“June 3–9. John 13–17: ‘Continue Ye in My Love’” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2019 (2019)
“June 3–9. John 13–17,” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: 2019
In Remembrance of Me, by Walter Rane
June 3–9
John 13–17
“Continue Ye in My Love”
As you read the Savior’s teachings in John 13–17, the Holy Ghost will help you identify messages for you. Record the impressions you receive.
Record Your Impressions
Today we call it the “Last Supper,” but we don’t know if Jesus’s disciples fully realized, when they gathered for the annual Passover feast, that this would be their last meal with their Master before His death. Jesus, however, “knew that his hour was come” (John 13:1). He would soon face the suffering of Gethsemane, the betrayal and denial of His closest friends, and the agonizing death on the cross. Yet even with all of this looming before Him, Jesus’s focus was not on Himself but on ministering to His disciples. He humbly washed their feet. He taught them about love. And He reassured them that, in one sense, He would never leave them and they need never leave Him. Disciples then and now find solace in His promises: “I will not leave you comfortless” (John 14:18). “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love” (John 15:10).
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
I show my love for Jesus Christ by keeping His commandment to love.
Jesus had already taught that the two greatest commandments have to do with love (see Matthew 22:34–40). In keeping with this emphasis, love was a major theme of His final instructions to His Apostles. As you read John 13–15, you might note or mark each use of the word love.
You may notice the word commandments repeated frequently in association with the word love in these chapters. What can you learn about the relationship between love and commandments from the Savior’s teachings? What other words do you find repeated frequently with the word love in these chapters? Based on what you learn, consider writing a brief summary of the Savior’s teachings about love.
See also D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide in My Love,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 48–51.
The Holy Ghost helps me fulfill my purpose as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ knew He would soon leave His disciples, and He knew they would need spiritual support once He was gone. To help them understand how they would receive this support, He taught them about the Holy Ghost. What do you learn about the roles of the Holy Ghost from the Savior’s words in the following verses?
Why did the disciples need this kind of help from the Holy Ghost? How has the Holy Ghost fulfilled these roles in your life? As you continue studying the New Testament, look for ways the Holy Ghost blessed Jesus’s disciples. How would your life be different if you invited the Holy Ghost to influence you more deeply?
See also Mosiah 3:19; 5:1–3; 3 Nephi 27:20; Moroni 8:25–26; 10:5; Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–14; Moses 6:61; “Holy Ghost,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org.
As I abide in Christ, I will bring forth good fruit.
What might it mean to “abide in [Christ]”? (John 15:4). What “fruit” shows that you are attached to the vine, which represents Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ intercedes for His disciples.
Jesus’s words recorded in John 17 are known as the Intercessory Prayer. In this prayer, Jesus prayed for His Apostles and “them also which shall believe on [Him] through their word” (John 17:20). That means He was praying for you. What did Jesus request from His Father in behalf of you and all other believers?
This prayer also teaches profound, eternal truths. What truths do you find as you read it?
How are Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father one?
In His prayer in John 17, Jesus emphasized His unity with the Father, but this does not mean that He and His Father are the same being. When the Savior prayed that His disciples may be one “even as”—or in the same way that—He and His Father are one (John 17:22), He was not asking that the disciples become one being. Rather, His desire was for them to enjoy the same unity He has with the Father—perfect unity of purpose, heart, and mind.
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you read the scriptures with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are some suggestions:
What does our family learn from the example of the Savior in these verses? In what ways can we follow His example?
As you discuss the Savior’s teachings about love, consider also these words from President Thomas S. Monson: “In today’s world, nowhere is that bedrock foundation of love needed more than in the home. And nowhere should the world find a better example of that foundation than in the homes of Latter-day Saints who have made love the heart of their family life. … Love is the very essence of the gospel, the noblest attribute of the human soul” (“As I Have Loved You,” Ensign or Liahona, Feb. 2017, 4–5).
Your family members may enjoy drawing pictures or writing on paper hearts something they love about each other. They could place these hearts around the house as a reminder to show love for one another.
It might be fun to read these verses outside next to a vine, a tree, or another plant. How does this activity help your family members better understand the Savior’s teachings?
Jesus taught, “I am the vine, ye are the branches” (John 15:5).
Why do you think Jesus Christ warned His disciples of persecution? How are disciples of Christ persecuted today? How can the Savior’s counsel in these verses help us when we face persecution?
How has Christ overcome the world? How has His Atonement brought us peace and cheer? (see also D&C 68:6).
How can our family be more united as Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are united? Why does the Lord want us to be united? (see also D&C 38:27).
For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.
Improving Our Teaching
Use audio recordings. As you teach your family the scriptures, consider listening to the audio version of the scriptures, found on churchofjesuschrist.org or the Gospel Library app. Listening to John 13–17 can be particularly powerful because these chapters contain so many of the Savior’s words.
Master Servant, by Del Parson