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Welcome to John, Encountering the Word

This series of studies accompanies the teaching series on John’s Gospel at Trinity Mount Barker in 2010. Our plan is to approach John’s gospel over 4 years, so additional study guides will be released in parallel with those series.

These studies are intended to be done before the sermon on the same passage, although of course, you can do them any way that is helpful to you!

If you’re using these studies in a Bible Study Group, try to make sure you’ve read the passage and done your preparation before you meet. This will be of greatbenefitnotonlytoyou,butalsototheothermembersof yourgroup.

If you’re a Bible Study Group Leader please don’t feel that your group needs to answer every question in every study. With such a wide variety of ages and personalities in our church, we have included a number of different types of questions,includingsomewhichreflectonthesamepoints,justfromslightlydifferent perspectives. Please choose the questions most appropriate for your group.

If you’re doing these studies individually, why not let someone know you are doingso,andarrangeatimetomeetwiththemwhenyou’vefinished(orevenbefore) to let them know how your life is being changed by God’s Word.

Always surround your time looking into God’s Word with prayer, asking God to change your heart and life so that you – with God’s people – might become more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ.

Recommended Reading

John - Tyndale New Testament Commentary Colin KruseJohn, the Shepherd King - RTBT Paul BarnettThe Message of John - The Bible Speaks Today Bruce Milne

2

John 1:1 - 18 The Word Became Flesh

If someone was to write your biography, how would the opening paragraph read?

WhatisthatfirstconvincedyouthatJesusistheChrist,theSonof GodOR WhatistheevidencethatyoufindmostconvincingthatJesusistheChrist,theSonof God?

Read John 1:1 - 18

Why do you think John begins his gospel as he does, rather than with the infancy nar-ratives such as we see in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels?

Whatisthesignificanceof thetitle“theWord”whichJohnappliestoJesus?

What claims does John make about Jesus identity and character?

3

Are you aware of any points in the rest of the gospel where these claims are demon-strated?

WhydoyouthinkmanypeopletodayasinJesus’day(iev10-11)don’taccepttheseclaims about Jesus?

Why is John so concerned that his readers understand the preexistence of Jesus?

Read John 20:30 - 31 & 1 John 1:1 - 4Why does John believe that eyewitness testimony about Jesus is important?

In verse 14, the phrase “made his dwelling among us” is literally “lived in a tent among us.” What aspect of the Old Testament experience of God is captured by this de-scription?

HowdoesJesusfulfilthisOldTestamentexperience?

4

How are other Old Testament images and descriptions applied to Jesus in these verses?

If youhadtosummarisethissectionof John’sgospel(commonlycalledthePrologue)in one sentence, what would you say?

What popular modern ideas about Jesus are refuted by the Prologue to John’s gospel?

How would you use this section to encourage someone who:

- Thinks that God is far-off and unknowable.

- Thinks that it doesn’t matter what you believe about God, as long as you believe something.

- Thinks that being right with God is simply a matter of doing the right things.

5

John 1:19 - 2:11 The Word is Christ What is the most exciting news you’ve ever had to tell someone?

Thinking of your friends, colleagues and family, if you asked the question, “Who is Jesus?” what kind of responses would you get?

Howwouldyoudefinea“miracle”?

Read John 1:19 - 51

What do you think it was about John’s ministry that made the Jewish leadership in-quire after him the way they did?

According to Isaiah 40:3-5, what does the arrival of John the Baptist signify?

HowdoesthisepisodeshowthepromisesinIsaiah40beingfulfilled?

6

What might have been the reaction from those within earshot when John declares, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”?

Why is it that John’s two disciples leave him to follow Jesus?

Read John 2:1 - 11

What do Mary’s actions in verses 3 and 5 indicate about her understanding of who Jesus is?

What do Jesus’ words in response demonstrate about his understanding of his minis-try? See also Amos 9:11 - 15.

What reasons might Jesus have for acting the way he does?

