DISCOVER MORE : TOGETHER
Our weekly devotional content ties back to the worship themes and scriptures from the previous Sunday. Dig deeper into what the Word and the message mean to you, and explore how you can deepen your walk with Christ through these resources.
In addition to the devotional resources, the "5 Minutes with God" sections are like spiritual snacks; small, quick, easy connections you can make as you go about your busy life.
Weekly Devotion
May 18
Intro to the Readings: We continue our series And Now the Good News with John’s vision that shows us that God dwells with us already. Yet we wait for the time when the tears that cloud our vision will be wiped away and we will see the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem. In today’s gospel Jesus speaks of his deep complicated love for us, even willing to die on the cross, a sacrifice that will be the distinctive mark of Jesus’ community. Our first reading comes from Revelation, the 21st chapter...
Revelation 21:1-6 New Heaven and the New Earth
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them and be their God;
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for[e] the first things have passed away.”
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.
John 13:31-35 The New Commandment
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him,[a] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Opening Discussion:
1. Open what trait do you share with other family members?
Digging Deeper:
2. Why did Jesus wait until Judas had gone to share what he does here?
3. What does he call the disciples to do? From 13:1–17, how would you define love? From 3:16 and 13:1, why is love the best evidence that they are Jesus followers?
4. What type of person is Peter? How do you think he felt after verse 38?
Reflect:
5. Reflect how do your “good intentions" compared to Peter’s?
6. On a scale from one to 10 how does your spiritual community rank against the standard of love? How could you increase the score?
Weekly Devotion
5-11-25
Intro to the Readings: In today’s reading from Revelation Christ is the shepherd who leads his faithful to springs of the water of life. Christ is also the lamb who vanquishes sin and suffering. In today’s gospel Jesus responds to questions about his identity with the remarkable claim that he and the Father are one and those who follow him will never be snatched from his hand. Our first reading comes from Revelation, the seventh chapter...
Revelation 7:9-17 The Multitude from Every Nation
9 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb!”
11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
16 They will hunger no more and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat,
17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
John 10:22-30 Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews
22 At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,[a] tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me, 26 but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all, [b] and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
Opening Discussion:
1. What is the big annual “feast day” for your family? Who usually comes? What is served? What is the big “pastime?”
2. What family traditions are you going to preserve for your kids?
Digging Deeper:
3. Given the meaning of Hanukkah, when Jews celebrate their deliverance during the Maccabean revolt, what feelings about Rome‘s authority might surface among the crowds? How would the Roman authorities prepare for this feast? Given these intentions, what might be the real intent of the Pharisees question and verse 24?
4. How does Jesus push things even further? Why? How does he diagnose the problem?
5. How did the leaders interpret Jesus claim to be one with God? How does Jesus sidetrack them verse 34 (Psalm 82:6)? What evidence does he offer?
6. What could account for the difference in reception Jesus received across the Jordan?
Reflect:
7. What has convinced you that Jesus is the Messiah? What “old ways“ of looking at Jesus, must you overcome by faith?
8. What difference does it make that Jesus is God and not just a man? With the premise of verse 28 mean much otherwise?
