09/10/2026
NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH
That You Might Believe
A Student Outline of the Gospel of John
Word Alive Bible Study | John 20:30-31 | Rev. Warren E. Johnson, Senior Pastor and Teacher
Name: ______________________________________Date: ____________________
Lesson Purpose
John presents Jesus as the eternal Son of God and records selected signs so that readers will believe in Christ and receive life through His name.
• Identify the historical setting and purpose of John's Gospel.
• Explain how the signs and the I AM statements reveal Jesus' identity.
• Describe the difference between knowing facts about Jesus and trusting Him.
• Apply Jesus' command to abide in Him through the Word, prayer, obedience, and love.
Key Text
"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." John 20:31
Historical Context
1. Author: The Gospel is traditionally attributed to John, the son of Zebedee, one of Jesus' twelve disciples and a member of His inner circle with Peter and James.
2. Date and setting: The Gospel was likely written near the end of the first century, commonly dated around A.D. 85-95. Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed by Rome in A.D. 70.
3. Audience: John wrote for readers from both Jewish and Greco-Roman backgrounds. He explains Jewish customs and uses the Greek term Logos, translated Word.
4. Need: Eyewitnesses were aging, opposition to believers was growing, and false ideas about Jesus were circulating. John wrote to make Jesus' divine and human identity clear.
5. Purpose: John is more than a biography. It is a carefully arranged testimony calling every reader to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
The Structure of John
Section
Chapters
Main Emphasis
The Prologue
1:1-18
Jesus is the eternal Word who became flesh.
The Book of Signs
1:19-12:50
Jesus' public ministry and the signs that reveal His glory.
The Book of Glory
13:1-20:31
Jesus prepares His disciples, dies, rises, and is glorified.
The Epilogue
21
Jesus restores Peter and recommissions His disciples.
Central Teaching Points
1 Jesus Is the Eternal Word
• John 1:1 teaches that the Word is eternal, personally distinct from the Father, and fully divine.
• The Greek term Logos means Word. John presents the Word not as an idea, but as a Person: Jesus Christ.
• John 1:14 teaches the Incarnation: the eternal Son became flesh without ceasing to be God.
• Jesus became flesh to reveal the Father, identify with humanity, die for sin, and provide salvation.
2 The Signs Reveal His Identity
John calls Jesus' miracles signs because each work points beyond itself to reveal who Jesus is.
Sign
Reference
What It Reveals
Water becomes wine
2:1-11
Authority to transform
Nobleman's son healed
4:46-54
Authority beyond distance
Man at Bethesda healed
5:1-9
Authority over long-term conditions
Five thousand fed
6:1-14
Power to provide and multiply
Jesus walks on water
6:16-21
Authority over creation
Man born blind receives sight
9
Jesus is the Light of the world
Lazarus raised
11
Authority over death
3 The I AM Statements Reveal What Jesus Provides
Jesus' repeated words I AM echo God's self-revelation in Exodus 3:14 and reveal His divine identity and saving provision.
Jesus' Statement
Reference
Human Need Met
I am the Bread of Life
6:35
Spiritual hunger
I am the Light of the World
8:12
Spiritual darkness
I am the Door
10:9
Salvation and security
I am the Good Shepherd
10:11
Guidance and protection
I am the Resurrection and the Life
11:25
Victory over death
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
14:6
Direction, truth, and life
I am the True Vine
15:1
Spiritual strength and fruitfulness
4 Belief Is More Than Mental Agreement
• Believe is a central word in John. Biblical belief means trusting, relying upon, and committing oneself to Jesus Christ.
• Knowing facts about Jesus is not the same as placing the full weight of one's life in His hands.
• John shows personal responses to Jesus through Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, Martha, and Thomas.
• Every reader must personally answer: What will I do with Jesus?
5 Believers Must Abide in Christ
• Abide means to remain, continue, dwell, or stay connected to Christ. See John 15:4-5.
• We abide through His Word. John 15:7
• We abide through prayer and continuing dependence upon God.
• We abide through obedience. John 14:15
• We abide through love for one another. John 13:35
Life Application
1. Know who Jesus is. He is the eternal Word, Lamb of God, Son of God, Savior, and risen Lord.
2. Believe what Jesus has done. His signs reveal His authority, and His resurrection confirms His victory.
3. Receive the life Jesus offers. Eternal life begins through faith in Christ and continues forever.
4. Abide in Christ. Stay connected through Scripture, prayer, obedience, and love.
5. Become a witness. Tell others what Jesus has done in your life. See John 4:28-30.
Review and Discussion
1. Why does John begin with Jesus' eternal existence instead of His birth?
2. What is the difference between a miracle and a sign in John's Gospel?
3. Which sign most clearly speaks to your present situation, and why?
4. Which I AM statement brings you the greatest encouragement today?
5. What is the difference between knowing facts about Jesus and genuinely trusting Him?
6. What habits help a believer abide in Christ?
7. What personal testimony can you share about what Jesus has done for you?
Key Truths to Remember
• Jesus is the eternal Word who became flesh.
• The signs reveal that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
• The I AM statements show that Jesus meets humanity's deepest needs.
• Genuine belief places one's whole life in the hands of Jesus.
• Believers receive life through His name and are called to abide in Him.
Personal Reflection
After studying John's Gospel, what truth about Jesus do I need to believe, obey, or share?
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Closing Declaration
I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Because I believe in Him, I have life through His name.
