(Disclaimer: Most of this final set of questions were adapted from a study entitled “One With The Father” which I can no longer find online. This set is longer than any of the previous questions, but I thought that since these chapters reflect one conversation that Jesus had with his disciples, it would be best to treat them as a whole rather than split them up.)

Please read John 13:1-17:26 in its entirety.

1) Who are the main characters in this passage?

2) Where are they having this discussion?

3) What events will transpire in the near future?

4) What is going on between Christ and His disciples in the upper room?

5) What are the main themes of this passage?

6) Who is the most effective teacher of mankind that Christ refers to in these verses?

7) In John 13:34 Christ gives the disciples a new command. What is the command?

8 ) In John 13:35 “all men” will know who we are as disciples if we __________________. What must we do if we want the world to know that we are Christ’s disciples?

9) In John 14:10-11, Christ describes his relationship to the Father. Write down some key words or phrases that describe this relationship.

10) Read John 14:20. What will you realize on the day described here?

11) What is Christ implying about His relationship with the Father and the implications for the disciples to the Father?

12) List some of the phrases from the Bible that you are aware of which describe the different relationships that we have to Christ and the Father. Examples include: savior, shepherd, etc.

13) In John 14:12-14, Christ makes some quite dramatic statements in these passages, for example, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” Is Christ really serious? What do you think he means? Make a list of greater things that you might do. 14) Did you notice that this challenge by Christ to do “greater things” is conditional? It is not for everyone. Who is this promise limited to in John 14:12-14?

15) The Jewish law was a system that imposed external rules on people and their behavior. Christ talked about God changing the heart as well. Read each verse below and answer each question:

a. Jeremiah 31:33–”Where will he put His law?”

b. Ezekiel 36:26-27–”Where does he put his Spirit?”

c. Colossians 1:27–”Where will they put Christ?”

16) In conversations and in songs, we use words like “with”, “close to”, “let me see”, “I want to touch”, “be in His presence,” etc. These phrases describe external relationships that parallel our relationship with people. Christ tends to use words like “in”, “one”, “branch”, “grafted to a vine”, etc. What kind of relationship is Christ describing? How does this compare with the words we use?

17) What type of relationship did Moses have with God? Did Moses actually see God? What part of God did Moses see?

18) Was Moses’s relationship with God external or internal?

19) Moses had a personal relationship to God including seeing his backside. How does being one or having God/Christ in us differ from the relationship that Moses had with God?

20) Go to your dictionary and write down the definition of “one.”

21) In John 14:10-14 Christ for the first time describes his relationship with the Father. Who is “in” who in this passage?

22) Read the following passages and record what you learn about being “in God” or “in Christ?”

a. Colossians 1:25-27

b. Colossians 3:1-3

c. II Corinthians 5:17-21

d. Ephesians 2:8-10

e. 1 John 3:21-24

f. 1 John 4:13-16 “Who lives in us?”

23) From these scriptures, what do you think it means to be “in the Father?”

24) Read John 15:1-8 and Christ’s analogy of the vine.

a. The gardener is

b. The vine is

c. The branch is

25) What does the branch share with the vine?

26) What will the branch produce if it remains in the vine?

27) If the branch remains in the vine, what is promised in John 15:7-8?

28) If the branch does not remain in the vine, what happens?

29) “I know how to remain in my house but I do not know how to remain in the vine. How does a person remain in the vine?” Find two people who you would consider spiritually mature. Ask them one simple question, “How do you remain in the vine?” List the various ways that they and you might remain in the vine. Beyond the obvious things such as daily Bible study, prayer and fasting, read John 13-17 in its entireity and write down any additional insights you gain from this portion of scripture.

30) A study of vineyards produces some interesting observations about our life with Christ and the Father. From your personal knowledge or reading:

a. How long does it take a Gardener to prepare a new vineyard?

b. What is the role of the branch that is attached to a healthy vine?

c. Where does the sap originate?

d. Is it the DNA of the vine or branch that determines the character of the fruit?

e. Pruning is always done by the Gardener. Why?

f. Pruning involves cutting off and cutting back the branches annually. How far back are the branches cut each year?

g. How many branches are left on the vine after pruning?

h. What happens to a new branch that does not have buds?

31) What kind of persecution can we expect from a reading of John 15:18-25?

32) Who will do the persecuting in this case?

33) Why do they persecute disciples of Christ?

34) Does this surprise you at all? If yes, why?

35) The previous persecutions described in these passages do not surprise most people who have been associated with the church and know some of its history. However, the John 16:1-4 passage is much more shocking and controversial. What kind of persecution can we expect from a reading of John 16:1-4?

36) How far will it lead?

37) Who will do the persecuting in this case?

38) Why do they persecute disciples of Christ?

39) Does this surprise you at all? If yes, why?

40) How do these passages make you feel about committing your entire life to the Father?

41) The last set of passages should have had a sobering influence. However, these passages are followed immediately with John 16:5-33. Read them.

a. Who will come to replace Christ from John 15:26-27 & John 16:13-15?

b. How is it good for the disciples that Christ goes away?

