XXIII:V

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

The centerpiece of the ministry of Jesus is about Forgiveness. Yet there is probably as much confusion about this issue as there is any of anything else.

Use this group time to not only discover some information and insights about forgiveness, but to discover areas in each life where unforgiveness reigns. The former will help the members think about the issue intelligently, raise their families more Christianly, and better appreciate Jesus. The latter will alert them to areas where they are missing out on the Kingdom, and therefore missing out on life and life's Author.

Thaw

• Who or What is foremost on your mind today, or in recent days?
• How is Psalm 23, as you currently understand it, applicable to what's been on your mind?

• What most impacted you from Sunday's message?
• What did God bring to mind, and what are you hoping to do about it?

Read

• Romans 12:14-21
• Thoughts?
• Pick one or two people in the group for the following. Have them choose a person or a group of people in their life that have been distressing, threatening or hurtful. Using the actual name of the chosen person, insert it into this text and explore as a group what this looks like.

Leader note: This is a delicate part of the discussion that you must depend on the unifying Spirit of Christ to successfully navigate. Having someone admit it was "Alex", while another says, "Al Qaeda" (or the like) will create some very interesting mental images. Consider that, in these two examples, you would be hearing things read that sounded like...... Bless Al Qaeda who has persecuted you; bless and do not curse them.... Live in harmony with Alex. ......Do not repay Al Qaeda evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of Alex...... If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with Al Qaeda.

Remind your group, if it becomes necessary, that "Alex" isn't being blessed for whatever he did, but blessed DESPITE what he did. And that blessing is forgiveness, a neglecting of what he owes and cancellation of debt. No revenge. No "paying him back".This doesn't mean he is trusted fully, yet. This doesn't mean everything is cool and reconciled yet. This just means he will not be the object of hate, retaliation or ugliness in kind. Where Al Qaeda, or the KKK, or some other large scale enemy is concerned (remembering that these are groups of humans, not collective monsters that only serve to play the villain role in a story about us!) it is trickier because of the level of evil, nationally, that they have perpetrated. Be sure and steer the group into meaningful, healthy discussions about the difference between passivity and pursuing God honoring, Kingdom trusting peace. If you are not aware of the difference, perhaps some study and reflection ahead of time will be helpful. Many people hear only passivity when they hear people discussing finding peace and forgiveness for "national" enemies. We are within our rights to insist that King David and Paul knew national enemies far more barbaric than the likes of Al Qaeda, and still saw fit to write Psalm 23 and Romans 12 respectively.

Read

• Matt 5:43-48
• Matt 18:21-35
• Thoughts?
• What are the most beautiful aspects of these passages, and what are the most difficult, or even disagreeable parts of this passage?
• If Jesus stood in front of you right now as you described the sin that has occurred against you, and he said what he said in Matthew 5 and 18 to you, what would you say?

Discuss

• What do forgiveness and peace, bitterness, anger and fear all have to do with each other?
• What does God say about the hate that we foster towards those that have harmed us?

Leader note: Be mindful that many people will default to guilt here. But guilt isn't the answer. Life is. Help the group understand that harbored hatred is enslavement to the sinner that broke you. Hating people for the harm they have caused is simply as base reaction that Jesus wants us to graduate from, not merely feel "spiritually guilty" for.

• Respond as a group to the quote by Louis Smedes

Hate is the most self-righteousness of all emotions. We feel deliriously righteous when we hate the evil creature who viciously assaulted us. No one ever feels the pleasure of self-righteousness with such lip-smacking satisfaction as a person chewing on his own hate. This is why we love our hate, coddle it, feed it, stroke it and above all justify it. But let it settle in for a while and take over the best room in our soul, and it becomes a disagreeable guest who will not leave when our party is over.

Apply

• How can this group help you with some steps toward forgiveness, and perhaps the later steps of trust and reconciliation.
• Are there any people who haven't forgiven you that you have sought out for forgiveness, and haven't gotten it? How might the group be helpful?

Prayer

• End your group time in quiet prayer and reflection. Allow Christ to help you see the person or the people that hurt you as greater than the sum total of their sin against you. Ask Christ to help you understand their blindness to your pain, or to their hurtful ways. Ask Christ to help you see how their mind works. This request to better understand the whole context is a way of loving he or she that you had formerly called your enemy. Release your right to revenge or repay, to the extent that our Lord shows you the person you are, as well as the person that hurt you as they really are as well. This is prayer in Jesus' name.

XXIII:IV

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

As the series presses on, hopefully you are beginning to notice that the members of your group are gaining some familiarity with the passage, and learning that even six short versus can pack a wallop.

