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What Seek Ye?

The eternal Word became flesh, John pointed to the Lamb of God, and seekers found the Messiah by accepting one invitation: come and see

  • 📖 Adult Sunday School
  • Week 3
  • 📅 Sunday, January 17, 2027
🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ is the eternal Word and the Light that darkness cannot overcome. We come to know Him the way His first disciples did: by bringing our real questions, accepting His invitation to “come and see,” and then inviting others to do the same.

I can bring my honest questions to the Savior, spend time where He is, and give someone else a simple, sincere invitation to “come and see.”

Study it yourself firstRead John 1 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (John 1)
Know the chapters

John does not begin with a manger. He begins “In the beginning” (John 1:1). Jesus Christ is the Word who was with God, by whom “all things were made” (1:3), whose life “was the light of men” (1:4). The Joseph Smith Translation of John 1:1 (in the Bible appendix) adds that in the beginning the gospel was preached through the Son, and Moses 1:32–33 teaches that God created worlds without number by His Only Begotten. Then the Creator “was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (1:14). The Greek word behind “dwelt” suggests pitching a tent, recalling the tabernacle where God dwelt among Israel. To all who receive Him, He gives “power to become the sons of God” (1:12).

John the Baptist is the first witness in the chapter. Questioned by priests and Levites from Jerusalem, he calls himself “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (1:23; Isaiah 40:3) and insists he is not worthy to unloose the Savior’s shoe (1:27). When he sees Jesus, he says, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (1:29), and he testifies that he saw the Spirit descending like a dove and abiding on Him (1:32). The manual recommends Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s April 2019 talk “Behold the Lamb of God,” which ties this title to the sacrament.

The heart of the lesson is John 1:35–51, a chain of invitations. Jesus’s first words in this Gospel are a question: “What seek ye?” (1:38). When two of John’s disciples ask where He is staying, He answers, “Come and see” (1:39). One of them, Andrew, first finds his own brother Simon, whom Jesus renames Cephas, “A stone” (1:40–42). The other is unnamed; many believe it was John himself. Jesus calls Philip, and Philip finds Nathanael, who is openly skeptical: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip doesn’t argue. He says, “Come and see” (1:45–46). Jesus greets Nathanael as “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile,” reveals that He saw him under the fig tree, and Nathanael testifies, “thou art the Son of God” (1:47–49).

Many adults feel guilty or awkward about sharing the gospel. This chapter makes it simple: Andrew told his brother, and Philip gave a friend a reason and an invitation. Keep the tone warm, not pressured. With 25 minutes, read the invitations in the story, study “come and see,” and use the two discussions for the Word and Light and the Lamb of God. Sharing without pressure is ready as a bonus step.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read John 1:1–14 and 1:29–51 once. Open by asking, “If the Savior turned to you today and asked, ‘What seek ye?’, what would you honestly say?” Read the scenes, find both “come and see” invitations together, and spend the discussion time on the Light and the Lamb of God. Close with John 1:41, a testimony or two, and an invitation to give one person a simple “come and see” this week.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read John 1 straight through twice: once for the Word and the Light (verses 1–18), and once for the witnesses and invitations (verses 19–51).
  2. Ask three people ahead of time to read: Andrew (John 1:40–41), Philip (John 1:45 and the second half of 1:46) and Nathanael (the first half of 1:46 and 1:49).
  3. Test the flashlight and find the light switch. You’ll dim the room for the Light discussion.
  4. Think about who first invited you to “come and see,” or when you first felt you had found the Savior. If the room is quiet, you’ll go first.
  5. Pick the two or three discussion questions you most want to reach. You won’t have time for all of them, and that’s fine.

Discussion tips

  • Missionary guilt: some people shrink when sharing the gospel comes up. Keep it light and natural. Andrew’s first move was to talk to his own brother, and Philip simply said, “Come and see.” Celebrate small, sincere invitations; don’t assign anyone a quota.
  • Honest doubters are welcome in this chapter. Nathanael said exactly what he thought, and Jesus praised him as a man “in whom is no guile.” If someone voices a sincere question or doubt, thank them and treat it the way Jesus did.
  • If someone asks about John 1:18 (“No man hath seen God at any time”), point to the Joseph Smith Translation footnote on that verse and to Doctrine and Covenants 67:11: no one has seen God “in the flesh, except quickened by the Spirit of God.” Moses 1:2 and Joseph Smith—History 1:17 show that it has happened.
  • Quiet class? Give a minute of silence to scan John 1:35–51 before asking anything, and use the pairs moment: people who won’t speak to the room will talk to a neighbor.
  • Visitors and friends of other faiths may be in the room, sometimes because someone said “come and see.” Welcome them warmly, don’t single them out, and never ask someone to read aloud without checking first.

