“June 5–11. John 14–17: ‘Continue Ye in My Love,’” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 (2022)
“June 5–11. John 14–17,” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: 2023
The Last Supper, by William Henry Margetson
June 5–11
John 14–17
“Continue Ye in My Love”
As you read the Savior’s teachings in John 14–17, 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 an agonizing death on the cross. Yet even with all of this looming before Him, Jesus’s focus was not on Himself but on His disciples. What would they need to know in the days and years ahead? Jesus’s tender teachings in John 14–17 reveal how He feels about His disciples, then and now. Among the many comforting truths He shared was the reassurance that, in one sense, He will never leave us. “If ye keep my commandments,” He promised, “ye shall abide in my love” (John 15:10).
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
I show my love for Jesus Christ by keeping His commandments.
As you read John 14–15, 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 do you learn about the relationship between love and commandments from the Savior’s teachings? What other words and phrases do you find associated with love in these chapters?
Ponder how the Savior’s love has influenced you.
See also John 13:34–35; D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide in My Love,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 48–51.
The Last Supper, by Clark Kelley Price
The Holy Ghost helps me fulfill my purpose as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
It must have been heartbreaking for the disciples to hear that their time with the Savior was almost over. They might also have worried about how they would get along without Him. As you read John 14–16, look for what the Savior said to reassure them. In particular, notice what He taught them about the Holy Ghost. What do you learn about 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 for you? Consider what you can do so that His influence will be stronger in your life.
See also 3 Nephi 19:9; 27:20; Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–14; Moses 6:61; Michelle D. Craig, “Spiritual Capacity,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 19–21.
As I abide in Christ, I will bring forth good fruit.
What do you think it means to “abide in [Christ]”? (John 15:4). What is your “fruit” that 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? What does that teach you about His feelings for you?
This prayer also teaches profound, eternal truths. What truths do you find? As you read this chapter, consider recording what you learn about the following:
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Prayer
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The Savior’s relationship with His Father
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The Savior’s relationship with His disciples
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How disciples are to be different from the world
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Other truths that stand out to you
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are perfectly united.
In His prayer in John 17, Jesus emphasized His unity with the Father. In what ways are the Father and the Son “one”? (John 17:11, 21–23). Note that 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). What does that mean for you? Think about your relationships—for example, with your spouse or other family members, with ward members, and with fellow Christians. How can you work toward the kind of unity that Jesus has with the Father?
See also Quentin L. Cook, “Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 18–22; Sharon Eubank, “By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 55–57.
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Home Evening
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John 14:5–6.Family members may enjoy taking turns leading your family on a walk along a path. How is Jesus “the way”? Where does He lead us?
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John 14:26–27.How is Jesus’s peace different from the kind “the world giveth”? Family members could share ways they have found peace and comfort through the Holy Ghost.
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John 15:1–8.It might be fun to read these verses outside next to a vine, a tree, or another plant. What happens to a branch when it is removed from the plant? You could talk about how we are like branches and what it means to “abide” in the Savior and “bear fruit.”
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John 15:17–27; 16:1–7.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?
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John 16:33.How has Jesus Christ overcome the world? How has His Atonement brought us peace and good cheer? (see also Doctrine and Covenants 68:6).
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John 17:21–23.What would help your family learn how to be more united like Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father? Maybe you could talk about a favorite sports team and how they work together toward a common goal. Or you could listen to a choir or orchestra and discuss how the musicians unite to create beautiful music.
For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.
Suggested song: “The Holy Ghost,” Children’s Songbook, 105.
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 in the Gospel Library app. Listening to John 14–17 can be particularly powerful because these chapters contain so many of the Savior’s words.
Jesus taught, “I am the vine, ye are the branches” (John 15:5).