Eyewitness
Below are week to week readings in the Gospel of John. If you get a late start, that is OK - God will honor your reading of His Word anytime you do it!
Before you start, be sure to read through the Introduction Page (use the button above to get back to it). The readings and questions are short, and only provide a simple guide for you - the real intent of this time not to tell you what you should know - but it is for each of us to ask the spirit to guide us into a deeper understanding of our faith, the life of Jesus, and the new life He provides. Begin and end your time with a prayer.
Suggested starting prayer:
Dear Father, I pray that you will remove the distractions from my mind and help me focus on your word. Dear Jesus, help me to see your earthly ministry in new ways, that I may know you better. Dear Spirit, guide me in understanding these words and give me strength to follow through on what you are teaching me.
Thank you Lord
Monday, March 16 – The Resurrection and the Life
READ: John 11:1-27 Link to John 11
ASK: Where does God stop you as you read this passage and why do you think he stops you there? Have you ever felt disappointment with God as Martha seems to experience with Jesus over the death of Lazarus? What is Jesus’ promise to us about his being the resurrection and life? What was his important question to Martha?
PRAY: “Lord, I do not see the end from the beginning. I, in no way, have your perspective of events that happen in my life. Help me to trust your wisdom, your goodness, and your power.”
Tuesday, March 17 – The Raising of Lazarus
READ: John 11:28-57 Link to John 11
ASK: Where does God stop you and why? Why do you think Jesus was so upset in this passage? What are the different responses of those who actually saw this undisputed miracle?
PRAY: That this passage will serve to increase your trust and faith in Jesus to handle whatever hard situations you encounter and cause them to work for your good.
Wednesday, March 18 – Triumphal Entry
READ: John 12:1-26 Link to John 12
ASK: Where does God stop you and why? Why did Jesus defend Mary’s lavish act? Why was Lazarus a threat to the Jewish leaders? What prophecy did Jesus fulfill by entering Jerusalem the way he did? What is Jesus’ promise about serving him?
PRAY: That your devotion to Jesus would be as intense as Mary’s. That Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy would encourage your faith and trust.
Thursday March 19 – Glorified through Obedience
READ: John 12:27-50 Link to John 12
ASK: Where does God stop you and why? How is Jesus glorified in this passage? Why did so many reject Jesus despite his many miraculous signs? Why were some afraid to publicly acknowledge belief in him. What does Jesus say is the “judge” of both those who disbelieve and those who believe?
PRAY: That you will have the same spirit of obedience to Jesus as he had to his Father. Pray that you will trust him not just for big things like eternal life but for the small things of your everyday life, that when combined, produce your character.
Friday March 20 – Leading by Serving
READ: John 13:1-20 Link to John 13
ASK: Where does God stop you and why? What did Jesus “know” that allowed him to take the posture of a servant? What is the lesson for his disciples and, by application, to us?
PRAY: That you would find your identity and security in your relationship with God as his child. Pray that this security in God would empower you to not grasp at power but to demonstrate the power to serve.
Saturday March 21 – The Witness of Love
READ: John 13:21-38 Link to John 13
ASK: Where does God stop you and why? What is the bitter irony of verse 27 related to Judas and taking the bread? Why would John note that “it was night” in verse 30? Why does Jesus say his commandment to love one another is new? What is the connection between our love for one another and our witness?
Pray: That we would excel in our love for one another and that we would do it in very public ways so that all around us would know that we are truly disciples of the one who first loved us.
Sunday March 22 – Reflections
This week we looked at the undeniable miracle of the raising of Lazarus. And yet, even that great “sign” resulted in mixed responses. Some believed, but many others did not believe and even took this miracle as a threat. The Jewish leaders wanted to kill both Lazarus and Jesus. Why? Reflect on the tragedy of spiritual blindness and how this may even, at times, include those of us who follow Jesus. How might we be spiritually blind? Finally reflect on the power of love and the Holy spirit to overcome spiritual blindness.
