Church of The Open Door

Know, Believe, Receive

John 14:7-14

Knowing:

Level 1: General Traits

Level 2: Personal Concerns, Characteristics

Level 3: Great Intimacy

Believing:

Believe in Me

Believe in the works you’ve seen

If your faith hasn’t changed you it hasn’t saved you.

Receiving:

When really knowing and believing in Jesus you then receive Jesus best for your life.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the teaching to our life

Who do you know best? How did you get to know them?

What ways do you wish you knew them better?

What ways do you wish you knew God better?

Do you think you would have responded like the Disciples? Why or Why not?

In what ways has your faith actually changed you?

In what ways do you still hope to change?

What have you asked God to do that you are glad he didn’t end up doing because he knew better for you?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer/Loving God

Home for Christmas

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

1 John 1:1-4; John 1:1-4

Jesus, the eternal God

The One who created life

The One who gives life

The One who is life

Came to live with sinful people like you and me

To show us what life is all about

To sacrifice his life for us on the cross

To give us eternal life

Eternal life forever in heaven after we die

Quality of life now that is full of purpose and joy

A wonderful life is available to us because Jesus became ‘God with us.’

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Intentional Evangelism/Loving People

Home for Christmas

“Unwrapping Truth”

John 14:6, John 18:37

What is truth?

God’s written word

God’s incarnate word

Jesus didn’t dialogue about truth

Jesus declared the truth

The truth is:

God is with us

God wants a relationship with us

Because he loves us

Because he wants us to live

We get that relationship through following Jesus

Followers listen to the truth

Followers testify to the truth

The truth sets people free

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

Did you snoop for your Christmas presents as a kid? If yes, what was the best present you ever found?

Did you know the Old Testament was about Jesus? Where are some places you can see shadows of his coming?

Do you believe the Bible is 100% true, mostly true or not true. Explain your answer.

Jesus said “everyone on the side of truth listens to me”. What does that mean? What has Jesus said to you today?

How has the truth of Jesus changed your life? Share a story (testify) to a promise he has been faithful to keep.

How will you tell the TRUTH of Jesus to your family and friends this Christmas season? What is Jesus telling you to do?

Core CHRISTlike characteristic: Intentional Evangelism/Spirit-led Servant.

Home for Christmas

“Finding the Way Home”

John 14:1-6

We are homeless, helpless and hopeless apart from God.

What does “I am the way” mean?

1. We must believe in Jesus as the way to the Father.

Jesus was born to die.

Jesus’ death is the way to a right relationship with God.

Jesus’ death opens the way to home/heaven.

Jesus’ death is the way to our salvation.

2. We must follow the way of Jesus.

In order to follow Jesus’ way, we must turn from our way.

What is the way of Jesus? How did he live?

He lived in loving connection with the Father.

He lived dependent on the Spirit.

He loved and served people.

The greatest gift you could give people this Christmas is the gift of you living more like Jesus, following the way of Jesus.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

Did you ever get lost when you were younger and couldn’t find your way home?

How would you answer someone who said “I don’t have a problem with Jesus being ‘a way’ to God, but I don’t believe he is ‘the way;’ that is too narrow-minded and exclusive to me”?

Read Proverbs 14:12. What are some “ways” that “seem/appear” to be right to people today, but in fact lead to death?

What “ways” do you find yourself tempted to follow?

What is the first thing you think about when you hear “follow the way of Jesus” or “live like Jesus”?

The word “way” has two definitions: it means “road, path, route” and also “manner of life, method of living, pattern of behavior.” Read 1 Cor. 4:17, Gal. 1:13, Eph. 4:20-22, and 2 Tim. 3:10 (which all refer to the second definition) and describe what kinds of things you think Paul is referring to in these verses.

What simple act that you seeing Jesus doing in the gospels could you and/or your group do/start doing? Come up with a plan to do it.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Intentional Evangelism/Loving People

Home for Christmas

“Where are you going this Christmas?”

John 14:1-3

1. We have troubles because we’re not home yet.

We are homesick for God.

Homelessness fosters hopelessness; home brings hope.

The hope for home is the longing to belong.

2. Jesus came to rescue us from Trouble and bring us home.

God is homesick for us.

Christmas is:

Jesus leaving his home

to come to our home

to bring us home to the Father.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

1. Which group are you in this Christmas?

a. Going home for Christmas.

b. Staying home for Christmas.

c. Leaving home for Christmas.

2. Hardly anybody recognizes they are homesick for God, that the deepest yearning of their heart is actually for God. So, instead, what do people typically interpret that longing for that they feel in their heart?

3. John 14 opens with Jesus telling the disciples not to be troubled. Review from Chapter 13 the kinds of things that have just happened that might cause the disciples to feel troubled. (There’s at least 5 reasons.)

4. What kind of trouble are you feeling these days? What’s causing it?

5. What is Jesus telling the disciples to believe in in v. 1? How will that help them deal with what they are feeling?

6. How does the future hope of heaven encourage you as you go through times of trial and difficulty?

7. If this world is not our home, how should that affect the way we live? Be specific.

8. Make a list as a LifeGroup of people you can invite to Christmas Eve services this year. Pray for them by name each week as a group and invite them to one of our Christmas Eve services.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer/Loving God

Love Does

“Love Shows”

John 13:35-38

What are you known for ?

The identifying feature of a Christian is love.

What is Love?

Love is a proclamation to all

Love connects us to Jesus

Love comes from Jesus

What are you known for?

Love serves

Love fills

Love is a decision

Love shows

Christike love declares to all that we are followers of Jesus .

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

How would your close friends rate you on loving others? How would you rate yourself?

Why is it so hard to actually live out what we know? How big is the gap between what you believe and how you live?

