“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” (John 15:9closeJohn 15:9 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (ESV) closeJohn 15:9closeJohn 15:9 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (ESV) 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (ESV) ; from the Gospel reading for 5.13.12)
“How Does God Love Us?”
Get To Know Your “Neighbor”
+ What would you like God to do for you? ________________
God’s Blueprint
+ In his commentary on Genesis, Dr. Luther reflects on the promise God made to Jacob re the multiplication of his descendants; but then noting his wife Rachel was taken in childbirth of all things. What was Jacob probably tempted to ask God when this happened? ____________________________
+ Luther notes, “Almost in the same year (of Rachel’s death); Jacob looses the firstborn of his mother, Joseph” What might someone in Jacob’s situation have said to God? _______________________________________
+ “In a third calamity, Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, is defiled by Reuben, the firstborn of the other wife” (Luther) What is going through Jacob’s mind now? ___________________________
God’s Best
+ Luther points out that the Hebrew idea of God’s love is “affliction before glorification”. This certainly was true for Jesus; who “for the joy set before Him, endured the cross and scorned it’s shame…” The unpleasant truth is that we are sinners and this sin must first be dealt with (thus the affliction); before we can enter into full relationship with God (the glorification). How does the practice of Confession & Absolution in our worship help us understand this Divine truth? ________________________
+ The Devil knows when we (wrongly) feel that bad has happened to us because we did something bad (ie “karma”); he tries to use this to drive us further from God; telling us that “God is mad at me” Jesus experienced this first hand; how does His relationship w/the Father help you in trouble? ______________________
God’s Blessed
+ Jacob probably felt that he knew how God would fulfill His promise to “multiply his descendants”; but God worked in a different way. How can God use you to serve those you know who have had setbacks in life? _______________________
Jim Buckman
