Series Summary:
We live life in troubled times with troubled hearts. Who or what do we believe? The Greek word πιστεύω (pisteuo) is translated believe. It is not just an intellectual exercise. It is an entrusting of one’s self to a person or a cause. The gospel of John uses pisteuo 98 times! “These are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name." This fall may "your heart not be troubled. Believe!” πιστεύω #John #2025
Starter
Who is someone that the Holy Spirit has used in your life to be His counselor to you? How were they used?
Pray
Lord we live life in troubled times with troubled hearts. Who or what do we believe? You tell us clearly what to believe. You tell us, “These are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name." As we study the book of John, open our hearts and minds to believe. May we encourage one another to truly believe entrusting our lives to you and your will being done. May we strive to lead people to believe in you “the way, the truth, and the life.” Amen
Study Questions
Jesus in obedience to the law has come to Jerusalem with His disciples to celebrate the Passover feast commemorating their deliverance from slavery, covenant with God, and journey to the promise land. He knows that this will lead to His betrayal, abandonment, suffering, death, and resurrection in accordance with the law and the prophets. In John 2:4, 7:30, and 8:20, John wrote that Jesus’ “hour had not come”. Now Jesus says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Now Jesus is giving some of his final preparation and personal words to his disciples before He is crucified.
- What all does Jesus say will be the result of of following God’s counsel in these passages?
- What does Jesus promise to do to help the disciples stay connected to God and accomplish their mission when He is gone?
- What do these scriptures say will be the clear evidence of the counselor the Holy Spirit working?
- When we think of the Holy Spirit in our Christian culture today, do we tend to think, see, and celebrate the Spirit’s work mentioned in these verses? explain
- How do we see the same struggle to think, see, and celebrate these Spirit workings mentioned in John both in Jesus’ day and throughout history with God’s people?
- Even though Ezekiel 36:24-28 prophesies that God would give us a new heart, put His spirit within us, and and cause us to follow Him, why would that counsel be hard to understand for the people Jesus is speaking to?
- Why was it necessary for Jesus to leave?
- Jesus said the Spirit’s presence is even better than His physical presence. Do you truly value the Holy Spirit’s counsel through the word in your life—or do you live as if you are on our own?
- How do we tend to measure the wrong things and ignore the right things about the Spirit, and how does that get us into counseling trouble?
- What do these scriptures say will be the clear evidence of the counselor the Holy Spirit working?
- When we think of the Holy Spirit in our Christian culture today do we tend to think about, see, and celebrate the Spirit’s work mentioned in these verses? explain
- How are you experiencing the counsel and Spirit’s encouragement and conviction in your life? Are you resisting, ignoring, or responding to what He is simply revealing in the word? Why or why not?
- The Holy Spirit always guides us into truth and glorifies Jesus. He does not bring glory to Himself. How does our modern views of the Holy Spirit tend to twist the counsel we have read in these verses?