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Teaching Text: ‭‭John 1:1-13

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Themes

Consider these themes and ask your group what else they see in the passage:

By Your Life We See Light
True Light

Formation

Thoughts and notes you can use for discussion:

The intro to gospel of John is a tremendous resource for this type of reflection. We open with it this first Sunday of Epiphany because it is such a powerful guide.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

– John 1:9–11

Do you ever think of God as experiencing grief? That rejection impacts us profoundly, but God feels it as well?

Why would God arrange a situation where God would show up in a place and not be recognized?

If you are watching there is plenty of God’s obvious power in what Jesus does but its not like sky writing in the clouds so everyone can read.
- Instead he goes small first, shows up in weakness initially, hyper local, specific. Relational.

In the beginning - we are clued in right away that whatever he is doing he is harkening back to the original creation story.

NT Wright has a helpful comment on the connection to Genesis…
Whatever else John is going to tell us, he wants us to see his book as the story of God and the world, not just the story of one character in one place and time. This book is about the creator God acting in a new way within his much-loved creation. It is about the way in which the long story which began in Genesis reached the climax the creator had always intended.

– NT Wright

John is telling us using the opening lines of of Torah (of Genesis) that God has made and is remaking the world.
And the way that is happening is for God to show up in person.
He is telling us that nothing in the natural world was created without relationship - without through-ness.
Creation was not a lonely endeavor.

John is saying there is a light that is a light to whole human race.
There is a true light that gives light to everyone and it has come into the world.
- And no matter where you have started in life, whatever your life is up to this point, you can be Born of God.
The reality of God’s life can be born in your life. This is something more than just a new idea in your head about God.

This is a transformation where what is true about God’s life begins to fill your life.
- The light, the love, the perspective, the future of God becomes yours to share in.
This passage says it hinges of our part on recognition and reception.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

John 1:10–12

We recognize Jesus - this word made flesh
We receive him
We become family - born of God
So lets ask ourselves…
- How do you recognize Jesus?
In this text, in your life, on a Wednesday, in your goal setting and resolutions, in your budget, on the F train, at your life group, at Monday night English language conversations, in the news?
How do we recognize Jesus the first time or the millionth time?