CAT | small group notes
What we’re like under pressure can be said to reveal the truth about who we are. That can be the double-trouble of tough times: not only are things not going well, but we turn out not to be the person we hoped we were!
Our culture explores this in many different ways, from Photoshopped and Papparazzi’d celebrities, to sport (“Sports do not build character, they reveal it” said Haywood Hale Broun), to fictional dramas that are dominated by stories of people under pressure (“When the chips are down, these civilised people, they’ll eat each other” says the Joker in The Dark Knight). The Bible also has a lot to say about this, but comes to different conclusions and offers different hope to what we are used to.
The story of Paul and the Corinthians is a great example of a man showing his true colours when under pressure. 2 Corinthians 1:12-22 shows him praising God and loving others, even when they’re being idiots. A bit like Jesus really. How was Paul able to behave like this, especially given his fierce personality (Acts 26:9-11)? The simple truth is, Jesus changed his life (Acts 26:12-16, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). Paul wasn’t just inspired by what Jesus was like and what He had done for him, He had the power of Jesus at work in him. Jesus now lived in Paul by His Holy Spirit, transforming him from the inside out. Once it was just Paul in there, with mixed to terrible results; now it’s Jesus in Paul, with Jesus getting greater and greater. That’s why when you squeeze Paul, you get Jesus – because Jesus is actually in Him.
Human beings are incredibly complicated, we have the beauty of God’s handiwork in us, and the pollution of sin, so we’re capable of good and bad – but the Christian is fundamentally different because they have the power of God within them which is transforming them. How does this happen? “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Changes can be sudden, some will be gradual. God knows what He’s doing, and as we co-operate with Him, amazing things will happen.
Questions
Invite people to share a way in which God has changed them: one sudden and one gradual.
How do we resist the Enlightenment/humanistic fallacy of hope for change coming from within when it is so pervasive in our culture?
Talk about the group’s different experiences of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Hopefully there will be a variety of stories which shows us not to expect Him to work in one way only.
Spend time praying for one another to be filled with the Spirit, especially for the power they need in pressurised situations.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 The comfort of God
2 Corinthians is very helpful for us when we are suffering, as Paul writes a lot in here about his own troubles.
The context of the letter is that his apostolic authority was being challenged by enemies in Corinth, and they were using his suffering as part of their case. Like Job, those around Paul expected that if God was with him then his life would be free from strife. But Paul knew that his sufferings were actually the proof of his apostleship, so he glorified in his weakness.
1. The God of all comfort
God wants to minister to us, to demonstrate his love and care to us. This isn’t just a bit of nice sentimental, it’s true. God is not a distant historic character but the Almighty, alive and well, ministering to us right here, right now.
The word ‘comfort’ seems a bit soft to us but its original meaning was ‘bringing strength’. Moreover both Jesus (Isaiah 9:6) and the Holy Spirit (John 14:16) are called our Counsellors/Comforters. They come alongside us, get involved with us, feeling our pain. Psalms 23, 46, 71, and others tell of how God acts in this way. The Bible’s big picture is that God reached out to rebellious people and rescued them through His Son that they might be comforted. So God is the God of all comfort, He can give us all the grace we need.
2. Comfort in affliction and suffering
Self-appointed life gurus have to have everything together, they need to be healthy and rich etc. in order to prove their credentials. But Jesus was the suffering servant, his life from beginning to end was hard. Paul and most of the other first disciples followed this pattern in their life.
So if we’re going through difficulties, we’re in good company! Jesus understands.
3. Our afflictions help us to comfort others
God loves reversing circumstances, turning things around that seem impossible. He can’t help himself getting involved, and he wants to make us like him! Keeping ourselves safe from trouble is the opposite of what he’s like. We have more understanding of what people are feeling when we’ve been through similar things, so we can help them. Paul said he was afflicted for others’ comfort and salvation. Openness to God allows Him in to truly change us, proving His reality.
We carry about his greatness in weak vessels so that the glory can only be credited to God. But that greatness is very great.
Don’t distance yourself when you’re suffering, look to engage with others, allow God in, be certain of your eternal future.
Questions
- Why are we tempted to think that suffering is a sign of God’s displeasure and a disqualification for service?
- Is it pessimistic or distrusting to expect hard times in our lives?
- What can we do to prepare ourselves for hard times?
- How can we see God glorified in our weakness?
- Are there any stories people would be happy to share of God bringing comfort during difficult times?
Bible study
- Matthew mentioned the story of Ruth, a briefly-told tale of hopelessness and God’s help. Get into four groups, take a chapter each, and see what each one tells us about God’s comfort. Come back together to see how the story of God’s actions unfolds.
