The Supremacy of Love (1 Cor 13) 1 If I could speak all the languages used by men and angels, but do not express love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal. 2 If I could prophecy about all the mysteries, and have faith to move mountains, but do not know love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away everything I own and surrender my body to martyrdom, but do not give love, I cannot boast I’ve done anything. 4 Love is longsuffering and love is kind. Love is not jealous, boastful, or conceited. 5 Love is not pretentious or self-seeking. Love is not irritable or resentful. 6 Love, unhappy with injustice, is pleased with truth. 7 Love is all-enduring, all-believing, ever hopeful, and ever steadfast. 8 Love never fails. Prophecies will vanish, tongues will fall silent, and our knowledge will fade away. 9 We know imperfectly and prophecy imperfectly. 10 But when the eschaton comes, we will be done with imperfection. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I stopped my childish ways. 12 as for now, we see mere reflections in a mirror, but then, we will see clearly, face to face. As for now, my knowledge is imperfect, but then, I will fully know, even as I was fully known. 13 Three things will always remain: faith, hope, and love. The most supreme is love. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

1 John 1 Prologue (1:1–4) 1 As to what was from the beginning what we have heard what we have seen with our eyes what we have gazed upon and as to what we have touched— this is the Word of Life. 2 For the Life was manifested to us who have seen him and now give living witness as we proclaim to you the eternal Life who was with Father and was revealed to us. 3 What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you so that you may join our sacred fellowship in communion with the Father and with his son, Christ Jesus. 4 This will give us all great joy. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

Mutual Indwelling (John 14:1–31) 1 Your troubled hearts need to rest in God. Trust in him as you would trust in me. 2 There is plenty of room in my father’s house— I am going away to prepare a place for you. 3 soon I will return to welcome you in this home so that you may live in God, as I do. 4 You should know that I am the way to where you are going. Yes, I am the way 6 to the reality of God’s life. You cannot come to live in God except by living in me. 7 If you had really known me, you would have also known the Father. Look at me—see him and know him! 9 Those who have seen me have seen the Father, for I live in him and he in me. 10 Everything I’ve done and said, I’ve done through him and he through me, for we indwell each other. 11 The miracles I’ve done with the Father should convince you of this. 12 And you all will be able to do the same, if you put your trust in me 13–14 Whatever you ask the Father in my presence— I will do it for you so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 15 Above all, love me and keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father to give you another partner to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit who is real to those who know his presence, but not to those in this world who do not see him, or know him. But you know who is— right at this moment he is living among you and soon he will be indwelling you. 18 It is I who will come to you when the Spirit comes. I would never leave you as orphans. 19 In a little while, the world will see me no more. But you will see me, and you will live because I live. 20 On that day of my resurrection you will know I live in the Father and you in me and I in you. 21 Those who know my commandments and keep them are those who love me. They will be loved by my Father and I will love them and manifest myself in them. 23 My father and I in the spirit will come to those who keep my commands and love me— we will come to make our home with them, so that they may live in us and we in them. 24 Those who don’t love me don’t keep my commands or the message I gave you from my Father. 25 I have told you these things while I am still here. 26 Your new partner, the Holy Spirit, who is none other than my presence given to you by my Father, will teach you things yet to come, as well as remind you of what I said before. 27 I will leave my peaceful presence with you, which is better than any peace the world can give. 28 So don’t be troubled that I am about to leave, for I am going to the Father who is greater than I. 29 Continue to believe in what I’ve told you, 30 even when the prince of this world comes— but he has no claim on me, 31 while I am doing what the father has willed. Then the world will realize the love I have for him! Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

Christ, the Suffering Healer (1 Peter 2:21–25) 21 You have been called to suffering because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you a path to follow in the steps of him 22 who never committed a sin or spoke a lie, 23 who didn’t retaliate when he was reviled; who didn’t strike back, when he was hit. 24 Rather, he committed himself to the righteous Judge when he took our sins to the tree and healed us with the wounds inflicted on his body. 25 Now we can die to sin and live right with God, no longer straying from our Shepherd but staying close to the Sentinel of our souls. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

The “Saying” of the Savior’s Epiphany (Titus 3:4–8a) 4–5 Not because of righteous works we have done, but by his mercy, God our Savior rescued us. His epiphany came with love and kindness. He lavishly poured his sacred Spirit upon us. 6 This Spirit regenerates, renews, and washes— thanks to the grace of Jesus Christ our Savior 7 who made us right with God and heirs of eternal life. 8 We can count on this trustworthy saying. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

