Aim

To explore the metaphor of Jesus as 'the light of the world'.

Lesson

Begin by revising what was taught in the previous lesson about the prophet Isaiah. Prophets were people chosen by God to speak his message. Christians believe that Jesus didn't just speak God's message. He was God's message. This idea appears in the opening verses of John's Gospel.

Share with the children the opening verses of John's Gospel.

Discuss John's description of Jesus as the Word of God and the Light of the world.

Activity

Following discussion, groups of children could:

• chose and decorate one of the titles used by John or Isaiah to describe Jesus
• explore the text through choral speaking
• compare the opening of John's Gospel to Genesis 1:1-5
• compare the opening of John's Gospel to those of the other Gospel writers
• read the words of the carol 'From the Darkness Came Light'.