Whilst on holiday in South Africa (after going on safari and spending quality time together) Matthew and Ann visited GodFirst, a Newfrontiers church in Johannesburg led by PJ Smyth. It’s just six or seven years old and already has around 2,500 people attending in nine congregations. The multiple-congregations model has enabled them to set up church communities rapidly across the city. Key to this growth has been PJ’s desire that everyone in the church understand that they are called to their city, and respond to this call by loving where they live. They are determined to connect unchurched people with the community of God’s people where they can experience His love.
Called?
The Bible gives us plenty of examples of God calling people in different ways (and with different responses):
- Jonah was called explicitly by God to preach to the city of Ninevah (Jonah 1:1-2, 3:1-2) – and he wasn’t happy!
- Jeremiah told God’s people who had been captured and transported by the Babylonians that God had called them to where they had been dragged (Jeremiah 29:4-7).
- God called the apostle Paul to Philippi by frustrating his own plans and then giving him a vision (Acts 6:6-10).
How God calls isn’t always dramatic, and even when it is, that just sets us up for daily faithfulness which is rarely dramatic.
Called to the city
Cities are hugely important in God’s purposes, from the pragmatic reason that they are where more people are, to the theological implication of the Bible’s story progressing from a garden (Eden) to a city (New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:2). Congratulations: by living/working/worshipping in Edinburgh you are already fulfilling this! Or are you?
In his book Under the Unpredictable Plant, Eugene Peterson describes four enemies to believing that you are called to where you live:
- Failing to understand that calling is local. We dream about dramatic callings and great missions elsewhere whilst failing to affect the local reality that we are living in. Where you are is where God wants you to be (almost always, cf. Jonah in the fish)
- The danger of Gnosticism. Gnostics despised the physical and cared only for the spiritual – a subtle temptation for many Christians which leads them to preach and live a gospel that is irrelevant to the place where they live.
- Sinful restlessness. Peterson believes that many believers today have a sinful restlessness that they disguise as spiritual questing. Just because you can move doesn’t mean you should. “Shut up, sit tight, and knuckle down and serve your community. And, if God wants to relocate you, then He will make that crystal clear.”
- Self-determination. Similar to restlessness but born from a desire to be in control of lives, rather than allow God to direct us.
Once we recognise that we’re called here, submitting to God’s sovereignty over our lives, then we can get on with the business of loving Edinburgh.
Questions for group discussion
If you need an ice-breaker: What’s the best holiday you’ve ever been on?!
How did you end up in Edinburgh? Can you see God’s sovereignty in your story, do you feel called here?
Do you find Peterson’s “four enemies” helpful for examining your attitude? Which are particularly relevant to you?
What kind of influence can we have in this city? What could the impact of this be?
How can you/we love Edinburgh?
Further reading
A series of blog posts by PJ Smyth about cities (in reverse order!).
A video of Tim Keller talking on “Why Cities Matter” (with extensive notes).
Grace was so important to the first Christians that they changed the way they greeted one another: from the traditional Jewish “Peace” to “Grace to you, and peace” (17 New Testament letters out of 22). There are two paradoxical dangers of being a church that talks about grace all the time: we become too familiar with it, and/or we don’t quite know what we mean when we say it. Definition by Martyn Lloyd-Jones: grace is “favour shown to people who don’t deserve favour at all.”
Grace is foundational to our lives: not merely as a starting point but the DNA in every cell of a Christian’s spiritual life.
Grace in the Gospel – it’s everything. God initiates and achieves salvation for rebellious sinners. Jesus tells stories in which the undeserving our blessed, He acts this out with mercy and miracles, His perfect life is on our behalf, as is His sacrificial death. Having defeated sin and death He invites us to share those victories, and continues to represent us now in Heaven.
Grace for today means knowing, intellectually and experientially, that you have a loving heavenly Father (Ephesians 1:4-5, Galatians 4:4-5, Romans 8:15). The foundation of the relationship is love, not rule-keeping. This was the Pharisees’ mistake: their hands were full of stuff they’d done in an attempt to please God, Jesus came looking for empty, open hands of faith that invite God to take hold of them. Good parents also discipline their children; that is not antithetical to grace.
Jesus used the picture of a grapevine to teach us the spiritual principle of our ongoing dependence on God. In the same way that we are dependent on God to rescue us, we continue to need Him to live and grow. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to abide in God: loving Him, living His way, listening to Him.
Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace: “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
For response:
If you had to describe grace to someone, how would you do it? Seeing as few people are likely to actually ask you for a definition of grace without prompting, how can we get it into our conversations?
Luke used the illustrations of a Father and child relationship, and a grapevine – how were these helpful? Are they unhelpful in any ways? What practical steps do you need to take to make the most of God’s grace for you today, and avoid the temptations of disbelieving grace?
Take some moments to review your life in the light of God’s grace: from the ‘common grace’ of His daily goodness to massive moments. Spend time thanking Him.
It can come as a bit of a shock to us that Jesus actually challenged us to store up wealth, not here on Earth but in heaven. His response to materialism was that they were not seeing the best investment, for their time, money and effort. (See Matthew 6:19-21)
What we see over again is that Christ encouraged the good stewarding of what the father has given us. The parable of the talents ( Matthew 25) and in Luke 14 , He talks of rewarding of those that use what He has given us and in particular on those who cannot repay in this world.
Moses we are told was ‘looking for his reward’ in Hebrews 11:26; and Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 encourages to build well, taking care with what we build as God will test it with fire. For some Christians all that will remain is the solid foundation of knowing Christ and being with Him forever, however for others it will be revealed that they built well and it remains.
We can get the impression that all that God is interested in is coming to Christ ourselves and leading others to Christ. Obviously this is hugely important, however it belittles the countless hours that most of us spend working long hours to give generously into His kingdom, the sacrificial care that parents make caring for their children , and multitudes of ordinary Christians make looking after the weak, infirm and lonely. God in His justice sees it all and is keeping close accounts that will be rewarded in full. As John Wesley said “I value all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.”
What is important is that we each know what God has given us, and we use that as effectively for His Kingdom as we can.
Questions:
• Looking at the 1 Corinthian 3 passage what do you think is the Gold, Silver and precious stones equivalent to and what is the Hay, Wood and Straw?
• How does this teaching effect what we give ourselves to? Do you find it releasing or restrictive and why?
• Maybe go around the group and say one thing that you would like to invest more wisely in the next 12 months.
• Pray together in groups of three that God will help you to see God’s eternal kingdom more fully, and that this vision will impact your choices in the future.
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Overcoming obstacles to enter God’s promises
0 Comments | Posted by Dan in small group notes
In Joshua 1:1-9 God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous. There are big obstacles to overcome that require those kinds of qualities in God’s people. There are giants and battles and hunger issues. The main obstacle is fear. We can feel overwhelmed by what lies ahead if we make decisions to trust God. In Numbers chapter 14 Joshua was one of the spies that went ahead to check out the promised land. The other spies all reacted with fear (it can’t be done). Unlike his contemporaries, Joshua and Caleb thought with God’s help they could enter the land and defeat their enemies. What helped Joshua to be a man like that?
1) Joshua knew God. To overcome (real) obstacles the key is knowing God and who he is! He will never leave us. He always comes through on his promises. He’ll always provide. He’s dependable.
2) Joshua acted. He actually did something. He overcame fear to obey God. It’s important for us to define what the “thing” is that we’re going to do. It may be to speak to a non-christian friend, pray for a sick person, give some money etc. Don’t let fear of the consequences stop you. If you’re afraid to do it, do it afraid! Sometimes it looks foolish when we obey God. Joshua led people walking around Jericho for 7 days! That must have felt silly! Don’t let how it looks affect your action.
How can we grow in faith?
You are what you eat! Let’s eat and drink faith! How?
1) Joshua spent time in the presence of other men of faith. Spent most of his time with Moses in the tent of meeting. We can grow in faith by spending time with people from whom we can learn. We can also do that by reading biographies and listening to great preaching.
2) Joshua receives the Spirit of God. Moses anoints him. Deut 34:9. We need to get filled with the Spirit regularly Eph 5:18 (“Be filled with the Spirit”- literally go on being filled)
3) Joshua meditated on the word of God. Joshua 1:8. By soaking in biblical truth, God’s word shapes our thinking more and more. We receive renewed minds that enables us to value faith and its consequences above fear and its consequences
4) Joshua acted on the faith he had.
Questions
1) Joshua is a “Type of Christ”. In what way does Joshua’s achievements for Israel mirror Christ’s achievement for us?
2) What does a lifestyle of fear look like (help people to substitute words like over-cautious, anxious, worrying etc they’re more tangible than fear)
3) What are the pro-s and cons of making decisions out of fear?
4) What are the pros and cons of making decisions out of faith?
5) What sorts of faith acts do you feel God is prompting you to do this year?
6) What are our plans for knowing God better to enable our lifestyle of faith to grow?
