John 13:31-33A, 34-35
Lead in: “I will be with you only a little while longer.” Of the people who come into our lives, some will remain for a lifetime and others for just a season. Whether for a lifetime or for a season, both have come into our lives for a reason. This was true for Jesus who knew his disciples for only three years.
Prompt: Reflect on the people you have known throughout your life. Whether for a lifetime or a short season, can you see the reason why God brought them into your life?
Lead in: Of the people Jesus met, many were but brief encounters. Yet, because he loved so deeply, Jesus brought to each of those encounters a powerful presence. For many, their encounter with Jesus changed them forever.
Prompt: Reflect on an encounter with another that had a profound effect on you.
Lead in: Jesus tells us, “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” John 13:35 Yet, from experience we know that there are those who are easy to love and those who are harder to love.
Prompt: When you think of someone who is easy to love, who comes to mind for you? What about them makes it so?
Prompt: When you think of someone who is harder to love, who comes to mind for you? What about them makes it so? What would it take for you to love them as Jesus loves them?
Lead in: The disciples wanted to know if Jesus was going to return the kingship to Israel. We ask a similar question today whenever we wonder when Jesus will return in glory. Jesus tells them it is not for them (or for us) to know such things. Instead, they are given a task, to be his witnesses throughout the whole world.
Prompt: Like the disciples who asked when Jesus was to return, what unanswered questions would you like to ask Jesus?
Lead in: Paul and Barnabas should have had frequent flyer miles. Together they traveled to Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, Pisidia, Pamphhylia, Perga, Attalia, and then back to Antioch. Travel was not easy in those days. As a result, Paul and Barnabas endured many hardships as they journeyed from one town to another.
Prompt: Life being what it is, every once in a while we run into hard times. What has been one of those hard times for you and how did you get through it?
Prompt: What hardships have you endured for the sake of staying true to what you know is right? What did you learn from that?
