January 22, 2023
Loved | John 5:1-15
EVEN WHEN YOU’RE A WHINER
Some people seem to have a hard go while others seem to make their own life hard. It’s not always easy to know how to respond, especially when you’re close to the person and want their life to improve.
Jesus, as always, handles that situation brilliantly: affirming but not enabling; healing but not over-involved; calling forth new life and calling out sin. What a privilege it is to be the community known by his Name and empowered by his Spirit.
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John 5:1-15
- How comfortable are you visiting people in hospitals or funeral homes? What makes you so good (or bad) with being around people’s suffering?
- Why would Jesus ask: “Do you want to get well?” Wasn’t that self-evident?
- Some folks imagine that Jesus ‘appeared out of the blue’ but the truth is, his arrival was long-awaited. Read Isaiah 35:3-6. How, if at all, is your faith strengthened by Jesus being the fulfillment of many promises God made?
- What might Jesus be referring to when he says: “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you”?
- Have you ever had to walk with someone going through a really tough patch in their life? What worked? What definitely doesn’t work when you’re in that role?
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Luke 3:21-22 -At Jesus’ baptism, the Father said, “You’re my son. I love you. I’m proud of you.” As Christians, our baptism is a sign that we are in Christ, that what is true about him is true about us, and that the Father’s blessing now defines us.
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Revelation 21:1-8 - Jesus wins; Jesus has already won; stay faithful to Jesus! This is the message of John’s sometimes confusing book of Revelation. It is full of encouragement and hope for disciples. Jesus, the Lamb, is on the throne. And he is preparing a future for us that includes heaven and so much more!
Acts 21:37–22:22 - Acts 21 finds Paul in Jerusalem, at the Temple, getting beaten for his faith in Jesus. In a wild turn of events, Paul had the opportunity to talk to those who wanted to kill him. What do you say to people who want you dead? Paul told his story—a story of his own self-righteous zeal, of Jesus meeting him in an unmistakable way, and of a kind believer who stood with him. What a great testimony!
Acts 13:16-44 -Paul and Barnabas made their way through the known world, telling everyone they met about Jesus and the Resurrection. In one synagogue, Paul told the Jews their history, but he told it differently than they’d heard it before. He showed how God had often given Israel a second chance. He went on to explain that Jesus was their second, and final, chance. Some of their listeners believed; others hated the message. Nobody likes being told they’re wrong.
