Day 1 w/ John 15

Here are the instructions I gave to the group...

1. For 5 days read John 15 and only after reading it for 5 days then do the following:
1. View John chapter 15 through a lens of your definition of community.  What do you see?
2. Read John chapter 15 and every where that Jesus says "you" read it not as an individual but read the "you" as a collective group.  
3. LIst what a "community" a "group" a band of "brothers" a "church" ought to be about/look like according to John chapter 15…
4. In John 15, Jesus uses the story of the vine and branches imagery.  Jesus used that to help his disciples understand the concept he was trying to get across.  What, in your opinion, was that concept?
5. Now come up with a creative way to share that concept with our group on our retreat.  It could be a story you write, a picture you draw, a poster board with images cut from magazines or printed from the internet.  It could be a song or a poem that you write.  It could be a drama or another analogy, like Jesus, used.  The bottom line is this:  how do you explain the concept that Jesus was teaching his disciples, in a way that makes sense to you?  I want you to share this.  Yes I know this will push your comfort zone.  Yes I know it is outside of your box.  But it will make you think critically about what Jesus was living out on His Journey with His Disciples.

A few initial impressions...

- Jesus commands us twice to love one another in V.12 & V. 17

- Jesus only asks us to do something that He, himself is already doing, remaining/abiding in God's love.  Jesus is already practicing community and expects us to do the same.

- a whole book could be written about what it means to remain and abide.

- the power of community is revealed, when we live in community we can can ask what ever we want and God will provide.  Jesus mentions this twice.  The caveat is that it is a community "ask", not an individual "ask."  The power of community also provides that we will bear fruit.

- Jesus wants us to know complete joy, that is why he is commanding us to be in community/fellowship/abide in his love, commands and love each other.

- Jesus chose us, again he tells us twice, that he chose us to bear fruit and chose us out of the world.

- Jesus gives us fair warning that the world will hate us.