For the next 5 Sunday mornings, we will be enjoying an exercise in simplicity. Jesus, Faith, Grace, Hope & Love- five familiar words that have become either so ignored they don't hold any weight, or they have become so buried beneath superficial ideas that they bring on an eye-roll as soon as they're mentioned. What's interesting though, is that the vast majority of people don't look at these words and speak of them as though they are untrue. In fact, much the opposite; Jesus was a good man and even the Son of God. Grace is beautiful. Human beings must have hope. Love makes the world go 'round and George Michael reminds us that you gotta have faith. Those things are true, sure. The problem is that for many (most?), they have no place in real life. They get overshadowed as ideas as our real lives are being lived. It's all true, just not real.
Jesus spent much time trying to proclaim to people that the gospel wasn't just a static list of ideas and concepts to orbit around, but the present and immediate reality of the Kingdom of God, into which we can dive and live and be transformed. Anyone could say it, or merely teach it- even convincingly. But Jesus astonished people in that "He taught with authority". In other words, they had heard Rabbis and Sages preach before- but this Man from Nazareth and His message were real. You could see it unfolding. And then He offers Himself and this amazing life to us.
Week one will present this overall paradigm shift, as well as give an opportunity for us to see Christ differently. It may at times seem redundant and even too heady to do anything with- yet it really is one of the core problems with people and their view of God's life. It's how it has been relegated to intermittent church attendance being thought of as God's goal for humanity. In your group, you may want to be prayerful and aware about the fact that many people have had life-long access to Christian ideas. So much so that they have what Dallas Willard refers to as "presumed familiarity" about Christ, but actually don't know Him and His way beyond a philosophical position somebody agrees with. Though there are many things people don't know about Christ; His Jewishness, His humanity, His divinity, His culture, language, teaching style, views, etc...The simplicity of this series is based on this: your group members may need to move their faith in a Christ that's merely "true" to "real", and watch the Kingdom explode.
Thaw
- Where did you see God at work in your life this week? In the lives of others?
- What is something you saw or read or heard that you cannot stop thinking about?
- How are these things going to shape your life?
- What's something from the message on Sunday that stuck with you?
- Did God turn any lights on for you during or since Sunday morning?
Read
- John 11:17-27
- Thoughts and Epiphanies?
Leader note: You may want to note that Martha believes in the concept of the resurrection on the last day. It's something she and her fellow Jews knew as a central truth. She asks Jesus for help, and responds in truisms when He says Lazarus will rise. So Jesus has to take her beyond the idea of resurrection. He has to drag it out from the background of her faith and show her that it's a reality, standing in front of her (v25).
- What's the difference for us between a spiritual idea, such as the resurrection on the last day or a God that once created, and a Jesus that's actually present in our circumstances?
- How does this affect our daily life and faith?
Leader note: You may want to point out, depending on your group's ability to really wrestle with the difference between lofty spiritual ideas we all agree to and the actual presence of Christ, that Jesus asks if Martha "believes this". Jesus was trying to move her forward out of truisms, which has a profound impact on her life and those around her. That simple phrase, "do you believe this" is aimed at us as well, because it's not an invitation to agree with mere concepts, but to live as though it and He is real.
Read
- Matthew 28:16-20
- Thoughts?
- What impact is intended for readers in the last sentence Matthew records in His gospel?
Read
- John 15:5
- Thoughts?
- Most of us recognize the need for love and change and goodness in the world. Just look at all the programs and foundations run by everything from cola companies to faiths totally unaffiliated with Christianity. Additionally, we see the need for some kind of transformation within ourselves. Is Jesus saying none of this can happen without Him?
Leader note: After exploring this for a while as a group, see if you can come to understand together that we are part of the problem. We can often make the mistake of thinking that the problems and challenges are real, and so is our ingenuity and creativity to solve them, but Jesus and the gospel of the Kingdom are concepts. The former is real. The latter is only "true". But, Jesus is irreducible in our lives as followers, as is stated in John 15. You can do some good things and not know Him, but followers of Jesus recognize that WE need saving as well. WE need to step down and be Lorded by Him. WE need forgiven for our part in sin. Christians understand that our life is governed by the present Spirit of Christ, not just static historic truths used as a moral/behavioral compass. Apart from that present Spirit, we really can't do anything of actual Kingdom value.
Read
Leader's note: It may be good to assign these texts, one per reader. Then go through them together, listening to the words used to describe early Christ followers.
- Acts 9:1-2
- Acts 18:24-26
- Acts 19:8-9
- Acts 19:23
- Acts 22:3-4
- Acts 24:13-14
- Acts 24:22
Discuss
- Early followers were called people of The Way. The Greek word translated "way" is hodos, which literally means a travelled path or journey. Why is being known by the way you live better than being known for what things you believe?
Leader note: WHAT we believe is not unimportant or in any way a bad thing- but it should be noted that it was long after the period in which the New Testament was being lived out that Christians began to be known and understood by the ideas and truths they believed more than The Way they lived. You may want to read the following definitions from Miriam Webster:
"Chris·tian":ˈkris-chən, Function: noun: one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ
"Je·sus":ˈjē-zəs, Function: noun: the Jewish religious teacher whose life, death, and resurrection as reported by the Evangelists are the basis of the Christian message of salvation —called also Jesus Christ
Note that Christians are people who profess or say things, while Jesus is known for what He said AS WELL AS what He did.
Apply
- How can this group move itself past concepts, philosophies and ideas- merely what's "true", and into the reality of Christ and His life?
- Are there individuals that need to let the reality of Jesus affect their life somehow? Relationships? Their past? Finances? Their career? Plans?
- How does tomorrow look differently if Jesus is real, more than the story about him merely true?
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