Bible

Lessons from John

33 lessons

With Building BricksThe Tower of Babel: ObedienceGenesis 9:1; Genesis 11:1-9; John 6:38After the flood, God told Noah's family to spread out and fill the earth. But years later, people stayed together in one place and said, "Let's build a tower up to the sky, so we will not be scattered." They used baked bricks and tar to build a city and a tower. God saw what they were doing. He mixed up their language so they could not understand each other, and they had to stop building. Then God spread them out over the whole earth, just as He had planned. Obedience means doing what God says, because His plan is good.Old TestamentObedience

Big Feelings: Taking Them to GodBig Feelings: SadnessGenesis 21:8-21; Genesis 16:7-13; Psalm 34:18; John 4:13-14Hagar and her son Ishmael had to leave Abraham's family. They wandered in the desert until their water ran out. Hagar sat down and cried. But God heard! He called to her, "Don't be afraid." Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. Years before, Hagar had called God "the God who sees me." Sadness is a big feeling we can take to God. He sees us, hears us and comes close when we're hurting.Old TestamentCompassion

In the BeginningBread from HeavenExodus 16:1-36; John 6:30-35When Israel grumbled in the desert, God rained down bread from heaven every morning, and Jesus is the true Bread from heaven who gives life forever.Old TestamentContentment

With Building BricksMore Than Enough: Building the TabernacleExodus 35:4-36:7; Exodus 25:1-9; Exodus 40:33-38; Exodus 12:35-36; John 1:14God rescued His people from Egypt, and He wanted to live right in the middle of their camp. He asked everyone whose heart was willing to bring gifts to build the tabernacle, a holy tent where He would dwell. The people brought gold, silver, cloth, wood and jewels – so much that the builders said, "The people are bringing more than enough!" and Moses had to tell them to stop. When the tabernacle was finished, God's glory filled it. We give gladly, because God gave to us first and wants to be with us.Old TestamentGenerosity

With Building BricksSolomon Builds the Temple1 Kings 5:1-8:66; 2 Chronicles 3:1-7:3; John 2:19-21King Solomon built a beautiful temple for God, and God filled it with His glory. But even Solomon knew no building could hold God. God came to live with His people, and in Jesus He came closer than ever. So we worship Him.Old TestamentWorship

The Armor of GodThe Armor of God: The Belt of Truth1 Kings 22:1-40; Ephesians 6:10-14; John 14:6King Ahab wanted to go to war, and 400 prophets told him what he wanted to hear. Only Micaiah said, "I will speak whatever the LORD tells me," and he told the truth, even though it cost him. Ahab put on a disguise and his armor, but an arrow found the gap. The first piece of God's armor is the belt of truth. God's truth holds everything together and keeps us safe.Old TestamentHonesty

With MusicOne Voice: The Temple Choir and the Glory Cloud2 Chronicles 5:1-14; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3; 1 Kings 8:10-11; John 1:14When King Solomon's temple was finished, 120 trumpeters and a huge choir praised God together "with one voice," singing, "He is good; His love endures forever." Then God's glory filled the temple like a cloud. God loves to be with His people, and we worship Him together because He is good.Old TestamentWorship

With MusicThe LORD Is My Shepherd: David’s Shepherd SongPsalm 23:1-6; 1 Samuel 16:11; 1 Samuel 17:34-37; John 10:11-15David was a shepherd who wrote songs to God. In Psalm 23 he sang that the LORD is his Shepherd, who leads him, takes care of him and stays with him even in the darkest valley. Because God is our good Shepherd, we can trust Him and not be afraid.Old TestamentTrust

Jesus Walks on WaterMatthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21In the middle of a stormy night, Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water. Peter walked toward Him, but when he looked at the wind he began to sink. Jesus caught him right away. Jesus is God, and we can trust Him in every storm.New TestamentTrust

With Building BricksJesus Is Alive: JoyMatthew 28:1-10; John 16:22; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4Jesus died on the cross, and His body was put in a tomb cut into rock. A huge stone was rolled in front of it. Early on Sunday morning, two women named Mary went to the tomb. Suddenly the ground shook! An angel rolled the stone away and sat on it. He said, "Don't be afraid. Jesus is not here. He has risen, just as He said! Come and see." The women ran with great joy to tell the disciples, and on the way, Jesus met them! Joy is the deep gladness God gives, because Jesus is alive and nothing can take Him away from us.New TestamentJoy

Make Way for Jesus: John the BaptistMark 1:1-8; John 1:19-34; John 3:26-30God sent John the Baptist to get people ready for Jesus. John lived in the wilderness, wore camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey. Crowds came to hear him, and people turned from their sins and were baptized. Leaders asked, "Who are you? Are you the Christ?" John said, "No. I'm just a voice getting the way ready. I'm not even worthy to untie His sandals." When Jesus came, John pointed and said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" Later he said, "He must increase; I must decrease." Humility means making much of Jesus, not of ourselves.New TestamentHumility

