Read John 1.1-18.
Bonus: Watch the Bible Project video on John.
Introduction: Last week I dropped off my second oldest for her freshman year of college. Although we spent the summer preparing and purchasing items she would need, the last few days ran pell mell as we tried to make sure she had everything she needed. What have the last few weeks been like for you? Did you have any special preparations to make for this fall? What do you generally do to prepare for the transition from summer to fall?
Information: John intends this passage as preparation, to introduce us to the book as a whole. In it, we learn the full meaning of all that Jesus was, is, and did. But we also see that this is the story of God and the world. What clues do you find in this passage that John is telling us about more than a single character in one time and place? What do you learn about God and about the world in this passage?
Introspection: Augustine is rumored to have said “the Gospel of John is deep enough for an elephant to swim and shallow enough for a child not to drown." In this opening passage, how do you experience the truth of this already? What truth from this passage is simple enough for you to hold onto? What questions are you left with as you read through this passage?
Impression: Repeat the opening words of John 1.1-3 to yourself. Listen for God’s word to you today.