Celebrating God’s Greatest Promise

 Celebrating God’s Greatest Promise

 

 

Matt. 26:32  (1)

³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

 

Matt 28:16-20 (2)

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

John 14:15-21 (3)

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

 

John 14:23 (4)

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

 

John 15:4 (5)

⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

 

John 17:13-26 (6)

¹³ “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. ¹⁴ I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. ²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. ²⁴ “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. ²⁵ “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

 

 

 

Comments:

·         Our lead Scripture, Matt 28:16-20, is commonly known as the Great Commission. The last sentence of this passage “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” assures us Christ will be with us always in all circumstances.

·         John 14:20 repeats that Jesus will always be with us. We are not alone if we follow Christ and keep His commandments.

·         John 14:23 tells us both God the Father and Jesus will make their home with the believer. 

·         John 17:13-26 lets us know Jesus prayed for us as well. As well as praying for us Jesus lets us, as well as the early believers, know that He would be in us.

·         Note that Jesus said we are His friends if we obey His commandments. What does this mean? Is this putting us under the law? What commandments did Jesus say are numbers 1 & 2 in priority?

·         A good rule of thumb is: If we cannot take an action or speak words knowing Jesus is right there with us, we should not speak the words or take the action.

·         Example: Ananias and Sapphira (bad example); Dorcas, Cornelius (good examples)

              

Questions:

Ø  What does it mean to you personally to know God is always with you?

Ø  When someone makes a promise, what are your expectations?

Ø  What was a time you felt especially close to God?

Ø  The author makes the point that the best place to glimpse the Risen Christ is in church. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Ø  How does serving others influence our faith and the faith of others?

Ø  How easy or hard is it for you to serve others in the world or in the church?

Ø  Why do people experience the presence of God so vividly when they are suffering?

Ø  How can suffering be a benefit?

Ø  Do we share our joys with God and others?