Light of the World
I will make you a light of the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth
Monday, March 9 – Feast of Booths
Read: John 7:1-31 * Link to John 7
ASK: Jesus did not go to the feast with His family but went up quietly, delaying His teaching – why do you think He waited? Vs. 7:15, 20, 30, and 31 shows the varied responses to Christ and His teachings – what did his accusers say he violated? How did Jesus rebuff their accusations?
Pray: Often there are “lines” or “laws” we should follow – while there a many good ones – some may get in the way of real ministry. Pray for wisdom and guidance to see where we need to open our eyes to ministry He is calling us to and not make excuses.
Tuesday, March 10 – Living Water
Read: John 7:32-53 * Link to John 7
ASK: Jesus specifically calls the water “living”, considering the explanation in v. 39, what is the importance of the word “living” here? While He is the one that quenches our ultimate thirst, what is the living water and where does it flow from?
Pray: The Spirit fills a believer, but it also flows out of each person – Pray that this week that the Spirit will flow from you and be seen by others.
Wednesday, March 11 – Light of the World
Read: John 8:1-30 * Link to John 8
ASK: v.8:12 Jesus speaks this during the festival commemorating the Israelites journey through the wilderness – what was the light a symbol of in that context (see Exodus 13:21)? John 1:9 calls Jesus the “true light”, what are some of the things that light does for us? How do we try to substitute other things for what True Light gives?
Pray: Light brings sight, healing, revelation – pray today thanking Jesus for His light in our life, but more importantly, ask for the strength to follow His leading, doing the work that the light reveals to us.
Thursday, March 12 – Before Abraham
Read: John 8:31-59 Link to John 8
ASK: In vs 56 and 58 Jesus very explicitly talks about Himself – How would you summarize what He said? While some may discount what Jesus said in V. 58, how did the people there, that saw and heard Him, react (vs. 57, 58, and 59)? What does the attempt to stone Jesus imply?
Pray: Pray for insight, that we see Jesus not as the earthly man, but rather as the transcendent, eternal God. While this concept is really unimaginable in the truest sense, pray for belief (compare Mark 9:24), that the Spirit will help you deepen your faith and understanding of God.
Friday, March 13 – Healing the Blind Man
Read: John 9:1-41 * Link to John 9
ASK: Jesus heals a man that was “blind from birth” – what do you think the significance of Jesus picking such a person? What was the disciples’ question, and how do we fall into the same type of thinking with others?
Pray: While there are many reasons for hardships, sometimes it is a consequence for sin, but many times it is not – God calls us to help restore humanity, not to judge it. Pray that God will open our eyes to those around us, not to judge, but to lead them to Christ’s love and redemption.
Saturday, March 14 – Good Shepherd
Read: John 10:1-42 Link to John 10
ASK: Jesus starts not with the “Good” Shepherd, but rather leads with what analogy? How does this relate to the end of Chapter 9? There are many characteristics of a good shepherd in scripture – what things does Jesus emphasize in this chapter? Which characteristic means the most to you today?
Pray: A shepherd provides protection, guidance, healing, and sustenance for his sheep – search your heart for the area you doubt God the most in and pray for strength to rely on Him more.
Sunday, March 15th – Reflections
This week we saw Jesus as a Shepherd, Healer, Light, and Water. Reflect on these symbols and their implications. Thank God for each one and the aspect of God’s love they show. Ask the Lord on how we can also reflect those idea's and concepts to others.
Additional Notes
Feast of Booths or Tabernacles - Sukkot: This is one of the three key feasts that male Jews were commanded to participate in. As one of the pilgrim feasts, it was a time of great activity - thousands upon thousands of people coming togeher. The most joyful of Israel’s festivals. It came at the end of the harvest when the hearts of the people were naturally gladdened. But not only was it about the first fruits of harvest, it looked back to the Exodus when Israel lived in tents/booths (Leviticus 23:33-36). It was also one of the three great festivals that all people were to attend, and so the Jerusalem and the Temple were filled with Jews from all over.
