The Word, the Witness, and the Invitation
The Word, the Witness, and the Invitation
Purpose:
To understand who Jesus is, why John the Baptist’s witness matters, and what it means to respond to His invitation. Before, beginning the Lesson. Read John Chapter 1.
The Word and the Light (John 1:1–8)
• Jesus is not simply a good teacher or a wise prophet. He is God Himself—uncreated, eternal, and divine. He has no beginning and no end.
• Every breath we take and every spark of spiritual life comes from Him. He is both the giver of physical life and the restorer of spiritual life.
• Even in the darkest corners of human experience, Christ’s light shines. Darkness may resist, but it cannot overcome Him.
The True Light & The Voice in the Wilderness (John 1:9–28)
• Jesus is not a dim reflection or a partial glimpse of God’s truth—He is the full revelation of who God is.
• Some turned away from Him, but those who believed received a new identity as God’s children.
• John the Baptist made it clear that he was not the Messiah, not Elijah, and not the Prophet. He was simply a voice crying out in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3), sent to prepare the way for Jesus.
The Witness & The Lamb of God (John 1:29–34)
• John pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, connecting Him to the Passover lamb (Exodus 12), Isaiah’s Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:7), and the sacrifices offered daily in the temple. Jesus is the final and complete sacrifice for sin.
• John testified that he saw the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus, just as God had promised him. This was the confirmation that Jesus was the Messiah.
• John never drew attention to himself. His entire ministry pointed people toward Christ.
Come and See: The Power of a Personal Invitation (John 1:35–42)
• Andrew, one of those disciples, immediately went to find his brother Simon. He didn’t give a sermon. He didn’t debate. He just brought Simon to Jesus.
• When Simon met Jesus, he was given a new name: Cephas (Peter). Jesus not only saw who Simon was, but who he would become.
Follow Me & Greater Things (John 1:43–51)
• Nathanael judged Jesus’ worth by His hometown. Nazareth was small, unimportant, and looked down upon. Yet God chose this unlikely place to raise His Son. As Paul later wrote: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27, NCV). God delights in working through what the world overlooks.
• Jesus promised Nathanael he would see heaven opened, with angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man (Genesis 28:12). Jesus is Jacob’s ladder—the bridge between heaven and earth.
.Review & Meditation
• Jesus is eternal and divine.
• He is the source of life and light.
• John prepared the way with humility.
• The Word became flesh and lived among us.
• Jesus calls us to follow Him—then and now.
Memory Verse: “The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his glory—the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14 (NCV)