Encomium for Christ’s Love (Rom 8:28–39) 28 God turns everything to good for those who love him and are called by him to know his designs. God has planned 29 the destiny of those he’s always known— they’ll become like his Son, the first perfect man. 30 Their horizons have been determined by God who makes all things right for those he loves and promises to bring them into his glory! 31 What, then, can we say about the pains of this life? If God is our advocate, who can be our enemy? 32 This is the God who did not spare his own Son but for our sake sacrificed him. This is the God who lavishes us with all goodness, the God who has given us his Son. 33 Who can level any accusation against God’s chosen ones, when God is the one who stands by us? 34 Who can posit any condemnation against us when Christ Jesus experienced crucifixion on our behalf, then rose again to appear before God, pleading our cause day and night. 35 Who can rip us away from Christ’s love? Can the sword of affliction or distress? Can persecution or famine? Nakedness or peril? As it is written in the scriptures, 36 For your sake, we are killed all day long. We are nothing more than sheep for slaughter. 37 But in all these things we are super-conquerers through Christ who loves us. 38 for I am persuaded there’s nothing in death or life that can rip us away from God’s love 39 because we are held firm by Jesus Christ our Lord. No angel, ruler, power, or creature can separate us! No matter how high or low we go, we are held by our Lord. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

New Heaven, New Earth, New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1–7; 22:1–5) 1 I saw a brand new heaven and earth— the former earth, heaven, and sea were no more. 2 I saw the sacred city, new Jerusalem, descending from heaven adorned as a beautiful bride for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne proclaim: God is living with his people and they with him. He himself will always be with them— Immanuel come to dwell with his people! 4 God will wipe every tear from their eyes, and kill all pain, grief, and death. 5 All this will come to pass by the One who turns the past into something new, 6 for he is the Alpha through Omega, the Beginning to the very End. 7 Those who conquer will be his children. Chapter 22 1 They will drink of the living waters flowing from the throne of the God-Man, Lamb divine. 2 They will eat everlasting fruit from the living Tree and be healed forever from all disease. 3 The illumined God beaming through the Lamb will be their light brighter than the sun. 4 They will see God’s grace and goodness shining in the face of their beloved Jesus Christ. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

Jesus’ Prayer and Invitation (Matthew 11:25–30) 25–26 I praise you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that it was your good pleasure to veil these truths from the shrewd and intelligent and to reveal them to children. 27 No one knows the Son except the Father; no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him— these are the ones given to me by my Father. 28 Come to me, all you who are heavy and weary, and I will relieve you. 29–30 Shoulder my yoke by learning from me— my yoke is easy and my load is light, my heart is gentle, and I am meek. I will give your souls repose. Jesus, the Chosen Servant (Matthew 12:18–21) 18 Look at my Servant, my chosen One, my beloved, my soul’s delight. When I pour my Spirit upon him, he will restore the world to justice— 19 not by raising his voice or crying out, so as to be heard in the streets. 20 He will not snap a bruised, bent reed; he will not snuff a smoldering wick, for he has come to restore the way of justice 21 and give all nations reason for hope. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com

Jesus, the True Vine (John 15:1–17) 1 I am the Vine; my Father, the vineyard’s Master. 2 He lops off every unproductive branch and prunes every fruitful one to yield even more than before. 3 You’ve already been pruned by my word. 4–5 I am the vine and you are the branches. Live in me and I will live in you. The branch cannot produce grapes by itself; it must draw its life from the stalk. As I live in those who live in me, they will produce many clusters of fruit. The branch can’t grow without juice from the root. 6 If you don’t stay attached to me, you will wither away. And the master will gather all the useless branches and throw them into a burning pile. 7 If you stay attached to me by keeping my words alive in you, you can ask me anything you desire, 8 as long as it has to do with producing fruit, for that is how to glorify the Master. 9 As my Father has loved me, I have loved you. To live in me is to live in my love. 10 As I obey my Father, you need to obey me, 11 then you will stay in my love and will overflow with my joy. 12 This is my command I want you to heed: love one another as I have loved you. 13 There is no nobler love than to lay down one’s life for a friend. 14 You are my friends when you do what I command. 15 From here on in, I will not call you servants, but my friends, because I will tell you everything the Father has revealed to me—and more. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you to be my living branches producing lasting fruit. Whatever you ask the Father in my presence will be given to you. 17 I give you these instructions so that you would love one another. Philip Comfort, The Poems and Hymns of the New Testament. Used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers. www.wipfandstock.com