One part of the feast was the water procession each morning. Water is brought up from the spring of Siloam in a large golden flask and poured into the basin near the altar. This was a very joyous ceremony. It symbolizes God’s provision of water to the Israelites when they were dying of thirst in the wilderness.
Living Water Ezekiel 47:1-9 – v. 9 “And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For his water goes there, and the waters of the sea may become fresh; so, everything will live where the river goes.”
Another part of the ceremony was the light. During the festival there was a great ceremony called the "Illumination of the Temple", in which four enormous lampstands were lit in the Temple's Court of Women, symbolizing the pillar of fire that guided Israel.
Light of the World Isaiah 49:6 “I will make you a light of the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth”
John 7:53 – 8:11 – This episode is not found in some of the earliest manuscripts. However, as the John MacArthur Study Bible notes: “This section dealing with the adulteress most likely was not a part of the original contents of John. It has been incorporated into various manuscripts at different places in the gospel (e.g., after vv. 36, 44, 52, or 21:25), while one manuscript places it after Luke 21:38. External manuscript evidence representing a great variety of textual traditions is decidedly against its inclusion, for the earliest and best manuscripts exclude it. Many manuscripts mark the passage to indicate doubt as to its inclusion. Significant early versions exclude it. No Gr. church father comments on the passage until the twelfth century. The vocabulary and style of the section also are different from the rest of the gospel, and the section interrupts the sequence of v. 52 with 8:12ff. Many, however, do think that it has all the earmarks of historical veracity, perhaps being a piece of oral tradition that circulated in parts of the western church, so that a few comments are in order. In spite of all these considerations of the likely unreliability of this section, it is possible to be wrong on the issue, and thus it is good to consider the meaning of this passage and leave it in the text, just as with Mark 16:9–20."
Jesus in His Own Words
This week we see in John the first of the great "I AM" statements of Jesus. In John's Gospel, there are seven of these statements, and each reveals a different aspect of the person of Jesus Christ. They are Jesus, in His own words.
I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I AM the Door of the Sheep (John 10:9)
I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
I AM the Ressurection and the Life (John 11:25)
I AM the Way, the Turth, and the Life (John 14:6)
I AM the True Vine (John 15:1)
Monday, March 2nd - John the Baptist Exalts Christ
Read: John 3: 22-36 Link to John 3
ASK: JTB’s disciples were upset, what made them upset? Do we sometimes compare “numbers” (people, programs, dollars, notoriety) with other ministries? What does JTB’s thought in vs. 30 personally mean to you in your life and our church – how can we see Jesus “increase”?
Pray: That God would help us put aside unhealthy comparisons to others, but put our focus on where He has put us that we may point others to Jesus.
Tuesday, March 3rd - The Samaritan Woman
Read: John 4:1-42 * Link to John 4
ASK: John says Jesus “had to” travel through Samaria, what reasons would there be for Jesus to go there (the Samaritans were despised by the Jews)? Jesus at one point directly tells her to get her husband (he obviously knew her situation), why do you think He turned the conversation that way? This sounds like condemnation, but does He leave the conversation there? Who does Jesus confess to be (vs. 25-26), and what are the implications of that?
Pray: That God will open our eyes to “divine appointments” that he arranges in our life, and for confidence to speak not only truth into those conversations, but also to always point to Jesus.
Wednesday, March 4th – Healings of Jesus
Read: John 4:43-5:17 Link to John 4 and 5
ASK: The nobleman (literally a “royal official”) seeks out Jesus for a physical need - yet how does his actions demonstrate his belief? What are the reactions to the healings – compare vs. 4:53 with vs. 5:16? Why would there be differing reactions to clear miracles? What miracles of God have we witnessed that we don’t fully credit Him for and give him thanks?
