SoiKosum

(John 13:34) Why is love exalted to the level of a command? How does love characterize Jesus’ life? In what way does love fulfill the law and the prophets? Love is exalted to the level of a command because i. it was the theme of Jesus' earthly ministry and ii. the Law and Prophets hang on this commandment. Love characterised Jesus' life as He made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross to save us from our sins and shame and gave the prize of salvation. The two greatest commandments are: 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself. If we do not follow these two commandments, we will not be able to follow the other commandments and law.

(John 13:27-30) Judas gave into his temptation to greed by stealing from the mission’s money bag. How does habitual sin tend to open us to greater influence from Satan in our lives? How did Judas eating Jesus’ bread illustrate the magnitude of his betrayal? Habitual sinning opens to the door for satan to enter our lives. Once in, satan then exploits our weaknesses and exposes us more to temptations and sins. If we don't repent and ask for forgiveness and ask for Jesus to help us, the sins will continue to grow stronger and stronger and we become slaves to our sins. Judas eating Jesus' bread showed the magnitude of his sins by biting the hands which fed him. Judas knew that Jesus knows about his impending betrayal and Judas could have repented and asked for Jesus' forgiveness. Judas did not, so that scripture could be fulfilled, and went out to finalise his betrayal.

(Luke 22:25-27) In the world, Great Men have others serve them and exalt them with great titles. How is the Kingdom of God to be different than that? How has Roman Catholic Pope Francis I set an example of humility before his flock? The Kingdom of God must be different: Matt 23:8-12 But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Pope Francis' example: Takes the bus to work. Pays for his hotel bill. Declined to wear red papal shoes in favor of priestly black. Refused to live in the lush papal apartment in favor of a two-room guesthouse on the Vatican grounds. First act as Pope was to kneel before the people gathered in St. Peter's square and ask people to pray for him.

(John 13:14-15) Why do you think Jesus went to such an extent to break all social norms in washing his disciples feet? What value did he establish in his Kingdom by this dramatic act? How are we to live this out in the Christian community? I think the real message is that we must be humble and show humility. The verse in Mark 10:43-45 - "... but whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." We are not to lord it over non-believers but rather point them to Jesus through love and humility.

(John 13:10) Jesus seems to speak to Peter in symbolic language here. In what sense does a “full bath” represent baptism? If this is so, then what kind of needed cleansing does “foot-washing” symbolize? The analogy of taking a bath vs. foot-washing Taking a bath : It is necessary for every believer to experience full salvation and cleansing from sin i.e. water baptism Foot-washing : After the full cleansing, all that is necessary is washing away the occasional dust of the road i.e. the sins that we commit day by day. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

(John 12:47-49) In what way can judging people get in the way of saving them? How did Jesus deal with this in his own ministry? What will it take for us to lose our stiffness and judgmental demeanor so that we might be able to be Jesus’ agents of salvation? Judging people automatically puts them on the defensive and ultimately makes it nearly impossible to show them the love of Christ. Jesus said that He did not come to judge but to save - I desire mercy not sacrifice. In Mark 12:33 it is written “And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul,fn and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (MERCY), is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” We must be extremely careful about being judgmental - For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38) We must emulate Jesus and show mercy rather than judgment. Please help us Lord Jesus to show mercy and love as You have shown us Your mercy and love! Thank you.

(John 12:42-43) When we are quiet about our relationship to God out of fear that people will criticize us, what does this say about our priorities? About whether we are true disciples? When Peter denied knowing Jesus in the High Priest’s courtyard, what was the effect in his life? A true disciple will never deny our Lord Jesus Christ even at the threat of death. Having said this, it is must be highlighted that many Christians have not been put in this position as our brothers and sisters are facing in many parts of the world. I wonder how many of us will be able to declare like Joshua - Choose for yourselves whom you will serve..., but as for me and my household we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15) Peter wept bitterly when he denied Jesus three times as Jesus had said. It was reported in John 20:10 that the disciples went back to their homes, which seems to signify that they left the ministry and were in disarray after Jesus' death.

(John 12:37-41) In what way does declaring truth to resistant people harden them further? How can a person (or a Pharisee) see a miracle and become even more determined to resist Jesus? How do you understand this paradox? In my opinion, people who have hardened their hearts have already made up their minds about a certain issue and it is virtually impossible to change their minds. Pushing the issue in their face would serve no purpose other than to make them more adamant about their stance. In this case, the Pharisee was resistant to Jesus and even more so after witnessing His miracles. In such cases, obviously their hearts are already hardened and all the miracles are doing is giving them more ammunition to find fault with Jesus. It is not a matter that they don't believe the miracles but rather they are afraid that Jesus may upstage them and take over their position, authority and status. This doesn't mean that there is no hope for such persons to change their minds/hears. They would personally have to encounter God, like Paul on the road to Emmaus, before they start to change.

