Read:  John 15:1-17

In December 2007, Norman, Oklahoma turned into an ice cube.  Freezing rain covered the city adding three quarters of an inch of ice to every tree limb and power line. As the wind blew, the icy branches came down one after another.  At my house alone, literally hundreds of branches came down and littered the yard.  In their unattached state, the branches were not big and beautiful – they were brown and dying.  This phenomena taught me what every first semester Botany student knows . . . life in the branch comes from its connection to the vine (tree trunk).  Jesus knew this same principle applied to our spiritual life . . . spiritual life in the Christian comes from our continued connection to Christ.

Question of the Day:  Abiding in Christ (or remaining in Christ) is essential for the Christian.  It implies a sense of faithful dependence upon Jesus at all times as we obey Him.  What is any area of your life where you are tempted to not “abide in Christ” (i.e. do your own thing and sin)?  What would it mean for you to Abide in Jesus in that area of your life this week?

Read: John 14:15-31

Growing up, I was never alone.  Most of the time, one of my parents were around to guide, protect, and provide.  I don’t mean they were always sitting right beside me, but they were always close by.  If they ever needed to go out without me, they would appoint someone to provide the assistance and security I needed . . .acting in their place (sometimes this would be a babysitter, or a friend’s parent, or my older sister).  This oversight was a gracious gift from my parents to me and helped me learn to make good decisions and feel “secure” in life.  In John 14, Jesus lets His disciples know that even though He is soon to ascend into heaven, he was not going to leave them “home alone.”  Jesus was going to send another to care and provide for them.  Instead of sending someone young, inexperienced, or lacking authority, Jesus sends the third member of the Holy Trinity . . . the Holy Spirit Himself!  In today’s verses we see Jesus talking about the security, wisdom, and direction the Holy Spirit will play in the lives of Christ followers as we are maturing in our relationship with Him (while Jesus is “away).

Question of the Day:  What are some of the ministries of the Holy Spirit (or “Helper”) that you see mentioned in today’s verses?

Read: John 14:1-14

Yesterday we saw how Jesus was preparing His disciples for the time when He would not be physically beside them.  Today we see Jesus share more with His disciples about:

1. Where He was going (to His Father’s house — heaven)
2. His desire to be with His disciples in heaven (“I go to prepare a place for you”)
3. How they will get there (by knowing Jesus who is the Way, Truth, and Life . . . and the One who reveals the Father to them)
4. and What they could expect while He was gone (they will continue to do the great works of Jesus in the world!)

As people who live today awaiting the return of Christ, these same four encouragements are relevant in our lives as well.

Question of the Day: What do you think Jesus meant when He said, “whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do” (John 14:12)?

Read:  John 13:31-35

The summer after I graduated high school, I worked at a snow cone stand.  Several days a week, I would work shifts in this small wood frame building selling shaved ice to neighborhood kids.  The “hut” I worked in only had room for one person inside, so I worked alone day after day.  While the owner of the hut was not there, I understood my job was to show up, make snow cones, and sell them for $1 a piece.  In this way, I would make the owner proud (and profitable).  That was my job . . . and I tried to do it well.  In John 13:31-35, Jesus is telling His disciples that He was about to be glorified, and go to heaven after His crucifixion and resurrection. Before all his happened, however, Jesus wanted to make sure His disciples understood a good part of their “job” while He was away in heaven.  Jesus’ disciples were to show up and love one another in such a big way that others would glorify God seeing how they cared for each other.  In this way, Christians make Jesus proud, and proclaim His glory to all around.

Question of the Day: What are some ways you can love other Christians in your life today?

Read: Mark 14:26-31

Jesus’ death on the cross occurred roughly 2000 years ago, yet the death He died, He died to make payment for all our sins.  Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin are death, so Jesus died to pay the wage our sins’ earned.  As people who live in the 21st century, 100% of the sins we have committed and will commit had yet to happen, but Jesus knew they were coming — and loved us anyway.  This principle plays out in the life of Peter on a much shorter time clock.  Jesus knew Peter was going to deny Him . . . He told Peter so.  Yet, Jesus loved Peter and died for Him anyway.  Peter’s failure with Jesus’ foreknowledge is a picture for us that God loves us and sent Jesus to die for us WHILE we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).

Question of the Day:  How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus loves us even knowing we have sinned and will sin even more?

