Pastor Ralph

Q3. (John 19:30) When Jesus says, “It is finished,” what does he mean? What mission(s) had the Father given him. In what way did he complete them?

Q2. (John 19:26-27) What is Jesus’ mother Mary feeling at the cross? Why does Jesus give John responsibility to care for his mother? What does this say about Jesus’ values?

Q1. (John 19:23-24; Psalm 22:14-18) In what ways did Jesus fulfill Psalm 22:14-18? What does the Psalms passage tell us about how Jesus felt on the cross?

Q6. (John 19:7-15) What does Pilate fear when the Jewish leaders report that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God? What does Pilate fear when the Jewish leaders threaten to report him to Caesar? Which fear wins out? What fears control you and keep you from serving Jesus fully? What motivation is winning out in your life?

Q5. (John 19:1-6) Why do you think Pilate maintains Jesus’ innocence and then has him brutally scourged? Why does Jesus allow himself to be brutally scourged and then mocked? (see Hebrews 12:2) How much persecution are you willing to endure to accomplish the mission the Father has given you?

Q4. (John 18:37-38) Jesus presents himself as the King of Truth, with a mission to testify to the truth. What is the danger when we disciples declare the gospel is absolutely true? How do cynics like Pilate or people in our post-modern age react? If people reject the truth we bring, what is the next step for us?

Q3. (John 18:29-35) What do you think the Jewish leaders charged Jesus with before Pilate? If true, why would that be taken seriously by the Romans? What kind of king does Jesus say he is? Where is the source of his kingship, according to Jesus? What is the danger to our gospel message when we politicize Christian causes?

Q2. (John 18:17-18, 25-27) What have been Peter’s acts of courage at the arrest and in the high priest’s courtyard? Why do you think he ends up denying Jesus? How would you rebuke Peter according to Galatians 6:1b? Has your courage failed lately? What should you do about it?

Q1. (John 18:1-11) What do you think caused the soldiers to fall back in the Garden (18:6)? Why does John tell us this detail? Why does Jesus rebuke Peter for defending him with a sword (18:11)? Jesus is facing forces sent by hell. Why doesn’t he resist?

Q6. (John 17:11b, 20-21) Why is unity between Christians so important? What is the model Jesus gives of this unity in verse 21a? What effect does true Christian unity have on our witness to the world?

Q5. (John 17:15-16) Is God’s desire to immediately extract us from the earth, or to leave us here? How is it possible to be “in” the world, but not “of” it, or contaminated by it? How do we achieve this?

Q4. (John 17:6-10) In what sense do the Son and the Father “co-possess” everything? What does that say about their relationship with each other? In what sense do we “co-possess” everything with the Father and Son? How should that affect our values? The way we live?

Q3. (John 17:4-5) What was Jesus’ preexistent glory like? What was his glory like during his earthly ministry? How did his glory peek through? What is his glory like now in the presence of his Father? Why do you think Jesus wants his disciples to see him in this glory (verse 24)?

Q2. (John 17:4) What was the “work” the Father gave Jesus to do? How did it bring glory to the Father? What is the “work” the Father has given you to do? In what ways are you bringing glory to the Father in this?

Q1. (John 17:3) If the average person were to define the words “eternal life,” what would they say? Does Jesus define eternal life in terms of duration of time? What is the key element of his definition? How are you doing at present in Jesus’ definition of eternal life.

Q4. (John 16:33) In what sense has Jesus “overcome” the world? In what sense can we “overcome” the world? Can we overcome Satan even though we are martyred in the process? (see Revelation 12:11)

Q3. (John 16:32) Jesus said that he is not alone, that the Father is always with him. What does this mean to us when we are lonely? What should we do to deepen our fellowship with the ever-present Father so that we aren’t as lonely?

Q2. (John 16:23-28) What does it mean to pray to the Father “in Jesus’ name”? Is it okay to pray to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit? Why or why not? Is it scriptural to pray to a saint to intercede for us? Why are we allowed to pray to the Father directly?

Q1. (John 16:12-15) In what sense does the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth. Does this promise apply only to the apostolic age to lay the foundations of the faith? In what sense does it apply to us today?

Q5. (John 16:8) Through what means does the Holy Spirit convict unbelievers? Is it our job as preachers or lay Christians to convict unbelievers or backslidden people? If not, why not? What damage do we inflict on people when we try to do the Holy Spirit’s job?

Q4. (John 16:5-7; 14:12) What benefit is there to the disciples that Jesus goes away? What promise do we have in John 14:12 concerning the Spirit’s power in believers?

Q3. (John 15:26-27) What does it mean to “testify”? In what way does the Spirit testify about Jesus? Can you testify from personal knowledge about Jesus, or only the apostles who were eyewitnesses?

Q2. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13a) Why do we believe that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or power, but a Person? What kinds of functions that we attribute to persons does the Holy Spirit do? Why is it so easy to refer to the Spirit as “it” rather than “Him”?

Q1. (John 15:18-21a) Why are Christians persecuted even if they haven’t hurt others? What about a faithful Christian’s life threatens non-Christians? Why does Jesus warn his disciples that persecution will come? What happens to our testimony if we give in under mild persecution? What does it say to persecutors when we don’t react to their persecution? Do they see us as weak or as strong?

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?