(John 12:32-33) What does Jesus mean when he talks about being “lifted up.” Do you think Jesus means being “lifted up” literally or figuratively or both? “Extra credit”: How does this phrase relate to Isaiah 52:12? How does it relate to Philippians 2:8-9? What Jesus spoke about being lifted up, it was more literally - Jesus was physically lifted up on the cross, Jesus was raised from the dead and Jesus ascended into heaven. I believe these were physical acts rather than a figure of speech. For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. (Isaiah 52.12-13) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,... (Phi 2:8-9) The term lifted up has the connotation of being above. The verse in John relates to Isaiah and Philippians in the sense of Jesus being above all men. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Hallelujah!

(John 12:25-26) In what way is verse 25 the essence of what it means to be a disciple? In this verse, what does it mean to “love” your life? What does it mean to “hate” your life? How did Jesus live this out in the Garden of Gethsemane? We cannot and must not be distracted by the world. Essentially, loving your life and hating your life does not literally mean to love or hate but rather where our focus us. Verse 25 is the essence of being a disciple in the sense that our focus must be on the Lord Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, where our treasure is, there our heart lies also. (Matt 6.21) Jesus lived this out in the Garden of Gethsemane by being obedient to God's will even until death.

(John 12:23-24) How can God’s glory be revealed even in death? How does the seed illustrate this? How does Jesus’ death illustrate this? How does us dying to our old life illustrate this? God's glory is revealed, even in death, in the form of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and more importantly the number of believers who are converted as a result of the Jesus' death. "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (John 12:24) Jesus' death revealed this as the apostles were able to bring many to Christ. Furthermore, God's glory is also revealed by the sending of the Holy Spirit - "Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7) Our dying to self also illustrates this as we repent of our sins and begin our new lives in Christ Jesus, where the glory of God is revealed in us and through us. Praise God.

If Jesus is your King, what kind of worship is appropriate? What kind of service? What kind of priorities? What kind of obedience? Are you giving Jesus his due as King? The kind of worship, service, priorities and obedience to a King would be of the highest order. However, in many instances and I am the first to admit, we do not accord such a royal status to our Lord Jesus Christ. We constantly demand blessings from Him but half-heartedly worship Him. We interpret His words for our convenience. We take Jesus as a blessing machine. Please forgive us Lord!

(John 12:12-13) What about the people’s praise show they believed Jesus to be the Messiah? On this occasion, why doesn’t Jesus shun such an open declaration that he is the Messiah, as he has in the past? They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!. The use of the term "King of Israel" is a clear declaration by the crowds that Jesus is the Messiah. If Jesus had previously acknowledged publicly that he was the Messiah, the political implications would be such that he could not complete his intended ministry of teaching, healing, and proclaiming the Kingdom. But now that ministry is complete, His claim as King must now be clear.

(John 12:14-16) What is the prophetic significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey? Why did he do it? What was the effect on the crowds? Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9 - ""Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." This was a fulfiment of prophecy. When Jesus indicates to his disciples that he should ride on a donkey that no one had ever ridden before, he is initiating a public kingly act. He is revealing openly that he is the Messiah. When word comes that Jesus is coming into the Holy City, crowds go out to meet him. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!'" The use of the term "King of Israel" is a clear declaration by the crowds that Jesus is the Messiah.

(John 12:3-8) Why did Judas object to Mary’s extravagant act of devotion? Why did Jesus defend her? Why did Mary do this? What does this teach us about worship? Does your worship tend to be cheap or extravagant? For you, what would be extravagant worship? Judas Iscariot objected to Mary's extravagant act of devotion not because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus defended Mary's action by saying that we will always have the poor among us, but you will not always have me (Jesus). Jesus approved this act because it was symbolic of the preparation for His burial. Mary had performed a beautiful, startling, and extravagant act of worship that was destined to be remembered long after her time.Jesus said '"I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Mark 14:9)" Instead of cheap or extravagant worship, I tend to see it as giving out of our poverty or giving out of our wealth; example the widow who cast in 2 mites into the treasury - Jesus said "Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury. (Mark 12:43)"

(John 11:54) Why did Jesus withdraw to Ephraim? Does this show fear? What does this teach us about strategic retreat? Jesus' withdrawal to Ephraim was in essence a strategic retreat. It is not a show of fear or weakness. Rather it is to bide for time as Jesus still had work to complete. Once the work was completed, Jesus voluntarily yielded Himself to the authorities eventhough He could have called an army of angels to save Himself. It is okay to retreat strategically, so long as we are willing to obey at danger to our lives when it is time to do so. Amen!

(John 11:49-53). What did Caiaphas intend to say to the Sanhedrin? What is the prophetic meaning of his statement? The discussion at the Sanhedron of what to do seems to be deadlocked. Some acknowledge that Jesus is working miraculous signs. But they're not sure how to stop him. Arrest had been attempted in the past, and failed. Caiaphas, as chairman, rebukes those who are vacillating. He calls for a desperate measure, the rational and ruthless action to taking Jesus' life. However, to persuade the Sanhedrin, Caiaphas couches his move in terms of sacrificing the lesser ("one man") for the greater ("the whole nation") one man perishing, rather than the Jewish nation. He makes it sound like their patriotic duty! They agree. The die is cast. The Sanhedrin has resolved to take Jesus' life. The prophetic meaning of Caiaphas' statement is that Jesus would sacrifice His life to save the Jews as well as the Gentile believers all over the world. Thank you Lord Jesus!