Continue to invite your members to be as raw and open as they can as you let God teach you through this Psalm.

Also, bear on mind, that at the end of this series, in week six, we will be giving people an opportunity to respond and commit their lives to Christ. You may have people in your group that that will be helpful for. Many times, all we need is a date on a calendar by which to allow God to change the entire course of our lives. If appropriate, have a conversation with your fellow journey-mates and help them to see this series as a catalyst, and that final Sunday as a day that they make the "funeral psalm" a banner for their life!

Thaw

• Who feels like they have Psalm 23 memorized, and would like to take this opportunity to show off (in the most holy, humble way, of course...)?
• What has God most taught you thus far in this series?
• What do you continue to see yourself anxious about with regard to daily life, faith, etc?

• What most impacted you from Sunday's message?
• What do you sense God might be asking you to do?

Read

• Psalm 23:4
• Thoughts?
• Darkness is connected to the sense of "death". Imagine this scene in David's mind as he writes. What is he getting at?

Leader note: You may want to take a second and compare translations among your group members and the bibles that they bring. Little nuances in different translations can help the entirety of the picture come to light.

• Psalm 119:103-105
• Proverbs 2:6-15
• What is the connection between God's word, rightness and wisdom, and navigating our "paths"?
• Why is this helpful when we encounter darkness?

Leader note: Lamps for feet and light for path. That doesn't give a very broad view of the landscape. Sometimes seeing the bigger picture would only make things worse. A lamp for your feet is another way of say "even though i can't see what's coming, or what's around me...or what that is that goes bump in the night...your word, wisdom and love light my immediate path...it light's today...and I will continue walking in trust of that." You may want to additionally read from Ephesians 4:1-6 and get a sense of how Paul talks about walking regardless of circumstances, as he writes this from a dank Roman prison cell to those who weren't sure if they were going to make it. "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Discuss

• What does it mean for an adult to have fear?
• How does fear play out in daily life?

Leader note: Help the group understand that persistent anxiety about life is the kind of fear we're talking about. Back to Matthew 6: "what am I going to eat, drink and wear?" This was Jesus' summary of the kinds of things we fret over. Joblessness, or impending joblessness, guilt regarding children, the health of a loved one, mid-term elections, war, Cholera in Haiti, Wikileaks, mass graves found in Asia, insensitive remarks made at school, too fat, too thin, am I going to sound stupid at lifegroup, am I going to sound stupid as I try and LEAD a lifegroup? Fear can always be running in the background for some. Help them see it. Even if through a meditative quiet, you have to locate fear to get rid of it.

• Why is that fear relieved by the understanding of the presence of God?
• Why does fear then come back?

• Respond as a group to the lyrics of this hymn written in 1922:

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

• Refrain:
  Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
  Look full in His wonderful face,
  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
  In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Leader note: It may be helpful to know that this hymn comes from Hebrews 12:2.

Apply

• Besides discussion, such as in group, and memorization/prayer through psalms such as these, what are some other ways to make sure fear isn't creeping in, that wrong-though-easier paths aren't being chosen and that God is being sought out in trust?
• How does this group play a role in this?
• What stands in the way of this group providing this kind of environment for growth in faith?

Prayer

• Close quietly through prayer and visualizing the shepherd, with his protective rod and staff, asking you to take whatever step it is that He is asking you to take. Say to him, and then live, "yes".

XXIII:III

"He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake"

Based on the content of the teaching/message:

What were the key points for you?

What was the "one thing" you took away?

What surprised you?

What bothered you? Why?

Have you ever heard or come across a similar teaching or idea? Have you ever been taught something that was contradictory?

What is/was already part of your thinking on this subject?

What did you learn that was new to you?

*About God?

*About the Bible and interpreting it?

*About yourself?

*About others?

What changes of thought are necessary in light of what you learned?

What changes of action are needed?

How would life be different if you/we applied this teaching fully?

What are the hindrances, and what do we do about those?

What role can this group play to help you take steps this week and beyond?

XXIII:II

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters..."

As you begin your group time, be mindful that every person in the room (including you) potentially represents a host of worries, conflicts and unresolved tensions that date back a few minutes and/or a few decades.

Worry, anxiety...these are emotions that we entertain for years, believing somehow that they are a reasonable way of dealing with issues in our lives that need addressing. And every moment we spend worrying and anxious, fearful or down right annoyed, we are robbing ourselves of our life, of the ability to apply faith, and of enjoying the presence of God who lives in the Now.

Have fun. Be present. Bathe in peace.

Thaw

• Would anyone like to try reciting the 23rd psalm from memory at this point?
• How has The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want played out in your life over the last week?