The 25-minute plan25 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Each “On the screen” line is what the class sees on a shared screen in Teach Mode in the Gospel Sparks app; on paper, read it aloud or write it on the board. On the web you can play Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

What Are You Looking For?

3 min

Opens with the Savior’s own first question in John’s Gospel, asked personally.

  1. SAY“The first words Jesus speaks in the Gospel of John are a question: ‘What seek ye?’ (John 1:38).”
  2. Ask: “If the Savior turned to you this morning and asked you that, what would your honest answer be?”
  3. Give 20 seconds of quiet. Then invite two or three to share if they’re willing. Accept every honest answer: peace, direction, forgiveness, a testimony, relief, a friend.
  4. SAY“Today we’ll watch a handful of seekers become disciples in a single chapter, and notice exactly how it happened.”

On the screen: 🔎 If Jesus turned and asked you, “What seek ye?”, what would you say?

2. Story

Read It in Context: Come and See

6 min

Reads John 1:35–51 as a chain of real invitations between brothers and friends.

  1. Open Teach Mode to the scripture scene. The shared screen shows one scene at a time.
  2. Read each scene’s context yourself, then let the assigned voices read their verses. You read the Savior’s words; no one is assigned to speak as the Lord.
  3. Keep it moving: context, verses, next scene. Save comments for the discussion.
  4. After scene 7, let a few seconds of silence sit before moving on.

On the screen: 👣 John 1: a question, an invitation, and a chain of friends who found the Messiah · Follow along in John 1:35–51

3. Scripture

Come and See, Twice

4 min

Studies the invitation closely so class members see it is both how we come to Christ and how we bring others.

  1. Put John 1:39 on the shared screen and read it slowly.
  2. SAY“The words ‘come and see’ appear twice in this chapter. With the person next to you, find both, and notice who says them each time.” (Verses 39 and 46.)
  3. After a minute, draw it out: first Jesus says it to seekers; then Philip, a brand-new disciple, says it to a doubting friend.
  4. Ask: “What does ‘come and see’ ask of the person being invited? What does it ask of the one doing the inviting?”

On the screen: 👣 “Come and see.” First Jesus said it. Then Philip said it to a friend. · John 1:39, 46

4. Talk it over

The Light Shineth in Darkness

5 min

Helps adults see the Jesus of the invitations as the eternal Word, Creator and Light.

  1. Dim the room lights and switch on the flashlight. Read John 1:1–5 while the light is on.
  2. SAY“John begins before Bethlehem. The Jesus who invited fishermen to ‘come and see’ is the Word who was with God in the beginning, the Creator of all things, and the Light.”
  3. Turn the room lights back on. Pick two or three questions, and start one in pairs.
  4. Let silence work. Count to seven in your head before rescuing a question.
💬 Ask the class
  • Why do you think John began his Gospel “in the beginning” instead of in Bethlehem?
  • “Comprehended it not” (John 1:5) can mean darkness didn’t understand the light, and couldn’t overcome it. Where have you seen His light hold in a dark time? (Talk with a neighbor first.)
  • Why is “the Word” a fitting title for Jesus Christ?
  • John 1:12 promises “power to become the sons of God” to those who receive Him. What does receiving Him look like in an ordinary week?

On the screen: 💡 The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. · John 1:1–14

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A flashlight (a phone flashlight works) and a way to dim the room lights

Eyes Closed, Eyes Open

  1. Ask everyone to close their eyes for five seconds and notice the darkness. Then say, “Open,” and read John 1:1–5.
  2. SAY“John begins before Bethlehem. The Jesus who invited fishermen to ‘come and see’ is the Word who was with God in the beginning, the Creator of all things, and the Light.”
  3. Pick two or three questions, and start one in pairs.
  4. Let silence work. Count to seven in your head before rescuing a question.
5. Talk it over

Behold the Lamb of God

5 min

Connects John the Baptist’s title for Jesus to the Old Testament and to the sacrament.

