The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Saturday, 09 April 2016 - "One disciple’s reliable testimony"
Daily Scripture: John 21:24 This one is the talmid who is testifying about these things and who has recorded them.
And we know that his testimony is true.
25 But there are also many other things Yeshua did; and if they were all to be recorded, I don’t think the whole world could contain the books that would have to be written!
Reflection Questions:In his book Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, scholar Richard Bauckham documented that first century readers considered history nearly worthless unless an eyewitness wrote it. The writer of the Gospel of John was an eyewitness to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, he said. He could have written much more about Jesus, but his testimony was trustworthy and powerful. “I saw it—you can believe it!” he seemed to say at the end, probably recalling Jesus' words to Thomas (“Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe”—John20:29).
- Although he wrote down his testimony to Jesus, John did not say, “The Word became a book.” He said, “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14). How will you take what you have learned about Jesus from studying the fourth gospel and weave it into your day-to-day life, so that your life becomes more and more a living embodiment of God’s great love for the world?
Dear God, let me live my life each day in such a way that more and more I disappear, and those who see me see your love lived out by a person. Amen.
Family Activity:
Place some coins in a container. Take the container as a family to a nearby fountain. As you sit by the fountain, ask each person to take one or more coins. Review the story in John 21 of how Jesus forgave Peter, even after he denied even knowing Jesus. Explain that this is a time to tell God “I’m sorry” for any times we fell short of God’s ideal. Ask each person to individually pray (aloud or silently), “Lord, I am sorry for…” and confess the error to God. Toss a coin into the water. Repeat as many times as people wish. When everyone is finished, invite family members to dip their hands in the fountain for a symbolic washing. Finish by praying, “Thank you, God, for the promise of your forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Amen.”Insights from Carol Cartmill
Carol Cartmill serves as Executive Director of Mission and Outreach at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
Can you think back to a time when you had a life-transforming experience? Something that affected you so deeply you could not wait to tell others about it? What happened when you related the story? If you’re like me, the words I communicate never seem adequate in capturing the fullness of my experience.
I’ve had the joy of serving on several international mission teams. Each trip had a profound impact on me. Even now as I reflect on those journeys—the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met—it’s difficult for my brain to conjure up words that will come close to describing what I feel in my heart. It would take hours, maybe days, to share the many facets of each experience. What I’ve attempted to do, in lieu of giving the minute-by-minute version, is talk about one or two key stories that might inspire my listener to consider taking a mission trip (call or e-mail me if you’d like to learn about Resurrection’s mission trips).
As John concludes his Gospel, his eyewitness account of three years spent doing life with Jesus, he tells his readers that he could not possibly capture everything Jesus said and did. John has done his best to write down the most important events in words that convey the identity and meaning of Jesus. I have to believe John chose his words very carefully (and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit). He likely prayed for his readers to have their lives radically transformed by Jesus, just as his had been.
These past several weeks, we have journeyed together through John’s Gospel. We’ve been blessed to read the words of someone who not only knew Jesus intimately, but whose life had been completely transformed by their relationship. May these words continue to inspire and shape us as disciples who seek to know, love and serve God and others!
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Ave
Can you think back to a time when you had a life-transforming experience? Something that affected you so deeply you could not wait to tell others about it? What happened when you related the story? If you’re like me, the words I communicate never seem adequate in capturing the fullness of my experience.
I’ve had the joy of serving on several international mission teams. Each trip had a profound impact on me. Even now as I reflect on those journeys—the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met—it’s difficult for my brain to conjure up words that will come close to describing what I feel in my heart. It would take hours, maybe days, to share the many facets of each experience. What I’ve attempted to do, in lieu of giving the minute-by-minute version, is talk about one or two key stories that might inspire my listener to consider taking a mission trip (call or e-mail me if you’d like to learn about Resurrection’s mission trips).
As John concludes his Gospel, his eyewitness account of three years spent doing life with Jesus, he tells his readers that he could not possibly capture everything Jesus said and did. John has done his best to write down the most important events in words that convey the identity and meaning of Jesus. I have to believe John chose his words very carefully (and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit). He likely prayed for his readers to have their lives radically transformed by Jesus, just as his had been.
These past several weeks, we have journeyed together through John’s Gospel. We’ve been blessed to read the words of someone who not only knew Jesus intimately, but whose life had been completely transformed by their relationship. May these words continue to inspire and shape us as disciples who seek to know, love and serve God and others!
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Ave
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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