Questions for Life
Readings
Psalm 31:1-5 (NIRV)
1 Lord, I have come to you for safety.
Don’t let me ever be put to shame.
Save me, because you do what is right.
2 Pay attention to me.
Come quickly to help me.
Be the rock I go to for safety.
Be the strong fort that saves me.
3 You are my rock and my fort.
Lead me and guide me for the honour of your name.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me.
You are my place of safety.
5 Into your hands I commit my very life.
Lord, set me free. You are my faithful God.
New International Reader’s Version (NIRV)
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
John 14:1-14 (NIRV)
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God. Believe in me also. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If this were not true, would I have told you that I am going there? Would I have told you that I would prepare a place for you there? 3 If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus Is the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. So how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father also. From now on, you do know him. And you have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father. That will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered, “Don’t you know me, Philip? I have been among you such a long time! Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father? Don’t you believe that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. The Father lives in me. He is the one who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say I am in the Father. Also believe that the Father is in me. Or at least believe what the works I have been doing say about me. 12 What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who believes in me will do the works I have been doing. In fact, they will do even greater things. That’s because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do anything you ask in my name. Then the Father will receive glory from the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name. I will do it.
New International Reader’s Version (NIRV)
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Questions
- If you could only ask God “one question” what would that be?
- What questions have you faced in times of heartache and crisis? How did you deal with them?
- John chapters 14-17 are all about how Jesus spends the last few hours that he has with his disciples; his chief objective is to answer their questions, calm their fear and give them strength. The summary below will guide you through the following verses (Respectively: 14:26, 14:27, 15:5, 15:9, 15:18, 16:20, 17:1,6,20).
-First, he says: “Yes, I am leaving but don’t let your hearts be troubled. I am sending the Holy Spirit to help you remember what I have taught you”.
-Second, he says, “Don’t have troubled hearts because I leave my peace with you. Not the peace of this world but “my peace.””
-Third he says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled because I am the vine and you are the branches. You will bear fruit if you remain in me. Make me the source.”
-Fourth, and this is wonderful, he says, “I love you”. Let me ask you: Have you heard Jesus say that to you? If you have not I want you to hear it today.
-Fifth, he is frank with them, he tells them, “the world is going to hate you, but don’t have troubled hearts about it, you don’t belong to the world. Remember they persecuted me first and no servant is greater than his master.”
-Sixth, Jesus is honest. He tells them “they will grieve when he leaves. But one day… one day, he tells them, “your grief will turn to joy!””
– Seventh, and finally he prays. He prays for himself. He prays for his disciples. And then he prays for all those who will follow throughout history…even you and me!
- Questions for Life…what questions do you have?
Write them down, reflect on them in a Journal, put them on the prayer net, ask the Fellowship Group, offer them for a “Hot Potato” evening…
Make sure you ask the questions!
God bless
Tim.
