Daily Lesson for Sunday 24th of November 2024

In John 1:1, the apostle clearly states that Jesus is God, the divine Son. Consequently, in John 1:4—“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (NKJV)—the reference to life here has to be divine life, underived eternal self-existence. Because He has life within Himself, He can lay down His life and take it again (John 10:17). And, because He has life within, He can give life to whom He will (John 5:21; compare with John 14:19).

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This term life (zoē) appears 36 times in the Gospel of John, about 25 percent of the uses in the New Testament. In John 1:4-5, besides referring to the Source of life on our planet, the word is also linked to salvation. Throughout the rest of John, this idea of life (zoē) is most often expressed as everlasting life, the promise of salvation (see John 3:15-16,36; John 4:14,36; John 6:27,40,47,54,68; and John 10:27-28). Thus, the One who gave life at Creation is the same One who brings salvation, eternal life, to a lost world.

“ ‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life’ ” (John 3:14-15, NKJV).

Just as the bronze serpent took the place of the Israelites who had been bitten by serpents, so Jesus took our place, we who have been struck down by sin. He took the penalty that was ours so that we might have the life that was His.

Christ also desires that we have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Thus, for “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13, NKJV).

Christ came to reveal the Father to us. For, “no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18, NKJV). By seeing the character of Jesus, we can see the character of the Father.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-09-in-him-was-life/

Daily Lesson for Sabbath 23rd of November 2024

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study: John 1:4; John 10:10; John 1:12-13; John 6:61-68; Numbers 13:23-33; Matthew 4:1-4.

Memory Text:

“ ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’ ” (John 14:6, NKJV).

In the Gospel of John, when asked who He was, Jesus answered with the term that designates deity. “I AM” was an unmistakable reference to the Lord Himself, who had appeared to Moses in the burning bush. “ ‘I AM WHO I AM,’ ” He said to Moses (Exodus 3:14). And this same God, the “I AM,” then “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, NKJV).

The theme “I AM” threads throughout John. This week’s memory verse reflects that theme: “ ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ ” (John 14:6, NKJV). The “I AM” is the Light of the world, the Bread of Life, the Gate or the Door of the sheep, the Good Shepherd, and the True Vine.

This week continues with the revelation of God as given us in John. We will also more fully explore the flip side of things, in which, despite the powerful evidence for Jesus as the Messiah, some rejected Him. We will study this idea for two reasons: to avoid the same mistake, but also to consider how we might be able to reach out to those in danger of making that mistake, as well.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 30.

Sunday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-09-the-source-of-life/