What are the groups of people or individuals that you have the most difficult time loving? Do you think that you should just always struggle with that, or should you start loving?

How are you with love being the identifying factor of a follower of Jesus?

Do you ever feel like a Christian imposter? Why?

Have you ever felt the restoring love of God? If so, how are you now going to love others so that they too can share in that love?

What is your “identifying factor?”

Core Christlike Characteristic: Relates with Other-Centered Love/Loving People

Love Does

“Love 2.0: Loving Like Jesus”

John 13:31-34

1. Loving like Jesus is a command. Will you obey Him?

2. Loving like Jesus is a lifestyle. Will you follow Him?

How did Jesus love the disciples?

i. He hung out with them on their turf.

ii. He invited them to come along with him as he helped people.

iii. He accepted, befriended and included them.

iv. He prayed for them.

v. He cared about their friends and family.

vi. He listened patiently and gave them grace.

vii. He forgave them.

viii. He served them.

ix. He shared his life and ministry with them.

x. He shared the good news with them and helped them believe.

xi. He taught them and explained Scripture to them.

xii. He sacrificed his time and eventually his life for them.

3. Loving like Jesus is a decision. What will you do?

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Read John 13:33. Why did Jesus call his disciples “little children”? Do you think this offended them? What do you think they were feeling when he said these words?

Jesus’ words in v. 34 are a command not a suggestion. Why do you think committed followers of Jesus treat it more like something to strive for instead of a command to obey?

Are there any other ways Jesus specifically loved his disciples that you would have included under point 2?

Which of the 12 ways Jesus loved his disciples do you find most compelling? Which is hardest? Which one or two do you want to specifically work on this week?

Read John 13:31a and 34. As we heard in the sermon, Jesus gives his memorable commandment to love one another as he loved them immediately on the heels of Judas leaving to betray him. What does that teach you about the power of enduring, persevering love?

Read John 13:21-31a. Have you ever been betrayed or experienced some other type of loss (e.g. death of a loved one, loss of a close friend, etc.) that affected how you love and trust others? If so, how?

Jesus’ way of loving the disciples was a 24/7 lifestyle, not something he did one place and ignored in another. How can you make his lifestyle your lifestyle?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Relates with Other-Centered Love/Loving People

Love Does

“Loving When You’re Hurting”

John 13:18-30

We can learn how to handle our hurts by watching how Jesus handled his.

1. How did Jesus get hurt?

a. Bruising of the heart

• Wounding from brutal violence

• Emotional damage

b. Betrayal of the relationship

• Betrayal of intimacy and loyalty

c. Breaking of the trust

2. How did Jesus respond?

a. Instead of retaliating, He responded in love.

b. Instead of ignoring, He actively served in love.

c. Instead of withdrawing, He extended friendship in love.

3. How was Jesus able to respond in love?

a. He knew the source of His identity.

b. He knew hurt would happen.

c. He knew God could be trusted.

d. He knew the power of God’s love.

In order to love like Christ, we need to be filled with the love of Christ.

Life Group Questions: Applying the Truth to Our Life

Do you tend to think Jesus was somehow impervious to being deeply hurt?

Read John 13:18-21. When Jesus predicted his betrayal, what do you think he was feeling? Anger? Sorrow? Pity? Fear? Stress? Anxiety? Something else? How does the phrase in v. 21 “troubled in spirit” help you answer that question? What does it mean to be “troubled in spirit”?

What is your typical knee jerk reaction when you get deeply hurt? (Review a,b,and c under point 2.)

Read 1 Peter 1:6-7; 2:1-2; 3:8-14; 4:12-5:7 and summarize the advice to hurting people he gives.

Read 1 Peter 2:19-23. What do you learn from the example of Jesus?

Identify the biggest hurt in your life right now. Are you willing to let God heal it?

Lay hands on each other and pray for each other in your group. When you are praying for someone, ask God to fill them with His love, then spend some time waiting for God’s love to fill them, continuing in either vocal or silent prayer. Then ask God to heal them, washing out all of the poison, all the hurt and all the pain. Don’t rush through this, allow God to do his awesome work in their life.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Relates with Other-Centered Love/Loving People

Love Does

“Love Serves”

John 13:1-17

Why did Jesus do something as humiliating and outrageous as washing the disciples’ feet?

1. Jesus wants us to learn that:

The greatest motivation in life is love.

The greatest lesson in love is love does.

The greatest way to love is to serve.

2. Jesus wants so much for us to learn that “love serves” that:

He demonstrates what it looks like.

He explains the meaning of what he’s done.

He commands us to follow his example.

He promises a blessing.

We prove we understand Christlike love when we serve in love.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

1. What is the most humbling thing you have ever had to do?

2. Read John 13:1-17 again. There are a lot of surprising things said and done in this passage. Which is most surprising to you?

3. We live in a culture that elevates “love feels” over “love does.” What does that emphasis on “love feels” produce in relationships and society?

4. Share and explain which is most challenging to you:

a. “Washing feet.” Serving others in a humbling way.

b. “Getting your feet washed.” Being served in a humbling way.

5. When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, he wasn’t inventing a special way of serving, it was a very common task. Here are a few other ways we can show a “foot washing” attitude:

Doing a menial task for someone

Serving in a role in church that others may feel is “insignificant”

Not insisting on our “rights” or “privileges.”

Looking for a job no one else will do and cheerfully doing it.

Focusing on the results being achieved, not on who is getting the credit.

Can you think of any more? With these examples in mind, how will you “wash feet” (serve others in simple ways) this week?

6. Decide among your group what are the 3 most significant words in v 17. What is the relationship between these 3 words?

7. Where are you serving these days? Do you need to start serving? If, so, ask your LifeGroup leader to help you find a place to serve.

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Relates with Other-Centered Love/Loving People