Pray: That we will be open to see what God does in the lives of others and ourselves and give Him all the glory and thanksgiving.
Thursday, March 5th – God’s Equal
Read: John 5:18-47 Link to John 5
ASK: Although said previously in various ways, v. 5:18 makes it clear what Jesus claimed – which was what? Vs 5:19-29 focus on Jesus being the giver of life - both earthly but more importantly eternal – how does he sum this up in Vs 28 & 29? How does this knowledge change your view of our present time? V. 47 talks about belief in the scriptures – what does it say about scriptural authority?
Pray: How we view Jesus is the core of our faith. Even though the concept of the Trinity is hard, pray that God helps you move to a fuller understanding of God the Father, Son, and Spirit.
Friday, March 6th - Food for the crowd, lessons for the Twelve
Read: John 6:1-21 Link to John 6
ASK: John’s account reveals a detail not found elsewhere, that Jesus first tests Phillip by asking him how they would feed the people – how did Phillip and the others respond? Why do you think that Jesus walked on the water right after the feeding of the 5,000 – what was the lesson for them (and us)? It was an impossible task to feed the crowd (8 months wages), what impossible task has God put in front of you now?
Pray: Life is filled with the impossible. Go to God in prayer for your “impossible” items and lay them down to His plan and ability to work out for our good. Pray for our willingness to accept His plan.
Saturday, March 7th – True Bread of Life
Read: John 6:22-71 Link to John 6
ASK: The crowd asked what they can do to do the works of God – how does Jesus respond in v. 29? Jesus then talks about true life is found in something other than physical bread, but rather Himself – what do you think he means in Vs 53-58? Even when He explains further (v. 63) many leave Him – how did the disciples respond (v. 68-69)? Why do you think their response was different?
Pray: Honestly, there are many “hard sayings” in the Bible (even Peter acknowledges that – 2 Peter 2:16). Pray that God will give you wisdom to understand and peace even when it is hard or we don’t understand.
Sunday, March 8th – Refection
Reactions – This week we saw the reactions of people to Jesus. John the Baptist, Samaritans, Noblemen, Beggers, Religious leaders, Thousands, and the Twelve. All saw and experienced the same things, yet they came away with many different reactions. Consider each of their reactions and reflect on our proper reaction to the Jesus we saw this week.
Additional Notes
John 4 Jacob’s well
The place known as Jacobs’s well is located by the town of Sychar (probably modern Al-Askar) in Samarea, about 30 miles north of Jerusalem. A Byzantine church was built over the likely site in the year 380AD. Archaeological investigations of the well reveal it to be carved into the limestone bedrock, and in antiquity it may have been more than 135 feet deep. The current well dates to at least the first century, but may be the actual well that Jacob dug (hence its name) when he returned to Canaan (Genesis 33:18-19, 26:25) [Kennedy, Titus – Excavating the Evidence for Jesus. Harvest House. Copyright 2022, pgs. 123-127]
Believe
The key word in John is “believe” (Greek: pisteuo) which is used 98 times. Although some versions translate it as “faith” at times, the normal word for “faith” (Greek: pistis) actually does not occur in the book. The verb pisteuo is frequently used in the present tense and as a participle – apparently John wanted to stress an active, continuous, and vital trust in Jesus. [See Reference info below - Blum, pg. 270]
Monday, Feb 23rd: Prepare
The link leads to a short video that introduces John by The Bible Project. Intro: John 1-12
READ: John 20:30-31; John 1:6-8; John 21:25 - [link to John 20 & 21 and John 1] - John writes that we might “believe” – what does that word mean to you? How does “belief” impact our life (both thoughts and actions)?
PRAY: None of us are perfect and we may have misunderstandings about the life and work of Jesus. Pray that God will reveal His truth as we read John and that He will use His truth to shape our everyday life.