Do Not Weep: Jesus and the Widow of NainLuke 7:11-17; 1 Kings 17:17-24; Numbers 19:11; John 11:25Jesus and His disciples, with a big crowd, came near the town of Nain. At the town gate they met a funeral. A widow's only son had died, and she was walking behind his coffin, crying. No one asked Jesus for help. But when the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her. "Do not weep," He said. He touched the coffin and said, "Young man, I tell you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. Everyone praised God – "God has visited His people!" Compassion means seeing someone's hurt, caring and coming close to help, the way Jesus does.New TestamentCompassion

Fruit of the SpiritFruit of the Spirit: LoveLuke 7:36-50; Galatians 5:22-23; John 13:34-35When a woman who had done many wrong things came to Jesus, she washed His feet with her tears and poured out perfume, because He had forgiven her. Simon, the proud host, gave Jesus nothing. Love is the first fruit God's Spirit grows in us, and it grows when we know how much we are loved and forgiven.New TestamentLove

With Building BricksCounting the Cost: The Tower BuilderLuke 14:25-33; Matthew 10:37; John 19:30; Hebrews 12:1-2; Philippians 1:6Huge crowds were following Jesus, and He turned and told them what following Him really means – loving Him most of all and carrying their cross. Then He told a story. "Which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost to see if he has enough to finish it?" If he only laid the foundation, everyone would laugh – "This man couldn't finish what he started!" Following Jesus is worth everything, so we count the cost and keep going. And Jesus Himself counted the cost of saving us and finished the job on the cross.New TestamentPerseverance

Fruit of the SpiritFruit of the Spirit: KindnessLuke 22:47-53; John 18:10-11; Luke 6:35-36; Ephesians 4:32When soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter swung a sword and cut off a servant's ear. Jesus said, "No more of this!" He touched the man's ear and healed him. His last healing before the cross was for someone who came to arrest Him. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. God is kind to us when we don't deserve it, so His Spirit helps us be kind to everyone, even people who are unkind to us.New TestamentKindness

Jesus the KingJesus Is Alive!Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18On the third day, the women found Jesus' tomb empty. Angels said, "He is not here; He has risen!" Jesus is alive, and because He lives we have hope.New TestamentHope

Jesus Turns Water into WineJohn 2:1-11; Isaiah 25:6At a wedding in Cana, the wine ran out. Jesus turned six huge jars of water into the very best wine. It was His first sign, and it showed His glory, so His disciples believed in Him.New TestamentFaith

Nicodemus Comes to Jesus at NightJohn 3:1-21; John 7:45-52; John 19:38-42Nicodemus was an important teacher of God's law. He came to talk with Jesus at night. Jesus told him that to see God's kingdom, a person must be born again, given a brand-new life by God's Spirit. Then Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Later, Nicodemus stood up for Jesus and helped bury Him. Faith in Jesus brings new life.New TestamentFaith

The Woman at the WellJohn 4:1-42Jesus stopped at a well in Samaria and talked with a woman others avoided. He knew everything about her and still offered her living water, and He told her He was the Messiah. She ran to tell her town, "Come and see!" Jesus loves us first, so we love others too.New TestamentLove

Get Up and Walk: Jesus Heals at the Pool of BethesdaJohn 5:1-15In Jerusalem there was a pool called Bethesda, with five covered walkways where many sick people lay. One man had been unable to walk for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him and asked, "Do you want to get well?" The man said no one would help him into the water when it was stirred. Jesus didn't take him to the pool. He said, "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk." At once the man was healed! Our hope isn't in a pool or a helper. Our hope is in Jesus.New TestamentHope

Jesus the KingJesus Feeds 5,000John 6:1-14; 2 Kings 4:42-44When a huge, hungry crowd followed Jesus, a boy shared five small loaves and two fish, and Jesus gave thanks and fed everyone, with twelve baskets left over.New TestamentGenerosity

I Was Blind, but Now I See: The Man Born BlindJohn 9:1-41Jesus saw a man who had been blind since birth. The disciples asked whose sin caused it, and Jesus said, "Neither … this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him." Jesus made mud, put it on the man's eyes and told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. He came back seeing! The Pharisees questioned him again and again and pressured him to say Jesus was a sinner. But the man kept telling the truth, "One thing I do know. I was blind, but now I see!" They threw him out, but Jesus found him, and the man believed and worshiped Him. Honesty means telling the truth about what Jesus has done.New TestamentHonesty

Jesus Raises LazarusJohn 11:1-53Jesus' friend Lazarus got sick and died. When Jesus came, He cried with Lazarus's sisters. Then He stood at the tomb and called, "Lazarus, come out!" and Lazarus walked out alive. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, so we have hope even when someone dies.New TestamentHope

A Beautiful Gift: Mary Anoints JesusJohn 12:1-8; Mark 14:3-9Six days before the Passover, Jesus' friends in Bethany gave a dinner for Him. Martha served, and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, sat at the table. Then Mary brought a jar of very expensive perfume worth about a year's pay. She poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair, and the whole house was filled with the fragrance. Judas complained that it was a waste. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She has done a beautiful deed to Me." Jesus is worth our very best.New TestamentGenerosity