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The
Gospel Writers
John
Jesus as God's only
Son, the Deity of Christ!
- When
you see this cross, it is a suggested stopping place.
- Each
Gospel lesson will have five
crosses and can be used as one week
of studies!
- Stop
and reflect
 A new beginning.
The Gospel
John 1:1 In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 The Word became
flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full
of grace and truth.
- John is talking about Jesus
in these verses. Read it again and use Jesus in place of the
Word and you will see what I mean!
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- How can that be? I will tell
you, it is no longer a mystery to me. When I quit trying to reduce
God to what the human mind is capable of understanding, He turned
the light bulb of revelation on in my brain. The God that created
all the universe has no restrictions. He always knew His creation
would choose to sin and be in need of a Savior. He always knew
how He would provide that salvation. He has always been God the
Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All parts of God
are equal as God, no one more important or more God that the
other. Jesus was with God in the beginning, because Jesus was
God in the beginning. Just as heat is a part of fire, and water
is a part of ice. When John calls Jesus the Word, He is talking
about the God-breathed inspired Words of God, which we later
learn is the Power unto salvation for the believer. Without the
Word of God, How could we know? Without Jesus, there is no saving
grace. Jesus lives in every book of the Bible, Old and New Testaments.
Someday God will show you this....just keep seeking.
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- Below is the circle of time.
Look at it carefully. Now, make a mental note of where on this
circle God began. Where will God end?
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- What's the problem?
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- God called Himself "I
AM," in the Old Testament. He is the Beginning and the End
the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last of all time which
has no beginning or end. Since God has always been God, and He
will always be God, let's call this, the Eternal Circle of God,
or Eternity. We have a beginning, but we do not have an end.
Through Jesus alone, God invites us into that circle to live
with Him for eternity. John wants us to know what Jesus said
about who He is. Please read each one carefully.
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- John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes
to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never
be thirsty.
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- John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the
light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life."
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- John 8:23
But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above.
You are of this world; I am not of this world.
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- John 8:24
I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe
that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your
sins."
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- John 8:28
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man,
then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that
I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught
me.
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- John 8:58
"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before
Abraham was born, I am!"
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- John 9:5
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
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- John 10:7
Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am
the gate for the sheep.
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- John 10:9
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will
come in and go out, and find pasture.
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- John 10:11
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep.
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- John 10:14
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know
me--
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- John 10:36
what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own
and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy
because I said, `I am God's Son'?
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- John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
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- John 12:32
But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men
to myself."
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- John 13:13
"You call me `Teacher' and `Lord,' and rightly so, for that
is what I am.
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- John 14:2
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would
have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
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- John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and
take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
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- John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
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- John 14:10
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father
is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather,
it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
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- John 14:11
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father
is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles
themselves.
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- John 14:20
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you
are in me, and I am in you.
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- John 15:1
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
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- John 15:5
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in
me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can
do nothing.
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- John 16:28
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving
the world and going back to the Father."
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- John 17:21
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and
I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe
that you have sent me.
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- John 17:24
"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where
I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because
you loved me before the creation of the world.
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- Are
you getting this word picture from God in John's Gospel?
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- Please realize, John's gospel
(good news) was actually written after the other gospels, about
100 A.D. (after the birth of Christ). John serves to confirm
other writers and add information not mentioned in the other
Gospels. He wants us to be sure of the Deity of Jesus. God came
and walked on the earth to save mankind. He also brings focus
to the way we are to walk the walk of a Christian (a Christ's
one or one belonging to the Christ) as we follow Jesus as Lord.
We are not to have a weak belief. Those who believe in Jesus
as the Christ are to, trust in, adhere to, and rely fully on
Him.
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- Ps. 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the
name of the LORD our God.
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- Ps. 118:8
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
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- Ps. 125:1
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot
be shaken but endures forever.
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- Prov. 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will
make your paths straight.
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- Isa. 50:10
Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the
name of the LORD and rely on his God.
