READING

John 18:33-37

18:33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

18:34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”

18:35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?”

18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

18:37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

 QUESTIONS

How important is “belonging” to you?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Abraham Maslow (American psychologist) places “love and belonging” as the third most important need (the first being physiological needs, and the second the need for safety). Do you agree with him that “love and belonging” is so important to us as human beings? why/why not?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Right from the beginning of Genesis we find that belonging is also important to God (birds belong in the sky, fish in the sea, animals on land). How does knowing that “belonging” is also important to God shape how you view your life and the world?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“We are meant to be in a relationship with God, that’s where we belong”. How does a relationship with God meet this need we have to belong?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read John 18:33-37. What is going on in these verses? What stands out to you?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Belonging is all about a relationship with Jesus. How does Jesus as king of a kingdom which is “…not from this world…my kingdom is not from here” shape our understanding of belonging as Christ followers?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read James 4:4. How can we belong to Jesus Kingdom but still be a part of the world around us?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What role does the church play in this question of ‘belonging’?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is one practical thing you can apply to your life this week?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________