Monthly Archives: August 2015

John

John 11 – The Reality of the Resurrection

We’re returning to John’s gospel. We last read it two years ago from chapter one through to chapter 13. Our study this time will take us from chapter 14 to 21 but we begin today in chapter 11. This is because we are beginning our church mission week and have prepared to preach from chapter 11 on the first Sunday and from chapter 14 on the second Sunday.

As we meet in our groups this week, I would like us to read through chapter 11, verses 1 to 44 and lead your group into a time of praying specifically for the church mission and all the events that are taking place.

Read through John 11:1-44 before going through the following questions…

1) Who is Lazarus? Look at verses 1 to 3 and note down all that we are told about Lazarus. Note that the event of Mary pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet may refer to an event in chapter 12 which HAS happened from our point of view but has not happened yet in the timeline of the story. It could also refer to an unnamed woman in Luke 7:36-50 who therefore is named by us as Mary.

2) Re-read the story and put yourself into the shoes of each person that interacts with Jesus. Discuss what Jesus says and how others would have understood his words. We know that the story ends with Lazarus rising from death but so many people in the story do not know that this is what is going to happen.

3) Now read the passage again and comment on what Jesus is really saying when he speaks. Jesus knows the outcome of this story before anybody else does.

4) Reflect on verses 25 and 26. Just like the characters in the story, we can sometimes read into Jesus’ words something less that what he means. Do you believe what he says? How should this teaching change the way we think and act and be?

5) Pray!

  • Thank God for the lesson of today’s passage.
  • Confess to God that we take our eyes off Jesus’ greatest gift and focus so intensely on the small things of life (not that these things are not worth bringing to God but that we take our eyes off the resurrection).
  • Ask God to help us all during mission week to bring people to Jesus.

6) Challenge your group to memorise John 11:25-26.

 

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 47 – Rivers and Rivers and Rivers and Jesus

INTRO

This weeks study attempts to capture a “biblical theology of rivers” and show how the various rivers mentioned in the Bible are interconnected. It may take your group sometime to “get” this idea but it is relatively simple – because God is the ultimate author of all the Bible, he uses some images repeatedly to make significant points and connections throughout the big picture story of the Bible.

The theme of River is one of those. As you read the three passages you will be able to see the connections but it is the differences that often point to what we should learn from each passage. So make sure you focus in on the differences between the rivers on the Worksheet.

The significant feature of the Ezekiel River is that it is flowing from the temple and is transformative. It is transforming the land as it moves and continues to become bigger and deeper as it moves.

I have provided some questions to guide your enquiry on the Worksheet and some of my own reflections below. I’ve also given an indication of how I will run this study for you to copy or ignore!

SHARING QUESTION

Do you prefer to swim at the beach, in a river or in a pool and why?

INTRO

Tonight we come to the last of our studies in Ezekiel and our eyes will be lifted to a new horizon. You can only imagine how the heads of the Exiles must have been spinning with all that Ezekiel had been telling them. Hopes and dreams for something better were being created! That something better is pictured again in Ezekiel 47.

READ Ezekiel 47:1-12

REFLECT

1. What does the river do?

I would work through the passage and make this a comprehension type question so that everyone catches on to what is going on in the passage. This is also where I would introduce the idea of transformation. The river flows from the temple creating change and a newness where ever it goes.

2. What is the end result of the flowing river?

An eternity (note “every month”) of flowing water and provision and healing for everyone and everything by the river. (v.10-12) This botanical miracle is and indication that something more than normal life is being pictured here. Your group members may either call this unreality or point towards this being a picture of heaven. Don’t rush to that conclusion! I think this passage points to an earthly transformation that preempts the heavenly transformation.

You may want to note that chapters 41-48 contains many instructions for the rebuilding of this temple and create an expectation that this temple will be on earth. The instructions are detailed and specific and given to them for the purpose of rebuilding God’s house. The original readers would have been thinking “earthly temple” and questioning the miracles rather than thinking “heavenly temple” and ignoring the building instructions.

3. What are the differences/ similarities between Genesis/ Ezekiel/ Rev rivers?

READ ALL THREE PASSAGES

Look for differences particularly. One example is that the Genesis and Revelation rivers appear more static; the Ezekiel one is having an impact constantly. Those differences point to the meaning of the passage in light of other passages. I think the differences point to this being an expected earthly reality that points to the heavenly final reality of peace and healing.

4. What would the impact of hearing this be on the exiles by the Kebar River?

Hope. Expectation. Healing from the temple. The promise of the temple rebuild being a reality. Something better is coming.

APPLY

1. Remembering that the OT points to Jesus, how might Ezekiel 47 do that?

You could look at both these passage or just one.

Consider together John 4:1-26 – particularly v.14. You may not want to read the whole passage but perhaps tell the story and then focus in on that section from v.13-26.

Consider together John 7:37-44. The connection here is perhaps stronger with waters flowing from Jesus for drinking and the water being the Spirit who transforms people to be more like Jesus.

Is Ezekiel 47 pointing towards the reality that from Jesus (our temple) flows the transforming power of the Spirit who equips us for living a transformed life on earth while we await our heavenly home? It certainly looks this way to me. And here you can see the connections between the rivers! The picture in creation is recreated in eternity and is pointed towards while we wait!

2. What sort of transformation and renewal might we expect for ourselves while we are on earth?

The work of the Spirit in us transforms us to be more and more like Jesus. You may want to ponder the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)

3. What is the impact upon you of hearing this vision and seeing its fulfillment? I will leave this for your group to ponder.

Concluding thoughts.

This is a more difficult and circuitous study but one that will reap positive rewards for your group as you invest the time thinking about how the passages inter-relate and then focussing on the out- pouring of the Spirit into us and for us that we might be transformed to live lives that honour Jesus.