For The Group

Worship. People often come to Bible studies with their minds full of the day’s business. Worship helps them shift gears.

Warm-up. Another help is to begin with a simple question that deals with the topic of the study but focuses on personal experience.

Read aloud. Even when the group has studied a passage ahead of time, most people will be glad to have their memories refreshed. So, have someone read 1:1–18 aloud slowly.

Summarize. Before you examine the details of this passage, step back and consider what the whole of it is about. Ask one or two people to summarize the passage in a sentence or two. Don’t expect a perfect summary at this stage; this is just a place from which to begin.

Questions. Start by letting everyone list as many observations for question 1 as possible. It might be helpful to write them all on a large piece of paper for everyone to see. Then examine some of the things John says about the Word one by one. Discuss first what a statement (such as that He is the Word, that He is with God and is God, that in Him is life, that He became flesh) means—this is interpretation. Then discuss what difference this fact makes to you—this is the beginning of application. You probably won’t have time to examine everything John says in detail, so choose two to five statements that seem most significant.

When you’ve discussed each one, give everyone a chance to share how he or she wants to act on something in the passage. Encourage everyone to commit to some application, even if it is only to worship Christ for some aspect of His nature every day this week. You don’t want to suggest that group members must do something to earn God’s approval, but you do want to encourage them to grow in relationship with and obedience to God.

This lesson is full of background material because the prologue introduces several terms that are keys in this gospel. Advise the group that it is not necessary to absorb every detail of the background. It is there to help you, not overwhelm you. Ignore any of it if necessary.

Summarize. Summarize what you’ve learned from 1:1–18 and how you plan to respond.

Wrap-up. This lesson skipped over 1:6–8 because lesson three deals with the testimony of John the Baptist in that paragraph as well as 1:19–34 and 3:22–36. Explain this if necessary.

Also, plan to begin your next meeting by letting each person share how his or her efforts to apply something in 1:1–18 went. Don’t give the impression that everyone must report some measurable transformation. This is simply a chance for members to share frustrations, insights, and questions about applying this passage. You can help each other overcome obstacles to taking time for prayer or active application, rejoice with each other over new attitudes about a situation, and learn from each other’s discoveries.

Worship. John 1:1–18 is almost a hymn about Jesus. Use it as a springboard to praise by taking turns praising Jesus for what John says about Him. Thank Him for who He is and what He has done for you.

The Navigators. (2010). LifeChange: John (K. Lee-Thorp, Ed.; pp. 29–31). NavPress.