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Call to worship: Isaiah 40:1-5

Text: John 1:1-18

Sermon Outline:

1. The Word and His glorious Person, 1:1-5.
2. The Word and His greatest prophet, 1:6-8.
3. The Word and His gracious purpose, 1:9-18.
   • To bear and bring a family to God, 1:9-13.
   • By becoming flesh and manifesting God to us, 1:14-18.

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Soak in 1:1-18.
2. In 1:1-5, John details the glorious Person of the Word. What does he say about Him (note, the Word is not a book, not an idea, but a Him, a Person)? Take your time, and try to put it all together as much as you can. These verses touch on eternity past, the eternal origin of Christ's ministry. What's the deal with the darkness in v. 5? What is John foreshadowing?
3. In 1:6-8, John (the evangelist) introduces us to John (the Baptist). Of what importance is he? What is his purpose? What was necessary to realize in order to faithfully accomplish it? How might we transfer John's ministry to our own?
4. In 1:9-13, John invites to see a problem. What's the astonishing problem? What might it mean that the Word gives light to everyone? How do the following verses help our interpretation? Who are His people? Why did they not receive Him? Was it a lack of external advantages? Who are those who do receive Him? Why do they receive Him? Is our regeneration and adoption man-based, merit-based, or grace-based? Who gets the glory then?
5. In 1:14-18, John gives us his big reveal. What is it? Did the Word, Who was God, cease to be God? What does it mean that we have seen His glory? What does the glory of God look like? From where does all our spiritual blessedness come? Do we have any apart from the overflow of the incarnate Word? What is His Name? How does His ministry fulfill and surpass that of Moses? Have you ever wanted to see God? Ever wondered what He's like? Ever wanted to know what He thinks of you? Whether He cares for you? To Whom can we look to see it all? How is seeing God in the face of Jesus Christ related to our salvation? Consider 2 Corinthians 4:1-6. What do you think is the major takeaway from John's prologue?