The Gospel Project® for Adults

Leader Guide CSB, Unit 19, Session 5

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THE SAVIOR IS FOLLOWED

SESSION OUTLINE

1. The Messiah invites others to follow Him (John 1:35-42).
2. The Messiah reveals His identity by His power (John 1:43-49).
3. The Messiah promises greater things to come (John 1:50-51).

Background Passage: John 1

WHAT WILL MY GROUP LEARN?

Jesus invited His first followers into relationship with Him
and promised that they would experience great things.

HOW WILL MY GROUP SEE CHRIST?

Jesus came into the world to call sinners to repentance
and to lay down His life on their behalf
so that they might be saved. Likewise, as His followers,
we tell others about Jesus and call on them to turn
from their sin and trust in Jesus.

HOW SHOULD MY GROUP RESPOND?

Because Jesus gave up His life for us and we have committed
to following Him, our lives are to be marked by sacrifice
as we are willing to do whatever God calls on us to do
as we invest in others so that they might become disciples
of Jesus.

GROUP TIME

INTRODUCTION

Click on the link or scan the QR code for a reproducible handout of this session's Scripture passages:

Setting:

John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the world
as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
(John 1:29).
He understood Jesus's role from the start.
Jesus was the sacrificial substitute, laying down His life
for His people. John again, the following day, called Jesus
the Lamb of God (John 1:36),
specifically telling two of his own disciples, allowing them
to follow Jesus and become His disciples. The call
to follow the Lamb is the foundation of John's Gospel
and the basis for the entire story of the Bible.
From cover to cover, the Bible invites the reader
to look at Jesus, follow Him, and be saved.

Explain:

Items in nature, agricultural scenarios, and animals,
among other things, were often used as symbols
in ancient middle eastern culture.
Symbols and picture references were used often in a culture
that was more oral than written.

Discuss:

• If you were to choose an animal as a metaphor for Jesus,
  what might you choose?
• (wait for a group member to respond first;
• only share your response as a conclusion to the discussion)

Transition:

Jews in Jesus's day would have understood the imagery
of a lamb. They would have known that lambs were used
as a sacrifice, especially at Passover.
They would have understood the reference to something pure
and blameless. But what would have been difficult for them
to understand was a person being called "the Lamb of God."
How or why would a person step into the role of a sacrificial lamb?
Even more, why would this description be used of someone
who claimed to be sent from God to be the Messiah and Savior?

Optional Question:

• Since becoming a Christian, how has your appreciation grown
  when you think about Jesus's role as a substitute?
• (my understanding of my own sin has grown,
  and I see how deeply I need a substitute;
• when I see the perfection of Jesus, I'm stunned to think
  of how much grace it took to save us sinners;
• it takes a lot of love to take on the guilt of another)