Life: Connected 2014 Membership seriesNew Year’s Resolutions Trying to solve the problem of weeds with a weed-eater Paying attention to the contextSocial Networking and Artificial LifeCommitting to CommunityHebrews 1024And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Life: Connected 2014 Membership seriesNew Year’s Resolutions Trying to solve the problem of weeds with a weed-eater Paying attention to the contextSocial Networking and Artificial LifeCommitting to CommunityHebrews 1024And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I. God so loved the world that he gave... John 3:16 How does God love us? “God is love” (1 John 1:4)II. He shall be called Emmanuel Jesus would be his name, Christ (Messiah) his title and role, Emmanuel - “God With Us” his reputation What did God give? Presence!A Paradigm Shift From outreach to incarnation Encountering “God with us” with othersThe dangers of Church... When community gets so tight that others can’t get in Salt stuck in the shaker (Matthew 1:22)Where are there opportunities to be with others? Family The community Nursing homes NeighborsPrayer of St. Francis:Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.Where there is hatred, let me sow love;Where there is injury, pardon;Where there is doubt, faith;Where there is despair, hope;Where there is darkness, light;Where there is sadness, joy.O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seekTo be consoled as to console,To be understood as to understand,To be loved as to love;

Text: John 13:31-35I. The Command of Christ “Love one another as I have loved you...”II. The Marks of a Jesus-Follower “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples...” I Corinthians 13:1-7 I John 2:3-11III. The Church - Proof that Jesus is MessiahIV. Communion In Jesus’ most intimate moment with his disciples before the cross he did not give them a sermon or teaching but foot washing and communion.

Text: John 13:19-30I. Jesus is troubledThis is the third time in the Gospel of John that we read of Jesus being troubled.Troubled over LazarusTroubled that his hour was approachingTroubled that one of his own will betray himThe most intimate moment of the Gospel is filled not only with the love of Jesus but with the hurtful betrayal of the masterWho is it? The beloved disciple asks. “the one to whom I hand the piece of bread dipped in the bowl.” This was a sign of honor and perhaps one last appeal of Jesus to Judas to obey the light rather than submit to darkness.Satan enters him. This is an intimate picture of what judgment finally looks like. To those who refuse to walk in the light and respond to the drawing of the spirit there is finally a handing over to Satan. II. The seeds of betrayal - How did Judas come to this?The love of money 1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You This temptation faces anyone whether rich, poor or middle-class. This is one reason the discipline of giving is so crucial to keeping our lives free from the idolatry of money. One of the first signs of enslavement to money is stinginess. We hold on tightly to whatever we have because it is our security, the source of our life.III. Judas the dagger manThe Sicari (dagger men)These were a group of Jewish zealots that sought to expel the Romans and their allies from Judea by the use of concealed daggersIV. Judas Christianity