(John 11:32-38) Different writers interpret Jesus’ emotions on this occasion differently. Why do you think Jesus was “deeply moved”? Why did he weep? Several possibilities have been suggested. 1. That Jesus is angry because a miracle was being forced on him by the grief of the sisters,[192] but Jesus had already stated his intention to perform a miracle in verse 11. 2. That Jesus is angry at the hypocritical mourning of the Jews, but there's no evidence here to support this.[193] 3. That Jesus is angry with himself for not coming sooner, but this can't be so in light of verses 47. 4. That Jesus is angry with the sin, sickness, and death that bring so much sorrow. This is possible, but lacks strong evidence. 5. That Jesus is angry at the unbelief he sees around him (as at Jairus' home, Mark 5:3940). Despair, "like the rest of men, who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13), can't be reconciled with faith in the resurrection. There is a lot of evidence that Jesus is angry at the unbelief of his followers and the unbelief of the Jewish people in general. Jesus is not weeping (or angry) at because He misses Lazarus. Rather, Jesus was weeping at the unbelief He sees around Him.

(John 11:27) Based on Luke 10:38-42, what is Martha’s reputation compared to that of her sister Mary? What is so amazing about Martha’s confession? What does this tell us about her? Which of the sisters seems more spiritual on this day – Martha or Mary? Martha's reputation, compared to that of her sister Mary, is that of an busy and active person; whereas Mary is contented to sit and wait at the Lord's feet. Martha's great confession given immediately after her brother's death shows that she is a woman of remarkable faith. Her confession ranks similar to that of John the Baptist, Nathaneel, the Samaritans, Peter and Thomas. It would seem that Martha would be more spiritual on this day - she went out to meet Jesus and her confession that He is the Son of God.

(John 11:25-26) In what sense does Jesus embody resurrection? In what sense does he embody life? What is the great promise that he offers us in verses 25 and 26? Jesus Himself if the resurrection and the life. God the Father has bestowed on Jesus the power to have life in Himself and to bestow resurrection life on whomever He will. Jesus is the resurrection - He will raise believers up on the last day. Jesus is the life - those who believe in Jesus will never die (spiritually). The power that will grant resurrection and life on the Last Day is resident within Jesus' person now. When we believe in Jesus, we are united with him; we are "in Him." And so his resurrection power and life power become ours as well. The great promise in verses 25 and 26 is this - death will not introduce a break into their relationship with God and their experience of eternal life.

(John 11:16) What does verse 16 teach us about Thomas’s character? About his faith? "Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him.'" (John 11:16) - this verse shows Thomas' loyalty and courage. Thomas said this after Jesus explained that Lazarus was dead and He was going to wake him. It also showed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

(John 10:27-30) In the world of shepherds, who would try to “snatch” a sheep? Who would try to “snatch” a Christian if he could? What promise of absolute security are we given? How does that assure you? In the world of shepherds and sheep, wolves would try to snatch the sheep. In this world, satan would try to snatch Christians. We are given the promise of absolute security in John 10: 28 - 29 - "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." It is extremely reassuring. Praise God!

(John 10:11-15) How does a “good shepherd” differ from what a hired shepherd would do in time of danger? In what way did Jesus the Good Shepherd “lay down his life for the sheep”? A hired shepherd would run away in time of danger. A hired shepherd would do just enough to fulfil his obligations, nothing more. Jesus laid down His life from His sheep by dying on the cross in order to take away the sins of His sheep.

(John 10:10) What would an “abundant life” look like if you were a sheep with a really good shepherd? In what ways is the Christian life to be an “abundant” life? How does this abundance relate to persecutions and hardships that come to us as Christians. Can the life of a unbeliever be more “abundant,” free, and fun? Abundant life as a sheep with a good sheperd - sufficient food and water, safe from wolves and cared for. Christian life does not mean a life of boredom and restrictions; although sadly this is how many believers see life as. Indeed many live life in this manner as well. For example, to many who love to drink alcohol and smoke, feel that not being able to do these things take the fun and joy out of live. On the contrary, I feel that we can live a fun and joyful life without doing things that harm ourselves (lung cancer, liver diseases, etc) and others (passive smoking). Having said this, Jesus never said that we could not have the occasional drink! As it relates to persecutions and hardships, these are part and parcel of life. We can however stand firm in our faith and belief that Jesus has given us the victory to overcome these hardships. His grace is more than sufficient. Amen!

(John 10:3-4) What does it mean that Jesus’ sheep “know his voice”? How can you discern his voice from your own thoughts and the expectations of others? Just as sheep know their sheperd's voice, as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must and need to discern and know His voice. For me, generally, the voice of Jesus (or the Holy Spirit) would be a voice of love, peace, honesty, integrity, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control. Invariably, these are also fruits of the Spirit. If the voice that we "hear" does not point to these things, then it is either from the devil or our selfish desires.