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John 17:20-25

Summary

In these verses Jesus prays for all believers throughout history. It was His intent that his followers would be one and live not just intersecting lives, but intertwined lives; that we would invest in each other’s lives rather than meet together once a week. When we do that, people catch a glimpse of the unity and love of the Godhead.

Focus

This week’s discussion will focus on understanding and applying two key words found in Jesus prayer for all believers: Unity and Love

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you from this weekend’s message? What challenged you?

    

2. What has been your perspective of church? A football stadium? A hospital? Something more than that?

    

3. Read Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-37 How do you think the first followers of Christ interpreted and applied Jesus’ prayer for unity?

    

4. Read 1 Peter 4:10, Romans 12:3-8, and Ephesians 4:12-13. God has given each other “gifts”. For what purpose? Do you know your gift? What happen to a church body when your gift is not utilized?

    

5. What do you think God thinks when he thinks of you?  Read Romans 5:8,10; Romans 8:35. What are His true thoughts about you?

    

6. Read Ephesians 1:3-14. How is it God can love us unconditionally (Clue: Note the number of times Paul uses the words “In” or “In Him” — meaning “Christ”)

    

7. Why do many Christians go through seasons where they struggle to believe that God really loves them?

    

8. How should Christians deal with the differences that exist between them? How do you deal with those differences?

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John 17:6-19

Summary

In these passages Jesus prays for his disciples.Through Jesus’ preaching and teaching, the disciples had learned that God was someone they could trust, someone who would guard and keep them. So, He prays they be guarded by the truth and protected from the evil one.

Focus

The focus of this week’s discussion is the importance of knowing the bible is God’s word and true.

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you from this weekend’s sermon?

    

2. Much debate has taken place recently about “truth,” with a majority of cultural influences suggesting that “truth” is absolutely subjective. Read v. 17. Pilate famously asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) According to this prayer, what is the answer? How do you define truth (Truth)?

    

3. Is it important to the follower of Christ that the scriptures are the word of God and thus, true? Why or why not?

    

4. Read vs 6. Do you think of yourself as a prized possession of God’s given by God to Jesus as es thinking of yourself as a gift from God to Jesus change your self-image?

    

5. Read vv 12-15 How can we be “kept from the evil one” while still enduring the hostility of this world? Why wouldn’t Jesus ask that we be spared from such hostility?

    

6. Read James 1:22. Is it enough to just “know the truth”.

    

7. “We reap what we sow. God always forgives sin but doesn’t always interrupt the law of reaping and sowing” Do you agree with that statement? Why or why not? Why do some continue to disobey the word of God?

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John 17:1-5

Summary

As Jesus is about to be arrested, betrayed and crucified, He prays for himself, his disciples and for those who will come to Christ as a result of their ministry. As Jesus prays for himself, He prays “Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.” For Jesus, the ultimate goal of his life and death is to bring glory to God. May we too understand that the purpose of our life — our vocation — is that God be glorified in us and through us.

Focus

What it means to glorify God and the importance and priority of giving God glory in our own lives.

Discussion Questions

• What stood out to you from the weekend message?

   

• Read vs 1. Jesus said his main ambition was that God be glorified. What does the word “Glory” or “Glorify” mean and how does Jesus’ work on on Earth and on the cross glorify God?

   

• Martin Luther said the main problem in life is that we’ve separated the secular from the sacred. What does he mean and how would life be different if  (what we do) as sacred?

   

• Is glorifying God your “vocation”? What does it look like in your day? Your occupation? When you experience suffering?

   

• Bill said it was through Jesus’ act of obedience that God was glorified. Do you agree with that statement? Why or why not?

   

• The Westminster Shorter Catechism says “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him for ever.” John Piper says we “glorify God BY enjoying him forever”. Do you agree with that statement?  Do you enjoy him? When was the last time you felt his pleasure?

