Our STS team just went over John 13 and though we did go over the scheduled time- it made for outstanding discussion...
A few high points and questions that were drawn out:
- Experience is what drives teaching more than teaching driving the experience. –James Carter
- Consider verse 30: is that a spiritual or physical element? Is it really night time?
- ver 34-35 consider the different loves, and is this really a new commandment or really is it in the Leviticus 19:18? So what is new about this? It was the way that Jesus demonstrated it. Are they different “loves?” When do we give up our lives for others? Is that what we are encouraged to do in the New Testament verse the Old Testament? Or was there something that Jesus did for the 11-12 that he didn’t do with the masses?
- Jesus didn’t ask about the new command but asked about where he was going. They might have just been scared to be alone but he might be forcing them to actually having to do it. We will have victories and then we will fall. The most growth comes after a big fall. –Victor Pedilla
- “What do I need to do to extend God’s love more than just putting someone through a program" - William
- When Jesus says "A new command I give you..." why does He say its a NEW command?- Jonathan Bennett
- Possibly a failure in fellowship- none of the other disciples knew what Judas was thinking or about to do...
- Joe E
Feel free to respond to these or add your own thoughts as well...
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For the second point, one observation as I went through Leviticus 19 is that most (if not all) of the commands start off with the phrase “do not,” which is the same way the 10 commandments was written (Exodus 10). With such in mind, looking at the Greatest Commandment & John 13:34-35, I think they all describe the same thing God wants from us—to ultimately come to a deep understanding of His Love, and, like the moon reflects the light of the sun, use such love to reach out to others (Matthew 28:19-20). To better draw the line: the Old Testament is the letters of the law (it sets the boundaries); the Gospels are the spirit of the law (it sets the direction)…two verses I also looked to come to this conclusion:
ReplyDeleteMatthew 5:17
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Romans 13:8-10
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Sorry, there's a typo...the 10 commandments is in Exodus 20.
ReplyDeleteJesus gives them an example of what to be doing and how to love the 12 by washing their feet. It seems as though there are two different components of the feet washing. We have to humble ourselves so that we can serve our brothers. ow the question is how to serve. Jesus did meet the physical need of washing their feet. He had to bring himself down to the form of the lowliest servant of servants.
ReplyDeleteBut it seems as though there is spiritual implications as well. When he talks to Peter about "cleaning" him you can't help but pick up the spiritual eaxmple. So we abnother form of serving is helping others in their relationship with Christ as well. The impact this had on Peter is profound in Vs 6. "You would wash my feet LORD." This is how we are going to make a lasting impact on the guys we are reaching out to.