Jesus the Hope of the World - The Church: Called In

THE CHURCH: CALLED IN

OUTLINE

• Express Joy (v. 17:13)
• Endure Hate (v. 17:14-16)
• Expose Sin (v. 17:17-19)
• Explain God (v. 17:20-21)

QUESTIONS

1. The Church’s core story is one of rescue, redemption and reconciliation through the gospel. What has your experience of the church been? What wounds, hurts and scars do you bring with you that impact how you relate to God and others? What would it look like to invite Jesus into those wounds and find healing? What role might a community of people growing in the grace of Jesus play in helping you heal? (James 5:16)
2. The Church is a great gift that gives us a regular rhythm of rejoicing and celebrating God’s goodness and our growth. What do you find steals your joy most? Did you grow up in an environment that regularly expressed joy? What do you find brings you great delight and joy? What would it look like to ask Jesus to restore your joy? (Psalm 51:12)
3. The Church is a great gift in helping us endure hate in this world and bear one another burdens. Where do you experience hate the most? How do you endure hate and not become hateful? What has it looked like to be encouraged and encourage others day after day so that we are not hardened by the deceitfulness of sin?
4. The church is a great gift that creates a safe secure environment for us to expose sin and be forgiven. Why is it so difficult to cultivate relationships of trust that encourage honesty in dealing with sin? What role do you play in creating and maintaining that environment at Hillside?

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

John 17:13-21
13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.