Week 1 — Prologue + Beginnings
Reading: John 1–2
Opening Prayer (Before Each Session)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly Father,
You spoke Your eternal Word into the silence of the world,
and in the fullness of time,
that Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Send forth Your Holy Spirit upon us now,
that as we open the Gospel according to Saint John,
our minds may be enlightened,
our hearts set on fire,
and our souls drawn more deeply into Your divine life.
Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World,
remove from us all blindness and hardness of heart.
Teach us to see as You see,
to hear Your voice,
and to follow where You lead.
Like the first disciples,
give us the courage to “come and see,”
and the humility to remain with You.
May this time in Your Word not pass in vain,
but bear fruit in faith, hope, and love.
We ask this through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
In the beginning* was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.a
2He was in the beginning with God.
3* All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.b
What came to be
4through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;c
5* the light shines in the darkness,d
and the darkness has not overcome it.
6* A man named John was sent from God.e
7He came for testimony,* to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.f
8He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.g
9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.h
10He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
11He came to what was his own,
but his own people* did not accept him.
12i But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name,
13*j who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
14And the Word became flesh*
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.k
15* John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said,l ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’”
16From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,*
17because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.m
18No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God,* who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.
Guided Questions
What does John reveal about who Jesus is before anything He does?
What does “the Word became flesh” mean for how we understand God?
How do the first disciples respond to Jesus’ invitation?
Why does Jesus begin His ministry at a wedding?
Where is Jesus inviting you to “come and see” in your life?
Closing Prayer (After Each Session)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the Bread of Life,
the Light of the World,
and the Good Shepherd who calls us by name.
We thank You for the gift of Your Word,
for the truths revealed to us this day,
and for the grace to sit at Your feet and listen.
What we have heard with our ears,
plant now in our hearts.
What we have come to understand,
strengthen by Your grace.
What we struggle to believe,
increase within us.
As we go forth,
help us to walk in the light,
to remain in Your love,
and to bear witness to the truth in our lives.
Keep us faithful, Lord,
until the day we see You face to face.
For You live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Week 1 — The Prologue (John 1:1–18)
Observation
What titles are given to Jesus in this passage (Word, Light, Life, etc.)?
What contrasts does John emphasize (light/darkness, acceptance/rejection)?
Interpretation
What does it mean that Jesus is the “Word” (Logos)?
Why does John begin “in the beginning”? What is he connecting to?
Application
Where do you see “darkness” and “light” in your life right now?
What would it mean for you to “receive Him” more fully this week?