• What are a few things that you have worried about today, no matter how small?
• How do you feel about these worries right now, and how do you think they are affecting you?
• What stuck with you most from the message this Sunday?

Reading Meditation

• Read these passages to yourself and allow God to speak to you through them.

• Psalm 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?”
• Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.”
• Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
• Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
• Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’.”
• Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
• John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
• Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
• 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.”
• Hebrews 13:5-6 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’”
• 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Discuss

• After reading these, you may have a sense of peace. But you may also feel no different at all. You can be aware that these texts are in the Bible, but be so sure emotionally that continuing to worry is the best way to live.
• What are the differences between worry and responsibility?
• (Or anxiety and concern?)
• How do fear and faith work against each other?
• How do worry and anxiety feel necessary and even good?

Leader note: You may want to help the people in your group, depending on the level of relevance this particular discussion has for your group, understand that fear/anxiety/worry are all self-protective emotions. In the purest sense, anxiety can help you survive. Being appropriately worried about the loose Lion in the cul-de-sac will prove useful to yourself and your kids. The issue for most worriers, however, is that there aren't any real lions in the street. They have just gotten so used to being in self-protection mode (against all forms of discomfort, difficulty or stress) that their worry feels necessary. This is the difficulty with anxiety, and giving yourself in faith to God. It feels like suicide on a subconscious level. "If I don't worry, I am being irresponsible and emotionally numb....which will get me hurt!"

• How does fear/worry/anxiety affect relationships?

Leader note: Try and discover how this constant protection mode affects our ability to be loving, or to receive love. Suspicion is a force-field.

Apply

• What do we do with an increased awareness of our worries?
• What does King David intend to communicate by writing He makes me lie down in green pastures, and leads me beside quiet waters?
• How does this find applicability in the midst of real-life stress and worry?
• How does this apply to fears about being found out about something that has been hidden?
• How does this apply to health concerns, job worries, national issues, etc?

Book recommendation

• Present Perfect, Gregory Boyd

XXIII

"The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want..."

The "funeral psalm" turns out to be more about life than accepting death. And not just any life, but I life lived under the watchful, caring hand of God; Yahweh Roi (Yahweh, my Shepherd).

As a group, memorize this psalm over the next 6 weeks. Learn it in English, and whatever other languages your members may know. spend time writing it, praying, discussing the mental imagery that comes to mind as you go through it. You will be linking arms with faithful brothers and sisters for millennia as you consider the weight and beauty of this song of David, and how it tells us that God was always different than we imagined, and more like Jesus than we ever knew.

Thaw

• Does anyone already have psalm 23 committed to memory?
• What's the sense you have about this psalm before we study it?
• What most stuck with you about the message on Sunday?
• What have you learned about God?
• What have you learned about faith?

Read

• Ezekiel 34:1-10
• Matthew 9:35-37
• John 10:1-11
• Thoughts?

• Jesus came for many reasons. How would you explain his coming with regard to shepherding?
• How is this different than how He may be presented to people by some Christians and Christian leaders?

Leader note: It may be worth noting in your time that Jesus never says "I am God". The reasoning is multifaceted. One simple reason is that there is no simple way to say "I am God"; add to that that Jesus, like many sages, never spells things out plainly because He wants His students to "aha!" so it will stick (Thus, parables over pamphlets). So, what He does say, such as in John 8 and John 18, among other places, is "I Am", referring to Himself as the ineffable God of Moses in the burning bush, and here in John 10, " I am the Good Shepherd", positioning Himself as David's Yahweh Roi. This is how Jesus did it, and it made the religious leaders furious, because Israel only had ONE Shepherd. Jesus would agree.

Discuss

• What are the implications of God as friend vs. God as enforcer?

Leader note: remember, the Hebrew for "shepherd" is "roi", which is the same root word for companion or friend.

• What thoughts and emotions are evoked when you think of God as seeking your good, journeying with you, watching over you, rather than being stationary and seeing you only as a list of infractions of His holiness code?

Apply

• How does your faith change if you begin to see you life as a journey, and your God as a journey-mate that wants to lead you to life?
• How does the back half of Psalm 23, verse one (I shall not want) relate to your answer to the above question?
• How is contentment or discontentment a sign of your faith in God's Shepherding?
• How are faith in Christ and a life of peace synonymous?

Leader note: This is not to say that being a Christian and the removal of difficulties are synonymous. It's to say something about the internal state of the soul, knowing God is a shepherd that walks with, rather than an enforcer that points out error from a distance.

Closing

• Have one or all read psalm 23 aloud.
• Leader, close with benediction to the group:

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)