We know we should seek Jesus’ face, but how? One of my favorite ways is to read the book of John. When we see Jesus through John’s eyes, we get a glimpse of the Son of God through one of his closest friends. The book of John paints a clear picture of Jesus as the Son of man and Jesus as the Son of God. He illustrates these pictures through similes, metaphors, and stories to help us better understand who Jesus is and our relationship with him by using things familiar to us like bread and water.

We also know we should seek to walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6), and in John, we see what that looks like as we follow the footsteps of Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem and back. We see God with skin on and get a clear picture of how much God loves and cares for us.

3 Ways to See Jesus in John

1. Read and Reread

One of the best ways to get a good grasp of any book of the Bible is to read it over and over. As you read, note what stands out to you. It’s amazing how each time I read a book like John, I gain new insight through viewing the book as a whole. Just this past month, I saw how an underlying idea in John is how Jesus brought glory to the Father and how we can, too. On previous readings, I had missed that idea.

If you’re short on time, plug your phone into your car and let an app like YouVersion read your Bible to you. It makes that Monday morning traffic less of a headache when you spend that time with God.

2. Search for Jesus in John

There are so many themes and ideas in John it can seem overwhelming. One of my friends mentioned she and her kids read John and just noted who Jesus was in each chapter. When I did this, it simplified my study and gave me many new insights into his character. For example, I have never before noticed that in John 1:51 Jesus says he’s the “stairway between heaven and earth” (NLT). What a clear picture of how he connects us to God!

3. Read Devotionals and Bible Studies

There are many good studies out there over the book of John. By studying what others have written or studying the word with others, we gain insight that we might have missed. Just this past week, a friend pointed out that in John 5 the paralytic’s legs would not have worked. At. All. It was no small miracle to restore the legs of someone who had been lame for 38 years! I didn’t use my foot for 3 weeks after surgery this summer and walking after that has been hard enough. I can’t imagine the physical therapy that would be needed after 38 years, can you? On previous readings, I had completely missed that idea, and my friend’s insight gave new depth to Jesus’ ability to heal.

A study I like over John is “That You May Believe” on The Proverbs31 First 5 app. Or you can join our Abide fall study, “Just Jesus: A Study of John” that begins Oct. 14th. We will study John together in our private Facebook group to discover who Jesus is and how we can learn to be more like him. Click the picture below to sign up!

At first following Jesus and learning more about him can seem intimidating. It can be hard to know where to start, but when we realize how much he wants to meet us and lead the way, it becomes less like a homework assignment and more like meeting for coffee with your best friend.

• 7 week reading plan
• Memory verse list
• John 15:4-5 graphic
• Link to join Facebook group

I have learned so much from the ladies in the Abide Facebook group over the years and can’t wait to see what God shows us this fall through the book of John. Come join us! Just fill out the form above to get started.