  1. Read John 1:29 and 1:36.
  2. Share Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s words about why John chose this title (in “From general conference” below).
  3. Ask one or two questions, then move to the testimony on time.
💬 Ask the class
  • John could have introduced Jesus with many titles. Why do you think he chose “the Lamb of God”?
  • Last year we read about Abraham’s promised lamb and the Passover lamb (Genesis 22:8; Exodus 12:3). What do those accounts add to John’s words?
  • How does remembering the Lamb of God change the way you take the sacrament?

On the screen: 🐑 “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” · John 1:29, 36

6. Testimony

We Have Found Him

2 min

Ends with testimony of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and a small, concrete invitation.

  1. Read John 1:41 together: “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”
  2. Invite one or two people to share, in a sentence or two, who invited them to “come and see,” or when they knew they had found the Savior.
  3. Bear a short testimony that Jesus Christ is the Word, the Light and the Lamb of God, and that He knows each of us, as He knew Nathanael under the fig tree.
  4. Invite: “This week, answer ‘What seek ye?’ honestly in your own prayers, and give one person a simple, natural ‘come and see.’”

On the screen: 🌅 “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” · John 1:41 · This week: one honest prayer, one simple “come and see.”

7. Talk it over

Inviting Without Pressure

5 minBONUS

Looks at how Andrew and Philip shared the Savior, and what that means for ordinary adults.

  1. Read John 1:40–46 again quickly and list what Andrew and Philip actually did.
  2. Read 1 Peter 3:15: be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you, “with meekness.”
  3. Ask one or two questions.
💬 Ask the class
  • Philip gave Nathanael a reason (verse 45) and an invitation (verse 46). Why do both matter?
  • What are some simple, natural ways to say “come and see” in our day?
  • Who first said “come and see” to you, and what did they do that made it easy to come?

On the screen: 🤝 Andrew told his brother. Philip gave a friend a reason and an invitation. · John 1:40–46 · 1 Peter 3:15

8. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A light, friendly review if you finish early.

  1. Split the room down the middle into two teams.
  2. Launch Scripture Showdown on your phone or tablet and read each question aloud.
  3. After each reveal, read the reference so people can mark it.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

On the screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown: how well do you know John 1?

Read it together

Come and See

John 1:35–51 ↗

Reading parts

  • AndrewReads John 1:40–41, finding his brother Simon.
  • PhilipReads John 1:45 and answers Nathanael with the second half of 1:46.
  • NathanaelReads the first half of John 1:46 (his doubt) and 1:49 (his testimony).

Scenes

  1. 🐑 “Behold the Lamb of God!”

    John the Baptist is standing with two of his own disciples when Jesus walks by. John doesn’t try to keep his followers. He points them away from himself, and they follow Jesus.

    🎬 The teacher reads John 1:35–37.

  2. ❓ “What seek ye?”

    Jesus turns and sees them following. His first words in John’s Gospel are a question. They answer with a question of their own, and He answers with an invitation to spend the day with Him.

    🎬 The teacher reads John 1:38–39. Pause on the invitation.

  3. 🐟 Andrew finds his own brother first

    One of the two is Andrew. The first thing he does is find his brother Simon and bring him. Jesus looks at Simon and gives him a new name: Cephas, a stone.

    🎬 Andrew reads John 1:40–41. The teacher reads verse 42.

  4. 🧭 Philip is called and finds a friend

    The next day, in Galilee, Jesus finds Philip and says, “Follow me.” Philip goes straight to his friend Nathanael with a reason and a name.

    🎬 The teacher reads John 1:43–44. Philip reads verse 45.

  5. 🤨 “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

    Nathanael is skeptical and says so. Philip doesn’t argue or explain. He simply repeats the invitation Jesus gave.

    🎬 Nathanael reads the first half of John 1:46. Philip answers with the second half.

  6. 🌳 Known under the fig tree

    Before Nathanael says a word, Jesus describes him: an honest Israelite without guile. He saw Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip ever called him. The skeptic becomes a witness.

    🎬 The teacher reads John 1:47–48. Nathanael reads verse 49.

  7. 🪜 “Thou shalt see greater things than these”

    Jesus promises more: heaven opened, and angels ascending and descending, the image from Jacob’s dream at Bethel. Coming and seeing is only the beginning.

