Learning Jesus | Week 1
Learning Jesus Week 1
Identification, please
>> Key Word – Identity >> Central Passage John 1:1-18
In Spanish the verb esperar carries two meanings: “to wait” and “to hope.” The Old Testament often refers to a believing remnant, true believers who trusted God to do what He promised. Integral to a true Israelite’s identity was a heart postured to remain faithful to God while waiting for Him to send His anointed Messiah. As you read the beginnings of Jesus’ life on earth, note how the Father first introduces His Son to each hopeful believer and how He then engages this hopeful believer to participate in His redeeming work.
Day 1 -- John 1:1-18 Central Passage of the Week
One goal of this study is to teach the gospels from a Jewish perspective by providing knowledge that any first century Jews encountering Jesus would possess so that we as twenty-first century non-Jews understand Jesus’ message as fellow disciples with them.
1. In John 1:1-13, note how John characterizes Jesus as --
o distinct from God but the same as God. See verse 1.
o the agent of creation. See verses 3, 10. (optional reading: Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2)
o the agent of spiritual salvation. See verses 12-13.
Why do you think John opens his gospel by highlighting these particular characteristics of Christ?
2. In John’s gospel, he focuses on two aspects of Jesus’ identity. One is that Jesus is the Son of God. In John 1:14-18, note how John characterizes the Son of God as --
o the means by which God became visible. See verse 14.
o the means by which God signed His covenants. See verse 17. (optional reading: Hebrews 8:1-10:18)
o the agent of revelation. See verse 18. (optional reading: John 14:9; Hebrews 1:1-3)
What about the truths in this passage amazes you?
You might choose to answer this in the form of a prayer to God.
3. John also focuses on Jesus’ identity as the Messiah who saves those who believe in Him from darkness and brings them into light.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, what is your identity according to verses 12-13 & 16?
If you are not a believer but are exploring the claims of Jesus, then you can reflect here on what you are learning about the identity of a believer or list questions you might have.
(Optional) John 1:1-4 are the suggested memory verses for this week. You can memorize less if you wish. Write them on a notecard and place that notecard somewhere where you can read them daily.
Deep Think (Optional)
Some lay Greek philosophy over John’s prologue because of John’s use of the word logos (translated “the Word” in our Engish Bibles) to describe Jesus. In Greek philosophy, logos was universal knowledge available to all. But John merely wrote his gospel in Greek, and logoswas just the best substitute for what he knew about the Memra. In Jewish thought the Memra was a divine title given to describe an entity in the Old Testament who revealed wisdom. For the Jews the presence of this entity was something of a mystery since He was clearly divine yet a distinct entity. Interestingly this entity possessed all the characteristics John ascribes to Jesus Christ listed in questions 1 and 2 above.
The Son of God as the Memra revealed God’s wisdom yet His person was hidden in the Old Testament. In the Father’s timing, the Son of God willingly added human form to His divine form, but now this flesh veiled His divinity even while He was tasked with revealing the Father.
How does knowing this lead you to worshipping both the Father and the Son? You might choose to answer this in the form of a prayer to God.
Day 2 -- Matt. 1:1-17 & Luke 3:23d-38
Today’s reading to us non-Jews living in the 21st century may seem an unnecessary, dry read, but the two genealogies in both Matthew and Luke definitely relate to our theme of identity. Old Testament prophets prepared Jewish believers for two Messiah credentials: 1. born of a virgin 2. a descendant of David. Joseph’s genealogy in Matthew and Mary’s genealogy in Luke testify that Jesus’ bloodline through Mary meets these credentials.
Joseph was a descendant of David, but note that he also is a descendant of Jeconiah (Matt. 1:11) and Jeremiah 22 prophesied that the Messiah would not come through Jeconiah’s line. Therefore, the purpose of Matthew’s genealogy, ironically, is to recognize that a blood son of Joseph’s could NOT qualify as the Messiah. And this is just fine since the promise of Genesis 3:15 is that the Messiah would be born of the seed of a woman and the prophecy of Isaiah 7:13-14 is that the virgin would bear a human son who is God. He would be the only King who would uphold peace forever. That Matthew immediately follows Joseph’s genealogy with the fact that Mary was found to be with child before she and Joseph came together adds further credence that the purpose of Joseph’s genealogy is to point to the virgin birth and to a Messiah whose father is THE Father-God.
1. Highlight or list some of the details above that help you to understand why God recorded history, genealogies, and prophecies in His Word, the Bible, to identify Jesus for us as His only begotten, unique Son. What are you thinking about this?
2. Mary’s genealogy, following all Jewish protocols, is the official genealogy of Jesus. Luke traces Jesus’ line all the way back to Adam to show Jesus is a Son of Man and then traces His line back to King David (apart from Jeconiah) to show Jesus is the true Messiah-King.
How does being both man and God qualify Jesus as the perfect Savior for humanity?
3. Joseph’s genealogy does not follow official Jewish protocol since it includes the names of women. But if a Jewish historian were to choose to include the names of women, one might expect to see reputable Jewish women such as Sarah, Rebekah, or Rachel. Instead, Matthew lists Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba -- four Gentiles with questionable pasts.
Tamar committed incest with her father-in-law, Rahab was a prostitute, Ruth was a Moabite (her people descended from a father-daughter incestuous relationship), and Bathsheba lay with King David while married to another man. Mary’s genealogy does not list these women by name, but they are in her line.
How does this unofficial genealogy still reflect the purpose for which Jesus came to earth?
