Begin with 2 minutes of prayer and stillness before God.

Have you ever felt lost while driving, hiking, or even when wandering around at the grocery store looking for a certain item? Luckily, we have a GPS, map, road signs, or even a friendly shopping clerk to help in these situations. But imagine being on a trail hiking in the woods, and then the guide who has been leading you says, “Alright, you seem to have it figured out. I am gonna let you continue without me for the rest of your trip.” I found myself in this very situation when I was backpacking with some friends in high school. At one point, the day after our guide left us, we managed to walk off trail for a mile before realizing we left it. Needless to say, this was a very scary circumstance I found myself in. Don’t worry; though we did get lost, we survived the trip and had some amazing stories to tell for the rest of the trip.

Jesus’ disciples were in a very similar circumstance to my hiking situation. Though they were not lost in the woods, they did not know what to do next once Jesus was gone. Jesus, to this point, had been constantly leading them and telling them how He would leave them soon. I don’t know about you, but I would be freaking out. But what is so amazing and beautiful is that Jesus tells them what is to come after He leaves them.

Jesus explains to them that though He is leaving, the Holy Spirit will soon come after. That same Holy Spirit would lead them to do some amazing things for the future church and the advancement of the Gospel! These men with the Holy Spirit accomplished some amazing things and spread the gospel across the known world at the time up until their deaths. These men were actively being used and led by the Holy Spirit every day of their lives.

We also have access to the same Holy Spirit that Jesus promised the disciples! We have access to God the Father through Jesus the Son and receiving God the Holy Spirit. We are guided by the Holy Spirit through life. This can look different in many ways, but with the Holy Spirit on our side we are being sanctified and growing closer to the Lord our God!

Jesus is the vine that we abide in with the Holy Spirit. Like a branch is grafted into a tree to grow as part of the tree, we are grafted into the family. As a part of this family, we are called to glorify God by how we live and do life with one another. The disciples were the kings of arguing with each other during Jesus’ time, and I imagine our lives can be like that with maybe our family or difficult people. But Jesus commands (yes, “commands”) us to love one another as He has loved us (John 15:12). This is tough, especially when we live in a world so set on division and self-promotion. Though the world may be against us in this, with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can love those around us and push each other towards Christ!

This may seem difficult at times and trust me it will be! But we have to in these times ask the Holy Spirit to empower us and give us strength to love!

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
  
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
  
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
  
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
  
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.

The Way of Jesus: 7 Marks of Discipleship

As we begin a new series, we encourage you to lean into the 7 Marks of Discipleship each week. The 7 Marks of Discipleship provide a simple tool to help us identify areas where we are thriving in our calling and where we can grow. Check here each week for a new 7 Marks Challenge that will encourage you to follow Jesus closer every day.