Bible Study
Lesson 5
Scripture Readings
John 1:1-5 (CEB)
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.
1 John 1:5-7 (CEB)
This is the message that we have heard from him and announce to you: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” If we claim, “We have fellowship with him,” and live in the darkness, we are lying and do not act truthfully. But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin.
1 John 4:7-11 (CEB)
Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love. This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him.This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins.
Dear friends, if God loved us this way, we also ought to love each other.
Discussion Introduction
What is God? That may be a really hard question to answer. Is God light? Yes. In 1 John 1:5 it says, ‘This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.’ Is God love? Yes. In 1 John 4:7-8 it says, ‘Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.’ If we look really hard in scripture, we can find other ways that God is described. In John 1:1 it says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ So, when we ask, what is God, God is different things and all things at that same time. Realizing that God is love, God is light, God is the creator of all things allows us to seek comfort and peace in a God who is always there for us no matter we do or say. But God can be something different to everyone at different times in their lives. Let’s look at some questions to see if we can answer thequestion together, ‘What is God to us?
Digging Deeper Questions
Surface:
Have you ever been scared or afraid of something? Who did you go to for comfort and safety? How is God like that person?
Have you ever seen a sunset or sunrise where all the colors are bouncing all over the sky and clouds? How is God like that sunset or sunrise?
Have you ever looked at something so incredible that you couldn’t figure out how it was done? Like in those instances, how is God surprising or amazing sometimes?
Deeper:
If you could describe God as an everyday person here on earth with us, what would God be like? Describe how God would look, act, talk, dress and interact with people.
How can we be more like God? What characteristics do we need to have in order to be more like God?
Do you struggle describing God to other people? What makes this difficult or easy for you?
Deepest:
Have you ever wondered or asked the 5 W’s about God because you were angry or upset? Which of the 5 W’s do you ask the most?
When you think about the 5 W’s and God, which question is the hardest for you to answer? Which is the easiest to answer? Why?
Think about this statement: Be Christ-like. What does that mean? Have the discussions this week helped shape that answer? Why or why not?
Bible Study Wrap Up
Why is it important for us to know God? We begin to trust and love someone when we get to know them. We ask questions, we spend time with them, we grow with them. It is hard to be in a relationship with a complete stranger! We only can love and trust someone as much as we know them. Knowing God helps us with a better understanding of our own identity. Before we can truly appreciate who we are, we need to know who made us. By learning more about God, we learn more about ourselves. Our spiritual journey is one that will last our entire lives. By asking the 5 W questions we can encounter God in different ways along this journey. We can grow in trust and love. By using scripture and asking those same questions we can begin to dive deeper into the word and discover new and wondrous things there. Ask questions, listen for the answers and discover what God has in store for you.