What is Jesus called here? What is His Father?
What gets taken away? What gets pruned? Why?
Why are His disciples already clean?
Where does Jesus want us to abide? Where will He abide?
Where does a branch have to be to bear fruit?
If Jesus is the vine, what are we?
What will happen to those who abide in Him?
What can we do without Him?
What will happen with those who do not abide in Him? Why?
What else can abide in us if we abide in Him?
Then, what will happen if we ask for what we desire? Why?
How does Jesus love us?
How will we abide in Jesus’ love?
Why has Jesus spoken these things to us?
What is Jesus’ commandment?
What is the ultimate love?
How do we become Jesus’ friends?
What does Jesus call us? Why?
What is the difference between a servant and a friend?
Who chose who? What did Jesus appoint us to do?
What does Jesus command us to do?
What do we know if the world hates us?
What would make the world love us? Why does the world hate us?
What are some other things that if they did to Jesus that the would also do to us? Why do they do these things?
Why do they have no excuse for their sin?
When someone hates Jesus, who else do they also hate?
What would have happened if Jesus had not done these unusual works? But what is the case now?
Why did these things happen this way?
How does Jesus describe the Helper? What will He do when He arrives?
What will the disciples do? Why?

Thought Questions

What do you think it means for God to prune someone? Do you feel like you have been pruned? How? Is that a good thing? What happens when God prunes you? (see verse 2 for your answer)
How does Jesus’ word make us clean?
How does a person abide in Jesus? Does verse 3, 7 or 10 help you to answer that question? What does abiding in Jesus mean in your personal life, in a practical way?
What are some practical results in your life of abiding in Jesus (fruit bearing)?
What are some of the things you desire? Has God given them to you? Why or why not?
Read verse 7-8 again. Is pruning the only way that we can bear more fruit? How else (from those verses) can we bear much fruit and glorify God? What does this teach us about our relationship with Him, and His relationship with us?
Does Jesus love us? How? What are some examples of ways the Father showed His love to Jesus? How does that translate to how Jesus shows His love to us?
Does verse 10 and 14 sound legalistic to you? Does it fit in with how you generally think of Jesus and our relationship with Him? How can you apply this truth? What does it tell you about how important His commandments are to our relationship with Him?
What are Jesus’ commandments? Are they the same as God’s commandments (in the Old Testament)? Why are they that important?
According to verse 11, what are the results of keeping God’s commandments? Do you believe this? Have you experienced this?
Read John 14:15, 21, and John 15:10, 14. Is there any question that we should keep God’s commandments?
How would you feel if a friend told you what Jesus said in verse 10? But why is Jesus different from your other friends? Might we be stuck in a joyless view of God’s commands?
In verse 14, Jesus tells us to do what He commands, then in verse 15 He tells us we are not servants. Is this a contradiction? How does this shape your view of God’s commandments, and His friendship?
Does verse 16 mean that we don’t have a choice, or that we do have a choice but didn’t choose Him? On this earth, what’s keeping us from truly choosing Christ?
What does Jesus’ commandment to “love one another” entail? Does it mean that the rest of God’s commandments aren’t important? How do they link together? By keeping the Ten Commandments, can we fulfill Jesus’ commandment to love one another, or are they separate?
Does the world hate you? Why or why not? Do you feel like it should, or not? For example, is there something you are afraid to do or proclaim because you are afraid that the world will hate you if you do?
Read verse 22 again. What do you think will happen to people in remote areas of the world who have never heard Jesus’ words? How do you think God will judge them?
How have you observed the Holy Spirit testifying of Christ?
How can you also testify of Him?

My prayer is:
that I would allow Jesus to prune me so that I may bear fruit;
that I would understand that following God’s commandments and loving others deepens my relationship with Him;
and that I would be prepared to be hated by the world, just as it hated Christ, if I am truly on His side.

