1. Pray. Ask the Lord to open your eyes, that you might behold wondrous things out of his Law (Ps. 119:18). 

2. Read Sunday's passage. Feel free to read it more than once, or in another translation.

3. Review the sermon outline. Try to see how the points came out of the text.

4. Answer the questions below. Focus on personal application.

5. Pray. Praise and thank the Lord, then ask him to work in mighty ways. 

Remember, we live not by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God (Dt. 8:3; Mt. 4:4).

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Intro: Do you want to know God? John shows us that Jesus makes this possible.

I. Jesus Christ the man is also the very presence of God. (1:14–18). John provides three allusions to the Exodus narrative (see Exodus 33–34) in order to make his point. He alludes to the Tabernacle (he "dwelt" among us) to show us that Jesus is where God dwells with man. He alludes to Moses's request to see God's glory ("we have seen his glory") to show us that Jesus enables man to truly perceive God. And he alludes to God's self-revelation of his own character in Exodus 34:6 ("full of grace and truth") to show us that Jesus possesses God's own character. All together, John reveals Jesus' true identity while portraying his life as the continuation and fulfillment of God's interaction with his people. He shows us that Jesus Christ the man is also the very presence of God in the flesh.

II. If you want to know God, you must come through Jesus. Since Jesus is the one who makes the Father known, any perceived relationship with God that does not include Jesus is incomplete. He went on to say that he was the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through him (see John 14:6). There is no other way. So if we want to know God, we must come through Jesus. And that means receiving him by faith (see v. 12), doing so on his terms. We don't pick and choose what we like about Jesus; we take him as he fully is. He is the eternal Word of God and Son of God who is God and is with God, who took on flesh and dwelt among us, becoming a man to redeem us. He died on the cross for our sins, and was raised in victory over death. We are great sinners; He is a great Savior. Salvation is by faith in him. 

Conclusion:  Do you know him? We have to get to know Jesus. Spend time with him this fall. Get back into a Bible reading plan, a prayer group, or Community Group. And walk with humble confidence wherever you go, because by his grace, you know the one true God. 

1. The God-Man Jesus Christ.

- How do we know that the Exodus narrative is on John's mind? (hint: see v. 17)

- Make some time to read Exodus 19–35, in one sitting if you can. 

- What stands out from the scene where Moses asks to see God's glory? (Ex. 33:18ff; see also John 1:18)

- Speaking of the Word who became flesh, why is it significant that John says "we have seen his glory" (John 1:1; 14). 

- How does the Old Testament background inform our understanding of Jesus' life?

- What do the allusions to the Old Testament show us about the Apostles' view of the scriptures? 

- How should this shape our view of the scriptures? 

2. Jesus is the way to God.

- How has Jesus shaped the way you understand God?

- How would you describe God to a friend? 

- Can you truly know God apart from Jesus? Why or why not?

- What has helped you get to know Jesus in the past? 

- How could you get to know Jesus better in the future?

- How will you get to know Jesus better in the future? 

1. Praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God in three persons, the blessed Holy Trinity.

2. Thank God that Jesus "tabernacled" among us, bringing the very presence of God to dwell among human beings, doing so to make the Father known, and to provide for our salvation. 

3. Give thanks for the ways you have gotten to know Jesus thus far. 

4. Ask God to help you get to know him more deeply this fall. 

Thanks for reading the Bible Study Guide! I pray it helps us "continue to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Eph. 4:15).

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor