Week 9: Help when Hated – John 15:18-16:4
Jesus tells His disciples that they will experience hate and persecution as they seek to do good, follow Jesus and reach others with the Gospel. Jesus promises He is with us, will help us and use us to reach others.
LIVE OAK CONNECTION POINT:
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DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
- What was one of the highlights of the past week?
- What was one of the more challenging or difficult things about this past week?
READ: John 15:18- 16:4.
Spend some time SOAPing this passage. You can either spend time SOAPing individually and documenting for a several minutes and then spend time sharing with each -OR- SOAP in real time with each other. Either way make as many observations as you can.
- OBSERVATIONS: What are the things that stand out to you about this passage?
- How would you summarize this passage into one sentence?
- What does this passage tell me about who God is?
- What are the promises God makes in this passage?
- What is He calling us to DO?
- What are some RIGHT ways and some WRONG ways we could respond in times of persecution or hatred because of our faith?
READ: John 15:19. In what area of your life do you feel the greatest pull to conform to the world? Why?
READ: Romans 12:1-2. What is the difference between being conformed to the world and being transformed by the renewing of your mind?
- As one of the disciples who experienced persecution, suffering, and hatred that culminated in his death, Peter gives us some helpful instruction in 1 Peter 4:12-19.
READ: 1 Peter 4:12-19. What does Peter instruct us to do? What are His calls to action in times when you are hated, disrespected or persecuted for being a follower of Jesus?
- What else stood out from this week’s sermon?
- APPLICATION: What is your big takeaway from this week’s sermon? Be specific.
NEXT STEPS:
Everyone has a next step to apply what we have learned. What is your next step?Be specific.
MEMORY VERSE: *Challenge yourself or your group to commit this verse to memory:
John 15:26-27 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”
PRAYER:
Spend some time praying for each other.
Scripture References:
John 15:18-16:4; Psalm 69:4; Matthew 10:16-42; Matthew 24:9-14, Mark 13:9-13; Luke 21:12-19; Matthew 5:10-12; 1 Peter 4:12-19; Acts 8:1; Acts 9:4-5; 2 Timothy 3:12; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 28:18-20