Gospel of John: March 2, 2017

Date	Theme	Scripture & Class Exercises
March 2	One on one Relation-ships	Nicodemus: 3:1-21 Woman of Samaria: 4:1-42

1. Trust Meaning Exercise: if you met someone for the first time what would make you trust someone?  What do they have to be or do for you to trust them?  Everyone write ideas down on a 3x5 card: I trust someone when . . .  

Class Response:

We can strike up a conversation         Have a dog or a child               They tell the truth     

I am in a comfortable or safe place                 they smile       They are nice to others

They keep confidences           They are polite           We have common ground

John 3:1-21  DVD

*What is the setting of the story?  (time, place, what were they doing?) Who do you think was present?

*What does being BORN AGAIN mean to you?  (How do we define it?) 

Class Response: 

Changing attitudes and feelings                       
Revealing of Spirituality/Growth in Spirituality

Transformation           Feel closer to God

*If you were listening to this discussion what questions or comments would you have for Jesus about being born again in the spirit?

Class Response:

            What do I have to do to be reborn?

            Is there something Jesus can show us about being reborn?

            How will I feel/know when I’ve been reborn?

John 4:1-42:  DVD

Samaria was a “bad place” in Jesus’ time.  Jewish people normally went around Samaria.

Samaritans were a mixed race people who Jewish people considered to be unclean.

Why do you think that Jesus went through Samaria?

Class Response:

Disciples                                                   Samaritans

Jewish & had prejudices                          Typified “bad/wayward” Jews

                                               

Jesus:   Breaks Boundaries   
Asks “Who is my neighbor?”
Got His disciples to expand their idea of who was worthy of God's attention.

Exercise:  Physical and Spiritual Functions

Many people define spiritual functions by paralleling them with physical functions

List physical functions – things we do on the board

            Think of corresponding spiritual actions in our lives.

Class Response:

Eat & Food/ Drink & Water   -----   Thirst & Hunger for God

Sleep                                       -----   Peacefulness & Restfulness

Walk & Run                            -----  Following a spiritual path or system; 
                                                           slowly or quickly

Talking and Singing                 -----   Connecting to people & God in fellowship

Listening                                 -----   Listening for clues to hear our direction

Expelling waste                       -----   Getting rid of things that are not God

Learn                                       -----   Open ourselves to change and transformation

The Gospel of John

Gospel of John: February 23, 2017

Date	Theme	Scripture & Class Exercises
Feb 23	*How John is different from the other Gospels *Incarnation	DVD: Special Features: Jesus Son of God: Gospel of John (7:15)      Get responses as to how John is different: 1. Focuses on Jesus divinity and the incarnation of the Logos 2. Don’t worry about the time-line like in the other Gospels Prologue 1: 1-18 DVD: Disc One:  Prologue and the Word of Life (4:35) Discussion: What are the characters of God from this section of Scripture?  What are the underlying reason/logic/purpose/character of God/Christ?

EXERCISE & DISCUSSION

1. Logos/Word Exercise: 

a. Have people write down what comes to mind when they think of WORD.  This can be a meaning or association.

Class Response:

Represents something                         Image                                       Abilities         

Personality                                          Emotion                                  Events/Action

Character                                             Relationship/Experience

b. Explain that the translation of WORD means the Greek LOGOS: underlying reason / logic /  

     purpose / character.

c. Relate back to Genesis and the creation of the world that God speaks (uses words) the world

      into being. 

Read John 1:1-18   See DVD

Discussion: What are the characters of God from this section of Scripture?

Class Response:

God as the Logos                                Creator                        Positivity

Created things into “flesh and blood”/ the touchable

Light – bright – see clearly: this leads to more possibility and more understanding

Problem - The world not knowing Christ/God and perceiving of God/Christ is hard.

   (This inability to perceive is a central conflict in John)

It is Christ who enables us to bridge the gap out of the world to see and come in contact

            with the Logos.  This is the underlying reason/logic/purpose/character of God becoming Christ incarnate.

Gospel of John

Class Overview

Thursdays: 2:00 – 3:30 pm

February 23, 2017 – March 30, 2017

Date	Theme	Scripture
Feb 23	*Incarnation *How John is different from the other Gospels	Prologue 1: 1-18
March 2	One on one Relationships	Nicodemus: 3:1-21 Woman of Samaria: 4:1-42
March 9	“I Am” Sayings	EIGHT I AM SAYINGS OF CHRIST John 6: 35, 48   I am the bread of life John 8: 12, 9:5   I am the light of the world John 8: 58   Before Abraham was, I am John 10:9   I am the door John 10:11   I am the good shepherd John 11:25   I am the resurrection and the life John 14:6   I am the way, the truth, and the life John 15:1   I am the true vine
March 16	Miracles	The Wedding at Cana: 2:1-12 The Blind Beggar: 9:1-40
March 23	The Last Supper Chapters 13-17	Jesus washes the disciples’ feet: 13: 1-20 Jesus’ New Commandment: 13: 31-35 The Promise of the Holy Spirit: 14: 15-31
March 30	The Doctrine of Eternal life	Summary of Teaching: 12:44-50 Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples: 17:1-26 Jesus’ Resurrection: 20:1-31

All class notes can be accessed on www.pastorpegsadventures.blogspot.com

            (Please allow a day or two for Pastor Peg to clean up grammar mistakes.)

Pastor Peg can be reached at 914-584-5221.