus was raised up on the cross so that anyone who looks at him might be saved. When you trust in him, your sins are forgiven, and you are made new. It is a spiritual rebirth. But that’s just the beginning. If you are born again, you are born into a new life and relationship with God.