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- Jer. 39:18
I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape
with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.'"
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- Nahum 1:7-8
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for
those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will
make an end of [Nineveh]; he will pursue his foes into darkness.
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- John 14:1-10
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust
also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not
so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place
for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I
am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas
said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so
how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the
way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as
well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip
said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough
for us." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip,
even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who
has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show us the
Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that
the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own.
Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
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- Rom. 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust
in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the
Holy Spirit.
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- Think on these verses! There
is Spiritual strength in this kind of believer. A Christian should
have a strong belief that what God says is truth. John wants
us to be 'true believers' who trust in, stay close to, and fully
rely on God!
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- The Writer
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- Who was John, the Gospel
writer? He was also the writer of the Epistles (letters) of 1
John, 2 John, 3 John and the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He is
not John the Baptist. We will study about him in a later lesson.
This is John, the brother of James. They were the sons of Zebedee,
a respected and influential business man of his time. Jesus referred
to these brothers as the "sons of thunder." They were
Galilean fishermen, working for their father when Jesus called
them to be His disciples. Peter, and Andrew, also John's brother,
were also fishermen called to follow Jesus in His ministry on
the earth.
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- John was one of the three
who were present at the transfiguration experience, confirming
Jesus as the Son of God.
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- Matt. 17:1-8
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the
brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the
sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then
there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here.
If you wish, I will put up three shelters --one for you, one
for Moses and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking,
a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said,
"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.
Listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell
facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched
them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid."
When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
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- John repeatedly calls himself
"the disciple whom Jesus loved." He was an eye witness
to the miracles Jesus preformed and records some of these in
his gospel. He was the one Jesus entrusted His mother (Mary)
to, when He was dying on the cross. John cared for the mother
of Jesus until she died. It is reported that His mother Salome
was probably a sister to Mary the mother of Jesus. John was also
the first one of the disciples to witness the empty tomb. He
later walked with, talked with, and even ate with the resurrected
Christ.
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- John also witnessed Jesus
ascending back to Heaven. He received God's Holy Spirit on the
day of Pentecost. John was one of the early church founders.
He was responsible for forming seven churches in the area of
Ephesus.
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- I hope this quick overview
of the Gospel as recorded by John, will help your understanding
of God's Word. There is much more to learn about John and you
need to give time and study to him again when God prompts your
interest. But for now, please grasp that John, as well as all
those who have written the scriptures, are very real people who
were chosen, as God breathed His Words into existence. He did
this as miraculously as He spoke the world into existence. He
breathed His plan of redemption so we could find our way back
to Him. Jesus is the only way to God. He is indeed an Awesome
God, worthy of all our praise.
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- 2Tim. 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of
God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- Hosea 12:10 "I spoke
to the prophets, gave them many visions and told parables through
them."
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- When God's Word makes sense, don't mess
with it. When they don't, pray for God's revelation to you. Then
ask for confirmation. He will send it either through His Word,
your circumstances or other mature believers. Ask Him to accomplish
His will for your life and for the lives of others. He always
meets the needs of those who seek to know Him. Be open to the
promptings of the Holy Spirit. He is your teacher. Don't argue
with others who do not believe. You will show the truth with
your actions. God wants us to love others into the Kingdom and
leave the stubborn, argumentative unbeliever for Him to argue
with. He knows best how to lead them to His Truth! We must trust
God to do it!
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- Hebr. 3:6 But Christ is
faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if
we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
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- 2Tim. 2:23-26 Don't have
anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you
know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel;
instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that
God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of
the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape
from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do
his will.
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Don't forget to go back now and
read the Gospel of John.
Gramma Cherbear
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To start at the beginning
of the Gospel Writer's series: click here!
To go to the entrance
of the Teen Cave: click here!
If you hear music
in two pages, just close the one you are finished with!
- The Teen Caverns "Enlighten
Me" studies referenced from
these sources:
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- Influential! Cavern
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