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John 17

Summary

John 17 is Jesus’ prayer on the eve of his arrest and death. He prays for himself, his disciples, and for those who would come to Christ as a result of their ministry. The core of his prayer is that the world would know and truly understand that he is more than a prophet, but the one sent from God to restore humanity and all creation to God and to save from sin.

Focus

The focus of the discussion are the three areas of Jesus’ prayer:

• The Glory of God
• Obedience to God’s word
• Unity of the body

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you from the weekend sermon from John 17?

2. The heart of Jesus in this prayer is the glory of God. What is glory?

3. Giving God glory is our purpose in life. Jesus glorified God through the work of the cross.
   Read 1 Corinthians 10. As you seek to serve God and build his Kingdom, how can God be glorified through you?

4. How does Jesus define eternal life in verse 3?
   Is this definition different than what you have been taught?

5. Read vs 18, Bill said, “As followers of Christ we are called to reveal the light of Jesus to a dark world.”
   How does that challenge you?
   In your world, how can your life be a light for Christ?

6. In vs 23 Jesus prays that the world would know him through our love for one another. The idea of “unity” often gets so romanticized that it becomes unattainable. Is the vision for unity that Jesus expresses in this prayer impossible?

7. Read Ephesians 4:13. What would happen if the world saw Christians united together standing on the truth of God’s Word?

8. What changes need to be made in your life so that Jesus’ prayer of truth and unity can be true of you?

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Romans 8:1-11

Summary

Guilt, shame and remorse are debilitating. Like a cancer they can keep us motionless, defeated and feeling unworthy. If you are unable to move past what you have done in life, you will never fully grasp God’s grace and loving kindness towards you. God has sent Jesus to die for you and completely forgive you. Any condemning feelings you have toward yourself are not from God. So Paul wrote, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

Focus

Where does condemnation come from and how do we over it?

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you about the message?
   What was confusing?
   What was helpful or meaningful?

2. What is the difference between condemnation and conviction?

3. Why is there is no condemnation for people who are in Christ Jesus?

4. If there is no condemnation for believers (Romans 8:1), should we ever have feelings of guilt?
   Why/why not?

5. Why is it difficult for us to fully accept the forgiveness of God?

6. What does it mean to set one’s mind* on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5)?

7. In what ways does the Spirit ‘control our minds (Romans 8:6)?

8. Pick three areas of your life and give examples from each of what it means to set your mind on the Spirit

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Read Matthew 28:18-20

Summary

The Gospel of Matthew ends with a directive  known as the great commission. In this passage Jesus gives his disciples and the church their marching orders. We are to go into every part of the world and to teach baptize and make disciples. The Book of Acts records a further command of Jesus on the subject.

Focus

The mission of TRF is to “know Jesus and make Him known”. As we consider God’s continuing story of redemption, the question for us is, “What part will/do we as individuals play?”

Discussion Questions

1. What principles or thoughts impacted you from the message this past weekend. How were you specifically challenged?

2. Who do you think Jesus is speaking to in the Matthew passage? Just the apostles? The Disciples? evangelists? Or someone else?

3. How does the thought of personally embracing this mission make you feel? What is exciting, about it or what’s challenging? Fearful?

4. Read Acts 17:26-27. Do you believe that God has sovereignly placed you at this specific place at this specific time for a specific purpose? How does that make you feel?

5. Ron said that fulfilling the great commission could be as simple as taking a plate of cookies to people or going shopping with someone.  What does the fulfilment of the Great Commission look like in your life? Overseas mission? Short term mission? Reaching out to your neighbor? Co workers? Fellow students?

6. Read Colossians 4:2-6. This passage describes how we can be intentional in our relationships. How would your life look different if you conducted yourself in this way?

7. Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. How can you live a life set apart for God and still be fully engaged in the community around you.

Prayer

Pray for TRF, that we would all boldly participate in the fulfilment of this Great Commission! And pray that each of us would become growing and making disciples of Jesus ourselves.