Posts with the tag “john”

On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus spoke to his companions about the importance of faith.Back at the Temple, religious leaders were upset at Jesus for establishing himself as a spiritual authority. They organized an ambush with the intent to place him under arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced ...  Read More

INTRODUCTIONThe following is a guide to help facilitate discussion. Feel free to add or subtract or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.OPENCan you remember a time as a kid when you’re mom or dad did something for you in public that in retrospect, they did out of love for you, but at the time was horribly embarrassing?HEADRead John 15:13, Galatia...  Read More

John 6:4444 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.What is the drawing power of an authentic relationship? In this text, we see that Jesus is reminding people that even their attraction to him is the work of the Father. We call this prevenient grace, or grace before grace. I have spoken and written about this before. What ...  Read More

John 3:16-1716 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.From this text, we see that it seems that authentic relationships are twofold; 1) they are sacrificial, and 2) they are non-judgmental. Let's talk ...  Read More

John 17:2323 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.This is the idea of intimacy. It is really more than intimacy, it is so close to being almost as one. In theological circles we would say that it is a perichoretic relationship. If you have been around Crosswalk for a while, you...  Read More

John 13:3434 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.What does authentic love look like to you? A discipling relationship with God and other people is a relationship where we are honest with one another, we cherish one another, and we speak words of truth over one another and into each other’s lives. Without this kind of hones...  Read More

John 15:1919 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.Who do you belong to? Because the text above seems to indicate that if you are one who loves Jesus, then the world can’t be what you belong to. However, this also means that the world doesn’t really understand you either. In f...  Read More

John 8:47Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.What does it mean to belong to God?This text seems to note that if you belong to God, you actually listen to the words God says. The text itself is an indictment of those who were accusing Jesus of having a demon possessing him. Jesus wasn’t having it, and reminded them that ...  Read More