Light | John 17

Use this curriculum to help you further engage with the sermon, the scriptures, and each other. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring things up to encourage and guide you so that you are always growing in your faith. If the Spirit leads you away from these questions and into conversation and prayer that encourages and points you to Jesus, go for it.

scripture

Read the following scriptures together: John 17.

overview

This chapter is a gift where we get to read Jesus’ final recorded prayer before the cross. It’s a prayer for believers, for all time. It’s a prayer for us. God and Jesus exemplify mutual respect and harmony, each glorifying the other instead of seeking personal recognition. God glorifies Jesus by bestowing on him authority over all people, specifically to grant eternal life to all those God has given him (verse 2). Eternal life doesn’t come from just knowing about God or Jesus, but by personally knowing them ourselves.  

question 1

How can we, as believers, bring glory to God in our daily lives? What does it mean to glorify someone other than yourself?

discussion

Read Ephesians 4:1-6. Jesus turns to praying for believers and asks God to give us the power to stay united because our genuine unity and love for others is a testament of God’s love that can lead people to belief in him and eternal salvation. God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us have an active faith and prayer life where we constantly ask the Holy Spirit to change us and walk in humility. God instituted the Church, the gathering of believers, so that we could pray for and encourage each other on in life and remind one another of who he has called us to be. This is one reason why unity in the Church is vital and it’s why Branches places a high value on Community Groups – our groups are a place where our flesh will be challenged, refined, and ready to go out into the world reflecting God’s love. 

question 2

Share a situation from your life when you knew that you had to apply humility and gentleness to preserve unity. Were you aware that others were watching for how you would handle it?

Jesus also prays for our sanctification, which is the process of being set apart for a holy purpose to become more like Jesus and reflect him to the world around us. It is quite challenging to remain spiritually pure and Christlike in this world that is filled with hatred, malice, envy, greed, lust, and unforgiveness. But God has not left us alone and powerless, he has given us his Spirit, his Word, and one another to aid our formation. In times of personal prayer, the Holy Spirit may bring up certain situations or relationships we need to release to preserve our holiness. These times can be difficult, and they require love and gentleness towards ourselves and others.

question 3

Does anyone feel comfortable sharing a time when you had to walk away from a situation or relationship to preserve your holiness? What was the outcome?

weekly application

For us to maintain unity and our own holiness, we will benefit from daily repentance, forgiveness, and help from God. Continue to keep a rhythm of these practices in your own life. Reach out to someone else if you could use prayer for a tough situation.