Hope Bible School
Hope Bible School
Lesson 4 -1 John 1:1...which we have gazed upon...
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Lesson 4 -1 John 1:1...which we have gazed upon...

Gaze Upon Jesus

Welcome back to our verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. Last lesson we focused on how you can see Jesus with the eyes of faith by reading the eyewitness accounts of Jesus in the Bible, seeing Jesus in creation, seeing Jesus in other believers, and trusting that one day you will see Jesus face to face in Heaven.

In this lesson, we’re going to focus on gazing upon Jesus.

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life.

Let’s focus on …which we have gazed upon

The disciples not only saw Jesus in person, but they gazed upon Jesus. To “gaze” means to be transfixed, to study, to analyze, to look closely at, to contemplate, and to behold attentively.

The disciples gazed upon how Jesus behaved, how He performed miracles, how He loved people, how He prayed, how He taught, and how He suffered for humanity.

If you want to really grow in your relationship with Jesus follow the example of the disciples and gaze upon Him. Even though you can’t physically see Jesus, you can still gaze upon Him by reading the Bible and studying who He is.

God wants you to look to Him, to seek His face, to keep your eyes always upon Him, to keep your thoughts on Him, to lift up your eyes to Him, to behold Him, and to fix your eyes upon Him.

Let’s look at some Bible verses encouraging you to gaze upon God, seek Him, set your mind upon Him, and believe in Him.

In Numbers 21 the Israelites were complaining against the LORD to Moses. Moses was leading the Israelites through the desert to the promised land. Because of their complaints, the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people. As a result, many people died. Then, the people confessed their sins. The LORD told Moses to put a fiery serpent on a pole and that anybody that looked at the serpent on the pole would live. This is a foreshadowing of looking to Jesus for salvation.


Numbers 21:8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.


In John 3:14-15 Jesus says that the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness. You are to look to Jesus and believe if you want to have eternal life and be freed from sin.


John 3:14-15 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”


In 2 Chronicles chapters 6 and 7, we read about Solomon’s temple dedication. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we read God’s response to Solomon after Solomon finished building the temple. He lets Solomon know about the benefits of seeking His face.


2 Chronicles 7:14 and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land


Now let’s look at some verses from the Book of Psalms that speak about beholding the LORD’s face, always having your eyes on the LORD, gazing on the beauty of the LORD, looking to the LORD, seeking His face, lifting up your eyes to the LORD, and fixing your eyes upon the LORD.


Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.


Psalm 25:15 My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.


Psalm 27:4 One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.


Psalm 34:5 Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.


Psalm 105:4 Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.


Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.


Psalm 123:1-2 I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. 2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy.


Psalm 141:8 But my eyes are fixed on You, O GOD the Lord. In You I seek refuge; do not leave my soul defenseless.


In the book of Isaiah and Micah, you will see three great promises. The first promise, in Isaiah, is that if you fix your thoughts on God, you will have perfect peace. The second is that if you look to God, you will be saved. The third promise, in Micah, is that when you look to God and wait on Him for your salvation, He will hear you.


Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!


Isaiah 45:22 (KJV) Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.


Micah 7:7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.


We are called to look to Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. When you look to the Son and believe in Him, you will have eternal life.


John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!


John 6:40 For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”


In 2 Corinthians 3:18, you can see a great promise. When you behold the glory of the Lord, you will be transformed to be more and more like God.


2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.


In Hebrews 12:2, you are encouraged to fix your eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross for you.


Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


In conclusion, God wants you to gaze upon Him, to be transfixed by Him, to really study Him, to analyze Him, to look closely at and behold Him, believe in Him, and fix your eyes on Him.

Open the Bible and gaze upon Him. Follow the example of the disciples.

If you are blessed by Hope Bible School, please share it with others. If you have any prayer requests, please share them in the comments. Thank you and God bless you.

~ Jeff M Newman

VERSE BY VERSE BIBLE STUDY LESSONS (See all)

Lesson 8 - Lesson 8 -1 John 1:2...we have seen it and testified to it... (Share Your Testimony)

Lesson 7 - 1 John 1:2 And this is the life that was revealed... (Eternal Life Revealed)

Lesson 6 - 1 John 1:1...this is the Word of life. (The Message of Eternal Life)

Lesson 5 - 1 John 1:1...and touched with our own hands...(Touching Jesus by Faith)

Lesson 4 - 1 John 1:1...which we have gazed upon... (Gaze Upon Jesus)

Lesson 3 - 1 John 1:1...which we have seen with our own eyes... (Eyes of Faith)

Lesson 2 - 1 John 1:1…which we have heard… (Hear and Obey God)

Lesson 1 - 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning (Jesus is Eternal)


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(Image by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash. Seljalandsfoss, Iceland. Berean Study Bible.)

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