The Story(ies), Thread 3

Week three in this series is meant to give group members a chance to be comforted by the promise of God's presence, as well as face all the ways that they continue to live as though it were not true. That's the challenge part! Make sure as a group leader that you remain mindful of God's Spirit and that He may want to shake things up for those living as though the curtain is in tact and God is in a box somewhere, or He may merely wish to provide a salve for those who don't realize that God is not far and need to know He's here and for us.

Thaw

• What do you notice going on inside yourself as Spring arrives?
• Would you rather live where there were no seasons, or do you prefer the changing weather year round? What season is best and why?

• What has most impacted you from the series so far?
• What affect has this series had on your view of God, yourself, the Bible, prayer, etc?
• What has most stuck with you from the message Sunday?

Read

• John 1:14

Leader note: The phrase rendered "dwell among us" is actually "tabernacled with us", or set up his tent with us. The Greek is σκηνόω ("skēnoō")

• Thoughts?
• How has this passage taken on new dimensions for you?

Read

• Zephaniah 3:14-17 ESV

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;

he has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall never again fear evil.

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

"Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

The LORD your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

• Thoughts?

Leader note: Help the group note that the encouragement seems to come from the repeated promise of God being in His people's midst, not just being "for" them.

Read

• Matt 28:16-20
• Revelation 21:1-4

Leader note: Revelation 21:3 actually reads this way in the Greek;

"...And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the tabernacle (σκηνή "skēnē") of God is with men, and he will tabernacle (σκηνόω "skēnoō") with them.'"

• Thoughts?

Discuss

• Do you operate with the understanding that God is present, or that God is watching? Is there a difference, and if so , what is it?
• How do we explain that God is currently present in Christ, yet his "pitching a tent" with us in full is a yet-to-be-fully-realized experience?
• When is a time that you have experienced God's presence?
• When is a time that you felt like He was nowhere to be found?

Reflective Reading

• The Book of Hebrews is a complex book. Actually, it's not a book...it was a sermon meant to be read aloud to the early Jewish followers of Jesus gathered in a particular region in the mid-first century. Choose someone from the group to read The Message translation of Hebrews 9 & 10, while the rest of the group listens, takes notes and allows the rich imagery to fill their imaginations. You can find the text here.

Discuss & Apply

• God is with us, and we have access that we didn't have before due to our imperfection. With that in mind, how do you hear this passage from Hebrews?
• Does this passage motivate you, or offend something in you? Why do you think you are responding the way you are?
• How does submission to this affect your life immediately?
• What changes of thought are necessary for this to take hold?
• What is the role of other followers in the group member's lives in all this?

Prayer

• Access is both a blessing and a confrontation. Pray as a group that it comforts and challenges each person and their family as they step into tabernacling with God.