Day 3 -- Luke 1 & Matthew 1:18-25
1. The purpose of John the Baptizer, called the last of the Old Testament prophets, is prophesied in Malachi 3:1: “Behold I am going to send My Messenger, and he will clear the way before Me.” Like Elijah, John ministered to a remnant of waiting believers. We know John is set apart by God for a special purpose because of the many amazing events surrounding his birth.
List the details of John’s birth, childhood, and adulthood that reveal he is indeed a perfect forerunner for the Messiah.
2. List any additional details in today’s reading about Jesus that further reveal how God set His Son apart to be the Messiah.
3. God chose a priest (Zechariah) and a common carpenter (Joseph) as fathers for His forerunner and Son. God chose a menopausal woman (Elizabeth) and a virgin (Mary) as their mothers. God “announced” His plan to all four in a dramatic way.
Choose at least one of these hopeful parents, all part of the remnant believers, and reflect on their character and their specific role in God’s plan. What did you learn about them and their relationship to God?
Day 4 -- Luke 2:1-20
Micah (5:2) prophesied that Jesus would be born in humble Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David, who before becoming King was a lowly shepherd boy. Scholars conjecture that Jesus was born in a cave because caves served as stables; and burial cloths (swaddling cloths) were stored in caves, also used as tombs. The shepherds of Bethlehem would be familiar with the city’s sheltering caves since they drove their sheep through that area. An angel army appeared to these particular shepherds whose life’s work was to raise unblemished sheep to sacrifice for the sins of the people at the temple in nearby Jerusalem.
1. The babe Jesus was first swaddled in burial cloths. Though we all will die, Jesus was born to die. How does this reality fulfill what the angels spoke: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
• Why did God choose to announce the birth of His Son to these hopeful believing shepherds?
• How did God engage them in His redeeming work?
2. God does not mind mixing metaphors at all. Jesus is called both the Lamb of God and the Good Shepherd.
• What does Jesus have in common with the lambs of Bethlehem?
• Even from what we have read so far, how is it clear that Jesus will shepherd His people?
3. How does this story that highlights Jesus’ identity and that of common shepherds get you thinking about your purpose in this world?
Day 5 -- Luke 2:21-38
Isaiah (11:1-2) prophesied that the Messiah would come from “the stump of Jesse.” This means that the Messiah would not come until David’s line was just as humble as it had been before Jesse’s son David became King. Isaiah (ch. 52-53) prophesied that the Messiah was born to suffer and die in order to bring salvation to ALL, both Jews & Gentiles. In today’s reading we see the beginnings of how God will fulfill these prophecies through His Son.
1. The offering Joseph and Mary brought (v.24) indicates that they were a poor family.
How might these humble beginnings best prepare Jesus for His ministry?
2. When God established His covenant with Abraham, the father of the Jews, He ordained that every male child be circumcised on his eighth day of life. Parents chose this mark of identification for their boy. (Given the option, an eight-day-old boy would likely decline the cut!)
• How might the cut of circumcision in a Jewish boy’s life lay the foundation for a manhood cut of his own choosing -- that of his heart? (To answer this, imagine a conversation where a boy questions his father and asks him, “Father, why did you allow me to go under the knife?” What might his father reply? What is his hope for his son?)
• Why is it important that the Christ child be born and raised in a home that fulfilled the Law’s commandments?
3. The name Jesus means “God is salvation.” When Simeon sees Jesus, he says “...my eyes have seen your salvation.” After Anna sees Jesus, she speaks of Him to “all those who looked for redemption.”
• What else do Anna & Simeon have in common?
• What type of believer do they represent? To whom do they minister?
• What do you have in common with them?
REFLECTION Questions
These questions, along with the Central Passage each week, will usually be the focus of your group’s discussion. Before you start the Reflection Questions, star (*) some insights you want to share or put a big Q next to questions or ideas where you need your group’s input.
1. Review this week’s questions & your answers and look for titles or descriptors of Jesus such as “Son of God”and “born of a virgin.” Make of list of these below.
Why does God take such great care to establish in Jesus’ beginning years who He is?
2. Read Zechariah’s prophecy in Luke 1:67-79 again.
• According to this passage, what is our need? (See v. 68, 69, 71, 77, 79.)
• According to verses 74-75, what will be the result of our redemption (also called salvation or deliverance)?
3. The answers to these last two questions relate strongly to identity. Who is Jesus? What is He called to do? Who are we? What are we called to do? You may have just learned these identity truths this week or perhaps this lesson has served to remind you of them.
• When we study the Bible, we should first focus on God’s identity, who He is. What is one thing about God this week that He is either teaching you for the first time or reminding you to remember?
• What is He teaching or reminding you about regarding your own identity?
4. The Bible is called the Living Word. This week we learned that Jesus is both our Lamb and our Shepherd. Though you may have trusted in that before, how has Jesus been both your Lamb and your Shepherd in a fresh way just this week?
5. Given what you have learned this week and how God is moving in your life right now, what is a prayer request you can share with your group? Use this space to also record others’ prayer requests when you meet.
• My prayer –
• Group Prayer Requests –
COMMUNITY GROUP TIME
• Discuss the Central Passage questions. (This week that is Day 1 -- John 1:1-18.)
• Open Share Time -- Allow time for each to share “starred” insights or questions from Days 1-5. Allow others to respond to the shared insight.
• Discuss Reflection questions.
• Is anyone able to recite all or part of John 1:1-4?
• Close in prayer