What is the first command given in this chapter?
If we believe in God, who should we also believe in?
What is in Jesus’ Father’s house?
What did Jesus say to back this up?
What is Jesus going to go do? After that, what will he do? Why?
How do we know where Jesus is going, and how to get there?
If you know Jesus, who else do you know?
Who asked Jesus to show them the Father?
What was His response?
By whose authority does Jesus speak and work?
What other reason do we have to believe, besides that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him?
What will happen with the people who believe in Him? Why?
What will happen when you ask in His name? Why?
What things will Jesus do if you ask in His name?
If you love Him, what will you do?
What will Jesus do to help?
How long will the Helper/Comforter be with you?
Why can’t the world receive the Spirit of truth?
Where will He dwell in those who know Him?
What won’t Jesus leave us as?
What will happen in a little while?
Why will we live?
What triangular situation will happen that day?
Who loves Jesus? Who will love that person?
What was Judas’ question?
What was Jesus’ answer?
Where is the word of Christ from?
Whom will the Father send in Jesus’ name? What will He do?
What is Jesus leaving with us?
What should we not let our heart be?
What was going to happen? If we loved Jesus, what would we feel about that?
Why did Jesus tell them in advance what would happen?
Why won’t Jesus be able to speak much with them after that? Who is coming? How much power does he have over Jesus?
Then, why did Jesus have to do what He was about to do?

Thought Questions

Is your heart troubled? What excuse do you have, after reading John 14:1? How much do you believe in God the Father, and God the Son?
Are you looking forward to being in the same place as God, or are there things you’d rather do on your own?
Why were the disciples so confused, even after having been with Jesus all that time? Do you understand the way to heaven?
Why do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe in His authority coming from the Father? Do His works help you in that belief?
Do you believe that you can do even greater works than these? What would that require?
What have you asked recently in Jesus’ name? What would you like to ask? What’s keeping you from it?
Do you love Jesus? Do you keep His commandments? Do you really believe this is a qualification, after reading John 14:15? Are you willing to keep them?
What evidence have you seen in your life of the Holy Spirit’s presence?
Think about Judas’ question in verse 22. Has Jesus manifested Himself to everyone in the world in all of history in the same way? Do you feel as though you have an “advantage” because you know and believe the Bible Scriptures? What do you think belief in Jesus depends the most on–culture, knowledge, experience, sincerity, or something else? What was Jesus’ answer to Judas, and how do you think His statement answers the question?
Do you wish Jesus were still on earth? How does the Holy Spirit take His place in your life on earth?
The disciples were heartbroken when Jesus died. Should they have been, knowing what we know now? Are you heartbroken when a loved one in Christ dies? Where can we find rejoicing in death? How about in Jesus’ death?
Jesus says the same thing in John 14:29 and 13:19. Do you understand prophecies of the future in the Bible? Why should we understand them? Do they give you a sense of hope and strengthening of your faith, or just confusion and fear?
Who is “the prince of this world?” Explain why he is called that. Who elected him?
Why did Jesus die? Was it because people killed Him, or because Satan killed Him, or for some other reason? Use verses 30-31 for your answer.

My prayer is:
that, when my heart is troubled, I would remember the words of John 14:1-4, that Christ is preparing a place for us, so that we can be with Him;
that I would have the faith to believe that Christ really will answer my prayers;
and that I would have the strength and will to want to keep His commandments, in order to keep my heart pure to follow Him.

Which feast was happening?
What did Jesus know about His life then?
Who did He love to the end?
Who was to betray Him?
What had the Father given Jesus? Where was He going?
What did He do then as a result?
How did He wash the disciples’ feet?
Who protested against this? What did he say?
What did Jesus say in response to Peter’s protest?
What did Peter want Jesus to wash?
What was Jesus’ response?
Were they clean? All of them?
What did Jesus know that led Him to say that?
After Jesus finished washing the disciples’ feet and He sat down again, what did He tell them to do?
Why should they do that? What would be the result?
What was Jesus predicting? How did He support this prediction?
Why did Jesus give this prediction beforehand?
What is the connection between Jesus and the One who sent Him?
Why was Jesus then troubled in spirit?
What was the disciples’ reaction?
Who finally asked Jesus who would betray Him?
What was the sign Jesus gave for who it was?
Who did Jesus give the bread to?
What happened when Judas received the bread? What did Jesus tell him to do?
What did the disciples think Judas might do?
What did Judas do next?
What did Jesus say when Judas left?
What is the new commandment?
How will the world know who His disciples are?
What did Peter ask Jesus?
When could Peter follow Jesus?
What did Peter say he was willing to do for Jesus?
How many times was Peter going to deny Jesus?
What sign was going to happen then?

