Purpose: John 15
Aim: Going deeper in
applying the text to our present situation on campus.
Exploring how picture language and diagrams adds layers of meaning to a text.
Exploring how picture language and diagrams adds layers of meaning to a text.
1) Video of the text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KXmPZS-gZg
2) Do Lesson 7 Do you
find the diagram helpful in going deeper? Why or why not? How does it compare with the picture in the video? Why are pictures important in trying to convey truth?
3) Exploring picture language and images.
The metaphor of the vine
A metaphor is picture language which invites you to imaginative come up with what something means. It hints at deeper connections and inner meanings and is the language often used in advertisements today. This passage explores our source: Jesus says he is the source of fruitfulness. There are many claims that promise to give meaning, goodness and richness to life. Some may even claim that they are God endorsed. The only way for us to be sure if something is from God is be “pruned and purified by the message” (ie what does the bible say about it?). The Father is the “gardener”--not someone we buy good gifts from but who cuts away from our lives unimportant aspects so that we can concentrate on being fruitful.
“Remain in me “ echoes through all three sections and when we do we are able to meet the challenge to “lay down our lives for another”. Often we learn to love one another to forgive each other, to not resent our differences but celebrate them. We learn to accept gifts of friendship from others and to have compassion on those who have never experienced love. We do not consume relationships but accept or receive love as gifts with gratitude in our hearts.
Three focus questions to bear fruit:
The metaphor of the vine
A metaphor is picture language which invites you to imaginative come up with what something means. It hints at deeper connections and inner meanings and is the language often used in advertisements today. This passage explores our source: Jesus says he is the source of fruitfulness. There are many claims that promise to give meaning, goodness and richness to life. Some may even claim that they are God endorsed. The only way for us to be sure if something is from God is be “pruned and purified by the message” (ie what does the bible say about it?). The Father is the “gardener”--not someone we buy good gifts from but who cuts away from our lives unimportant aspects so that we can concentrate on being fruitful.
“Remain in me “ echoes through all three sections and when we do we are able to meet the challenge to “lay down our lives for another”. Often we learn to love one another to forgive each other, to not resent our differences but celebrate them. We learn to accept gifts of friendship from others and to have compassion on those who have never experienced love. We do not consume relationships but accept or receive love as gifts with gratitude in our hearts.
Three focus questions to bear fruit:
We need to create SPACE
TO FORGIVE and CELEBRATE EACH OTHER and SPACE TO EXPRESS
GRATITUDE AND COMPASSION
1) Who do I love?
2) Who am I learning to love?
3) Why did God place me in this particular time and space?
4) Do your own collaborative drawing of
the vine in groups. Add in pictures of how it applies to you as a group.
Adaptations from student leaders
Nick and Nick got students to brainstorm their understanding of the verse and their idea of fruit. They moved away from the questions in both resources and came up with their own scenarios. Students were asked to respond to each scenario and justify their response. The scenarios sparked a discussion late into the night, long after the study ended.
Ideas from student leaders in Dunedin
They used the Observation, Interpretation, Application method on a whiteboard to unpack this verse, see results here.
Adaptations from student leaders
Nick and Nick got students to brainstorm their understanding of the verse and their idea of fruit. They moved away from the questions in both resources and came up with their own scenarios. Students were asked to respond to each scenario and justify their response. The scenarios sparked a discussion late into the night, long after the study ended.
Ideas from student leaders in Dunedin
They used the Observation, Interpretation, Application method on a whiteboard to unpack this verse, see results here.
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