John 16:1-4
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. If you haven’t read the Introduction to John’s Gospel, read it here.
Today we continue listening in as Jesus prepares his closest followers for his departure. Take a minute to look back over all of John 15 and then read John 16:1-4 noticing any questions that arise as you read.
Being expelled from the synagogue may not seem so dramatic to a modern day person, but for a first century Jew it meant being cut off from community, family, and the practices that kept one aware of the presence and power of God. To be expelled was to be an outcast.
Jesus never sugarcoats what it means to faithfully follow him. Along with his promises of presence, meaning, purpose and intimacy with God, he lays out the truth: there will be those, even in our own circles, who are offended by a true disciple of Jesus, and in some cases they may be brutal in their response. If Jesus does not have our undivided allegiance, we are likely to cave when we face this kind of opposition.
Over the past few months as you’ve spent time with Jesus and responded in obedience to Jesus’ teaching and example, have you noticed any changes in your thoughts, values or practices? Have any of these changes been misunderstood by someone close to you?
Have you ever been offended by someone who’s devotion to Jesus seemed to be greater or more fervent than yours?
Read John 16:1-4 again noticing any different questions or thoughts that arise.
The way we think about God has a huge effect on our worldview and on how interact with others, and if we attempt to contemplate God apart from Jesus we can come up with some very erroneous ideas. Jesus says that some people will actually believe they are doing God a favor when they cause harm to those who are sincerely seeking to love and follow Jesus. This kind of deception stems from a misconception about who God is and about who Jesus is.
For the last few minutes of this time of reflection, sit in the presence of Jesus and examine your ideas about God and your experiences with those who claim to know God.
How closely does your image of God align with your understanding of Jesus as he is in the Gospels?
As we considered before, most of us have never been at risk of physical harm because of our allegiance to Jesus, but some Jesus followers face real risk every day. Has anyone ever tried to cause harm to you either physically, emotionally, or some other way because of how you are seeking to follow and emulate Jesus?
Have you ever caused harm to someone either physically, verbally or some other way?
What do you sense Jesus saying to you about this?
What will you do in response?
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