Awana Lights

Intro

Reading John 1:1-18

Dim the lights

Every time you hear the words: Light or Glory

Leaders - you can help

Passage: John 1:1-18

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. [Who is the Word?]

1:2 The Word [who is the Word?] was with God [the Father] in the beginning. 1:3 All things were created by him [created by who?], and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

1:4 In him was life [in who was life?], and the life was the light of mankind. [how is life like light?] 1:5 And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it. [which is stronger - the light of Jesus or darkness? do you sometimes get afraid of the dark? there’s darkness like when the lights go out, but then there’s the darkness of not knowing who God is and not knowing Jesus - that’s even darker than the darkest room - what who is the Light in the darkness?]

1:6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John [was this Jesus? His cousin!]. 1:7 He came as a witness to [tell people] about the light [who was John telling people about? why … ?], so that everyone might believe through him. 1:8 He himself was not the light [was John the light? who is?], but [John] came to [tell people] about the light [what did John come to do?]. 1:9 The true light [who?], who gives light to everyone [what does JC do?], was coming into the world. 1:10 [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him [why not? b/c they were in darkness]. 1:11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him.

[that sounds like bad news, but here’s the good news…!]

1:12 But to all who have received Jesus—those who believe in his name [what does it mean to receive Jesus?]—he has given the right to become God’s children 1:13—children not born by human parents or by [human actions], but by God.

1:14 Now the Word [who?] became flesh [took on a human body] and took up residence among us. We saw his glory [what did we see? what is glory?] —the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. [where did JC come from?] 1:15 John [told people] about [Jesus] and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ ” 1:16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ.

1:18 No one has ever seen God [have you seen God the Father? who has seen Him?]. The only one [who?], himself God, who is in closest [friendship] with the Father, has made God known. [what did JC do? and that’s like turning the lights on]

Great job

Lights off: Before JC came, this is what it was like - we didn’t really know what God was like. Then Jesus was born at Christmas ...

Lights on!: And now this is what is was like when Jesus came. He showed us what God was like:

Love - Jesus loves everyone, and told them that, and healed them, and gave them food

Truth - Jesus told us all about God the Father and the Kingdom of Heaven

Mercy - He showed mercy on sinners, on the sick, on those who were hurt

Forgiveness - He died on the cross so that all our sins could be forgiven

All kinds of ways Jesus turned on the lights

And when Jesus comes back and takes us to the Kingdom of Heaven, do you know what that will be like? [house lights on] Then we’ll totally see everything about God and about the Kingdom of Heaven!

Review

What is real darkness?

Who is the Light?

How did Jesus turn on the lights?

What’s it going to be like when Jesus comes back and takes us to the Kingdom of Heaven?

Filler: When your lights are on me, then I can’t move, but when your lights are off, I can move.