John 1:1-18
Week 1
The Gospel of John is one of the earliest accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus. The book embodies the eyewitness testimony and has a clear purpose in mind. The author John writes in chapter 20 v. 31, that he wrote the book “so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and that by believing, you may have life in his name." Thus, John's big idea is this: Jesus is alive and real, and his message can change individual lives and the entire cosmos forever.
Learn more about practicing the liturgy.
Leader prays. Group Prays.
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Let us share in the joys and sorrows of one another's life.
What has been the highlight of your week?
What has been the low of your week? -
Let us together prepare our hearts in worship.
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever.
The Lord sets the prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind, and lifts up those who are bowed down.
The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord!
Let us worship God! -
For a moment, let us sit in silence reflecting on our actions this past week and together, we will confess and be reminded that we are the forgiven community.
Most merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart; We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name.
Amen.
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Let us hear the word of the Lord from the Psalms.
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.–Psalm 36:5-9 (NIV)
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Let us affirm our faith with the words of the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day, he rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the global Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen. -
Let us open the scriptures and learn the story of Christ.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
–John 1:1-18 (NIV) -
Let us take a moment to talk through what we have heard reflecting on what it is saying to us.
What does this reveal about God or His Kingdom?
What does this reveal about human nature or yourself?
How can you live out this passage or who should you share this story with?
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At this time, if you have a prayer request we’ll hear those and conclude with the Lord’s prayer. What would you like to lift up in prayer?
As our Savior taught us, so we pray;
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Amen. -
Let us confess the Mystery of our Faith.
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again. -
May we go from this place prepared to reveal the Kingdom of Jesus, together.
Living God, draw us deeper into your love;
Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve;
Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.Stir us, strengthen us,
teach and inspire us to live your love
with generosity and joy, imagination and courage;
for the sake of your world and in the name of Jesus,Amen.
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