“June 5–11. John 14–17: ‘Continue Ye in My Love,’” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: New Testament 2023 (2022)
“June 5–11. John 14–17,” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: 2023
The Last Supper, by William Henry Margetson
June 5–11
John 14–17
“Continue Ye in My Love”
As you prayerfully study John 14–17, ponder how you can best show love to those you teach. The Holy Ghost will bring ideas to your mind as you study the scriptures, Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, and this outline.
Invite Sharing
Write the numbers 14 through 17 on the board, representing the chapters in John that class members read this week. Invite a few class members to write, next to each chapter number, the reference to a verse that the Holy Ghost helped them better understand or that they would like to discuss as a class.
Teach the Doctrine
The Holy Ghost helps us fulfill our purposes as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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To help class members learn about the different roles of the Holy Ghost, consider inviting them to read one or more of the following passages: John 14:16–27; 15:26; and 16:7–15. They could write on the board what they learn about the Holy Ghost from these passages. They could also look for insights about the Holy Ghost in the scriptures and messages listed in “Additional Resources.” How has the Holy Ghost fulfilled these roles in our lives? You might also think of objects or visual aids you could bring to class to help class members understand some of these roles.
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Consider inviting a few class members ahead of time to study one of the general conference addresses suggested in “Additional Resources” (or another conference address they know of) about the Holy Ghost. Allow them to share briefly what they learned with the class. What do these messages add to what we have learned about the Holy Ghost from John 14–16?
The Last Supper, by Clark Kelley Price
As we abide in Christ, we will bring forth good fruit and have joy.
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Consider bringing a small plant (or a picture of one) to class and using it to help class members visualize the Savior’s teaching about the vine and branches. After reading John 15:1–12 as a class, you could discuss what it means to “abide in [Christ]” (John 15:4). A few class members could share how they have found John 15:5 to be true. (See also the statement from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in “Additional Resources.”)
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are perfectly united.
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You probably can’t teach all of the important truths found in John 17 in one class discussion, but here’s a way to help the class explore several of them. List on the board concepts from John 17, such as these:
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Our relationship with Jesus Christ
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Jesus Christ’s relationship with His Father
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Our relationship with the rest of the world
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Our relationship with each other as His disciples
Invite each class member to choose one of these concepts and to read John 17, searching for verses that are related to it. Ask several class members to share what they learn.
How does our relationship with God affect our relationships with each other? How do our relationships with each other affect our relationship with God?
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Additional Resources
The Holy Ghost.
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Acts 2:37–38; Galatians 5:22–23; 1 Nephi 10:17–19; 2 Nephi 32:3–5; Mosiah 3:19; 3 Nephi 27:20; Moroni 8:26; 10:4–5; Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3; 42:17
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Henry B. Eyring, “His Spirit to Be with You,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 86–89
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David A. Bednar, “Receive the Holy Ghost,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 94–97
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Michelle D. Craig, “Spiritual Capacity,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 19–21
Abiding in Christ.
Noting that the word abide has connotations of permanence and commitment, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught:
“The sense of this [word] then is ‘stay—but stay forever.’ … Come, but come to remain. Come with conviction and endurance. …
“Jesus said, ‘Without me ye can do nothing’ [John 15:5]. I testify that that is God’s truth. Christ is everything to us and we are to ‘abide’ in Him permanently, unyieldingly, steadfastly, forever. For the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our lives, we must be firmly attached to Him, the Savior of us all, and to this His Church, which bears His holy name. He is the vine that is our true source of strength and the only source of eternal life. In Him we not only will endure but also will prevail and triumph in this holy cause that will never fail us” (“Abide in Me,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 32).
Improving Our Teaching
Invite the Spirit. “We can be instruments in God’s hands to help His children learn by the Spirit. To do this, we invite the influence of the Spirit into our lives and encourage those we teach to do the same. … Sacred music, the scriptures, words of latter-day prophets, expressions of love and testimony, and moments of quiet contemplation can all invite the presence of the Spirit” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 10).