42) In John 16:8-11 Christ describes one of the Counselor’s roles. Outline it below.

43) In John 16 we have very encouraging words that complement those about persecution and adversity. From John 16:13-15, what will he tell or do for us?

a.

b.

c.

d.

44) What are the implications of Christ using the phrase “all truth” rather than just truth in John 16:13-15?

45) Under whose authority does the Spirit speak in John 16:13-15?

46) From John 16:33 you should conclude that:

a.

b.

c.

47) Who is Christ’s prayer directed toward in John 17?

48) Who does Christ pray for in John 17?

a.

b.

c.

49) Is the order significant to you? Why?

50) In John 17:1-5 what does Christ pray for himself?

51) Why did God grant Christ authority in John 17:2?

52) How does Christ define eternal life in John 17:3?

53) Read John 17:6-19. Who is Christ praying for in these passages?

54) In John 17:9 who is Christ not praying for in this prayer? Why would he make such a statement?

55) Compare John 17:10 with John 16:13-15. Is Christ talking about the same thing? How does this increase your confidence and ability to trust God?

56) After reaffirming who Christ is praying for in John 17:11-12, Christ surprises us with a pivotal request of the Father. Christ asks for the disciples’ protection as they remain in the world so that ____________________. The disciples needed special protection so that they could become what?

57) Who protected the disciples up to this point in time in John 17:12?

58) In John 17:13-14 Christ explains why he is telling them this in His prayer. What is the reason for telling them now? And how much of it will they have?

59) As if to reinforce the critical nature of this prayer request for protection, Christ in John 17:15-19 tells us what He is not asking for at this time. Please describe what Christ says he is not praying for at this time. Does this surprise you and if so why?

60) In John 17:15 who is Christ asking the Father to protect His disciples from?

61) In John 17:16-19 what is the process that follows after their protection?

62) Look up the definition of “sanctify” and write it in the space below.

63) What confidence do you gain personally because of what Christ did for the disciples? Does this all apply to you?

64) Now in John 17:20-27 we have a surprising leap by Christ in His prayer from His disciples to whom?

65) Christ implies that His prayer for protection of His disciples in the world should be extended to “future believers” for a specific purpose. What is the purpose described in John 17:21?

66) In John 17:21 Christ also redefines what it means to be “one.” Write out Christ’s definition.

67) Look at John 17:21 again as Christ explains why He wants future believers to be “one”. Outline His reasoning.

68) What has Christ given future believers so that they can be one with Christ and the Father in John 17:22-23?

69) Read John 13-17 again. This time keep this page on hand. Review each of the passages below and write down a few words that describe the benefits or results of this relationship.

Personal/Pleasant Benefits

(14:7: 17:3)

(14:10)

(14:12)

(14:15)

(14:16-17; 15:26)

(14:21; 15:10)

(14:22)

(14:23; 15:4)

(14:26)

(14:27)

(15:2,5,8,16)

(15:11; 16:22-24)

(15:14-15)

(15:15)

(16:13)

(16:33)

(17:2)

(17:10)

(17:15)

(17:17)

(17:23)

(16:1)

Unpleasant Results

(15:2)

(15:18-20; 17:14)

(16:2-4)

Benefits to Others

(15:8)

(14:13-14; 15:7;

15:16-17; 16:23-24)

(17:21 & 17:23)

Benefits to God

(14:13; 15:8)

Responsibilities

(13:12-17)

(13:34)

(15:27)

(17:18)

70) List the top three benefits that you identify with on the left? Why?

a.

b.

c.

71) What benefits surprise you the most?

72) Why do you think Christ in this final conversation talked about so many benefits and results of being one with the Father in one place?

73) Christ makes radical claims about prayer four times in John 14-17. Read Luke 11:1-13 and pay particular attention to Christ’s discussion after the Lord’s prayer. What is Christ’s message through these two examples of a friend and a father?

74) Below are four passages from John 14-17 where Christ explains His view of prayer for the disciples and future believers. Describe in your own words what he is saying in each set of verses.

a. John 14: 12-14

b. John 15:7

c. John 15:9-17

d. John 16:23-24

75) What commitment does Christ seem to make regarding prayer in these passages? Does this sound a little extreme to you?

76) What conditions are given in each passage?

a. John 14:12-14

b. John 15:7

c. John 15:9-17

d. John 16:23-24

77) Read John 12-17 again at one sitting. What is the primary theme?

78) How do you achieve the relationship that Christ describes?

79) What are some results of that relationship? How might you be different?

80) What kind of prayer life should you have with this relationship?

81) In John 14:12, what does Christ mean when he implies that we will do “greater things than Christ?”

82) Do you believe that you could do “greater things than Christ?” Why? What might Christ have you do?

83) If you are one with the Father, how will you fulfill:

a. God’s original purpose for mankind in Genesis 1:28

b. The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20

c. Christ’s Greatest Commandment and second greatest in Matthew 22:37-39

84) Are you prepared to become “one” by applying the “kernel of wheat” of John 12:23-28 or the “sacrificed life” principle of Romans 12:1-2 to your life? If yes, why? If not, what would it take for you to make that decision?