Howisthedisciples’responsetoJesus’first“sign”similarordifferenttotherespons-es to Jesus so far in John’s gospel?

7

How has John used people’s interactions with Jesus to add to our understanding of Jesus’ identity?

Read John’s explanation of Jesus’ signs in John 20:30-31. In the light of this, what is thesignificanceof thissign?

Imagine a friend asks you, “Who is Jesus?” How do you answer?

In what ways is Jesus’ power as sovereign God seen today?

8

John 2:12 - 22 The Word on Worship When you were young, was your picture of Jesus more like “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” or something more vigorous?

Do you tend to be someone who respects authority or someone who rebels against it?Why?

Read John 2:12 - 22

What was it about the state of the temple that provoked Jesus’ anger?

How was the state of the temple likely to affect the way people could come before God?

What new things do we learn about Jesus in this episode?

Read Psalm 69This is the Psalm from which Jesus quotes as he clears the temple.What does David tell us about what pleases God and what displeases him?

9

Why would the Jews demand a sign to prove Jesus’ authority?

One scholar has observed, “Jesus’ whole ministry is encapsulated in this incident”.How do you respond to that statement?

What do you make of the observation that the Jewish leaders say nothing about whether or not Jesus’ dramatic cleansing of the temple was deserved?

Why do you think it was so hard for the Jews to understand the new concept of the temple that Jesus introduces?

How does Jesus’ body replace the temple of the Old Covenant?

What does this truth that Jesus is the new temple mean for our understanding of the buildings in which our churches gather?

10

Imagine it’s the very earliest days of the church, and some Christians have become a little embarrassed by Jesus’ outburst in the temple. They ask you to explain why Jesus acted the way he did.How do you explain Jesus’ actions here to the church?

If the moneychangers and the animal sellers were a hindrance to worship in the Jeru-salem temple, what things do you think can become a hindrance to worship for us?

If a friend asked you, “What authority does Jesus have to tell me how to live my life?”, how would you respond in the light of what we’ve seen so far in John’s gospel?

How is your zeal for God’s honour evident?

11

John 2:23 - 3:21 The Word on Salvation

What reasons do people give today for not believing that Jesus is God come in the flesh?

What are some of the ways that people think they can get into a right relationship with God?

Read John 2:23 - 3:21

How are verses 23 - 25 of chapter 2 important for our understanding of Jesus’ inter-action with Nicodemus in chapter 3?

What does John say about the kind of faith in Jesus that is based on witnessing miracles?

Read Ezekiel 36:24 - 27

What do these words from the 5th Century BC tell us about God’s plans for his people?

12

What does Nicodemus not understand about God’s plans?

How does Jesus say that someone becomes a citizen of the Kingdom of God?

How does this differ to the way of access that most people expect or imagine?

Read Numbers 21:4 - 9

How is this episode a precursor of the salvation that is found in Jesus?

WhyarethosewhodonotbelieveinJesusstanding“condemnedalready”(v18)?

Whatistheevidencetodaythatpeople“loveddarknessinsteadof light”(v19)?

13

What is the relationship between “light” and “truth”?

What stops people from entering the Kingdom of God?

How then can we be praying for our friends and family who don’t know Jesus?

What has this episode added to our understanding of who Jesus is?

14

John 3:22 - 36 The Word on God

Think of someone who pointed you to Jesus.How did they encourage you to follow him?

Have you ever witnessed an extraordinarily popular Christian ministry?What made it so attractive to people?

Read John 3:22 - 36

What do you think it is that makes John’s disciples respond to Jesus’ ministry the way they do?

From John’s words here, how do you think he understand his purpose and the func-tion of his ministry?

Hosea 2:16 - 20 is one of several Old Testament references to Israel as the bride of the Lord.How does this background help us understand John’s declaration in verses 27 - 30?

15

HowisJesus’fulfilmentof thepromiseinHoseadifferentfromwhatGod’speoplemay have been expecting?

WhatdoesJesusspeakof whenhe“testifiestowhathehasseenandheard”(v31)?