    🎬 The teacher reads John 1:50–51. Let a few seconds of quiet follow.

Key verse

John 1:39 ↗
“He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.”
In plain words: Jesus didn’t answer with an argument or a lecture. He invited them to spend time with Him, and they stayed the rest of the day.

More verses

John 1:1 ↗
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
In plain words: Before Bethlehem, before the world, Jesus Christ was with the Father. He is the one through whom God speaks to us.
John 1:5 ↗
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
In plain words: Darkness never understood the Savior’s light, and it could never put it out.
John 1:29 ↗
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
In plain words: Every lamb Israel ever offered pointed to this moment. John saw the real Lamb walking toward him.
John 1:12 ↗
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
In plain words: Everyone who truly receives Jesus Christ is given power to become more like Heavenly Father, as His sons and daughters.

Scripture Showdown7 questions

  1. What are Jesus’s first words in the Gospel of John?
    • A. “Follow me.”
    • B. “What seek ye?”
    • C. “Come and see.”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “What seek ye?” John 1:38. “Come and see” is His answer in the next verse.

  2. Whom did Andrew find first and bring to Jesus?
    • A. Philip
    • B. Nathanael
    • C. His brother Simon
    Show answer

    ✅ C. His brother Simon John 1:41: “He first findeth his own brother Simon.”

  3. What does the name Cephas mean?
    • A. A stone
    • B. A fisherman
    • C. Beloved
    Show answer

    ✅ A. A stone John 1:42: “Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”

  4. Where had Jesus seen Nathanael before Philip called him?
    • A. By the river
    • B. In the synagogue
    • C. Under the fig tree
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Under the fig tree John 1:48.

  5. What did John the Baptist call Jesus?
    • A. The Lamb of God
    • B. The Good Shepherd
    • C. The Bread of Life
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The Lamb of God John 1:29, 36.

  6. What did Nathanael doubt could come out of Nazareth?
    • A. A prophet
    • B. Any good thing
    • C. A king
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Any good thing John 1:46: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

  7. Finish John 1:1: “In the beginning was the…”
    • A. Light
    • B. Word
    • C. Life
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Word “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“It is instructive that this long-prophesied forerunner to Jesus did not call Him “Jehovah” or “Savior” or “Redeemer” or even “the Son of God”—all of which were applicable titles.”

— Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Behold the Lamb of God,” April 2019

Share in Behold the Lamb of God, right after reading John 1:29 and 36.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Come, Follow Me Hymns, no. 116

    Jesus’s invitation to Philip, “Follow me” (John 1:43), is the heart of this hymn. Find it ↗

  • I Know That My Redeemer Lives Hymns, no. 136

    A hymn of personal witness, like Andrew’s “We have found the Messias.” Find it ↗

This week’s invitation

One Question, One Invitation

This week, answer the Savior’s question “What seek ye?” (John 1:38) honestly in your own prayers. Then give one person a simple, natural “come and see”: an invitation to church, to a Come, Follow Me discussion at home, to a ward activity, or just to hear why the Savior matters to you.

Take it home

In Sunday School we read John 1: Jesus asked two seekers, “What seek ye?” and answered them, “Come and see” (John 1:38–39). Andrew brought his brother, and Philip brought his friend. Take it home: at dinner, ask who first invited each person to learn about Jesus, and whom your family could invite to “come and see.”

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🏜️ The Voice in the Wilderness · 4 min

  1. Read John 1:19–27 and Isaiah 40:3.
  2. Point out how completely John points away from himself: “I am not the Christ,” and he is not worthy to unloose the Savior’s shoe.
  3. Ask: “What can we learn from John about pointing others to the Savior instead of to ourselves?”

🌌 Before Bethlehem · 4 min

  1. Read John 1:1–3, then Moses 1:32–33 and Moses 4:2.
  2. Ask: “What difference does it make to know that the baby in the manger was the Creator of worlds?”
  3. Invite the class to write a one-sentence witness of Jesus Christ in their own words.

🪜 Greater Things · 3 min

  1. Read John 1:50–51 and Genesis 28:12, Jacob’s dream of angels ascending and descending.
  2. Ask: “Jesus told a brand-new believer he would see ‘greater things.’ What greater things has discipleship opened to you since you first came and saw?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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