1Start
Matthew and Luke begin with Jesus’s family and birth. John starts before the world was made (John 1:1).
2Read Together
John was a fisherman from Galilee, a son of Zebedee, and one of the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 4:21; 10:2). His Gospel opens with the same three words as the Bible (Genesis 1:1).
John 1:1–4 · King James Version
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
3What It Teaches
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God” (John 1:1). Long before Bethlehem, Jesus lived with his Father. When the plan of salvation was presented, he offered to carry it out and give the glory to the Father (Abraham 3:27; Moses 4:2).
“All things were made by him” (John 1:3). Under the Father’s direction, Jesus created this earth and worlds without number (Moses 1:33). The stars, the oceans, and every living thing are the work of his hands.
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). The Creator later came to earth as a baby. He knows the world from the inside, because he made it and then lived in it.
This truth changes how we see the world around us. A sunrise, a mountain, or a newborn baby is the work of the Savior’s hands.
4Talk About It
John says all things were made by Jesus Christ. What part of his creation helps you feel his love most, and why?