John 17: The Hearts Deepest Longing

9/29/2019

This Sunday was the final piece in our series on the high priestly prayer of Jesus from John 17.

Pastor Jeremy pointed our attention to the difference which often exists between what we desire, and what is good for us. We've all walked through this personally, and certainly with our children if we're parents.
Share an experience which highlights this from your own life.

When you consider heaven, what do you picture?
What did you picture of heaven when you were a kid?
What changed your expectations?

Are streets of gold and a mansion enough to change you actions here and now? What about perfect relational harmony? Perhaps

Pastor Jeremy paraphrased John Owen when he said “For a change to take place, what you love must change.” He suggested that it is in contemplating Christ that this change begins to happen in us. In what ways do you contemplate Christ? How have you been changed by him? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in this?

Read 2 Cor. 3:12-18 for a window into this process.

Here are 5 Truths about love.

All of us desire to be loved for our own sake. But we usually love those who bring us benefit.
We want to perfectly express what our love is. But we often are unable to communicate accurately.
We want our love to be mutual. But we are regularly mismatched, and this can change, situation by situation.
We want our loved ones to be happy. Yet suffering is inevitable.
We want love without parting. However, death is certain. And between now and death, many things can bring a relationship to an end.

How have you felt a longing toward each of these things?
How do you understand and feel Christ is the only one able to fulfill these longings? Keep in mind, understanding and feeling something are different. We understand with our mind, we feel with our emotions. Should we need to wait for heaven to be able to experience real change?