It begins at the beginning

John 1:1-15
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 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 testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'”

Let’s identify the players:

• Who is the “Word” that was with God and is God?
• Where was the word?
  1. ________________________
  2. ________________________
• Who is John?
• Who is the world?
• Who are “his own”?
• Who might we be in this scene?
• What did the Word do?
  1. ________________________
  2. ________________________
  3. ________________________
  4. ________________________
  5. ________________________
• What did John do? Why? Why was that his mission?
• What did John say?
• What have we seen?
• What was in the Word and what was it to men?

What kind of life is this?
Do you want to have life?
Do you think that other people want to have life?

In what way are we similar to John?

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

• What will we be?
  1. What does a witness do?
  2. What does a witness not do?
• What will we not be?
• When?
• Where?
  

  Matthew 10:16
  I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

  • How are we being sent out?
  • How should we behave?
    1. ________________________
    2. ________________________

  Matthew 28:18-20
  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

• Do sheep have an offense?
• What is/are a sheep’s defense system(s)?
• Should we expect to be treated well by the wolves?
• Does that change the situation?

• What are we to do?
  1. ________________________
  2. ________________________
  3. ________________________
  4. ________________________
• What are we to teach?
• Whose job is it to make disciples
• Where with Jesus be in this?
• For how long?

I’d like to look at two more questions

• What is the greatest command?

Mark 12:28-34
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

• Whose job is it to convict the world in regard to sin?
  

  John 16:7-15
  But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

Does knowing this free you to live?