Jesus is The Way

To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.

To view a .docx version of this guide, click here.

Introduction 

Last week, we discussed Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders challenging Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar. We talked about how we should give all of our lives to God because, as the Roman coins with Caesar’s image on them belonged to Caesar, we belong to God because we bear his image. 

During the “Apply” section last week, everyone was encouraged to write down specific action steps they would work on throughout the week. Take some time to discuss how that went with the group. 

This week we will be discussing Jesus’ teaching to his disciples about following his way of life.  

First, begin your meeting in prayer for God’s blessing over this time with your group. 

Connect  

• If someone planned an entire trip for you, but you weren’t allowed to know anything about it, would you choose to go?
  • What do you think would be the most challenging aspect of that experience?
• Who in your life has influenced you the most simply by the way they live their life?
  • Why do you think this person and their lifestyle was so impactful to you?

Opening Thought 

Life can sometimes feel like we’re wandering without a map to guide us. We can trust in our own instincts or the wisdom of others but, often, we can still end up feeling confused and lost. Jesus invites us to know and follow a way that isn’t about knowing the right answers but about trusting him, because Jesus, himself, is that way. When we follow Jesus, we can see that a real full and lasting life comes not from what we build for ourselves but by following him. 

This leads us to our main idea for this week:  

Main Idea for the Week

We can accept the invitation to follow Jesus
to make a difference in our world.

Here’s where we are this week

Jesus has just entered Jerusalem with his disciples to celebrate the Passover (a Jewish holiday focused on remembering how God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Ancient Egypt [see: Exodus 1-14]). At this point in the story, Jesus and his disciples are in what is referred to as “the upper room” and they are in the middle of celebrating the Passover dinner together. Jesus has just washed his disciples’ feet, predicted Judas Iscariot will betray him, tells Peter that he will deny Jesus three times before the morning of the next day. This is one of Jesus’ final times we read that Jesus is alone with his disciples and he uses this time to prepare them and teach them what they need to know after Jesus is no longer physically with them. The story today comes right after Jesus has told his disciples that he is about to go somewhere, however they can’t follow him just yet, but he is going to prepare a place for them so don’t be worried and trust in God.  

Unpack 

Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses: 

Read

John 14:1-14 

Unpack

• What stood out to you from the verses we just read?
  • What do you think the disciples might have been feeling during this conversation with Jesus?
• Jesus in this section is talking to his closest disciples and friends. Why then, do you think he tells them to trust in God and him?
  • What do you think Jesus wanted his followers to understand about the relationship he has with God the Father?
    • If you feel comfortable sharing, how easy or difficult has it been to  trust Jesus’ direction in your life?
      • What challenges have you encountered when trying to trust Jesus?
    • What aspect of your life do you have the hardest time trusting Jesus with?
• How could Jesus’ promise of a place in his Father’s house provide comfort to the disciples at this point?
  • How does Jesus’ promise of a place in his Father’s house provide comfort in your current life circumstances?
• How does Jesus’ explanation of His relationship with the Father challenge your understanding of God?
  • How does the disciples’ struggle to understand Jesus’ words resonate with your own struggles?
    • How can Jesus’ responses to them provide insight for you?
• What did Jesus mean when He said He is “the way, the truth, and the life”?
  • How does knowing Jesus help you understand how to follow God?
  • What is the way of life that Jesus gave as an example for how to live, from what we have read and learned together?
    • What makes this way of life difficult to follow personally?
    • Why have you chosen to pursue this way of life, even though it can be difficult at times?
• If Jesus’ example, words, and actions show us what God is like, what does it say about the kind of life we’re invited to live?
  • What effect should this have on how we live our lives?
• What is our responsibility as members of the global church to represent Jesus well?
  • How can we be intentional to do this in our daily lives?
• How do you think Jesus’ promises and teachings can provide comfort and guidance in your life daily?

Apply 

Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be: 

• How will you begin trusting Jesus with one more aspect of your life you have resisted giving to him?
• What is one aspect of Jesus’ way of life you will begin incorporating into your own this week?
• What is a simple way you could make a difference in your world by following Jesus’ example in your daily life (work, family, school, community)?
• How will we as a group encourage and keep each other accountable to represent Jesus in the communities we are a part of?
  • How will we as a group commit to practically help each other grow more in the way of life that Jesus taught his followers to live from now on?

Closing 

Read the first section to your group, then read the verse out loud to the group, and finally, move to the Prayer and Verses section: 

We all want to feel like we’re heading in the right direction, but life doesn’t always make it that easy. Sometimes, it leaves us wondering if we’re on the “right path” at all. The good news is that we don’t have to figure it all out on our own. When we trust in Jesus and follow his way of life, we don’t have to go searching for the truth or try to create a meaningful life by ourselves because both are found in him. This week let’s try to put this into practice in our lives. 

Prayer and Verses 

Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group. 

Thematic Reflection Verse for the Week

*Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week. 

1 John 5:20 

“And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.” 

**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. 

Daily Devotional Verses  

Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below. 

Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. 
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? 
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? 
Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. 

Day 1: 1 John 3:24 

Day 2: Hebrews 10:19-22 

Day 3: 1 John 1:6 

Day 4: Ephesians 2:10 

Day 5: Psalm 37:5 

Day 6: Psalm 9:10