Above Ground 8 Gentleness

“I choose gentleness… Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself." -Max Lucado

Not until someone believes there is another kind of power will they believe that it is better to be gentle. But this invitation has been echoing in the background of history for thousands of years, all while our arguments, wars, aggression and harshness play out in the fore.

As a group, see if you can take one step toward believing that there is power is gentleness. At the same time, allow the Spirit to rewire your perceptions of God, and see if gentleness (rather than some Zeus-ian view of God) can begin to take hold.

Thaw

• What are the individual and group Easter plans?
• What's an Easter tradition that you already have in place?

• What's something that stayed with you from Sunday morning?
• Who do you think of when you think of gentleness?
• Would you say that this person is "successful" in life?

Read

• Matthew 5:5
• Proverbs 15:1
• Philippians 4:5-6
• James 3:17
• 1 Peter 3:15
• Thoughts?

Discuss

• When you think of Christian history, do you think of the word gentleness? Why do you answer the way you do?
• When you think of your own history, do you think of gentleness? Why?
• Where did you learn to be gentle, or to not be?

Read

• John 18:15-18, 25-27
• John 21:1-17
• Thoughts?

Leader note: There are many layers to these verses. Peter is depicted as thinking mostly about his own comfort, as John takes pains to say he's "warming himself by the fire" multiple times as Jesus is mistreated inside the High Priest's Palace. This warming happens beside a charcoal fire pit, in Greek known as an "anthrakia". It is in this setting that Peter, to save his own skin, denies having known Jesus three times. Later, after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, Peter is back to fishing and doubtless feeling horrible for how things had gone. When Jesus calls out, Peter swims to shore to find an "anthrakia" for cooking part of the catch of fish. This is the second of only two times "anthrakia" is used in the Bible, as John seems to be inserting two stakes in the ground to tether the scenes in our minds. As Peter denied Christ three times, Jesus restores him three times, gently (Galatians 6:1), renewing his calling to take care of the people of God.

This helps us understand how God deals with us. Rather than screaming, distancing, condescension or an all out pouring of wrath on Peter, the lead apostle and exemplar of the christian faith, he is simply walked back through the gates of the Kingdom by Christ like a father would his toddling son. Help your group find some of this imagery, and help them to see God through this light. Perhaps even ask them how they have (or would) deal(t) with rejection, abandonment, abuse or having been failed first, and then read this account.

Discuss

• How does one's view of God shape how they treat others when things are going less than optimally?
• How does the way one has been treated in life when they performed less than optimally shape how they view God?
• When you are being aggressive, short-tempered, crass, sarcastic, condescending, or over all carrying unfair demands on other people- what are you doing to your own happiness?

Leader note: A simple thought intended here; the more demands we have on people, and the more we are fueled by anger and aggression rather than gentleness, the more we create for ourselves a world where nothing satisfies and peaces eludes.

• Why would God choose gentleness over severity? (Romans 2:4)
• How does God's penchant for gentleness with people affect his timetables for getting what needs accomplished, accomplished?
• How does being gentle with people slow things for us, and what do we do about this?

Apply

• What is a known area of life in which you lack gentleness?
• Surely, you have already tried something; thats why you could answer the last question. What new thing might God be telling you about this area typically filled with anger, desperation, sarcasm, or a general mistreatment of other souls?
• Is this group more a place of gentleness or a place of hostility? Explain, assuming the group seeks Christlikeness even though the process can be awkward and uncomfortable when it comes to questions like this!
• Rather than trying to change the group in one meeting (the way of the windstorm) acknowledge what you have learned about your group and yourselves, and allow Christ's spirit to gently blow through, adjusting it to look more and more like his Body each time you gather. Perhaps, in 90-120 days, you can come back and ask yourselves if gentleness is a word that better describes your group- more than it did in March.

(Heads up!) Above Ground 7 Goodness

This Sunday we will tackle the next word in a list Paul makes about the Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness.

