John 1: 19-31
Question: John seems to assume that his readers know who John the Baptist was and what he taught. What else do we know about John the Baptist and his message from the other gospels? (Matt 3:1-6, Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:3-22)
Question: How can we know if someone is faithfully bearing witness to God? (See also John 16:14 and 21:24)
John 1:32-34
Question: what is the difference between the baptism in water offered by John and the baptism in the Spirit offered by Jesus? (Acts 19:1-7)
Question: Some Christians emphasise the need for a ‘Holy Spirit baptism’ after having already been baptised with water. Others suggest that when you are baptised as an infant you are also baptised with the Spirit. What does baptism mean to you? (Acts 19:1-7, Ephesians 5:18)
John 1:35-41
Question: Can you pick out all of the names/titles that John the Baptist and the disciples used of Jesus? Can you see any that weren’t 100% accurate?
Question: Which title would have particularly upset the Jewish leaders and which would have upset the Roman authorities?
Question: Which of these titles would have been the most surprising to a Jew expecting the Messiah?
John 1:50-51
Question: What did Jesus promise when he said that they would see heaven opened (referring to Jacob’s dream in Genesis)? “And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it Gen” 28:12