1 Samuel 3:1-21
New year is the usual time for setting our priorities for the year and evaluating the past year. It’s important not just to be strategic in our decision making, but to also hear God’s voice. God speaks to us. Jesus said “my sheep hear my voice”. It’s for every believer in Jesus.
Samuel is born in a time when God’s voice isn’t being heard- “the word of the Lord was rare” (v1). Sin in Eli’s sons and his unwillingness to correct them led to this dire situation. They were casual towards God and his ways. We need to be attentive to God and his will to hear God, being sure to correct one another when we see sin. Don’t be casual in reading scripture- give your best effort to understand it (this is the main way God speaks to us, through his revealed word). The Philistines stole the ark (God’s presence to Israel) in the hope it would be a quick fix for them. It turned out to be a curse! They had no fear of God. Hearing God requires us to fear him.
Samuel wasn’t too young to hear from God. He enjoyed intimacy with God from a young age. It’s not just for mature christians, but for everyone. Good leaders aren’t just well-balanced people, but have a bias to hearing God’s voice.
Samuel turns out to be crucial in anointing David as King. Because he heard God, he didn’t choose the best looking or strongest but the one God had chosen.
Hearing God is the key to all God has for us personally and as a church. The people who know God will do great exploits for him!
Acts 6:4 : “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
The effectiveness of the gospel is dependent on both prayer and preaching of the word. The Apostles recognised this as the early church began to grow and were determined to keep this priority. The consequences of their decision is recorded in verse 7: “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
The Christmas carol services are nearly upon us! Let’s be purposeful as we begin to invite friends, family and colleagues. Kieran will be doing a short evangelistic preach- let’s give ourselves purposely to prayer.
In this short study we will focus some issues that we help us pray effectively
Issues to focus on as we pray for ourselves
Paul – the great Apostle requested prayers from several churches on some specific issues for the effectiveness of his ministry. The following two passages are some examples:
Ephesians 6:19 –“and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel”
Colossians 3; 4: “Meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
It was clearly challenging even for the apostle Paul!
Outline some issues we can pray into for ourselves. What are some of the barriers that we face as we step out to invite people?
Praying for those (friend /family/ colleagues) we are planning to invite.
Ephesians 4 ;17-19 outlines the great necessity to pray for those we are planning to invite.
Our aim is to pray for the entrance of the gospel to help people think clearly and see the wonder of Christ. Thank God we have the Holy Spirit to help! see John 16:7-11.
Action time
Pray for each other focusing on issues that are relevant to you as you step out to invite people to the carol services. Pray for open doors, God-ordained opportunities, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and boldness. Pray for every detail of the carol service to speak to people about God’s love, especially Kieran’s message.
You may want to write down the names of those you are planning to invite. What are some practical barriers you can think of that are applicable to your friends or family members? Pray together into these, in addition to issues in Eph. 4:17-19
Pray for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit in the service. The good news is God is with us, that’s what Emmanuel means!
24
The gospel changes lives, the gospel changes churches
0 Comments | Posted by Dan in small group notes
Romans 16:1-16
Small Group Notes 22ndNovember 2009
The gospel changes lives, the gospel changes churches
Many dismiss the last chapter of Romans as irrelevant due to it’s personal, time-specific and non-doctrinal emphasis. However, such passages are very helpful in observing the dynamics of early church life- something we want to copy at Kings! Some of the names mentioned also have fascinating stories behind them.
1) Apostolic ministry is relational.
Paul knows at least thirty names in the church- he’s never even been there. The other churches Paul works with also sent their greetings (v16). In the early church there was a sense of family between churches, facilitated by apostolic ministry.
2) To Kiss or not to kiss- that is the question.
V16 Paul encourages the Romans church to greet one another with a holy kiss. This must not be disregarded as irrelevant (ignore the command), nor must it be simply accepted as an absolute (forcing a much less tactile culture like Scotland’s to recoil in terror!). Paul’s underlying intention seems to be for Christians of differing, diverse backgrounds (slaves/ masters, jews/ gentiles, famous/ obscure, men/women) should intentionally greet one another, acknowledging their common love for Jesus and for one another. In our setting that would require us to seek out people most different to us and lovingly talk to them, even embracing them! Maybe even kiss, but the aim is something nice, not something uncomfortable!
3) Reliable people
Phoebe is mentioned first as she was the person Paul trusted to deliver his greatest ever letter . Travelling from Corinth, a gentile convert of less than 5-years, could have been travelling on business to Corinth, even in the legal profession. She is an excellent example of devotion to Christ and Christian ministry whilst also in the business world. We may ask ourselves- do we have such a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness. Acting as a postman may not sound glamorous, but nevertheless a vitally important role.