While our community gathers and celebrates that idea, 10 of us will be gathered with hundreds of others in Michura, Kenya. None of us have ever done church Kenya-style, and look forward to being part of that.

In my absence, there will be no curriculum specifically tailored to the message. So, as you listen and take notes from the message, be thinking about how your group might discuss the content. Write a few questions down. Note the scriptural references. Imagine the specific stories in your group and how they might need to interact with the ideas shared. In short, prepare your thoughts during the message!

In addition to this, you can always utilize the generic questions on the righthand column on the Resource Site itself (if you only get the email post itself, you can click on the bold text at the top, and that should serve as a link to the site where the generic questions are always located.)

Looking forward to worshiping with you, on the other side of the globe.

Peace,

Steve

Above Ground 6 Kindness

By now in the series, many of us have seen our mundane interactions with others in a very different light. It's easy to miss when not reflected upon, but undoubtedly, members of our groups are having run-ins that bring the content of group discussions right to the front of their mind. Their digging into these topics are having a direct effect, slow but sure, on every part of who they are.

Thank you for being a crucial part of the collective maturing of our community!

As we discuss kindness, know that this topic is woven together with all the others. There will be overlap and familiarity as the case for letting God's Spirit reign compounds.

____________________________________________

Thaw

• What is significant about March for you?

• What's a kindness that you experienced or observed recently?
• What most stuck with you from Sunday morning?
• What's the difference in your mind between kindness and being polite?

Leader note: You may want to point out that, though not empty of value, politeness is just as its etymology suggests: polit-ics. It's a way of behaving that pacifies a standard, or even manipulates favor. This is not kindness, as it doesn't require God's spirit. A pecking order is a simple form of politeness.

Read

• Luke 10:25-37
• Thoughts?
• How are you like the priest or the levite?
• How are you like the samaritan?

Leader note: You may want to point out that the innkeeper in this story is kind, and even highly risk-tolerant considering the circumstances, as well. Additionally, the man knocked unconscious never wakes up. He is therefore unable to make anything done for him "worth it" for the samaritan as far as the story goes.

Read

• Titus 2:11-3:11
• Thoughts?
• In summary, how would you describe the reputation Paul is trying to help the church have under Titus' leadership?
• Any phrases stand out to you? Why?
• Verses 9-11 spell out what to do with a person that continues to try and make the movement about the specifics of the rules, rather than the power of love and kindness. What does this say to our modern Christian context and topics that are important to us.
• What is the significant of verses 4-7?

Leader note: Paul specifically references unmerited favor by God toward us. For nothing we did, but because of his own character and his own love for us. In context, Paul might be heard saying, "if being kind and gracious and others-centered seams unreasonable, keep in mind that this is exactly how it happened for us. Rather than being judged for our sins, we were, against all odds, loved and sacrificed for. That is our model, not the divisive religion we seem to default to!"

• Is there any lasting power in kindness to change hearts?
• Is there more power in severity, or kindness, to elicit transformation? Explain.

Read

• Romans 2:1-4
• Thoughts?
• Like in the passage in Titus, we see that it is God's kindness toward us that's transformative. How does this differ with your views or even your answer before?
• What are the implications of kindness being given this much power in the lives of people that God wants to change?

Discuss

• What does all this say about the kind of _____________ we are?

Spouses

Friends

Bosses

Teachers

Sons/Daughters

Siblings

Officers

Evangelists

Students

Customers

Disagree-ers

Apply

PEOPLE WITH BAD RHYTHM CAN'T DANCE.

• How does having more peace in your life, more margin and the spirit of sabbath, equal more kindness to those around you?

YOU CAN'T BE KIND TO AN ADJECTIVE

• How does refusing to interact with people's titles, descriptors, etc. help you be kind the human being others aren't seeing?

KINDNESS IS EXPENSIVE

• Sentiment costs nothing. what are ways that being specifically kind and loving towards people that you already know going to cost you?

• How can this group create a way to celebrate the kindnesses that happens by and to its members?