Sunday, April 3rd, 2022
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
February 17th, 2022
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.”
— 1 Peter 3:18 (NIV) —
Why Did Jesus Have To Die?
- Jesus died to bring us into a right relationship with God.
- 1 Peter 3:18
- Jesus died to disarm the powers of sin, death, and the devil.
- Colossians 2:13, 15
- Jesus died to give us eternal life with Him.
- Romans 6:23
- Jesus died that we may worship God freely and confidently in His presence.
- Ephesians 3:12
- Jesus died to demonstrate His love for us.
- Romans 5:8
- Jesus died to forgive us of our sins and cancel our debt.
- Colossians 2:13-14
Bible Reading • John 14:1-14
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
Discussion Questions
- Jesus explains to Philip that He is the way to the Father. What does this tell us about God?
- Jesus explains that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father. The two are separate and the same.
- Jesus explains that to see Him is seeing the Father.
- Jesus explains that He is doing the will of the Father and does not speak on His own authority, the Father is living in Him and doing His work.
- Jesus tells Him to believe that He is in the Father and that the Father is in Him; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
- What questions do you have about today’s passage?
- Not sure I have questions, only an observation that Philip’s question was most likely sincere. Many people today have questions about (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) being one but three. It’s difficult to try and put myself in the sandals of Philip given I was brought up learning about the trinity of God. Trinity, in Christian doctrine is the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The best way I know this is true is evidenced in the Bible; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” [Father/Son/Holy Spirit] John 1:1
- What do you want to say in response to Jesus?
- Jesus forgive me of my sins and my doubts.
- The verse that stands out for me is John 14:13-14, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Jesus I am sorry that I do not seek your instructions and answers because of my stubbornness and pride. You are the answer to every question. Open my eyes, ears and heart to seek you in the morning, in the daytime and at night…you are my comfort, my strength and the very foundation of who I am. I was created by you, given a purpose and plan to bring glory to you. All that I am is because of you, I am yours.
Philip Paul Bliss, author of “Man of Sorrows” was born in Pennsylvania in 1838, composer and singer Philip Paul Bliss worked as a farmer and woodcutter until 1855. After attending a singing school and later the Normal Academy of Music in Geneseo, N.Y., he began teaching music and composing songs in the mid 1860s. It was during this period that Bliss met composer and music educator George F. Root, who encouraged Bliss to continue his efforts at music composition. In 1865 Bliss began working for the music publishing house of Root & Cady of Chicago, which hired him to conduct musical conventions throughout the northwestern United States.
Bliss enjoyed a reputation as an able basso profundo soloist and chorister. With evangelists D.L. Moody and Daniel Whittle, Bliss toured the country for a time singing and even preaching. By the 1870s Bliss began to devote a great deal of energy to the composition of sacred music. Some of his earliest songs were set to music by his friend George F. Root, but he soon was composing words and music, and he had four collections of songs published. Philip Bliss and his wife, Lucy J. Young, died tragically in a railway disaster near Ashtabula, Ohio, on December 29, 1876. *Reference: Library of Congress/Biographies
Friends ~
I’m am looking forward to sharing week six of Lent with you. I hope you continue to journey with me as we uncover more about the love of Jesus. May your Sunday be filled with love and light. God Bless You!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
— Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV) —
~Charlotte, Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.
References:
https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200152696/
HOPE SEEKER 
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