Pre-Study Winter Retreat

SNOWBIRD has provided a pre-study for our upcoming winter retreat!

DAY 1

ABIDE IN CHRIST
John 15:1–17
[1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. [2] Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [3] Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. [5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7] If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. [9] As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. [10] If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. [11] These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
[12] “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command you. [15] No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. [17] These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

WHAT’S THE POINT?
There is so much goodness packed in this section of Scripture! Jesus starts this teaching saying, “I am…” This is not a coincidence. There are seven “I am” statements in John. We are not going to break down all of those here—although that would be an awesome study. In this statement, Jesus is identifying himself as God by using the same language that God the Father used of himself in the Old Testament, 
“Say to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
Each of these “I am” statements identifies something specific about Jesus. In saying he is the vine, he is making the point that life comes from him. As the rest of this passage makes clear, we can only produce good fruit if we abide with Christ. Jesus uses this analogy because it is obvious to us. If you cut a branch off of a grape vine, you would not expect it to continue growing grapes. Jesus is making the point that he is the source which blessing and abundance come from.

Lastly, throughout the Old Testament, God’s chosen people, Israel, are referred to as a vineyard. This is beautiful because Jesus is identifying with his people. They have been spoken of as a vineyard, so Jesus is telling them that he has been and will always be the source of their fruit.
There is a lot going on under the surface in this passage of Scripture, but it is all pointing towards the clear and simple reading of the passage: abide in Jesus. John takes a lot of words to state it and restate it, but the simple idea is remain in Christ. Part of the reason John takes so many words to convey this idea is because we are so quick to forget and pursue our own lusts and desires.
John’s words are kind but should have the effect of a battering ram. In the medieval days when an invading army was trying to get into a town or castle they would have to break down massive wooden doors. This couldn’t be done in one quick hit; the invading army took a tree, shaped it, and then slammed it into those huge doors over and over and over until the wood finally gave way.
John’s words are not nearly this violent, but the telling, retelling, and rewording should break down the hardness that we have built up over years of selfish living. Then the truth of Jesus’ words can sink into our hearts and minds as we realize our need for Jesus. That is what this passage is getting at. You need Jesus. I need Jesus. We need Jesus!

Jesus warns us of what happens if we do not abide with him. If we are in Christ, we have all we need and will bear fruit (vv. 7-8), but if we are not in Christ, there will be wrath and judgment (v. 6). Jesus’ commands are not new. He is simply telling us to stay with him and live as he lived. Because Jesus lived a perfect life, he is able to command us to live as he lived; he uses himself as the example.
So, do you want to produce fruit? Abide in Christ. Do you want your prayers answered? Remain with Jesus. Do you want to experience Christ’s love and forgiveness? Stay with him. How can we love people as Jesus has commanded us? Love other people like Christ has loved you. What a wonderful God we serve who has rescued us and made a way for us to obey because he lived in a way that we could follow him and live as he lived.

Words like remain and abide can sound really spiritual, but what do they actually mean? What does it mean to abide in Christ? It means we submit ourselves to the Lord by reading his Word and seeking him in prayer. There is nothing new here. God has given us his Word so that we would know him and worship him, and the Father has made a way for us to boldly approach him through the blood of his Son. So, make it a priority in your life to abide with Christ by reading your Bible and praying to the Lord every day.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION
1 John 3:6–7
“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.”

PRAYER
Lord, I want to abide with you. I want to be in your presence and be changed because of it. I confess that my actions do not always align with this desire, but please, shape my affections and cause me to want more of you and less of this world. Grow my appetite for your Word so that I would wake up wanting it. Satisfy me with your Scriptures and time in prayer more than with the things of this world. Help me to be a branch that bears good fruit and brings glory to your name. Amen.

REFLECTION
Is there anything in your life that keeps you from abiding in Christ? What is it that you are tempted to rest in other than Jesus?
Most of us would say we want to abide with Christ, but in reality we spend more time on our phones than with the Lord. Make a plan to study your Bible and spend time in prayer, and submit that time to the Lord. The only way to actually abide in Christ is to make time for him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Look up some of the other “I am” statements in John. What does Jesus claim about himself in these statements?
Read all of John 15 and discuss the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit described in this passage.

