The Gathering House Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Gathering House
**Message of July 19, 2020
Commandment
John 13:31-38
Read John 13:31-33**
- What do you think Jesus was saying in verses 31-32? Do you think his disciples understood what he meant?
Note: We don’t use the words glory and glorify much in our everyday conversation, so their meanings might be hard to pin down. In the New Testament, the word glorify often (as in this passage) has a specific meaning: the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus Christ.
*- Read Philippians 2:5-11. In reading these verses, we often focus on our own attitudes in light of Jesus’ humility and obedience, even to the point of death on the cross. But how has the Father rewarded Jesus’ obedience? How do verses 9-11 describe Jesus’ glorification?
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The passage from Philippians tells us how God glorified Jesus. But what does it mean for us to glorify Jesus?
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How would you explain what Jesus meant in verse 33? See also verse 36.*
Read John 13:34-35
*- Jesus calls this a “new commandment.” But the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is found in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18). What is new about this command in John 13:34? How is our understanding of the command enhanced by Jesus’ words, “as I have loved you”?
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In the Greek language, there are several different words for “love,” and this one is the highest and deepest. As Pastor Rob said, it’s more than just being nice or kind. For extra credit, look up this word (agape) online or in a Bible dictionary. What are its characteristics?
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How do we fulfill this command to love one another?
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Here are some of the many “one another” verses in the New Testament. Choose at least three of them to look up, and give a specific example of how we might put it into practice today.*
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Romans 15:5
- Romans 15:14
- 1 Corinthians 13:11
- Galatians 5:13
- Galatians 6:2
- Colossians 3:13
- 2 Timothy 2:2
- Hebrews 3:13
- James 5:16
Dan Stephenson
**Message of July 12, 2020
Eucharist
John 13:1-30
Read John 13:1-10**
Note: In Jesus’ day, people walked on dusty paths wearing sandals. Foot washing was necessary, but it was an assignment usually given to the lowest ranking servant.
*- Why do you think Peter objected when Jesus came to wash his feet (verses 6-8)? How do you understand Jesus’ answer to Peter in verse 8?
- In verse 7, Jesus told Peter that he did not understand what Jesus was doing, but would understand later. In verse 10, Jesus explained the difference between bathing and washing the feet. What do you think he was referring to? (Look at Ephesians 5:26 and Titus 3:5). Can you think of Bible verses that correspond to “needing only to wash one’s feet”?*
*Read John 13:12-17
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How would you answer Jesus’ question in verse 12: “Do you understand what I have done to you?”
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In verse 15, Jesus explains that by washing their feet, he has given his followers and example. There are some churches where this example is followed literally, by washing one another’s feet. What do you think Jesus meant? What was the example we are to follow? Can you name three or four practical ways we may follow that example today?
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In verse 16, who is the servant and who is the master? How should we understand this saying? How can we put it into practice?*
Read John 13:10-11 and 18-30
Note: In verse 18, Jesus quoted Psalm 41:9. Eating bread (sharing a meal) with someone meant hospitality had been offered and accepted. Lifting one’s heel was a symbolic gesture of rejection. It was an insult, and a breach of honor. The meaning of these words in the Psalm is: “the person I welcomed as a friend and ally has betrayed me.”
- Some people are troubled by passages like this. They wonder if perhaps they are not genuine believers, and whether they may fall away from faith. How can anyone be sure that their faith is genuine? How would you answer someone who told you they had these kinds of doubts? What Bible verses give you confidence regarding your own security in Christ?
Dan Stephenson
**Message of July 5, 2020
The View from Here: More than a Church Service
Luke 4:16-21; Luke 18:18-30**
Read Luke 4:16-21
Note: In verses 18-19, Jesus read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. The verses Luke quotes are from Isaiah 61:1-2, with possibly one phrase from Isaiah 58:6.
*- Look at the passage Jesus read (Luke 4:18-19), and his words in verse 21. What claim was Jesus making? (For extra credit, read Luke 4:23-29. How did Jesus’ hearers understand his claim? What did they expect him to do about it?)
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Look again at the Isaiah reading (Luke 4:18-19). The people understood that this was a prophecy about the Messiah. Should we understand these promises of healing, and liberty as spiritual blessings? Are they only about salvation from spiritual blindness and spiritual captivity? Or do you think God intend for the Messiah to bring literal blessings upon the earth? Can you think of other Bible passages that help us understand this?
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What does your answer to the question above suggest about the activities of the Messiah’s followers in our place and time? Are we fulfilling his mission statement if we only address spiritual blindness and spiritual poverty? Are we compromising the gospel if we minister to people in our city who are experiencing literal blindness or literal poverty? Is it possible (and is it necessary) to try to do both? Explain.
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Why do you think it is so difficult to balance these two aspects of mission (teaching the truth of the gospel, and meeting peoples’ needs in the name of Jesus)? What does it take to do this well?*
Read Luke 18:18-23
*- A “certain ruler,” an authority of some kind, came to Jesus with a question. What did he want to know? If someone came up to a Christian today and asked that same question, what answer do you think he or she would get?
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How did Jesus respond to the ruler? What connection do Jesus’ words in verses 19-20 with the man’s question in verse 18? What did he not understand about Jesus? About himself?
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In verse 22, Jesus told the man to do two things. Would it have been enough for the man do choose one of the two, and neglect the other? Why or why not?*
Note: The Old Testament Law (for example, the laws about the tithe and about gleaning) commanded the people to care for the poor and the less fortunate.
- Pastor Rob talked about how non-western cultures understand these verses. We may tend to see verse 22 as Jesus’ prescription for this one man and his unique situation, and be greatly relieved that Jesus does not call us to do the same thing. But what changes if we see in Jesus’ words a call to help the poor and less fortunate in our world? What would we choose to do differently if we considered that as part of Jesus’ call to all of his followers–to help the poor AND to come, follow him?
More than a Church Service
- In his message, Rob brought up the question: Who we will be and what we will do once things get back to “normal” and we can all meet together again. How do you answer that question for yourself—who will you be and what will you do for the Kingdom of God? How is that more than just attending a church service?
- What about now, even during the restrictions and social distancing? What have you discovered about yourself, who you really are, and what you really do for the Lord? How do you follow Jesus even when we can’t all meet together for a “normal” church service? How can we still be the church in the world when our world is broken?
Dan Stephenson