Tuesday, Feb 24th: The Word
READ: John 1:1-18 - [link to John 1] How does the world view Jesus? What are some ways that John describes Jesus – both by his title and by his work? He uses the terms “Light” and “Darkness” to describe God and evil – why do you think he used those terms, and what do they imply?
PRAY: Often, we want to see gray, not light vs. darkness. Pray today for God’s insight in distinguishing true light from the darkness around us, and that we do not compromise the truth.
Wednesday, Feb 25th: John the Baptist
READ: John 1:19-34 - [John 1] John the Baptist had a unique mission in time and place, what were the unique circumstances that made him fit for his ministry? Vs 7 says he came as a “witness”, the same word Jesus uses in Acts 1:8 for us; what unique circumstances has God put you in that you can be a witness?
PRAY: That God will open our eyes to the unique people and places that He has placed us in, and that we will be witnesses there.
Thursday, Feb 26th: Calling the Disciples
READ: John 1:35-51 - [John 1] John records the “calling” of several disciples – but in several of these instances, was it always Jesus that did the physical calling? What are the relationships you see that God uses?
PRAY: God often uses people as the instruments of His call to others. Pray that God would open your eyes to those He wants to call through you.
Friday, Feb 27th: A Wedding and Cleansing the Temple
READ: John 2:1-25 - [John 2] What do you think is the significance of using purification jars (old covenant) for bringing about new wine? His first recorded act against “authorities” was not against the pagen Roman government, but rather the religious - what does this imply about our priorities for today?
PRAY: Jesus choose His actions carefully and in accordance with God’s plan. Pray that God would help you see His plan for you and that your will might conform to His to follow that plan.
Saturday, Feb 28th: Nicodemus
READ: John 3:1-21 - [John 3] Nicodemus struggles with the term “born again” – what are the implications of new birth? Vs. 18 brings up the term “believe” again, but adds “in the name of the only begotten Son of God” - what does this imply saving belief?
PRAY: Nicodemus was close to faith as a teacher and leader, but he seemed to stumble over the basic truth that true faith brings a new life, a heart change. Pray that God moves us beyond just knowledge, that we submit to Him and the new life He gives.
Sunday, March 1st: Reflections
This past week we looked at Jesus’ early ministry, but in it we often met ourselves – people called to light and put into a special place and time to be His witness. Yet we also see people stumble over the very basic – the new life offered. Take time to praise God for this new life and ask Him to help us surrender ourselves to His will. Then think about your next steps this week – where and how has God uniquely placed you and where is God challenging you to be His witness.
Additional Notes
John 1:7-9 True Light: “In Scripture ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ are familiar symbols. John uses the term ‘darkness’ 14 times (8 in the Gospel and 6 in 1 John) out of its 17 occurrences in the NT, making it almost an exclusive Johannine word. Intellectually, light refers to biblical truth while darkness refers to error or falsehood.” [J. MacArthur, Bible Study on John, pg. 6]
John 1:24-28 The Baptism of Jesus: “The Gospel of John refers to the site as ‘Bethany beyond Jordon.’ There John baptized his cousin Jesus (John 1:26-28). This is a prescient point – Jesus baptized at the place where the Israelites crossed into the promised land. Also, near this spot, at flaming chariot transported the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2:11).” [S. Stripling, The Trowel and the Truth, pg. 22-23]
John 2:1-12 The Wedding at Cana: “Stone vessels, carved out of the local soft limestone and often expertly crafted, were prolific in and around Judea Province and Galilee during the Roman period because of their common use in ritual purification. … The craftsmanship of the vessel’s variers, being made both by hand or on a lathe. … These jars were usually about 26 to 32 inches high and 16 to 20 inches in diameter, agreeing with the size variance suggested by John of two or three metretas, which was about 9 gallons each.” [T. Kennedy, Unearthing the Bible, pg.184-185]
Reference: Blum, Edwin – The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Editors Walvoord and Zuck. Victor Books. Copyright 1983