DAY 2

PEACE IN CHRIST

JOHN 16
[1] “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. [2] They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. [3] And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. [4] But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. [5] But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ [6] But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. [7] Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. [8] And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: [9] concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; [10] concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; [11] concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
[12] “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. [15] All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
[16] “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” [17] So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” [18] So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” [19] Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? [20] Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. [21] When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. [22] So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. [23] In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. [24] Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
[25] “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. [26] In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; [27] for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. [28] I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
[29] His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! [30] Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” [31] Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? [32] Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. [33] I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

WHAT’S THE POINT?
It is important to read this whole chapter to get the context of all that Jesus is saying. Jesus warns his disciples that hard times will come—times of difficulty and persecution. We know this came to pass for almost all of the twelve disciples. History and tradition tell us that all but two of the original disciples were martyred for their faith; Judas betrayed Christ, and John was exiled to the island of Patmos.

This chapter should be an encouragement to us today. It promises coming persecution and trouble, but it gives a promise that is greater than the coming trouble, the promise that Christ has “overcome the world” (v. 33). Although that is the last verse in this passage, that is what everything else in the chapter is looking toward.

Three times in this chapter, Jesus tells his disciples the reason he is telling them what he is telling them. That sounds redundant (and maybe confusing), but we often need that type of repetition. Jesus isn’t just repeating the same thing to his disciples because they have thick skulls (although they did). He is giving his disciples the proper application of his teaching that they likely would have missed if he had not explained it to them.

These three instances come in vv. 1, 4, and 33. Let’s look at them one at a time.
“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.”
Right before Jesus said this, he told the disciples that the world was going to hate them and persecute them. He also told them that he would be leaving them and sending them his Spirit. It would be easy for us to look over this, but it is important that we put ourselves in the disciples’ shoes (sandals).

How would they be comforted in the midst of these trials? They would be comforted knowing that Jesus said this would happen. The things they would experience were not out of his control. In fact, Jesus was so in control that he used these things to spread the Gospel to the whole world!
And the same is true for us. Jesus knows your situation. He knows us, and he cares about us. Even if we cannot understand how God is going to use a situation, even if it seems bad from our point of view, we can trust that God is good, and he is in control. Knowing this helps keep us from falling away.
“I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.”
Again, Christ’s knowledge of the future and our circumstances should lead to hope because Jesus is greater than our circumstances. The beauty of this is the very thing that could cause us to despair now leads us to hope. For the disciples, there was no reason to fear persecution or death because Christ was still in control, even in the worst of circumstances.
We must always be remembering. 

We must fight to remember the faithfulness of the Lord rather than trust ourselves. We must remember the truths we read in Scripture rather than trusting what the world tells us. We must remember the words of Jesus when he told us hard times would come. If we don’t remember Christ’s words and worship him we will forsake him and worship something else.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

This is the truth that fulfills everything Jesus said in this passage, but we have to believe Jesus. That is both the hardest and easiest thing to do. In one sense, all we have to do is take Jesus at his word. All we need to do is believe what Jesus said. But will we really believe it when hard times come?
When you are tempted to sin, do you really believe Jesus is better? When we see the state of our world today, do we really believe that Jesus has overcome? When people ridicule you for your “ignorance” or “bigotry,” do you really trust what Jesus said?
If we believe Jesus, if we trust his words, then we may have peace! This isn’t peace like the world offers, where everything is just peachy. This is peace in the midst of trials, peace in the middle of suffering, peace in the middle of war.

Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” This is a picture of sitting down for a meal in the middle of the enemy’s camp. How secure would you need to feel to sit down in the middle of a war zone for a three-course meal? Pretty secure!
That is what Jesus means when he says he has overcome the world. Nothing can come against us if we are in Christ. Anything that is done to us, spoken about us, or comes against us is pitiful when compared to the overwhelming hope and overcoming power of King Jesus!

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION
1 John 4:4
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank you for overcoming the world. I know that I would have drowned in doubt and temptation and sin if you had not rescued me. I was in need then, and I am in need now. Satisfy me with your goodness and don’t let me seek comfort or peace in anything the world offers. Grow in me a desire for you and you alone, and don’t let me cling to anything other than you. Help me remember your faithfulness every day. You have always been good. You will always be good. I worship you alone because you are worthy and you are my redeemer.

REFLECTION
When is it hardest for you to remember that Christ has overcome the world?
What sin, temptation, or distraction causes you to forget about Jesus?
The peace and comfort Jesus offers us is in the midst of hard times, not a removal of hard times. Think about your daily life and make sure you are seeking Jesus more than comfort.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
In what ways do you seek comfort or worldly peace more than you seek Christ?
How is Jesus’ promise that he has overcome the world a practical encouragement to you in daily life?
Is Jesus’ knowledge of our suffering and sovereignty over it enough to give you peace in the middle of that suffering?

