Reflect
Once you've watched the featured video, take time to reflect on these questions.
- What is one way this video encourages or expands your understanding of the Gospel of John?
- What is one specific way that John arranged the second half of his Gospel account?
- What is one specific way that John highlights Jesus’ identity?
Go Deeper
John begins his book by introducing Jesus as the source of all life. He goes on to support this claim by sharing eyewitness accounts of Jesus giving life to others through his miraculous signs and teachings. These signs and teachings convince some that he really is the Messiah, God in the flesh, the great “I am.” But Jesus’ actions also stir up a lot of controversy in the religious community. The religious leaders deny that Jesus is the source of life and begin to plot his death, not realizing that his death would actually lead to the ultimate sign of life—resurrection! In today’s study, let’s zoom into the moments right before Jesus is arrested, tried, and executed. How does John tell this specific story in order to highlight his introductory claim that Jesus is the source of life?
Read: John 18:1-6
- To help you review today’s text and make observations, try summarizing this scene out loud in your own words. As you do, what stands out to you most?
- Compare Exodus 3:3-4 and Exodus 3:13-14 with John 18:4-6. What similarities and differences do you notice? What can this comparison tell us about Jesus’ identity and mission? What did God tell Moses about the ground? Why do you think Judas, the religious officials, and the Roman soldiers fell to the ground when Jesus said “I am”?
- John records Jesus saying “I am the bread of life” (6:35), “I am the light of the world” (8:12), “I am the gate for the sheep” (10:7), “I am the good shepherd” (10:11), “I am the resurrection” (11:25), “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6), and “I am the true vine” (15:1). What do you think these seven “I am” statements and metaphors communicate about the identity of Jesus as the source of life?
- Respond in prayer. Talk to God about how his name and presence affect your life, express gratitude for who he is, and simply enjoy this time of communicating with him.
Jesus came to bring God's love and the gift of eternal life to the world.
Not only is Jesus the Messiah, but he's also the son of God who gives eternal life to everyone who believes in his name. We see this reality through the signs and miracles he performs. And when people question if he’s the son of God, seven times Jesus responds, "I Am."
John emphasizes Jesus’ unique ability to give eternal life—something only God has the authority to do. He also introduces people to a new life in him. By believing that he is the Messiah and God's son, they have eternal life and freedom from sin and are empowered to perform radical acts of kindness, generosity, and selfless love as they live according to God’s Kingdom.
The Son of God
The Gospel of John emphasizes Jesus as God incarnate and the reality to which the entire biblical story points. John emphasizes this with his opening passages that states that Jesus was with God at creation and that Jesus is God. It's a bold statement, and John spends the rest of his Gospel account emphasizing Jesus' identity as God in human form.
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