Read:  Mark 14:22-25

The Passover meal was full of symbolism.  Every facet of the meal had a special meaning.  So, after eating part of the Passover meal together, Jesus stands up and begins providing new meaning for two of the elements on the table.  Jesus takes the bread and tells His disciples that the bread is a symbol of His Body.  Then He took the cup and said that it was a symbol of His blood.  Together, the bread and cup become symbolic reminders for the church of the new covenant that God made with people through Jesus.  On the cross, Jesus would give His body and spill His blood as a sacrifice for our sins.  Followers of Christ are encouraged to eat this symbolic meal frequently, remembering what Jesus has done for us, until He returns to this earth again.

Question of the Day:  What are some favorite memories (or questions) you have about this symbolic meal (also called the “Lord’s supper” or “communion”).

Read: John 13:1-20

Sometimes when I come home after having completed an activity outside (like playing golf or working in the yard), my wife will tell me that I “smell like the outdoors.”  I think this is a nice way for her to tell me that I stink!  We live in a world of air conditioning and deodorant . . . so we are sometimes protected from the stink of the “outdoors.”  However, in the first century, the world was a bit more dusty.  As such, when people would enter homes, they would have a servant wash the “outside” off their feet.  It was a lowly and mostly unpleasant job, but was a demonstration of kindness by the host.  In John 13, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bends down and personally washes His disciples’ feet.  Though He had the authority to command ANYONE else to do this job, Jesus did it Himself.  Why?  To provide an example for us.  We are to serve one another.

Question of the Day: What are ways in which you can serve those around you this week?

Read:  Mark 14:12-21

How do you celebrate major holidays?  At Christmas time, do you decorate a tree in your home and hang stockings over the fireplace?  At Easter, do you have lunch with family before hunting for Easter eggs?  On Thanksgiving, do you gather with family and eat turkey and pumpkin pie before watching the Lions game?  Families have traditions at holidays where they remember important things with those they love.  Passover (or the festival of Unleavened Bread) was THE major holiday for Jewish people in the first century.  On this holiday every year, Jewish people would remember God’s deliverance of their people from Egypt in the past, and look forward to the redemption God would bring in the future.  They did this by offering a sacrifice and by sharing a very special meal with their family.  In today’s verses, Jesus celebrates this meal with His disciples.  Not only were they looking back on God’s faithfulness in the past, but the disciples were looking (in the eyes) THE REDEMPTION God would provide in just one day’s time through Jesus Christ.  As they sat there in that city full of lambs being sacrificed, I wonder if any of the disciples remembered John the Baptist’s declaration about Jesus years earlier, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29)

Question of the Day: What are some things you can do to celebrate Easter this year that will help you remember the salvation God gave to us through Jesus Christ?

Read:  Mark 14:10-11

In yesterday’s passage, we saw Judas rebuke Mary for her generous gift of perfume to Jesus.  Judas public rationale for the rebuke was that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.  This sounds noble.  However, Judas Iscariot’s heart is fully revealed in today’s passage when he conspires to betray Jesus to the authorities so that He might receive money.  My strong suspicion is that Judas did not betray Jesus to get more money to give to the poor!  Oh how time reveals the hypocrisy in the hearts of men and women.  We must be careful not to judge others by a standard we have no intention of submitting to.

Question of the Day: Have you ever been tempted to judge others by a standard you regularly fail to keep yourself?

Read:  Mark 14:1-2

After 30+ years of life, and 3 years of public ministry, Jesus had developed quite a following.  Large crowds made up of everyone from genuine disciples to curiosity seekers followed Jesus everywhere He went.  People were captivated by His teaching, wowed by the miracles, and touched by His compassionate heart.  Many were wondering if (indeed) Jesus was the promised Messiah.  Not all, however, were excited to follow Jesus.  Some despised what Jesus was doing.  Interestingly, the leaders of the opposition were NOT the Romans.  We might have expected Pontius Pilate and the Roman authorities to be bothered by one who claimed to be the King of the Jews, but the Romans authorities are silent and inactive throughout the Gospel accounts up to this point.  Perhaps they could see that Jesus was assembling no army and speaking no ill of the Roman occupiers.  Instead, the opposition Jesus was facing came from (according to our verses today) the chief priests and the scribes – the Jewish religious leaders.  Ambition, power, and a general self-righteous attitude blinded these men from recognizing Jesus as the Son of God.

Question of the Day: If Jesus were to come into the world today the same way He came in the first century, who would you expect to recognize Him first?  Who would you expect to oppose Him most?