Creating Separation

I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.” (John 16:26-28) Read: Jeremiah 49:23 – 50:46, Titus…

Provenance

All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again. (John 16:15-16) Read: Luke 17:11 – 18:8, John 11:38-57 Relate: The Courtauld Institute of Arts…

Love And Hate

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 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. Do you remember what I told you?…

Hard To Love

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. (John 15:12-14) Read: Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23, John 6:22-71 Relate: Who is the hardest person for you to love?…

Remain

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will…

Powerless

I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going. (John 14:30-31) Read: Jeremiah 2:31 – 4:18, Colossians 1:1-17, Psalm 76:1-12, Proverbs…

Peace

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy…

More Than A Phantom

Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?” Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our…

If You Love…

If you love me, obey my commandments. (John 14:15) Read: Matthew 2:1 – 3:17, Mark 1:2-11, Luke 3:1-22 Relate: Over and over up to this point Jesus had talked about His “hour”. More than once He was faced with a situation where people wanted to kill him. They were never able to because “His hour had not yet come”.…