DAY 3

UNITY IN CHRIST
JOHN 17
[1] “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [3] And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [4] I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
[6] “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. [7] Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. [8] For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. [9] I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. [10] All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. [11] And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. [12] While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. [13] But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. [14] I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. [15] I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [16] They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. [18] As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. [19] And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
[20] “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, [21] that they may all be one, just 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 have sent me. [22] The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, [23] I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. [24] Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. [25] O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. [26] I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

WHAT’S THE POINT?
This passage is amazing! This is the longest prayer of Jesus that we have in the whole Bible, and in this prayer he prays for you! He is praying for his disciples, and then in v. 20 he says, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” Just tuck that fact away when you need encouragement; Jesus prays for you.
But what is Jesus praying for his disciples and us? Like the previous chapters, the words are quite plain, and we are not searching for hidden meaning. Jesus prays for us to be unified with each other and to have unity in him. He also uses words like “keep” and “kept” in describing how God holds us according to his good plans.

This is beautiful because back in chapter 15, Jesus was teaching his disciples to abide in him. Then the very thing Jesus commands of his disciples, he prays for them. Think about that for a second. Jesus tells his disciples to stay connected to him like a branch is connected to the vine; then he prays that God the Father would keep those very same disciples.
Let’s be honest. If it were up to us to stay connected to the vine, we would totally ruin it. If I only had one job, to stay holding tightly to the vine at all times, guess what… I would wreck it! Now, this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t strive at all times to stay close to Jesus; we should always be seeking to abide in him. What it means is, we are in desperate need of help if we are going to stay faithful until the end.

Luckily, or rather graciously, we have all the help we need. First, Jesus is praying that this would happen, and the prayers of Jesus are pretty good, to say the least. Second, Jesus’ prayer is that God the Father would keep us in his name and keep us from the evil one. And third, though it is not mentioned in this passage, we have the Spirit that now lives in us. So, we have Jesus’ prayers working for us, we have God the Father keeping us from our enemy, and we have the Spirit living inside of us.
We must realize what a big deal this is. When you struggle with a sin you feel like you can’t get out from under, or when you think you are too depressed, or God couldn’t possibly still be faithful to you after what you’ve done—remember that every person of the Holy Trinity has been and is involved in redeeming and keeping you!

Did you know that the word Trinity is a made-up word? It is not found anywhere in the Bible, but it began being used in the 2nd or 3rdcentury to describe the three-in-oneness (the tri-unity) of God. That is the depth of unity that Jesus is calling us to share in. The first half of v. 21 says, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us.” Jesus gives us the ability to share in his relationship with the Father.

Why does he do that? Look at the last half of v. 21; “so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” This isn’t just for us and our encouragement, although it is for that. It is a tool for sharing the Gospel. The way we live as believers, united with Christ and united to each other, should be a testimony to the world that they would believe that Jesus Christ is God!

This should lead us to live faithfully and worship the Father for his plan of salvation for us. We are loved by the Father with the same love he has for the Son. We have unity with Christ that draws us into an eternal relationship with the Father. And we are kept in this relationship by the Creator of all things. The same God who keeps everything in the universe in perfect order is the one who keeps us by his will, and nothing is able to take us from his mighty hand.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION
1 John 1:7
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

PRAYER
Father, I know that I can come to you only because of the work of Jesus. His blood covers my sin, and he has given me his righteousness, and because of this, you have adopted me as your child. Thank you for answering the prayers of Jesus and holding me fast. I have failed over and over, but my worth is found in Jesus, not in my failures. I want to know you more so that my longings for the things of this world grow dim. Give me the joy that can only be found in you, and cause my affection for you to grow. You are gracious and good.

REFLECTION
Take a moment and think about the fact that in Christ we enter into the eternal, perfect relationship that God has always had within himself as the Trinity. (If this doesn’t blow your mind, just keep thinking about it)
Starting in v. 20, Jesus applies his prayer to all believers. Read through that passage again and think about Jesus praying that prayer specifically for you.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What does this passage teach us about the relationship between the Father and the Son?
What does this passage teach us about our relationship with the Father and the Son?
1 John says a lot about fellowship and the Church. Read some of those passages (1 John 1:3, 3:11, 4:7, 4:11-12) and discuss how they apply to us today.