Thought Questions

How did the devil get access to Judas’ heart?
What is the symbolism of foot washing? What was Jesus trying to show?
If Jesus Himself came to wash your feet (or something equivalent; a humble, dirty task that you think is beneath your status), how would you respond?
Why did Jesus say that (most of) the disciples were already clean? Do you think you are clean?
How does doing what Jesus tells us make us happy (vs. 17)?
If “the servant [us] is not greater than his master [Jesus],” and Jesus committed this and other humble acts of service, what does that tell us about how we ought to treat one another?
What might have been the result if Jesus had not given the prediction in advance that Judas would betray Him? What might the other disciples have thought?
Why do you think Jesus allowed Judas to be one of His disciples, knowing that he would betray Him in the end?
How do you think the disciples felt about Judas? Did they have any suspicion of him?
Did it sound like Jesus was publicly pointing out Judas to all the disciples, or just to John and Peter? Why?
What did Jesus mean when He said it was time for Him to be glorified? Find other instances in the Bible where He says that.
Why is the commandment to love one another “new?” Had that ever been thought of before? What part of verse 34 is “new?”
How was Jesus an example of love like none other had been before? Think about the Jews’ ideas of love in those days.
How can we show that we are Jesus’ disciples, in practical ways?
Would you tell Jesus that you are willing to lay down your life for Him? What do you think He would say?

My prayer is:
that I would follow the example of Jesus’ humility and love by performing thoughtful tasks for others, even if they seem unpleasant to me;
for protection from the devil’s influence by giving me a clean, pure heart;
and for the faith even to be willing to lay down my life for Christ’s sake if necessary, that I may follow Him wherever He goes.

Did Jesus say to His Father, “Father, save me from this hour”? Why or why not?
Instead, what was His statement? How did God respond to it?
What did the people standing by think the sound was?
Why did God speak at that time?
What was it time for then? Who was going to be cast out?
What would happen when Jesus was lifted up from the earth? What was He signifying?
What was the people’s confusion about this statement?
What was Jesus’ reply?
What two things regarding light did Jesus admonish us to do in verse 36?
Did the people believe Him?
Who predicted this? What did the prophecies say?
According to the prophecies, what would have happened if the people were not blind and hardened?
Among which group was found believers of Jesus? However, what did they not do? Why?
Although, they believed Jesus, what did they love more than the praise of God?
According to Jesus Himself, whoever believes in Him believes in whom?
Why did Jesus come into the world?
What happens when anyone hears His word but does not believe?
Who or what will judge those people? When?
Whose authority does Jesus speak with? What is that command described as?

Thought Questions

Who was Jesus’ audience as He spoke in this passage? (Look back starting from verse 12 and continuing.) Was it a certain type of people, or a mixture?
What was Jesus’ attitude toward His death? How does that inspire you to feel about the troubles you face in your life? How does God’s vocal response help you strengthen that?
If you had been there, do you think you would have heard a voice, or thunder? Who would you have thought spoke the words?
Who is the ruler of the world? Why would he be cast out then?
Would you have been confused by Jesus’ teachings on His death like the people were? Do you think God expected them to understand everything then, or to grow in faith when looking back on the events that had been prophesied? Do we always have to understand everything at the time to have faith that God is right?
How does Jesus’ statement in verse 35-36 answer the people’s question in verse 34?
How do you believe prophecy relates to its fulfillment? In other words, do people behave a certain way because it was destined to be, or could the prophesies have been different? For example, would Isaiah have been told something different than he said in Isaiah 53:1 if the people in Jesus’ time (and other times) had believed His report?
What does it mean when it says God hardened their hearts?
Were the rulers wrong or weak by not confessing Christ at that time for fear of the Pharisees? Some of them confessed Him later (Acts 6:7).
What does “the praise of God” mean? We always hear about how we should praise God, but how could God praise us? Do you want the praise of God? (See also 1 Corinthians 4:5.) Is there anything about you now that God could praise?
Look back on our previous conversation regarding Jesus’ judgement, including John 5:22. Sometimes He seems to say that He has been given all judgment by the Father, sometimes He seems to say that He judges no one. Now, in verse 48, He says that the word itself will judge those who reject Him. How do you understand God’s judgment?

My prayer is:
that in every situation, even unto death, my attitude would be, “God be glorified;”
that I would have faith in Christ, even if I don’t understand everything now;
and that my main goal would be to have the praise of God, not the praise of humans.