Priscilla and Aquila were a dynamic married couple. Acts 18 tells the story of how they met Paul in Corinth, having been evicted from Rome. They won the mighty Apollos into their team through their hospitality and teaching gifts. Paul asks them to go to Ephesus to help plant a church there, before they evidently return to Rome. They were a couple of means, owning their own house. Wonderfully the grace of God enabled them to share their resources, their home with the church in Rome. Opening our homes today to build the church in small groups is similarly a powerful statement of God’s grace in us.
Tryphena and Tryphosa are commended as working hard. Although their names mean “delicate” and “dainty”, clearly these were giants in God and a force to be reckoned with!
Rufus is the son of Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus’ cross (Mark 15:21). He was well enough known in the early church for Mark to mention him. Simon, clearly impacted at the events of the cross, came to faith in Christ and led his children into the same faith. Now Rufus has clearly taken on responsibility and ownership of Christ for himself. If you’re a child of Christian parents, God wants you to surpass and excel their faith and work in Christ. If you are a Christian parent, encourage your children to follow Christ passionately for themselves.
Questions
1) Relational connections. How many people do you connect with in Kings Church? Think of people you could make some encouraging comment on (as Paul did) and share around the group. It may be easier to not include people in the small group!
2) Holy kiss. How can we practically express love in a comfortable way to people most different to us at Kings? Think of different groups/ stages of life and discuss your views.
3) Which of the people greeted by Paul most interests or challenges you? Why?
4) Phoebe was highly commended for her “postman” role. What areas of church life can seem mundane to us, yet are vitally important for the health and growth of the church. How can we help each other see the importance of these roles?
5) Priscilla and Aquila were a dynamic couple, passionate for the gospel, even opening up their home for the church. How can we practically build church through hospitality in our culture (given many people live in shared accommodation etc.)
6) Rufus was the child of Christian parent(s). What are some of the biggest challenges children from Christian homes face to developing mature faith of their own? How does this affect us (either as children of Christian parents or as Christian parents of our kids?)
Romans 15:14-33
In the beginning of this section of closing remarks, Paul touches on a number of vital ingredients to successful church life and his own ministry. As a church we will do well to imitate his lessons.
1) Admonishing one another. V14 (NIV- “instruct”). This carries the sense of speaking boldly into one another’s lives, for good, for encouragement, for correction. That’s healthy in church life, especially when we see people acting in a way that is damaging to them or to others.
2) Straight talking. V15. Paul was a straight-talking kind of guy. As you understand the gospel more clearly, it makes you more clear-thinking. After spending 8 chapters articulating the gospel, Paul’s not afraid to pull a few punches in chapters 12-15!
3) Aware of God’s Grace in gifting (v15). Grace is more than a get-out-of-hell-free card. It transforms us inside and empowers us to do powerful exploits for God. Paul accredited his apostolic gifting to the grace given him. The best thing you can do with your life is explore the gifts God has given you and develop them to the full. It may be evangelistic, mercy, kids work, worship, pastoring, prophesying, teaching, being a role-model for children etc. Know what you are and what you’re not. How can you know your gifts?
• Things you find joy in doing
• Things others respond (positively!) to you in
• Avoid things that drain you, depress you and make you feel like a failure!
4) Boasting in God. V17. Paul glories in, boasts in Jesus in his work for him. God wants us confident and clear in the fact he has gifted us, not “I’m just a worm”- mentality!
5) Obedient v18. In our unregenerate state, we are unable to please God. Grace enables us to live rightly, and please him. Our whole lives should reflect this urge to see other people living lives pleasing for God. That means helping non-christians become Christians, helping young Christians become mature Christians, helping mature Christians bring others to maturity!
Questions
1) The passage deals with a number of key ingredients to successful church/ministry life. What do you think are the ingredients of excellent church life?
2) Straight-talking and admonishing. Would you classify yourself as a straight-talker? What healthy cautions should there be in clear and direct communication?
3) Think of an example when someone “admonished” you- directed/ corrected/ pushed you towards a certain decision/ behaviour. What fruit did that bear in your life?
4) God’s grace. Think of examples in scripture of people who used their God-given gifts and it brought clear evidence of fruit. (Look through acts, also some of the closing remarks in each of Paul’s letters often lists appreciated acts of service).
5) What gifts do you see within this small group?
6) Boasting in God. How can we move confidently in our gifts without appearing presumptuous?
