Lakeside Methodist Church

Dear Lakeside Family,

We are continuing in our New Testament reading John chapters 11-15 this week. This is a great place to start because the story gets good. John 12, is the end of the first major section of the Gosepl of John which is often called the Book of Signs (John 1:19-12:50) Beginning in John 13 through John 17, John tells us in great detail about the prayers and teachings of Jesus at the Last Supper. This Passover meal served as a prepatory meal for the disciples as they moved towards Jesus' death and ressurection. It also gives details to Jesus' expectations for how their life in ministry would continue. Pay attention to the leadership lessons Jesus teaches here.

If you struggle with keeping up with the reading here are two suggestions...

1st: Split the reading in to parts, read a little in the morning, a little at lunch, and finish in the evening. Use the Bible App or Biblegateway

2nd: You can listen to the passage in the Bible App or on Your computer.

If you would like to go deeper with your reflection of the passages, here are some questions to consider from InterVarsity Press.

Also, consider background information from the Bible Project.

I have personally been challenged by John 11. I have read it before, but I never thought about how the crowd is challenging Jesus with the same questions I ask. In John 11:35 Jesus weeps over Lazarus. Yet, the crowd says, “See how much he loved him!” But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”

I struggle sometimes with the question of why. I'm thankful that the Bible writers place that questioning in scripture and we see what Jesus' response to our pain and suffering is. Jesus weeps with us, and yet, God is sometimes made known in our suffering. Jesus travels towards the suffering and I believe that is still true. God draws near to us in our suffering, God is not far away. It doesn't mean that we never hurt, but we never hurt alone.

I wonder, what is God speaking in your heart this week?

If you want to have online discussion you can join our private church group here.

I pray that God demonstrates God's powerful love in your life, and that you may begin to grasp the depth and height, the length and width, and the expansiveness of God's love for you and for the world around you. I pray that the Holy Spirit be at work in you to share that love with your neighbors, not just to feel the wonder of love, but to do the work of love in the world around us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Grace and Peace,

David