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Matthias Is Chosen to Replace Judas (Acts 1:15-26)

During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, 16 “My brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. 18 He bought a parcel of land with the wages of his iniquity, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem, so that the parcel of land was called in their language ‘Akeldama,’ that is, Field of Blood. 20 For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.’ And: ‘May another take his office.’ 21 Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, 22 beginning from the baptism o...
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The Spirit of Truth Guides Disciples to Divine Truth (John 16:12-15)

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Jesus knows that His disciples cannot yet understand everything He has to teach them. They have heard His words. They have seen His works. Still, before His Passion, Death, Resurrection, and return to the Father, they cannot yet grasp the full meaning of what He has revealed. His words, “ you cannot bear it now ” (v. 12), show that the disciples are not yet spiritually ready to receive the full meaning of what He still has to reveal, especially before His Passion, Resurrection, return to the Father, and the coming of the Holy Spirit...
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The Spirit Reveals Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment (John 16:4b-11)

I did not tell you this from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate 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 in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: 9 sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. Jesus continues speaking to His disciples during the Last Supper, shortly before His Passion. He has already warned them that they will face hatred and rejection because they belong to Him. Now He explains why His departure is necessary and how the Holy Spirit will continue His work among them. Jesus says, “ I did not tell you th...
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The Spirit of Truth Strengthens Christ’s Witnesses (John 15:26—16:4a)

When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. 27 And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. 1 “I have told you this so that you may not fall away. 2 They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. 3 They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. 4 I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you. Jesus continues to prepare His disciples for life after His death, resurrection, and return to the Father. He has already spoken of the world’s hatred and rejection of those who belong to Him. Now He tells them that they will not bear witness alone. Jesus says, “ When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me ” (v. 26). The Advocate is the Hol...
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Christ Promises the Advocate to Those Who Love Him (John 14:15-21)

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Jesus is speaking to His disciples before His Passion. He knows that His visible presence with them is about to change. He will suffer, die, rise, and return to the Father. He prepares them to understand that His departure will not mean He is abandoning them. Jesus begins with love a...
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The World Hates Christ and His Disciples (John 15:18-21)

If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. Jesus speaks these words after commanding His disciples to love one another. He now prepares them for the hostility they will face because they belong to Him. He does not want them to be surprised or confused by rejection. He tells them plainly, “ If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first ” (v. 18). In this passage, “ the world ” does not mean the earth God created, nor does it mean every person. God created the world good, and God loves the world He desires to save (...
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I Chose You to Go and Bear Fruit That Will Last (John 15:12-17)

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This I command you: love one another. Jesus continues speaking to His disciples on the night before His death. He has already told them to remain in His love. Now He shows what that love must look like: “ love one another as I love you ” (v. 12). The measure of Christian love is Christ Himself. Christ’s love is faithful, obedient, self-giving love, shown most fully when He gives His life on the Cross. Jesus says, “ No one has greater love than this, to ...
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Remain in Christ’s Love (John 15:9-11)

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.  11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. Jesus continues speaking to His disciples after using the image of the vine and branches. The branch lives by remaining joined to the vine. The disciple lives by remaining joined to Christ. In this passage, Jesus explains this union in the language of love. Jesus says, “ As the Father loves me, so I also love you ” (v. 9). This is a profound statement. The love Jesus gives His disciples comes from the eternal love between the Father and the Son. The disciples are being drawn into the love that belongs to the life of God. Christ does not love them from a distance. He brings them into communion with Himself, so that they may share in the love He receives from the Father. Then Jesus says, “ Remain in my love ” (v....
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Jesus Said, “Without Me You Can Do Nothing” (John 15:1-8)

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. Jesus speaks these words during His farewell discourse, as He prepares His disciples for His death, resurrection, and r...
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Christ Reveals Himself to Those Who Keep His Word (John 14:21-26)

Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” 22 Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, [then] what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. 25 “I have told you this while I am with you. 26 The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you. Jesus continues speaking to His disciples before His Passion. He is preparing them for the time when they will no longer see Him in the same visible way, but He also teaches them that His presence among them will remain real and active. J...
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God’s People Built on Christ, the Living Stone (1 Peter 2:1-10)

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander; 2 like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation, 3 for you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, 5 and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says in scripture: “Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.” 7 Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall.” They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny. 9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy n...
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