CreatingCommunity is an email devotion to guide your preparation for worship next weekend. Imagine how much clearer and relevant God's Word will be if you have had an opportunity read, reflect, and dwell in the Word prior to worship. You may do this devotion alone, with others, as a family, or over Zoom as a small group.

This devotion is to be done in preparation for this coming weekend's worship.

Please follow these three steps:

1. Read through the text
2. Respond to the questions (select one of the sets of questions)
3. Offer a Prayer
John 15:9-17

[Jesus said:] “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 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. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”
No Experience Necessary Questions:
  1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text?
  2. What delights me in this text?
  3. What stories or memories does this text stir in me?
  4. What is God up to in this text?
Family Questions (for the entire family):
  1. Do you have friends? How would you describe a friend? How does someone become a friend of yours?
  2. Jesus asks us to love each other? Who are some of the people it is easy to love? Who are some of the people whom it is difficult to love? Make two lists.
  3. Jesus calls you a friend. He says that he has chosen you. What does it mean to you to be chosen as a friend of Jesus? How would others know of this friendship?
Advance Questions:
  1. What do you think of the image of Jesus as a lover? How do you relate to Jesus as a lover? What does it mean that Jesus loves you?
  2. Are there ways that you have laid down your life for Jesus? Describe what that was like.
  3. As Christians who happen to be Lutheran, we hold firm to the Good News that we did not choose Jesus but Jesus chose us. How is that Good News for you?
Click here to enjoy
"Continue in my love" as you dwell in God's Word.
Say a Prayer of your own or offer this one.

O God, you have prepared for those who love you joys beyond understanding. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all we can desire; through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Pastor Lutz would love to hear your responses, questions, thoughts about your experience with CreatingCommunity. You can reach him at [email protected]