Why does John say of Jesus, “no one accepts his testimony”?

HowisitthatreceivingJesusisadeclarationof God’struthfulness(v33)?

The original language of John’s gospel indicates that it is the Son to whom God gives“theSpiritwithoutlimit”(v34)contrastingJesustotheearlierprophetswho were equipped by the Spirit “according to the measure of each prophet’s assignment”(RabbiAha,3rdCenturyAD).What does this unsurpassed giving of the Spirit indicate about Jesus’ ministry in con-trast to those who had come before him?

16

Can you think of people who have made the various responses to Jesus in 31 - 36?How do they express their response?

Whatdoyoufindmostencouraginginverses31-36?

Is there anything we can learn about how we should view ourselves and our ministries inthelightof John’sreflectiononhisroleandJesus’role?

What themes common to John’s gospel are we seeing repeated already?

What does John add to our knowledge of Jesus through these verses?

17

John 4:1 - 54 The Word Revealed

Howdidyoufeelwhenyoufirstheardorunderstoodthegospelof Jesus?

Whowasthefirstpersonyouwantedtotellaboutyournewdiscovery?

Whoarethepeoplegroupswhoseemmostdifficulttoreachwiththegospelof Jesustoday?What makes them seem so distant?

Read John 4:1 - 54

WhatreasonsmightJesushaveforleavingJudeaandgoingbacktoGalilee(v3)?

What are the similarities between Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman and his encounter with Nicodemus?What are the differences?

18

InJohn’sgospel,theSamaritanwomanisthefirstpersontowhomJesuschoosestoreveal his identity.Whatisthesignificanceof thischoiceandwhatdoesittellusaboutJesus’mission?

Considering what we’ve seen in John’s gospel so far, what does it mean to worship “in spiritandtruth”(v23)?

WhatdothedisciplesseemnottohavegraspedaboutJesus’mission(v27-38)?

Where else in the gospel so far has Jesus used someone’s misunderstanding as a launching point for teaching?What makes this such an effective teaching method?

Write the agricultural illustration in verses 35 - 36 in your own words.

What is it about Jesus that leads people to respond in this episode?See verses 29, 39, 41, 42, etc.

Whyisitsignificantthat,of allpeople,itistheSamaritanswhocallJesus“theSaviourof theworld”(v42)?

What has John added to our understanding of Jesus through his description of this encounter?

Whoarethenon-ChristianswithwhomyoufinditeasiesttotalkaboutJesus?Withwhomdoyoufinditmostdifficult?

Whatencouragementforsharingyourfaithwithotherscanyoufindinthisepisode?

Which verse or phrase from this chapter could you use as a “rallying cry” for evange-lism today?

John 5:1 - 47 The Word Brings Life

Imagine someone says to you, “Anyone who is sick is sick because they’re sinful.”How do you respond?

Summarisethestoryof thewholeBiblebyfinishingthissentence.The Bible is ...

Read John 5:1 - 47

Whataspectof thishealingdotheJewsobjectto?

WhydotheJewsobjecttoJesuscallingGodhisFather(v18)?

What do verses 16 - 30 say to those people who say they love God, but aren’t inter-ested in obeying Jesus?

What two activities in verses 21 & 22 are the “greater things” that the Son will per-form in obedience to his Father?

HowhastheFathertestifiedconcerningJesus(v37)?What is the content of this testimony?

HowisitthatJesuscansaytheScriptures“testifyaboutme”(v40)?

HowdoestheparallelbetweenhearingJesus’wordsandbeinghealed(v8)andhear-ingJesuswordsandbeingraisedtolife(25,28-29)helpusunderstandwhatitmeansto trust in Jesus for eternal life?

Through these episodes, what has John added to our picture of Jesus?

What traditions or practices do we have that might distract us from seeing God at work?

Thinkof John’sprogrammaticstatementin20:31“these(signs)arewrittenthatyoumay believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”In what ways has John’s account so far been leading towards that stated goal?

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