Weekly Theme June 9 through June 15

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

—Ephesians 1:8b-10

We would only need to drive down the street to see the disunity of the body of Christ. We have first, second, and third (insert denomination name here) churches that dot the landscape as congregations that could not get along. As the church, we are called to be in unity. John Wesley wrote a great sermon called “A Catholic Spirit.” The catholic Wesley is referring to is not the Roman

Catholic spirit but catholic meaning universal. In this sermon he details how the common ground of our faith should unite us. He is not saying that we have to all believe the same exact thing, or that we have to deny our uniqueness. What he is saying is that  Christ’s call to love one another outweighs our differences. We should be united by our call to love and serve our neighbors. Wesley framed this by saying despite our differences give me your hand and let us serve God’s people TOGETHER. It is not just John Wesley who calls for unity among God’s people but Jesus who calls us to be united. This week we will explore the prayer that Jesus prays in John 17. It is a prayer that we may be unified. 

Watch this video from Sunday!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

John 17:1,5,10,22,24

¹After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. ¹⁰ All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 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.

 Reflection

In our scripture today, we hear about sharing Jesus’ glory with Him. From our reading today what does it mean to share in Jesus’ glory?

Friday, June 14, 2013

John 17:11,18,21-23
¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.  ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 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. 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.”

Reflection

Today our piece of John 17 talks about the two types of

relationships we have in our lives. Our relationship with God in the Trinity and our human relationships. What do you think our scripture today tells us about the overflow of the fellowship of hearts in the Trinity into our human

relationships?

Thursday, June 13, 2013

John 17:11-12,21,24,26

¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 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. 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. 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.”

 Reflection

Reread the verses.  Reflect as you read what it means to be “in God,” “in Christ,” and “in us (the trinity).”

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

John 17:6, 11-12

⁶ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.  ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

 Reflection

In Scripture, a name reveals the true nature or identity of a person. In verse 11,  Jesus prays that we be united through the powerful name of God. Think about the names you know for God (Father, Creator, etc.) What do these names say about the nature of God? And how could that nature unite us?

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

John 17:3

³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Reflection

Today we hear a wonderful relational definition of eternal life. Jesus says that by knowing the one true God we have eternal life. This week we are reminded that we need a connection with God. Our faith is relational. How is your relationship with God? Have you talked lately?

Monday, June 10, 2013

John 17:2,6,9,24
² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ⁶ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.  ⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 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.

Today we hear that Jesus views us as a gift from the Father. Have you ever thought about being a gift from God? How can this view change how you think about yourself? How can this change your thoughts about other people keeping in mind that people you are upset at are also a gift from God?