Knowing Jesus: John 1 (Daily Devo)
Do you know Jesus? This is a great question for, but not limited to, an unbeliever. This is a great question we need to ask ourselves as well. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, I asked myself this question two weeks ago.
I started reading “Creature of the Word”, a collective work written by Matt Chandler, Josh Patterson, and Eric Geiger. In summary, it is a calling to the Church to rekindle their first love--a call to refocus on Jesus. I had to ask myself while reading this book, “Have I abandoned my first love?”
I am a pastor of a local church and I can easily get concerned with things that should not concern me and be unconcerned about what I’m called to be concerned with. So I had to stop and refocus. I wrote the following in my journal:
Do not abandon your first love. If you have, stop everything and rekindle that love. It is of most importance. Get back (if you were ever there) to truly loving Jesus! Grow in love of Jesus and the gospel of him. If I do not have love, then I am nothing (1 Cor. 13:3). I don’t know if I’ve ever been compelled by love (2 Cor. 5:14), it’s always been more of faith and obedience. There is nothing better than being in Jesus, in his love, and in love with him.
I stopped my daily study in Nehemiah and I turned to John. I wanted to take my attention off of the shadow of Christ and focus on his substance. What I found in just the first chapter was the problem of us all. But I also saw God’s intervention in addressing that problem.
Join me and my family this week in John 1, and let us seek, together, to know him.
Day 1: John 1:1-18
Weekly Catechism:
- Q8: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
- A: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet. (bolded words is this week's goal)
READ:
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
[9] The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
[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. - John 1:1-18 ESV
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: According to verse 10, what was the world’s problem? But according to verse 14, what did God do to address that?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Jesus, let us see your glory.
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
Day 2: John 1:19-28
Weekly Catechism:
- Q8: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
- A: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet. (bolded words is this week's goal)
READ:
[19] And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” [20] He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” [21] And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” [22] So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” [23] He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
[24] (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) [25] They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” [26] John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, [27] even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” [28] These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. - John 1:19-28 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: Read John 1:6-8. Did John understand what his life was supposed to be about? Can we take John 1:6-8 as our assignment from God?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Jesus, help us be witness of your glory to each other and to our neighbors.
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
DAY 3: John 1:29-34
Weekly Catechism:
- Q8: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
- A: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet. (bolded words is this week's goal)
READ:
[29] The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! [30] This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ [31] I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” [32] And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. [33] I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ [34] And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” - John 1:29-34 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: John was very consistent in his witness of Jesus. What are some things that John said about Jesus? (Perhaps you can write these on a chalkboard or somewhere in the house that is visible to everyone.
Jesus (is)...
Jesus (does)...
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Jesus, thank you that you are (What is Jesus?) and you (What does Jesus do?)
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
Day 4: John 1:35-42
Weekly Catechism:
- Q8: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
- A: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet. (bolded words is this week's goal)
READ:
[35] The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, [36] and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” [37] The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. [38] Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” [39] He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. [40] One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. [41] He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). [42] He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). - John 1:35-42 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: What impact did John’s witness have on his two disciples?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Jesus help us point people to you, and bring people to you.
SING:
- Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
Day 5: John 1:43-51
Weekly Catechism:
- Q8: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
- A: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet. (bolded words is this week's goal)
READ:
[43] The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” [44] Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. [45] Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” [46] Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” [47] Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” [48] Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” [49] Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” [50] Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” [51] And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” - John 1:43-51 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: Did something good come out of Nazareth?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Jesus we thank you for who you are. We want to know you more.
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.