INVITATION TO JOHN

In its wisdom, the early church chose to keep four Gospel accounts of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.  Three of these Gospels are very similar to each other in both what they tell about the story of Jesus and how they tell it.  However, the Gospel of John stands apart.  In it we find Jesus speaking not in parables but in lengthy discourses.

We overhear Jesus taking with Nicodemus, a Samaritan woman and Mary Magdalene.  We marvel at Jesus turning water into wine, calling Lazarus from the tomb and washing his disciples’ feet.  We linger over Jesus’ great promises;  “For God so loved the world…” “I am the bread of life….” In the very first chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus issues two invitations: “Come and see.” And “Follow me.”  They echo the invitations of this study: to come and see this Jesus – to hear him speak, to see his signs – and to consider anew what it means to be his followers.

Session titles and scripture

1. Come and See (John 1-2)
2. How Is It Possible?  (John 3-4)
3. Taste for Yourself  (John 5-6)
4. To Believe of Not to Believe  (John 7-8)
5. Are We Blind?  (John 9-10)
6. I Couldn’t Believe My Eyes!  (John 11-12)
7. Would You Believe It?  (John 13-14)
8. What Time Is It?  (John 15-16)
9. Look Out!  (John 17-18)
10.  Believing Without Seeing  (John 19-20)
11.  Do You See Him?  (John 21)